How wedding suppliers can help minimise wedding stressors

At Easy Weddings, we surveyed 4,000 Australian couples and found out what their biggest wedding stressors are when it comes to planning. 

Rising costs, decision fatigue, family politics, and even day-to-day organisation are at the top of the list. Is there really such a thing as a bridezilla, or is she just created from the very real stress that accompanies planning a wedding?

If you’re looking to score more 5-star reviews, get a great reputation, truly help out your couples, and in turn get more bookings, we’re looking at the top 5 stressors for couples planning a wedding, and how you can help be the white flag in a sea of chaos and drama.

First things first, what is really stressing out modern couples when it comes to planning their nuptials? According to recent Easy Weddings data, these are the top 5 wedding stressors couples face:

• 25% – Sticking to a budget
• 15% – Navigating the guest list
• 10% – Keeping up with planning tasks
• 10% – Finding a reliable supplier
• 8% – Dealing with family expectations

If you’re working closely with a couple who’s feeling the burden of one (or more!) of these pressure points, you can be on-hand to delve out some sage advice, offer a sense of relief, or just be the part of the wedding planning that is smooth.

Get in front of more Australian couples. List on Easy Weddings and see your enquiries increase. Find out more.

The stressor: Staying on budget

Budget stress leads the pack, and for good reason. Many couples are planning a wedding for the first time and therefore have no frame of reference for what things can cost and will cost. This wading through uncertainty can turn what should’ve been a simple decision into one a lot more complex.

How you can help:

• Transparency up front with price; average costs; expectations.
• Offer flexible options, without sacrificing your worth.
• Helping them prioritise, if they want all of the options but only have budget for a couple of them, help them make those decisions.
• Take a smaller deposit, or offer payment plans.
• Bundle your offers together. If you can combine services, partner with other vendors, or add perks (like free travel within a certain radius), do it. Couples appreciate simplicity and added value.

The stressor: Finding a supplier they can trust

The second biggest stressor for couples is finding a reliable supplier. This is imperative and couples want to trust that their vendors will not only show up on the day, but deliver on what they promised.

How you can help:

• Build trust before the first message by ensuring your storefront is complete, accurate, and up-to-date with high-quality images and testimonials.
• Let your reviews do the talking. With a suite of 5-Star reviews, you’ll be able to build that trust and have couples live through those who have already walked the walk.
• Be responsive. There is nothing like gaining trust from the start and maintaining accurate, quick, and clear communication. Minimise jargon and prioritise clear messages.
• Use social proof and recent work. Allow couples to reach out to others that you’ve worked with and see their real wedding. This transparency helps couples feel confident that what they see is what they’ll get.

The stressor: Keeping on top of the planning

Although some couples will have strict visions, detailed diaries, clear Pinterest boards, and notes everywhere with what they want, there will be other couples who are a little less… On top of it all. Whether they’re busy with their day-to-day life or planning just isn’t in their nature, even the most organised of couples will underestimate just how many tasks are involved in wedding planning.

Keeping on top of a detailed to-do list is steadfast becoming a huge stressor for couples.

How you can help:

• Offer a clear planning timeline or onboarding email
• Break down the booking process into steps
• Send reminders or check-in messages at key moments

The stressor: Guest list and family dynamics

Unfortunately, you cannot fix family dynamic. But you can help to be the calm and steady voices that refocuses the wedding planning process. You might not be a professional therapist, but lending an ear or making calming cups of tea can go a long way for a stressed out bride who’s trying to work out who is sitting next to who.

How you can help:

• Offer encouragement to “make the day about you” 
• Provide flexible options to accommodate various guest list sizes
• Keep communication open, patient, and professional, even when things get a little emotional.

Weddings are highly emotional times, and for some people, it’s the first time that these two families are coming together. They can be a costly exercise in family dynamics and can stress out even the most zen of couples. For many, when looking for a supplier, they aren’t looking just for a florist, photographer, or planner; they’re looking for someone who gets the business, knows all the scenarios, and can help out with small fires by making the process easier.

Position yourself as a trusted guide and not just a vendor. This will help you to stand out and to book even more weddings. You can become the wedding zen master as well as the master of your craft.

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