By: Holly Perrier, WPICC, CWD of Perrier Planning Inc.
Getting to know your clients well is essential. Whether you are offering full planning and design, partial planning, or month-of coordination, you need to know your clients likes and dislikes, and personal details about their lifestyle and relationships. The more you know, the better overall experience you can provide to your couples. You need to know about your couple’s family dynamics, religious affiliations, allergies, dietary restrictions, and things as detailed as their favourite cocktail to enjoy together. Sometimes it can feel uncomfortable asking your clients personal questions, depending on their family history and the life experiences they have had, so it’s important to find professional and respectful ways to understand more about your clients as you onboard them.
Here are some ways you can get to know your wedding clients well, so you have a relationship that is both personal and professional
Have at least one client meeting in person, over a cup of coffee/tea or a glass of wine to provide a more casual atmosphere where clients can relax and open up.
Send your clients an initial intake form or quiz that asks them need to know details (address(s), names of wedding party members, have you been married before, family relations)
Send your clients a design quiz (asking about colour preferences, style, indoor/outdoor preference, textures)
*Make sure to give multiple options to choose from so it makes the process more enjoyable. For example, instead of saying “What mood are you wanting to portray at your reception dinner”? You could say, please choose a mood that best describes what you want guests to feel at your reception dinner –
- A) A romantic candlelit affair with velvet accents and jazz music
- B) Modern West Coast vibes with neutral accents and farm to table eats
- C) Tropical plants and vibrant cocktails with live music
Have a wedding rehearsal be mandatory in your contract (don’t give your clients the option to skip the rehearsal). This way you get to meet all the family and important friends before the wedding day, making your job easier since people will recognize your face (and your other team members) the day of the wedding or celebration.
Follow your clients on social media (if they feel comfortable with that)
Here are questions you should consider adding to your questionnaires/quizzes/intake forms if you don’t already ask them
- What are your pronouns, as well as the pronouns of everyone involved in your wedding party?
- What is your biggest worry about your wedding day celebration?
- What is you and your partners anniversary?
- What are you and your partners birth dates?
- Your favourite holiday to celebrate together?
- What is your favourite travel memory together (and where were you)?
- Any food allergies or any medical conditions I should be aware of?
- What is something you dislike about weddings or something you experienced at another wedding that you disliked?
Holly Perrier, WPICC, CWD
Holly is the owner of Perrier Planning Inc. – an eco-conscious wedding and event planning company – that has branch locations in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. Perrier Planning aims to make the most important events in their clients’ lives as memorable and enjoyable as possible while taking the time to drastically lower their event’s carbon footprint. Holly currently lives in Alberta with her fiancé and two dogs, and travels to Toronto and Vancouver several times a year.
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