Wedding Brochure Critique

[Jerry Skrocki]

This appears to be a trifold brochure with the inside set of photos spread across the 3 pages. Your best photos will be obscured from general view.

I would exchange the photos of the hands (front) and cake (back) with photos of couples from inside the brochure. This would give the 3 page spread a little more diversity and give more strength to the outside of the brochure.

The idea is to get people to pick up the brochure and look inside.

I agree with the other posters about eliminating the negatives in the text of the brochure.

[DougAxford]

If you want higher end weddings, you're showing them a lower end brochure. Sorry if I'm so blunt. I'm trying to be careful here that I'm looking at the brochure design, not the images. My initial impression is one of a menu - too much to look at but no lasting impression. You've got one chance to impress the Bride and you need to do that with emotion. They want to see romance and love.

All the ones I'm reviewing on other forums tend to cater to the emotions of the Bride. Use only a few images that evoke emotion and very few words, carefully selected. If I were doing it, I'd select the one large colorized image in the centre and use that for the whole page and soften the edges. In other words, get rid of the rest of the images on that side.

On the flip side, I'd get rid of the slashy borders. Use soft transitions. Love is a soft feeling, you want to convey that with everything in the brochure.

I didn't read the copy. Most Brides won't either. Nothing personal, Brides simply won't read much. Keep it very simple. A brochure's job is to inspire the Bride to contact you - nothing more. It's then the job of your phone skills, your web site, your interview/sales skills to turn this into money. This brochure is trying to do it all and it can't. You want to catch their attention, not buy your photography. I'm also assuming that this brochure is for a wedding show, not something you are handing to Brides when they come for an interview. Am I right?

I'd cut down to your best 3 photos at the most. Show ones that are unique, stuff that no one else in your area would have. Personally, I'm sick of Brides running through fields with the sun at their back and the wind blowing their golden locks -BUT THAT'S WHAT SELLS.

You've got good images, just need to cut back to the few that evoke emotion.

Doug
sorry if I sound harsh - not my intention.

[David_Buzzard]

I'm going to second Doug (maybe it's a Canadian thing). And also, I don't want to sound mean, but this looks like one of those generic ArtLeather brochures from about 10 years ago.

I'd lose the shots of the hands, the cake, and the wide B&W in the front. Most of my clients, and they're in the middle to upper middle end of the wedding market, are more interested in either candids, or portraits in a less formal setting. Things like the colour touches on the flowers are likely to cost you business on the higher end of the market.

I hardly use any text on my advertising, other than a bio and intro meant to attract search engine traffic. If you need words to describe what you do, you're in trouble.

Have a look at Martha Stewart Weddings and check out the advertising in that. Most of the photographers are only using one or two images, and almost no text. The other magazine to watch out for is Photo District News's wedding edition. I think it's a few months back, but it's a really good read.

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[Tim Smith]

You sir, are a brave man to post a preliminary design here. But maybe a smart one as well. Some good advice in the responses.

Are you using a Graphic Designer to layout the brochure? If so, is this individual just starting out? Just like photography, having access to the tools (cameras, or in the case of design, software) is not a guarantee of professionalism or a professional result.

If you really believe this brochure will be important to your business development plans, I think a bit more study of what others have done from a design standpoint is in order. Looking to the top of the market is probably not a bad idea. After all, I'll bet every bride is picturing in her mind a storybook wedding. An elegant and well-designed brochure can help you help them keep the dream alive.

Don't underestimate what good design can do. Of course I might not be all that objective since I make my living primarily as a Graphic Designer.

Best of luck!

[maderemark]

Thank all of you for your critiques. I posted it here hoping for constructive responses and that's what I got. A salute to everyone for not being rude with your suggestions as I have encountered in some previous posts on other forums.

Blessing to all of you.

Mark Madere

P.S. If anyone else wants to comment before I make any changes, please do.

[Neil Cowley]

Mark the 10 year old comment is the best I can do I don't believe you would reach any middle end brides and will definately turn away ANY high end brides with this ad.

To crit your ad, my basis would start with the fact that you seem to be advertising information - not selling something.

You don't have a emotional or visual connection in your design.

The first visual impact I get is faux border edges and pictures too small to see.

Start over, with the thought - what do I want my future clients to feel about my work. Choose the single best picture to get them to that feeling, and put it on black if you don't have a design theme and color pallete.

Then, put in one call to action. Base it on the emotions, or base it on a product offer but make sure the action is clear. If the action requires a phone number, web address or physical address - include it. But don't just include it as information.

If there's any room left over you can put in whatever else information you want.

Good luck!

[maderemark]

I've read the reviews and have sat down with my designer (my bride of 27+ years who fought me tooth-and-nail about wanting so many images and copy on the original brochure). I won the war but obviously lost the battle based on all the critiques.

However, choosing to be smart, I listened (for the most part) to what you all had to say.

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