I'm a Wedding Photographer and I'm Pregnant... What Should I Do?!
If you’re reading this post, you’re probably pregnant or thinking about it…congrats! I became a mom in 2015 (although my journey started back in 2013), and balancing motherhood and my wedding photography business has been a beautiful blessing!
One of the top questions I get asked from other wedding photographers is, “How do you tell clients you’re pregnant?!” Because clients book you months in advance, and often over a year away, it can make family planning somewhat tricky.
As someone who tried to conceive for almost two years and also suffered the loss of a baby through miscarriage, I learned:
1) You can’t put your life on hold for work.
If you’re considering starting a family, there is wisdom in timing when you start, but just know there are so many variables that come into play. I’ve learned that if you feel called to start a family and think it’s the right time, it’s the right time! I promise your business will continue and be managed no matter what the timing is!
2) Wait until the second trimester to announce.
Although there is never a perfectly “safe” time, odds of a miscarriage after the first trimester decrease significantly. So during the first trimester, not only did I not tell my current clients, I kept booking weddings like normal. I’m so glad I did this, because when I miscarried, I would have not only been dealing with the emotional loss, but also the financial loss.
And this goes without saying, but I made sure to individually contact each of my clients BEFORE announcing my pregnancy on social media.
3) Always have a backup plan!
This is the biggest and most important part. The last thing I wanted was to put my clients in a more stressful position. With weddings that were affected by my due date, I reached out to trusted photographers I knew to let them know my situation and see if they were available for those weddings. That way, when I reached out to my couples to tell them the news, I already had alternative solutions for them and didn’t leave them “high and dry.”
Another thing to consider is that you may think now that you can do a wedding, but if you have a high risk pregnancy or extreme morning sickness until the end, it may be too difficult! Every pregnancy is different and our bodies change so much, so it’s important to give yourself (and your client) the flexibility of what to do.
WHAT I SENT TO CLIENTS:
So all that to say, I had 3 different emails I sent out:
1) For weddings not directly affected by my due date
2) For weddings directly affected by my due date (I would plan on being there, but couldn’t guarantee)
3) For weddings I needed to cancel (I did this with one wedding that required travel and I simply wanted to refer out)
Here are the emails I sent. I hope they’re helpful for you!
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Weddings not directly affected by my due date:
Hello _______!
I hope your week is going well, and I am beyond thrilled for your upcoming wedding days!
I wanted to reach out to you with some recent news...
I am pregnant! My husband and I are very excited for this new season of life. We have spent the past few weeks letting friends and family know and will be making a more public announcement shortly. I wanted to make sure that you knew before seeing any kind of announcement on Instagram, Facebook, etc… I don’t want you to see the announcement, feel nervous, and worry if I am still able to do your wedding.
I assure you - I will be there, ready to give it my all! This pregnancy will in no way affect your wedding day. As your day approaches, if I find myself feeling more tired or sick than I think I can handle, I will personally hire an additional person to help me throughout the day. You do not need to worry about a thing!
Thank you all so much for choosing me to capture this day in your lives, and I truly cannot wait to see you soon! Please email me if you have any questions or concerns - I am happy to talk through anything with you.
Weddings directly affected by my due date:
Hello _______!
I hope wedding planning is going well! I wanted to reach out to you with some recent news…
I am pregnant! My husband and I are very excited for this new season of life. As your wedding photographer, my main concern is to make sure you receive the best service you possibly can. I am reaching out to you right away because your wedding is close to my due date - I would be about 7.5 months along. With this being my first pregnancy, I am not 100% sure how I will be and whether your wedding will be affected or not. Because I cannot guarantee this, I wanted to reach out to you with a few options:
OPTION 1:
1a) If I am physically well and able to, I will absolutely show up to your wedding ready to capture the entire day! Not only will I be accompanied by a second shooter, but I will have someone on call who is able to step in as another photographer if, for whatever reason, I need to leave early or take extra breaks.
1b) If I am NOT physically able to show up to your wedding and give it my all, I will send in a replacement photographer (along with a second shooter). This will be someone I trust who knows my style and will do a wonderful job. I will personally edit all of the images so they still have the same “Cami Jane” style you were originally drawn to.
OPTION 2:
If you are not comfortable with either of these options, I am prepared to refund your deposit, cancel your contract, and personally help you find another photographer that would do an amazing job for you.
As I said before, my #1 goal is to make sure you are comfortable and that you’re receiving the best service possible on your wedding day. This stands true with whatever option you end up choosing. Please email me if you have any questions or concerns - I am happy to talk through anything with you to help make this process as easy and stress-free as possible.
Weddings I needed to cancel:
Hello _______!
I hope wedding planning is going well! I wanted to reach out to you with some recent news…
I am pregnant! My husband and I are very excited for this new season of life and I wanted to reach out to you, my client, first. As your wedding photographer, my main concern is to make sure you receive the best service you possibly can. I am reaching out to you right away because your wedding is close to my due date - I would be 8 months along.
With this being my first pregnancy, I am not sure how I will be and whether your wedding will be affected or not. Your location is also a further destination for me and I would have to travel. I want to be honest with you - I cannot say in 100% confidence that I will be able to do your wedding and do the best job I can. Because of this, I am not personally comfortable committing to be your wedding photographer. I am prepared to refund your deposit and am dedicated to helping you find the perfect photographer who suits your style and needs. In fact, I’ve actually reached out to some friends of mine - I’ve worked plenty with them in the past and can confidently say they are extremely talented and I know you’d be pleased with them. I’ve already talked to them about your wedding and I know that they’re currently available ___
(list referrals)
As I said before, my #1 goal is to make sure you are comfortable and that you’re getting the best service possible on your wedding day. I will ensure you receive exactly that. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns - I am happy to talk through anything with you to help make this process as easy and stress-free as possible.
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I hope this information is helpful for you! Congrats on this new season of life you’re in!
