There were more than 2.2 million weddings in the U.S. last year, each averaging $25K. That’s a staggering $55 billion spent on weddings in the last year alone. Average wedding costs are on the rise and yet hotel marketers seem hesitant to dedicate additional resources and increasing marketing budgets to attract more weddings.
Before you finalize your annual budget, consider these stats from Wedding Wire:
On average, brides and grooms spent $230 per guest.
The average couples spend on a wedding venue was $9,000.
$6,700 was the average spend on wedding catering.
Average spend on a rehearsal dinner was between $1,800-2,200.
The combined average spend on post-wedding brunch and after-party was $2,828.
These figures only scratch the surface. Brides magazine reports that roughly half of couples surveyed spent more than they initially planned.
It’s time you give the wedding offerings at your property a tweak. Learn some enhancements you can offer couples and their guests for the big day, and how to keep them coming back year after year to celebrate their anniversary.
Get the Whole Wedding Party Involved with Gushing about the Event
There are so many details that go into planning the perfect big day. 28% of couples report that they increased their budget because they “discovered things they needed to have during the planning process.” The photos of the wedding parties getting ready to tend to be a crowd favorite and there are more ways to enhance the experience and get your branding front and center.
Offering packages for the wedding parties that include fresh juice, breakfast, champagne, customized wedding robes, small gifts such as jewelry and spa kits, are great ways to increase your guest’s wedding experience and your bottom line.
Show Your Previous Wedding Couples How Special They are on Their Anniversary
Couples love to reminisce about their wedding day and rekindle their love with their significant other. Yet so many hotels miss the mark on creating a program to keep these couples engaged and coming back. Every year couples are looking for reasons to share their wedding photos and profess their love for each other on social media. Get your property involved in the social media buzz by creating an incentive for them to revisit your property.
Every year send out a customized hand-written letter to the couple inviting them to come back to celebrate their anniversary and let them know you have a special gift for them upon their arrival. When it comes to the special gift, it’s time to go above and beyond the typical champagne and fruit. Below are some ideas of traditional and modern gift to offer each year they celebrate.
Ideas for Customized Gifts with the Couples Initials, Name, or Even Wedding Hashtag
Year 1
Paper – Customized Stationary
Year 2
Cotton
Year 3
Leather
Journal, Notebook, or Keychain
Year 4
Silk
Customized Bathrobe
Year 5
Wood
Picture Frame
The key is to make all of these gifts unique to the couple with personalization. This shows the couple you really remember and value the time and money they spent celebrating their union on your property. It also gives your hotel the opportunity to bring your brand back into the mix and ensure you get that great social media post touting how awesome their wedding day was with you and how thoughtful you are on their anniversary. The cost of the gift is more than justified with the personal referral the couple could give you on their social media to all their family and friends. The personalized gift also creates loyalty in the couple to your brand for future events.
You know you need to step up your wedding offerings. Give your guests the ability to order custom silk robes for their bridal party or seersucker bathrobes with custom embroidery for all the gentleman as they have a glass of scotch preparing for the big night.
After you give the couple a once-in-a-lifetime wedding day, keep them coming back with thoughtful his and hers gifts on their anniversary. If you want to learn more about ordering wedding bathrobes or bathrobes for your hotel, contact Boca Terry. Our experienced and passionate representatives will help you select the perfect product for your property.