Bridal panel of seven shares their ‘wedding planning experience’
Seven brides, married from as recently as 4 months ago, to four years ago, shared the good, the bad, and the ugly at a Las Vegas Wedding Network meeting, hosted at the Aliante Hotel & Casino.
There is so much information to share that I will make multiple posts over the next week to cover the range of issues.
To provide some context, Moderator, Ricky Gulati (Memory Lane Videography) started by asking what type of venue each bride selected, and why. That opening qualifier had an even more significant 2-part follow up.
- Approximately, what was your initial budget or budget range for your wedding?
- Did you stay within your budget, or did you go over it? If you went over it, by how much?
The dollar-numbers were not the important answer, here, as they were approximate. What clearly stood out was that six out of seven brides exceeded their budget. The range of excess was from 50% to 200%. In real dollars, these cost overruns were in tens of thousands of dollars.
Observation – Conclusion – Reality Check – Opinion
By their own admission, the brides didn’t really have a budget. They had a chunk of money, but didn’t really know the cost of things. Moreover, when they got into the process of planning, particularly when attending bridal shows, they discovered opportunities for products and services they didn’t know existed.
A good example of that was uplighting. More than one bride commented, that once demonstrated,
uplighting was a dramatic decor upgrade. They wanted it, and bought it.
That comes under the heading of “You don’t know, what you don’t know.” It’s not reasonable to have planned or budgeted for something you didn’t know existed.
Several brides expressed that “When I found a particular vendor that I clicked with, price went out the window.” This seemed to particularly important with vendors, such as photographers, who work at close range with a couple, for many hours.
Overages were absorbed by parents, in-laws, or the couples, themselves.
Worth A Read: A while back, I posted a provocative item, titled: A ruthless discussion of the term ‘Budget Bride’ and wedding decision making
It relates well to this post, and the ones that will follow, about the bridal panel.
Congratulations to the program organizers for putting on a fine, informational show.
Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority
What Las Vegas Brides Have To Say When The Wedding Is Over
At the recent Las Vegas Wedding Network Event 65 wedding professionals had the opportunity to find out what brides really think….when the day is over. Seven brides were interviewed with wedding dates as recent as May of 2010 all the way back to 2007. Here is part 1 of the panel. You may have to turn your volumn up to hear in the very beginning.
Cinco De Mayo Las Vegas Wedding Network Event was a hit!
Everyone had a great time at the LVWN event held on May 5 at View 215. The speaker Colleen Wheeler of Wedding Festivals in Greenville, SC shared a timely topic in her seminar on “The Richest Man Who Ever Lived” based on the book by that title. It was interesting to hear how Solomon’s wisdom still applies today!
Enjoy this animoto from the event and join us in July for our next meeting at Aliante Station where we will feature a panel of brides sharing with you what they learned in the process of planning their wedding.
Video Clips From March Las Vegas Wedding Network Event
Alicia Lynch of Orange Soda Photography
LVWN Testimonial Alicia Lynch from Debra Hansen on Vimeo.
Great Food, Great People, Great Times
March 3, 2010 Event at Elks Lodge from Debra Hansen on Vimeo.
Wedding Professionals Meet and Ask Questions Regarding Marketing Decisions
See Animoto of this fun and informative event!
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 – 6:00 to 8:30 PM
Seminar Topic: FAQ HOT TOPICS, Ask your questions regarding Internet & E-mail Security, Google Analytics, Pay Per Click Advertising on Google, Yahoo and Facebook
Speakers: Monica Morgan, Andy Ebon, Debra Hansen with Moderator, Ricky Gulati
Elk’s Lodge – Host: John Squitieri of Casual to Elegant Events
office: 702-645-4406 | cell: 702-281-1868 | Email: John@CasualToElegantEvents.com
Elk’s Lodge
4100 West Charleston
Getting Ready to Participate in a Bridal Show? Watch these videos!
Here are three vimeos filmed and edited by Memory Lane Video for the Las Vegas Wedding Network featuring Bridal Show Preparation tips from Debra Hansen and Andy Ebon. Debra Hansen, show producer for The Bridal Spectacular concentrated on the following categories:
- Pre-show Preparation
- Pre-show Promotion
- Training your booth Sales Staff
- Your Exhibit Booth and What it Says About You
Andy Ebon, The Wedding Marketing Authority focused on:
- Design Tips for Your Print Materials
- After Show Follow-up
Please enjoy these free tools that will help you have a more successful exhibiting experience.
Hope to see you at The Bridal Spectacular Jan 29 & 30 at Cashman Convention Center.
Now here are the Video’s:
Video #1 – Debra Hansen – Pre-Show Promotion – Training Your Staff
LVWN pt1 from Memory Lane Video on Vimeo.
Video #2 Debra Hansen – Designing Your booth
The Las Vegas WEdding Network – Part 2 from Memory Lane Video on Vimeo.
Video #3 Andy Ebon – Print Design, Follow-up After The Show, E-mailing Your Leads
The Las Vegas Wedding Network – Part 3 from Memory Lane Video on Vimeo.
Las Vegas Wedding Network Met at Siena Golf Club
A great wedding network meeting was held on Jan 6 in order to prepare wedding professionals to have a successful bridal show at The Bridal Spectacular scheduled for Jan 29 & 30 at Cashman Convention Center. Thanks to Millie Adams for an awesome evening. The food was wonderful!
Enjoy this photo animoto. Photography by Artistic Imaging.
Las Vegas Wedding Network Meets on Nov 4
HOLA AMIGOS!
Watch this video photo presentation of our recent LVWN event!
Nov 4th at Red Rock Country Club. An awesome opportunity to network and share ideas about industry related issues as we hold round table chat sessions.
Sign up today at our Eventbrite page
LOCATION: Red Rock Country Club | 2250 A Red Springs Dr. | Las Vegas, NV 89135 | Host: Gina Pfersching
The meeting will start at 6:00 with registration, raffle sales, and cocktails. Then we’ll move into the dining area and your host for the evening, Gina Pfshering will give us some highlights of Red Rock Country Club and then dinner will begin.
Cash Bar & Hosted Champagne
MENU:
Chips & Salsa
Minted Watermelon Jicama Salad
Pumpkin See Cajita Salad
Carne Asada
Chicken
Flour Tortillas
Fajita Condiments
Red Chile Enchiladas
Rice and Beans
PROGRAM:
Round Table Discussions Regarding Wedding Industry Issues. We will Mix you Up with Your Fellow Professionals for Round Table Discussions on issues that matter to you! Each table will have 2 or 3 topics provided. Each table should elect a speaker to represent that table and a secretary to take notes.
Some of the topics planned for the evening are listed below. We’ll give you some more information and then let you discuss the issue at your table. It’ll be interesting to see the differences in the tables and it will surely be educational and fun at the same time.
Vendor 2 Vendor Relations | Who’s clock do we sync to? | TV Shows helpful or not? | Share your tip on technology | Pricing your product
Out of control guests | Who’s your boss; the money or the bride? | When The Honeymoon is over | Should your prices be flexible?
Have an idea for discussion? Let us know!
Conclusion- Debbie and Andy will briefly review the topics discussed and then it’s on the the raffle prizes!
Entertainment and Sound Provided by:
Harry “O” has graciously offered his DJ services once again.
Executive Floral will be providing the flowers.
Lighten Studios will be filming.
Artistic Imaging will be the photographers for the evening.
Raffles Help us pay for Meeting Costs, since we don’t charge any dues, we appreciate your contributions.
Are you involved?
Volunteer your services for any of our meetings
-or-
Donate anything we can use for one of our raffle prizes, and we’ll give you a link in all pre-meeting promotions and a :30 second commercial announcement at the end of the meeting.
Contact Debbie Hansen if you would like to volunteer your services for this meeting at Red Rock.
Contact Monica Morgan if you would like to donate a gift for one of our raffle prizes.
Sign up today at our Eventbrite page
<a href=”http://lasvegasweddingnetwork.eventbrite.com?ref=elink” target=”_blank” style=”color:#8D0000″>Attend This Event</a>
80 Wedding Professionals meet at Cili for LVWN event
Enjoy the photo montage from the Las Vegas Wedding Network event held at Cili Restaurant last night! Our next event will be held Nov 4, location to be announced soon!
Serving Las Vegas wedding professionals through networking, education, and synergy.
LVWN Organizers
