The six templates below cover the enquiries you get most. Swap the square-bracket parts for your own details, and match the family's greeting and tone.
Template
1. The bare "how much?"
Use when the message has no date, no guest count and no events.
Hi [Name], thank you for getting in touch.
Our [service] starts from £[price] for [what that includes, e.g. up to 100 guests / 4 hours / one event].
The final price depends mostly on three things:
1. Your date (and whether it's a weekend)
2. Roughly how many guests
3. Which events you'd like us for (mehndi, nikkah, walima, reception...)
If you send me those, I'll come back with an exact quote, usually the same day.
[Your name], [Business name]
Why it works: a real number answers the question, and three short questions are easy to reply to.
Template
2. A full enquiry, and you are free
Use when the couple has given a date, guest count and events, and you can do it.
Hi [Name], congratulations, and thank you for the details.
Good news: [date] is free for us at the moment.
For [events] with around [guests] guests, I'd suggest our [package name] at £[price], which includes [2-3 key inclusions].
I've attached the full breakdown. Would a 15-minute call this week help? I'm free [two time options].
Dates in [month] do go quickly, so let me know if you'd like to go ahead.
Why it works: it confirms the date, recommends one option rather than a menu, and offers a specific time to talk.
Template
3. Several ceremonies in one enquiry
Use when a family asks about a mehndi, the wedding and a walima or reception together.
Hi [Name], thank you. It sounds like a lovely week.
Here is how I'd cover it:
- [Event 1, date]: [what we'd do], £[price]
- [Event 2, date]: [what we'd do], £[price]
- [Event 3, date]: [what we'd do], £[price]
Booked together, the total is £[bundle price] instead of £[separate total], because [reason, e.g. we set up once / one trip].
A deposit of £[amount] secures all three dates, with the balance due [when].
Happy to adjust if any event changes.
Why it works: each event is priced clearly, so the family can see what the bundle saves and decide together.
Template
4. A date you cannot do
Hi [Name], thank you so much for thinking of us.
I'm sorry, we're already booked on [date].
We do have [nearby date / a different event that week] free, if that helps.
If not, [colleague or business name] does lovely work and may be free. Tell them I sent you.
Wishing you all the best with the planning.
Why it works: a helpful no is remembered. Families talk, and cousins get married too.
Template
5. A budget below your prices
Hi [Name], thank you for being upfront about the budget. It really helps.
Our full [package] is £[price], so it's above what you mentioned.
Two options that could work:
- [Smaller package / fewer hours / one event only] at £[price]
- [Key piece-by-piece item] on its own at £[price], if you're arranging the rest separately
If neither fits, no problem at all. I'd rather you find the right person than stretch the budget.
Why it works: it respects the budget, offers a real alternative, and leaves the door open.
Template
6. When a couple goes quiet
Send once, about a week after your quote, and once more at most.
Hi [Name], just checking in on the quote for [date].
No rush at all. I know these decisions take time with the whole family.
One thing worth knowing: [useful detail, e.g. we've had another enquiry for that date / our prices for next year go up in (month)].
If you'd like to talk it through with your parents on a call, I'm happy to join.
Why it works: it is short, useful and honest. Only mention another enquiry if it is true.
On the platform
Making replies faster on Nodus
Messaging is live in the Nodus app today, and enquiries arrive with the couple's date and ceremony attached, so template 1 comes up less often. Storefront packages, itemised quotes and an enquiry pipeline are coming, so you will be able to send a package quote straight from the conversation.
Guest count and budget fields on enquiries are coming too. Until then, keep these templates somewhere you can paste from quickly.
Nodus doesn't set a reply time, but speed matters. Couples often message several vendors at once while they compare, and the first clear, useful reply is often the one that gets a response. If you can't quote the same day, a short note saying when you will is better than silence.
Replies land better when your prices are ready: see pricing your packages and the package pricing template. For how enquiries arrive on Nodus, read enquiries and messaging.
Questions
Give a real starting price straight away, say what it includes, then ask the two or three questions that change the price most, such as date, guest count and which events. End with one clear next step so they know how to reply.
As soon as you reasonably can, ideally the same day. Couples often message several vendors at once, and a prompt, useful reply stands out.
Thank them, say clearly that the date is taken, and offer something useful: a nearby date, a different event in their wedding week, or a trusted colleague who might be free.
Yes, once or twice, politely. Families take time to decide together. A short follow-up with one useful detail is welcome; repeated chasing is not.
Yes. Messaging is live in the Nodus app, so you can paste them into a reply. Saved replies and reply reminders are not in the app yet.