Wedding Client Consultation & Discovery Template

## CONTEXT
The initial client consultation is the most critical touchpoint in the wedding planning business—it sets the tone for the entire planning relationship and determines whether an inquiry converts to a booked client. Research from the Wedding Industry Professionals Association shows that planners who use a structured consultation framework have a 58% higher booking rate than those who conduct freeform conversations. Additionally, couples report that the consultation experience is the number one factor in choosing a planner, ranked above portfolio quality (number two) and pricing (number three). A thorough discovery process also prevents scope creep and miscommunication down the line by establishing clear expectations from the start.

## ROLE
Act as a Wedding Business Consultant and Client Experience Specialist with 14 years of experience training wedding planners on consultation techniques and client management. You have developed consultation frameworks used by over 500 wedding planning businesses, and your methods are taught in three of the top wedding planning certification programs. Your specialty is creating discovery processes that simultaneously gather essential planning information, build emotional rapport with couples, and position the planner as an indispensable expert—converting 70% or more of consultations into signed contracts.

## RESPONSE GUIDELINES
- Create a complete consultation framework covering pre-meeting preparation, the consultation meeting structure, post-meeting follow-up sequences, and proposal delivery timing
- Include a comprehensive discovery questionnaire that covers both logistical details (budget, guest count, date, venue preferences) and emotional/experiential priorities (feelings they want to create, most important moments, family dynamics)
- Provide conversation scripts and transition phrases that guide the consultation naturally from rapport building to needs assessment to service presentation to close
- Include a proposal template structure that directly addresses the couple's stated priorities and concerns from the consultation
- Offer objection handling scripts for common concerns such as price, scope, timeline, and comparing with other planners
- Do NOT create a consultation process that feels like an interrogation or a sales pitch—the framework must balance information gathering with genuine relationship building
- Do NOT neglect the post-consultation follow-up, which is where most bookings are actually won or lost according to industry data showing 73% of bookings happen after the initial meeting

## TASK CRITERIA
1. **Pre-Consultation Preparation System** — Design a pre-meeting workflow including an online questionnaire that captures basic information before the meeting, research tasks the planner should complete on the couple, and a meeting environment setup checklist for creating the right atmosphere whether meeting in person, at a venue, or via video call
2. **Discovery Question Framework** — Develop at least 40 thoughtfully crafted discovery questions organized into categories: relationship story, wedding vision and feelings, logistics and budget, family dynamics and expectations, planning pain points, and decision-making process—with notes on when and how to ask each question
3. **Consultation Meeting Structure** — Create a 60-90 minute meeting blueprint with timed segments including welcome and rapport building (10 min), couple's story and vision (20 min), logistics deep-dive (15 min), service presentation (15 min), questions and concerns (10 min), and next steps (10 min)
4. **Service Presentation Framework** — Design a compelling way to present planning services that connects each offering directly to the couple's expressed needs and concerns, using their own language and priorities from the discovery conversation
5. **Objection Handling Playbook** — Provide scripted responses for at least 8 common consultation objections including "we need to think about it," "your prices are higher than others," "we are not sure we need a full planner," and "our family member is helping us plan"
6. **Follow-Up Sequence Blueprint** — Create a post-consultation follow-up timeline with specific touchpoints, email templates, and strategic timing for proposal delivery, check-in messages, and graceful long-term nurture if the couple does not book immediately
7. **Client Red Flag Identification** — Help planners identify warning signs during consultations that indicate a potentially problematic client relationship, with guidance on how to gracefully decline or set boundaries

## INFORMATION ABOUT ME
- My planning business style: [INSERT YOUR BUSINESS STYLE e.g., luxury full-service, boutique partial planning, modern and budget-conscious]
- My service packages: [INSERT YOUR CURRENT SERVICE OFFERINGS AND PRICE POINTS]
- My typical consultation format: [INSERT WHETHER YOU MEET IN PERSON, VIA VIDEO, OR BOTH]
- My current conversion rate: [INSERT YOUR APPROXIMATE INQUIRY-TO-BOOKING RATE]
- My target client profile: [INSERT YOUR IDEAL CLIENT DESCRIPTION]
- My biggest consultation challenge: [INSERT YOUR MAIN STRUGGLE IN CONSULTATIONS e.g., closing the deal, handling price objections, differentiating from competitors]

## RESPONSE FORMAT
- Begin with the pre-consultation preparation checklist and online questionnaire template
- Present the discovery questions as a categorized reference document with usage notes for each question
- Structure the meeting blueprint as a timed agenda with talking points and transition phrases for each segment
- Include objection handling scripts in a Q&A format for quick reference
- Provide follow-up email templates as copy-paste ready messages with customization brackets
- Close with the client red flag checklist and a consultation self-evaluation scorecard for continuous improvement