Are you a wedding photographer, videographer, or planner looking to increase your income and build a more sustainable business in 2025? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, hosts Taylor Petrinovich and Kelly Gilster share three proven strategies to help wedding creatives make more money without burning out.
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If you’re ready to increase your income in 2025, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re feeling stuck at your current pricing, overwhelmed by the idea of booking more weddings, or simply looking for new ways to grow your revenue, this guide is for you
Making more money as a wedding photographer or filmmaker isn’t just about working harder—it’s about working smarter. So today, we’re breaking down three ways to increase your income this year, why they work, and how to implement them in your business right now.
1. Raise Your Prices the Right Way
The fastest way to make more money? Charge more for what you’re already doing.
This sounds obvious, but many wedding creatives hesitate to raise their prices out of fear that bookings will slow down. But here’s the thing: If your calendar is full and you’re not charging what you’re worth, you’re overworked and underpaid.
How to Confidently Raise Your Prices:
✅ Improve Your Brand Positioning – High-end clients aren’t just buying photos or films; they’re buying an experience. If you want to raise your rates, your branding, website, and messaging need to match the luxury pricing you want to charge.
✅ Showcase Your Best Work – Update your website, social media, and portfolio to reflect your highest-value weddings.
✅ Offer More Value, Not Just Higher Prices – Add premium services like custom albums, additional shooters, or behind-the-scenes content.
✅ Stop Assuming What Clients Can Afford – Many creatives hesitate to charge more because they assume clients won’t pay it. But the truth? People will pay for what they perceive as valuable.
💡 Pro Tip: Instead of making a huge jump overnight, try increasing your prices by 10-15% every few bookings. This gradual shift makes the transition smoother and helps you test what the market will pay.
2. Book More Weddings (But Smarter, Not Harder)
If you’re not ready to raise prices significantly, another way to increase revenue is simply booking more weddings—but without burning out.
How to Book More Without Burnout:
✅ Optimize Your Marketing Strategy – Are you attracting the right clients? Invest time into social media and networking with planners to keep your inquiry pipeline full.
✅ Streamline Your Workflow – The more efficiently you work, the more weddings you can take without increasing your hours. Consider outsourcing editing, hiring an assistant, or automating client management with a CRM
. ✅ Expand to Midweek or Off-Season Weddings – Begin to target other locations whose wedding season are opposite of yours! ie if your season is dead in the winter explore options like Florida!
💡 Pro Tip: If you want to avoid burnout, focus on booking the right clients instead of just more clients. Target couples who value your expertise and align with your brand.
3. Diversify Your Revenue Streams
The most sustainable way to make more money in 2025? Add additional income streams to your business.
Here’s why: You can only shoot so many weddings in a year before you hit a ceiling. Diversifying your income lets you scale your earnings without adding more to your workload.
Ways to Diversify Your Revenue:
✅ Sell Digital Products – Lightroom presets, LUTs, pricing guides, wedding planning templates—there are endless ways to package your expertise into digital downloads.
✅ Teach & Mentor – Start offering coaching, online courses, or workshops for other photographers and videographers.
✅ Branch Into Corporate & Commercial Work – Weddings aren’t the only way to make money with a camera. Consider branding shoots, corporate events, or commercial filmmaking.
✅ Offer Album & Print Sales – Passive income opportunities like print sales allow you to increase revenue from past clients without extra work.
💡 Pro Tip: Choose an additional revenue stream that aligns with your strengths and doesn’t require constant hands-on work. Digital products and passive income strategies are great for freeing up your time while still increasing your income.
Final Thoughts: The Best Strategy for You
The key to making more money isn’t just working harder—it’s working smarter. Whether you raise your prices, book more strategically, or diversify your income, the most important thing is taking action.
Which of these three strategies are you implementing in 2025? Let us know in the comments, or share this with a fellow creative who needs a boost this year! 🚀
