Some things should stay on restaurant menus. Like caviar, truffle fries, and that amazing bottle of Pinot. But when it comes to your luxury wedding business? Offering a la carte services might be quietly wrecking the whole vibe.
I know, I know—offering those dreamy little extras sounds like a good idea in theory. You might be thinking, look at all these ways my clients can customize their package! Luxury equals totally custom, right?!
But my spicy take is that it’s not helping your biz – it’s killing it. That little menu of offerings could be the thing that’s draining your energy, watering down your real services, and making things way more complicated than they need to be.
Today, we’re diving into why a la carte might be doing more harm than good—and what you should do instead.
A La Carte Is Killing Your Business (And Here’s Why)
1. You’re Letting Clients Take the Reins (And That’s Not a Good Thing)
Listen, your clients don’t always know what they need—that’s why they’re coming to you, after all. But by giving them a menu of options, you’re sending the message that you’re not quite sure what they need either.
Here’s the thing about luxury: it’s built on trust. And trust means guiding clients with confidence, not asking them to figure it out on their own. Think about it—when was the last time you sat down at a five-star restaurant and got handed a Build-Your-Own-Dinner checklist? Never, right? Because the magic of that experience is in the curation. The chef knows what pairs perfectly, so you just get to sit back, relax, and enjoy.
When your clients feel like they have to build their own package, it adds friction. It’s confusing. They start questioning what they need (or worse, if they’re missing something). You don’t want them second-guessing their choices—you want them feeling taken care of, knowing you’ve already curated the perfect solution.
That’s the vibe your services should give: I see you. I know you. I’ve got you. You know exactly what your client needs to feel taken care of—without making them choose between every little piece.
2. A La Carte Makes You Look More “Buffet” Than Boutique
A la carte services make your business feel… scattered. When everything is itemized—Oh, you’d like an engagement session? Here’s the price for that. Want to add on some film? That’s extra too.—it starts to feel transactional instead of elevated.
The problem? You’re leading with price instead of value. And when clients start seeing your work as individual costs, the magic gets lost. It’s like designing a wedding bouquet with only the cheapest flowers. Sure, you’re giving them more choice—but now the whole bouquet feels less intentional.
A la carte services create a vibe that says, I charge by the piece. Which sounds fine until clients start treating your services like a dollar store haul—“Let’s add this, skip that, swap this, ooh maybe we need this too.” Not exactly the effortlessly chic, fully booked-out energy we’re going for.
When you have too many options on the table, you might also find yourself offering things you don’t even enjoy doing—just because it was listed as an option. If you really wanted to be doing those services, wouldn’t they already be part of your signature package?
Remember, you’re not just offering services—you’re curating experiences.
3. You’re Offering Work You Don’t Even Love Doing
Let’s be real for a second: If you truly loved doing all those add-ons, they’d already be part of your main packages, right? The thing about a la carte services is that they reflect what your clients think they need—not what you want to create.
It’s easy to say yes to everything—because what’s another hour for a bridal boudoir shoot or designing a small photo album, right? But those extras add up, and suddenly, you’re stuck doing work that doesn’t light you up.
If you don’t love it, don’t offer it. Simple as that. Your energy and creativity are too valuable to waste on things you feel obligated to provide.
It’s Time to Work Smarter, Not Harder
We all love the idea of customization, but here’s the thing: a curated package can feel just as bespoke without being endlessly customizable. Luxury isn’t about offering everything under the sun—it’s about knowing exactly what your clients need and delivering it with intention.
If you’ve been leaning too hard on a la carte, take yourself on a little audit date. Grab a matcha, look at what clients are actually booking, and ask yourself:
- What services do I love doing—and which ones feel like a chore?
- Am I charging for value or just breaking things down into price tags?
- What does my dream client actually need?
A la carte might feel like the flexible thing to do—but in the long run, it just adds unnecessary work and confusion. Instead of handing your clients a list of options, give them a thoughtfully curated package that solves their problems before they even ask.
Because when your package is seamless and intentional, there’s no need for swaps or upgrades. Your clients will know from the start: This is exactly what I need.
So What Do You Do Instead? Signature Packages, Baby.
The fix is simple (and so much better): Create signature packages that cater to your client’s problems upfront.
When your packages are intentional and thoughtfully designed, your clients will never feel the need to ask for extras. They’ll trust that everything they want is already included—and that’s where the magic happens.
A solid package offers everything your ideal client needs without the headache of picking and choosing. When you’ve thought of everything—and I mean everything—clients won’t even think about swapping things out.
And here’s the secret: It’s okay to tell your clients what they need. In fact, it’s exactly what luxury clients are looking for. They want to feel like they’re in expert hands.
Need ideas on how to structure it?
- Start with what’s working. Take a look at your most popular services. What do your favorite clients book every time? Build your signature package around that.
- Add-on extras strategically. Yes, you can still offer a few special extras—think rehearsal dinner coverage for photographers or raw, uncut footage for filmmakers—but these should feel like upgrades, not essentials. Keep it to 3-5 add-ons max, and let your main package do the heavy lifting.
- Make it all-inclusive. No hourly rates, no endless tinkering. Your packages should say, This is the whole experience—and it’s perfect the way it is. Your work isn’t about hours; it’s about delivering a result. Clients want to know you’ll be there to get the job done—not tracking every minute. Do you love being there on the wedding day for 12 hours or is 8 hours plenty of time to accomplish what you’re there to do? Do you secretly cross your fingers that a client will add on rolls of film? Why not just include them?
Closing Thoughts
Luxury isn’t about having endless options. It’s about trust. And trust comes from knowing exactly what your clients need—even when they don’t.
Your signature package should be so good, so thoughtfully crafted, that clients don’t feel the need to add or change a thing. And if they want to? That’s when your carefully curated a la carte menu comes in—because you decide what’s on it, not them.
So, the next time you feel tempted to build out a long list of add-ons, take a breath. Ask yourself: Am I making things easier for my clients—or harder for myself?
Ready to refine your offerings and create packages that feel intentional, seamless, and oh-so-you? Inquire here.
