Whether you’re an exclusive event space, a restaurant with a few private banquet rooms or something in between, wedding season (generally believed to ramp up in spring) can be a hectic time for venues. 

Event inquiries mount, calendars fill up and event coordinators are tasked with juggling multiple events, often back-to-back. The good news: There are things venues and their teams can do now to prepare for what’s to come. Want the details? Read on!

Get Organized

“We like to use the early months in the year to organize as much as we can,” says Taylor Gillan, events manager for Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison, Virginia. “After the busy fall, it’s great to have January and February to reevaluate what systems worked and what didn’t so that once the spring rolls around, we’re ready for everything it’ll bring.”

Update Your Docs

“Staying ahead of the game is the main way we stay prepared,” says Amanda Mentz, the banquet and sales manager for Tippecanoe Place Restaurant in South Bend, Indiana. “[We make] sure all of our menus, contracts, and staff are all updated and have the correct information.”

Stay Connected

Mentz adds that she and her team try to have the latest trends available for their clients and that they respond to all correspondence, ensuring that their clients feel like they are the only wedding of the year. “Interacting and responding right away to our clients will make everything go a lot smoother as you get into the middle of wedding season and things get very busy,” she adds.

Crunch the Numbers

Gillan says that before the season arrives is a great time to spend reevaluating your marketing costs. “Take the time to see where your business came from in the past year and focus your attention there,” she adds. Other experts agree, reporting that staying on top of billing clients helps you be sure your events program is bringing in the money you’re expecting. Plus, sending timely invoices and responses makes you look organized and professional to boot.

Have Mock Event Setups

Gillan says winter months are always a great time to set up mock events setups. “In the off-season, we tend to meet with a lot of our current couples as well as prospective clients,” she explains. “We like to take the opportunity to show them what the space can look like with different setups to help inspire them as their planning moves along.”

Remember to Enjoy It!

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the chaos of planning, but Mentz says it’s important to pause, step back and not get too bogged down in the details. “Have fun this wedding season! You do your job because you love it — make sure to have fun and enjoy all the weddings and see the joy from your clients,” she explains. “It’s the best feeling in the world.”

Now that you have the tools to prepare for wedding event season, request a live tour of Gather to see how we can help keep you organized, streamline your planning process and so much more.

Caroline Cox
Content Marketing Manager

Caroline Cox is Gather's Content Marketing Manager. She spends her time crafting blogs, thought leadership pieces, case studies, social media content and more, helping empower restaurants and other event venues to streamline their planning process and grow their events programs with success.