By offering information on things newly engaged couples may not have even thought about, you’ll earn their trust and most likely, a booking too.
This means that you’re faced with dreamy couples making big decisions that they may not be completely qualified to make this early in their wedding planning journey!
Evidently, the look of a venue is the key driver in a couple deciding which to choose, followed by price and capacity.
But there are a few other crucial questions couples often forget to ask whilst caught up in the moment.
Give your wedding venue the edge over competing venues by offering this information upfront and forcing them to ask the same questions of competing venues.
7 things wedding venues should clarify to help win hearts and bookings
1. Mention the wedding coordinator
If you’re going to be on hand throughout the wedding planning process but you’ll be handing over to an on-the-day wedding coordinator or qualified team member on your potential clients actual wedding day, mention this.
Be upfront and say that you’ve got an excellent wedding day coordinator who you’ll all work closely with throughout the planning process, and that this person will make sure everything runs smoothly on the day.
Reassure the couple that they’ll get a chance to meet this person before their big day once all of the important details have been captured accurately to make sure that they are comfortable that everything is in hand.
2. Let the couple know when they’ll have access to your wedding venue
If you’ve got another wedding planned at your venue around the same time, let the couple know this and if possible give an approximate time that they’ll be granted access to rooms in order to set up and decorate.
This conversation may seem a little premature but it’s something the couple will need to consider, and your forethought at this stage will be gratefully received and prove that you have thought of everything for them / not missed a trick.
3. How does everything fit in the space they’re looking to hire?
Create a vision for couples when you’re showing them around your wedding venue. It can be difficult to visualise a wedding if the room the couple is looking to hire isn’t set up for one at the time of their visit, so walk them around and mention where they could have the top table, the buffet and the dance floor.
By helping build a vision for the couple they’re more likely to imagine their wedding there and book.
4. Mention the entertainment equipment you have to offer
Lots of couples fail to ask about the logistics of evening entertainment and then fall short when they realise they need to provide their own equipment.
Let the couple know that they’ll be saving money on evening entertainment at your wedding venue because you already have a state of the art sound system with speakers and handheld microphones in place, which could be used for speeches and music.
If you’ve got cool lighting options for the evening, add this into the conversation too.
5. Give the option for a dinner the night before or brunch the day after
Help the couple to really make the most of their wedding experience by offering to host an arrival dinner for close guests the night before the wedding, or a brunch the day after.
Tagging on an additional meal will again help build a vision for the couple and show that you’re aware they’ll want to make the most of the time they have with their nearest and dearest.
6. Be bold and mention the weather
Although this applies particularly to weddings hosted outdoors (where discussing a plan B option in case of rain is vital) it also applies to indoor weddings, as it will affect photographs and will mean the possibility of soggy guests.
Mention the dreaded ‘R’ word and reassure the couple that if it happens, it won’t affect the smooth running of their day.
It’s also worth mentioning that if guests have brought coats, bags and umbrellas, your venue will operate a simple cloakroom or provide a rail or storage that is tucked out of the way.
7. Be open about any restrictions your venue carries
Whether your venue has noise restrictions after midnight or doesn’t allow flash photography in some areas, you’ll need to be open with the couple upfront to avoid problems later down the line.
In this scenario, it’s better to lose a booking by being honest than to disappoint a couple so much that you’re left with negative reviews and very unhappy clients.
Open the door to more information about your wedding venue and couples will love you for it
As a wedding professional, it’s important that you lead your clients to make the right decision for them and their wedding day.
Most information regarding space, equipment and service inclusions at wedding venues is limited – particularly at the early stages of planning when venues are being shortlisted – and details of what brides and grooms can expect to get for their money is unclear.
By offering an abundance of information on things the newly engaged couple may not have even thought about, you’ll earn their trust and most likely, a booking too.