“Dear Bride and Groom,” is an epic fail when you are trying to make couples feel like you are building a relationship with them. And, this is even worse when your templated email goes to a same-sex couple. As wedding professionals, we are creating the biggest day in the lives of a couple—not to mention the financial and emotional investment. The best way to win raving fans and create a relationship with a couple is to build a strong connection where they feel heard and included. They want to know that you're understanding their vision and can feel your ideas meshing together.
Getting To Know You
One of the best tools for any wedding professional in creating a great working environment is a short, simple questionnaire after a couple has booked you. Here are a few short questions to help you get started:
- Are you a morning person or a night owl?
- What do you like to do when you have time off?
- What's your favorite type of music?
- If you had to choose your last meal, what would it be?
- What was your favorite and least favorite part of the last wedding you attended?
These simple questions can tell you a lot about how to communicate with them and whether or not you might expect a flood of emails in the middle of the night. You can also get the basic idea of the tone of the wedding and what the most important factors may be for them. This will show them from the beginning that you want to know everything there is to know about them as a couple.
What’s Your Name?
There might be only one partner that you see at meetings and hear from all the time, while the other stays less involved. Even if this is the case, it is so important to remember your client's name. It can be uncomfortable for them, and you as a wedding pro, to not remember one of their names. When you begin planning, get in the habit of listing them by their first names and wedding date. When setting up a paper folder, write both names on the cover. Get in the habit of including them both on emails whether only one of them responds or not. Making both of them feel included is huge when trying to make a good connection.
Smile For The Camera
In one of your first face to face meetings, take a photo of the couple. Keep them in a digital file and open them up when you are doing conference calls. It can be a great way to jog your memory about previous conversations and keep a name and face connected. Sharing these images when referring a wedding professional can go a long way toward getting their first meeting off on the right foot—making you look like a rockstar!
Subtle Stalking
Follow your couples on social media. Seeing random comments about wedding pros they might be considering or are unhappy with, changes in décor ideas, or family drama stressing them out can help you to be proactive in solving any issues.
Front Of Mind
A quick email with a design inspiration can keep you connected and in front of their mind. Something as simple as, “Hi! I saw this and thought of you, isn’t it cute? I hope you and ___ are doing well.” will make them feel like more than just a number. It’s the little things that count when working with couples planning a wedding.
Hero photo courtesy Aly Ann Events and Petula Pea Photography
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