Running mini sessions
Mini sessions let clients choose a slot on specific dates you set. Define the slot length, available times, price and payment requirements for each service.
How mini sessions are different
A direct booking finds a gap in your week. A mini session works the other way round: you declare the day, chop it into slots, and clients claim one.
Your weekly availability, minimum notice and booking window don't apply. The dates you add are the whole schedule.
Setting one up
- Go to Bookings → Services, choose Add service, name it and pick Mini sessions.
- On Details, write what's included and add a cover image that sells the theme.
- On Price & slot, set the price, slot length and how many clients fit in each slot.
- On Dates & location, add each date you're running.
- On Booking flow, turn on payment and anything else you need.
- Choose Publish and share the link.
A mini session service has four tabs: Details, Price & slot, Dates & location and Booking flow.
Price and slot length
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Price per slot | What one client pays for one slot |
| Slot duration | 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 or 60 minutes. Empty until you pick one, and required to save. |
| Spots per slot | How many clients can book the same time, up to 50. Starts at 1. |
Currency, Tax and Add-ons sit on the same tab. Add-ons are a good way to sell extra images or a print package on top of the slot. See Adding add-ons to a service.
Leave Spots per slot at 1 unless several families really do share a time, like a themed set where people rotate through.
Adding your dates
Under Schedule on the Dates & location tab, choose Add date for each day. Each date has:
- Date
- Booking gap, time kept free between slots on that day
- Start time and End time, which with the slot length decide how many slots the day holds
- Location name and Address, so one service can cover a park one weekend and a studio the next
The Location section above sets a default you can change per date. Dates save with the rest of the service when you choose Save, so a half-finished date blocks the save until you complete it.
Once a date has bookings or active holds, it shows Has bookings or holds. Its date, times and booking gap are then fixed so nobody's slot moves under them. You can still change the location details.
Blocking your other bookings
Block shared availability sits at the top of Schedule and is on by default. It means a mini session booking also blocks that time for your other services that use shared availability, so nobody books a headshot in the middle of your mini day. Leave it on unless the two can never clash.
Taking payment
Mini sessions work best paid in full at booking. The client books and pays in one action, and you never chase anyone for a small amount. Turn on Collect payment in step 4 Payment of the Booking flow tab and choose Full payment.
You can take a deposit instead, though for short, low-priced sessions it usually creates more admin than it saves. See Pricing, deposits and payment deadlines.
What your client sees
The service opens on Select a date and time: a row of your dates (hidden when there's only one), then the slots for whichever date they choose. A slot that seats more than one shows how many places are left. Full slots and dates read Full.
Under the times they're told their slot is held for 30 minutes once they continue. Choosing Continue on We'll hold this slot for you starts the timer, then they fill in their details, sign and pay.
Once every slot is gone, the service shows Sold out on your booking page and can't be opened.
After the day
Each slot is a normal booking with its own client, invoice and booking page. Mark them complete as you go and deliver as usual. For lots of small deliveries, a separate gallery per family is usually easier than chapters in one shared gallery.
For a planning checklist, from picking the location to sending galleries, see Planning a mini session day.
Frequently asked questions
Can I run mini sessions at different locations?
Yes. Each date has its own Location name and Address, so one service can cover several venues.
How do I stop a slot from being booked twice?
You don't need to. A full mini session slot stays on the page greyed out and marked Full, so nobody can pick it, and a slot being held by someone mid-booking can't be taken by anyone else.
Can I add another date after publishing?
Yes. Add the date on Dates & location and save. The new date appears on the mini session straight away. Clients already partway through booking keep their held slot.
Do mini sessions use my weekly availability?
No. Mini sessions run only on the dates you add to the service. Your weekly hours, minimum notice and booking window don't apply.