What Wedding Couples Are Really Asking AI (And How Vendors Can Show Up in the Results)
August 30, 2025
If you’ve been in the wedding industry for more than five minutes, you’ve probably heard this advice: “Focus on SEO so couples can find you on Google.”
And sure, SEO is still important. But in 2025, couples aren’t just typing into Google anymore. They’re turning to AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini to plan their weddings. These tools don’t “rank” websites the way Google does. Instead, they scan text, pick what feels most relevant, and then recommend it back.
That means the language couples are using in AI tools is becoming just as important as traditional SEO keywords. This is what we call AI search intent.
What Is AI Search Intent?
Search intent has always been about understanding what your clients are really looking for when they type into a search bar. But when they use AI, their queries sound more like natural conversation.
- Google-style: “Charleston wedding photographer price”
- AI-style: “Who are the best wedding photographers in Charleston that shoot film and offer packages under $8,000?”
The shift matters because AI is more literal than Google. If your website does not say the words couples are searching, there is a high chance you’ll be skipped. This is where AIO (AI Optimization) and LEO (Language Engine Optimization) step in, and it is exactly where North+South helps vendors stand out.
Why Couples Are Turning to AI
According to The Knot, couples are already using AI to:
- Draft warm but clear wedding emails for guests.
- Build bachelorette trip grocery lists.
- Brainstorm creative vows and toast ideas.
On forums like Reddit’s r/weddingplanning, couples share openly how they are asking AI to help them find vendors. Instead of scrolling through dozens of Instagram hashtags or vendor directories, they are typing natural, specific questions into AI tools and trusting the answers.
That means your ideal clients might never hit your website if AI does not recognize you as relevant.
Our Starter AI Query Bank for Wedding Vendors
We built a starter set of real AI-style queries based on research, live testing in ChatGPT and Perplexity, and monitoring how couples talk online.
Here are just a few examples:
Vendor-Specific Queries
- “Film wedding photographers in Charleston, SC”
- “Luxury destination wedding planners in Napa Valley who speak Italian”
- “Affordable wedding venues in Austin with outdoor ceremony space”
Personalized Requests
- “Can you help me write a warm but clear email to our wedding guests with directions and parking info?”
- “Make me a grocery list for my bachelorette trip—11 girls, Thursday to Sunday, budget bride-friendly.”
Checklist + Timeline Prompts
- “What are the first five decisions I need to make when planning a wedding?”
- “Create a full wedding planning checklist for a 100-person wedding with a $50K budget in California.”
Communication + Logistics
- “Draft an outreach email to a florist with Pinterest board link and budget outline.”
- “Generate an emergency ‘day-of’ kit list for beauty touch-ups and wardrobe fixes.”
Creative + Emotional Support
- “Help me write vows that feel personal but not cheesy.”
- “Suggest signature cocktail names based on our pets and personalities.”
What This Means for Wedding Vendors
Here’s the punchline: if your website and content don’t include clear, literal phrasing that mirrors these queries, AI tools won’t recommend you.
For example:
- A photographer’s homepage that says “Capturing timeless love stories” is invisible to AI.
- A homepage that says “Charleston-based editorial wedding photographer specializing in film and Super 8” is crystal clear.
This isn’t about stripping the artistry out of your brand voice. It’s about making sure the language that AI tools recognize is present and obvious on your site. Once it’s there, you can layer in all the creative storytelling you want.
Introducing the AVI Score™
At North+South, we’re developing something called the AI Visibility Index (AVI Score™) which is a measurable way to track how often and how clearly a vendor is recommended by AI tools.
Here’s how it works:
- We run real couple-style queries in AI tools and document results.
- We analyze your website copy against those queries.
- We deliver your AVI Score™ which is a simple metric showing where you stand.
It’s like SEO rankings, but for the future of search.
How Vendors Can Start Optimizing Today
If you want to align with AI search intent now, here are three quick wins:
- Say your service + location plainly.
Swap “Love stories captured” for “Wedding photographer in Charleston, SC.” - Add natural-language blog posts.
Write posts that answer couple-style questions like: “What are the first five decisions to make when planning a Charleston wedding?” - Interlink your authority.
Make your website a rabbit hole of helpful, AI-friendly content. Need a guide? Check out our post: How to Use Pinterest for SEO as a Wedding Photographer.
The Future of Wedding Marketing Is Here
Couples are no longer searching the way they did five years ago, and most wedding vendors are already falling behind. The ones who adapt to AI search intent now will have a massive first-mover advantage.
That’s why we’re building the AVI Audit at North+South: a done-for-you visibility report that shows where you’re missing AI opportunities and how to fix them.
Until then, vendors can start by simply making their language clearer, more literal, and more aligned with the way real couples actually search in 2025.
Because the question isn’t “Will couples use AI to find me?”
It’s “When they do, will AI even know I exist?”
Want to see your own AVI Score™?
Join the waitlist for our SEO + AIO course: Rankings to Revenue.
Or connect with us directly here: Work with North+South.
