Wedding MBA 2010 – Things Are Going To Start Happening To Me Now
What an absolutely amazing week I have just had at the 2010 Wedding MBA Conference in Las Vegas. Now in their eighth year, the show ran just two and a half days, and I personally got something for every penny I spent on the very first day. Heck, I already even picked up my pass for next year (which attendees could get for up to $350 off the full price).
Getting your name in print
We all want our name in lights, right? That seemed to be a recurring theme of sorts this year. However, the way that I look at what Stacie Francombe of Get Married, Alan Berg of The Knot, Amy Wilkins of Martha Stewart Weddings, and David Katz of Brides.com had to say was really how to get our brides and grooms featured in media. I work with couples of all sorts, but I’m sure many of them would get a kick out of having a super-creative wedding that made the pages of a major publication (or even a blog post).
It makes sense. After all, nearly 70% of brides use both magazines and go online to get ideas for a wedding (Francombe). Those magazines are not cheap either, running an average of $10 per issue (Katz). As brides and grooms, they can show it off to friends and family, and have a keepsake. As vendors, we have the opportunity to add credibility to our services or products. It actually becomes a win-win situation.
The most visible person at a wedding is the person on the microphone. That person better be an excellent representation of the couple.
The audience at Wedding MBA learned from each of these presenters what the publications are looking when it comes to being featured in a magazine or premier wedding blog. When it comes to professional wedding djs, you might think that we hit a roadblock. Not true. So much of the wedding relies on what happens during the ceremony and reception. Peter Merry, author of The Best Wedding Reception Ever!, mentioned, “The most visible person at a wedding is the person on the microphone.That person better be an excellent representation of the couple.” I could not agree more.
Event direction at its best
Many of the “music” vendors in the room were full-fledged Wedding Entertainment Directors™. Most of the others others may simply call themselves DJs, Master of Ceremonies, or a hand full of similar titles. The bottom line is that your reception is going to be motivated by this individual making announcements throughout your event. The energy of your dance floor, the sincerity of your wedding toasts, the humor of your grand entrance — these are all complimented by none other than your choice in that person on the microphone. Make sure that as a bride or groom, you make the right choice.
The take-away
The vendors who took the time to attend the Wedding MBA conference this year will know how to make couples look like a star attraction. I’m not sure I saw one rotten egg in attendance. There were seasoned pros and aspiring newcomers, but they all had one common goal – to make everyone look like a million bucks!
This is just one of what should be several posts recapping the conference. Be sure to subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss the next one!
