How to Get on a Venue's "Vendor List"

New to the wedding industry? We know the advice given to any new wedding vendor is to get on a venue or planner's preferred vendor list.

Unfortunately, nobody makes suggestions for HOW you get on that list.

I'm saying this as a venue owner who is constantly besieged by emails and texts from new vendors I've never heard of asking to be on our list. A recent text came in at almost 10pm! When I reached out to a fellow venue owner about it, I was told this same person was begging to come out for a tour of the venue so she could talk about adding her to their venue's list.

STOP. It does not work this way.

Our Vendor List is a goldmine of trusted vendors we have worked with, some for nearly a decade. These vendors have proven themselves time and time again to be reliable, fabulous at what they do, and are who we can feel fully confident in referring to our couples.

Couples (ideally) get married one time. They are hosting the biggest event of their lives. They are new to this, they need reliable guidance as they navigate the joys, expenses, and fears every couple goes through in the process. We need to know that the vendor we are recommending has that experience to look ahead at the plans of the day and be able to make solid suggestions and be proactive to ensure the day runs well. This builds trust in the vendor, and it reinforces their trust in us. A professional team is the difference between the event running beautifully in spite of challenges that come up, or ... not.

If we've never worked with you before, why would we tell our couples to work with you? That's akin to sending your baby off with a complete stranger.

So please, don't send me this:

This has a one-way ticket to the delete button. Or I might screenshot it and send it to another venue owner with an eyroll emoji. At a decent hour, not 10pm. Just being real.

From this text... I know nothing at all. What makes you special? What is new that you bring to the table that my couples will be interested in? Who are you? How long have you been in the wedding industry? Do you have references? Have you worked with any trusted vendors that I know? Do you know anything about my venue or its clientele?

Here is a hard reality: As a new vendor, you will not get added to anyone's vendor list unless they are also, brand new. This generally starts at a lower price point/with couples who have lower budgets and are aware they are getting a "deal" because you are "starting out."

Is there a way to break the ice and speed it up? Yes.

When Sierra with Reignbow Baking Co. moved to Chattanooga from California, she brought cake bites over for us to try. These cake bites had a lovely presentation, and each was a "flavor of Chattanooga" -- a chocolate/espresso one made with Mad Priest coffee, a whiskey one made from Chattanooga Whiskey Co. Goat Cheese from Sequatchie Cove. It was innovative and delightful, and it made us give her a try with a couple that was willing to be a "first" at our venue.

When Jenny with Before the Vows first started, she showed the world what she represented from the start: she filled her Instagram account with stories and updates and introductions and consistently showed up professionally dressed and displaying her high energy, attention to detail, and how she would represent herself and her couples. She networked tirelessly to make connections and ensured she was respectful of everyone's time. It absolutely helped skyrocket her business!

Other new vendors have put together styled shoots to help them with content and to meet with other vendors. Some of those vendors will be experienced, but most will also be new. Lifelong vendor friendships are often developed this way, and you each grow together.***

Getting on a preferred list takes time. You are highly unlikely to be able to charge for your worth right off the bat. It's a slow process where your prices increase as your experience grows, and as other vendor's trust in you grows. From there, growth usually takes place organically.

As a new vendor, start honestly. You owe it to your couples to be truthful that you are just launching. Don't fib about your experience. The wedding world is smaller than you think, and the vendors will know. We won't say anything, but it will put a dent in our trust in you, possibly forever.

There's no shame in being new. All of us were at one time! The vendor community in Chattanooga has in many ways shown itself to be one of the most connected, friendly, and supportive I've ever seen.

Happy networking!

***We don't have time for more than one styled shoot per year. We require a full presentation with the idea, a list of the vendors you intend to approach for creating this, and we need it to show value to our couples (i.e. be very out of the box from any of our weddings). This slot has already been filled for 2025, and planning for it began in early 2024.