Building a Strong Marketing Plan as a Wedding Planner: How to Attract Today’s Couples

by Danielle Andrews, President of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada Inc.

If you’ve felt like booking new clients has become harder, you’re not imagining things. But… it’s not because couples have disappeared.

The truth is, the way couples choose wedding planners has fundamentally changed.

Today’s clients, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, are intentional, research-driven, digitally fluent, and selective. They don’t inquire casually. They don’t send mass emails. And they don’t book discovery calls just to “see what’s out there.”

Instead, they quietly research, observe, compare, and decide. Often, before you ever know you were being considered.

This is why having a clear, strategic marketing plan is no longer optional for wedding planners. It’s essential.

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Why a Marketing Plan Matters More Than Ever

Marketing is no longer about simply “being visible.”
It’s about being clear, consistent, and compelling to the right audience.

Without a plan:

• Your messaging becomes scattered
• Your content feels random
• Your ideal clients don’t recognize themselves in your brand
• You rely too heavily on referrals or luck
• Inquiries feel inconsistent or misaligned

A strong marketing plan ensures that every touchpoint: your website, social media, listings, blog, and inquiries, is intentionally designed to attract the clients you want, not just whoever finds you.

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Step 1: Start With Your Ideal Client Persona

Before you market anything, you must know who you’re marketing to.

Most established planners already have an Ideal Client Persona defined:

• Their preferred style and aesthetic
• Budget range
• Values and priorities
• Personality and communication style
• Lifestyle, career, and decision-making habits

This matters because today’s couples want to feel seen.

When a couple lands on your website or Instagram and thinks,

“This planner gets us,”

you’ve already won half the battle.

Your marketing should speak directly to that persona, not everyone, not “all couples,” but your couple.

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Step 2: Audit Your Current Online Presence

Modern couples are forming opinions about you long before they reach out.

Audit your:

• Website design and messaging
• Portfolio (does it reflect your current pricing and experience?)
• Social media consistency and tone
• Blog and SEO visibility
• Reviews and testimonials
• Wedding website listings (The Knot, WeddingWire, EventSource, Wezoree)

Ask yourself:

• Does this feel current and professional?
• Does this align with my ideal client?
• Does this show expertise, leadership, and confidence?

If anything feels outdated or unclear, couples will quietly move on.

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Step 3: Build a Clear, Multi-Channel Marketing Strategy

Your marketing plan should include multiple touchpoints, because couples consume information in different ways.

A strong planner marketing plan includes:

• A professional, optimized website
• Consistent social media presence
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Editorial features and publications
• Email marketing or newsletters
• Wedding website listings
• Partnerships and collaborations

The goal is not to be everywhere. It’s to be strategically visible where your ideal clients already are.

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Step 4: Create Content That Educates and Builds Trust

Today’s couples are highly informed. They’re Googling everything.

Use content to:

• Answer common planning questions
• Explain your process
• Showcase your experience
• Highlight real weddings and case studies
• Demonstrate calm leadership and problem-solving

Blogs, reels, carousels, guides, and FAQs all help couples feel confident before they ever contact you.

Education builds trust faster than any sales pitch.

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Marketing to Millennials vs. Gen Z: What Planners Need to Know

While Millennials and Gen Z overlap, they are not the same, and your marketing should reflect that.

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Marketing to Millennial Couples

Millennials value:

• Expertise and professionalism
• Reviews and social proof
• Transparency around pricing and process
• Storytelling and real weddings
• Established credibility

Tips:

• Highlight testimonials and reviews
• Share behind-the-scenes planning processes
• Publish blogs and long-form educational content
• Showcase experience and years in business
• Use Instagram and Pinterest strategically

Millennials want reassurance that they’re making a smart, informed decision.

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Marketing to Gen Z Couples

Gen Z values:

• Authenticity over perfection
• Personality and relatability
• Inclusivity and representation
• Short-form video content
• Clear values and ethics

Tips:

• Use video (Reels, TikTok-style content)
• Speak directly to the camera
• Share honest, unpolished moments alongside polished work
• Be transparent and conversational
• Avoid overly corporate language

Gen Z wants to feel a human connection, not a sales pitch.

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Step 5: Leverage Social Proof and Visibility

Couples trust other couples.

Your marketing plan should intentionally showcase:

• Client testimonials
• Reviews across platforms
• Screenshots of thank-you messages
• Published weddings and editorials
• Media mentions and features

Being seen repeatedly builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust.

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Step 6: Optimize Your Inquiry Experience

Once a couple decides to reach out, everything must align with what they’ve already seen.

Your inquiry experience should:

• Feel warm and personal
• Be prompt and professional
• Reflect your brand voice
• Clearly outline next steps
• Reinforce confidence and leadership

This is where research turns into booking.

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Step 7: Track, Review, and Adjust

A marketing plan is not static.

Quarterly, review:

• Where your inquiries are coming from
• Which platforms convert best
• What content performs well
• Which clients feel aligned, and which don’t

Refine your strategy based on real data, not assumptions.

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Final Thought

There isn’t a shortage of couples.
There isn’t a shortage of weddings.
And there isn’t a shortage of planners being hired.

There is simply a more educated, intentional client who expects clarity, professionalism, and connection before they ever reach out.

Wedding planners who build a strong, strategic marketing plan, rooted in ideal client clarity, online presence, and authentic content, will continue to attract aligned, confident, ready-to-book couples.

The clients are out there.
Your job is to make sure they recognize you when they find you.