Is Your Venue’s Showround As Good As It Can be?

Humans love stories that resonate with them; we love facts and quirky little titbits that capture our imagination. You want your venue and showround to be memorable for the right reasons, and a great way to do that is to pepper your visit with facts and stories that are utterly unique to your place, space and team.

If you have a heritage location, there will be an abundance of stories from the history and former use of your building to its famous owners or residents or visitors (maybe even the paranormal!), maybe why certain features are there, what they cost, where they came from or who has shaped the space. People’s stories are always fascinating and memorable; it can be easy to focus on the functional use of the spaces as an event professional. However, a ceremony and dining for 100 can happen in loads of places. What stories does your location have that make your venue utterly one of a kind and somewhere potential couples want to be a part of?

You may not always feel like it, but remember that couples are counting on you as their potential venue to be the wedding expert – you’re so much more than purely a location to host their wedding; they are looking to you to bring their dreams to life.  

Even more so with Gen Z couples, there is an expectation of every venue having a broader planning service than perhaps with couples in years gone by. What ideas and inspiration can you show them through their viewing? Whilst you want to be open to their ideas and plans, there is so much value in you being able to showcase what’s worked before but tuned to their brief, so listening first to their style and vibe and embellishing that whilst you talk through ideas you have seen, heard about or planned in the space previously. Being trend-aware is key for all sales-focused marketing and conversations. It’s important because it allows you to stay relevant and appealing to your target audience. So, it’s essential that all team members (even if weddings are not their 100% focus) read, learn and have the chance to keep up with their wedding industry knowledge.

When the day is over, the only lasting memories of your couple’s wedding will be photos, film and content that’s created. So, emphasising where their visual memories can be captured is important. And don’t be afraid to point out what to you might be obvious. That fireplace, spiral staircase, entranceway, or unique venue feature might be missed if you don’t specifically point out (or better still show with imagery) where your couple will get their money shot. 

Many venues I know do well with photo-worthy features, such as vintage phone booths, swing seats, or a stunning sunset view. Remember to point out where the sun sets, particularly if the couple is lucky to have sunshine, and what the golden hour opportunities are. These moments are not just photo opportunities but also beautiful, romantic experiences. Again, illustrate with gorgeous imagery of past couples to evoke the beauty and romance of these moments captured at your venue.

As I mentioned, couples often turn to venues and venue teams for guidance in planning their weddings. Your role is not just about providing a location for their ceremony and reception but also about helping them make decisions. You are a significant factor in their planning, and your input is highly valued.

For most couples, their wedding has many consideration points. For example, rarely are all guests local, so accommodation is almost always a factor. The getting ready and wedding morning preps for each side of the wedding party need considering, even if it’s just a single-day hire and not a multi-day event.

Whilst every couple is different and your target client will vary, offer them support and pointers to help them knit the whole thing together, whether it’s giving them time to sit down and talk through the different types of wedding ceremony they can have, whether it’s partnering up with local accommodation suppliers to make up the number of rooms a typical wedding will need or offering early stage support on key supplier selection.

Providing couples with clear information and pricing on food and drink is increasingly important. This empowers them to make informed decisions and increases the likelihood of them choosing your venue.  If they can’t easily understand the costs, they may look elsewhere.

Couples of all price points want more clarity on budgeting and costings earlier in the planning process. The viewing is a golden opportunity for some honesty, transparency and clarity.

Engaging in face-to-face discussions during the viewing is not just beneficial for the couple, but also for you. It’s a more effective way to understand their needs and preferences. By asking the right questions, you can gather enough knowledge to offer to sit down at the end and run through costings with them and appropriate supplier options. Some of the most effective showrounds I’ve witnessed have written up my quote then and there. It is a perfect chance to look at options and dates and get immediate feedback to tweak, adjust and tailor to expectations.

While budgets are often nobody’s favourite topic, they are absolutely key to your conversions, particularly if you’re a venue that requires a lot of suppliers to be brought in. It’s your job to leave them clear with at least a guideline of what their wedding could look like and cost. This might involve getting to know your best suppliers just a bit more so you are confident in their outline pricing. Understanding supplier pricing is crucial as it not only makes you more knowledgeable but also better prepared to provide the necessary clarity and transparency that Gen Z couples increasingly demand, even where they wish to customise.