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The wedding industry is currently seeing a notable shift towards weekday weddings. Recent data from Bridebook indicates a big move towards weekday ceremonies among couples, with Tuesday weddings, in particular, experiencing a rise in popularity.
While this shift offers couples significant cost savings (with venues often providing discounted rates for midweek events), it can create challenges for wedding venues and owners, with many venues seeing off-peak times book up before usual peak dates.
Wedding venues now need to appeal to two audiences: those couples who are now prioritizing value whereas previously this was secondary, and those still looking for the premium weekend experience.
Remember - value seeking doesn’t mean cost, it can mean those added extras that make a couple feel like they have got a good deal.
It’s important for venues to strike a balance, maintaining those high-value weekend weddings while also making the most of opportunities for weekday bookings. Here’s how venues can approach this:
How should venues adapt to the Weekday Weddings Trend?
1. Add value to your Weekend wedding dates
Instead of simply discounting weekdays, create attractive incentives for weekend weddings. This could include bundled services, complimentary upgrades (such as extra prep time, or free nights stay for the couple), or exclusive perks not available for weekday bookings.
This helps maintain the value of weekend slots and encourages couples to choose them despite the higher price point.
Actively promote the unique benefits of weekend weddings through targeted marketing campaigns. Utilise blogs, social media, and email to showcase the advantages, incorporating testimonials and real-life success stories of magnificent weekend celebrations.
Highlight the enhanced availability of preferred dates and suppliers during the week as a benefit for those who desire a more customised experience, but also emphasize the atmosphere and convenience of weekend events for larger gatherings.
2. Appeal to Two Audiences with Tiered Packages
You want to appeal to both the “value shoppers” and those who are prioritizing the “Premium Weekend date”.
Offer distinct wedding packages tailored to peak and off-peak days of the week. This allows your venue to differentiate between weekday and weekend offerings, justifying varying price points. For example, a "Signature Saturday" package could include all-inclusive premium services, while a "Midweek Elegance" package focuses on cost savings and essential elements.
3. Join forces with Vendors for Weekday Weddings
Partner with photographers, caterers, and entertainers to offer bundled discounts for weekday weddings, creating a comprehensive and appealing package for couples. This helps share the cost reductions, and may mean you don't need to drop your venue hire cost as much - isntead offering savings via vendors. This can help manage operational costs and ensure consistent service quality across all days of the week. For weekend bookings, collaborate with vendors to offer exclusive, high-end services that further justify the premium pricing.
4. Educate, Educate, Educate!
Use your marketing channels such as social media and your email marketing to inform couples about the various benefits of different wedding days, going beyond just cost savings. For example, a blog post or video post can be shared with your lead list via an email marketing campaign.
For weekend weddings, highlight the convenience for guests, the traditional celebratory atmosphere, and the full range of services available. For weekday weddings, emphasise the enhanced flexibility, availability, and potential for a more intimate celebration.
Weekday Weddings are here to stay
By recognising and adapting to this trend, you can strategically position your wedding venue to meet the evolving demands of modern couples.
Offering tailored weekday packages while also incentivizing and promoting weekend bookings will not only attract a new segment of clients but also enhance your reputation as a flexible and client-focused wedding venue.
Discover how Venue Spark can improve your weekday wedding strategy by booking a call today!
