3 Things Wedding Pros Forget to do During their Slow Season (and how to fix them)
January 9, 2024
January means the start of a new year, setting goals, coming up with intentions, and getting excited for new beginnings. You’ve (over)worked your booty off from September-December and now you finally have some down time. You’ve earned this rest. BUT you can’t let your business slow to a complete halt! You need to nurture your business, especially your website, so that it takes care of you when you’re in busy season.
I’m going to show you what you wedding pros forget to do during your slow season, and how to fix them, so your website will continue attracting dream clients during busy season (especially when you’re not thinking about it).
No. 01 – Forgetting to update images throughout your website
Listen girlfriend, I know you had some absolutely STUNNING weddings last year (2023 was a hit, let’s just say it), so instead of just using those beautiful images on your Instagram, update your website with them! It’s engagement season, so your potential couples looking to hire their wedding vendors right now. While newly engaged couples are browsing websites to hire for their big day, they’ll be able to envision working with you so much easier if what you’re showcasing speaks to them (instead of just using images from your 2021 weddings because you hate updating your site). Here are a few specific places you should make sure to pay attention to…
Your home page
This should go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyways, your home page needs to be more than just a photo dump of your favorite weddings’ images. Should it showcase the best of the best of your work? ABSOLUTELY, but you need to be strategic in what you select, and include copy that will hook your potential couples.
For example, take Sarah’s home page. The first thing you see on her website is a stunning horizontal photo that shows the type of weddings she wants to continue to attract. This is paired with copy stating what she does and where she does it, which is just as important as the first image you see!
Below she immediately showcases the dreamiest images from the best weddings she’s planned, with beautifully written copy that explains why she loves her job, and will hook the reader and make them keep scrolling to the navigation section just below (featuring yet another stunning full width image from one of her weddings!)
Your home page imagery should make the viewer want to continue scrolling to get to the meat of your website (where all the good info about working with you is) not just photos randomly thrown together. My biggest tip here is to make sure the colors coordinate throughout the page, too. Especially if you work a variety of styles of weddings!
Your about page
You need more photos of YOU than you think, especially on your About Page! I’ve had clients tell me in the past that they don’t like showing their face on their social media or website for their business. Trust me, I get that it can be uncomfortable, and sometimes even feel conceited, but today’s couples want to know who they’re working with, and basically everything about them, more than ever! Most couples in 2024-2025 are looking for vendors that they can become friends with, and form connections with, long after their wedding day. So how do you do that when you don’t even know these people exist yet? With images and copy 😉
Let’s look at Sara’s about page. First of all, look at how stunning she is! Now look at how much there is actually about her on this page. She’s got images (of herself and her family, because her family is a crucial part of her story), video (talking straight to these dream couples she wants to attract), and tons of bingeable content that viewers can read through if they want to know even more about her.
Your about page imagery should showcase your personality, not just stiff headshots or iPhone photos in front of your white living room wall. You should be just as intentional about photos (and videos) of yourself as you are about photo/video of the weddings you work. Reach out to your favorite photographer (maybe she’s a friend you’ve made at past weddings, or maybe she’s someone you’ve dreamed of hiring one day) and have a full out brand shoot! In my opinion, investing in quality brand photography is just as important as investing in a website designer.
Your services, experience, or investment page
I tell every single one of my clients that they should keep their portfolio images on the same page that they talk about what’s included, what the experience is like, and what the investment is. Nobody wants to have to flip back and forth between multiple pages to see examples of the package they’re considering in action. You can title this page anything from “Services” to “Investment,” “Experience” or something else, but I recommend keeping it straightforward so it’s easy for your dream couples to navigate to on your site!
Melanie’s services page is one of the most comprehensive I’ve ever designed, and I LOVE IT. She showcases all of the different types of sessions she offers, with a brief blurb for details, and the investment all in one place. If you want to see more photos, you click “view sample portfolio” and the image gallery opens right there on the same page! This keeps everything clear and information, while still remaining in one place.
The images on this page should correlate with the packages. Make sure you’re not showcasing your highest price florals next to your lowest price package 😉 we don’t do misleading around here, friend! You want your potential couples to feel confident in the package they’re selecting and knowing that they can receive the results that are pictured!
No. 02 – Forgetting to update your pricing
If you truly want your website to continue to capture leads for you while you’re too busy to be doing the marketing yourself, your prices must be updated and accurate. If you have potential couples reaching out to you based on 2023 pricing for their 2025 wedding, you’re going to lose their trust and they’re not going to book you for their big day, OR, you’re going to stick to your old pricing and end up resenting the couple or the wedding because you’re not getting paid what you should be. It’s a lose-lose situation, and updating your pricing takes just a couple of minutes. (PS- I walk you through how to price services for your wedding biz profitably while maintaining balance in your life here).
I’m a firm believer that your pricing should be included somewhere on your website. At a minimum this looks like “Starting at $XXX” like I have in my contact form, or like Emily has on her experience page.
No. 03 – Forgetting to refresh your blog
I know, cue the groans. In 6 years of working with wedding professionals, I’ve found there are two kinds of people: those who LOVE blogging and those who hate it. If you’re one of the ones who loves blogging, then great, get to it!
If you’re one of the ones who hates blogging, kindly get over it. 😘
Blogging does so much for your wedding business that you don’t even realize! It helps with SEO (getting found on Google), it helps you showcase your favorite weddings, it helps you talk to potential couples about your role in a wedding, and even provides them with free, quick wins if you’re giving advice for wedding planning. Aaaand if you happen to be looking for help blogging about your wedding biz, I have a training from Ava and the Bee for you!
For now, go and type up 3 blog posts, and schedule one per month for the next 3 months. You can (and should) do more than this, but this will at least help keep your blog up to date (Google LOVES this)! Here’s what I recommend while you’re in your slow season:
- 1 blog post about venues you love in your area (free, quick wins for potential couples)
- 1 blog post about the dreamiest wedding you worked in 2023 (showcasing your BEST work and sharing about your role in the wedding, bonus points if you link to other vendor websites)
- 1 blog post about something in your personal life or owning a wedding business (personal, gives the viewer a peek into you beyond that thing that you do)
Now you know what not to forget to do on your website during the slow season! Take some time over the next couple of months and really be intentional with what you’ve got displayed on your website. It won’t take as long as you think it will, and once you’re done, you can go right back to relaxing and refueling for your 2024 weddings! If you have any questions, shoot me a DM, and I’d be happy to talk through it with ya, friend!
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