Wedding Professionals and the Press

Today I'm going to share a pretty big secret with you about the media. The type of secret that if it gets out, I dare say I'll have to close my doors tomorrow, as my OFD clients bid adieu for a little DIY PR. Ready? Ok- here it goes.

The media wants to work with you (gasp!).

Allow me give you a moment to compose yourself.

I work with the wedding media in several capacities- whether I'm submitting real weddings, or assisting journalists with upcoming articles. It's one of my favorite parts of the job in fact- I love seeing a story come together. And when I get that fateful call from the media? Well, I hit the ground running.

Need a St. Paddy’s Day themed groom’s cake? Done. Italian first dance songs? I’m all over it.

What absolutely perplexes me, however, is that in every single initial conversation I've had with a journalist, I hear the standard lamentation that they can never get wedding pros to call them back. It’s a conversation as inevitable as my swollen feet at the end of a bridal show.

Sometimes, I may even be in the shoes of the media, when writing for a publication. In those instances, I'm always overjoyed when a wedding professional will work with me. Returning my calls in a timely manner AND being able to be interviewed at the planned time? Yes please!

Case in point- I recently wrote a piece about a delightful gal from DC with a fabulous product. She bent over backwards to assist me- quick replies, links to hi resolution images of her products that I could download myself (joy!), proper credit to photographers and the patience to answer interview questions that she's surely done so several times previously.

By the time we finished our interview, I was ready to stop the presses and replace Sandra Bullock with her, on the cover of People magazine no less (should I have any pull of course, which I don't.. yet).

Free press is invaluable and often takes but a moment of your time. We're always talking about the importance of being a resource to your brides. But what about being a resource to the media?

If a publication or blog wants to feature your services or products, drop what you're doing and help. If they're running a story on purple square cakes and ask for photographs, then by all means, go find those purple cakes.

Ultimately, marketing and advertising takes money. Press doesn’t (outside of your time). Find your inner Lois Lane (or Clark Kent) and aspire to be front page news.

Until next time,
Meghan