Every year, without a fail the same thing happens, about two thirds of my wedding clients from throughout the year sit on their album orders until late Oct or early Nov and then put all of their orders in at once, expecting a christmas delivery.
Albums take time to produce, particularly the digital style book albums so popular these days. I do try to please everybody, all of the time, but I can't please everybody AT the same time! On the very deadline last year I received orders for 8 wedding albums and around 1500 prints. Thanks guys!
Last year I was forced to shut up the portrait studio over christmas which is commercial madness in order to service this last minute rush. I was up until 3 and 4am most mornings for about three weeks. It wouldn't be so bad but I did write to everybody and ask them to get their orders in ASAP.
This year I've taken a very different approach, I've not stated a deadline, but a guideline that if the album order arrives in late Oct or early November, it's unlikely to be received in time for christmas, and wrote to my clients advising them of this.
There was the usual expected late flurry, but this year I'm taking on the portrait work and those who have ordered their albums late are simply just not going to get them in time. It's a shame, but I simply can't fit two thirds of my annual production into two weeks between the end of October and November!
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