Rustic Outdoor Wedding Venue: A Process Automation Success Story

Originally posted July 2021; Updated March 2026

When we first met with our friends at this Minnesota wedding venue, they were completely overwhelmed. In the past, when they hosted 12 weddings a year, the venue’s manual operations sufficed. When we met with them, however, they were hosting 30-50 weddings each year…and still running their business 100% manually. 🫠

Needless to say, they could no longer keep up with the level of communication a business this size demands.

Read on to learn how we helped them implement process automation to better serve their clients, give them back their time, and grow into a thriving, successful business.

The Challenge: Outdated Systems (and a Whole Lot of Stress)

While their manual system served them well when they were a small company, it was no longer working. Sending the right communication at the right time to the right couple was simply not feasible with a manual system. Add to that collecting deposits at the appropriate time and continuing to provide an exemplary customer experience…it was all too much.

They knew things needed to change and came to us for help.

At our first meeting, they showed us the 16+-page spreadsheet taped to the wall that they used to keep track of tasks for each booking. When a task was complete, they would highlight it. At that moment, I looked over at Kevin and could see that he was already working on an automated system in his head while I began dreaming about a bottomless glass of chardonnay. Whew!

We assured our new client that we could help and watched them, almost instantaneously, sink back into their chairs and breathe a huge sigh of relief.

Our Solution: Automation to the Rescue!

We got to work documenting the venue’s onboarding process for new couples and identifying opportunities to enhance and streamline it. We also researched and identified technological solutions that would benefit their business operations.

Ultimately, we were able to:

• Set up a process for online contracts and payment collection
• Build a system for assigning tasks and sending out reminders to the happy couples
• Create an automated solution to allow brides and grooms to book a tour of the facility online 24/7
• Develop an automated follow-up campaign for post-tour feedback

Learn more about process automation here!

3 Automations We Implemented

1. Wedding/Event Automation

We automated their spreadsheet content including all the tasks and timed communications required for 75-100 weddings across a 24-month timespan.

We also automated tasks that are embedded into this process so venue staff members know when they need to be engaged. This automation ends with a “Happy 1st Anniversary!” message to the happy couple.

2. Sales and Tour Automation

We built an online “Schedule a Tour” feature that is integrated with their calendar, so couples can choose a time that works for them based on the venue’s availability. Their calendar is configured with filters to only offer tours on certain days of the week and during certain hours of the day.

The system sends a text and email to both the couple and venue staff with tour reminders. It also automates custom next steps:

• Closed deals lead to automated contracts (with e-signature) and payment processing.
• Follow-up sets a triggered reminder to venue staff on the day appropriate follow up should occur.
• “Just Shopping” outcomes trigger timed communications such as an opportunity to remind the couple what sets their venue apart from other area wedding venues.
• Integration to Quickbooks and automated triggers move the couple into the wedding automation as applicable.

3. Tighter System Integration

We embedded Contact Us, Schedule a Tour, and Request Information forms into the venue’s B&B and weddings websites that tightly integrate multiple systems and allow for direct and automatic entry into the automated systems.

In the end, we helped our client:

• Dramatically increase conversion rates with a follow-up campaign
• Vastly improve their customer experience with streamlined systems
• Save 20-30 hours per month in administrative tasks (a number that quickly doubled in the following months!)
• Spend more time focusing on growing their business

Today, this Minnesota wedding venue is receiving more referrals than ever. They’re back to doing what they love while automation does the heavy lifting!

Want to learn how Marketing Tech Support tasks like process automation can streamline your work and help you grow your business? We’d love to chat! Schedule a discovery call today.