Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Wedding Planner Educational Seminar

Posted by Anonymous on 7/28/2009 at 8:00 PM ET 250 Points
I am working with a wedding planner. We are planning an educational event for brides. We will be gathering select vendors to give brief educational information and pampering for the brides. Think bridal show but much more personalized.

We are planning on having several pampering stations for the brides. Including massage, hair, skin care (facials), cake tasting, caterer, etc. The brides will either sign up or draw to determine which service they will get.

I would like to incorporate some type of prize give away. Maybe a balloon pop?

The goal is to get more brides to schedule appointments with the wedding planner then hopefully they will hire her to do their wedding.

The wedding planner is a registered nurse, and certified in disaster response as well. She does not work as a nurse but keeps her license up just in case. We would like to do something creative to show why a diy is not a good idea.

Any thoughts? Thanks.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 7/29/2009 at 8:04 AM Accepted
    I'd model it like most bridal fairs-- full of give aways. As a recent bride I attended a few-- you signed up on items of interest, they just drew names at the end -- winner must be present to assure they'd stay to the end.

    Your "be careful" is make sure your vendors are clear they are there to market the wedding planner-- not do their own drawings to capture names and market themselves individually -- and promote the DIY.

    Do you live in a vacation area? Our wedding turned into a destination wedding and I considered several areas-- the various cities Visitor Centers all maintained a list of wedding planners. If not, hotels usually keep an event manager on staff-- but only higher end can keep a wedding planner on staff as well. She can contact those hotels and offer to be their "on demand" wedding planner.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 7/29/2009 at 8:04 AM Accepted
    I'd model it like most bridal fairs-- full of give aways. As a recent bride I attended a few-- you signed up on items of interest, they just drew names at the end -- winner must be present to assure they'd stay to the end.

    Your "be careful" is make sure your vendors are clear they are there to market the wedding planner-- not do their own drawings to capture names and market themselves individually -- and promote the DIY.

    Do you live in a vacation area? Our wedding turned into a destination wedding and I considered several areas-- the various cities Visitor Centers all maintained a list of wedding planners. If not, hotels usually keep an event manager on staff-- but only higher end can keep a wedding planner on staff as well. She can contact those hotels and offer to be their "on demand" wedding planner.
  • Posted on 7/29/2009 at 8:23 AM Author
    My client is in Cincinnati Ohio. Not exactly a vacation destination but we are trying to draw in local brides. Thanks for the advice so far.

    I will need to put together something to give out to advertise this educational seminar but I'm not sure what would be the best solution. Any ideas?
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 7/29/2009 at 9:31 AM Accepted
    To garner some pre-show publicity, why not have a contest for "worst wedding day experience"? Winner gets a 2nd honeymoon (or something else in your budget). Contest entrants are online, everyone gets to vote. Great PR upside, which will help to get the word out about your bridal fair to "avoid the worst wedding day experience".
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 7/29/2009 at 9:35 AM Accepted
    You may not think that Cincinnati is a destination city, but many couples who have relocated -- go back home to make the wedding more accessible to their elderly parents and other relatives.

    Fusion market your seminar with other wedding providers-- gowns, salons, bridal fairs, etc. I learned about bridal fairs in my area thru emails from sites like the Knot, etc.

  • Posted by michael on 7/29/2009 at 1:15 PM Accepted
    I wouldn't say diy is a bad idea.....you'll have some control freak brides who will argue. You're looking to show a planner is a BETTER idea.

    Some real bridezillas on CL, you should use some of their stories in your presentation.

    Good reasons to use one?
    Maid of honor is NOT organized
    Bride's family is far and groom's family is near
    Mother in law is Jane Fonda (like in the movie)

    A planner takes all the heat so the bride doesn't ever have to be the bad guy.

    Best give aways are samples of gifts that the couple would give to their attendants.

    Michael
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 7/29/2009 at 3:16 PM Accepted
    Brides want give aways for them-- not anyone else. Its all about the bride. Brides will pick attendant gifts. She takes big pride in this. They do not want samples of things. She's going to get them if she wants them. But a wedding planner with great theme ideas is valuable. but as a giveaway to a bridal info seminar-- no. Its all about the bride. Never lose sight of that.

    Same as MOH is not the wedding planner. No bride would allow this. I don't care if she's disorganized. She just has to show up in the dress I want her to wear.

    Hence the need for the wedding planner. To intermediate-- to nurse (playing off your client's background) so the MOH (or the bride) doesn't have to look like she came off the "big Greek Wedding". The MOH got her dress-- the bride felt like "the snow queen".

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