Discover ways your wedding venue can boost confidence in couples!
12th March 2021
71% of couples have already postponed their wedding day and 64% of couples are concerned about how long the COVID-19 pandemic is going to continue. This shows that couples are losing or have already lost confidence in their wedding plans, worrying if their day will still be going ahead and even more so if they need to make any changes. Many couples are finding it difficult to get wedding insurance or renew an existing policy, due to not knowing when things will return to normal. Coronavirus restrictions are forever changing so the future is unknown as to whether this percentage will rise. We also understand that many venues have seen a decline in new enquiries, this could be due to newly engaged couples waiting to find the perfect venue, which is not easy during the pandemic. However, these couples are continuing to research, they are still looking out for the venues that are maintaining their communication and boosting morale for their consumers. Many of you are trying to build on the here and now for your business, thinking of ways to reassure couples and retaining their faith in your expertise. Therefore, it is important to be a visible, active venue, injecting confidence into the couples.
Which is why reassuring couples during this time should be your priority!
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With all this in mind, we have put together some key pointers which your venue can do to help stand out during this challenging time.
What you can do as a venue?
Show off your outdoor space
Many couples will be looking at venues that provide plenty of outdoor areas, so they and their guests feel safe. You as a venue could do this by documenting the areas on social media, to show the couple different set-ups which will therefore showcase the versatility of the grounds. Be positive, couples want to feel excited about their wedding and chosen venue, so show how you as a venue are excited about hosting more outdoor weddings!
Let them know you are thinking about them!
Send out care packages to your clients when you are aware of an upcoming scheduled meeting, couples want the same experience that they would have endured in normal times. This thoughtful, extra touch could be something small such as some chocolates or a mini bottle of fizz! Going that extra mile could really boost a couples’ confidence, giving them that extra assurance you are the right venue for them.
Be accommodating
Allow couples to choose a backup date when postponing. Many couples will have doubts whether their wedding will go ahead, reassuring them, and allowing them to book two dates may accommodate their needs and put them at ease.
Tailor your tours
This will help new couples when researching venues. Be the venue that stands out from your competitors and think of innovative ways to create bespoke tours.
Personalised payment options
It is key to use this period to build stronger relationships with happy couples to maintain their trust (and finances) within your venue’s organisation.
Personalised payment plans and allowing credit card payments to meet the needs of your couples. Many could be facing hardship during this unprecedented time and may need reassurance that their money is safe and that it’s possible for them to meet new or additional deadlines. The income coming into your business is critical so take extra care to be thoughtful and flexible.
Promoting flexible wedding packages
You as a venue can promote more than just the standard wedding package, you could offer your consumers a smaller wedding during the restrictions, then offer a discount for a larger celebration which they can book once restrictions have eased. This allows the couples to have their special day without having to cancel and puts their minds at rest as they won’t have to reduce numbers. This will also allow your venue to gain some extra revenue and create an opportunity for repeat customers.
Editors comments…
We believe these are some of the changes that venues can implement, which have the potential to positively impact your customer’s confidence, therefore helping to retain your business. Having a great understanding of how the current pandemic is affecting your consumers, how their needs are changing, and what you can do to put them at ease will put you ahead of your competitors.
We hope that this blog has provided you with some positive and practical suggestions, to help you through this unpredictable time. Whether you are part of a venue or an engaged couple planning your wedding during this time, we value your feedback, please comment below your thoughts and experiences. It would be so great to hear from you!
I believe it would be beneficial for venues to work with photographers and DJs etc which can all agree on a new date (back up date) if needed due to the pandemic or military commitments. They could do this by creating a package deal with all 3 included with dates too I believe this would appeal to many as it’s hard to check dates with different suppliers.
Offer half board weddings for example if you have a barn but the client only has 50 guest and it houses 100 offer a 40 percent deal as it will gain a contract and meet with some people’s requirements.
Hello Charlotte,
Thank you for taking the time to read and engage with our blog. We agree that having joint package arrangements is a great way to ease worry for couples during this time, and will be very beneficial for each supplier.
We also believe that offering discounts for lower guest numbers will help to encourage new couples to book, with the current social distancing restrictions new couples may be concerned about how their guests may feel on the day after the pandemic, having lower numbers would help reduce this concern.
This is such great info! Very informative. This really helped my venue connect with clientele on another level. Thank you!
Hi Aunt J,
Many thanks for taking the time to read and engage with our blog, we really appreciate it! Thank you so much for your great feedback, this is so kind of you!
I think having a back up date for your wedding would be really helpful, it would be reassuring to know that if your wedding had to be cancelled because of Covid, you already have another date. Also if the restrictions meant you couldnt have the day or guests you wanted, then you have the option of choosing your back up date. I think contact from the venue when there are changes with the government guidelines with weddings would helpful, detailing their plan with the restrictions. It seems strange to me that currently 30 people are able to attend funeral but not weddings. I hope weddings return to normal soon!
Hi Emma,
Thank you so much for engaging with our blog. We are glad to hear that you agree that allowing couples to have a back up date would be beneficial and help with boosting their confidence. Yes communication is very important, this helps couples with any worries that they may have. Would you have any different suggestions than the ones posted, aimed at venues that may support couples through the current situation?
Fantastic blog post!
From a venue perspective, I have noticed that follow up calls with the couples are really beneficial especially when the regulations are changing so frequently. Even just an email to say that you are there to help with any queries goes a long way. I always offer to help find other suppliers so it takes the burden off the couple.
When you have new enquires come through its so important to understand their budget. If you go over their budget you will see the couple almost switch off and you know you won’t win their business. I definitely agree with flexible packages. At my venue we pride ourselves on this as we predominately have smaller budget clientele. By offering only the aspects they want/need acts as your best friend!
Flexible payment plans are also a big winner. When you have a wedding to plan one of the biggest worries is the money aspect. If you ask for a 10% deposit first and then sort the rest out three months prior for example, it will take some pressure off.
The only part of the blog that I don’t see as a viable option is sending gifts. With the pandemic currently it does mean revenue flows are limited or in some cases non existent so you need to consolidate your revenue as much as possible. I do think you could offer complimentary bottle of fizz in the bridal suite on the night of wedding or a complimentary 1sr anniversary meal as a thank you for sticking with you during the pandemic. A little goes a long way to keep your couples happy so phone calls and regular email contact is a massive benefit.
I hope this helps and good luck for the rest of your course!!
Hi Emma,
Thank you for leaving you’re thoughts!
Yes, totally agree that emails and follow up calls are important with couples at the moment. Letting them know you are still there does restore faith. Having a bride to be in the group who has experienced lack of communication with her venue. We as a team felt it was very important to express throughout the blog.
Thank you for pointing this out on the section of sending gifts, having a event managers preceptive on this is great and some of the suggestions you have spoken about seem very reasonable and many couples, would definitely see this as a win especially as this links with being flexible and meeting the budget. It maybe that other venues can use this approach, if not already doing do! This may also mean that the couple, spend money else where within the business at a later date.
We really appreciate the feedback and are pleased you enjoyed it!
I agree, some great perspectives and thoughts into the bridges venues will need to & no doubt already looking into tackling. I really like the idea mentioned about putting things in place so that the couple can have a small scale wedding (as per restrictions) and then also as part of the same package price, have their reception later on when restrictions are eased and they can invite more guests to celebrate. Would perhaps help guests feel excited about getting married sooner but also know they can have all loved ones to celebrate when it’s possible.
I have also seen people who, due to restrictions had a much smaller, scaled back wedding but in the end actually preferred it – they invited exactly who they wanted and who was most important to them, there was no need of feeling they had to invite someone because of family politics etc and so this could be a great option for them too.
Thank you for your response Daniella, I’m glad you like our idea of having a small wedding and big party when restrictions allowed it, the couples are having 2 special days to look forward too!
That is another good point that you have made, that smaller weddings do suit come couples as they’re more personal and exclusive and saves the arguments about who gets invited.
LOVE the idea of showing off their gorgeous outdoor spaces, after the law changed a few years ago regarding licensed weddings in more outdoor spaces, it’s such a fab idea to show off these spaces set out for different numbers of guests, so worried couples can see how wonderful an outdoor space can be for their day.
As a wedding photographer and a postponed bride myself, I can see both sides and it’s been the most awful year for suppliers and of course postponed couples. Couples need that reassurance their venue and suppliers are there for them, as much as possible. We only get ONE wedding day but the planning and memories last a lot longer.
It’s incredibly important to us, as photographers, our wonderful couples can relax a little and enjoy their very special lead up.
Hi Ella,
Thank you so much for taking time to read and share some of your experiences on our blog.
We are sorry to hear that you have both been affected through your business and the planning of you’re own day.
We totally agree you only get one wedding day, so you most definitely want to make sure you are putting your trust in the venues and suppliers.
It’s lovely to hear from you and we hope that everything goes well for you this year, both in your business and planning of your day!
This is a wonderful insight!
One note to the above comments: You can be personal without sending a “gift”.
Personalised videos show you care. It also provides them with the “face to face” that some couples need in this uncertain climate.
You can do a simple message or a personalised tour to their needs – It provides so much more than a 360 tour or a generic video by a supplier. 🙂
Hello Catherine,
Thank you for engaging with our post and for your comment. We absolutely agree that personalised videos are a great idea. That extra personal touch of tailoring it to their needs will allow couples to know that you are thinking of them and their big day.
Really nice ideas! As a future bride (hopefully this summer) I feel I am missing the fun part of the whole wedding organisation with venues being closed to public and meeting suppliers via online video calls only. I would love for them to send me small parcels with samples like centerpieces or table linen colour samples that I could then return. Luckily, I feel very supported by the venue I choose as they regularly check in on us to see how we are doing and reassure us.
Hi Francesca,
Firstly, congratulations on your engagement!
Thank you for taking the time to read our post and we are delighted to hear you enjoyed our suggestions. Yes sending samples would be a lovely idea for suppliers to consider if they are not doing so already. We are happy to hear you feel supported by your venue. Is there anything in particular they did that reassured you?
Very good ideas and great insight to our wonderful industry!
It is all about the personalisation and most importantly we always have to ask ourselves as a venue what do the couples want on their big day and how can we make that day special for them.
Hi Erol,
Thank you for taking the time to engage with our post. We complete agree that it is about personalisation and focusing on the needs and wants of the couples. Would you have any different suggestions than the ones posted, that venues can do differently given the current situation to support couples?
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As the first touch point and all of the important steps, and meetings are going to be made virtually our guest might feel more comfortable if they knew the person that was exchanging emails with them. We can therefore make personalized videos for each one of them, introducing ourselves. Prior to creating the video we could send them a questionnaire to learn more about them and make this video an icebreaker.
Hi Lez,
Thank you so much for your interesting comment, we really appreciate it! Yes that’s very true, we think guests will definitely feel more comfortable if they were able put a face to a name! Yes, that’s a really interesting idea and that would be great to make it more personal for the clients! Although this process could potentially be very time consuming for you to carry out for all of your clients, but yes learning about them and completing an icebreaker could be really useful. Although, maybe once a month or so the wedding planner could carry out virtual face-to-face meetings instead of discussing everything via email or phone?
If you have any more thoughts or feedback for our blog, please share them!