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I Closed a $12K Wedding Contract — Here’s Exactly How (7 Steps, No Luck Needed!)

“You don’t build a multiple six-figure planning business over 16 years by relying on luck.”

Whew. That one hits, right? And yet, every time I share a win like this one—a five-figure wedding contract—someone inevitably says, “Must be nice… you’re just lucky.”

Let me set the record straight: I didn’t book a $12,000 client by chance. I booked her by leading the conversation, listening to her real pain points, guiding the budget talk with confidence, and showing her why we were the answer she didn’t know she needed.

This episode blog is a full breakdown of the exact consultation process I used to close that $12K contract. I’m giving you my script, my strategy, and the mindset that makes this work.

Ready to book high-end clients like clockwork? Let’s go.

1. Lead With Connection, Not a Pitch

Before you try to sell anything, connect as a human.

“All I’m trying to do here is connect with them. People buy from people they know, like, and trust.”

The first 10 minutes of my consultations are zero percent sales, 100% connection. I’m asking about their proposal story, where they met, how long they’ve been together, their dog’s name, all of it. Not because I’m nosy, but because I genuinely want to know who they are before we talk about their wedding.

This builds the know and like factor. And y’all—without that, you’ll never earn their trust.

💡 Pro Tip: Mirror their energy. If they’re bubbly and excited, match that! If they’re more reserved, tone it down. Being in sync makes them feel safe, heard, and understood.

2. Listen for Pain Points (Even When They’re Not Saying Them)

Once the conversation starts shifting toward their wedding, that’s when I start listening like a detective.

“They won’t always say, ‘This is my biggest pain point.’ But they’re dropping clues.”

When this bride mentioned that she was in law school and planning a destination wedding from out of state, I didn’t pounce with a hard sell. Instead, I said:

“Totally understand. Actually, most of our full-service clients don’t live in state.”

Boom. I normalized her fear and positioned us as the solution—without sounding salesy.

What you’re doing here is building authority without pitching. You’re helping them exhale and think, Okay, they’ve got me.

3. Don’t Dodge the Budget Talk — Lead It With Confidence

Budget talk doesn’t have to be awkward—unless YOU make it that way.

“Being confident in talking about the budget is going to pose you as an expert.”

Most couples don’t know what’s realistic. So when I asked this bride about her budget and she said $120K, I immediately walked her through whether that was realistic based on what she wanted.

And yes, I gave real numbers on the consult.

“Obviously, this is based on less than 30 minutes of talking… but I want you to know about how much you’re going to spend.”

📌 Key Move: I didn’t give a line-item budget. I just said something like:

“Based on what you’ve told me, I think we’ll need 10 hours of coverage, which typically runs about $10.5K. How does that feel for you?”

Now she’s nodding, not ghosting.

4. Let Them Ask Questions—Don’t List Out Your Package

This is where most wedding pros fall off the rails. After the budget chat, don’t start dumping every detail of your package. Don’t. Do. It.

“Do not start going through the list of everything included with your service… because they don’t care.”

Instead, ask:

“What questions do you have for me about what we do?”

Let THEM lead this part. That way, you’re only talking about what they care about.

For this $12K bride? She had zero questions. That was my cue—it was time to close.

5. Close with Service, Not Pressure

This next step is what I call Assuming the Sale, and it’s how I close every single consult.

“Here’s what I can do. I’ll go ahead and send over the contract today. You can review everything online, pay the retainer, and that’ll lock your date into our calendar.”

Simple. Confident. Pressure-free.

But what if they say they’re not ready to sign? That’s exactly what happened with this bride.

She said,

“I love you guys and I’d love to work with you… but I have a few other calls later this week.”

Total buzzkill? Nope. Because I had a plan.

6. Handle Objections Like a CEO

Instead of panicking or begging for the booking, I said:

“Totally makes sense. This is a big decision and I want you to feel confident in it. But before I let you go, is there anything I haven’t told you that would help you know we’re the one?”

That question is pure gold. It gives them a chance to voice their real objection—or realize they don’t have one.

This bride? She paused and said,

“No. You’ve told me everything. I think you’d be perfect.”

I followed up with:

“Great. You mentioned your other calls are Wednesday—how about I check in Thursday morning?”

She agreed. But then…

7. Follow-Up Like a Pro (But You Might Not Need To)

On Tuesday morning—a full day before her other planner meetings—she texted me:

“Hey Brandee, I thought about it and I actually really loved meeting with you guys. I want to go ahead and lock you in as my planner.”

She signed and paid within the hour.

This, wedding pro, is what happens when you lead with strategy, listen well, and sell with confidence. Not luck. Just leadership.

“I didn’t book this five-figure client because I was lucky. I booked it because I helped her see her pain points and gave her the solution—which was us.”

Ready to Close Like a CEO?

If you’re like, “I want to be able to close better!” — I got you.

Let’s walk through exactly how your business is running now, and if we know we can help you inside of Wedding Pro CEO, we’ll show you how.

👉 Book a Gap Assessment Call with our team today:

https://weddingproceo.com/application

Let’s get you to those consistent, confident $10K+ bookings. On repeat.

Let’s stop calling it luck. You’ve got the tools—you just need the tactics.

Now get out there and sell like a CEO.

FAQs

Q: What if I’m not confident talking about budget?

Start practicing it! Role play with your team. (Or Chat GPT if you don’t have a team) Budget conversations build trust. The more you talk about it, the more you’ll sound like an expert. Confidence is key.

Q: Should I send pricing before the consult?

Yes, I’d recommend it is on your website. Give them a range or a starting point. But the consult is where you custom-fit your pricing based on their needs and show the value behind it.

Q: What if they ghost me after the consult?

You likely didn’t uncover their objection. Always ask:

“Is there anything I haven’t told you that would help you know we’re the one?”

This gets the real answer and gives you a chance to overcome it before they disappear.

Q: Do I need to customize every package?

Not always. But being willing to tweak it slightly on the call (if needed) shows you’re flexible, collaborative, and solution-focused.

Check out the video version of the podcast below. 👇
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💌For business inquiries: sayhello@weddingproceo.com

Heads up, CEO! Some of the links I share may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase—at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and love, and that I believe will help you grow a profitable, sustainable business you’re obsessed with.