How do I get sponsors to help cover the cost of my wedding?

I get this question all the time and it's the hardest one to answer. Local businesses are the easiest to approach. As you may well know advertising is very expensive. Word of mouth is great but it's even better if someone can try the product and sample it them selves. That is were sponsorship comes in. Cake Box the company that did the cake for my Chicago wedding is a small whole in the wall place that just happens to make great cakes. When I approached them I had a sample of the sign I was planning on using to advertise their product at my wedding. I told them were the reception would be and how many guest I was planning on having. (This is very important for them to know up front) I told them I was planing on having about 100 guest and that they would mostly be coming from surrounding cities. (It does them no good if most of the guests are from more then 50 miles away.) As it turned out 3 people who had never even heard of Cake Box before have ordered cakes from them sense tasting the cake at my wedding. The thing is to try to sound like you are doing them a big favor and you only asking one little thing in return. I'm sure people who try this will get some companies who will say no but someone will say yes. I my case I didn't get any no's.

Getting a major company to sponsor you is much more difficult. This will work better if you are having a large wedding or influential people in the wedding party or in attendance. Find out who is in charge of promotions for the company and give them a call or write a letter. You can even call some companies and ask to speak to someone in promotions. (Remember Major Corporation give things away all the time.) You will need to tell them what you want, what you will do for them, how many guest there will be, where and when the reception will take place.

If you have any big names to drop, drop them. I my case my uncle is Vice President of a major cruise line. I am sure that is the main reason the car rental place was so willing to let me have the rental car. They wanted a contract with the cruise line. I did keep my end of the bargain and told my uncle how wonderful and generous the Car Company was and that they would love to talk to him. I also gave them the number for his office.

The exact words you use to get sponsors to cover the cost of your wedding is going to very greatly depending on the place of business and the personality of the person you are talking to. Be professional, look nice and be very sure what you want from them. Be confident. Don't even think they will say no, after all you are doing them a favor. Be willing to compromise. If they are unwilling to provide a 7 tiered wedding cake, how about a 4 tier and a sheet cake. The guest won't know if some of the pieces of the cake came from a sheet cake if the cake is cut in the back area. Lastly send thank you notes to anyone who sponsors you or gives you a discount.

The art of haggling has been all but lost in this country I think it is time we revised it.

Home