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How to · Studios

A wedding, start to finish

One wedding from the first inquiry to the final gallery: what StudioCue does by itself, what you approve with a tap, and what your couple and your crew see at each stage.

StudioCue does this by itself You approve — usually one tap on Today

  1. 12–18 months before

    A couple inquires

    The couple fills in the inquiry form on your website, or you forward their email. It becomes a job the moment it arrives, so nothing slips.

    You

    StudioCue does this by itself

    • Adds the inquiry to Inquiries as a job, with their date, venue and message.
    • Drafts your first reply, with a link where the couple adds their details and picks a time to talk.
    • After 3 and 7 quiet daysNo answer? Drafts a friendly follow-up.

    You approve

    • Read the reply on Today and tap Send reply — or Edit it first.
    • Send each follow-up with Send follow-up, or leave it.
    • After 14 quiet daysStill nothing? Today asks: Close — went quiet or Keep it open.

    Your couple

    • Your reply, by email, with a link to their own inquiry page.
    • On that page they tell you about the day and pick a time to talk.The booking link appears once your consultation hours are set.

    Your crew

    Nothing for your crew yet.

  2. A week or two later

    The consultation

    The couple books the call themselves. StudioCue confirms it and gets you both ready for it.

    You

    StudioCue does this by itself

    • Puts the call on your Calendar and on the job, and emails the couple a confirmation.
    • Reads their answers and notes a few things worth asking about — for you, not for them.

    You approve

    • The day before the callAn “Ahead of our call” note for the couple: the call's time, their answers read back, and the questions worth talking through. Approve it on Today.Switch it to automatic and only the facts go — never the suggested questions.

    Your couple

    • A confirmation email the moment they book, with the call's details.
    • The day before the callA short note with when the call is and what they told you.

    Your crew

    Nothing for your crew yet.

  3. Soon after the call

    Getting booked

    One proposal, one signature, one payment. The job books itself when the last one lands.

    You

    StudioCue does this by itself

    • When the couple accepts, prepares their agreement with their details and price — and sends it, signed for you.Sends only if you've turned on automatic sending. Otherwise it waits for you as a draft.
    • 3 and 7 days after it's sentReminds the couple to sign.With StudioCue signing.
    • Raises the retainer invoice as soon as they sign.Only with QuickBooks or Stripe connected. Otherwise, record the payment yourself.
    • Confirms the booking once the agreement is signed and the retainer has cleared. The job moves from Inquiries to Jobs.

    You approve

    • Build the proposal from your packages, Approve this proposal and Send proposal.
    • If the agreement waits as a draft: type your name and Sign & send.

    Your couple

    • The proposal by email. In their portal they Accept proposal, or ask for changes.
    • Their agreement, signed on their phone with their typed name (Review & sign). A signed copy is emailed to them.
    • The retainer invoice. Paying it reserves their date.

    Your crew

    Nothing for your crew yet.

  4. Right after booking

    Your crew

    Booking writes the staffing plan: each role the package needs, who to ask, in order.

    You

    StudioCue does this by itself

    • Prepares the plan the moment the job books: each role, a ranked shortlist, the times and the rate.
    • 24 hours to answerOffers the job to one person at a time. A no, or no answer in time, and it asks the next name.

    You approve

    • Check the plan and tap Send these offers.Or turn on automatic offers, and the first ones go out at booking.
    • Nobody left on the list? Offer to someone else starts a new round.
    • Approve or waive each crew member's paperwork: the W-9 and any insurance.

    Your couple

    • Nothing to do. Crew is arranged behind the scenes.

    Your crew

    • An offer by email: the date, the times, the fee and What you'd do.
    • They Accept or decline from their phone, before the Answer by time.
    • An accepted job moves to their Jobs, with a checklist of anything you need from them.

  5. Booking until 6 months before

    The quiet months

    Nothing needs you. This wedding stays off Today until there's something to do.

    You

    StudioCue does this by itself

    • Keeps the job in Jobs with nothing outstanding, and brings it back to Today by itself when it needs you.

    You approve

    Nothing to approve. This is the quiet part.

    Your couple

    • Their portal counts down to the day. Your studio is on it means there's nothing for them to do.
    • Want something extra? Add to your booking asks you, and the request shows on your Today.

    Your crew

    • The date sits in their Jobs. Add to my calendar saves it.

  6. 6 months to 2 weeks before

    Planning

    The planning form goes out, the run of show is built from the answers, and the money and paperwork line up.

    You

    StudioCue does this by itself

    • 14 and 3 days before it's dueReminds the couple to send their planning form back.StudioCue's recommended form is due 5 weeks before the wedding.
    • 60 days beforeAsks your insurance agent for the venue's certificate, and chases it until it arrives.Only when the venue needs one. Due 2 weeks before; chased every 3 days.
    • 8 weeks beforeAsks the couple for a billing address, if none is on file.Only with QuickBooks itemised invoices and sales tax.
    • 4 weeks beforeRaises the final invoice through QuickBooks or Stripe, due 2 weeks before the wedding.
    • 4 weeks beforeLocks the details: the couple confirms where and when, and any change after that is a request you agree to.
    • 2 weeks beforeCharges the couple's saved card for the final balance, with one retry 3 days later if it's declined.Only if you've turned on autopay and the couple saved a card.

    You approve

    • 6 months beforeTap Send the form when Today offers it.Or let it send itself: **Planning timeline** in Settings.
    • Draft the run of show from their answers with Generate draft, check it, then Publish reviewed schedule.
    • 60 days beforeApprove the certificate request, then Approve & send to venue when it's back.
    • 30 days beforeTwo drafts on Today: confirming the timeline with the couple, and a note about the final balance.
    • After the lock, a change request from the couple: accept or decline it on Today.

    Your couple

    • The planning form, with what they've already told you filled in.
    • 14 and 3 days before it's dueReminders before it's due.
    • Their timeline to check: Approve timeline or Ask for changes.
    • 4 weeks beforeConfirm our final details, by typing their name.
    • 4 weeks beforeThe final invoice by email — or, with a saved card, nothing to do.

    Your crew

    • The published run of show on their Day sheet. They tap I've read version to confirm it.
    • Any paperwork still owed, on their job's Checklist.

  7. The week of

    The wedding week

    Everyone gets what they need for the day, without you writing a single email.

    You

    StudioCue does this by itself

    • A week beforeEmails the couple a week-of note with a link to their timeline.
    • 2 days beforeEmails each crew member their call time, where to be and a link to the day sheet.

    You approve

    • The day beforeThe day-before checklist for the couple. Approve it on Today.
    • On the dayOn the day, Event day has the venue, the run of show and who's working. Ask the event brief anything.

    Your couple

    • A week beforeA week-of email with a link straight to their timeline.
    • The day beforeThe day-before checklist, once you approve it.

    Your crew

    • 2 days beforeAn email with their call time, where to be and the day sheet.
    • On the dayOpen the day sheet: where, who to call, their role and the running order. It opens with no signal.

  8. The day after, to a few weeks on

    After the wedding

    One question the day after, then the gallery goes out and the follow-ups run themselves.

    You

    StudioCue does this by itself

    • 3 and 10 days after deliveryAsks the couple for a review: in their portal first, then by email. It stops once they've left one.Only once you've added your review link.
    • 7 and 14 days after deliveryReminds the couple to choose their album photos.Only when the package has an album.

    You approve

    • The day afterDid this go ahead? Tap Yes, we shot it.
    • Approve your crew's hours and expenses, and set when they're paid.
    • Record the gallery — link, access code, download date — and Release to the couple.

    Your couple

    • One email with their gallery link and access code. Everything lands in their portal.
    • With an album: they choose photos, then approve the design.
    • 3 and 10 days after deliveryWould you share a few words? links to your review page.

    Your crew

    • The day afterHours and expenses: when they started and finished, any costs and links to their files. Then Send to the studio.

  9. Once everything's in

    Wrap up

    When the agreement, balance, gallery, album, review ask, crew and insurance all check out, the job closes.

    You

    StudioCue does this by itself

    • Checks every piece against the records and shows what's still open under Closing the job.

    You approve

    • Tap Close and archive. Anything that happened outside StudioCue: Mark as done.

    Your couple

    • Nothing more to do.

    Your crew

    • The payment date you set shows on their closeout.

Timings are StudioCue’s defaults. You can change the planning form, the lock, the crew answer window and which messages send themselves in Settings.

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