Over the course of my career as a wedding photographer in Kansas City, I’ve learned this line of work is incredibly cyclical. And to be honest, I’ve grown to love it! I appreciate that there is a fairly defined “busy season,” and dependable quieter seasons. It has taken some adjustments, but this works so well for our family and the way we live.

Many friends and clients ask questions about the business of photography and how the year shakes out for a wedding photographer. In Kansas City, we are blessed with four beautiful seasons. When it comes down to it, my year generally shakes out to five distinct cyclical rhythms every year. Today, I’d like to share those cycles with you! Whether you are part of an engaged couple and trying to plan your wedding or engagement photos, a curious portrait photography client, constant reader or new photographer trying to figure out what it’s like to be a wedding photographer, this one’s for you!

Behind the Lens: A Year in the Life of a Wedding Photographer in Kansas City

In Kansas City, wedding photography “season” runs from spring through late fall/early winter. Weddings take place outside of those seasons, but what we in the industry consider high season generally runs from early to mid April through late November. Those are typically our most temperate months, so it makes sense that couples would want to book their wedding then.

While I am a wedding photographer, I also provide family photography, maternity and newborn photography, and graduating senior photography, among other photography services. Portrait photography generally falls within those timeframes, too, with the exception of maternity and newborn photography, and the occasional request for snow or ice photos.

Wedding Photographer in Kansas City

Let’s look at what a year in the life of this wedding photographer looks like! There are certain tasks and responsibilities that crossover from season to season, but for the most part my year breaks down into five distinct cycles or rhythms:

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Holidays

There are specific rhythms I have in each season, and today we’re going to break it down together, beginning with January.

Winter: Website and Branding Refresh, Marketing, Booking Season

The beginning of a new year starts January 1st. For a wedding photographer, winter season typically runs from January through March. During these months, there is typically less wedding work in terms of actually shooting and editing weddings. Rather, these months are when I look at my website and branding, take new headshots, plan my blog content for the next quarter (or whole year, if I’m really on my game), refresh my website SEO, review what content was highest performing, decide on and implement my marketing plan for the rest of the calendar year, and field incoming wedding and booking inquiries.

Typically, much of my time is spent responding to newly engaged couples, scheduling and completing consultations, creating recommended wedding day photo timelines based on those meetings, scheduling engagement sessions and bridal sessions, scheduling wedding emails for booked clients, setting up payment schedules and more.

I also plan out any special events like spring, summer and fall mini sessions in Kansas City and block those dates from wedding bookings or other events. I update my booking links and publish those so clients can book mini sessions right through my website, and evaluate if there are areas in my process that need to be streamlined, changed or cut.

Winter is also when I look at the work I have displayed on my website and update images with new favorites from the preceding year. I examine my client guides and refresh language, pricing, images and process. I evaluate where my business ended the year, versus where it began, and consider what my needs are in terms of staffing. I look at contractors for second shooting, review submissions from new photographers who are looking for a business and photography mentor, and evaluate how many interns I would like to take on, if any, and put out advertisements for those positions.

Bridesmaids sitting on couch while bride’s hair is styled in Kansas City.. © Merry Ohler, Wedding Photographer in Kansas City

Spring: Consultation Season, Engagement Season, Plan Next Year’s Availability

For a wedding photographer in Kansas City, spring brings consultation and engagement season. Coffee dates, venue walk throughs, timeline assistance and spring engagement sessions fill my calendar quickly, along with any last minute graduating senior sessions for those graduating who didn’t get around to senior photos yet, or seniors who opted for a multi-season session package.

In addition, I evaluate bookings already received for the next year and consult with my husband to plan our personal travel or vacations, and block my calendar for those dates. I also review any special family weekends we might want to reserve for birthday parties, holidays, etc., and block those, too. It might seem like that’s extremely early planning, but in the wedding industry 9/10 weddings are booked on Saturdays. I’ve learned that if we don’t intentionally save space for those kinds of things, I have a tendency to book my calendar so full I don’t even have space for a birthday party!

One of the best benefits to working for yourself is the freedom to write your own schedule! But if you don’t set hard lines around scheduling (think specific working hours and days, set vacation dates and weekends off, etc.), you’ll be limited, rather than free. It’s good to have work, but we don’t live to work. We work as part of life, but it should never be to the detriment of our family life, relationships, rest, etc.

Groom holds gift from bride before opening. © Merry Ohler, Wedding Photographer Kansas City.

Summer: Wedding Season

From May to the end of November, every wedding photographer in Kansas City is in high season, but first we’ll examine summer. Saturdays are the most popular day for weddings in Kansas City, with Sundays second and Fridays third most popular. As you can imagine, summer weekends are in short supply, and book very fast. Many couples book their wedding 18-36 months in advance. Most of the time, couples book their venue first, then their wedding photographer.

Beginning the first week of May, wedding season in Kansas City is in full swing. Some wedding photographers book just one wedding per weekend, while others book back to back. In high season, it isn’t unheard of for wedding photographers to book back to back Fridays and Saturdays, or Saturdays and Sundays. I’ve been there, but it’s rare I’ll commit to that anymore. While I do love what I do, that makes for a very long two days, and I find that I just don’t prefer doing that most of the time.

Wedding season consists of touching base with couples the week of the wedding, shooting the weddings, and editing and delivering the images afterward. With a wedding (or more!) every weekend, this time of year can be intense. Add other portrait sessions into the mix, and it can make for a whirlwind few months every year!

I deliberately move administrative work, marketing work and other behind the scenes work to my slower months in order to create breathing room in the summer and fall.

Bride and groom share a sweet moment outside the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. © Merry Ohler, Wedding Photographer in Kansas City.

Kansas City Wedding Photographer

Fall: Wedding Season, Editing Season, Portrait Season

October heralds fall in Kansas City, and the rest of wedding season. Because September and October are often beautiful months in Kansas City, our wedding season has stretched through those months. In fact, for the last several years I have had even more inquiries for September and October than for July and August!

By the time October rolls around, wedding season has been going strong for months, so I’m also in the thick of editing season. October brings families who want fall portraits with our beautiful Kansas City autumn colors, so there’s the added element of portrait clients, senior sessions and engagement sessions, too.

The most beautiful colors of autumn in Kansas City usually pop around the last two weeks of October, so the final two weeks of October and the first week of November are generally my busiest in terms of photo sessions for seniors, families, maternity, engagements, and children.

Again, due to the nature of the work required in the fall, most administrative, marketing and behind the scenes work is scheduled for winter. There simply isn’t time in the fall.

Espresso wedding cupcakes on dessert line at wedding in Overland Park, Kansas. © Merry Ohler, Wedding Photographer in Kansas City

Holidays: Pricing Evaluation, Rest, Content Planning Season

When humanly possible, I have all editing and gallery delivery completed before Thanksgiving, and have a clean slate with no editing pending from Thanksgiving through the new year. This is what I call my holiday season. Following an insanely busy May through November, I’m usually so ready for a breather and to focus on more administrative items.

During this time, I look at my pricing and evaluate whether it’s time to raise rates or if I’m at the right price point for the work I’m doing. If I’m booking out every session, it’s generally time to raise rates. If I’m not filling every available session or wedding date, I’m probably good to stay where I am, pricing wise.

Personally, I really lean into rest during this season, and spend lots of extra time with my family. I jot down content ideas for the next quarter (Q1 of the new year) or for the whole year, if I have the bandwidth. I don’t necessarily begin creating the content, but I do spend time thinking about it and try to have a general idea of what I’ll be putting out in the coming months and year.

If I haven’t finalized vacation time or weekends off yet, I schedule this and block dates before the new year. Fall and the holidays are “engagement season,” and after the holidays many new inquiries roll in for wedding photography, so it’s important to have the next year finalized before those start coming in.

I also take a look at the work I’ve done and evaluate whether there are any new services I would like to offer in the coming year, and whether there are any services I just don’t find joy in anymore. I slow down and savor the final weeks and days of the year and really focus on being present as much as possible before the new year begins.

That’s pretty much a year in the life of a wedding photographer in Kansas City! Well, in this one’s life, anyway! Thanks for reading! Was there anything I shared that surprised or encouraged you? Do you have any questions about anything I shared? Let me know in the comments below!