Wedding photographer since the Hassleblad days and about 4 years ago no problem to get 40 weddings and turn away 80. Now the phone has not rung for months despite 30 a weeks to the website ( was 120).
I put it down to mobile phones /lack of money and weekend warriors but no I was wrong.
The reason in the UK is the use of preferred suppliers by hotels...disco /catering/chaircovers/ photographers etc. It not a problem if they say we recommend X Y and Z but then they say if you don't use X y or Z there is a £200 ( $250) surcharge to use your own choice of photographer.....
X<Y and Z are back handing the wedding planner at the hotel (£200) so at one local venue with 10 weddings a week that a lot of $$$$$$. As most wedding planners are female the female photographers seem to get preference. There is also a scam going on with payments to be in the Hotel wedding brocure.
One local photographer who was a bit arrogant fell out of favour with hotels and that was the end of him after 20 years.
Fortunately I am at an age to retire with only one wedding to do that will be the end.
How does this play out in the US ?

According to the website I found this photo some people call it photo of the year, others even say It was even considered one of the best photos of this century. Don't know if I would go that far as technically it is not spectacular as others I have seen. But the content is so INMHO, and I think a subtle lesson for all of us. I don't know if there is total truth here or an excellent set up, but who cares as it's the message it contains that is important.

From the website "A lioness and her cub were crossing the Savannah but the heat was excessive and the cub was in great difficulty walking. An elephant realized that the cub would die and carried him in his trunk to a pool of water walking beside his mother. And we call them wild/dumb animals. Isn't this a great lesson for mankind who are fighting and dying for no reason."

LittleRed (Ron)