What to do When Wedding Photography Bookings Slow After Rebrand: Dear Devlin

Dear Concerned From Cambridgeshire

First of all, congratulations. You’ve taken a bold, brave step and invested in your future. And I want you to hold onto this thought: nothing changes if nothing changes. You could easily have stayed where you were – comfortable, steady, and safe – but you didn’t. You took a leap, and that takes courage.

Now, let’s address the scary part – the silence. Wedding photography bookings slowing after years of consistency can feel like freefall. But before you panic, I want you to understand exactly where you are right now. You’re in what I call the growth gap.

The growth gap is that uncomfortable, unnerving space between what you were and what you’re becoming. It’s the space between leaving behind your old business model and seeing results from the new one. It’s where your income might dip and your confidence might wobble – but it’s also where transformation happens.

Let’s rewind to your early days for a moment. Remember what it was like to build your business the first time? When the bookings took a while to come in, when you were working hard but the rewards weren’t instant? You’re back in that space now, but with one big difference: you’re building from experience.

When I moved from my music industry work into weddings, I had to completely recalibrate how I thought about income. I went from being paid within weeks to being paid months, sometimes years, after taking a booking. That required patience, and some creative side work to fill the gap. For me, that meant restaurant shifts. For you, it might mean exactly what you’re already doing — second shooting and working on editorial shoots. It’s not regression; it’s a smart strategy. You’re staying visible, connected, and active in the exact circles you want to break into.

Now let’s talk about why this booking gap happens after a rebrand. Weddings are a long game, a very long game. Couples don’t book photographers weeks after getting engaged; it’s often months, even years. So when you pivot your brand, your new ideal clients are only just starting to discover you. It takes time for that wave to reach you.

And here’s something many photographers do not realise until they are in it: when you move up a price bracket or two, the behaviour of your clients changes. Those at higher budget levels often have the money for a wedding already – they’re not saving up for years. They do tend to book with shorter lead times. So yes, it feels quiet now, but that can change very quickly once you start being discovered by the right people.

You mentioned that your old venues made you feel uninspired. Ask yourself – how do you feel when an enquiry comes in from one of them? Does your heart sink a little? If so, that’s your answer. It’s 100% time to move on, even if it feels risky. You’re not failing; you’re evolving.