Planning a wedding is stressful for clients—even when they hire us to carry most of the load! Not only is it one of the most emotional endeavors they have taken on in their lives, but it also requires a lot of strategic planning.
When you consider the fast-paced experience of wedding planning added on top of their everyday stressors, it can become a headache quickly if left unchecked. But let’s be real: Your clients deserve to enjoy their engagement without the pressures of planning. It should not feel like a drag just to get to the aisle.
Fortunately, you are an expert and they have invited you into your life to eliminate the stressful parts! While you are not a therapist (nor should you feel like you must act like one), you can still show up for your clients in other ways and be the sounding board that they will surely need throughout the process.
Take these best practices with you and apply them in your event business to serve your clients with the best experience ever.
Figure out what makes a client the right fit.
Identifying your ideal client goes far beyond aesthetic or budget. You should also be considering their personality and emotional needs. Are you able to manage individuals with non-wedding anxiety? Do you know how to comfort sensitive and emotional people? If you tend to be disorganized or hard to reach, booking clients that stress easily may not be the best fit. On the other hand, if you are known for having a calming presence or you have personal experience with anxiety, you could be just the answer for clients feeling overwhelmed and out of their element.
Look beyond the wedding pressures.
As one of their guides through the process, it’s essential to dedicate time and intention to getting to know them as people and understanding how they operate in an average setting. No two people are alike, so there is no “template” to work with every time you book a new client. Try to get a feel for their stress level outside of the wedding. Are they under a lot of pressure at work? Do they carry a lot of responsibilities at home? Getting a grasp on where they are at beyond the wedding will help you approach them from a place of empathy and support.
Set clear priorities for everyone.
When a client sees a to-do list for all of their wedding planning tasks, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything on their plate. Make it effortless for your clients to visualize how everything will get done by establishing priorities so they know exactly what needs to be accomplished, as well as the tasks that can wait for later. At the same time, those priorities will help to keep you on track as you navigate this extremely busy season. When you’re on your game, your clients will feel prepared and unruffled by the long road that lies ahead.
Help them manage the stress with organized systems.
Nobody likes to feel scattered and disorderly in any capacity, but particularly when the biggest day of their life is on the line. Staying organized in your business will help to eliminate the chaos and give your clients the confidence they need to relax and let you work your magic. This goes for all vendors, not just planners. Providing your clients with checklists, timelines, manageable tasks, and collaborative tools will make the planning process feel achievable and even enjoyable.
Check in often—even during quieter periods.
As an event professional, you know that the wedding planning process goes through moments where it feels like everything is on fire, but it also has its quieter lulls. You will naturally be showing up in their inbox regularly during the busy periods, but it is important to keep up that presence even as things simmer down. It doesn’t have to be every week—perhaps every three or four weeks just to say hi and see what they have been doing. It’s a nice way to follow up on any open to-dos, as well as to remind them that you are always an email away if they need help.
Remember: How you serve your clients ultimately comes back to you tenfold in the form of glowing reviews and client referrals. When you show you are both a valuable addition to their wedding team and a good friend throughout the process, they will be quick to send their engaged friends and family members your way!
