You’ve filed for your LLC, created a website, launched your Instagram, and (*cues champagne*) opened up your wedding business. Congratulations! A lot of hard work has brought you to this point, and the time has come for us to put all that hard work to use. You’re finally ready to book your first set of clients! But… now you’re wondering… how do I get wedding clients when I’m just starting out? My friend, that’s an excellent question–and one I am going to answer for you today. In this article, I’m sharing how to get wedding clients when you’re just starting out.
With a little elbow grease, some patience, and a smidge of tenacity, you can put these three quick tips to work and call in your ideal client in no time. Ready to learn these three quick and easy secrets to getting wedding clients when you’re just starting out?
Here’s how to get your first wedding clients when you’re just starting out…
Step One: Network With Vendors
The quickest way to get to where YOU want to go (you know, having a successful business that makes money and lets you do what you love every. single. day!) is to align yourself with wedding industry creatives who are ALREADY in front of your ideal clients.
Start researching wedding vendors in your area and look for wedding pros who are booking the kinds of couples you want to work with.
Research all you can about their business, explore their portfolios, and go and follow them on Instagram. Begin to compile a list of incredible partners you should align your business.
Here’s a short list of vendors to look out for (and reach out to):
- Wedding Planners
- Wedding Photographers
- Stationery Professionals
- Caterers
- Rental Companies
- Videographers
- Bridal Stores
- Wedding Hair & Makeup Artists
- Entertainment Companies
- DJs & Bands
- Wedding Floral Designers
All these vendors have the power to refer to you–and my friend–there is no better way to get your first wedding client than to have a fellow pro vouch for your creativity and professionalism.
The wedding industry is a relationship business. And the more relationships you build inside the industry, the easier it becomes to book clients with ease.
Once you’ve found all your dreamy partners, reach out to them and introduce yourself. But here’s where I want you to really listen to me: the key to networking is NOT what they can do for you. The key to networking is what YOU can do for them. When you approach your dream partners, do so by showing what you can do to serve and help them.
I promise that the approach of “what can I do for you” will get you building relationships and establishing referrals in NO time. If you’re new to networking, check out my best tips for building relationships in the industry.
If you’re not 100% sure who you want to work with yet, grab The Client Cocktail. It’s my quick mini-training that will have you booking out your biz with your ideal clients in no time (and magazine-worthy weddings to boot!).
Step Two: Reach Out To Wedding Venues
The first decision a couple has to make for their wedding is… where are we going to get married? That’s why I want you to research venues in your area where YOUR ideal client is getting married and start to create connections with them.
Where a couple decides to get married says A LOT about their style, budget, and priorities–so aligning yourself with the *right* venues will supercharge your efforts in landing your first client.
Make a list of venues that you are DYING to work at–and start making connections with their owners/sales team. Remember my networking tip from above. It’s not what they can do for you–it’s what you can do for them.
Pretty soon, you’ll have a flurry of inquiries at your dream venues. You’ll be booking weddings at them in no time! And that worry about how to get wedding clients when you’re just starting out? Oh yeah. That’s a thing of the past.
Step Three: Market your business where your customers hang out
Listen. If you’re not going to talk about your business, who will? When you’re just starting out in business and need to get wedding clients, you’ve got to get out there and TALK about your business. But I want to share a little secret with you…
Focus your energy in the *right* places.
Instead of shouting everywhere, I want you to be strategic about where you market your business. This is going to save you a lot of time and heartbreak. Your goal is to market your business where your ideal clients are hanging out. Where do they congregate, get together, and look for an amazing creative vendor like you?
Are they…
- Reading magazines?
- Searching Instagram hashtags?
- Looking at vendors tagged in posts?
- Hanging out on Pinterest?
- Searching on Google?
- Talking to other vendors?
- Posting in Facebook Groups?
- Browsing online directories?
Once you can confirm where YOUR ideal clients are hanging out, I want you to show up in those places and market your business.
Marketing is simply spreading your message so that it reaches the right people. Once you understand where the right people are, all you have to do is spread your message.
And spread it again.
Oh yeah, and again and again!
(If you’re looking for my thoughts on marketing your wedding planning business, check out all the wedding planner marketing tips I’ve rounded up)
Excited to book your first client?! I know you can do this—and with the right support, you can do it faster. If you’re feeling fired up and ready to start booking clients (even if you don’t have a portfolio, a certification, or a clue where to begin), I’ve got something for you…Sign up for my Wedding Planner Masterclass — a step-by-step class where I’ll walk you through exactly how to start your business and book your first five clients.
OK, let’s do a quick recap. Here’s how to get wedding clients when you’re just starting out:
- Network with wedding vendors.
The quickest way to get to where YOU want to go (you know, having a successful business that makes money and lets you do what you love every. single. day!) is to align yourself with wedding industry creatives who are ALREADY in front of your ideal clients.
- Reach out to wedding venues.
Make a list of venues that you are DYING to work at–and start making connections with their owners/sales team.
- Market your business where your customers hang out.
Instead of shouting everywhere, I want you to be strategic about where you market your business. Show up where your customers are hanging out.
Want more? Check out this video on my YouTube channel ↓
Explore More Wedding Industry Resources
- How To Become A Wedding Planner With No Experience
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- What To Include In A New Client Welcome Packet
- Wedding Planner Pricing: How Much Should You Charge As A Wedding Planner? Learn How To Figure Out Your Price
- How To Prepare For Your First Wedding As A Wedding Planner
- Top Networking Tips for Wedding Planners
- How To Book Your FIRST Client As A Wedding Planner
- 8 Free Ways To Market Your Wedding Planning BizHow To Prepare For Your First Wedding As A Wedding Planner
- How To Find Your Niche In The Wedding Industry: 5 Steps For Niching Down
- Wedding Industry Marketing Trends in 2024: A Marketing Trend Report For Wedding Pros
- Enji Marketing Software: A 2024 Review
- The Best Wedding Planner Podcasts To Grow Your Business
- 6 Things You Need to Include In Your Wedding Planner Pricing Guide
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For More Wedding Industry Business Secrets, Follow Me on Instagram
As I’ve been thinking about 2026 and how I want to move into this next chapter, a phrase has kept coming back to me…
Pause, then choose.
For me, this year or phrase isn’t about slowing down for the sake of slowing down. I definitely have NO intentions on doing that. Instead, it’s about creating space before decisions.
Letting things settle.
Looking at opportunities, ideas, and next steps with clearer eyes instead of reacting out of urgency or pressure to have all the answers right now.
I’m realizing that in order to grow into what’s next for me, and this space we share, I actually need to pause first.
Pause to check in.
Pause to savor where I am.
Pause to notice what’s working, what feels aligned, and what I want more of.
Pause to see what’s around me.
And then… choose. Choose with intention. Choose with clarity. Choose from a grounded place instead of a rushed one.
This feels like both a mindset shift and a practice I want to carry with me all year and I wanted to share it in case it resonates with where you are right now, too!
Have you picked a word or phrase of the year, yet? If so, share it with me and what it signifies to you! I’m dying to know. 💜
Lesson 4: Stop waiting for someone else to validate you.
This one comes up a lot.
So many talented wedding pros are waiting to feel chosen — by the industry, by a client, by someone with a bigger platform — before they let themselves move forward.
👉🏼 Where do you think you’re still waiting for permission instead of deciding for yourself?
PSA: This is part of a 31-day series where I’m sharing one business lesson a day for wedding pros as we head into 2026. These lessons are pulled straight from my 200th podcast episode, and the goal is conversation — not perfection. I’m glad you’re here.
Lesson 3: Your reputation is built in the small, unseen moments.
This is something I’ve watched play out over and over again in this industry.
How you communicate when things are easy matters — but how you show up when things are stressful, uncomfortable, or inconvenient matters a whole lot more.
👉🏼 What do you think people remember most about working with you once the event is over?
PSA: This is part of a 31-day series where I’m sharing one business lesson a day for wedding pros as we head into 2026. These are lessons pulled straight from what I’ve seen, experienced, and talked about on the podcast — and I’m loving the conversations they’re sparking. Come back tomorrow for the next one.
#candicecoppola #weddingindustry #weddingplanner #weddingbusiness
Lesson 2: You don’t grow by doing more. You grow by doing what actually matters.
This one comes up constantly in my work.
So many wedding pros feel behind, lazy, or like they’re not doing enough — when in reality, they’re doing too much of the wrong stuff at the same time.
👉🏼 If you had to pick one thing to focus on for the next few months, what would it be?
Or flip side: what’s one thing you already know you could let go of?
PSA: This is part of a 31-day series where I’m sharing one business lesson a day for wedding pros as we head into 2026. These are the ideas I come back to when I think about longevity, focus, and building a business that doesn’t require constant hustle to survive. I’d love for you to stick around and join the conversation as we go.
#weddingindustry #weddingpros #candicecoppola #2026goals #businessgrowthstrategy
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