How do I get my wedding published in a magazine? That is a question many photographers ask and hope will happen. Getting real weddings published in magazines or on wedding blogs can be great exposure! It can build buzz for your brand, get your work in front of potential clients and industry professionals and can be a low-cost form of marketing. Whether you get published on the magazine’s printed form, online or on their blog, it is all very exciting and energizing to see your hard work being shared with others. Who wouldn’t love to call up a friend or family member and say “I got published!”. It is also a great feeling to share the news on your blog or social media platforms so that your current and potential clients can see as well. It’s not really about the bragging of it all, it really is more of an affirmation that your hard work, time and creativity got noticed.
There are a few things to consider before you submit your real wedding.
1. When you are preparing your editorial submission, cull images specifically for the submission. Remember that the reader is a bride in the planning stages of her wedding looking for unique ideas and themes. This is different than what you might cull for one of your potential brides that will hire you.
2. It has been said many times before, but it is so true…If you want to know the way to a wedding blog or magazine editor’s heart, provide them with gorgeous and yummy details. It’s their passion! Details are everywhere. Take them throughout the wedding day but also use downtime to find and capture details in creative ways. It’s also a good idea to capture important details in both vertical and horizontal orientations so the publication has some flexibility while they prepare your writeup.
3. Don’t send the same wedding to several publications. They do not want to see something they featured on another blog or online magazine as well. Also, consider the style of magazine you are submitting to as there are many varieties out there. Make sure it fits your style.
4. Just do it! Submit, submit, submit. You never know until you try.
Southern Weddings Magazine is a fabulous publication with a very creative and talented team. Emily is the art director and handles the submissions for their magazine. She shared her thoughts with us about this very topic. Speaking of the SW Magazine team, here they are! Image courtesy of Millie Holloman.
What makes you take pause and look at an image? In other words, what grabs you?
Emily: There are so many things that make me stop and stare at an image! I’m particularly susceptible to photographs that clearly caught the subjects “in the moment.” I also have a weakness for gorgeous, colorful bouquets.
What mistakes do you often see in images that are submitted?
Emily: Too many filters or post-processing techniques, crazy angles, or too many portraits or dancing photos in the mix. Our brides want to see details mixed with a few emotional images that tell the story of the day, so that’s what I need to see in your submission.
Do you look for a particular style? Fashion? Classic? Vintage?
Emily: We look for images that are crisp and clean, taken in natural light, and with minimal filters or post-processing. I would call our style “classic editorial.”
What are your thoughts about styled or inspiration shoots? If a photographer submits images from this setup, do you want them to mention that in the submission email?
Emily: Yes, they absolutely need to mention that! Southern Weddings is not opposed to styled shoots, but we publish them very infrequently (online). Our brides like our inspiration to be clean, classic, approachable, doable, and quintessentially Southern, and we just don’t get that many shoot submissions that match that description.
Do you look at engagement sessions, bridal sessions and day after shoots as well?
Emily: Yes, we feature engagement sessions on our blog on occasion, and we also publish engagement sessions on our Facebook page in a feature called Facebook Friday. We rarely publish bridal or day-after sessions.
Any tips you can provide to photographers?
Emily: Follow submission guidelines! It makes the process go much more smoothly. You can view SW’s guidelines HERE.
Thank you Emily for taking time to share your thoughts with our readers. This is sure to be very helpful to our readers.
Be sure to check out Southern Weddings Magazine for recent real weddings as well as inspiration for yourself as a photographer!
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