Insights

How we took Laural Mill from 17 to 50 weddings in a year

From the operators of The Wilds and Laural Mill.

Laural Mill is a historic property tucked into rolling Indiana hills. When we acquired it, the bones were great, but the bookings weren’t. Only 17 weddings were on the books, the inquiry flow was sporadic, and the brand story hadn’t been refreshed in years. Here’s exactly how we tripled bookings in year one.

Start with the reality on the ground

We spent the first two weeks doing nothing but listening—sitting in on tours, reviewing every inbound email, and walking the property with the team. Couples loved the setting, but the tour lacked a close, the website lacked clarity, and reviews were scarce. That grounding helped us prioritize what to fix first instead of chasing shiny ideas.

Rebuild the digital front door

The old website buried pricing cues and used generic stock photos. We rebuilt it with real imagery, a clear price range, and copy that explained what made Laural Mill different in Morgan County. We refreshed the Google Business Profile, swapped in strong cover photos, and cleaned up The Knot/WeddingWire listings so the story was consistent.

Result: higher click-through from search and directory profiles, plus a noticeable drop in “is this available?” emails because availability and capacity were clearly stated.

Fix response time and routing

Before, inquiries sat in a shared inbox for days. We set a four-business-hour SLA, built an auto-reply with a tour booking link, and routed every inquiry into a simple pipeline with statuses. The team knew exactly what was waiting, what needed a tour scheduled, and what needed a follow-up.

Result: faster replies translated to more tours booked within the first 48 hours, and fewer couples ghosted after initial outreach.

Script tours that actually close

We shadowed tours and noticed guides ended with “Let us know if you have questions.” We rewrote the script: a recap after the ceremony site, a capacity/pricing confirmation in the reception hall, and a close with two date options. We practiced it until it sounded natural and matched each guide’s tone.

Result: tour-to-booking conversion lifted, and the team felt confident asking for the date without feeling pushy.

Add review velocity fast

There were fewer than 20 Google reviews and most were dated. We created a two-step post-event sequence: an immediate thank-you email with a photo and a direct review link, then a gentle follow-up a week later. Staff triggered it before teardown wrapped.

Result: 155 Google reviews in the first year, 142 of them five-star, which made ads cheaper and tours warmer.

Package and price with the county in mind

Pricing had been copied from out-of-market comps. We rebuilt packages using local data: average household income, competitive venue calendars, and vendor feedback. We clarified what was included, what cost extra, and how seasonal shifts worked so couples could self-select the right tier.

Give the team simple guardrails

No turnaround sticks without training. We wrote one-page playbooks: inbox handling, tour script beats, review prompt steps, and a weekly pipeline review cadence. Every Friday we ran a 20-minute debrief on tours, objections, and follow-ups due the next week. It made the new habits durable.

What didn’t matter (and what did)

We did not start with ads or brand overhauls. The fastest gains came from responsiveness, clarity, and consistent follow-up. Once the foundation was stable, we layered in modest ad spend that now performs because the funnel converts on its own.

Year-one outcomes

• Bookings: 17 → 50 weddings.
• Review velocity: 155 Google reviews, 142 of them five-star.
• Tour process: scripted, tracked, and easier for staff to run without leadership present.
• Revenue: venue rental revenue roughly tripled versus the prior trajectory.

How you can apply this without us

Run the same sequence: clarify your digital front door, set a same-day response rule, script your tour close, and add a two-touch review prompt. Track everything in a simple pipeline so you know where leads stall. It sounds basic because it is—and that’s why it works in Indiana markets where couples want clarity and speed more than clever branding.

If you want us to audit your venue and implement this for you, we do it as operators—not a marketing vendor. We’ll show you where your funnel leaks and how to patch it quickly.