Tips for Making the Most of the WEDDINg Off-Season
As wedding and event professionals, we live for the hustle of busy seasons - the joy of seeing our work come to life, the satisfaction of creating magical moments for our engaged clients who are finally getting married with that dream wedding you helped bring to life. But what about the off-season?
While it’s a much-needed reprieve for those of us in the wedding industry, it’s also an incredible opportunity to prepare for the year ahead, build your business, and recharge your creativity.
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering how to get leads during the slow wedding season or what to do with this “quiet time,” you’re not alone. As a fellow wedding and event pro with over 20 years in the industry, I’ve ridden the waves of the highs and the lows of the seasonality of the wedding world. That’s why I’m sharing my best tips for making the most out of the off-season - along with introducing the ultimate Off-Season Online Content Marketing Checklist for Wedding & Event Pros, designed to help you maximize this valuable time.
Photo Credit: Scott Clark Photo
Here are my best, tried and true tips for making the most of the wedding off-season no matter what niche or corner of the industry from wedding photographers, planners, designers, bridal real shop owners, stylists, rental companies, DJs, florists, stationers and more.
These are the exact steps that I take in my own wedding fashion business to rest and reset for the busy season to come.
1. Take a Break (Yes, Really!)
First things first: rest. It’s not just about stepping away from your desk; it’s about truly disconnecting. Whether it’s a vacation, a few days off, or even just slower mornings with your favorite coffee (or Diet Coke!), prioritize rest. You can’t serve your future engaged couples planning a wedding or getting married (or your business) well if you’re running on empty. Besides, we’re in a highly creative industry and creativity doesn’t happen when we’re stressed out!
2. Don’t Procrastinate
The off-season in the wedding industry feels like it will last forever, even if that’s just a few weekends off in between weddings and events, but trust me - it doesn’t. Whether it’s updating your website, writing blog posts, or planning your marketing strategy, don’t delay. Starting early on your tasks and things that you’ve put off until now means you won’t scramble when peak wedding season hits.
3. Give Yourself Extra Time
Have you ever started one project only to discover five more tasks you need to tackle? That’s the nature of creative businesses. When planning your off-season projects, give yourself more time than you think you’ll need. It’s better to finish early than to feel rushed.
4. Make Plans and Calendars
You’re not going to magically finish everything in the off-season - that’s okay! The key is to plan ahead. Create a marketing content calendar and a task to-do list, block out time for ongoing tasks, and set reminders to revisit your marketing strategy throughout the year. Consistency is key!
Related: Tips for Staying Consistent With Your Wedding Business Marketing
5. Pre-Schedule and Automate
Automation tools are a wedding or event business’ best friend. Schedule blog posts, social media content, and email newsletters that will appeal to your ideal client in advance. Tools and schedulers make it easy to set up content that drips out consistently over time. A steady online presence - whether that’s through your website, search engines, social media, or all of it - builds trust and keeps you top of mind for potential clients—even when you’re busy.
6. Streamline with Templates & Systems
From email newsletters to social media captions, templates save time and energy when you’re doing all the things for a wedding or event business. Invest in systems that make tasks repeatable and easy to delegate. The less time you spend reinventing the wheel, the more time you’ll have for creative work or taking on new opportunities.
Why You Need the Off-Season Online Content Marketing Checklist
If all of this feels overwhelming, don’t worry - I’ve got your back. Between the website, social media, getting caught up on emails and everything else you haven’t even begun to think about yet - it all can feel overwhelming! After all, you just came off of your busy season of back-to-back-to-back weddings and events serving your clients who are getting married - the last thing you need is to come out of your off-season just as stressed as when you started!
My ultimate Off-Season Online Content Marketing Checklist for Wedding & Event Businesses is designed to guide you step-by-step through your off-season marketing strategy. It includes everything from content ideas, A.I. swipe prompts, to automation tips, helping you stay organized and productive without burning out. Most importantly, this guide is designed to help you get more leads and inquires for your wedding business without it taking over your life, no matter the season!
Let’s Make This Off-Season Count
The off-season in the wedding industry is what you make of it. No matter when your off-season is, use this time wisely, and you’ll set yourself up for a thriving, stress-free busy wedding season ahead. Whether you’re a wedding photographer, planner, florist, or DJ, these tips (and the off season marketing checklist!) will help you refresh, refocus, and reconnect with your goals.
Here’s to a productive, restful, and inspiring off-season!
If you’re a creative small business serving the wedding and event industry - such as a wedding planner, photographer, entertainer, DJ, rental company, florist, invitation designer and more - and you need help with your online marketing, content creation, or your Pinterest account, please send me an email at info@juliannesmith.com or check out my done-for-you and training services for wedding pros. I’d love to work with you to maximize your creativity and the overwhelm and work with the clients that you want to work with!
For more tips and advice on the wedding industry, be sure to check out past blog posts and sign up for my weekly emails where I’ll send you all kinds of wedding business education nuggets in 100 words or less!