Wedding planning marketing isn’t just about social media posts or networking at bridal shows. It’s about building a brand that reflects your values, attracts your ideal couples, and sustains growth—whether you’re serving one city or expanding into multiple states. In today’s episode of Engage Your Brand, I sat down with Irene Katzias of Irene & Co. Events, who has built a thriving multi-market wedding planning and design business serving couples in New York, Connecticut, and Utah. Her story is filled with lessons about scaling, marketing, and the courage it takes to go all in on your business.

🎧 You can also listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on the blog.

Taking Baby Steps into Luxury Weddings

For many wedding pros, the phrase “luxury weddings” can feel intimidating. It’s easy to think that you have to overhaul your entire business overnight to reach that market. But Irene’s experience is a powerful reminder that scaling into luxury doesn’t happen with a giant leap—it happens with small, intentional steps.

Instead of forcing herself into a high-end brand before she was ready, she tested the waters. Each new event became an opportunity to refine her systems, elevate her design approach, and learn how to handle bigger production values.

How to take baby steps into luxury:

• Elevate your client experience with better communication and small touches.
• Test new service levels gradually before fully committing.
• Learn from each event—what felt aligned and what didn’t.
• Build confidence step by step, so you’re prepared for larger-scale weddings.

Betting on Yourself and Going Full-Time

One of the boldest moves Irene made in her career was leaving behind her corporate planning job to run her wedding business full time. This wasn’t a reckless leap—it was a carefully planned decision. She worked an extra job for a year to save up a full year’s salary so she could give herself financial runway to make the transition.

This is where wedding planning marketing plays such a big role. When you’re relying fully on your business, you can’t afford to “wing it” with client leads.

Keys to making the leap:

• Save financial runway before quitting your 9–5.
• Clarify your ideal clients so your marketing speaks directly to them.
• Invest in strategic advertising or networking to build leads.
• Focus on consistency—every small step compounds into momentum.

Vendor Relationships as a Marketing Strategy

Your vendor network is more than just a behind-the-scenes team—it’s part of your marketing. Irene emphasized how her strong vendor relationships boost trust and credibility. When vendors know you’re reliable, they recommend you more confidently.

Ways to market through vendor relationships:

• Prioritize collaboration and communication on wedding days.
• Tag and credit vendors consistently on social media.
• Feature them in your blog posts or resource guides.
• Build a reputation as the planner who makes everyone’s job easier.

Building a Team That Supports Growth

Scaling often means building a team—and that can feel overwhelming for many wedding pros who start out solo. Irene began with contractors and slowly shifted into hiring dedicated team members as her business grew. Today, Irene & Co. Events has 14 staff members across three states.

This kind of growth is also a form of marketing. Your team becomes part of your brand story.

Why team building strengthens your marketing:

• More capacity = more weddings, more visibility.
• Each team member represents your brand at events.
• A strong team communicates stability and professionalism to couples.
• Delegation frees you to focus on high-level marketing and vision.

Expanding into Multiple Markets

Irene started in New York, expanded to Connecticut, and then boldly opened her business in Utah. Each transition brought challenges but also gave her insight into how to market effectively across regions.

Tips for marketing in multiple markets:

• Create SEO-optimized website pages for each location.
• Build vendor relationships in every region you serve.
• Blog about venues and trends specific to each market.
• Show social proof (Instagram posts, client features) from all markets.

Remember: simply saying you serve multiple states isn’t enough. Couples want proof and consistency across platforms.

Using Transparency to Build Trust

Transparency is a key pillar of effective wedding planning marketing. Irene doesn’t shy away from publishing her pricing, and it works in her favor. Clients trust her because they know exactly what to expect before they even get on a call.

Where to practice transparency in your marketing:

• Pricing pages or “starting at” packages.
• FAQs that address common client concerns.
• Contracts and communication about team roles.
• Honest conversations about what’s realistic for budgets and timelines.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Scaling isn’t glamorous all the time. Irene shared the less-polished side of growth, from time zone confusion to last-minute travel shifts. She also emphasized the importance of boundaries and transparency with clients.

Challenges to prepare for:

• Time zones: Meetings get tricky when juggling coasts.
• Travel logistics: Canceled flights and schedule pivots are inevitable.
• Boundaries: Clear contracts help set expectations about who will be present on wedding days.
• Transparency: Clients value clarity more than perfection.

These lessons double as wedding planning marketing: the clearer and more prepared you are, the stronger your reputation becomes.

Leveraging Technology in Wedding Planning Marketing

Technology can streamline your systems and give you an edge in marketing. From CRMs to SEO tools, the right platforms help you appear more professional and responsive to clients. Irene uses Wix’s CRM, proving that sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective.

Tech tools to consider:

• CRM platforms for proposals, contracts, and payments.
• SEO tools to research keywords in your markets.
• Blogging and Pinterest for organic reach.
• Email marketing for consistent communication.

Wedding Planning Marketing for Multi-Market Businesses

Marketing is the foundation that makes expansion sustainable. Irene shared several strategies that any planner can adopt, whether you’re in one market or several.

Wedding planning marketing strategies that work:

• Leverage SEO: Use market-specific keywords, create location pages, and blog consistently.
• Be transparent with pricing: Post clear starting rates for each market to build trust.
• Serve the “money in the middle”: Don’t ignore mid-level clients—they can sustain your revenue while you build luxury credibility.
• Show social proof: Share vendor partnerships, press, and client experiences across platforms.

Balancing Business and Life

Behind the scenes, Irene is not just a planner—she’s a mom of twins balancing family with a thriving business. Instead of striving for perfect balance, she reframes it as work-life flexibility.

What work-life flexibility looks like:

• Taking time off in slower seasons for family adventures.
• Saying no to emails until you can respond thoughtfully.
• Setting boundaries so your team and systems keep things running.
• Remembering that flexibility is a strength of entrepreneurship.

Clients notice when you build a sustainable business—and it makes them more likely to trust you with their wedding day.

The Role of Storytelling in Wedding Planning Marketing

One of the most powerful marketing tools for wedding planners is storytelling. Couples don’t just want to know what services you offer—they want to feel who you are. Irene’s brand story (inspired by Tiffany & Co. and the Cherry Blossom Festival) is a great example of how weaving personal experiences into your brand builds trust and emotional connection.

How to use storytelling in your marketing:

• Share the “why” behind your business.
• Highlight meaningful client stories in blogs or social posts.
• Let your personality come through in your brand visuals and copy.
• Use consistent themes so your story feels cohesive across platforms.

Branding, Authenticity, and a Name That Lasts

Irene’s brand name, Irene & Co. Events, came from meaningful personal stories, blending her Tiffany & Co. memories with the Cherry Blossom Festival trips of her childhood. This personal storytelling became the backbone of her brand identity.

Branding takeaways for wedding pros:

• Choose a name and look that reflect your values and story.
• Infuse authenticity into every marketing touchpoint.
• Remember: your brand is more than a logo—it’s the feeling you create for clients.
• Use storytelling in your wedding planning marketing to connect on a deeper level.

Why Authenticity Is the Future of Wedding Planning Marketing

At the heart of all Irene’s advice is one theme: authenticity. In an industry full of trends, being true to yourself and your ideal client is what makes your marketing stand out.

Authenticity in practice:

• Don’t copy other planners’ brands or strategies.
• Create visuals and messaging that reflect your values.
• Be honest about what you do best (and what you don’t).
• Show up consistently as yourself across all platforms.

Final Takeaways for Wedding Pros

Irene’s story is a blueprint for growing with intention and courage.

Key lessons:

• Take small steps into luxury instead of rushing.
• Prepare financially before going full time.
• Build a team that represents your brand.
• Tailor your marketing to each market you serve.
• Communicate transparently with clients.
• Prioritize flexibility over balance.
• Stay rooted in authenticity—your story is your strength.

At the end of the day, wedding planning marketing is about more than social posts or styled shoots. It’s about the systems you create, the way you communicate, and the trust you build over time.

🎧 Want to hear the full conversation with Irene Katzias? Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or right here on the blog.

If this episode has you thinking about your own brand and how it shows up in your marketing, I’d love to help. Explore my branding and website design services to create a brand presence that feels elevated, strategic, and completely true to you.