Wedding Publication Tips

As a wedding vendor, having your wedding featured online or in a print magazine is one of the most rewarding accomplishments! After dedicating months of time and energy to creating something beautiful for your clients, it feels amazing to see that work recognized and celebrated. But beyond the emotional rewards, getting your wedding featured also offers some significant marketing benefits as well. In this article, I’m sharing why wedding publications are important and how to get your wedding featured in a magazine or online publication. 

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3 Reasons Wedding Publications Are Important 

They Provide Wider Exposure and Increased Brand Awareness

Every publication has a unique audience size and demographic. Some magazines may have a smaller, more niche subscriber base, while others are nationally or even globally recognized. No matter the size, though, one thing every publication has in common is the ability to introduce your work to a brand-new audience. 

When your work gets featured on someone else’s platform, it allows you to gain visibility with readers who might not have otherwise discovered your business. This new exposure is great for your business as it helps increase your brand awareness and widen your reach.

*Pro Tip – When your work is published, share it with the other vendors who were involved in the day and invite them to share it on their website or social media. Not only can this help improve vendor relationships, but it also helps you reach their audience as well!

While getting more eyes on your work is important, it’s also equally important that you are reaching the right audience. But what is the right publication, and where should you submit your work? (Hint – bigger is not always better in this case). The right publication is the one that aligns with your ideal clients. For example, if you work with adventurous, outdoorsy couples, submitting to a high-fashion wedding magazine might not yield the best results. Instead, focus on publications that reflect the style and vibe of your dream clients (you know, the ones who say, “We don’t care where or how much – we just know we want you!”). 

They Help Improve your SEO

Getting featured not only helps you get more exposure; it’s also a fantastic way to boost your website’s SEO! 

When a publication shares your work and links back to your website, it has two main benefits for SEO: 

• Increased web traffic – Links create an easy way for readers to click over to your site. More site visitors and page views let search engines know that your content is valuable and readers are interested. Over time, search engines will prioritize your website in relevant search results, allowing the cycle to continue.
• Backlinks – Backlinks act as a vote of confidence for your website. The more quality backlinks your site has, the more search engines will consider you a trusted source, helping you rank higher overall. 

Want to learn more about blogging SEO? Check out my guide to easy SEO steps for wedding blogs

They Help Boost Your Credibility and Confidence

Getting featured can also help boost your credibility as a wedding vendor and position you as an expert in your field (not to mention they can also provide a major confidence boost). 

When a potential client sees your work recognized by a magazine or publication company, it lets them know that you are a professional wedding vendor and your work is of high quality and worth recognition. 

On top of that, getting featured can help build your own confidence! While getting published should not define your worth as an artist, it can feel rewarding to see your hard work celebrated.

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How to Get Your Wedding Featured in a Magazine

After submitting dozens of weddings for publication for my clients, I’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to get your wedding featured in a magazine or online publication. Here are six steps to follow when submitting your event for publication to increase your chances of getting accepted. 

Choose the Right Event to Submit

Submit What You Want to Attract

The first step to choosing the right event to submit is to consider the types of couples you want to attract. Do you love photographing small elopements in nature? Or do you prefer destination weddings with lots of details? Choose what you want to photograph more of, as what you put out online is what you will attract. 

Choose Unique Events

When choosing an event to submit for publication, you’ll want to select a wedding or elopement with lots of unique details and a strong story. Perhaps the couple had to overcome a lot before their elopement day. Or maybe the wedding was filled with unique details and customization. 

Look for events that include nontraditional elements or details. These events are more likely to stand out and have a better chance of getting noticed.

Select from Recent Galleries

Most magazines prefer to feature events that are less than a year old. Couples planning their weddings want to be inspired by fresh, modern ideas, so avoid submitting anything that is older than two years. 

Note – Some publications have requirements on how recent the event should be – so be sure to pay attention to this detail when submitting. 

Get Permission

Whether you are the photographer or another wedding vendor, it’s important to ensure you have permission to use the photos. 

If You Are the Photographer

If you are the photographer, check with the couple first to see if they are ok with having their photos shared online. Depending on the language in your contract, you may have exclusive rights to use the images. However, it’s good etiquette to get permission from the couple. I’ve found that most couples are excited about the potential of seeing their wedding photos featured and say yes. However, not all couples are comfortable with having their photos shared online, and asking their permission is a courteous thing to do, which also further strengthens your relationship and professionalism as a photographer. 

How to Reach Out

When reaching out to the couple, email them to ask if they are comfortable with you submitting their photos. If you already know the name of the publication that you plan to submit, feel free to share it. 

Depending on the submission requirements, you can let the couple know that you (or the publication company) will be reaching out for additional details. (This is often the case if the publication requires the couple to fill out a questionnaire or complete an interview). 

However, some photographers don’t want to get the couple’s hopes up if the photos are not selected for publication. In this case, you can submit the gallery and wait to hear back whether or not it has been accepted. If the photos are accepted, you can let the couple know and ask their permission at that point. In the event they say no, you can go back to the publication and let them know you would like to withdraw your submission. 

*Pro Tip – Include a question on your pre-wedding questionnaire that asks if it is ok to share the photos with their vendors. Their response (yes or no) can be a good indicator of whether or not they would feel comfortable with you submitting their photos online. Alternatively, you can include a question that directly asks if they are comfortable with having their photos submitted for publication. 

Because every publication has a different process (some requiring all of the information upfront, and some requesting additional information after the event gets accepted, etc.), this can be one of the trickier steps. Ultimately, the choice of whether or not to ask the couple’s permission is yours. There is no right or wrong way to go about it; it simply comes down to what you feel comfortable doing as a photographer. 

If You Are Not the Photographer

If you are not the photographer, be sure you have permission to use the photos. Before submitting images anywhere, get in touch with the photographer and ask if it is ok to submit them. Share where you are planning to submit it amd let them know you will credit them as the photographer. Most photographers will be thrilled to have their photos shared and celebrated. Plus it’s great SEO for all the vendors involved!

Choose the Right Publication

Not all publications are created equal. Where you submit your wedding can make all the difference in your submission getting published and attracting more of your ideal clients. Here are a few wedding publication tips to consider when choosing where to submit.

Quality Over Quantity 

Rule #1 – don’t submit to every magazine or publication company. It’s understandable to want to maximize your chances of getting published, but quality truly matters here (especially if you want to reap long-term benefits). 

Reflect on the style of the event. Does the style lean modern and take place at a more urban venue? Or is it an adventurous hiking wedding in the mountains? Once you’ve identified the style type, research wedding publications that align with that style. Make a list of the top two or three publications you would like to submit to. 

Local Publications

Having your work featured in large, well-known magazines is amazing. However, keep in mind that these magazines often tend to be more particular about the weddings they select (not to mention much more competitive).

Smaller, local publications will have a lot less competition, and – if they are your target location – they are the ideal place to get featured as they will attract more couples who want to get married in your area. 

To find local wedding publications, do an online search for “[your state/city] wedding magazine” or “[your state/city] wedding publication”. Click on the first few results and browse the site for a link to a submission page.

Niche-Specific Publications

An alternative to local wedding magazines is niche-specific publications. If your ideal clients are adventurous couples, luxury couples, or LGBTQ+ couples, then you can broaden your choices of where to submit by targeting publications that cater to specific audiences. 

If you already know the names of some magazines, type them into your search engine. Then add the word “submission” to the end to see if they accept wedding submissions. Similar to finding location publications, you can also search “lgbtq wedding magazine” or “elopement wedding publication” and see what results pop up. 

*Pro Tip – Create a master list of directories that you can refer back to. Include the name of the publication, a link to the submission page. You can also include notes about the publication’s style and what they look for so you can easily refer back to it when submitting future galleries. 

Follow the Submission Guidelines

Once you’ve narrowed down which publications you want to submit to, it’s time to get familiar with their submission guidelines. Many online wedding magazines and publications receive hundreds of submissions a week. The quickest way to get your submission thrown out or rejected is by not following the submission guidelines. 

Oftentimes, publication guidelines will include specific instructions to follow for your submission to even be considered. This can include a minimum/maximum number of photos, a specific format for vendor credit lists, particular instructions for how to submit, etc. Understand what the publication is looking for and follow their guidelines as closely as possible to ensure the best chance of getting featured. 

*Pro Tip – Browse through the magazine’s previously featured real weddings and articles. Get an idea of what kinds of photos the publication focuses on, the type of language they use, and the overall style. Then tailor your submission accordingly.

Gather a List of Wedding Vendors

It’s now time to start gathering the details for your submission. Something you will need for every submission are the names and contact information of the other wedding vendors involved in the day. For this step, it’s often easiest to refer back to your wedding day notes or the couple’s wedding questionnaire. Collect the list of vendors, including their names, email addresses, websites, and Instagram handles. 

Choose the Right Photos

The photos you choose for your wedding submission are the key getting your wedding featured in a magazine. However, this step starts long before you sit down at your computer to cull through the gallery. Having the right photos to submit starts on the wedding (or event) day. So, here are a few things to keep in mind while photographing:

High-Quality Images 

This likely goes without saying, but high-quality photos are a must for every submission. Photos should be sharp, clear, and detailed (unless they convey another artistic intention). They should also be high-resolution images (300 DPI or higher). 

Photos That Tell a Story 

Some of the best photo collections are the ones that tell a story. Choose photos from all key moments throughout the day. You want to provide as much detail and variety through your photos as possible. Don’t just focus on one moment or portion of the day. 

Focus on Details

If I could share just one tip on how to get your wedding featured, it would be this! Detail photos are the key to getting your wedding published. So many times, I have seen a beautiful wedding or elopement gallery with hundreds of photos of the couple but very few detail shots. Not having enough detail photos makes it a bit more difficult to get photos accepted by the right publication. 

Couple photos are absolutely important and, from your client’s perspective, are some of the most important images. When it comes to submitting your photos to a magazine, however, publications want to see photos that their audience will love. They want detail images that will help couples planning their wedding envision what their day can look like. So, don’t forget to document these important details on your couple’s wedding day. 

And I know you’re probably wondering, “What’s the right amount of photos to share?”. While there is no exact formula, try to keep your submission photos to roughly 75% detail images and 25% couple/group photos. 

Highlight Your Unique Flair

This is where you can truly let your artistic flair shine and stand out from the competition. Challenge yourself to think outside the box and look for ways to do something a little differently than what is commonly expected. If you are a photographer, create a mix of trendy photos, classic photos, and photos with your unique spin (a prop, a light technique, use of color, etc). Don’t only include images that are expected – throw in a couple that highlight your unique point of view or style. 

*Pro Tip – Many magazines prefer vertical photos as they are better optimized for mobile and perform better on social media (and Pinterest). Vertical photos fill up more of the screen, capturing the audience’s attention, so be sure to include plenty in your submission. If you don’t have a lot of vertical photos to share, you can always crop horizontal photos. 

Create Copy that Connects

Last but not least, your wedding submission needs to tell a strong story through its copy! The words you choose are oftentimes just as important as the beautiful photos you share and can be the key to getting your wedding featured. 

Tailor the Copy to Each Publication’s Voice or Style

Every magazine/publication has its own unique style and flair. While it can be tempting to copy and paste information from one publication to the next, this won’t help your chances of getting accepted. Instead, tailor your responses to that magazine (this is where reviewing the publication’s previously published content can really help). Review their past blog posts to get ideas about what kind of language they use or how some of the other titles are formatted.

Grab the Editor’s Attention Right Away

How can you make your wedding submission stand out against the competition and grab the editor’s attention?

• Create a strong headline/title – create a catchy title by using words that are reflected on other blog posts or by matching the brand’s style and formatting. Use descriptive words, power words, or words that highlight the event’s unique elements.
• Write a personalized note – some submission platforms allow you to add a note to the editor. This is a great way to personalize your submission and show your appreciation for their time and consideration.

These are simple details that can help elevate your submission and signal that you put effort into curating your submission. 

*Pro Tip – In your pre-wedding questionnaire, include questions about the event (ie – “What was your inspiration/color palette/etc?”). Not only does this information come in handy when blogging about the event, but it can also provide helpful insight for your wedding submission. 

Looking for a copywriter to help tailor your copy and submit it on your behalf? Click here to reach out!

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Bonus Wedding Publication Tips

Digital vs Print

Some publications offer both print and digital features. While getting featured online has many benefits (especially for SEO), there are some pros to getting a print feature.

• Expand your reach – Some readers prefer to read a print magazine. Getting your wedding featured in print allows you to get in front of an audience who may not have otherwise been introduced to you. Plus, these readers are likely to be more invested and interested in the content. Because it’s not as accessible, it has to be sought out, which can indicate a higher level of interest.
• Exclusivity – While a digital feature is more accessible, getting featured in a print magazine is more exclusive. There are only so many pages in a print magazine and only so much room. Getting your name and photos featured in print is high praise as your work was chosen above the competition’s!

Paid vs Unpaid 

“Should I sign up for paid directories?”. This is a question I hear a lot and the answer is – it depends. There are some advantages, just as there are some disadvantages. 

Most of the publications I work with don’t have any fees and accept submissions on a regular basis. If you are new to submitting your work, my advice is to start there. There are plenty of opportunities to get backlinks and boost your SEO that doesn’t require you to spend any money. 

However, there are a few reasons you may want to consider paying to get your wedding featured. 

• You have already been featured on a variety of websites and are looking for new backlink opportunities.
• Your ideal clients are engaging with paid publication platforms, and you want to reach them there.
• Getting featured with that brand would boost your business in a significant or meaningful way.

In these cases, paying for a feature can be beneficial. Just be sure to consider the cost and weigh it against the potential benefit or ROI.

Exclusive vs Non Exclusive 

Two words you may often see when submitting a wedding are “exclusive” and “non-exclusive.” Exclusive means you are not allowed to submit the event to another publication company for a set time (typically 30-120 days). Non-exclusive means you can continue submitting to other publication companies and potentially have more than one feature. Be sure to review the publication’s policy when submitting. If they have an exclusivity policy, you will need to wait to hear back whether your submission has been accepted or rejected before proceeding to submit anywhere else. 

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How to Get Your Wedding Featured in Vogue

Getting featured in Vogue is a big deal in the wedding world! However, if you have ever looked into how to get your wedding featured in Vogue, you may have noticed that their website does not have a submission page. 

The truth is that the weddings that get featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, or other high-profile magazines fall into one of two categories:

• High-profile couples (aka celebrities)
• Pay-to-play features 

These publication companies are elite – aka the creme de la creme of the fashion and wedding worlds. This means they have high standards and are looking for very specific details to share with their audience. So, if you are looking to submit, you have to understand what they are looking for (and it helps to have a PR team, too).

If getting featured in these magazines is important to you and you want to attract Vogue-level clients, then continue to hone your craft, understand what is required to get featured in Vogue, and seek out those opportunities because they are out there – they may just take a bit more work. 

Also know that it’s also ok if your work doesn’t get featured in Vogue. There are plenty of other noteworthy publications that can provide significant value for your business just as well.

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FAQs About How to Get Your Wedding Featured

What kind of weddings get featured? 

Weddings with unique details and a compelling story are more likely to get featured. Editors look for events that inspire their audience, so focus on submitting galleries with strong visual appeal and meaningful moments. 

How many photos should I include in my submission? 

The answer to this question varies as every publication has different requirements. Most publications require 50-120 images to get a feel for the day. Be sure to include a mix of detail shots and people-focused images with a ratio of about 75% detail and 25% people. 

Can I submit the same wedding to multiple publications?

This depends on each publication’s exclusivity policy. Some publication companies require exclusive rights to the feature for a set amount of time (usually 30-90 days), meaning you can’t submit the same wedding anywhere else. Other publications don’t have any exclusivity policies, so you could submit to another publication if you’d like. Keep in mind, though, that quality is better than quantity, so it’s best to only submit to places that match the style of the event or your ideal couple. 

Can I submit an event I have already blogged on my website? Or, is it better to choose an event that has not been blogged? 

While some publications have an exclusivity policy, this usually does not apply to your website or social media. In the event your submission is accepted, having a blog post on your website can be a great way to improve your SEO and showcase your feature. As always, just be sure to double-check the magazine’s exclusivity policy before submitting. 

What should I include in the submission? 

A few things that you can expect to include in any submission are: high-resolution images, a vendor credit list, and a description of the event (unique details, the couple’s story, etc.). Be sure to read through the submission guidelines and include any other details they request. 

I have so many favorite images. How do I go about selecting the best ones? 

Most publications request around 100 images. When culling the gallery for images to submit, be sure to include a few images from all the key moments of the day. Focus on detail shots and vertical photos and eliminate any duplicates or similar frames if necessary. 

How long does it take to hear back from a publication?

Response times vary for each publication. Review the submission guidelines for details about response times if they are available. Many publications will get back to you within 2-4 weeks. However, it can take a few months for your submission to get featured in the event it is accepted. Keep in mind that these publications receive hundreds of submissions a week, so try to be patient. If, after several weeks you have not heard anything, it’s ok to follow up to check on the status. 

Are paid directories worth it?

Paying for features can be worth it. However, it’s important to consider your goals and the benefits of a paid directory. If your main goal is to use backlinks to help boost your SEO, there are many quality publications that don’t require a fee to submit. However, if you are looking to boost your exposure and gain access to potential clients that you would otherwise not be able to reach, a paid directory can be worth it. 

Can someone submit it on my behalf? 

Yes! Most of the time, submissions are sent in by the photographer, planner, or the couple, but anyone can submit them (for most publications). In fact, this is a service I offer. I have a large database of wedding publication companies that I can submit to on your behalf. All I need are a few details from the day and I’ll get to work picking out the best publication and submitting it for you. 

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Getting published is not only an exciting accomplishment, but it also has huge benefits for your business! From expanding your client reach to providing backlinks to growing yourself as an artist there are so many reasons to submit your work!

If you’re ready to get featured but feel overwhelmed by the process, I would love to help! Click the link below to inquire about our wedding publication services and let us help you get your wedding featured!

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