Adapt or Die: How to Evolve & Thrive in the Wedding Industry

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 reveal the mindset and tactics that have kept them at the top of their game.

If you’re a wedding photographer or filmmaker looking to increase your rates, future-proof your business, and stay competitive in the luxury space, this episode is a must-listen!

💡 Topics Covered:
✔️ How Pen Weddings evolved from shooting on tape to high-end digital productions
✔️ The biggest pricing mistakes they made early on—and how they fixed them
✔️ Why networking beyond filmmakers helped them break into luxury weddings
✔️ How corporate work can fill income gaps during slow wedding seasons
✔️ The "Adapt or Die" mindset: Staying ahead of tech & industry shifts
✔️ Why luxury clients and planners expect a higher level of execution
✔️ The role of refining your portfolio and elevating your brand to command higher rates

💬 What’s the biggest shift you’ve made in your business?
DM us on Instagram @TheLevelUpCo or drop your thoughts in the comments!

⭐ Enjoyed this episode?
Subscribe, rate, and review to help more wedding photographers and filmmakers future-proof their businesses and book luxury clients.

Timestamps:

00:00 – 05:00 | Introduction
05:01 – 12:00 | The Evolution of Pen Weddings & Longevity in the Industry\
12:01 – 20:00 | Pricing Growth & Raising Rates with Confidence
20:01 – 30:00 | The Adapt or Die Mentality in Business
30:01 – 40:00 | Managing Business Highs & Lows
40:01 – 45:00 | Final Thoughts

The next round of The Luxury Mastermind will start in October 2025! We are thrilled to welcome you inside our signature 12 week program. Learn more + save your seat here >> https://thelevelupco.com/mastermind

📲 Love this episode? Screenshot and share it on social media! Tag us on Instagram at @TheLevelUpCo and let us know your biggest takeaway.

The Level Up Co. Resources:
- Wedding Planner Email Templates: https://thelevelupco.com/planner-email-template-bundle
- Elevated Client Experience Bundle: https://thelevelupco.com/client-experience-bundle
- Elevated Shot List: https://thelevelupco.com/elevated-shot-list
- The Luxury Framework Course: https://thelevelupco.com/theluxuryframework
- The Luxury Pricing Mini Course: https://thelevelupco.com/reset

Connect with Taylor , Kelley + The Level Up Co.:
🔗Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelevelupco/
🔗Taylor's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorpetrinovich/
🔗Kelley's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/618studios/
💻Website: https://thelevelupco.com/