How to Blog a Wedding

How to blog a wedding: It seems like blogging is a thorn in the side for a lot of photographers and creatives—but it doesn’t have to be a painful experience! Blogs are a rewarding opportunity to show off your best work, serve your audience, and captivate your ideal client.

This post will walk you through everything you need to know, so you can consistently blog your weddings in 30 minutes or less.

First things first: photographers, I know this is tough to hear, but… this is not the time to nitpick over your blog images. Be discerning about the images you share, but don’t get too caught up in wavering back and forth between one image and another. Your work is of a quality such that either image would likely be beautiful within the gallery. Nobody will know the difference but you.

You can be choosy on your website’s Portfolio Page, but blogs should be published with consistency. You should be cognizant of the time-cost factor involved in this process! So, that being said, let’s dive in:

Quick Specs:

• Image Size: I like to size these at between 1200–2000px on the long edge. This is pretty generous, but it should guarantee a decent image quality without slowing your site down. Size your images before uploading.
  
• Number of Images: only blog images you truly love. Showcase enough images that your potential clients can get a feel for a full wedding experience with you… but keep in mind, this isn’t their wedding. They don’t need to see every photo; rather, show a sampling of each type of photo they can expect to capture on the big day (getting ready, details, etc.).
  
  The bottom line is: if you don’t love an image, don’t blog it. It’s better to have a gallery of 15 impeccable images, than a post with 100 mediocre images that don’t speak to your quality of work. Only share photos that speak to the dream client you want to attract.
  

For SEO:

SEO is a big topic to cover in its entirety (and here’s my unpopular opinion: it may not even be worth your time)… but here are a few quick tips to help you optimize your posts if you are trying to build your SEO:

– Set one distinctive keyword per post (do not use this keyword again for any post or page on your site)

– Use a plugin like Yoast SEO to help you gauge post optimization 

– Rename all of your images to include the post keyword before you upload them

– Add alt tags to every image (here’s a great tip from Tech Savvy Creative on how to do that quickly!)

– Credit all vendors with an external link to each vendor’s site (linking is good for SEO)

– Include an internal link to a different page on your own site (like a past blog post or a contact page)

– Write at least 300 words

---

Now I know that last bullet point scares some of you. The idea of writing 300 words sounds like a lot, but it’s really not too bad when we break it down! You don’t have to be “good with words” to get a blog post published. You aren’t going for a Pulitzer Prize here. I know that you have something you can share about this wedding day.

When possible, try to tell a story. Rather than describing the style of the wedding, tell us about a tender moment between the bride and groom, or an emotional first look. 

Even better? Tell us how you helped serve this couple specifically: did you whisk them away for golden-hour portraits? Help button a dress? These blog posts are intended to attract your dream clients. They are an opportunity to share the level of service you provide to your couples. While blogging, it’s always a good idea to communicate the value you provide.

It’s easier to write more when you tell a narrative story, and it’s much more likely to create a connection with potential clients.

With that in mind, I’m sharing a few prompt questions that might help you spark some ideas for your own posts. But first, I want to remind you of a throwback concept that can still work wonders for you: the middle school 5 Paragraph Essay. Yep, it’s that easy. Here’s the outline:

1. Topic sentence. 
2. Detail.
   1. Description.
   2. Description
3. Detail.
   1. Description
   2. Description
4. Detail
   1. Description
   2. Description
5. Closing sentence.

If you’re still not sure how to blog a wedding using this template, let me walk through a quick example. Here’s what that could look like for a wedding day:

1. Topic sentence. John and Jane hosted a meaningful wedding ceremony followed by an intimate reception under the stars at one of our favorite venues.
   
2. Detail. Before the wedding, John planned the sweetest gift for his bride: 12 months of letters he had been writing, leading up to their wedding day.
   
   
   1. Description. When Jane opened the letters, tears started streaming down her face—it was such a tender gift to read his words before she walked down the aisle.
      
   2. Description. It was such an honor to capture this emotive moment for John and Jane; I know they’ll look back on this special moment for years to come.

^That’s only ONE detail, and it’s already over 100 words. Add two more Details + Descriptions and you’ll be over the word count goal!

Don’t worry if some posts sound similar. They’re all weddings—and probably even similar weddings if you’re consistently booking your ideal client. That’s why storytelling can help you more than just describing the day… but honestly? It’s okay if some posts feel a little bit redundant. Don’t let that stop you from blogging!

---

Okay, let’s get into some prompts. Don’t feel like you have to include every prompt in every blog post… but use this list when you’re feeling stuck and “don’t know what to write about.”

Blog Prompts:

Blogging Weddings:

– How did YOU serve your couple? What in particular did you do to help capture these images?
– How did you get to know this couple (and their vision) prior to the wedding day?
– How did you help the couple feel comfortable in front of the camera?
– Did you guide the couple through any posing techniques?
– What are the “signature shots” you love to capture during a wedding? (Veil blowing, details, etc.)
– Were there any moments where you had to get creative to get the shot? (Finding lighting, etc.)
– Did you pitch in to help in any way? (Bustling a dress, pinning a boutonniere, etc.)
– How did you bring your unique skillsets to this wedding? (Styling details, interior lighting, etc.)

– When and where did the couple get married?
– Was the venue important to them for any specific reason?
– How did the couple meet? How did he propose?
– How did the bride choose to get ready? (Champagne? Gifts? Prayer?)
– Which heirloom details stood out to you? Why were they meaningful?
– Did the couple do a First Look? Tell us what that was like.

– Did you notice any tender moments between the bride and groom? (Holding hands, forehead kisses, etc.)
– Were there any special moments with family? (Father/Daughter first look, etc.)
– Did the couple include anything special in their ceremony?
– Were there any significant family traditions honored?
– Were there any family members worth mentioning? (a cute little grandma, or brother as best man?)
– What was the couple’s first dance? Were there any other significant dances?
– Did they have any specialty food items or signature drinks?
– What was the couple’s grand exit?

– Where did they travel for their honeymoon?
– How do you envision the couple using these images? (Prints in their new home, albums, gifts, etc.)

One last thing to keep in mind: not every post has to be perfect. It’s better to get the content out there than to become paralyzed by the idea that your post has to be perfectly curated, optimized, and written before you hit publish. 

It’s fine to have some posts that are not optimized for SEO; it’s also fine to have some posts without many images, or with very few words. Blogging is most helpful when you’re in it for the long-term. As long as you post content that will help serve your couples and show them a sample of your work… you know how to blog a wedding!

Happy blogging!