The venue that replies first usually gets the viewing. Not the prettiest venue, not the cheapest, the quickest. A couple who sends five enquiries on a Sunday evening has made a shortlist; your reply decides whether you stay on it. These are the templates we set up for the venues we work with. Use them as they are, or put them straight into your own system.
The timing matters more than the wording
Four messages do most of the work:
- The instant reply, within a minute, every hour of the day.
- The follow-up, two days later if they have not booked a viewing.
- The viewing confirmation, the moment they pick a time.
- The reminder, the day before.
Send them by hand and the first one will be late and the fourth will be forgotten. The Venue Portal sends all four automatically, in your branding, with a personal viewing link in each one, which is the main reason we built it.
1. The instant reply
Its only job is to make the couple feel seen and give them a way to book a viewing without waiting for you. Keep it short and personal, and never pretend a human wrote it at 11pm.
Hi {first name},
Thanks for enquiring about a wedding at {venue}. This is an automatic reply so you are not left waiting, and {coordinator} will be in touch personally shortly.
Here is our brochure: {brochure link}
Book a private viewing at a time that suits you: {booking link}
If you would rather talk now, call us on {phone}.
{venue}
Three things to notice. The brochure goes in the first email, not after a phone call. The viewing link lets them act while they are still interested. And it says it is automatic, which couples respect far more than a fake “just seen your message”.
2. The follow-up
Most couples who do not book a viewing have not decided against you; they have been busy. One gentle nudge, two days later, recovers a surprising number of them. One is enough; three is a nuisance.
Hi {first name},
Just a quick note in case our last email got buried. We would love to show you around {venue}. Pick a viewing time here: {booking link}
Or reply to this email with any questions at all.
{coordinator}, {venue}
3. The viewing confirmation
Confirm the time, tell them where to park, attach a calendar invite, and make it easy to change the time rather than silently not turn up.
Hi {first name},
Your viewing at {venue} is booked for {day, date and time}. A calendar invite is attached so it goes straight into your diary.
Where to find us: {address and parking note}
Need a different time? {reschedule link}
We look forward to showing you around.
{coordinator}, {venue}
The calendar invite is the detail that matters most. A viewing in the couple’s phone gets attended; a line in an email thread gets forgotten.
4. The reminder
The morning before. Short, friendly, with a way out, because a cancelled viewing is better than a no-show.
Hi {first name},
A quick reminder that your viewing at {venue} is tomorrow at {time}. If anything has changed, just reply to this email or call {phone}.
See you tomorrow.
{coordinator}
What to do when they ask about price
“Can you send me your prices?” is the most common first message a venue gets, and the worst reply is a brochure with no next step. Send the brochure, then invite the viewing in the same breath: “Prices are in the brochure attached. The quickest way to see what is possible for your date and numbers is a viewing, and you can pick a time here.” Price questions are buying signals, not objections.
Mistakes we see constantly
- Replying from a personal inbox so the couple cannot find the thread later.
- Asking the couple to “let us know a few times that suit” instead of letting them book one.
- A first reply that is five paragraphs about the venue’s history.
- No reply at all between Friday evening and Monday morning, which is exactly when couples enquire.
Put the templates to work
If you would like these running automatically, with the booking links, calendar invites and reminders handled for you, that is what the Venue Portal does and it comes with every Pure Weddings plan. And if you want to know how your current replies compare with the venues couples are also enquiring with, start with a free venue audit.
