Build a trusted bench for your wedding studio

The best days are run by people who already trust each other. A studio that has to find crew from scratch every time is working harder than one that keeps a bench: a short list of people it knows, with their roles, rates and open dates.

TL;DR: Keep at least two people for each role you hire: second shooter, second camera, cover DJ, assistant, editor. Record what each is good at, what they charge and when they are free. Use them regularly so the relationship stays warm, and add new people from outside your circle every season.

Who should be on the bench?

• Two second shooters with different strengths: candids and details, or a quick, steady second angle.
• A second camera operator, if you film.
• A cover DJ or a planner you trust, for the date you cannot take.
• An assistant who knows your setup.
• An editor or retoucher for the busy weeks.

What should you record about each person?

A few lines is enough: their role, their rate, their area, what you have worked on together, what they do well and what you would not ask of them. Add the dates they usually cannot do.

How do you keep the bench warm?

• Use them. A person you have not booked in a year is a stranger.
• Pay on time. It is the best advertisement you have.
• Tell them what worked. A sentence after each date.
• Offer a date before you advertise it. They notice.

How do you add new people?

Use a structured request, not a post. Say the date, role, hours and rate, and see who answers. After a good first date, add them to your bench. Our crew call guide shows what to include.

Where Booksui fits

On the Booksui Network, the people you have worked with and trust are one Crew Call away, and you can aim a request at your saved bench first, then people in the same city or region, then wider. It is free to send one, and you agree the fee directly.

Send your first Crew Call, or read how studios find a second shooter.