Advertise on podcast: Wedding Venue Sales & Marketing

What if the reason your wedding venue enquiries aren't converting isn't your pricing or your venue, but the conversations you're having with couples? In this episode, Nikita Thorne is joined by communication specialist and Conversation Architect Anthony Stears, aka The Telephone Assassin, to explore how better conversations can turn more enquiries into bookings. From the first enquiry to the showround and follow-up, Anthony shares practical advice on building genuine connections, asking the right questions and understanding what couples really want. They also explore why promising leads go cold, how to make your sales approach feel more personal and why “following through” rather than simply following up could make all the difference. Plus, discover how to follow up consistently without being pushy, and why helping couples buy is often far more effective than trying to sell. Connect with Anthony Stears: Website: www.anthonystears.co.uk Phone number: 0800 008 7597 Instagram: @telephoneassassin Download the free wedding venue follow-up resource Advertise with Guides for Brides Join us at the UK Wedding Conference Manchester Join us at the Wedding Planners and Venues Summit Hosted by: Nikita Thorne Guest: Anthony Stears Producer: Chloe Newman

Could wedding celebrants be one of the biggest untapped opportunities for your venue? In this episode, Nikita Thorne is joined by award-winning celebrant and former deputy superintendent registrar Vim Ziyambe to explore how stronger relationships with celebrants can help wedding venues attract more couples, unlock new revenue opportunities and turn more enquiries into bookings. We wanted to invite Vim onto the podcast because of her experience on both sides of the ceremony. Having worked as a registrar before becoming a celebrant, she brings a valuable perspective on how the two roles differ, how they can complement one another and what potential changes to wedding law could mean for venues. Please note: The discussion around proposed wedding law reform reflects Vim and Nikita's professional perspectives and opinions. Reform remains subject to the legislative process, and no implementation date has been confirmed. Any timelines discussed are optimistic estimates rather than confirmed dates. From discovering overlooked ceremony spaces and generating valuable referrals to protecting bookings when registrars aren't available, Vim shares why celebrants can be far more than just another wedding supplier. They also discuss what proposed wedding law reform in England and Wales could mean for venues, why forward-thinking businesses should start preparing for potential change, and how building trusted partnerships can strengthen both your marketing and the experience you deliver to couples. Whether you're a venue owner, sales manager or marketer, this conversation is packed with practical insights to help you make more of your existing spaces, strengthen supplier relationships and prepare for the future of weddings. Connect with Vim Ziyambe: Website: foreverlovedcelebrancy.com Instagram: @foreverloved_celebrancy Advertise with Guides for Brides Join us at the Wedding Venues & Planners Summit - 9th Feb Join us at the UK Wedding Conference Manchester - 1st March Hosted by: Nikita Thorne Guest: Vim Ziyambe Producer: Chloe Newman

What if your wedding venue could generate more revenue without booking more weddings? In this episode, Nikita is joined by hospitality consultant Jonny Bann to explore how wedding venues can diversify their income, unlock new revenue opportunities and build more profitable businesses all year round. With over a decade of experience transforming hospitality businesses, Jonny shares what wedding venues can learn from the wider hospitality industry. From corporate events and retreats to wellness experiences and private hire, they discuss how venues can make better use of their existing spaces, facilities and teams without compromising their core wedding business. They also explore how to price new offerings profitably, identify opportunities for cross-selling and avoid the common mistake of trying to diversify too quickly. Whether you're looking to fill quieter dates, introduce additional revenue streams or make your venue more commercially resilient, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you identify opportunities and take the first steps towards diversification. Connect with Jonny Bann: Website: https://www.jonnybannconsultancy.co.uk Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-bann Advertise with Guides for Brides Join us at the Venues & Planners Summit Hosted by: Nikita Thorne Guest: Jonny Bann Producer: Chloe Newman

What really makes a couple choose one wedding venue over another? In this episode, Nikita is joined by wedding venue consultant Kelly Chandler to explore why great customer experience can be one of your biggest drivers of bookings, conversion and long-term revenue. From the speed and quality of your first response to the relationship couples build with your team, Kelly shares what today’s couples increasingly expect from wedding venues - and where venues risk getting left behind. They discuss how to balance automation and AI with genuine human connection, why CRM and sales technology should support rather than replace your team, the growing role of WhatsApp, and why couples increasingly need more reassurance and nurturing throughout their decision-making journey. If you want to build a customer journey that feels personal and performs commercially, this episode is packed with ideas to take back to your venue. Connect with Kelly Chandler Website: https://kellychandlerconsulting.co.uk/ Instagram: @kelly__chandler LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-chandler-47175910/ Wedding Venues & Planners Summit Advertise with us Hosted by: Nikita Thorne Guest: Kelly Chandler Producer: Chloe Newman

How are today’s couples choosing wedding venues, and what makes them confident enough to enquire? In this solo episode, Nikita Thorne, Head of Strategy at Guides for Brides, explores how couples research and compare wedding venues before making contact, with a particular look at the behaviours we’re seeing from Gen Z and millennial couples. From social media, Google and AI to wedding directories, reviews and your own website, discover the questions your marketing needs to answer before a couple is ready to enquire. Nikita also introduces the VETTED framework: Vibe Check, Emotional Connection, Trusted, Transparent, Ease of Contact and Dependable, a practical way to identify where your venue marketing could be creating friction or losing potential enquiries. Research on Gen Z & Millennial mobile behaviour Create your Wedding Venue Buyer Persona Advertise with Guides for Brides UK Wedding Conference Host: Nikita Thorne Producer: Chloe Newman

Why do couples ghost after an enquiry or showround – and what can wedding venues do to convert more of that interest into bookings? In this episode of The Wedding Venue Sales & Marketing Podcast, Nikita Thorne is joined by Alan Berg, bestselling author, international speaker and former Vice President of Sales at The Knot, to talk about the sales habits that could be costing venues bookings. Alan shares practical advice on how to create better conversations with couples, the importance of asking the right questions, why your follow-up needs a clear next step and how to confidently ask for the sale without becoming pushy. They also discuss the sales metrics venues should actually be tracking and why generating more enquiries isn’t always the answer. If you want to reduce ghosting, improve your showround conversion and get more from the enquiries you already have, this episode is packed with advice you can put into practice straight away. Connect with Alan Berg: Website: https://alanberg.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanberg/ Advertise with Guides for Brides UK Wedding Conference Hosted by: Nikita Thorne Guest: Alan Berg Producer: Chloe Newman

From customer experience and team culture to service standards, venue flow and profitability, there’s far more to success than simply generating more enquiries. In this episode, Samantha Gilchrist, founder and CEO of The Gilchrist Collection, shares what she has learnt from growing a portfolio of 12 wedding venues across the UK and USA. Sam explains why successful venues should compete on delivery rather than price, why staff training is one of the most valuable investments a venue can make, and how seemingly small details in service and operations can have a major impact on reviews, reputation and revenue. If you own, manage, market or sell weddings for a venue, this episode offers a candid look at the decisions that help build a stronger and more profitable wedding business. Connect with Samantha Gilchrist: Website: https://gilchristcollection.co.uk/ Instagram: @samanthagilchristofficial Advertise with Guides for Brides UK Wedding Conference Hosted by: Nikita Thorne Guest: Samantha Gilchrist Producer: Chloe Newman

Is a wedding directory listing still worth it — and what actually turns a listing into a booking? Nikita Thorne is joined by Shannon Tarrant, 20+ year wedding industry veteran and founder of Wedding Venue Map in the US, for a UK vs US comparison of how couples search for venues, what makes them inquire, and why chasing more leads isn't the fix venues think it is. They cover the biggest listing mistakes venues make, why price transparency beats pretty photos, how to spot a genuinely bad lead vs a qualified couple who hit friction, and how AI search is changing venue discovery in both markets. Connect with Shannon: Website: https://www.shannontarrant.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshannonexperience Advertise with Guides for Brides UK Wedding Conference Hosted by: Nikita Thorne Guest: Shannon Tarrant Producer: Chloe Newman

Wedding venues often assume that getting more enquiries will lead to more bookings – but what if the real problem is what happens after those enquiries come in? In this episode of The Wedding Venue Sales & Marketing Podcast, Nikita Thorne is joined by wedding sales expert Kelly Mortimer to explore how venues can convert more enquiries, increase average booking value and maximise wedding revenue. Drawing on more than 25 years’ experience in luxury hospitality and wedding sales, Kelly explores the sales journey from the first website visit through to follow-up and venue viewing. She shares why imagery matters, how buyer behaviour has changed, why high-performing venues follow up more than you might expect, and where venues could unknowingly be losing potential bookings. If you want to understand where your venue's biggest sales opportunities could be hiding, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can put into action. Identify where couples may be dropping out of your sales journey and where you could improve conversion. Download the free audit Connect with Kelly Mortimer: Website: https://kellymortimer.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellymortimerweddingsales/ Advertise with Guides for Brides UK Wedding Conference Hosted by: Nikita Thorne Guest: Kelly Mortimer Producer: Chloe Newman

Want more enquiries, more bookings and better results from your wedding venue? The Wedding Venue Sales & Marketing Podcast, brought to you by Guides for Brides, is here to help. Hosted by Nikita Thorne, each episode gets practical about what it takes to market, sell and grow a wedding venue business today — covering sales conversion, SEO, social media, customer experience, pricing, AI and marketing strategy. Guest episodes open with the Hot Seat (quick-fire takes on the big issues) before moving into the Deep Dive — unpacking the thinking with real strategies and examples you can apply. Expect fresh perspectives, practical actions and useful resources to help you attract better enquiries, improve conversion, increase booking value and build a more profitable venue business. New episodes every Monday from 14th September. Advertise with us: https://guidesforbrides.co.uk/advertise Join us at the UK Wedding Conference: https://www.ukweddingconference.co.uk/ Follow us: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gfb_biz/ · LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/guides-for-brides Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode.