I am so lucky that Ryan’s arrival ended up coordinating perfectly with my “off season”. I always knew I would take a 12 week maternity leave from teaching, but being able to do so during the slow season of photography as well has worked out perfectly! Typically, the winter months are were I’m able to get the majority of the behind-the-scenes work done: I’m not drowning in editing, and there aren’t nearly as many sessions scheduled, so there is finally TIME to reflect and plan! Granted, I have spent most of this time learning all about the new little man in my life, so I haven’t gotten too much accomplished photography wise; however, I am very excited to reveal one of the tasks I’ve been working away on during nap time and pumping sessions!!!

In the past, I had always met with potential brides in person to discuss my packages and offerings. But as life got more busy, I found myself needing a way to get basic information to them more efficiently! After all, time is incredibly valuable (something I realize even more so now as a mom!!), and while I adore meeting clients in person and can spend hours chatting all things weddings, it’s just not realistic to expect that with every single inquiry!

That’s why I am so excited to introduce the newest addition to my booking process: The Investment Guide, an 11 page online magazine that I can immediately share with any inquiring bride!!!

The Investment Guide is WAY more than just some numbers on a piece of paper. Rather, it’s a little sneak peek into ME: how I run my business, why I do what I do, and what a bride could expect upon booking me. It’s personal and fun, showcases my work and voice, and is much more “legit” than just a canned email response with package offerings. It’s a way for potential SRP brides to get to know me outside of social media. I LOVE it!!

Before the Investment Guide, the first impression a bride would have of me, outside of my social media presence, was an email with my basic pricing structure and an invitation to chat on the phone or grab coffee. A bride would see numbers before getting to know me and hear why investing with Sami Renee Photography was worth it! She would have to book a meeting with me in order to get any of that information. But now, I am able to give any inquiring bride an immediate taste of what they can expect!

While I pulled some of the design and content from the Bridal Guide Template I purchased via Katelyn James (including this awesome “about me” page!), a good portion of the Investment Guide was created from scratch by yours truly! Learning and implementing inDesign has been such a great creative outlet for me — one I never even expected!

When making the Investment Guide, I included some of the obvious pages: Investment, FAQs, About Me, but I went a little further and also included my philosophy behind my approach to wedding day and sweet words from past brides and grooms! I tried to infuse as much of my passion into its pages as possible — it is my hope that this guide will really resonate with my ideal bride! That feeling you get when you meet someone for the first time and just know you’ll be good friends? That’s what I’m going for!One of my favorite things about creating such a visual and personable investment guide is that it’s immediate education on my style and personality — before I’ve even had a chance to MEET with the bride herself! It’s so important to me that my brides know what they’re getting when the book: I want couples who love my style, who take joy in their relationships and serve each other daily, and who value the commitment of marriage above all else! While nothing will ever replace in-person meetings, I am so glad to be able to truly convey those desire in an online format now, too :)
I’m still in the process of creating an in-depth, extended magazine for official SRP brides, but having this guide checked off my list has been such a joy :) I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing a few peaks into the Investment Guide — if you have any questions about how I made it, leave a comment below!

Oh, and if you’re recently engaged, I’d love to send you the full version, too! ;)

Love love love,

Sami

Indianapolis, IN