It’s your big day! You’re marrying the love of your life in a beautifully planned ceremony, surrounded by your nearest and dearest.
As you embark on the rest of your life, what could ruin it? Oh, yeah — the price!
With the average U.S. wedding nearing $30,000, couples are increasingly looking for ways to cut the costs, but not quality. That’s where wedding sponsors come in.
Why would anyone sponsor your wedding? Two words: product placement.
If you have a large circle of friends and family or a social media following, companies may be willing to sponsor everything from centerpieces to your dress in order to get their products in front of the right people.
Below, we explain how wedding sponsorship works and how exactly to go about getting sponsored.
How It Works
Wedding sponsorship can be split into two categories — single sponsorship and multi-sponsorship.
Single Sponsorship
In a single sponsorship arrangement, the wedding sponsor will foot the bill for pretty much your entire wedding — everything from catering to decorations.
This type of sponsorship is harder to attain, although not impossible.
Couples it may appeal to include those having themed weddings, couples with an interesting story interwoven into their relationship, or weddings based around one particular service or company anyway — like a wedding at a hotel where all the guests have a room there too.
Multi-Sponsorship
A multi-sponsorship wedding accepts sponsors from many different companies for different aspects of the big day.
For example, one company might sponsor flowers, another might cover entertainment, and a third might provide the venue.
A benefit to having multiple wedding sponsors is that the sponsored aspects of your wedding will be cared for by a specialist (e.g., a professional florist will provide the flowers).
However, this type of sponsorship can be a little harder to organize since you’ll need to approach a variety of companies with specialized pitches.
What Couples Are Most Likely to Get Sponsors?
Ultimately, potential sponsors will be looking to advertise to an audience. But, don’t be fooled into thinking wedding sponsorship is only for big, lavish weddings.
It is, of course, beneficial for companies to have a target audience pre-assembled for them (i.e., your wedding guests), but it’s by no means a prerequisite. Think about it from a business perspective — they just want to reach anyone you can reach.
So, if you’re only planning a wedding for a small number of people to attend — for instance, 50 guests — is there a way you can still spread your wedding (and, by extension, your sponsor) to hundreds or even thousands of individuals?
Think outside the box. Do you have a prominent social media presence? A blog with strong readership or a large network on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook will attract sponsors.
Wedding sponsors will want you to share pictures of your wedding that highlight their products or services. Highly social couples, whether in real life or online, can do really well with sponsors.
Even if you don’t have a raving fan base, if you can show sponsors that your wedding pictures may show up all over the internet — or in front of the right eyes — they’ll likely grab on and join you for the ride.
Step-By-Step Guide
For some of us, an opportunity might just fall into our laps. Out of the blue, a company could approach you and offer full or partial sponsorship of your wedding.
It’s not unheard of, but it is kind of rare. Most couples should expect to do the leg work on their own.
Approaching companies, pitching deals, negotiating terms, and finalizing practical arrangements will be your responsibility.
Step 1: Choose Your Sponsors
You probably have an idea of what your wedding might look like, which should help to identify a few companies as a starting point. Sites like Pinterest and Instagram are great for inspiration (search by keywords or hashtags).
Don’t be afraid to go big, but think about your local area, too. Are there any up-and-coming brands or businesses in your city? Essentially, what companies are looking for is a bit of free publicity?
No one appreciates freeloaders. Show you’re worth it. Sincerity and genuine interest are beneficial. It’ll shine through in your favor in the next step after you’ve identified your targets.
Ask yourself, “What business could really benefit from becoming my wedding sponsor?”
Step 2: Prepare Your Pitch
Appealing to companies online is all about creating a brand out of your wedding.
If you don’t already have some form of blog or social media account (wedding-based or not) reaching a few hundred followers, you’ll want to create an account on a website like The Knot, Project Wedding, or similar.
This will be kind of like your wedding resume — something to send to companies so they can get an overview of you and your partner, along with a cover letter detailing who you are, what you’d like, and what you can offer in return.
Companies get loads of correspondence. Find a way to make it memorable and pique their interest early on. Add (relevant) pictures — perhaps of you using their product, lead with a pun, make it colorful…
Also, make sure your friends/family meet the company’s target audience. If your family and friends are into horseback riding, pitch to sponsors in that industry who will appreciate putting their product in front of enthusiasts.
Use common sense here. This can be really fun. Having wedding sponsors can really make things cooler and more fun than without.
Step 3: Negotiate
Communication is key and no matter how good your opening pitch might be, don’t let poor negotiation keep you from clinching the deal.
Think of your potential sponsor as a business partner. Be open and sincere with them — but, above all, be polite.
Give them a chance to state their terms, too — there will undoubtedly be things they will want in return.
Here are some things to consider:
- Your highest/lowest offer: The company doesn’t need to know this, but you yourself should know where you’ll draw the line so as not to end up with a sponsorship you don’t actually want.
- Confidence: This will show your sponsor that you’re not wasting anyone’s time and that you believe it’s a genuinely good opportunity. A bit like how employers can tell when they’ve received a blanket resume and a tailored one, sponsors will know if you really want them, or just really want any sponsor.
- Compromise: Come up with lots of options. That way, if a sponsor suggests something you aren’t keen on, you don’t have to just say no – you can come back with a modified alternative. Be willing to compromise on certain aspects, but don’t let a company take complete control! Saving money is great, but you don’t want to end up with a wedding detail you dislike because it saved you $100.
Step 4: Finalize the Deal
It’s very likely that on your big day you’ll be incredibly busy. Most professional businesses and services will know what they’re doing and finish the job to a great standard, but why not nominate somebody to act as your sponsorship middleman?
Your “Best Marketer” might be your maid of honor, best man, or someone else from your family or wedding party. They’ll act as the appointed king/queen of wedding sponsors.
If you’ve kept all your correspondence, which you should, this person can take charge of everything and you can sign it off at the end. It is best to have some kind of written confirmation of what you and the company will provide to each other.
Success Stories
So, do people actually do this? Well, yes! While some couples have had just one aspect sponsored, others have gone big.
Smaller companies are easier to approach and negotiate deals with, but in 2014 a Florida couple created internet buzz when they sought $30,000 in wedding sponsorship to elope to Thailand.
The couple asked for help from Fortune 500 companies, who were keen to get involved after the controversial decision to have company logos on the bride’s dress and the groom’s tuxedo went viral.
Another New York couple got married in front of 7,000 baseball fans, including 500 guests of their own, at the KeySpan Park in Brooklyn.
Contributors to the $20,000 price tag of their big day included 1-800-Flowers, who were more than happy to be involved in the baseball-themed celebration.
Subtle Sponsorship Tips
The above stories are extravagant examples. Not everyone will feel comfortable in front of an audience of 7,000, nor would they want to compromise on something as important as the dress.
But, there are lots of options out there for subtle sponsorship.
Why not consider incorporating a logo into name cards or table centerpieces? Wedding sponsors love this as it can get guests talking.
Perhaps your food can be provided by a local restaurant for free or at a discount by allowing them to distribute business cards on each table.
If your photography is sponsored, you could agree to post out a few thank you notes to them on social media. Or ‘paying’ them back could even be as simple as a shout-out from the DJ or band!
Treat your wedding sponsors well. Bear in mind, as well, that logos can already be seen at many weddings. Think of how you can capitalize on something that already exists — for example, logos on server uniforms or placemats.
If you’re really opposed to visible logos, why not think about displaying company names in your wedding program, giving guests the option to check them out themselves if they were really impressed by the service.
But, visible sponsorship isn’t completely necessary. You can have a logo-free sponsored wedding by using your wedding website to advertise and thank sponsors.
Visitors are diverted to sponsor’s websites, giving them increased traffic. As mentioned before, if you have an audience, it’s much easier to get your wedding sponsored.
And, if you don’t have an internet audience, consider the options of a couple who sold advertising space at their Mexico ceremony and reception — namely on invitations, thank you cards, dinner table scrolls, and a verbal thank you toast.
They also took out an ad in their local newspaper to thank the total of 24 companies who contributed to their day and bought two internet domain names to create further exposure for their wedding sponsors.
Sometimes, aspects of your wedding can be sponsored without any sort of obvious recognition to the sponsor. Kate Middleton didn’t pay for her wedding dress. You can bet luxury fashion house Alexander McQueen gave her the dress simply because they knew people would ask, “Who’s she wearing?”
The Pros
- Saving money: Your money (or your family’s money) could go towards a more lavish honeymoon or the down payment on your first home as a couple.
- Professional service: Brands have their reputations on the line when they sponsor you, so you can expect quality. This makes things easier on you since you don’t have to take all the responsibility for your arrangements.
- Expanding the guestlist: Your wedding could be bigger as a result of your sponsorships — invite friends or relatives you couldn’t originally afford to invite.
- Do good on your big day: If all goes well, you might help a small business get off the ground or boost your local economy.
The Cons
- Effort: It can be a lot of legwork for you and/or your Best Marketer.
- Compromise: You may have to compromise on certain aspects of your wedding to allow for sponsors — for example, choosing your second-choice venue or using certain colors.
In Summary
Most people dream of their wedding day and wouldn’t compromise on anything. And that’s fine.
But, for some, the expense can be really daunting and the idea of subtle wedding sponsors for certain aspects can be really enticing.
It is possible to have a beautifully crafted sponsored wedding, but you’ll probably have to weigh up your position on willingness to compromise and even share the limelight on your big day.
Everyone will feel differently about this. But, if you’re curious and keen to stay thrifty, it couldn’t hurt to send out a few emails and scope the interest from businesses near you.
Suggested further reading: These Places Will Rent You a Wedding Dress
Comment
I am a 21 years old in South Africa, can I also be sponsored?
Hi Irene,
After doing some initial searching, it looks like wedding sponsorship is a growing trend in South Africa. Try contacting local companies in your area and see if they’d be up for sponsoring your wedding – if you have something you can offer to them in return (increased marketing and visibility, for example), they’ll probably be much more inclined to hear you out.
Best of luck and congrats on the wedding!
Hi.. okay thanks so much, will do thank you 🙂
hai hope you are fine,
me and my partner have been dating for 7years now and we have decided to get married next year, but do not have enough resources to support ourselves, please help. Agness
Hi Agness,
Getting businesses to sponsor your wedding in exchange for advertising is definitely an option! Follow the guidelines in our article. To get started, brainstorm about what kind of advertising you’d find acceptable at your wedding, and draw up a proposal to show companies explaining how they’d benefit, and what you’ll expect in return. Good luck and congrats!
Comment
Hello, am so glad for this!!!
Me and my partner hv been together for the last 9years and we’ve made a decision of getting married on the 16 Dec 2017.Our introduction will also be on the 25th Nov which is a bit challenging for us to carryout those two functions within that short time.Am requesting for help on how to get my wedding sponsored.Thanks
Hi Angel,
Congrats on your engagement and upcoming wedding to your partner! You should work on identifying some businesses that might be interested, for example because they’re local and you have some connection, or because they’re new and need advertising. Try making up a sponsorship proposal that you could shop around to the businesses you identify. Be sure to emphasize in your proposal why it’s in the business’s interest to sponsor — your social assets, large families, large friend groups, and social media reach, are all great assets to point out. I hope this helps!
Hi! I just came across this article and I’m intrigued. 🙂 My fiancé and I have been engaged for about a month and are planning a summer wedding for 2018. We both have large families, large friend groups, and a tight budget. The idea of getting a sponsor for a wedding is something we may need to look into. Is doing something as small as napkins with a logo interesting enough for a sponsor?
Hi Nina,
Yes, a business could definitely be interested in having their logo on their napkins. You should work on identifying some businesses that might be interested, for example because they’re local and you have some connection, or because they’re new and need advertising. Try making up a sponsorship proposal that you could shop around to the businesses you identify. Be sure to emphasize in your proposal why it’s in the business’s interest to sponsor — your social assets, large families, large friend groups, and social media reach, are all great assets to point out.
Thank you!! 🙂
Thank you for the article. I have been thinking of ways to pay for my wedding. After my accident in early February, it has been a financial headache not to mention planning a wedding. We had to push the date back, but the vendors I desire, how do I ask them to sponsor our wedding? I don’t want to feel like a charity case but i do want to help upcoming business.
Hi Nesh,
Your first step in contacting the potential sponsor will be to identify which business is a good candidate to sponsor your wedding. Chose businesses based on what you want your wedding to be like, what your personal interests are, a pre-existing relationship with the business, etc. To get into contact, you’ll have to find the contact info for the business. When you contact them, it’s good to have a pitch or proposal. You should be able to tell them what you want from them, and why it’s in their interest to sponsor you. Be able to tell them what advertising reach they’ll get out of sponsoring. If you approach it as a business deal and describe it as a win-win for both parties, you won’t come off as a charity case and people will think your helpful.
hi
please i am in ghana and i want my wedding to be sponsored,how can i get the help
Hi Joshua,
I wish I could be of more help, but unfortunately, I am not sure if getting wedding sponsors outside of the U.S. is a common practice and if there are companies that will do this in Ghana.
Hello,
just would like a suggestion on how to start off a letter to a company to try and get them to sponsor you??
anything helps please
Hi Jessica,
Your best bet is to send them an email that introduces yourself and your fiance and then include an explanation of why you would like to use their products/services. Be sure to speak to your (and your fiance’s) social media presence (How many Facebook friends do you have, for example), as well as the size of the wedding. Whatever you can tell them that would make sponsoring your wedding a smart financial move for them is worth including. Good luck!
Hello,
My fiance and i want to have a sports themed wedding.. baseball.. but we actually like 2 different teams.. I Love the Dodgers and he loves the angels. So who or what companies can i try to contact to be a sponsor for us and what can i tell them?? please help!!
thank you in advance
Jessica,
Unfortunately, due to the volume of comments we receive, we aren’t able to accommodate individual requests. I recommend conducting a search online of sports-themed wedding service providers and then contacting the ones whom you’re most interested in working with. You’ll want to leverage any social media networks you may have to persuade the companies you contact (since they’ll be after the free publicity that sponsoring your wedding could offer them). I hope this helps!
My fiancée and I got engaged on stage at Bruce Springsteen concert last year and it was all over the news and the internet.
Our wedding is 11/25/17 at a resort in upstate NY where all of our guests will stay all weekend. Do you think we can leverage this? If so, how?
Michael,
Congratulations! It sounds like an exciting engagement, and I’m sure you could find many wedding service providers who’d love to get some extra publicity from your news and internet fame. Unfortunately, due to the volume of comments that we receive, we’re not able to help with specific, individual requests, but I recommend reaching out to businesses near the resort where you’ll wed to find out who might be interested in sponsoring various elements of your wedding. Best of luck to you and your fiancée!
Joshua,
Unfortunately, due to the volume of comments that we receive, we’re not able to help with specific, individual requests. First Quarter Finance is a personal finance website and we do not sponsor weddings. The article above details how you may go about reaching out to sponsors who may wish to sponsor your wedding in exchange for free publicity. I hope this helps!
I’m planning on getting married on 23 June 2017.
We are looking for sponsor for our wedding. We live in independence mo just outside kansas city mo. We are going country sheek. We chose venue pine dell horse farm in lees summit mo. We are willing to compromise in order for sponsorship. For the meal we are thinking of comfort food. And in exchange for sponsorship we would be advertising your product and or company. Our guest list is approximately 70 to 100 guests. Everywhere from California to just outside Philadelphia PA. And in between. So it will get social media across the US and all the way to Samoa.
The cost is approximately $3500 to $4000 . Any all sponsorship is appreciated
Richard,
Unfortunately, due to the volume of comments that we receive, we’re not able to help with specific, individual requests. First Quarter Finance is a personal finance website and we do not sponsor weddings. The article above details how you may go about reaching out to sponsors who may wish to sponsor your wedding in exchange for free publicity. I hope this helps!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge in this article. Looked this up because we just got engaged and are planning a large wedding of about 400-500, mostly my family and friends. I also have a large following on Facebook and am pretty sure it will benefit quite a few companies to sponsor our wedding and get some publicity.
I just had something tragic happen in my family so have to take care of my siblings. We also just moved to NC, which makes it pretty hard financially to be planning a large wedding. Because I have been blessed with so many awesome people in my life, I will hate for any of them to miss my wedding. On the other hand, we would not want to incur a huge bill and start the marriage with a financial burden. So will be researching and getting some sponsors for the wedding of my dream.
Thank you so much for your guidance on this! Blessings your way!
Quinta,
You’re welcome! I’m so sorry to hear of the tragedy in your family. Planning a wedding is always a huge undertaking, even without the additional challenges of caring for your siblings, getting used to a new place, and hosting a crowd, so I’m thrilled to hear that you found the information in our article helpful. It sounds like you’re ready to leverage your Facebook following to find sponsors and make the big day perfect without spending a ton. I wish you the very best of luck!
I have only one question to ask as a matter of clarification, do you sponsor people who are in need of your financial assistance from your company or do you give advice to people?
Michael,
I’m glad you asked! First Quarter Finance publishes accurate, actionable personal finance articles on the web, and we hope that reading this one will help you identify businesses that might be willing to sponsor your wedding in exchange for free publicity. We don’t sponsor individuals in need of financial assistance, but we are more than happy to answer questions about how you can find wedding sponsors. I hope this helps!
don’t have enough money for my wedding could you help
Cathy,
The article you see above should provide you with a good idea of where to start in looking for companies who might be willing to sponsor your wedding. If you have any specific questions, just leave another comment. Thanks, and best of luck!
I got married last year on the 26 of November 2016 though the wedding was not big but to my surprise the attendance was amazing everybody was happy and enjoying themselves, so I thank my family, friends and neighbors for supporting me and my wife. Now what left is to settle the debts I have created to my wedding becoming a success and indeed everything went well according to our(my partner and myself) plan.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for following up with your story! I’m happy to hear that the wedding was just what you and your wife wanted. Congratulations again on your wedding!
Hello my bf and i just got engaged and since we are HUGE sports fans.. we got engaged at an LA Kings Hockey game.. therefore we want to have a Hockey themed wedding. Unfortunately we don’t have the means to pay for our wedding at this time especially because it would be a big wedding because I have a big family and we would like to get married next summer. so If I ask the Staples Center if they would like to sponsor us, is it just that they give us money or they would give us money for a certain thing for the wedding???? I’m trying to see if I understand this whole wedding sponsorship correctly sorry
Also, would we have to claim this money on our taxes??
Hi Jessica,
Congratulations on your engagement!
Rather than the Staples Center simply writing you a check, it’s more likely that you’d be able to work out some kind of exchange — e.g., you have banners or other “product placement” promoting the Center at your wedding, and in exchange the Staples Center will provide something for you, whether that’s decorations, a venue, catering, etc. Because the Staples Center is such a major institution, it’s likely that you’ll have to have something valuable you can offer in order for the Staples Center representatives to be interested, so think carefully about the value that you’ll be providing for them. As far as tax considerations, the sponsorship may be considered a barter, in which case the value of the services received by both parties is considered taxable income. (This is a considerable simplification of the actual tax rules; you can read more about the tax requirements on barters in this article from Forbes.) I hope this helps, and best of luck with your wedding!
Would a viral engagement video be enough to get sponsors?
Hi D,
A viral engagement video could absolutely help get you sponsors for your wedding! It proves to companies that you can attract a sizable following online, and that’s really what wedding sponsors are after: an audience. If you can sell businesses on the idea that the pictures and videos from your wedding can also reach a huge audience, whether through the large number of guests actually attending the ceremony or (even better) through the number of followers that you can reach through social media, then you’ll have a good chance of securing sponsors for your wedding. Remember that you want to capitalize on the success of the engagement video by presenting a compelling argument that you can make the same magic work for images, videos, or posts from your wedding that feature the company’s products. Best of luck!
hello . thanks for info. Are u able to please help me find companies to assist us with our wedding. we are planning for summer this year: august and have been pushing the wedding for over 10 years now due to financial difficulties. we don’t want a big wedding and Any help will be highly appreciated. just wandering if they help only people in the USA or these companies help those who live in Canada as well .
Hi Bel,
Canadian companies, just like American companies, are generally out to make money — so it’s very possible that plenty of companies in your area would be willing to help with your wedding, as long as they’re getting something out of the deal. You’ll need to figure out a sort of “business pitch” as to what you can offer these companies in exchange for sponsorship. Since your wedding will be relatively small, it won’t provide the kind of big audience that a huge, well-established company is probably looking for; small, local businesses that are most in need of exposure will probably be your best bet. Think about what your wedding needs from companies, think about what companies can get out of sponsoring your wedding, and then you can start reaching out by phone or email to likely candidates in your region. Hopefully one or a few of the companies you contact will be able to work with you to come to a mutually beneficial arrangement. Best of luck (and congrats on getting married)!
Thank you at least I have tried my best.
Am from Kenya and would wish to do a wedding,am a Catholic and cannot receive a sacrament since we have not done a wedding. If I get i sponsor I would realy appreciate him/her the rest of my life and give God forever all the glory
Kindly provide me with the companies that will able to assist me in fulfilling my dreams, small, new or local business.
Hi Michael,
As far as local businesses, you’ll have to do some local research! It’s a good idea to first think about what kind of companies would be likely to sponsor your wedding. If you’re planning a big wedding, you’ll have a bigger range of companies to choose from. Decide if there’s something unique or appealing to prospective advertisers about your wedding — then just try a Google search for related companies in your area, and start calling, emailing, etc. Let us know if you have any more questions and best of luck!
I am not planning a big wedding and what I need is one of the companies to assist me with is rentals of two wedding cars, not luxury cars but beautiful wedding cars because I can’t rent a car based on the fact that I do not have a credit card, so I am requesting one of the companies to assist me with that.
And also to assist me with R20 000 to cover the weeding cost cause I have R30 000 at the moment excluding the things I have bought since September 2016.
I am hoping you to assist me in finding those companies that will able to make my wedding a success.
Hi Michael,
As far as renting a car without a credit card, depending on where you are, there are many companies who may be willing to rent to you with just a debit card (you can read about those companies here). There aren’t too many details I can offer about specific companies who would be willing to assist with your wedding, because there’s just so many variables involved in this situation. Try to think like a business: most places won’t want to help you just to be nice, so you have to think of what you can offer a business in exchange for their product or services. That will depend on the details of your wedding (things like location, guests, venue, theme, etc.). Then you’ll need to track down companies who may be potential sponsors and make your case.
I am getting married on the 26 of November 2016 and I am looking for a company that will sponsor my wedding,can you please assist.It will be a one day wedding ceremony.
Hi Michael,
That’s coming up pretty soon, so it might be difficult to find sponsors in the month or so before the wedding. A good place to start is by thinking about the things that your wedding will include (decorations, music, food, etc.) and then finding companies local to your area who might provide you with some of those things in exchange for product placement or free advertising instead of money. In this case, small, new, local businesses will be your best bet, since they’ll be the most in need of exposure and advertising. I hope this helps (and congratulations)!
Comment
I need support to fund my wedding scheduled 3rd Feb 2017
budget estimated to be $10000
Hi Ayebazibwe,
First of all, congrats on your engagement! To get started, I recommend you take a look at local companies in your area to find a business who would be willing to sponsor you. If you already have an idea what your wedding will look like, you can make a sort of business pitch about why it would be beneficial for a business to help sponsor your wedding. You can brainstorm on sites like Pinterest or Instagram for what you would like your wedding to include. From there, you can contact related companies to ask if they might be interested. Best of luck!
Hello I’m Cam I was looking for some help with my wedding I would love to have a winter type wedding in the Mountains. If any one would love to help out a loving person Soon to be a princess on that big day feel FREE to reach out Thank You
please I am from cameroon and my wedding is coming up soon but I and my fiance don’t have enough to sponsor the wedding but we really wish to get married. please help us
Hey, I just got engaged on Labor Day and I’m looking for sponsors to helps pay for my wedding
Hi Will, if not to busy could you possibly email me. Thanks
Hi Cassandra,
I could – though answering questions publicly is ideal. This way, many people are helped by the answer. What is your question?
Thank you so much for this great article. My fiance and I are getting married next 7.29.17 out at my parents lake house in washington state.
My parents house looks like it should be on the cover of Pottery Barn or Better Home and Gardens, so I was thinking it would be amazing to surprise my parents with features in a magazine with our wedding day.
My mother is such an amazing decorator and planner but I want her to be able to enjoy the day so sponsorship of flowers will be something I may be looking in too. It’s going to be a whimsical woodsy wedding so I was wondering if you had any thoughts or suggestions on reaching out to magazines?!
Thanks for your help!
Hi Kami,
Congrats! Here are the top wedding magazines based on readership. Town & Country Weddings would be a good fit. And definitely, definitely reach out to local resources. Those places won’t have such deep pockets but yours parents’ home may be a nice place to showcase their offerings to a local crowd. Enjoy!
Hello,
Can you help me I would like to give my future wife a nice wedding, but we really have no money we are ok with a small wedding. I been trying to save up but its has not been easy. Can you help me at less get started. I really hope I am able to find some sponsors for us it will really make her happy.
Hi Orlando,
People who have the easiest time finding sponsors are those that are planning a large wedding, have a large social media following or will have guests that have a very specific interest such as basketball, horse racing, video games – it can be anything. These are all potential gold mines for sponsors who want a large audience and/or a very targeted audience. If none of these apply to you, you can still call around locally. Many local businesses will sponsor your wedding without much in return. Just remember that this is an article about getting weddings sponsored, not getting things donated to weddings. So remember to think like the advertiser and let them know how you will add value for them. In the future, we may write a piece about how to get free things for your wedding. If/when that time comes, we will post a link to the page at the end of this article.
Enjoy the process, Orlando!
Good Afternoon, I just got engaged this past friday 8/19/16. My Fiance’ and I had been together for 4 1/2 years. We already set a date for 7/7/17. I’ve been looking into wedding Venue’s here in San Diego. So far everything is very expensive;-/. I would love to have the wedding of my dreams how do I go about getting sponsored. I am highly curious;-).
Hi Lashay,
Congratulations on getting married! Excellent date you’ve chosen as well.
In order to get your wedding sponsored, think like a sponsor. Why would they love to help pay for your wedding? Common reasons include: you have a large social media following, it will be a very large wedding and/or wedding attendees are very passionate about a certain industry such as horse racing. These allow the advertiser to get in front of a large audience and/or a very targeted audience. Remember that if you struggle to find sponsors, allow them to subtly advertise to your guests. Such as a flower company who inserts business cards into the center pieces. And if anyone finds it odd that you’re asking for sponsorship, they merely need educated on the benefits. So don’t be afraid to tell them why your wedding would be a good advertising opportunity for them. Enjoy getting sponsors!
Can I get help for wedding expenses?
Hi Sowmya,
The above post should provide you with a good idea of whether or not companies will be willing to sponsor your wedding. If you have any specific questions, just leave another comment. Thanks!
Thank you for this. I am ecstatic to reach out to a company to sponsor my wedding. If it wasn’t for their product and my volunteer work I would never be marrying this amazing man who accepted myself and 3 children to love. When I got to the website which is best way to contact the company? and how do you recommend the first email to look like?
Very blessed to have read this article
Hi Marie,
Sounds like you’ll have a great wedding and getting sponsored would be icing on the (wedding) cake. Congrats. The initial email should be sent to the public relations team. If you can find emails for individuals, send it to the person with the most authority. For the contents of the email, remember to answer their inevitable question of ‘What’s in it for me?’ Tell them what kind of ‘publicity’ you could offer them. Make them want you. Then you can finish the email with your personal story. Just keep it brief, yet heart-warming. People are busy so make this email as short as possible while still getting your message across. Now, emails are often disregarded. So if you don’t get a response within a week, get on the phone, mail a physical letter or even get on LinkedIn and try messaging specific people. Persistence pays. Any other questions – just post another comment!
Will these wedding sponsors also be willing to sponsor destination weddings?
It always depends but in general, yes. Destination weddings typically offer a good return for sponsors because these weddings can bring attention to audiences far and wide. Since many friends/family members may not be able to attend – there will no doubt be lots of pictures shared on social media.
I think this a great idea, if done right. It has to be done with tacked if you don’t want to end up with a logo on your wedding dress or an inflatable giant beer can on your ceremony background 🙂
We opted to NOT have a wedding, just a civil union and a lunch with 30 close friends and family members. But, if you do want to get your ‘big day’ and not break the bank, it actually makes sense. I’d be willing to accept sponsorship, if it meant I won’t be in debt for 5 years after the wedding day 😀