If you’re a wedding professional wondering why your marketing isn’t working, you’re definitely not alone. I just sat on a marketing panel with other business owners and the things we uncovered?

They explained SO much about why so many of us feel stuck.

A few weeks ago, Tayler from Enji invited me to join a panel discussion alongside Dolly from Systems and Workflow Magic, Kelsie from Kelsie Cakes, Amanda from Francis Henri, and Katherine from Amanda Matilda Photography. We talked about the State of Small Business Marketing Report, and honestly? Some of the findings made me go, “Wait, THAT’S why marketing isn’t working for so many people!”

I said yes to the panel because I wanted to know: am I seeing the same struggles with my Boda Bliss clients that everyone else is dealing with?

Turns out, absolutely yes.

In this post, you’ll learn why marketing feels so frustrating for so many wedding professionals, what’s actually causing the disconnect, and how to fix it with a simple, sustainable plan.

The Real Reason Why Marketing Isn’t Working: Most Wedding Pros Don’t Have a Marketing Plan

Here’s the first thing that blew my mind during the panel discussion.

Most wedding professionals don’t have a marketing plan. At all. Not even scribbled on a napkin.

I genuinely thought most people had at least something written down. You know, like a loose outline of monthly goals or a rough content calendar. But nope. According to the data, most business owners are just winging it week after week.

And suddenly, it all clicked. That’s exactly why marketing isn’t working for so many talented wedding pros.

What Happens When You Don’t Have a Marketing Plan for Wedding Professionals

Picture this: You wake up Monday morning, open Instagram, and think, “Okay, what should I post today?”

You scroll for 20 minutes looking for inspiration. You spend another 30 minutes creating something. By the time you hit publish, you’ve burned an hour. And tomorrow? You’ll do the same thing all over again.

This is what I call marketing analysis paralysis. You know you need to show up, but you don’t have a plan, so you end up overthinking everything. Should I post this? Is this the right message? What if nobody engages?

The wedding industry is especially bad about this because we’re creatives. We want things to feel organic and authentic. But here’s the truth bomb: when it comes to marketing, “organic” usually just means “inconsistent.”

A Simple Marketing Plan You Can Actually Maintain

Okay, so what’s the fix? You need a marketing plan for wedding professionals that actually makes sense for your life.

And I’m not talking about a 50-page strategy document. I’m talking about a one-page roadmap that answers these questions:

• What’s your goal this month? (Example: Book 2 more spring weddings, get 50 new email subscribers)
• Where are you showing up? (Example: Instagram, Pinterest, email, maybe a blog)
• What are you creating? (Example: 2 blog posts, 4 Instagram posts per week, 1 email)
• When are you doing it? (Example: Mondays for planning, Wednesdays for creating content)

That’s literally it. You’re not trying to do everything. You’re just giving yourself a roadmap so you’re not starting from scratch every single week.

Why Your Marketing Isn’t Working: You’re on the Wrong Platform

Okay, this next part? It’s a game-changer.

During the panel, Tayler asked Dolly and me: “The report shows effort is up, but results often aren’t. Where do you think the disconnect is happening?”

My answer: People are hustling on the wrong platforms.

This is a HUGE reason why marketing isn’t working for wedding professionals. You’re putting in the work, but you’re putting it in the wrong place.

The Instagram Trap (Why Marketing Isn’t Working Even Though You Post Every Day)

Let me guess. You think you have to be on Instagram to get wedding clients, right?

I get it. Everyone in the wedding industry is there. Other photographers are posting daily. Planners are sharing behind-the-scenes. It feels like if you’re not on Instagram, you don’t exist.

But here’s what I learned: that’s just not true for every business.

Instagram might be perfect for photographers who need to showcase portfolios. But if you’re a wedding planner, officiant, or DJ? Your ideal clients might actually be finding you through Google, Pinterest, vendor referrals, or your email list.

If you don’t know where your leads are ACTUALLY coming from, you’re spreading yourself thin. You’re working harder without working smarter. And that’s exactly why your marketing isn’t working.

How to Figure Out Where Your Clients Actually Find You

This is going to sound almost too simple, but I promise it works.

Ask every single person who contacts you: “How did you find me?”

Then write it down. Use a spreadsheet, a notebook, your phone notes, whatever. Just track it.

After a few months, you’ll start seeing patterns. Like:

• 70% of your inquiries came from Google searches
• Half came from other vendor referrals
• Your email list is secretly crushing it
• Instagram is… crickets

Once you know the truth, you can stop wasting time on platforms that aren’t serving you. You can finally put your effort where it actually matters.

Breaking Through Marketing Analysis Paralysis: The Consistency Problem

Here’s a stat from the report that made everyone on the panel nod: 44% of small business owners said consistency was the thing they should be doing but aren’t.

When Tayler asked me what’s getting in the way of consistency, I told her the truth: most people don’t have a plan AND they don’t have a dedicated day for marketing.

This is where marketing analysis paralysis really shows up. You sit down to create content and you’re hit with decision fatigue. You overthink it, get overwhelmed, and then just… don’t do it. Marketing gets pushed to tomorrow. Tomorrow becomes next week. Next week becomes “I’ll start fresh next month.”

The “I’ll Post When I Feel Inspired” Problem

I had a client once tell me she only posted on Instagram when she felt inspired.

And look, I totally get wanting your content to feel authentic. But here’s the reality check: if you want your business to make money, you can’t wait for inspiration to strike.

Inspiration is beautiful. But it’s not a business strategy. It’s not going to pay your bills.

How to Actually Get Consistent (Without Losing Your Mind)

Here’s what works: block dedicated time for marketing on your calendar.

I’m talking about CEO days or marketing days where this is THE priority. Not “I’ll do it if I have time.” Not “I’ll post when I feel like it.”

You schedule it like you’d schedule a wedding consultation. Because if you don’t show up for marketing, you don’t get new clients. Simple as that.

Treat Your Marketing Like a Client (This Changed Everything for Me)

At the end of the panel, I shared something that really resonated with people: treat your marketing like a client.

Think about it. If you have a client meeting at 2 p.m., do you skip it because you’re not feeling inspired? No. Do you push it to tomorrow because you’re busy? Nope. You show up because if you don’t, you don’t get paid.

Marketing works exactly the same way.

If you keep pushing marketing to the side, leads won’t magically show up later. You can’t ghost your marketing and expect it to deliver results.

What This Actually Looks Like in Real Life

Okay, so how do you actually do this?

Step 1: Block time on your calendar for marketing. Two hours minimum. Label it “Marketing Client Meeting” if that helps you take it seriously.

Step 2: Pick ONE platform to focus on. Not five. One. The one where your leads are already coming from.

Step 3: Create a simple marketing plan for wedding professionals for the next 30 days. What’s your goal? What are you posting? When are you posting it? Write it down.

Step 4: Track everything. Every lead who contacts you, ask how they found you. Track it. Review it monthly.

Step 5: Give yourself permission to focus on what’s working instead of trying to do everything.

Your Action Plan: Fixing Why Marketing Isn’t Working for You

If you’re reading this thinking, “Okay, I’m convinced. But where do I even start?” here’s your step-by-step plan:

This Week:

• Audit your current marketing. Where are your leads ACTUALLY coming from?
• Identify what’s taking up time but not giving you results
• Delete or step back from platforms that aren’t working

Next Week:

• Block 2 hours on your calendar for “Marketing Client Meeting”
• Pick your ONE platform to focus on
• Create a simple one-page marketing plan for the next 30 days

Every Month:

• Review where your leads came from
• Look at what content performed well
• Adjust your plan based on what’s actually working
• Do a marketing reset (clean desk, fresh start, new energy)

When You’re Ready to Go Deeper:

• Set up a system for tracking leads consistently
• Create templates so you’re not starting from scratch
• Build out your marketing framework (more on that in my next post

Watch the State of Small Business Marketing Panel on Why Marketing Isn’t Working

Want to hear the complete conversation? There’s so much more we covered about metrics, decision fatigue, and what other business owners are changing this year.

Watch the Full Panel: The State of Small Business Marketing Panel hosted by Enji

See how Enji supports small business marketing.

Conclusion

If your marketing isn’t working, it’s not because you’re lazy, bad at marketing, or doing nothing. It’s because you don’t have a clear plan guiding your effort. Without that structure, it’s easy to fall into analysis paralysis, overthink every post, spread yourself too thin across platforms, and wait for inspiration instead of building consistency.

The good news is that this is fixable.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire business overnight. You just need to choose one thing from this post and commit to it for the next 30 days. That’s how momentum builds. That’s how clarity replaces overwhelm.

If you want help building a marketing plan that actually fits your life and workload, that’s exactly what I do at Boda Bliss. This usually starts with a marketing audit so we can clearly see what’s working, what’s not, and where your focus should be.

Learn more how Boda Bliss helps with your marketing systems.

I also want to acknowledge the other business owners who contributed their insight during the State of Small Business Marketing panel.

Thank you to Tayler and the team at Enji, Dolly of Systems and Workflow Magic, Kelsie of Kelsie Cakes, Amanda of Francis Henri, and Katherine of Amanda Matilda Photography for sharing your perspectives and helping move these conversations forward in a meaningful way.

Because you deserve a business that feels lighter, more organized, and more sustainable. And it all starts with a plan.