Wedding couple dresses in day of the dead costumes

Sometimes you open your inbox, read an enquiry, and feel something quietly deflate inside you. Not dramatically, not with fireworks, just a small internal sigh. A little voice whispering, “Oh no. Not this again.” Every wedding vendor has been there.

The problem usually isn’t the work. It’s the clients you keep attracting.

SIGN 1:
They ask for a discount before they ask anything else

Man holding money and talking on the phone

If the first thing someone says is, “Can you do it cheaper?” you’re not dealing with an aligned client. You’re dealing with someone who sees you as a transaction rather than a creative professional.

Discount hunters aren’t bad people, they’re simply not your people. If someone leads with price, they’re telling you exactly what they value most, and it’s not you.

How to fix it:
Show pricing anchors on your website and talk confidently about your process. Make sure clients understand your experience, effort, and expertise long before the numbers enter the chat. When your value is clear, you attract people who respect it.

SIGN 2:
They ask for multiple things that aren’t in alignment with your ethos or style

They want you to shoot in a style you don’t offer. They want flower varieties you’d never use. They want hair that defies gravity, humidity, and physics. They want whatever’s on their Pinterest board, even if it has nothing to do with your work.

These clients didn’t choose you for you, they chose you for what they hope you can imitate.

How to fix it:
Curate your portfolio. Only show work you want more of. Say clearly on your website who you serve best and what you specialise in. Your gallery should act like a filter, not a free-for-all.

Woman dressed in white sitting in an orange chair

SIGN 3:
You feel like you have to convince them instead of connect with them

You can feel it instantly. You’re explaining too much and selling too hard. You’re trying to justify your existence while they sit on the fence holding a clipboard of doubts. Aligned clients don’t make you chase them like a toddler in a shopping centre. They arrive curious, not combative, and their questions sound like connection rather than interrogation.

How to fix it:
Dial up your personality. Let your website sound like an actual human. Speak to your ideal couple directly and confidently. The clearer you are about who you are, the easier it is for your people to recognise you.

SIGN 4:
They enquire about prices before they’ve even read what you do

You can tell immediately when someone hasn’t read a single sentence of your website. They ask what you charge even though the answer was sitting one inch below the enquiry form. They ask for services you don’t offer or time frames you can’t work in.

Price first and understanding later is the hallmark of misaligned clients.

How to fix it:
Create a Services page that’s simple, warm, and easy to digest. Add clear prices and make your process obvious. People self-select quickly when information is clear and accessible, and you save hours of inbox detective work.

SIGN 5:
They enquire constantly then disappear without warning

Ah yes, the ghoster. Perhaps the most universally experienced phenomenon in the wedding industry. They ask ten questions, you respond thoughtfully, they ask two more, you respond again, and then they vanish like a bridesmaid in a group chat who never pays her deposit. This isn’t a client problem; it’s a systems problem.

How to fix it:
Improve your enquiry workflow. Use proper forms with fields that make casual shoppers pause. Add an automated sequence that handles the first touch points. Make your booking process feel structured and professional. People respect boundaries they can see.

People dressed as ghosts sitting in a field

WHY THIS HAPPENS
(The psychology behind misaligned clients)

Your brand is a magnet.
Your messaging is a magnet.
Your website is a magnet.

Everything you put out pulls certain people in and quietly repels others. When your branding is too broad, you attract too many types of clients. When your messaging is too soft, everyone thinks you might be for them. When your portfolio is too mixed, people assume you can and will do anything.

Clarity is kindness.
Specificity is power.
Strong positioning is what turns “any client” into “the right client.”

THE FIX FORMULA
(How to Attract Your Actual Dream Wedding Clients)

Define your true ideal couple: Not just age or budget. Describe how they think, what they value, what stresses them out, how they make decisions, and what they care about in a wedding.

Make your website reflect your style, tone, and process: Your site should feel like you, warm, clear, and confident. Give couples a sense of your personality before they ever enquire.

Use consistent language across all platforms: Say the same things, the same way, everywhere. When your tone is recognisable, your clients feel like they already know you.

Display starting prices: It saves everyone time. People who aren’t in the ballpark quietly leave. People who are ready quietly lean in.

Show only the work you want to repeat: Your gallery is your handshake and your filter. Use it intentionally.

Create enquiry forms that filter instead of overwhelm: Ask questions that reveal readiness. Give people enough structure to self-assess honestly. Your best clients will feel supported. Your mismatched clients will wander off peacefully.

CONCLUSION

If you’re attracting clients who drain your time, doubt your prices, misunderstand your style, or disappear without warning, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means your branding, messaging, and systems are due for a small recalibration. When you stop diluting who you are, you stop attracting people who aren’t right for you.

Your work deserves clients who adore it. Your business deserves ease. And you deserve to wake up to an inbox that feels hopeful instead of heavy.