When you have a wedding or a styled photo shoot that you are especially proud of, you want to share it with everyone! It can be especially beneficial to get published on a well-read wedding blog or in a wedding publication.

So, how do you go about getting published? What are these blogs and publications looking for? What should you avoid? Today we are sharing tips for getting a styled shoot or wedding published.

What Editors Like:

 1) Amazing Photographs

This goes without saying, but make sure your photographs are professional and of publication quality. You also want to make sure you have the photographer’s permission to submit photographs.

2) A Unique Design/Perspective

If you are seeing a trend repeated on your favorite blogs and in magazines, you are not going to get published by doing the same trend. You need a fresh idea or a twist on a trend that is new. Blogs and magazines want content that will interest their readers, not the same old thing that is being seen all over. For example, a styled shoot with burlap and mason jars has been overdone in the wedding industry so you wouldn’t want to create a style shoot that is focused on that. This post on organizing a wedding photo shoot can help you.

3) A Story

Your photographs should tell a story. The more details you have to fill in the story, the better. When submitting a wedding, make sure you have shots of the wedding invitation, getting ready time, pre-ceremony, ceremony, post-ceremony, reception, etc. The pictures should be able to tell a story without anything else. That will make your submission stand out.

4) A Good Write Up

When you create a submission, make sure you have a good explanation of the event or the styled shoot. Often there is a huge folder of photos and a list of vendors but no explanation. Why is your wedding/photo shoot special? What were the interesting aspects of the project? What was your design inspiration? Make it interesting for the editor and it will catch their attention.

What to Avoid

•  Not following Submission Directions: This is the most important thing to avoid. Every blog and publication has different procedures. Make sure that you are reading and adhering to all rules which are usually listed on their website. Failure to do so will probably end up in automatic rejection no matter how amazing the photographs are.

• Sending your shoot to multiple blogs: Many of the very popular magazines and blogs have exclusivity clauses in their submission directions. If you have certain blogs/publications you want to be in and they have these clauses, only submit to one at a time and wait to hear back before submitting somewhere else.

• Not including links to your vendors: Make sure that you credit and link to all wedding professionals involved with your wedding or styled shoot. An editor is not going to want to do this because of the time involved and the possibility of linking to the wrong business. So, make sure you do it!

photo credit: Kelli Lyn Photography