BridalTweet Wedding Forum & Vendor Directory

3 Things Brides Consider When Choosing Vendors & It's Not Price

Wedding Professionals:

During tough economic times, we are quick to assume that price is the main factor for brides as they plan their wedding. Yes, price is important but I believe this past year has brought forth other factors that are just as influential.

I came to this conclusion after reading Lee Eisenberg’s ‘Why Shopping is Good Again.’ Eisenberg articulates today’s top consumer values. I believe these three values can also help all of us to understand what brides are thinking as they are making their purchasing decisions.

1. Brides value experiences that transform them. Even some of the shyest women embrace the spotlight on their big day. As a bride plans her wedding, she is more commonly thinking about her own personal ‘red carpet’ moment. That is the moment when everyone at her wedding will look at her in astonishment. Various vendors have picked up on this common value or mindset. For example, Astrid Mueller designs romantic illustrations. When she is designing, Astrid asks lots of questions - what the bride dreams she’ll wear as she floats down the aisle, what is her and her sweetie’s love story, what their dream wedding will be like. Through personalized art, Astrid’s sophisticated illustrations make all of those special details come alive. What additional services can you add to your current offering in order to make brides feel special and transformed?

Here's an example of a bride making a grand entrance with a designer gown and with stationery. Illustration: Astrid Mueller. Artisan printing: LetterpressLight.com.

2. Brides value shared experiences. During tough economic times, people tend to place more value on family, friendships and relationships in general. We’ve been forced to focus on the things that are really important in life – and that’s not a bad thing. This is also entirely true for weddings. In some cases, guest lists have had to shrink and brides have had to focus on the elements that matter most to their loved ones. But behind all of that, weddings have become more intimate. What can you do to add to that intimate, meaningful experience to a bride’s big day?

3. Brides value experiences that are an extension of themselves. It’s no wonder that many brides are now into DIY (Do-It-Yourself) elements. They are creating their own menus, programs, favors – you name it. We tend to think this is only to save money. However, they are also doing this to put their stamp on their big day - to make it personal. Thinking beyond price and thinking deeper about the personal nature of a DIY wedding, how can you make your products and services more personalized?

Position your wedding offerings, so that they are in line with the values of today’s bride. Ultimately, this will help ensure that brides say ‘yes’ to you. Do you have other insights about what values influence a bride’s planning decision? If so, please comment below.

About This Blog: Christine Dyer is the Creator and Founder of BridalTweet. Christine has an MBA in marketing and shares over ten years of marketing expertise with the wedding community. In this weekly blog called Supercharge Your Wedding Business, you'll find advice on an array of wedding business topics such as how to market to brides, social networking, wedding PR, wedding sales, vendor networking, branding, pricing and much more. Please pass this news along to your own professional wedding network. To receive this advice in your email inbox each week, Sign Up for a Free BridalTweet Membership.

Comment by Erica Brooks on November 3, 2009 at 12:43pm: I definitely agree. Brides look at their wedding as a once in a lifetime experience and they want to make it as special as possible incorporating their own styles and personalities into their wedding. Showing them how to do that helps brides and adds value to your service. Thanks for sharing Christine.

Comment by CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY on November 3, 2009 at 1:03pm: Brides absolutely love the images of them and their Love in a candid loving pose which showcases her lovely dress and brings into focus her radiant beauty. I always emphasize that we target their strength, their vitality and do it in a senuous manner most unique to only them. Their vision of what how they want to look during their wedding is paramount to us.

Comment by Bridal Makeup & Hair by Miriam on November 3, 2009 at 1:41pm: Miriam Behar -
South Florida Bridal Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist
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This is an excellent article, and great to get this kind of insight into today's brides!!

Comment by Hawaii Weddings and Events on November 3, 2009 at 2:30pm: great post! We offer a variety of packages that meets everyone's needs and encourage "partnership" planning where the bride is still very involved in the planning of her wedding but has a trusted adviser that can answer her questions, guide her in areas she may not be sure of and of course, be on site for the wedding day so that her only concern is having fun!

Comment by Sharon Danley on November 3, 2009 at 4:30pm: Good points. And it really comes down to that often missed and becoming ever invisible "CUSTOMER SERVICE". When you truly value your service with pride and consistently build your skills and pass that value along to your customer with excellence in customer service - that's what anybody is looking for in buying of services in any situation. Its an older standard that the recession/depression is dusting the dust off.

Comment by Linda Smith on November 3, 2009 at 6:25pm: Kudos to Nancy Ann and Barbara Ann on their insights into music for the wedding/reception. As a professional pianist with Notes of Celebration, I also work with the bride to choose the music that is meaningful, both for the guest seating music and for her entrance. The music should reflect her vision and should make her "light up" when she hears it - the music should touch her heart! www.notesofcelebration.com

Comment by Rosemary Worrell on November 3, 2009 at 7:17pm: Thank you for this article. As a wedding planner, it usually comes down to how well I "mesh" with the bride. She needs to know that I am listening to her vision of her wedding day and that I understand her. Everything is personalized to fit each bridal couple, there is no typical "Bella Vita" wedding. In recommending vendors, I carefully consider each couples personalities in addition to the budget when I suggest vendors that I believe are a good match for them. I want everyone involved to feel confident and comfortable with each other.

Comment by Alan Dodson on November 3, 2009 at 10:48pm: As an entertainer and long time event planner, it is all about the special services that I provide, and what makes their event unforgettable and special because of what I have contributed. It is about creating special moments that they will remember for the rest of their lives. You get one chance to get it right and in most cases DIY translates into "Destroy It Yourself" when people rely on untrained and unprofessional "friends" or "family" to do the very important parts of their wedding. Should the couple be deeply involved, absolutely, it is their day, but if they do not seek professional assistance, their outcome could be a disaster. It take over 250 hours to plan a wedding properly and there are up to 18 or more vendors that are involved in most weddings. It has to be personalized, and we continue to produce quality, intimate and outstanding events, within the budget constraints of our clients. Of all the elements, the entertainment is the "make or break" in the success of the reception. Remember that the wedding is about the bride and groom, and they are the stars of the reception, but the reception is always about the guests. The reception is a party for the guests to thank them for participating in the couples wedding!

Comment by Bob Holl Entertainment on November 4, 2009 at 11:04am: I enjoyed all three points that were shared. I definitely try to build relationships with the people I perform for.
I also agree with Barbara Ann: "Often music is the part of the day that people remember the longest"
"It's important to work with musicians that are willing to listen to the client."
Its not about me, but about the bride and groom, and their families and friends. I am listening.

Comment by Fraternal Order of Eagles #437 on November 4, 2009 at 3:00pm: I am a caterer and reception venue vendor. I really like to conncet with my Brides and Grooms too. By the time the event comes around we are friends. So there is no questions or favors that can't be asked. Today's connections are even better because so many are on the web. I've got Brides on my facebook, twitter, myspace and even some on linkedIn! Your get to share so much that way, they know you and you know them. I have some with countdowns to the day, they share all of the little moments that I am usually not a part of, like when they are getting their dresses fitted or their favors have arrived! We text, email and talk on the phone. I am not just the one who rented the hall or helped with their menu anymore. The one you talk to 3 or 4 weeks out, or when it's time to collect money, is not who I am. I would never want to go back to the old ways of vendors!