First consultation. How do you do it?

I'm having my first consultation with a Bride and Groom next week. I've refined a price list over the last few weeks and have a co-worker who is a graphic designer finalizing a layout for a brochure/leave-behind to use as a visual aid in the sales pitch/negotiation.

How do you approach the consultation? Is there an order of business that you like to follow, starting with one issue, then following through with a certain format before finalizing the arrangement? I have done professional work for the Bride's sister and that is how I got the referral, but as this is my first wedding as a primary shooter, I'm trying to establish a certain idea of how to handle myself in the consultation. I don't intend to be rigid or formulaic, but if I'm left to set the tempo and topic of conversation, I don't want to appear hesitant or unprofessional.

It's largely about personal style. For me, I like to make it a warm and friendly experience. Ask they how they met. Ask them about the day they're planning; I've yet to meet a bride that doesn't love talking about her wedding day plans. Ask if they already have some thought around photography for their wedding. I'm assuming you've already made the sale? In that case, talk about all the logistics of their day. Have they left enough time for portraits? Or even consider a place to take them. I think if you consider the things you need to know, the questions start to become obvious.

Well I haven't fully closed the deal. I have an "In" with them, and they're very pleased with the work they've seen (though it's not wedding related as the 2nd shooting I've done has contractually restricted my ability to use it in my own portfolio), so I feel confident that they will hire me.

My question specifically concerns the inclusion of the business negotiation in the overall conversation. Do you talk about their relationship and wedding day, and desires first, before you bring up dollar amounts and packages? That seems more genuine and organic.

I'm not over-thinking this so much as just fishing for some kind of affirmation that my general thought process is on the right track.

Thanks for your response though. Your posts are some that I have read closely in this sub-forum...perhaps because I love the shot of that Gibson (335?).

Once again, everyone's different. For me, once we're done talking about them and everyone is feeling comfortable with each other, I tell them that I'm going to share with them my approach to both the business and artistic/photgraphic side of wedding photography. And though it's probably opposite what many do, I elect to talk about the business side first which includes a discussion of price, how my packages work, sample albums and their pricing, etc. Then I run a slide show of my images and talk about how I do what I do and what I endeavor to acheive from an artisitic perspective. If they're feeling positive, I transition to the topic of next steps.