If you are planning a wedding and have access to the internet, there’s a good chance that you’ll have come across a wedding blog or two. Wedding blogs are an essential resource for many couples planning their weddings. Not only do they provide inspiration, they offer advice, practical information and often also directories of suppliers. More than ever couples are wondering how to get wedding photographs published.
If you’re one of them, the good news is that most wedding blogs provide daily wedding inspiration in the form of “real weddings.” This usually includes a handful of photos alongside a write up about the day. As such blogs are always looking for new weddings to feature.
Wedding blogs are detail heavy
Many blogs are detail heavy. This means they actively seek unique and appealing details. Often they dedicate a considerable amount of a write up to things such as the cake of flowers flowers for example. Many wedding blogs have their own niche or style. Blogs such as Love my dress, Rock N Roll bride and Festival brides all have quite different requirements which suit their brand and their readers.
Making sure you fit with a wedding blogs style and brand
This is worth bearing in mind if you are looking to get wedding photographs published. Wedding blogs will primarily be looking to feature weddings that fit with their style and brand. As such you need to be realistic about where your wedding might fit in. You’ll have a much better chance of getting your wedding photographs published if you submit them to blogs with a similar style to your own day. Did you have quite an alternative wedding? Was it more traditional? Rustic? Festival themed? Generally speaking, the more established blogs don’t tend to feature very traditional weddings. If you are planning, or have had a fairly traditional day, it’s definitely worth considering submitting to wedding magazines or up and coming wedding blogs instead.
Secondly, blogs are always looking for something unique to share. Unique details, extravagant bouquets, dresses by particular designers all mean more shares, pins and engagement for the blog itself. Interesting, pretty and pinnable is what most are after.
This can be something as simple as a hand painted wedding cake. A custom wedding dress, quirky suit, or even an unusual theme! What’s good to remember is that details are king. Most blogs tend to request photographs of the following items as standard: The dress, shoes, bridesmaid dresses, suit, wedding cake, bouquet, table plan, table decorations/favours. Not all will be required, but there should usually be as least one or two elements that are nicely photographed that the blog can focus on.
Wedding blogs aren’t necessarily looking for the same kind of photographs are you would be as a couple.
On the whole, wedding blogs don’t look for the kind of photos that we all love. The natural photos of guests, the photos of the evening dancing etc. They are photographs for the wedding album, for a couple. They hold sentimental value for you, but their readers aren’t likely to pin or share photographs of strangers hugging. A wedding blog may use one or two of this kind of photo to help tell the story of the day, but realistically it’s details and couples photos they like most.
Seeking permission to share your wedding photographs.
When you’ve found a blog that fits your day and you feel that you have a great set of photos to share, the next thing to do is to make sure you have permission to get them published. Sounds weird right? Getting permission for your own wedding photos to be shared? However, due to copyright law, this is essential. The law automatically assigning copyright to the photographer so they have legal ownership of the images unless you’ve specifically arranged otherwise. Any reputable blog will not publish your photos without permission from the photographer. In most cases this wont be a problem and most wedding photographers will be happy that you’re looking to get your wedding photographs published.
Read the rules, follow the rules.
Once you have permission, make sure you read the guidelines set out by the blog about submissions before you submit. Each blog will have very individual requirements for submission. Some require you to email a particular person and attach photos. Some require you to fill out a complete application BEFORE you’ve even been accepted. Others ask you to dropbox over photos at a particular size. In short- read. Read about what they want. If your submission doesn’t meet their guidelines they’ll likely pass your submission by and move on to the next one. Top wedding blogs get hundreds of submissions so they don’t have time to waste on ones that haven’t even adhered to the guidelines given.
It’s also worth taking note on how they respond to enquiries. Some wedding blogs respond to all submissions, even if it’s a no. Others say if you’ve not heard back in 14 days, sadly it’s a no.
Regardless of the outcome, don’t be disheartened if it is a no. It may just be that the blog you chose already accepted a wedding with a Harry Potter theme recently. There are 101 reasons why a blog may say no, but always remember that it’s never a reflection on your day. Wedding blogs, like every other supplier are a business or a brand and as such they have to put their brand first.
If it is a yes, excellent. Now the waiting starts. Turn around times for publication can be anything from a week to several months depending on how big (well known) the blog are, how many weddings they have in their queue etc. As a very rough guide, we tend to have weddings published in 4-8 weeks. Magazines typically have a MUCH longer turn around time and we’ve previously waited a whole year for publication in one of the best known wedding magazines. Still, what a lovely memento of your day!
If you are looking to get your wedding photographs published we hope this has helped a little.
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