Blog Pricing Sales

Your Top Pricing Questions—Answered!

By Lora Sickora

When it comes to pricing, wedding vendors face big decisions that can directly impact their inquiries, bookings and overall success. It’s only natural for even the most seasoned pros to have some pricing questions.

To provide clarity and actionable advice, we asked Don Mamone—a seasoned industry expert and co-owner of The Maomones LLC, a photography studio based in Dallas, TX—to answer some of your most pressing pricing questions that didn’t get covered in our recent webinar The Art of Pricing: How to Craft and Communicate Your Pricing Strategy. Keep reading to learn what they had to say.

8 top pricing questions—and answers!

From how to handle price increases to whether you should display pricing on your Storefronts, Don provides straightforward, thoughtful advice designed to help you make better pricing decisions for your business.

1. Why is it important to display your prices?

Don’s answer:

The first couple of things a newly engaged couple does is pick their date and establish their budget. They decide when they want to get married and how much they can afford, allocating funds for each part of their wedding day. Naturally, their first question for wedding vendors is, ‘Are you available for our date, and can we afford you?’

When you don’t display your investment range, you’re more likely to get inquiries from couples who can’t afford your services, leading to disappointment on both sides. By being transparent about your pricing, you attract better-qualified leads, reduce the time you spend replying to unqualified inquiries, and free yourself up to focus on the couples who truly value your services.

2. Is it a bad idea to show pricing before you can prove your value?

Don’s answer:

Pricing is one consideration—but it shouldn’t be the most important one. If a couple is inspired by your work, interested in your services, and sees that your investment is within their range, they will inquire.

Once they inquire, you have the opportunity to illustrate your unique value, demonstrate why you stand out from the competition, and explain how you deliver a better experience than others in your category.

3. What about competitors seeing my pricing and undercutting me?

Don’s answer:

When you think of all the ways you sell against your competitors, pricing is only one of many factors. If your competition sees your pricing and decides to undercut you, let them. It’s unlikely that pricing alone will win over an ideal client.

Even if you don’t have your pricing listed on your Storefronts, competitors can still find it out through other means. If you lose a client to a competitor, it’s not just about price. It’s a sign that you may need to better illustrate your unique value. Show potential clients why who you are, what you do and how you do it are worth more than the competition’s price tag.

4. How do we get people to look beyond the “sticker price” and consider value?

Don’s answer:

This may sound counterintuitive, but consider raising your prices. Savvy clients have both a ‘ceiling’ and a ‘floor’ for what they’re willing to spend. They know they can’t go above a certain amount due to financial constraints, but they also have a minimum they expect to pay.

When your prices fall too far below that floor, clients may assume you’re inexperienced or that the quality of your services won’t meet their expectations. Raising your prices could actually help you attract better-quality leads who value experience, professionalism, and quality over the lowest price tag.

5. Should I ever offer discounts to sign more clients?

Don’s answer:

No. I do not recommend offering discounts—and I especially don’t recommend using the word ‘discount.’ That term brings to mind clearance bins filled with old, unwanted products.

Instead, offer exclusive incentives. This might look like a limited-time bonus or a special upgrade, but it should always add value rather than subtract from your perceived worth. You could adjust your pricing strategy based on supply and demand—for example, offering a small incentive to fill a less popular date—but never present it as a ‘discount.’ The goal is to position your business as desirable, not desperate.”

6. How do I ask clients why they chose another vendor over me?

Don’s answer:

“First of all, congratulations on asking this question. It shows you’re committed to continuous improvement. Here’s a message I’ve used that tends to get a reply:

‘Thank you for the opportunity to win your business and be a part of your special day. In the interest of continuous improvement, could you please share why you decided to proceed with another vendor? We wish you all the best in your new life together and appreciate any feedback you can provide.’

This approach feels thoughtful, respectful, and non-confrontational. It invites couples to share insights that can help you improve your business, messaging, or approach.”

7. When you increase your price, do you announce it to your clients?

Don’s answer:

You don’t need to make a formal announcement every time your prices increase. There are different types of pricing adjustments, and not all of them require an official ‘announcement.’

Inflationary price adjustments happen naturally as the cost of goods and services increases. It’s expected. You might also adjust your rates based on supply and demand—like charging more for peak dates or for clients who book last-minute.

If you increase your rates, you can still honor the existing pricing for couples who have already inquired. But for new inquiries, it’s okay to list the new rates as the current pricing.

8. How much should I increase my prices each year?

Don’s answer:

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for how much you should increase your prices. But here’s my approach: I set revenue and booking milestones for my business. When I hit a specific milestone—for example, booking a certain number of weddings or reaching a certain revenue target—I increase my rates for all new inquiries.

This approach is different from a standard annual price increase and allows me to adjust prices as my business grows. For example, once I book 20 weddings in a year, I may raise my prices for all remaining inquiries. This strategy keeps me in control of my pricing and allows me to raise rates at the right time—not just at the start of each year.

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Ready to set stronger pricing strategies for 2025? Update your Storefronts on The Knot and WeddingWire, refresh your pricing and start attracting high-quality clients today.

Photography by: ColorJoy Stock