The next Austin Bridal Extravaganza, is next weekend at the Palmer Events Center.
Jan 9-10 Saturday and Sunday
Palmer Events Center
12-5
Fees: $14 – according to the website
*** (Be sure to check out my latest post with 9 things to do with your engagement photos) ***
The last time I went I had to pay an additional fee for parking – I think is was $9.
Usually when I talk about this wedding show, I do it with tips for brides, or photos and reviews of the experience.
This time, I want to give my perspective as a vendor at the show. Yes, I was actually a participant at this show in 2006. It was the only time I’ve ever advertised (I now get all my clients from Word of Mouth Recommendations, and from the Internet). But 4 years ago I had one of the little black booths and showed off my albums and wedding photography to anyone who was getting married. I was one of 30+ Austin Wedding photographers who paid the money for a booth. Some photographers had very fancy set-ups with lots of big prints, and tons of fancy albums. My Booth was simple. I had a couple of albums, and a few iPods showcasing my work. Much the same way I do 1 on 1 interviews.
Several couples did hire me, so the show was worthwhile. But I’ve never done it again. Why? Because it’s expensive. You see, as a vendor, I have to pay for my booth. And it’s quite expensive. Like 4-figures expensive. So I had to raise my prices to cover the fees, and that was passed on to my customers. Now that I don’t pay for advertising, I can keep my costs lower, which means you can save some money on your wedding photography pricing.
Of course I incorporate other cost-savings into my business. I don’t have a storefront – those are also expensive. To to save money for my clients I work out of my home office, and meet clients at a neutral location of your choosing – usually upscale coffee shops, and I bring my portfolios, some complete weddings, and of course the fancy albums. If you are interested I meet with brides all the time – and fit the meetings to your schedule – weekends, evenings, lunchbreaks. Whatever works for you. Just give me a call, and we can set-up a time, and you can compare my wedding photography to all the other vendors from the show.
There are several reviews on Yelp of the Bridal Extravaganza, from good to OK – and some even have some great tips, so after reading my post, I’d surf over to that site.
You can get more info at the Austin Wedding Guide Website
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