Why you are being ignored by wedding venues and how to actually get on the list
I was sitting in a flashy hotel lobby last week, waiting for a friend, and I watched a florist walk up to the reception desk. She had a beautiful bouquet in one hand and a stack of business cards in the other. She looked terrified. She mumbled something about wanting to drop off some info for the wedding coordinator, handed over her card, and practically ran for the exit.
I felt for her. I really did. But I also knew exactly what was going to happen to those cards. They were going straight into the recycling before her car had even left the car park.
We have all been told that getting on a recommended supplier list is the holy grail. It is the steady stream of enquiries we all crave. But most people go about it in a way that is, frankly, a bit desperate. Or worse, a bit boring. You cannot just turn up, hand over a brochure, and expect them to sell your services for you. Why should they? They don't know you from Adam.
The 'What is in it for me' factor
Most wedding pros approach venues with a 'please help me' energy. You ask to be on the list because you want more bookings. That is honest, sure, but it is not a compelling reason for a busy venue coordinator to give a toss about you.
Think about it from their perspective. A venue coordinator is usually overworked, underpaid, and dealing with a hundred different couples who all have the same questions. The last thing they need is another person asking them for a favour. If you want to get their attention, you have to stop asking for things and start giving.
What does a venue actually need? They need to look good. They need their couples to stay calm. They need weddings to run on time. If you can prove that you make their lives easier, you are halfway there. I talk about this kind of positioning a lot in The WedPro Podcast, because how you present your value changes everything. You are not just a photographer or a cake maker. You are a problem solver for that specific building.
Stop sending the generic 'Hello' email
We have all seen the template. 'Dear Venue, I am a local photographer and I would love to be added to your recommended supplier list. Attached is my brochure.'
Delete it. Immediately.
It is the digital equivalent of a cold call, and nobody likes those. Instead, you need to be a bit more tactical. Have you actually worked there before? If so, your way in is the photos. Not just a link to a gallery, but a curated selection of shots that show the venue looking incredible.
Send them the shots of the staff looking great, or the new upholstery in the lounge that they just spent five grand on. If you haven't worked there yet, go and have a coffee there. Tag them in a story. Mention how much you love the light in the ceremony room. Build a bit of rapport before you ever mention the L-word (List).
Be the person who shows up
If you really want to move the needle, you have to get in front of people. But please, do not do the 'dropping off cards' thing I saw at the hotel. It is awkward for everyone involved.
Instead, invite them to something. Or suggest a quick ten minute chat about how you can support their upcoming open day. If you are feeling stuck on how to word these things without sounding like a total melt, I have some brilliant templates inside WedPro Studio that take the awkwardness out of the outreach.
When you do get that meeting, don't talk about your camera gear or the flour you use. Talk about them. Ask what their biggest headache is during a wedding. If they say it is the transition from the ceremony to the drinks reception, tell them exactly how your service helps smooth that over. Be the person they can rely on to make their day go better.
The long game is the only game
I see people get discouraged because they sent three emails and didn't get an invite to the Christmas party. This stuff takes time. Relationships are built over months, not days.
I remember one planner friend of mine who spent two years sending little notes and helpful snippets to a high end manor house before they finally put her on the list. Two years! But once she was on, she was the only planner they recommended. She cleared six figures from that one relationship alone.
If you are serious about scaling your business and moving away from chasing every single lead on Instagram, you need to think about your long term strategy. We dive deep into this kind of high level business building in the WedPro CEO programme, because getting off the hamster wheel requires a solid foundation, not just a few lucky breaks.
One practical thing you can do today? Pick three venues you genuinely love. Not just because they are posh, but because you actually like working there. Follow their coordinators on LinkedIn. Engage with their posts. Be a human being first and a business owner second. It is amazing how far a bit of genuine interest will get you in this industry.
If you want a weekly dose of this kind of straight talking advice, you should probably be on my email list. I send out a newsletter every Sunday called The WedPro Edit. It is where I share the real behind the scenes stuff, the pricing mistakes I see people making, and the strategy shifts that actually make a difference to your bank balance. There is no fluff, just the honest truth about what it takes to run a wedding business that doesn't leave you crying in a dark room at the end of July.
You can sign up for the newsletter here and I will see you in your inbox on Sunday.
