Controversial opinion: wedding vendors should post their prices on their websites.
The idea of listing your prices on your website used to be super unpopular. Whether it was the old-school idea that leading with $$ is gauche, or the sales technique of ensuring a conversation before sharing pricing, listing your prices was avoided by wedding industry pros and across many service-based industries.
With a social push towards pay transparency — like the recently enacted New York Pay Transparency law — we’re seeing a trend towards listing prices upfront, that I predict will only gain traction from here. In this blog post, we will discuss why wedding vendors should list their prices online and how it benefits both couples and vendors.
Build trust with transparency
Transparency is one of the key factors in building trust. Couples want to know what they are paying for and how much they can expect to spend. When vendors list their prices online, it shows that they are confident in their pricing model and have nothing to hide. It also saves time and energy for both parties. Couples can avoid wasting time on vendors they cannot afford, and you can avoid inquiries from couples who are not a good fit for your business.
By being transparent about pricing, wedding pros can build a strong foundation of trust with their clients. And, as you know, trust is essential in the wedding industry. Your couples often have a lot of expectations and anxiety and are looking to book professionals who make them feel confident and taken care of. Starting off with clarity around pricing can earn you big points with potential couples.
Save time and energy for both you and your clients
Listing prices online can save vendors time and energy. When couples inquire about pricing, vendors have to take the time to respond to each inquiry individually, which can be time-consuming. By listing prices online, vendors can provide all the necessary information upfront and focus on responding to inquiries from couples who are genuinely interested in their services, and closer to booking.
Not only does this save vendors time, but it also saves couples time as well. Couples can easily compare prices and services without having to reach out to multiple vendors individually. This makes the wedding planning process more efficient and less stressful for everyone involved.
Not to mention, with inflation causing the ripples that it does, couples are more budget-focused than ever. According to the Knot’s 2022 Real Weddings Study, “61% of couples who are set to wed this year say the economy has already impacted their wedding planning/decision making. While planning within budget is typically a top challenge couples face during any given year, the study found that 49% of couples specifically cited inflation/rising costs as another top concern.”
With budget at the forefront of couple’s minds, it’s more crucial than ever to provide this information upfront.
Competitive Advantage
Listing prices online can give vendors a competitive advantage. Couples are more likely to consider vendors who are transparent about pricing and provide all the necessary information upfront. According to wedding business coach Alan Berg, “88% of couples want to see pricing of some sort before getting in contact with a vendor. (Wedding Pro: Pricing Dos and Dont’s)”
I know that personally, when planning my wedding, there are so many options that it becomes overwhelming. Pricing information being listed on the website made me way more likely to reach out, because I could see how it would impact my budget. And if I couldn’t find it on a vendor’s website, I either crossed them off my list or looked elsewhere for that information. Which meant that sometimes I reached out with a wildly inaccurate estimate in mind, which caused disappointment and sometimes friction down the line.
When vendors list their prices online, it shows that they value their clients' time and are committed to making the wedding planning process as stress-free as possible. It also helps vendors stand out from their competition and can increase their chances of securing more clients. In today's digital age, couples expect to find the information they need online. By not listing prices online, vendors risk losing potential clients who are looking for transparency and convenience.
Other considerations
If you work with your client’s budget, that’s great. Give a range, a few examples of different budgets / what that included, or a starting price to at least give couples a sense of your pricing before reaching out.
Still want to keep your prices semi-private? A great compromise is gating your pricing sheet behind an email signup, meaning that couples have to provide their name and email in order to see your pricing, but don’t need to reach out and start a formal inquiry. An example of this is The Foundry — they require couples provide some preliminary information and then they are redirected to a rates page. This way, couples can still investigate without reaching out formally, but lead information is still captured.
In conclusion, if you’re a wedding vendor, consider listing your prices online to build trust, save time and energy, and gain a competitive advantage. It is an excellent way to show transparency and commitment to your clients, and it can help vendors attract new, strong leads, increase your revenue, and streamline business operations.
As the wedding industry continues to evolve, vendors who adapt to the changing landscape and embrace transparency in their pricing will be the ones who succeed. By listing prices online, vendors are not only making the wedding planning process easier for their clients, but they are also making it easier for themselves.
