Drawing in the Wedding Crowd: 4 Tips for Those with Careers in Hospitality Management

It’s no secret that the wedding industry is big. In Canada, it’s an industry that generates a stunning $4 billion a year, and in BC alone there were 23,024 weddings in 2017. For hotels looking to add to their revenue, this is a crowd certainly worth considering. While demand is often highest during the summer months, fall, winter, and spring weddings are also popular, making this option a good source of year-round revenue.

But how can you help your establishment draw in the wedding crowd? Here are some tips to help you stand out!

Focus on the Aspects Your Establishment Does Best

Do you have attentive staff and an excellent event planner? Or perhaps a delicious local wine available for a good price? Maybe your establishment has a quaint balcony, or a beautiful honeymoon suite. Whatever your business does best, highlighting those aspects can be a great first step towards attracting eager couples once you’ve completed your hospitality and tourism management courses.

No two establishments are the same, in much the same way that no two couples are exactly alike. In fact, more and more couples are looking for something a little unique when venue hunting. So go ahead and emphasize the strange history of your quaint boutique hotel, or the family of ducks that always nest in your pond—those unique quirks will help it shine!

Emphasize Picture Perfect Parts of Your Establishment

Picture taking is a must at weddings, so emphasizing the stunning visuals of your hotel can do wonders. An adorable flower garden, blooming apple tree, or gorgeous view can all help to make wedding pictures pop. To help guests picture themselves at your establishment, try doing a photo shoot of your property’s greatest highlights. This will help attract attention and draw in business.

 

 

Pros with Careers in Hospitality Management Use Online Marketing to Its Full Potential

Part of the challenge and fun that comes with the wedding crowd is that each new customer is discovering the wedding planning process for the first time. Most of your clients won’t have planned a wedding before. As a result, many will likely begin their research by typing in a few queries into Google, or browsing through a social media site like Pinterest.

 

By having a strong online presence, you can help make sure that your establishment reaches potential customers early during this process. For example, if your hotel is one of the first to come up when someone types in “wedding venue in Vancouver,” then you’re likely to get a lot more queries about your services. You can also use social media to highlight stunning pictures of your venue, or draw attention to reviews from past customers who were thrilled with your services.

Stay up to Date on Wedding Planning Trends

For those with careers in hospitality management, staying up to date with new trends comes with the territory. Hotels are always looking to innovate—whether that innovation comes in the form of adventurous new menu items, bold new décor, or luxurious new amenities. If that excites you, then you might love working on weddings, as new trends are also a big part of this industry.

 

As the 2019 wedding season begins to ramp up, some big trends are starting to take shape. So far, it looks like indoor receptions are coming back into vogue, and that dramatic colours like purple are a top choice. Of course, these trends are bound to change throughout your career, so staying up to date will be important to keeping your establishment relevant!

Would you like a career where no two days are the same?

Learn more about Eton College and earning your hospitality management diploma in Vancouver.