Event planners & wedding services competitor analysis
Criteria, weights, features, KPIs and sources for analysing competitors of wedding planners, decorators, caterers, photographers, venues, DJs, corporate event companies.
Event services are bought through portfolios and referrals, often months in advance and with a large ticket size. Couples and corporate buyers shortlist on Instagram and vendor marketplaces, then compare packages and responsiveness.
Score rivals on portfolio, packages and price, reviews, responsiveness, capacity and visibility.
What decides who wins
Score every competitor from 0 to 10 on these criteria. The weights are a starting point; adjust them to what your customers say matters.
| Criterion | Weight | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio quality & style | 24% | Recent work, consistency, distinct style |
| Packages & price | 16% | Package inclusions and price bands |
| Reviews & referrals | 18% | Ratings, testimonials, referrals |
| Responsiveness | 12% | Reply time, clarity of proposals |
| Capacity & reliability | 12% | Team size, backup plans, dates available |
| Visibility | 18% | Instagram, vendor marketplaces, search |
Features and offers to compare
Mark each competitor yes, partly or no. Critical items missing from your offer are the first gaps to close.
- Published packages (Important)
- Multiple team units (Important)
- Contract & cancellation policy (Important)
- Destination events (Nice to have)
- Pre-event consultations (Nice to have)
- Instalment payments (Nice to have)
- Same-day edits / quick delivery (Nice to have)
- Albums / add-ons (Nice to have)
Where to find your competitors
- Wedding and event marketplaces in your country (for example WedMeGood, WeddingWire, The Knot)
- Instagram hashtags for your city and service
- Google Maps and venue recommendation lists
- Venue managers' preferred vendor lists
KPIs to benchmark
- Package price for a comparable event
- Instagram followers and engagement
- Vendor marketplace rating and review count
- Response time to an enquiry
- Delivery timelines
Five Forces snapshot
Typical pressure in this market. Your local situation may differ; rate it in the Five Forces tool.
| Force | Typical level |
|---|---|
| Competitive rivalry | Very high |
| Threat of new entrants | Very high |
| Threat of substitutes | Low |
| Bargaining power of buyers | High |
| Bargaining power of suppliers | Medium |
Estimating market share
For this industry, review counts are usually the most practical public proxy for share. Use the same source for every business and read the result as a share of the businesses you track. See how to estimate market share and HHI.
Mistakes to avoid
- Undercutting price instead of sharpening style
- Ignoring venues' preferred vendor lists
- Slow proposal replies in peak season