Fill your books: secure 2025’s last-minute weddings

For wedding businesses, your 2025 calendar is probably looking jam-packed. As the year is well underway, most 2025 couples will be making their final tweaks rather than starting their wedding planning. But this is not to say that there aren’t some couples who are changing their minds, not as organised as others, or looking to get married fast.

These last-minute bookings are a golden opportunity to maximise revenue and make the most of open calendar dates. Whether the couples need to change their venue or date unexpectedly, are looking for a short-notice celebration and elopement, or simply want to streamline their planning process, filling these dates requires a more strategic approach. 

We will delve into strategies that help businesses fill in those free dates. These include:

Securing last-minute bookings

There are several ways that your business can capitalise on 2025 couples that have yet to lock in some (or all) of their suppliers. By offering promotions, leveraging vendor relationships, and targeting the right couples, your business can turn the open slots into booked events, creating an income stream previously unaccounted for.

Keep your Easy Weddings storefront up-to-date

Listing on Easy Weddings is a great way to capture more leads and get in front of potential couples. However, you’ll need to ensure your storefront is current and stands out amongst your competitors.

• Double-check your details: Have you changed contact information or moved from where you were based? Update all of these things so that you’re targeting the right market.
• Update your photos. If a couple has been perusing the site for some time, your updated photo could look like a new listing they’ve yet to explore—keep it fresh.
• Encourage reviews. One of the first things a couple will look at is the reviews other couples provide. Have you done a couple of weddings that are yet to leave theirs? Follow them up and make sure your storefront is backed by five stars!

Our top tip: use high-quality images that feature your work in detail as the focus/primary image. This will be the best way to stand out amongst your competitors. Find out more about Easy Weddings, contact today.

Market to elopements, micro-weddings and second marriages

Targeting elopements and micro-weddings is a great way to fill your calendar. Those couples opting for smaller celebrations are often after shorter planning and preparation time and eager to secure their weddings quickly. Partnering with venues and vendors specialising in elopements can help create all-inclusive offerings that attract couples looking to wed without the hassle of a more traditional event. 

If you’re looking to market to these couples:

• Tailor your messaging to target couples looking for intimate, quick-turnaround weddings.
• Partner with venues to create all-inclusive elopement or micro-wedding packages.
• Promote “stress-free” last-minute wedding planning with ready-to-go setups.

Our top tip: micro weddings are rising with the cost-of-living crisis. If this is a new market for you, consider the differences between larger-scale events and smaller ones and tailor your marketing accordingly.

Leverage social media and email blasts

Your social media following and email database are some of the best places to start when filling up your calendar dates. There might be couples on there who have yet to make key decisions, and your communication could seal the deal. Leveraging your network is a powerful way to reach couples who are looking for a last-minute solution. 

Here are some considerations to make:

• Post about last-minute availability on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Perhaps it feels desperate to promote these dates, but many businesses use this method to fill their books. Frame it as an unusual opportunity that will be booked fast. 
• Run targeted ads to recently engaged couples. These couples could be riding on the excitement of it all and want to go through with the vows quickly. You could be the solution for a fast wedding.
• Retarget past enquiries that didn’t book. Perhaps there’s a reason the booking didn’t go ahead, and they might not have chosen a different option just yet. Offer a last-minute special or a gentle reminder that you are still available (but not for long).

Our top tip: keep your social media updated! If you don’t have recent posts, visiting couples might think that you’re no longer operating. Find some more integrated marketing tips here.

Offer special packages and last-minute deals

It can be hard to differentiate between offering discounts and lowering your worth. However, some exceptions can be made for the slow season of weddings.

If you find your bookings slowing down during the colder months, try putting together “winter packages.” These don’t need to seem like cheapening your value but rather an always-on solution. 

Other ways of offering discounted rates could include: 

• Creating a “last-minute wedding deal” with a slight discount or added perks for couples who book within 30-90 days.
• Bundling services at a discounted rate encourages couples to book more extensive service offerings (for example, photography and videography) or catering and decor.
• Offer different prices depending on the day of the week so that budget-conscious couples can plan their wedding according to these rates and get married quicker—everyone wins!

Our top tip: businesses find ‘sales’ to cheapen their products. Instead, you can structure your prices based on peak seasons and build this into your packages. Discover more about adapting to the current climate.

Offer flexibility and low-stress planning

If couples are looking to book a wedding quickly, it’s almost guaranteed that they want some flexibility and less stressful planning. Perhaps they’re busy with kids or high-pressure jobs or want to get married before another key milestone, such as buying a house or starting a family. 

For these couples, offering flexibility and also taking on some of that brunt work yourself can mean converting more bookings. These offerings could include:

• Accommodating quick turnarounds with ease.
• Providing pre-designed themes or packages that would mean less back-and-forth and decision-making
• Online consultations and quick contracts to speed up the process and create less stress for the couple.

Our top tip: couples are different from 10 years ago. Make sure that you have a deep understanding of the next wave of couples looking to get married. Find out more about the ‘modern couple’.

Connecting and collaborating with other vendors and venues

For last-minute bookings, the couple might have been planning their wedding for a long time but still have some decisions to make regarding suppliers. Collaborating with other businesses and vendors means that you could come as a recommendation if they’re yet to make that final decision. 

Reach out to your network of suppliers or work closely with wedding planners. Some might even specialise in short-notice weddings. This word-of-mouth testimonial could see your calendar fill up fast.

Are you looking to fill your calendar with weddings this year? Your first step should be listing on Easy Weddings. Sixty-four percent of couples in Australia use us to start their planning. Enquire today.