DON'T DELAY - BOOK TODAY!

The following is a true story.

Bride A emails interested in booking me for a 2009 date for her wedding, I send her the information, she sounds really interested but I have been in this business long enough to know that until money and signed contracts have exchanged hands, there is no "done deal".

Meanwhile Bride B, who was a bridesmaid at a wedding I shot several years ago, gets engaged, the previous bride texts me to warn me of the engagement and the new bride-to-be's heavy interest in booking me for her wedding. Bride B looks to book her venue but straight off she says to her fiance "I want Nikki to photograph it". Groom B says "We don't get married for 2 years, no need to contact Nikki just now", Bride B takes his word for it and leaves it a couple of weeks.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and I come home to Bride A provisionally booking me for her wedding in August 2009, on the same day Bride B phones me to book me for her wedding.................... ON THE SAME DAY!!

I do say in my emails and paperwork and on the phone that it is a 'first come, first served' basis, and provisional bookings can be taken for 5 working days only. So Bride B is now KICKING herself for not phoning me 3 weeks earlier to book as she could have put in her provisional booking first! She texts me almost daily to ask if Bride A has confirmed her booking. Bride A (and Groom A!) come to the studio at the end of the provisional booking period, and book immediately!

I then have to phone Bride B and say "Sorry, I am no longer available to shoot your wedding on your chosen wedding date!" One disappointed bride!

I too would have said that 2 years in advance to book a photographer may be OTT, but this very true story really does prove that if you want me, and you have your date and venue, BOOK ME, don't hang about! I am sure Groom B was getting grief that night from Bride B!

But to end on a happy note, Bride B had not confirmed with her venue her date, so she asked me if I was available for the following weekend of her original wedding date, I was. But her venue wasn't! She then checked if I was available for 2 weeks after her original date, I was and so was the venue!! So Bride B booked me and the venue at the same time!!

So, I ended up with both bookings, and for the first time in my career, a couple willing to change their wedding date in order to book me, which is SO nice to know that I am so wanted!

I do advise..........Don't be like Bride B, book ASAP!