By Shannon Underwood, VP Wedding MBA
We surveyed 1,200 wedding couples, here’s what they said:
- You’re Too Controlling
“ It’s my wedding… not hers. I met with a planner that told me she didn’t like my colors. I really wanted Tiffany Blue as my primary color with white. The planner told me I cannot produce one of my signature weddings using the color blue because it limits what we can do with flowers and it looks like a baby shower. I booked another planner altogether. The planner we booked with made it about my visions… not HER signature look .” Lila, San Antonio TX
Don’t forget to let the wedding couple lead with their choices. You are there to guide them but not to control every style decision. Strike a balance between your brand and caliber of wedding without sacrificing the couple’s needs. Event planning is emotional. The connection you build with your potential couples plays a huge factor into if they want to work with you or not. If your tone feels too formal or transactional, it could be a turnoff. Logistics are important but so is the overall feel of the event.
- Number Of Choices
“ If the price list is too hard to decipher or has too many choices I always feel like I will make the wrong choice and regret it after. I trust a planner that has an easy to understand pricing structure.” Madison, Raleigh, North Carolina
It’s great to have options but it’s your job as the planner to narrow down the choices for your customer. Through an organized questionnaire and feedback from your customers it’s easy to create a customized plan. When you eliminate unnecessary choices you increase your chances to get them to book.
- Outdated Portfolio
“ I sat down with a wedding planner that kept passing me her phone to show photos that were not yet posted on her website or on social media. She mentioned how busy she was and that her website had not been refreshed for years. If you can’t take the time to show off your most recent weddings I feel like you might be disorganized. You might also be behind on current wedding trends.” Sophia, Denver, Colorado
Spend the time and money that it takes to stay current. Planners that update their website regularly are more likely to increase their volume of weddings. Higher end clients expect you to not only follow current trends but to create new ones. It’s not enough to plan incredible weddings, if it’s not online it didn’t happen.
- Doesn’t Take Your Budget Seriously
“ We had a strict budget. When we first sat down with a potential planner, she said we could get our entire dream wedding for that price point. I asked her for a breakdown of costs before we signed the contract. She ended up being 40% over on budget with her proposal. If you can’t meet the budget just come out and say it from the very start. We didn’t book with her. ” James, Paradise Valley, Arizona
Why am I getting inquiries but no bookings?
This usually means your sales process or positioning is off—not your marketing. But it’s not all you couples are now taking 30% more time to book because of economic uncertainty, inflation, and intense research that is easy to do online. Highly personalized weddings make the decision making process longer coupled with too many choices shown online.
How many packages should I offer?
Ideally 2–4 packages max. More than that creates confusion and slows decisions.
How often should I update my portfolio?
At least every 3–6 months to stay relevant and competitive.
What matters more—price or experience?
Experience. Most couples will pay more if they trust you and feel understood.
Your Next Step
If you’re serious about booking more weddings, start here:
- Audit your pricing page
- Review your portfolio (is it current?)
- Simplify your offers
- Improve how you communicate with leads
👉 Want expert guidance from industry leaders?
Check out our planner tools, training, and strategies from Wedding MBA to grow your planning business and book more clients. LINK HERE TO PLANNER CLASSES
