How to Plan Christmas Mini Sessions as a Photographer

Christmas minis are one of the best ways to connect with families, create magical memories, and bring in extra income during the holiday season. But planning them can feel a bit overwhelming if you’re not sure where to start.

In this post, I’m walking you through exactly how I plan my Christmas minis—from picking dates and locations to setting up a smooth booking system that runs almost automatically. (Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to use them—at no extra cost to you!)

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1. Choosing Your Date & Location

Before anything else, decide when and where your minis will take place. You can start by polling your audience on Instagram Stories using the poll or question stickers. Ask things like:

• What weekends work best?
• How long would you want your session to be?
• Do you prefer indoor, outdoor, or both?

Getting your audience involved early helps them feel excited (and more likely to book once you release spots).

In my experience, weekends usually work best—most families have time off, and it fits better with work and school schedules.

When it comes to the location, you have options:

• An Airbnb (great if you want a cozy, styled setting)
• A family property or backyard
• A rented studio
• Or even a Christmas tree farm or outdoor field

If you can, find a space that offers both indoor and outdoor options. It’s not essential, but it’s definitely a bonus—especially for families with little ones. Having a warm indoor space or even a fire pit can make the experience much more comfortable.

From my experience, the locations that offer both tend to be the most versatile and photograph beautifully.

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2. Setting Your Pricing & Session Length

Once your location is booked, it’s time to figure out your pricing and session duration.

Here’s what I recommend considering:

• Session length: I typically offer 30-minute sessions when I have a larger space to shoot in. It gives enough time to explore different backdrops and get a good variety without feeling rushed.
• Your overhead: Make sure to calculate all your costs—location rental, decor, travel, editing time, etc.—and include them in your pricing.
• Profit margin: Determine how many sessions you want to book and how much you want to make from them. That will help you set a price that’s both fair and profitable.

A quick tip: Create a spreadsheet (or use a CRM tool like HoneyBook) to map out your expenses, pricing, and availability.

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3. Streamlining the Booking Process

This step is where everything becomes seamless.

I personally use HoneyBook (affiliate link) to manage all of my bookings and automations. Here’s how I set it up:

• I create a lead form inside HoneyBook that includes all the details: the location, date options, session length, and pricing.
• Within that form, I add a scheduler so clients can choose their time slot directly—no back-and-forth DMs or emails.
• Once a client books, HoneyBook automatically sends their contract and invoice to their inbox so they can secure their spot with a deposit.

This setup saves me hours of manual work and ensures everything is organized and professional.

Once everything’s ready, you can simply share your lead form link on your website, Instagram bio, or stories—and HoneyBook handles the rest.

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4. Marketing Your Minis

After you’ve finalized all your logistics, it’s time to focus on filling your spots!

Here are a few ways to market your Christmas minis:

• Share behind-the-scenes content or sneak peeks of your setup.
• Post a countdown to booking day on Instagram.
• Highlight past clients who’ve done your minis before (social proof helps a lot!).
• Use your email list to remind past clients—they’re often your best repeat customers.

Consistency is key here—keep sharing your link and building excitement right up until your minis sell out.

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Final Thoughts

Planning Christmas minis doesn’t have to be complicated. Once you have your date, location, and systems in place, it becomes a fun and rewarding part of your business each year.

Whether you’re hosting your minis at a cozy Airbnb or in your own backyard, the goal is to make families feel comfortable, festive, and excited to capture memories together.

By automating your bookings through HoneyBook and engaging your audience early, you’ll be able to focus on what matters most—creating beautiful images and enjoying the process.