Visuals can make or break your marketing but as a new wedding planner, with a limited wedding planning portfolio, it can be hard to find the perfect image. Whilst it might be tempting to snoop online and find suitable imagery from fellow wedding pros you admire, there is a catch: copyright.
Copyrighting images protects the rights of creators, providing control over who can use and distribute their work. Meaning, you'll need permission to legally use copyrighted images. Otherwise, you could face legal charges and fines. Thankfully, we have found a hack: stock imagery. "Stock imagery" and "aesthetic" aren't commonly used in the same sentence, but we have found sites that prove stock imagery can be beautiful too! We've rounded up the best sites for finding free stock photos and royalty-free images that align with your brand aesthetic—elegant, elevated and chic! Browse the likes of Pexels and Unsplash for beautiful imagery that you can use across service brochures, client packages, and even your website layout. Time to find imagery that does your wedding business justice! Let's find you the perfect pic...
How to source free imagery as a wedding planner
Nobody wants to be slammed with a huge copywriter fine, especially not when you're setting up your new wedding planning business. But don't worry, finding royalty-free images online is easy. Follow these simple guidelines and find suitable and safe imagery for your wedding business marketing content in no time.
1. Use public domain images
If you don't want to go through the trouble of reading and paying for licenses then your best bet is to stick to browsing websites that offer free stock images for commercial use like Unsplash and Pexels. These websites are simple to use and are well-stocked with wedding imagery. Finding stock photos that fit your aesthetic and tell the right story for your brand can be tricky, but with patience and creative searching, you'll be sure to find the perfect fit.
2. Review social media rules
Social media sites have different image usage rules that users need to be aware of. Make sure to read these if you intend to share content that is not your own on any social platform. If you fail to comply with guidelines, your posts may get taken down or your entire account could get suspended.
3. Read the license terms
If you plan to purchase an image license, make sure to read the license terms closely. Remember, copyright images have usage limitations. Be sure to choose a license that covers your intended purpose and take note of what you can and cannot do with the images.
4. Ask for permission
If you have your heart set on a particular image and can't find an alternative, you could try simply asking the creator for permission. Running an image search is the best way to find the owner, and when you do, you can send them a polite message or email. Whatever the outcome, it is important to respect the owner's decision.
Where to source stock imagery as a wedding planner
These websites are home to thousands of royalty-free images suitable for use across your wedding business marketing content. Time to get browsing...
Unsplash
Unsplash hosts a library of more than 10,000 wedding-themed images. A gold mine for wedding planners, on Unsplash you can find images of happily married couples, dreamy venue shots, extravagant cake toppers and more. Style consistency is key in building a recognisable aesthetic for your brand, which is why Unsplash allows you to search photos by collection, saving you time (and headaches) in looking for images with similar themes or photography styles.
Pexels
Whatever your aesthetic, find it on Pexels. Set up an account on Pexels and you can follow your favourite creators so you can save time repeatedly searching for photographers that align with your brand—who knows, maybe you could even strike up a long-term partnership. Pexels also has a huge bank of royalty-free videos in 4k to make your website look extra polished and instantly more memorable.
Canva
Surprise! Canva is the gift that keeps on giving—with free editing tools and now royalty-free images! Start with a simple search for "wedding" imagery and let suggested images guide you to the perfect picture. Canva is home to a diverse bank of wedding photography, spanning fairytale weddings to toned-down casual affairs.
Kaboom
As well as an array of landscape and object photography, Kaboom boasts an impressive bank of portrait photography—a face always helps to personalise your brand and demonstrate your commitment to personalising your clients' experiences. If you're already wedded to a colour scheme, browse Kaboom's image library by colour to find imagery that perfectly complements your palette.
Top tip: Tag @kaboompics in your photos—they love to see how their images are used by their community and often reshare people's work with their 30k + audience.
Sourced Co.
Sourced Co. was founded for wedding pros, by wedding pros so they understand the importance of great imagery in building your wedding business. Sourced Co. exists to give new wedding planners a helping hand in building their portfolio because, in their words, "not having a portfolio shouldn’t stop you from chasing your dreams." Build your portfolio in the way that suits you with Sourced Co.
