SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HoneyBook, the leading client flow management platform for venue managers, today released new findings showing that wedding venue operators field client inquiries across six different communication channels, with no single channel capturing even one-third of inquiries. Those channels include email (27.2%), personal cell phone texts (26.7%), Instagram DMs (12.6%), dedicated business texting apps (11.0%), venue marketplace messaging (5.2%), and phone calls (4.2%), according to the 2026 HoneyBook Venue Focus Study.
One in four wedding venue operators fields inquiries for weddings worth $30,000 or more on the same phones they use to text their own families, raising the question of what happens when a high-value inquiry gets lost among personal messages.
HoneyBook’s research points to several pain points faced by venue operators trying to grow their businesses:
- The more events a wedding venue hosts, the more challenging tour scheduling becomes. Among wedding venues hosting nine or more events a month, 89.1% say tours are among their most time-intensive tasks, compared to 74% at lower-volume venues.
- Additionally, 22.3% of wedding-first venue operators say they’re growing frustrated using email to arrange tour slots with prospective clients.
- More broadly, when asked what would help them scale their businesses, 96.9% of venue operators say they lack the tools they need, with a client self-service portal (34.0%) and automated lead qualification (33.7%) among the most-requested capabilities.
- Booking schedules are further complicated by the multi-event reality of most wedding venues. HoneyBook’s data shows that 61.3% of venues that primarily host weddings also welcome other types of social and corporate events.
HoneyBook’s survey highlights an urgent need for more effective scheduling systems so couples can book venues and tours online, instead of playing phone and email tag with operators.
A Simpler Way to Handle Scheduling Consultations and Tours
As noted above, a client self-service portal is one of the most-requested capabilities among venue operators looking to scale. Using a consolidated scheduling tool, couples are able to see available dates in real time and select the time slot that’s convenient for them.
With email back-and-forth cited as a top frustration, purpose-built tour scheduling tools offer a direct way to cut that friction. Advanced scheduling systems can help ensure venue staff spend more time with the best-qualified prospects.
HoneyBook for Venues provides a way for venue operators to upgrade their tour scheduling processes and manage bookings, prospects and sales leads seamlessly, giving them more time to focus on strategic business growth initiatives.
Booking Venue Tours Without Phone and Email Tag
HoneyBook’s report found that wedding venue communications are fragmented across channels, with no single channel dominating. It takes four of these channels combined just to account for how 80% of couples first make contact.
By directing all incoming communications to click on a single booking link, venues can centralize sales leads from any source into a workflow-integrated, automation-enhanced system.
“The best way for venue operators to use automation is to focus on removing the friction, while preserving the human relationships that are so critical to the venue management business,” said Tal Gonenne, Product Manager of HoneyBook for Venues. “As per our survey results, most venues want to grow, but they’re not looking to use automation simply as a cost-cutting tool. Smart scheduling systems complement venue staff, enabling sales personnel to focus on delivering high-touch client experiences that increase bookings and revenue, rather than wasting time juggling calendar dates.”
About the Study
HoneyBook Venue Focus Study, 2026. Findings are based on a survey of N=455 U.S. venue owners and operators. Figures drawn from sub-samples are noted as such where cited.
About HoneyBook
HoneyBook is the leading client flow management platform that makes it easy for independent business owners to sell and deliver their services online. Offering powerful tools for communication, contracts, invoicing, payments, and more, the platform puts independent professionals in control of their process and client experience. HoneyBook is trusted by over 100,000 service-based businesses in the United States and Canada that have booked more than $10 billion in business on the platform. The company has offices in San Francisco and Tel Aviv, with remote staff worldwide. Learn more at HoneyBook.com.
Contact
Dan Edelstein
InboundJunction
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