Things You Should Do Before Saying “I Do” to New Wedding Customers

Do you know what to say when a new prospective wedding customer approaches you? Find out more about working with wedding clients by clicking here.

What you’ll discover:

What questions should I ask a prospective wedding client?
How should I prepare for a wedding consultation?
How do I choose a prospective client?
What are the most significant contract provisions for a wedding client?

There’s something unique about assisting a couple in realizing their vision for their big day and seeing it through without a hitch. But, since the day is so important, you must exercise caution while selecting your customers. These are answers to often asked legal issues regarding taking on a new wedding client by wedding planners, entertainers, and suppliers.

What should I ask a prospective wedding client?

Every wedding is special. Never assume that a prospective customer wants things done in a specific manner. Rather, treat each wedding event like a detective attempting to learn the nuances of the possible client’s concept. To direct your inquiries for possible customers, start with the basics: who, what, when, where, why, how, and how much.

For example, if you are a wedding planner, you may ask several of the following questions:

Who are your prospective customers? What are their ages? Are they devout? Who will carry out the ceremony? Who do they want to invite? Who will perform the hair and makeup? Who is filming and photographing?
What sort of ceremony do your prospective customers prefer? What is their financial situation? What type of theme are you looking for? What kind of cuisine will be available at the reception? Is there going to be a bartender? What kind of music will be performed? Is there going to be a DJ?
When will the wedding take place? When will it happen? Will the reception follow immediately? How long is the ceremony going to last? What is the reception’s timetable? When are the images going to be taken?
Where will the ceremony take place? Will the reception take place at the same place? Where will visitors stay? How will visitors get there? Where will the bridal party prepare?
Why are your clients marrying? Why would they want a modest or huge wedding? What makes them want you to organize their wedding? Understanding the motivations behind your prospective customers’ objectives can assist you in fulfilling their vision and suggesting choices they may not have considered.
What transportation will your customers and their guests use to travel from the ceremony to the reception location? How will invites be distributed? How will the venues be dressed?

These questions are just intended to get you started. You may generate your own questions depending on the services you provide. You might maintain a list of regular questions to ask during interviews. This may prepare you to ask a slew of follow-up questions on the fly and keep the discussion going until you can clinch the transaction.

How should I prepare for a wedding consultation?

To begin, it is best to start with a simple Intake Form. Whether you begin via email, phone, or an online intake form, gathering some basic information up front is usually beneficial. For example, you may request prospective customers’ names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, probable wedding date range, budget, and anything else they would want you to know ahead of time. For DJs and performers, this may include specific song requests or musical genres.

You may use this information to go through your regular question checklist and prepare for another phone consultation or appointment. You may also wish to do preliminary research if your prospective customers indicate an interest in something. A musician, for example, may wish to check that they can obtain the music for or play a certain song that the couple has their heart set on.

How do I choose a prospective client?

The information gleaned from your client interview may assist you in determining if you and the prospective client are a suitable match. Before choosing whether to accept them as a customer, consider the following factors:

Size for a wedding. Is the client’s desired wedding size similar to ones you’ve worked on or planned in the past? You may be chewing off more than you can chew if it is substantially greater. But if it is considerably smaller, it may not be worth your attention.
Budget. How much money are the clients willing to spend, and how does it relate to their wedding vision? Those who desire a spectacular wedding on a tight budget should be avoided.
Timetable and workload. How soon do your consumers want to be married? Do you have any free time? Would you have enough time to dedicate to their wedding while also taking care of other clients?
Location. How far is the wedding location from your home or workplace? If you need to travel, how much are prospective clients prepared to contribute to your travel expenses?
Personal considerations. How do you think you’ll get along with your prospective clients? While working or organizing a wedding is a large undertaking, you will most likely be spending a significant amount of time with the couple in order to make their vision a reality. If the wedding interview makes you doubt your capacity to work with them, you should probably pass.

What are the most significant contract provisions for a wedding client?

After you’ve agreed to take on a wedding client, you should put the conditions in writing in a Wedding Planner Agreement or event contract. An agreement normally includes the following provisions:

Your services will be provided.
The sum of money that the customer will pay you.
When payments must be made.
When deposits become non-refundable.
A liability release.
How difficulties or challenges may be sorted out.

You may also wish to add the following for wedding clients:

A demand that the customers notify you if their wedding date changes and release you from the contract if that date does not work for you.
A declaration stating that you will not reveal personal information or other facts about your customers without their consent.
A demand that customers reimburse you for any expenditures incurred as a result of your services, such as travel expenses.
The ability to electronically sign the agreement.