Building Relationships with Venues and Event Planners

Your best marketing might not be Instagram or Google. It might be the venue coordinator who recommends you to every couple who asks. Or the wedding planner who puts your name forward before anyone else. Here's how to build relationships that bring consistent, high-quality bookings.

Why Venue Relationships Matter

A good venue relationship is worth hundreds of hours of marketing. Consider the maths:

A wedding venue hosts 30-50 weddings per year
If they recommend you to even 20% of couples enquiring about catering...
That's 6-10 warm leads annually—from one relationship
Warm leads convert at 2-3x the rate of cold enquiries

Now imagine having relationships with five venues. Or ten. The compound effect is enormous.

Finding the Right Venues

Not every venue is worth pursuing. Focus your energy on venues that:

Match Your Market

Price alignment: A budget barn wedding venue won't recommend a premium caterer, and vice versa.
Style fit: Your rustic wood-fired pizza suits some venues better than others.
Logistics: Can you actually operate there? Kitchen access, power, space?

Have Catering Flexibility

Some venues have exclusive catering contracts. Focus on:

Dry-hire venues (no in-house catering)
Venues with approved supplier lists (get on them)
Venues that allow external caterers for specific food types

Making First Contact

Cold outreach to venues can feel awkward. Here's how to do it well:

The Introduction Email

Hi [Name],

I'm [Your name] from [Business]. We specialise in [your food type] for weddings and events in [area].

I've seen some beautiful events at [Venue name] and think our style would suit your couples well. I'd love to introduce myself and learn more about how you work with external caterers.

Would you be open to a quick coffee or a call? I'm also happy to drop off some samples if that's easier.

Here's our website/Instagram if you'd like to see what we do: [links]

Best,
[Your name]

The Follow-Up

No response? Follow up once after 7-10 days. If still nothing, move on—but keep the venue on your radar for future opportunities.

💡 Pro Tip

The best time to approach venues is their quiet season (January-March for wedding venues). Coordinators have more time to meet, and they're thinking about next year's supplier relationships.

The First Meeting

You got a meeting. Now what?

What to Bring

Food samples: Always. Let them taste what you do.
Photos: Professional shots of your setup at similar venues.
Testimonials: Quotes from couples, especially ones mentioning the venue experience.
Your terms: Clear information about how you work, what you need, and your pricing structure.

Questions to Ask

How do you currently handle catering recommendations?
What's worked well with caterers in the past? What hasn't?
What facilities are available for external caterers?
What do your couples typically want from their catering?
Is there an approved supplier list I should apply for?

What They're Looking For

Venue coordinators care about one thing above all: will you make them look good? They want caterers who:

Are reliable and professional
Communicate well and respond quickly
Leave the venue clean and tidy
Don't cause problems or drama
Make couples happy (happy couples = good reviews for the venue)

Nurturing the Relationship

Getting on a recommended list is step one. Staying there—and becoming the top recommendation—takes ongoing effort.

After Every Event

Send a thank you: Quick email to the coordinator. "Thanks for having us, couple were lovely, everything went smoothly."
Share photos: Send them any professional shots that show the venue beautifully.
Flag issues early: If anything went wrong, own it and explain how you've addressed it.

Throughout the Year

Quarterly check-ins: A quick coffee or call to stay top of mind.
Refer business back: When someone asks you for venue recommendations, send them their way.
Attend their events: Wedding fairs, open days, networking events—be visible.
Seasonal treats: Drop off samples when you launch a new menu. Christmas thank-you gifts.

Track Your Venue Relationships

VendorPad helps you track which venues send you bookings, schedule follow-ups, and measure which relationships are actually delivering. Know where to focus your energy.

Get Early Access

Working with Event Planners

Event planners are slightly different. They're not tied to one venue, but they have huge influence over catering choices.

What Planners Want

Reliability: They've promised their client you'll deliver. Don't make them look bad.
Communication: They're managing multiple suppliers. Be easy to deal with.
Flexibility: Plans change. Can you adapt without drama?
Professional presentation: Quotes, contracts, communication—all polished.

Finding Planners

Wedding planner directories and associations
Instagram (search wedding planners + your area)
Ask venues who they work with
Networking events and wedding fairs

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Being pushy: Build relationships, don't hard-sell. They'll recommend you when they trust you.
Neglecting existing relationships: Don't chase new venues while ignoring ones already sending you work.
Poor follow-through: If you say you'll send something, send it. Immediately.
Expecting instant results: Relationship building takes time. Stay consistent.
Competing on price: If you're the cheapest recommendation, you're not being recommended for the right reasons.

Measuring Success

Track where your bookings come from. After a year, you should know:

Which venues send you the most referrals
Which relationships have the best conversion rates
Which relationships need more attention
Where to focus your relationship-building efforts next year

Venue and planner relationships are a long game. The vendors who commit to building them consistently—showing up, following up, delivering excellently every time—find themselves with a steady stream of warm, high-quality leads while competitors are still fighting for cold enquiries.