As a wedding photographer, our busy season consumes a significant portion of the year. The timing of your wedding season may vary depending on your location. Here in Saskatchewan, for instance, our season typically blossoms during the spring and summer, while we spend the winter months updating our systems and business planning. As the much-anticipated wedding season approaches, I wanted to share some of the ways that I’ve been preparing in the off-season as well as some tips I’ve learned throughout my experience to avoid the burnout as a wedding photographer.

Here’s how to prepare for the busy season and avoid burnout throughout the upcoming wedding season:

Create a designated work schedule

Plan your monthly session load by determining the number of shoots you want to take on. Then create your calendar accordingly, ensuring that you reserve days exclusively for personal time. It’s crucial to prioritize self-care in order to show up for our clients as the best photographer and creative professional you can be! By being mega selective on dates you choose to work, you can focus on the type of photography you truly love. If your passion is wedding photography, be mindful how many other types of sessions you allow time for in your schedule. Overbooking yourself may hinder your ability to pursue what you’re truly passionate about, which brings me to my next point.

Say YES to work that inspires you

It can be way too tempting to accept every inquiry that comes your way, even if the work doesn’t ignite your passion. While the additional income may seem appealing, you’ll end up overloading your schedule and working evenings and weekends without any downtime to recharge. Remember, there are limits to how many sessions and clients you can effectively handle every month while maintaining your standard for exceptional service.

Take a moment to sit down and take a look at how many clients you can realistically accommodate every month, while providing the best possible experience, and still being able to balance your personal life and family. I can’t say this enough, prioritizing your well-being and finding a healthy balance is KEY to sustaining your success.

Create systems & workflows

Before the busy season is in full swing, ensure that your systems and workflows are solid. Personally, this means having pre-prepared email responses to send to my clients to minimize hours spent in my inbox. I use Honeybook as a client management tool, this means that I have updated contracts and invoices for my clients that require little to no adjustments before sending. Additionally, I create set reminders within each project which allows me to always stay on top of client communication. From payment reminders, to automated emails for questionnaires and follow-ups are at the ready to cover various aspects of client interactions. I also have a system that I use from the beginning of a project to completion. This helps me stay organized through the editing process and ensures my clients feel taken care of throughout every step of our journey working together.

Make yourself a priority

When we are in the thick of a busy season, we often find ourselves stuck at our desk, spending long days editing and then shooting evenings and weekends. As a result, social time and personal time can be scarce. Take advantage of your slow season to bring balance back into your life. Spend time organizing your home or office, reconnect with friends, schedule appointments, and more. When we get busy, there are areas of our lives that don’t get as much attention as they should. It’s a good idea to make a wellness plan in advance to ensure that you are continuing to thrive during your busy season. Choosing designated rest days, going to a fitness class or making time for a workout, prioritizing daily walks, or committing to unplugging from your electronics on non-working days are all great ways to create an intentional schedule for yourself so that you thrive and nurture your overall well-being.

Outsource what you can

The reality of being a wedding photographer, we often find ourselves juggling numerous tasks single-handedly. This is why it’s important to embrace outsourcing what you can! If you’re not quite ready to loosen up on control of your business, think about what you could delegate in your personal life to reclaim your precious time. Hiring someone to clean your home or using a grocery delivery service are a few examples. If you’re looking for ways to streamline your business, start by hiring a virtual assistant. Begin by listing all of your tasks and determine which one’s are your strengths. If there are tasks such as email management, blogging or social media that you’re not particularly skilled at, consider enlisting someone to handle them for you. For your editing workload, consider hiring an editor to assist you. Remember, outsourcing and giving up some control allows you to spend more time working on other aspects of your business, therefore moving the needle and accelerating your growth.

Create batch work days

If you’re unfamiliar with the term batching your work, then let me introduce you to one of my favorite know-how’s in my business. During the off-season, I dedicate time to batching content so that when the busy season arrives, I have pre-prepared content and all the work is already done. I use this method specifically for blogging, social media and my email list. Instead of constantly switching between tasks, I’ll dedicate a day or morning or afternoon working specifically on ONE thing. Batching promotes deep focus and efficiency. Consider designating specific days of the week to different tasks. For example: Monday’s for email management, Tuesday’s for social media, Wednesdays and Thursdays for client work, and Fridays for administrative tasks. The beauty of working for yourself is that you can create your own schedule that aligns with your business goals. Batching work has significantly improved my time management.

Lastly, take time to reflect on each busy season and take notes for future adjustments and improvements that you want to make.

As creatives, it’s so important to schedule time to rest so that we can operate at our best. This means selectively accepting projects that truly inspire you. By outsourcing and implementing batch work days, you can free up valuable time, which becomes more limited during the busy season.

If you’re a photographer looking for more resources, check out the templates and educational guides in my shop through this link here.