Guest blog by Amy Myers & Heather Dombrowski of Pennsylvania Weddings

 Whether you’re just starting out your photography career or you are well established in the industry, having your work featured on a blog is a great way for exposure. Being published can help break into destination weddings or broaden your realm of clientele. Submitting work is an artform and one that should be researched well before clicking that submit button. 

Stick to Your Style

One important step to submitting your work to a blog is checking out their feeds. Review their style and take note of any specific details that they highlight or feature more frequently. For example, here at Pennsylvania Weddings we REALLY love detail shots. We THRIVE on flatlays and décor stills. When you submit to us it is important to incorporate those images. On the other hand, a blog like Offbeat Bride likes unusual/original details that you may have never seen before.

So… if you shoot a wedding at a vineyard and the bride is wearing white stilettos and a diamond tiara, submit that to Pennsylvania Weddings. If you have a bride wearing a custom tie dye gown and they’re getting married in a vintage warehouse, that would be a great submission for Offbeat Bride! It is important to remember not to adjust your work for a blog. If you don’t think that Pennsylvania Weddings is the right fit to showcase you, find a blog that is. There is a blog out there and even if you are not sure if a blog will accept your work, submit! The worst they can do is say no. 

Submit the Details

When a blog posts a photographer’s “Real Wedding” or “Real Engagement” they are posting it as inspiration for current and future brides. This means we want pictures of the intimate details. Not just a full shot of the reception hall but, close ups of table numbers, seating charts, name plates, etc,. If there is custom work, like stationery or bridesmaids’ gifts, submit those shots with the name of the vendor involved in the creation of those custom details.

We want to feature your work, but we also want to properly give credit in the images you provide. Speak with your couples and get a list of all the vendors that were involved in their day. If they have onsite Hair & Makeup, include close ups of the artists work. One vendor that is the MOST forgotten is the stationer, especially if you have a flatlay included in your submission, we want to give credit to the person or company that designed those details.

Create a Story

When submitting your work make sure to take a fair amount of time to write their story. It is best practice to include some words from the couple. As a blog we want to share how they met, how they were proposed to, and any cute/original details from their day. Including these details and a summary of your time with the couple makes you, as the photographer, more desirable in the readers eyes and couples will be more likely to reach out to you. You are showing the experience that they will get if they were to book their day with you.

Don’ts…

I hate to say it…but we aren’t interested in pictures of Uncle Larry dancing at the reception. Unless he is wearing a three-piece velvet tuxedo, LEAVE IT OUT! We aren’t interested in Uncle Larry, but we are interested in the whole day! Pictures while they get ready, first looks, the ceremony, and in case I haven’t mentioned it enough…the DETAILS! Finally, be picky about what you submit, pick the photos that really showcase the wedding and your work, not the entire gallery of 1000+ photos. 

Submit!

If you are new to the industry it will take some time to build your following and clientele. Submitting to blogs like Pennsylvania Weddings is a great way to get your name out to a larger audience. Once you have summed up the courage to submit, try not to be disheartened if you get a rejection. In most cases we reject submissions based on style.

To reiterate what I mention in the beginning, if a photographer or a wedding does not match our specific style, we will not accept the work. Find blogs that match your style and you will find more success. The moment your work is accepted and posted on a blog the first thing to do is a private little happy dance and then sit down and share it with the world. Take a moment to brag about yourself. This is an accomplishment; your work has been noticed and you deserve to give yourself a bit of recognition! So, get out there and start submitting your work!

More about Pennsylvania Weddings…

Pennsylvania Weddings is Pennsylvania’s premier resource for local weddings. They strive to connect local couples with local vendors by placing couples in contact with vendors who are right in their own backyard. Thus, making the planning process of a wedding much easier. They post real and styled weddings and engagements submitted through Two Bright Lights, Aisle Society and directly through their website. 

Heather is the creator and editor of Pennsylvania Weddings. She had a vision of a local guide for all things Pennsylvania weddings and brought it to life in 2019. For 7 years she established herself in the industry as a stationer and calligrapher, until expanding as Heatherly Design Press into branding for small businesses.

Amy is the Content Manager at Pennsylvania Weddings and Owner of Lilac Studio Co. She is a blogger, social media consultant, and copy writer for small businesses primarily in the wedding industry.