LEVEL UP: A Wedding Photography + Videography Podcast

Breaking into the luxury wedding market requires more than just talent—it demands strategy, networking, and intentional branding. In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, we sit down with Carl S. Miller, a wedding photographer who transitioned from videography and scaled his pricing from $5K to $15K+ per wedding. Carl shares how he overcame the biggest mistake many creatives make—keeping their bli...

What if you could scale your wedding photography business from $3K to $10K+ weddings in just one year? That’s exactly what Myla Li did, and she’s sharing her journey in this episode of The Level Up Podcast. From second shooting over 20 weddings in her first year to booking five-figure weddings for 2025, Myla reveals how she used Instagram marketing, strategic branding, and unique offerings like Su...

Want to work with top-tier wedding planners but don’t know how to get on their radar? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, we sit down with Erin Taylor of Bustle Events, a luxury wedding planner based in Napa, to uncover exactly what planners look for when hiring photographers and filmmakers. Erin shares how networking, brand positioning, and understanding luxury storytelling can make you a pr...

If you’re a wedding filmmaker or photographer looking to scale your business, book higher-paying clients, and avoid burnout, this episode is for you! We sit down with Madeline Kuzminsky, a Charleston-based wedding filmmaker who grew her business from $1,700 bookings to $7,300+ in just three years—with a clear path to five-figure weddings. She shares how investing in education, rebranding for luxur...

Your brand is more than just a logo—it’s the entire experience clients have with your business. But is your branding attracting the right clients, or pushing them away? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovich & Kelley Gilster break down the four essential elements of branding that every wedding photographer and filmmaker must refine to book high-end weddings. They reveal th...

Want to book more high-end weddings in 2025? Now is the time to set your business up for success! In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovich & Kelley Gilster break down key strategies to ensure 2025 is your most profitable year yet. From building strong planner relationships to refreshing your portfolio and refining your business systems, they’ll walk you through the exact ste...

Are you fully prepared for your next wedding, or are you scrambling at the last minute? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, guest host Cassie Hyatt shares pre-wedding habits and systems that help wedding photographers and filmmakers reduce stress, stay organized, and show up professionally. From gear prep and communication strategies to grooming, wardrobe, and mental mindset, this episode is...

If you could go back five years, what would you do differently in your wedding business? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovich & Kelley Gilster share the hard-earned lessons they wish they knew earlier—from working with the right planners to curating a portfolio that attracts high-end clients. They reveal how casting too wide a net can hold you back from scaling, why not...

Is content creation the future of the wedding industry? And how can photographers, videographers, and planners use it to grow their businesses? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor Petronovich & Kelley Gilster sit down with Saira from Social Saira, a luxury wedding content creator with 14 years of industry experience. Saira shares how behind-the-scenes content has become an essentia...

The wedding industry is constantly evolving—are you keeping up, or getting left behind? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Rick and Sarah Pendergraft of Pen Weddings share their 15-year journey in wedding filmmaking and how they’ve adapted to survive and thrive in an ever-changing market. From raising prices with confidence to mastering new technology and shifting business strategies, they r...

What does it take to become a trendsetter in the luxury wedding industry? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, we sit down with Molly and Sana of Bash Please, a top-tier event production company based in Los Angeles and San Francisco. With over eight years in luxury wedding planning and decades in hospitality, they share how they’ve built a brand known for trendsetting, innovation, and unparal...

If you're trying to break into the luxury wedding market, are you doing it the right way? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Rosemary Hattenbach of Rosemary Events shares hard-earned insights from 23+ years in the industry. From working with A-list directors in film production to planning high-end weddings worldwide, Rosemary reveals why paying your dues, mastering etiquette, and buildi...

Do you want your wedding photography brand to be instantly recognizable? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Christina McNeill, a San Francisco-based luxury wedding photographer, shares how she developed a signature style that attracts high-end clients and commands $25K+ per wedding. From her art school beginnings to building a premium brand, Christina reveals why authenticity, artistic visio...

Are you an introvert or extrovert—and how does that affect your marketing strategy? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor (an introvert) and Kelley (an extrovert) break down how personality type impacts networking, relationship-building, and long-term business growth in the wedding industry. Taylor shares how introverts can network without exhausting themselves, while Kelley explains how...

What does it take to book high-end wedding clients and scale to luxury weddings? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Brooke Keegan, one of Harper’s Bazaar’s top luxury wedding planners, shares her journey from hotel event planning to managing multi-million dollar weddings. Brooke explains how she transitioned to percentage-based pricing, built high-value industry relationships, and used strat...

Is overnight success a myth? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, luxury wedding photographer Amanda Crean shares her 17-year journey of building a high-end brand, rebranding with intention, and navigating the evolving wedding industry. From moving internationally to restart her career to booking celebrity-level weddings, Amanda explains why true success is built over time—through smart risks,...

Want to elevate your wedding filmmaking business and book luxury clients? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Deanna Harrison of Harrison Films shares how she and her husband scaled their business to premium clients by focusing on client experience, strategic branding, and strong vendor relationships. From raising prices and refining their brand to going the extra mile for planners and photog...

Want to scale your wedding business and attract higher-paying clients? In this Q&A episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor and Kelley answer listener-submitted questions about how to elevate your brand, communicate your value, and position yourself for success in the wedding industry. From brand consistency to client perception and networking with planners, they break down the most important s...

How much time should you spend on your business? And can you upsell to luxury clients without feeling salesy? In this Q&A episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor and Kelley answer listener-submitted questions about time management, workload balance, and how to structure upsells for high-end clients. They dive into how luxury clients expect premium service and why the right approach to pricing,...

Thinking about growing a team but worried about maintaining quality and brand integrity? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Abby Jiu, a luxury wedding photographer, shares how she scaled her business from a solo operation to a highly successful associate team while maintaining her brand’s exclusivity and high-end reputation. Abby explains how to hire the right team members, create sustainabl...

Are you playing it too safe in your wedding business? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Chris Jespersen of Storybox Cinema shares how taking creative, business, and personal risks transformed his wedding filmmaking career. From charging $1,000 for his first wedding to filming celebrity-level luxury events, Chris explains why stepping outside your comfort zone is the key to success in the we...

Can you build a luxury wedding business in a non-traditional market? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Kate Turner of Kate & Company shares how she scaled her business by redefining luxury planning, educating clients, and building strong vendor relationships. From breaking into a luxury market that didn’t previously exist to pricing for profitability and investing in high-end branding,...

Think you can’t charge luxury prices because of where you live? Think again! In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Mike Cassimatis, a St. Louis-based luxury wedding photographer, shares how he created a high-end wedding market in a location that wasn’t traditionally considered luxury. Mike reveals how strategic networking, branding, and vendor collaboration allowed him to go from $1,500 wedding...

Is your social media presence truly attracting high-end clients? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Peyton Frank, an award-winning luxury wedding cinematographer, shares how she curates a high-end brand presence that speaks directly to premium clients. From strategically blending personal and professional content to protecting client privacy and elevating brand perception, Peyton reveals how...

Are you holding yourself back in business by keeping a safety net? In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Taylor and Kelly discuss the concept of "Burning the Boat"—eliminating your fallback plan so you can fully commit to scaling your wedding business. From raising prices and going full-time to investing in education and mentorship, they break down how fully committing to success can...