Wedding venues are one of the best-performing venues in the industry, with the average couple spending more than $11,000 on the venue space alone. And, with continued demand, there’s no sign of the industry slowing down in the near future.
In such a lucrative industry and with such high demand, it’s no wonder that there’s so much interest in what the average wedding venue manager earns.
If you’re interested in being a wedding venue manager, you need to know what the job entails and the pivotal role wedding venue managers play. We’ll also discuss what you should expect from your wedding venue manager salary, and how to earn an even higher salary as your career advances.
What Does a Wedding Venue Manager Do?
A wedding venue manager’s job is to ensure smooth venue operations and customer satisfaction.
Here are some of the most common duties you’ll have as a wedding venue manager:
- Event Planning and Management: While you aren't responsible for planning the event, wedding venue managers often assist their clients with the planning related to the venue. Wedding venue managers also coordinate with third-party vendors, like florists and caterers, to ensure smooth venue management.
- Client Coordination: As a venue manager, you’ll meet with clients and discuss their wedding goals. It’s the venue manager's job to translate these goals into practical and actionable plans. You also do tours to showcase the venue space’s charms, amenities, and services.
- Point of Contact: Venue managers are the main point of contact with clients and their event planners. You’re in charge of providing regular updates and implementing any changes the clients want.
- Logistics and Operations Management: On the day of the wedding, it’s the venue manager’s job to assist and coordinate the event setup. This includes managing logistics related to parking, guest management, and transportation. You are also responsible for managing any issues that arise and fixing them calmly and quickly.
- Budget Allocation: Another venue manager’s duty is budget management. It’s your job, as the venue manager, to handle all transactions and ensure the couple stays within the agreed-upon budget.
- Staff Management: Venue managers supervise and coordinate venue staff and third-party vendors on the property on the wedding day.
- Safety Compliance: Last but not least, the venue manager is responsible for ensuring safety compliance. You need to make sure the event adheres to all health, food, and safety regulations.
The Pivotal Role of Venue Manager at Wedding Venues
Wedding venue managers bridge the gap between the client and the venue. It’s a critical role, one venue owners are willing to pay for – hence the high average wedding venue manager salary.
But it’s not a position that should be taken lightly. Weddings, unlike corporate events, concerts, and the like, are extremely emotionally charged. Wedding venue managers are at the crossroads of business and pleasure and have to carefully navigate this space.
With a good wedding venue manager on site, venues enjoy smooth operations, clever logistical planning, and increased revenue. They also understand how to handle emotional situations, fix issues as they arise, and keep clients calm and happy.
Weddings are momentous and a wedding venue manager understands this intrinsically. To them, there is nothing more important than ensuring their clients enjoy the breathtaking experience they have always dreamed of.
All in all, a wedding venue manager is critical for the success of a wedding venue. They play a pivotal role in growing and maintaining business. But they’re also on the client’s side and do their best to ensure the wedding is a day worth remembering.
Average Salary
With the details out of the way, let’s finally discuss what you can expect the average venue manager’s salary to be.
As of 2024, the average wedding venue manager’s salary is $68,600. Compared to the per capita average income of U.S. individuals of $41,261, wedding venue manager salaries are quite a bit higher.
If you have hospitality qualifications or experience, you can expect to earn a higher salary. The average salary for best wedding venue managers is over $100,000 a year, with the top 10% earning more than $98,594.
As for beginners, the starting wedding venue manager’s salary is still higher than the national per capita average. The bottom 25% of venue manager salaries range from $55,000 to $61,800, a comfortable range for anyone starting in a new industry.
Salary Increases
Wedding venue manager salaries can shift depending on a few factors, which we’ll discuss below. Keep these in mind if you want to work toward a higher salary.
Company Size
The larger a company is, the more business it receives and the higher its revenue. The same rule applies to venues. The more clients the venue has, the more the business can pay for an important role like a wedding venue manager.
When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. If the venue is big and manages a lot more business than the average wedding venue, then the wedding venue manager has more responsibilities.
The wedding venue manager needs to be capable of handling all the work. Companies are more than willing to pay a higher average venue manager salary to acquire such individuals.
So, the larger the companies are, the more you can expect from their venue manager salaries.
Venue Location
Another factor that will affect your average salary is the location of the venue. Venues, specifically wedding venues, rely on the scenery and locale attractions to attract customers. So it’s only natural that the more appeal there is to your location, the more clients are willing to pay.
A wedding venue in a prime spot, one that is in high demand, will have stricter standards to adhere to. With such a strict reputation to uphold, they can’t afford a lackluster wedding venue manager.
In such cases, wedding venues are more willing to offer higher venue manager salaries so that they can attract and retain top talent. If you are a trusted, experienced, and top-tier venue manager working for a premium location, your salary should match.
Experience and Education
Next, let’s discuss your experience and education. As mentioned in the above section, the better you are at your job and the more you can handle, the more companies are willing to pay for your service. So, if you’ve got a few years of managerial duties to your name you can expect a higher salary range.
It also depends on where you’ve gained your experience. Working for a larger company with more intense duties makes you more capable at your job i.e. companies will pay more to retain your talent.
Education is also one of the prominent factors to consider when becoming a wedding venue manager. While it is possible to become a venue manager without an education (usually by working your way up), some venues do like to hire people with related education to their name.
A few certifications that could help you get a higher venue manager salary include a degree in hospitality or business management. A certificate in venue management or dedicated wedding venue management is also a major plus.
Exceptional Service
Lastly, the type of venue manager you are will affect your salary range. If you’re a great wedding venue manager who goes above and beyond, you’ll make a lot of customers very happy. This will improve the venue’s reputation because you’re a venue manager people can trust.
As word spreads, your venue will gain more clients and make more money.
Not only will other venues be willing to pay more for a venue manager who consistently provides exceptional service, but your current employer will also pay more to keep you on hand.
As you make a name for yourself as an exceptional venue manager, you’ll access more opportunities and a more lucrative salary range.
Conclusion
Being a wedding venue manager is a challenging but rewarding profession. It’s both a very practical and emotional field, and managers handle a full spectrum of operations and emotions.
As for pay, the average venue manager’s salary ranges from $60,000 to $80,000. The top 10% are paid more than $95,000 a year, a very comfortable salary for the average citizen.
Even if you start in the bottom 10%, a venue manager has many opportunities to grow. Keep an eye on growth factors like company size, venue location, experience and education, and service to improve your portfolio and salary range.
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