Why Elopement Photographer Wes Dropped Gold and Platinum Names and Booked 5 More Couples

Most of these case studies come from emails my readers send me. With their permission, I share them with the names changed. I do this so that others can learn from what worked and what didn't. Have a story of your own? Share it with me.

9elopements booked, up from 4
$3,700average booking, up from $2,900
2 of 31asked about package differences, down from 11 of 24

Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond.

Wes named his packages like a jewelry store. Couples could not tell them apart, so they wrote to ask. “Which one do most people pick?”

He knew the answer. His website didn’t say it.

So the Whitefish, Montana photographer renamed every package after the kind of day it fits. Then he added one honest line to each. If you need elopement package names that make choosing easy, his are worth borrowing.

The problem

Wes had four packages, and each one was named after a metal or a stone.

Old package	Coverage	Price
Silver	2 hours	$1,800
Gold	4 hours	$2,900
Platinum	8 hours	$4,200
Diamond	2 days	$6,100

Each one came with a list of photo counts and a few lines about “timeless memories.”

A couple had to compare four lists, guess which one matched their day, and then decide if the price was fair.

Most did not get that far. Here is what three months looked like.

Measure	Before
Visitors who sent a form	2.1%
Inquiries that asked “What is the difference?”	11 of 24
Average booking	$2,900
Elopements booked in 12 weeks	4

The questions were always the same. “Which one do most people pick?” and “What happens if it rains?”

Wes also noticed a pattern. Couples who booked Gold often said they “just picked the middle.” It was not a choice. It was a guess.

Something was missing. The page described photographs. It never described the couple’s day.

The solution

Wes asked a plain question. When a couple lands on this page, what are they trying to figure out?

They want to know which option fits their plan, what happens on the day, and what it costs.

So he renamed each package for the kind of day it suits. Then he wrote one short block for each.

[Package name]
Best for [who it fits].
You get [hours] and [what happens on the day].
Starting at [price]. Not for you if [an honest limit].

He wrote the blocks in his own voice, as if he were answering a friend at a coffee shop.

He also dropped the fourth package, because only two couples had picked it in two years.

Each block answered what couples ask when they compare elopement photographer services. Who is it for, what happens, and what does it cost?

The process that worked

Just the Two of Us

This was the old Silver package, with a new name and a new story.

He wrote that it suits couples who want a quiet sunrise, no guests, and no schedule.

He listed two things that were not included, such as a printed album, so nobody felt surprised later.

He added what happens. “We meet at the trailhead, walk together, and you say your words at the spot you picked.”

Us and a Few

This one replaced Gold. It fits up to ten guests and four hours.

He said who it is for. “Couples who want family there, but not a big party.”

He also added a short note on how he keeps a small crowd calm, since that is a common worry.

He named a rain plan in one line. “If the weather turns, we move to the lodge porch or shift the time, and you decide.”

The Whole Weekend

This combined Platinum and Diamond into two days.

Day one is the elopement. Day two is a slow morning, a second location, and an easy walk with coffee.

He was clear that this option is best for couples who travel far and want to make a trip of it.

He put its price lower on the page, after the story of the two days. The story helped the number make sense.

The line he almost cut

Every block ended with one honest limit. “Not for you if you want a long list of group poses.”

He worried it would scare people. It did the opposite. One couple wrote, “Thank you for being honest.”

Words he cut

He removed words that every photographer uses, and added words couples actually say.

He cut the phrase “package includes” and wrote “you get” instead. It felt like a person was talking.

He read the page out loud to his partner. Any sentence that sounded like a brochure got rewritten.

Three clear choices also guide people well. Thanks to the decoy effect, a middle option often feels like the safe pick.

How the new elopement package names performed

Here are twelve weeks after the rewrite.

Measure	Before	After
Visitors who sent a form	2.1%	5.0%
Inquiries that asked “What is the difference?”	11 of 24	2 of 31
Average booking	$2,900	$3,700
Elopements booked in 12 weeks	4	9

The middle package took about half of all bookings. The “Just the Two of Us” package brought the warmest replies.

He also asked each new couple which block they read first. Most said the one that matched their plan.

Nine bookings at his new average is about $33,000, from a page rewrite that took one weekend.

What we learned from here

Couples don’t buy hours and photo counts. They picture a day and look for the option that fits it.

Good elopement package names do that picturing for them. Wes did not touch a price. He changed the story around each one.

Most people ask him about the word swap, so here it is.

Words that stayed	Words that went
Just the two of us	Silver, Gold and Platinum
Sunrise at the trailhead	Capturing the moment
Starting at $2,400	Contact for pricing
Not for you if	Timeless memories
Up to ten guests	Package includes

His first draft had a flaw. The “Whole Weekend” block was too long at first, and visitors stopped before the price.

He cut it by a third and moved the price higher. It helped.

He also learned that “Not for you if” needs a kind tone. His first draft sounded sharp, so he softened it.

A page like this is never done. He rereads it each spring and updates the starting prices.

Rename just one package this week. Describe the day it suits and add one honest limit. Then see what couples say.

He now uses the same plain voice in his emails to couples, so the page and the inbox feel alike.