How to Become a Wedding Content Creator | Elevated Bridal UGC
Dec 29, 2024
The wedding industry is evolving, and there’s a growing demand for authentic, postable content that captures the magic of the big moments. Enter the role of a wedding content creator—a unique and modern opportunity for UGC creators to carve out a profitable niche.
Couples today value content that feels real and resonates with their personalities and love stories. This trend makes wedding UGC not just a service but an essential part of the modern wedding experience. If you’re ready to become a sought-after name in the bridal space keep reading...
What is the Role of a Wedding Content Creator
A wedding content creator fills the gap between traditional vendors and the couple’s desire for shareable content with a quick turnaround time. Your role isn’t to replace photographers or videographers but to complement their work by focusing on candid, behind-the-scenes moments, storytelling, and creating dynamic, short-form, iPhone-filmed content for social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Key Responsibilities:
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Capturing Candid Moments:
Unlike posed shots, candid moments reveal the heartfelt emotions of the day. From a bride’s joyful laughter during hair and makeup to the groom’s nervous excitement before the first look, your job is to capture these fleeting yet impactful moments. -
Real-Time Content Creation:
Couples want to share their day as it unfolds. As a wedding content creator, you’ll provide same-day (24-hour turnaround) edits and deliverables, ensuring they have ready-to-post content while the magic of the moment is still unfolding. -
Storytelling Through Content: Your job is to tell the client's love story through your lens. From capturing the bride’s “getting ready” moments to the emotional exchange of vows, focus on weaving a narrative that feels personal and authentic. Use sequences of clips and images to create a cohesive storyline that resonates with the couple and their audience.
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Trending Wedding Videos
As a wedding content creator, part of your job is staying ahead of the trends. Bring a prepared shot list with trending TikTok and Instagram ideas, like viral challenges, dances, seamless transitions, first-look reaction clips, or creative “get ready with me” content. By planning these moments ahead of time, you ensure you capture content that’s not only meaningful but also optimized for social media and shareable! -
Understanding the Industry + Collaborating with Vendors:
Weddings involve a team effort. You’ll coordinate with planners, photographers, and videographers to ensure your work complements theirs without overlapping or disrupting their processes. Here are a few things to consider:
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Understanding the Flow of a Wedding Day: To effectively capture content, you need to know the structure of a wedding timeline, from pre-ceremony preparations to the grand exit. Wedding days are highly choreographed, and your ability to anticipate key moments will set you apart.
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The Wedding Day Dress Code: Your attire matters just as much as your technical skills. Weddings are formal, often black-tie affairs, and as a vendor, you’re expected to dress the part. Here’s the general rule: blend in, look professional, and don’t stand out for the wrong reasons.
- â Wear: Black or neutral tones, minimal and professional. Think tailored pants, a simple black dress, or polished flats. Pro Tip: Opt for comfy yet chic shoes—you’ll be on your feet all day.
- â Avoid: White, beige, or any distracting colors or patterns. Steer clear of overly casual pieces like blue jeans or dirty sneakers, even if the wedding vibe is laid-back.
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How to Become a Wedding Content Creator
Becoming a wedding content creator requires a mix of technical skills, creativity, and business savvy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
Step 1: Develop Your Skill Set
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Content Creation: Invest in mastering the basics of capturing high-quality photos and videos with your iPhone. You don’t need a fancy DSLR—a smartphone with a great camera can work wonders when paired with the right techniques.
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Editing: Speed is crucial in wedding UGC. Learn to edit efficiently using tools like Lightroom, InShot, and CapCut. Familiarize yourself with templates that speed up your workflow while maintaining a polished look. Editing turnaround time should be 24 hours maximum after the event.
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Social Media Trends: Stay updated on what’s trending across platforms. Whether it’s a viral TikTok audio or Instagram Reel format, understanding trends will help you create content that resonates, so create a folder and save all your inspo content.
Step 2: Build a Portfolio Website
Your portfolio is both your resume and your storefront—it’s how potential clients will judge your style, skills, and storytelling abilities. Focus on showcasing your best work, emphasizing candid moments, emotional storytelling, and your ability to capture on-trend content.
If you’re new to wedding content creation, don’t worry! Offer your services once for free and then at a discounted rate, collaborate with friends or family at their weddings, or even stage a styled shoot with other vendors to build your portfolio. Authenticity and creativity matter more than volume when starting out.
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Leverage Social Media: Create a business account on Instagram and TikTok to share your work, use relevant hashtags like #WeddingUGC and #BridalContentCreator to attract potential clients and inbounds.
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Create Case Studies: Highlight specific projects where your content boosted a couple’s social media engagement or enhanced their wedding experience.
- Include Social Proof: Highlight feedback and 5-star reviews from pleased couples or vendors about how your content captured their day.
Step 3: Establish Your Brand
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Define Your Niche: Decide what sets you apart. Are you the go-to creator for luxury weddings, boho vibes, or destination ceremonies? Your niche will help you stand out in a crowded market. But also feel free to explore and not niche down, it's your business after all!
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Professional Online Presence: Invest in a website that showcases your portfolio, testimonials, and service packages. You can use Canva to create one for free. Or ShowIt for an aesthetic, no coding required, drag and drop website.
Step 4: Network with Industry Professionals
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Attend Bridal Shows: These events are goldmines for networking. Introduce yourself to wedding planners, photographers, and other vendors who can refer you to their clients. Or consider partnerships or working as a contractor/freelancer for a photographers media team.
Essential Tools and Equipment
While your creativity is your most valuable asset, having the right tools can elevate your work. Here’s what you’ll need:
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Smartphone with a High-Quality Camera: Devices like the iPhone 14 and up or Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra are great for capturing professional-grade content.
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Stabilizers and Tripods: Tools like a gimbal and collapsable tripod ensure steady footage, even during high-energy moments like dance floors or bouquet tosses.
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Editing Apps: Apps like InShot and CapCut Pro are user-friendly and allow for quick edits on the go.
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Portable Chargers: Weddings are long events. A power bank ensures your devices don’t run out of juice.
Mastering the Wedding Content Creation Process
Step 1: Understand Client Expectations
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Initial Consultations: Meet with couples to discuss their vision. What moments matter most to them? Do they have specific content ideas? Setting clear expectations upfront ensures satisfaction.
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Contracts and Deliverables: Clearly outline your services, timelines, and payment terms in a contract. This protects both you and the client.
Step 2: Collaborate Seamlessly with Vendors
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Build Rapport: Communicate with photographers, planners, and videographers before the event to establish boundaries and ensure everyone works harmoniously.
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Respect Their Space: Avoid stepping into the photographer’s frame or disrupting planned shots. Your role is to complement, not compete.
Step 3: Stay Adaptable
Weddings are unpredictable. From weather changes to timeline delays, flexibility is key. Always have a backup plan and stay calm under pressure.
Monetizing Your Wedding Content Creation Business
Service Packages Ideas:
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Basic Package: Covers key moments like the ceremony and first dance, with a limited number of edited photos and videos. Include different styles of videos like a few trends, a grwm, aesthetic videos, storytelling videos and bundle them together.
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Deluxe Package: Includes full-day coverage, pre-wedding events, and additional content like live posting on stories day of.
Add-On Services:
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Live Streaming: Offer live broadcasts of the ceremony or special moments, like the first dance, for guests who can’t attend in person. Set up a private link or social media live session so family and friends can join virtually. This service has become increasingly popular for destination weddings or events with limited guest lists.
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Raw Footage: Provide unedited, high-quality raw footage to couples so they have every candid moment from their special day. This is especially valuable for those who want to repurpose content for anniversaries, social media, or personal edits down the line. You can offer this as an add-on package for an additional fee.
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Affiliate Marketing
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Maximize your earnings by partnering with wedding-related businesses like florists, venues, bridal boutiques/accespories, or decor companies. Promote their products or services through your content and earn commissions on referrals or sales. For example:
- Tag their Instagram accounts in your posts and stories.
- Create Reels or TikToks featuring their products in use at weddings.
- Share your exclusive affiliate discount code to add value for your audience and also passive income for yourself.
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Conclusion: Your Next Steps
The wedding industry is a billion-dollar market, and becoming a wedding content creator positions you to carve out your own slice of success. You get to be part of a couple’s most cherished day while building a creative business that aligns with your passions.
But if you’re serious about making waves in this industry, you need a roadmap, support, and next-level strategies to stand out. That’s where the Level Up to Lace Masterclass: Become a Wedding Content Creator comes in. We will be dropping our all-in-one content creation course to become a Wedding UGC Creator on February 1st, 2025.
This masterclass will teach you everything you need to know about breaking into the wedding UGC space, from mastering storytelling techniques to building a portfolio that books high-ticket clients. Ready to uplevel your lifestyle and content?