ENGAGING DAY: The Biggest Day of Your Year!

Happy Valentine's Day from Engaging Concepts! To those of us in the wedding industry - today is the SuperBowl - the biggest single day of the year in terms of engagements. It also bookends 'Engagement Season' which starts every year with Christmas Eve and ends today - the day that is dedicated to all things "Romance!"

We had some fun with this free e-card from PosePrints - and sent it to our clients. And yes, we know, it takes GREAT 'artistic license' with us [*wink!*] but was as close as we could get it - a girl can dream, right?!

Hope the day brings you many, many excited and qualified newly engaged leads - embrace them with genuine excitement and heartfelt congratulations !!! Cheers to the '08 wedding season ahead!!

On the Road Again!

The travel whirlwind continues! After an intense but successful week in Jamaica with Sandals, Preston and the *hot* young photography talent of Scarlett Lillian who documented the event - I am back but headed tonight to NYC for the whole week for the Cayman Islands Global Meetings where I will be presenting to the Minister of Tourism and the entire global sales + marketing team for long-time client: The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism.

Booked morning until [late] night - I will manage to squeeze in a few dinners with cherished friends Randy Fenoli, Fashion Director of Kleinfeld and the incomparabe industry icon, Marcy Blum!

I promise full updates when I return to office on the 12th - and dig out from under the piles that are quickly growing!!

[above photo of a recent wedding in Grand Cayman by Rebecca Davidson]

Off to Jamaica!

Will be a bit quiet here on the Blog for the next week or so as I am off to Jamaica to conduct ongoing training for the wedding team from all [19] Sandals + Beaches Resorts.

Preston Bailey will be joining me to unveil his 2 latest collections for Sandals and he and his design team will be training the teams on-island to execute them.

Stay tuned for photos from the week's activities and of the great new destination wedding collections that Preston has dreamed up that are affordable for any bride!

Fabulous Find: Raj Tents

I recently received a wonderful press kit from Maurice at Raj Tents in CA. I have long admired their unique and gorgeous tents. Today, they sent word that they just launched a brand new website...prepare to get lost in all of the amazing tents, pergolas, custom linings, draping, furniture, lighting and more!! They have been featured in countless press outlets and now ship their work everywhere. Kudos to them - they found a need in the market and filled it - no more boring white tents and poles!!

Enjoy - www.rajtents.com !

2008: The "Expectation Economy"

As you have probably figured out by now - I am totally "Trend Obsessed" - it is so important to understand what is happening in the global marketplace in terms of consumer trends, insights and related hands-on business ideas for our clients [and loyal blog readers *wink!].

One of my frequent reads is the uber-cool, totally ahead of the global consumer and their behaviors site TrendWatching.com. Their February Trend Report is one that affects us all in a huge way and its surely one of the biggest challenges in today's marketplace - read on for some highlights:

"Capturing the essence of 2008's demanding consumer arena, it is—surprise, surprise—all about those pesky, demanding consumers:

"The EXPECTATION ECONOMY is an economy inhabited by experienced, well-informed consumers from Canada to South Korea who have a long list of high expectations that they apply to each and every good, service and experience on offer.

Their expectations are based on years of self-training in hyperconsumption, and on the biblical flood of new-style, readily available information sources, curators and BS filters. Which all help them track down and expect not just basic standards of quality, but the 'best of the best'."

The EXPECTATION ECONOMY has been building slowly in the background. The biggest difference from five to ten years ago? Word of mouth now travels the world in a flash, making product launches instantly global, turning every new brand—big or small—into a potential 'player', and most importantly, rewarding exceptional performance with immediate interest and approval from consumers.

In fact, never before has intelligence on the best, the cheapest, the first, the most original and the most relevant been so openly available to consumers. And never before have consumers enjoyed doing research and 'competitive analysis' as much as they do now, and doing it far more diligently than most corporations do.

Let's face it: in the past a brand could get away with not performing at its peak, since consumers didn't enjoy full transparency of the best, the cheapest, the first, the most original, the most relevant. That's really over.

And things are bound to get even more radical: the EXPECTATION ECONOMY is a given for younger generations, who are unburdened by an era of mass production, mass advertising and above all, mass ignorance.

So: not knowing who's doing exceptional things and setting your customers' expectations is not an option."

I will share more on this phenomenon in future posts as this one is already quite long - but I encourage you to think about how the "EXPECTATION ECONOMY" is affecting how you do business and what changes you can make right now to adapt!

TREND: The Destination Bachelor Weekend

From yesterday's special wedding issue in The Boston Globe - a look at the *hot* trend of the "Destination Bachelor [& Bachelorette] Weekend" -- yet another untapped opportunity for innovative hotels/resorts/destinations, travel and wedding professionals to experience the many benefits related to the wedding market! Click here to read the entire article - I pulled out a few highlights:

Stags Just Want to Have Fun

One boozy night at a strip club is increasingly being replaced by long-weekend bachelor parties where men play, eat, bond, and maybe even sip wine.

>>TWO MONTHS BEFORE his November nuptials, Boston attorney Dan Urman and nine of his closest buddies converged on a rented house at Lake Tahoe in California and spent 72 hours in a male-bonding ritual that would have made even Robert Bly envious. The men - who flew and drove in from 10 cities across the country - careened down muddy ski trails on mountain bikes, skimmed the lake in inner tubes lassoed to a powerboat, tried their luck at blackjack in nearby Reno, dined at fancy restaurants, and grilled pounds of steak and ribs.

>>Increasingly, so-called destination bachelor parties that typically span a long weekend and involve scheduled activities such as golfing, skiing, deep-sea fishing, paintball, and wine tasting are replacing the boozy last hurrahs of bachelor-hood.

>>Along with Tahoe, Las Vegas and Miami - both pulsating with nightlife - rank among the top US destinations for stag parties.

>>The trend toward uber-bachelor parties has evolved into a serious game of one-upmanship among super-competitive groomsmen in certain social circles, Bauer says. In 2005, Berkowitz's brother, who lives in Chicago, held his bachelor party in pre-Katrina New Orleans; later this year, Berkowitz will travel to other all-male gatherings in Miami and Puerto Rico.

>>But, boys, let me tell you, these are not cheap dates. The cost varies widely, depending on the quality of accommodations, restaurants, and entertainment, but men typically drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars on such weekends.

>>Several things have sparked the lengthier, pricier destination bachelor party phenomena: older first-time grooms (and brides) and their friends with more disposable income; an increasing percentage of couples who cohabitate before marriage, making an in-town affair too humdrum (not to mention awkward when a bachelor wakes up, hung over, beside his bride-to-be or doesn't come home at all); weddings that often involve family and friends who are geographically scattered and need to travel, regardless, making a sexy destination more desirable; a harried workforce that sees a relative's or friend's bachelor party as a chance for a "minivacation."

[Illustration from The Boston Globe]

J. Crew Weddings: "High Touch"

I received this email today from J. Crew announcing their brand new "Crewcuts" collection for flower girls and ring bearers. Adorable! A number of years ago when J. Crew launched their revolutionary line of reasonably priced but oh-so-chic bridal gowns it made headlines everywhere. They dared to challenge what had been a very formal business model of selling wedding gowns that had been operating the same way for decades and turned it upside down. They offered the gowns only online, with no opportunity to try them on [gasp!], the styles were simple and chic with good quality, the prices were unheard of starting from just $225 and usually not exceeding $1,000 and most importantly, the customer service was impeccable. The results for J. Crew have been a smashing success story and eventually expanded into outfitting the entire wedding party.

I love their call-to-action above "BRIDE TO BE? email ashley@jcrew.com - she's our wedding specialist, she'll wardrobe your entire wedding party and take care of everything [except walk you down the aisle)."

Now, J. Crew is a huge company - but they 'get' that weddings are the ultimate 'High Touch' event and treat brides with the respect that they deserve by going so far as to offer a name and a promise from the very start - no anonymous email address or receptionist or call center. I do not know Ashley, the bridal specialist at J. Crew, but I imagine she is quite popular and very good at what she does.

I must tell you that many in our industry across all categories could stand to learn a thing or two from this - are you sure that everyone in your organization embraces weddings and welcomes them from the very first point of contact? Are they so committed to providing extraordinary service that you would put their name and email address as the call to action in your advertising? J. Crew has taken market share from the traditional 'brick and mortar' bridal salons and continues to do so -- weddings are a people business and we all get one chance to make a first impression - it has to be welcoming, sincere and authentic at every opportunity!

Knot "Real Weddings" Awards

The Knot Announces First Annual Real Wedding Awards

NEW YORK, Jan 15, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) --The Knot, Inc. (NASDAQ: KNOT, www.theknot.com) the #1 wedding website, requests you to save the date for the launch of The Knot Real Wedding Awards - the first of its kind showcase the best real weddings across America.

Kicking off this Valentine's Day, the first annual The Knot Real Wedding Awards is a one-of-a-kind program that invites recently married couples and top wedding professionals to see photos, videos, and websites from the most incredible weddings of 2007.

Entries will be uploaded to viewing galleries where The Knot editors, real brides, a panel of experts, and the world at large will be able to vote on their favorites in the following categories:

-- Overall Best Wedding of 2007
-- Best Wedding Photos
-- Best Wedding Videos
-- Best Wedding Ideas
-- Best Wedding Web Pages
-- Best Wedding Blooper/Disasters

The winning events will be featured in a story in the best-selling The Knot Wedding Magazine, and a television special on The Knot TV. Visit www.TheKnot.com/RealWeddingAwards to stay tuned for more details regarding the program, including other fabulous prizes announced on February 14, 2008.

[Photo by Allison Miller Photo of wedding at client Casa Monica Hotel]

All About the Blog

Piggybacking on yesterday's post - I had come across this cartoon not too long ago and it made me laugh - for all my fellow Bloggers out there - I know you can relate!! Scary but sometimes a bit true [well, maybe alot true *wink!*]!

Blogging for [Wedding] Business

Blogs have taken web 2.0 by storm and the wedding industry has been no exception. What we do is so VISUAL and emotional and compelling and lends perfectly to the very nature of blogging. Witness the literal explosion of wedding professionals blogs, led by the wedding photographers. That should come as no surprise - after all, they have the stunning imagery and by nature are creative and most often, very techo-savvy.

I am surprised however at how far behind most wedding planners and event designers/floral designers are on this trend...and of course resorts/hotels/caterers and travel agents - not even on the map yet!! There are a few notable exceptions but as a whole - not even in the game!

So I found it of interest to read the piece in today's 1to1 Media marketing e-newsletter entitled: "Do You Need a Chief Blogging Officer?" It outlines the blog strategy of major companies such as Marriott, Southwest Airlines, The Dallas Mavericks and GM.

We are working with almost all of our current clients to develop or strengthen their Blog strategy...it is no longer luxury, in fact, I consider it a MUST in today's increasingly competitive and overcrowded market.

Debbie Weil, author of The Corporate Blogging Book, lists her top eight tips to a successful corporate blog on her website:

-Use humor.
-Write short. Less is more. [ok - I admit I need to work on this - if you know me at all you know I am not known for my brevity! *wink!*]
-Post at least once a week.
-Link to naysayers and competitors
-Appoint a blog editor [if you are too big or busy to do yourself!]
-Build redundancy into your approval process.
-Consider joining The Blog Council (an independent corporate blog association).
-Just do it...

That last point is the KEY! Just start. It is free, it is super easy [almost as easy as sending an email], and it is critical in developing an ongoing conversation with your clients.

Please share your blogs with me...I will add them to my personal RSS reader - which already is filled with over 125 blogs but always has room for more!!!

New Brides: The Renaissance Generation

Read with great interest this morning in Ad Age about the next generation of consumers [your brides!] - the "Renaissance Generation" - the rise of the cultural consumer. Described in a new book by Patricia Martin [which is already on its way to my office!]: "Cultural consumers thrive on information and ideas to fuel their creative self-expression. As the RenGen gathers force in our civilization, it will change how we live and work."

Fascinating and makes total sense...witness the meteoric rise in popularity of wedding-design blogs like Style Me Pretty or Snippet & Ink , the DIY-craze [see new site and book] that grows by the day and of course the explosion of increasingly creative wedding photography that goes well beyond documenting the wedding day!!

For our market - the 'cultural consumer' really translates to the 'creative consumer' and as we read in the recent release from TheKnot [see earlier post], creativity truly is the *buzz* word for weddings in 2008!!

Some interesting exerpts from the article:

"Here's a riddle for the new marketplace being formed by the convergence of art, technology, business and education: If creativity is the gift of a talented few, why are so many people suddenly creative? CMOs grappling with the transformative power of the internet and the likes of YouTube and Facebook as advertising platforms may be missing the big picture: The internet is facilitating mass creative output from anyone and everyone. And the velocity of change it's churning in our society is gearing us up for something profound.

Check it out: RenGen. Americans who thrive on content that drives creativity will set the popular-culture agenda and fuel business innovation, Ms. Martin contends in her book. In fact, it looks a lot like what happens right before a renaissance. What we are witnessing runs deeper than fads or trends. It signals a time of vast cultural transformation that is founding a new generation. I call it the RenGen, short for renaissance generation. At its center is a powerful new player: the cultural consumer."

AND

"The most valuable step you can take in positioning your brand for the rising renaissance is to be aware and to make your colleagues aware. The mounting evidence points to an enduring transformation. Sit down with your team and figure out how these ideas may impact your business, your brand and your job."

How creative are you in how you market, sell and service your current [and more importantly, your future] brides and grooms? How much creativity do you allow them in interacting with your brand? Interesting to explore...more on this as I learn more on this 'renaissance'!

"Just Engaged" BRIDES Nail Polish Collection

From my Inbox Today:

BRIDES magazine and Sally Hansen have teamed up to create a collection of must-have shades for every bride-to-be. Guided by BRIDES magazine, the industry’s authority on wedding day beauty and nail color Sally Hansen has custom designed Diamond Strength Nail Color shades to suit every blushing bride . . . this is the perfect “marriage” between America’s bridal expert and America’s #1 nail expert.

The “Just Engaged!” Collection is available in the following 8 shades:

-Sheer Magic
-I Do
-True Love
-First Dance
-Wedding Bells
-Sealed With A Kiss
-Passion Flower
-Wedding Bliss

What They Cost: $4.75

Where to Find Them: Drugstores nationwide

!!!FUN [and would make a really cute little and inexpensive bridal appreciation gift for your clients]!!!!!

Engaging Business Spotlight: The Bridal Bar

I am introducing a new feature called "Engaging Business Spotlight" to share some of the many innovative wedding-related businesses that I come across in my complete daily immersion in 'all things weddings'! There are so many great ones to share and I will try my best to get to them as time permits - but I encourage you to take some time to visit the websites of each and learn a bit more about them - and hopefully get some inspiration for your own business along the way!

First up: THE BRIDAL BAR

I just LOVE what Harmony Walton is doing in LA and now San Diego with her innovative concept "The Bridal Bar" - I am an avid reader of her great Blog which is always filled with gorgeous eye-candy from southern CA based weddings.

A bit of background on Harmony and The Bridal Bar:

As a previous contributing editor at Inside Weddings Magazine, owner Harmony Walton, worked closely with event professionals, writing their stories, learning the tricks of their trades, and highlighting the top tier of vendors in the special events business. Harmony immediately saw a need to educate brides beyond the pages of a magazine and offer more interactive service to brides in need. Thus, the creation of The Bridal Bar; a high-end complimentary planning experience where brides and their families can educate themselves with the assistance of knowledgeable wedding professionals.

Harmony and her team have compiled an extensive group of event professionals that are well established and extremely well respected in their fields of expertise. Brides-to-be and party-throwers alike are encouraged to come in and lounge on our couch, sip complimentary champagne, view videos & DVD reels, listen to music samples, browse photographers’ images, and taste the cakes of this exquisite list of vendors.

The Bridal Bar seeks out the best, most unique vendors, products, concepts, locations, and so much more so that every bride who walks through the doors leaves an expert themselves. This original concept allows brides to preview and plan for their perfect event.

With the growing popularity of the bar, Harmony has once again found herself in the world of publishing. Now a Contributing Editor at Your Wedding Day Magazine as well as West Coast Producer for Get Married on Lifetime, she is keeping busy broadening her reach and continuing to educate the betrothed.

Her impressive list of past clients reads like the who's who of Hollywood and includes: Tom Cruise + Katie Holmes, Brad Pitt + Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Heigl + Josh Kelley, Will + Jada Smith...just to name a [very] FEW!!!!

Kudos to Harmony and the entire team at The Bridal Bar for thinking outside of the traditional wedding business model and creating a fresh, unique and exciting concept that is clearly successful...and fun too! I look forward to my first in-person visit during my next visit to CA!

A 'Must Have' book for your Wedding Library!

Be sure to order your copy of the newly released Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes Book to add to your Wedding Resource Library. Delicious in every way!

Speaking Engagements

Right before the holidays, I had the pleasure of being asked to speak to the entire sales and editorial team for "Destination Weddings & Honeymoons" Magazine. This is not the first time I have presented to this group and I always come away excited and enthusiastic about what they have planned to continue to grow their brand. They are doing great things at DWH and are so committed to this exploding market! We talked a bit about the power of blogging and I was pleased that they too have jumped on the 'blog bandwagon' with a new 'editors blog' that I know will continue to grow in the future and one that I will be sure to follow.

This was an excerpt from a nice note from Publisher Sue Gilman following the session:

Rebecca,

Our sales meeting was two information and learning packed days! The sales team left feeling energized and revved up, and your presentation was a huge part of that excitement. Thank you for a great show! Honestly I wish I could bottle your energy!

Thanks again and I’m looking forward to a great year, and to seeing you out there!

All the best,

Sue

Sue Gilman
Publisher
Caribbean Travel & Life
Destination Weddings & Honeymoons

I have a number of speaking engagements coming up in the next few months - to a variety of audiences. I am looking forward to each one for different reasons and also to growing this side of the business as it is a particular passion of mine. More on this in the near future!!

Destination Weddings All the Rage in '08!

So much to post about in the new year! Destination weddings are sure the 'big buzz' again already in '08 with the recent weddings of celebrities Eddie Murphy+Tracey Edmonds in Bora Bora and Kathryn Heigl+Josh Kelley in Park City, Utah.

Add to it a newly released article in FORBES Magazine showcasing the "World's Ultra-Exclusive Destination Wedding Spots" which includes the following excerpted quotes:

"Destination weddings are filling a need among the world's affianced. One out of every six couples getting married for the first time choose a destination wedding, according to www.destinationweddings.com, a wedding planning site.

That number rises to 61% for couples getting remarried.

For most folks, destination weddings offer a chance to celebrate in style. For high-profile brides and grooms such as Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds, who wed last weekend on a private island off French Polynesia's Bora Bora (they plan to legally wed in the U.S. when they return), or those seeking seclusion, destination weddings are the best way to guarantee privacy on the big day.

"If you want to have an incredible wedding, you can't beat a destination wedding," says Marilyn Oliveira, senior editor at WeddingChannel.com. "They are definitely a trend and growing every second."

Oliveira says private island weddings are among the most popular. That's because these beach spots offer seclusion, stunning scenery and, perhaps most important, sunshine."

Look for much, much more about this trend in the coming year - the numbers coming out are so powerful and everyone is 'in the destination wedding game these days! This poses great challenges as the competition is fierce - but with it comes amazing opportunity on every level.

We love it! Game on!

2008's Most Creative Wedding Trends

The Knot Unveils 2008's Most Creative Wedding Trends

[*WEDDEX NOTE: We have bolded or ** some of the items that should make you take extra note for your business!]

NEW YORK, Jan 03, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Creativity is the new word in weddings for 2008, according to leading wedding resource The Knot and the new issue of The Knot Magazine Spring 2008 issue, on newsstands January 28, 2008.

"Brides want to be anything but boring this year," explains Carley Roney, editor-in-chief of The Knot. "From resourceful ways to get the perfect look to decadent reception decor inspired by Sofia Coppola's fashion epic Marie Antoinette, surprising elements like '80s cover bands, and daring destinations, couples are going to new lengths to infuse their personalities into their big day."

The Knot reveals the wedding style forecast for 2008:

BEAUTY & FASHION

STEAL THE LOOK (...WE MEAN, RENT IT!): Brides in lust with the luxury labels have found salvation at sites like bagborrowandsteal.com; for less than $100, you can rent a $2,600 pair of Vera Wang diamond and pearl-studded earrings or a Judith Leiber jeweled-encrusted clutch worth over $3,500. [*A WEDDEX note: although we love client ADORN BRIDES for this very *hot* trend as they are dedicated exclusively to wedding-bling and soon to launch a hot new website with expanded inventory!!]

SPLIT-PERSONALITY BRIDES: Brides are doing a double take during the wedding: doing presto-changos with their gowns (*sometimes up to three wardrobe changes) and sneaking away during cocktail hour for a whole new hairdo (classic updos for the ceremony, then sexy tousled tresses on the dance floor!).

RECEPTION REDUX

THE "MARIE ANTOINETTE" WEDDING: We bet that Sofia Coppola had no idea that her fashionable blockbuster would inspire a whole new class of bourgeoisie brides! Lush floral centerpieces, rich gilded colors, big gowns, brocade, and decadent receptions are fit for royalty, complete with hand-painted invitations, **champagne tasting bars, **seven courses, and **extravagant dessert displays!

'80'S COVER BANDS: Oh L'Amour! Couples are going beyond the classic wedding band and hiring '80s cover bands to play their favorite tunes from Men at Work, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. Other genre bands for hire: classic rock, college frat-house bands, swing orchestras, and Latin ensembles--along with hired dancers to get the party moving.

GREEN WEDDINGS: Couples continue to be earth-conscious in 2008: from email invites for weddings and festivities to serving up locally grown, free-range fare and donning bio-friendly wedding gowns made of 100 percent silk and cottons. They're also **honeymooning at eco-resorts and gathering friends for charitable showers at soup kitchens and local park events.

GOING HI-TECH

**THE SOCIAL NETWORK WEDDING: From viral proposal videos posted on YouTube to enhanced wedding web pages and Facebook-friend polling on first dance songs and menu options, weddings have become public planning ventures. Look for couples to log online, use **blogs as "communication central," and, with new mobile technology, post on-the-road photos to get immediate feedback on decisions from their bridesmaids, friends, and family.**

THE REAL WORLD: YOUR WEDDING: Couples will get celebrity exposure with major video footage of their wedding days, from "day in the life of" documentary-style videos to "same day edits" where ceremony photos and footage are highlighted at the reception. Guests become paparazzi with disposable video cameras on the tables.

TRAVEL

DARING DESTINATION WEDDINGS: **The destination wedding trend will continue to evolve as new spots emerge.** From taking guests on African safaris to skiing the slopes of Sundance, fly-fishing in Big Sky, Montana, and jetting off to Barcelona and Scottish castles!

HONEYMOONS ON STEROIDS: **Twice as long, twice as far, twice as memorable: Couples are going the distance for their deluxe vacations.

Read much more on these and other 2008 wedding trends here!

The White Issue

Can't wait to download this latest issue to my new iPhone!! [Thank you Santa!!!]

Holiday Cheer!

While I usually leave the personal posts for our family Blog, in the spirit of the season I thought I would post a copy of our 2007 Holiday card to close out the year!

This has been an incredible year for Engaging Concepts and I am forever grateful to so many in this amazing industry for their support and ongoing belief in what we do. Our clients, colleagues and partners are truly the best and brightest in the wonderful world of weddings and I am honored to work alongside of each and every one of you! The incredible Kathryn Arce continues to be the best friend and business partner anyone in this world could ever ask for and I am inspired by her each and every day. My cherished friends, old and new, are my biggest cheerleaders and supporters and I adore you all.

And without my amazing family none of this would be possible - they are my reason for everything. The unconditional love and encouragement each one of them give to me is the most important and sustaining element of my success and I am humbled by it.

Our offices will be closed until January 7th but we look forward to an even more thrilling, challenging and 'engaging' year ahead and wish you all the same in 2008! Thank you for coming along on this ride with me - so much more to come in the new year!!!!!!

Wishing each of you a warm and wonderful Holiday!!!

Cheers! Rebecca

[Holiday Card designed and shot by the great Stacey Kane!]

Some Back Story on "My Destination Wedding with TheKnot" Client Opportunity

We are of course super excited about tomorrow's premiere of the show! A bit of background: following the incredible success of the Travel Channel's 6-episode series "Weddings Away-Cayman Islands" in 2006 that followed Joanne Brown and the team from Celebrations and was filmed entirely in The Cayman Islands - we knew that we needed to continue to deliver such innovative and ground-breaking television opportunities for our 4+ year client, The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism to build on the momentum generated from the show.

When Carley Roney emailed me back in August looking for "A location that is a bit more exotic and less well known -- an island that people may have only heard of and/or a small boutique/cottage style resort that is visually stunning. The resort also needs to have fabulous floral resources -- or there must be someone on the island to feature -- so that the setting can be really gorgeous!" there was NO question in my mind that the perfect partners to recommend were in Cayman! So began intense coordination, negotiation and logistical planning to pull it all together - there are so many moving pieces and parts to pulling off a one-hour TV show in a remote island destination!

When you see the show - you will also understand that there is much more to the story - many unforseen circumstances, weather uncertainties and extreme medical emergencies that added to the drama - in all our years of putting together wedding TV programs this one truly topped them all!

Excitement in The Cayman Islands is high in anticipation of the show premiere, here is an excerpt from today's article in the Cayman Compass Newspaper:

Speaking about potential impact this opportunity offered Ms [Joanne] Brown said they jumped at the opportunity to work with the Knot and Style Network on the project. “We knew it would generate fantastic publicity for both Celebrations Ltd. and The Cayman Islands in general. To be featured on a leading network such as Style Network, and associated with the largest wedding website company in the world The Knot, is simply amazing, and we are just so grateful for the opportunity.”

But the whole event was really a team effort on behalf of Cayman Islands’ tourism partners: Cayman Airways donated flights, Southern Cross gave their entire resort for the duration of the filming, and additional accommodation was given by Little Cayman Beach Resort.

Ms Rebecca Grinnals, strategic consultant to the Department of Tourism for the wedding and honeymoon market, was instrumental in bringing about this opportunity for the Cayman Islands. “We are so grateful for her encouragement and leadership in the destination wedding business,” said Ms Brown.

It seems the overall impression on bride, groom and guests was overwhelming.

Ms Brown said, “I cannot begin to tell you how awed and impressed they were with the wedding, and just everything about the islands. They kept saying ‘this is so much more than we could ever have imagined, it is a dream come true’. They fell in love with Little Cayman instantly”.

We were so honored to work beside so many amazingly talented and generous people to make this happen. It was an incredible experience! Tune in for the premiere of "My Destination Wedding with The Knot" on the Style Network this Saturday, 15 December at 9pm EST and airing 7 additional times during the following 5 days!!! And please - let us know what you think!!!

Huge Announcement: "My Destination Wedding with TheKnot" to premiere!

We are SO excited to finally announce the 'secret' project that we have been working on for the past 5 months for our long time client - the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. The premiere of the 1-hour special entitled "My Destination Wedding with The Knot" is this Saturday, December 15th on the STYLE Network at 9pm est!!!!

The amount of 'behind-the-scenes' work that has gone into this production is staggering but we are all thrilled that it is finally going to air. Click here for a peek 'behind the scenes' and here for a Slideshow from the wedding.

This is the TV show that I blogged about at the end of October that we filmed on Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. Kathryn and I spent 6 days in Cayman with Carley Roney, who hosted the special, senior executives from STYLE Network and TRUE Entertainment who produced the show [and also produce 'Whose Wedding is it Anyway?' and 'Married Away'].

As with any real wedding - this one was filled with its share of drama and challenges - but in the end - the result was a truly spectacular destination wedding blending vibrant Indian culture with chic island style.

More soon on the many event professionals who worked to make this wedding happen - some of the best and brightest in destination weddings today! Be sure to tune in...it is going to be an amazing show!!!

p.s. A fun 'insider' fact - the TIME Magazine image of Carley Roney and David Liu that I included in the blog a few weeks ago was taken in front of the inspiration/design board for the show...check it out!

Martha Stewart Weddings to Add Destination Wedding Title

Lots of news in wedding-magazine world yesterday...including the surprise announcement that Martha Stewart is closing Blueprint Magazine [which I loved by the way!!] and re-allocating dollars and resources to Martha Stewart Weddings - including the creating a special title dedicated to Destination Weddings!

This from MediaWeek:

"Continuing a trend by publishers to divert dollars from print to their faster-growing online media, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia said it would close Blueprint, its lifestyle/shopping title for young women. Blueprint will fold as a standalone magazine after the January/February issue and publish as a special-interest magazine as part of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. Its blog, Bluelines, will continue. MSLO said the move would free up money for digital media and expand Martha Stewart Weddings, a 268,663-circ quarterly. MSLO plans to add destination weddings issues to the title and expand its Web site."

All the more proof that Destination Weddings continue to be one of the hottest segments of the wedding market - with no signs of a plateau or slowdown. The demand continues to grow with competition heating up at every level - destinations/CVB 's, resorts, developers, big hotel brands, dedicated magazines, websites, travel agents, wedding planners, photographers, wedding gown designers and the list continues!

We have built the core of our business by focusing on this trend and it has been truly amazing to be a part of the explosive growth. Exciting times indeed and opportunities abound but it does take a dedicated strategy and level of understanding of this unique segment of the market to realize the maximum benefits.

Bridal Magazines are the Hottest in the Industry!

Wow! Bridal Magazines are officially the 'fastest growing magazine category' in the industry! This according to Oxbridge Communications, publisher of the National Directory of Magazines. Some highlights from an interview from Media Life Magazine:

"What's hot in magazines: Bridal titles"

They're now the fastest-growing magazine category

One might think of bridal magazines as a staid category of magazines, and very niche, led by the big national titles Bride's and Modern Bride, but in fact the bridal category is seeing explosive growth, indeed the fastest growth of any category. The number of titles has nearly doubled in the past five years. And this at a time when many of the major magazine categories are seeing titles closing. Why the explosion in new titles? Good question.

How many bridal magazines are there?

There were 135 bridal magazines in 2007, up from 69 in 2002. [a 96% increase!!!!!]

Why is this category of titles so hot right now?

The growth in bridal magazines goes hand-in-hand with the nesting trend, as seen in the growth of home and interior design magazines. There also seems to be a fascination with celebrities, their marriages and un-marriages, and their babies.

How many of these bridal titles are local and regional? Is localization an important trend?

Yes, many of these bridal titles are regional. For example, there is Bride's Boston, Island Weddings, Nantucket Weddings and Hawaii Bride and Groom. Localization is the most important trend.

What are some of the key differences between the major titles in the bridal category?

They are becoming increasingly specialized, targeting ethnic groups, celebrity weddings and even men, as mentioned earlier.

To what do you attribute the growth among bridal titles?

Trends come and go, but people are always going to get married. And because of the high divorce rate there are even more marriages at all ages.

See the entire interview here.

You can also view an interesting 3-minute video clip from today's ADVERTISING AGE on the same topic - proving that this is big market news indeed!

Weddings continue to go from strength to strength and are the darlings of the media. The challenge for any marketer is, in a world of increasingly tighter budgets, how to make the dollars stretch further and mazimize their effectiveness. This does not even take into account the new wedding-related websites that pop up on what seems to be a daily basis! All the more reason for a dedicated, targeted approach and to knowing who the bride is that YOU want to attract. More on this hot topic in the near future!

Client Blog Project

We are really excited to share the new Blog we created this week for long-time client, the Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida - part of The Kessler Collection! As far as we know, it is one of the first such blogs of its kind for a hotel - and specifically a hotel wedding department!

You all know the power of blogging [you read this blog after all and most of you have your own great blogs!!] for business...I am passionate about it and learning more every day. During a recent visit/strategy session we had with the entire executive team at Casa Monica -the topic of blogging came up and we suggested it and they jumped right in! Before Kathryn and I made it home that night - they emailed us the start of a blog...knowing nothing about it!!

This week, I spent some time formatting it and creating about 20 posts to show them how they can use the blog to share all of the exciting news about weddings at Casa Monica with potential clients. It is very much a 'work in progress' as are all blogs...but this was created at no cost and using the existing, free blogger templates. We think it is great start and they are thrilled and excited to continue to build upon it. I can't wait to see how this will grow and know it will become an invaluable tool for their wedding team to effectively communicate with their clients!

The bottom line with blogging...just start. That is the hardest part!! Once you start it takes on a life of its own - so if you have not done so already - go for it!!

Super Photographer Does Superman's Wedding!

A HUGE congrats to my friend, the truly amazing Stacey Kane who was chosen to shoot Superman Brandon Routh's wedding in Santa Barbara last weekend! Her image is featured in this week's issue of PEOPLE Magazine and a much bigger spread will follow in a future issue of In Style Magazine. Could not have happened to a better, cooler and more fun 'superwoman' than Stacey - with all of the wedding photo talent based in CA - they chose her to shoot the wedding and flew her in from freezing Maine!! Well deserved! I feel lucky to have had her shoot my girls recently for our holiday card - will share that in a future post!!

Google Wedding Imminent

All the news is buzzing on the imminent but still *top secret* wedding of Google co-founder Larry Page this coming weekend.

Page Six reports today that "The wedding this Saturday of Google co-founder Larry Page on a tiny Caribbean island is a logistical nightmare for planners who are flying in 600 guests on private planes and trying to find deluxe hotel rooms for all the bigwigs. Page, 34, the most eligible bachelor in America, will wed girlfriend Lucy Southworth, 27, on entrepreneur Richard Branson's private getaway, Necker Island, sources confirmed to Page Six. Page and Southworth, a biomedical informatics (information processing) doctoral student at Stanford, have been dating for over a year. But to secure accommodations for their guests, Page's planners, working six months in advance, also had to book all the hotels on the neighboring island of Virgin Gorda. Read the rest here."

This will be amazing exposure for The British Virgin Islands and great PR in general for Destination weddings in the Caribbean!

I had the VERY good fortune to visit the enchanting BVI 5 years ago this week on a luxury press trip - including a visit to the over-the-top, fabulousness that is Necker Island and stays at each Little Dix Bay, Peter Island Resort, Bitter End Yacht Club and Biras Creek Resort. One of the most amazing Caribbean travel experiences I have ever had!! I absolutely loved every moment of it.

Stay tuned for more breaking wedding details...I love this stuff!

10 Things Your Wedding Planner Won't Tell You

Stumbled recently on this article from SMART MONEY Magazine entitled "10 Things Your Wedding Planner Won't Tell You." These types of articles are always interesting reading for any wedding professional to really understand what the media is warning your couples about. Knowing where they are coming from and what they have read will give you some valuable insight into what their questions and concerns might be and help you to establish a higher level of trust from the very first encounter with potential clients.

Unfortunately, as in any industry - there are a few unscrupulous "VENDORZILLAS" out there that are not in business for the right reasons. Brides and grooms are unusually wary coming into the market as they have all heard or read wedding-vendor horror stories.

Establishing a high level of trust and openly sharing past successes and glowing references is a proactive approach to setting yourself far above the few bad apples. Your reputation is everything - protect it fiercely!


[graphic courtesy of WeddingBee]

Media Request: New York Times Story

Just off the phone with a reporter from The New York Times - she is looking to research a story on the latest trends in Vow Renewals. I gave her my insights based on what I know from clients as well as some recent activity that I have noted on the many, many blogs and sites I visit daily!

Here is where you come in...what have YOU noticed lately in terms of this trend?? One example that I have seen is photographers doing one, two, five year Anniversary photo shoots with the couple back in their wedding attire. She wants MORE! Here is a part of her email to me:

"In particular, what I need to know, to establish the validity of this story, is whether they are detecting any new trends or changes in the wedding renewal arena, ie. that couples are doing it far earlier in their marriages than in the past. Also if they can provide me with names of people willing to talk about why they decided to do this and how they feel about it, that would be great."

So please - email me with anything you are seeing in the industry related to this trend and I will in turn connect you directly with this reporter for her to interview you!

My email is rebecca@engagingconcepts.com - looking forward to what all we learn!!!

TIME Magazine profile on TheKnot

From TIME Magazine - a fabulous profile of the brilliant Carley Roney and David Liu, Founders of TheKnot. Featured in the special section entitled: "Entrepreneurial Heroes: How We Got Started" it is an account in their own words of the story behind TheKnot - fascinating! A 'must read' for anyone in this industry. I have been so fortunate to have worked with both Carley and David from the very beginning and still marvel at what they have created together. They are revolutionaries and I love to watch their success. Gettting to spend some quality time with them both in Antigua last month and then again with Carley in Little Cayman filming the TV show reminded me of what makes them so special.

Check out the entire article, photo essay and podcast here!

The Wedding Report 2007

A great source of data about the wedding industry is The Wedding Report. They have just released updated information/trends and demographic data for 2007. In addition to the overall US Wedding market data they also offer an easily searchable database that breaks average spending and all other demographic information by city and state. Very valuable information to anyone in the wedding market.

One of the consistent themes is the source of planning information. A whopping 88% of brides say that they will plan their weddings using Family+Friends as a resource followed by 81% using the Internet and 68% using Bridal Magazines. Less utilized are Bridal Shows at 36% and Wedding Planners/Consultants at 17%.

Not surprising at all but always a good reminder of how powerful the 'word-of-mouth' factor is as a source of business! The care and consideration you take in handling your CURRENT clients is the most important predictor of the quality of your future business. This is not to minimize your efforts against the other sources of potential business but to remind you that you have a virtual goldmine of business right in front of you - it is up to you to leverage that opportunity to the fullest [think not just bride, groom, bridesmaids, groomsmen but also all of the guests/co-workers...anyone in their 'sphere of influence!'!

[photo: Leigh Miller Photography]

A lesson in getting it right...

*A NOTE*: This post originally started out to share some of the cute and fun items I came across on the KPW website...what happened as I was putting together the post was that it turned into a mini-case study of someone who is getting it right in marketing to the wedding industry. Read on:

Innovative ideas from the fabulous Kate Parker Weddings in Maine...The "Flip Flop Valet" and customized OOT ["Out of Town"] Welcome Guest Baskets made to order. What particularly impresses me is that even though both of these items could be created yourself - she has done a wonderful job in the presentation and in the selling strategy. As an example - part of the description of the Welcome Baskets:

"Each basket is filled with locally-made products and information pertaining to your wedding weekend, including a personalized map highlighting your event locations from the rehearsal dinner to the reception site. To make things even easier for you, we will ship your custom baskets directly to the hotels of your choice along with a guest rooming list for easy distribution. Want to personalize each basket event further? We can also create a personalized welcome letter to be included in your basket. Simply send us a copy of what you'd like to say and we'll take care of the rest. Don't spend the week of your wedding running last minute errands. Let us help make your guests' stay more enjoyable so you can spend quality time with your family and friends."

She does a great job of describing not only the Features of the items but much more importantly - she focuses on the BENEFITS of ordering them from KPW.

I know that is 'Sales 101' but it is something that we see overlooked on a regular basis in this industry. Wedding Professionals are often so focused on all of the things they offer and services they can provide and tooting their own horn with why they are the BEST at what they do that they overlook the most critical element - what the BENEFIT is to the bride and groom of hiring them or choosing their venue or their service.

As we see good + bad examples around the industry of this we will try and share. It is really easy to get caught up in the day-to-day running of your business/doing your job that it is hard to step back for some much needed perspective on how you are positioning yourself and coming across to your clients.

Remember, it's not really all about you/your business/your service/your venue - but just as important is what the benefits are to the client of choosing you!

Check out the rest of her great website for many other examples of fully integrated branding and very robust presentation of what all KPW stands for and offers - the entire time focused on what the BENEFITS are to hiring Kate Parker Weddings. Plus - I just love her tag line: "New England Couture Wedding Planner" and Brand Promise: "Creating sophisticated and spectacular weddings for the most discerning clients. Achieving moments beyond their wildest dreams."

Thanks to my friend Stacey Kane for telling me about her and most importantly - Kudos to Kate for 'getting it right!'

Flipping for 'The Flip'!

So cool! I just opened my brand new FLIP video camera and I am so excited! This is just the coolest gadget and I can already see so many uses for it. Besides using it to [finally!] start filming priceless moments of my girls - I can see using it for work as well. During FAM trips, site inspections + scouting trips, to quickly share new styles and looks for decor/flowers/locations, etc. for photo shoots, during market week and so, so much more! I could even see using it creatively during events for fun 'guest generated' content and unique perspectives all edited cleverly together...the possibilites seem endless!

The beauty of it is that it is EASY...it connects right into your computer for instant download of digital video that can easily be shared via email or uploaded to AOL or YouTube or your blog. So simple - I set mine up and started filming within 5 minutes - a record for me!

Featured this week by Oprah as well as in the USA Today and The Wall Street Journal the FLIP is sure to be a *big* seller this holiday season especially since it is priced at an amazing $129 for 30 minutes and $149 for 60 minutes! I bought mine from Amazon using my fab Amazon Prime membership but I think they are selling them at Target and Best Buy, etc. Oh - and one of the best things - it comes in super cool colors and is small enough to fit in even the tiniest of purses!

I am sure you will 'flip for The FLIP too!'

"Unpack Your Adjectives!"

Ok - I am surely dating myself, but for those of you of a 'certain age' who grew up in the 70's, I bet you can recall on demand every word and tune from "Schoolhouse Rock." So many classics - from "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly Get Your Adverbs Here" to "Conjunction Junction" - brings back so many memories!

Where am I am going with this and what in the world does it have to do with weddings? Well, today over on WeddingBee there is a post about a DJ who in the initial meeting/interview asks his clients to sum up in *3 Adjectives* what they want their wedding reception to be.

Simply. Brilliant.

I encourage you all to start asking your brides and grooms to "Unpack Their Adjectives" and share their *3 Adjectives* with you as it relates to your role in their wedding or honeymoon. [I imbedded the original clip from YouTube in the post below to refresh your memory!]

What fantastic insight this will give you into your couples - no matter the stage you are in the process - whether trying to close the sale or mid-way through the planning as a 'check in' to see if you are all on the same page with what the final event will look and feel like.

Take it one step further and go through the exercise yourself for your own business...what are the *3 Adjectives* that best describe you/your brand/what you stand for/what you offer that is unique and post it in a place that you see it often.

Kathryn and I will do this and I promise to post back with what our *3 Adjectives* are for Engaging Concepts...and feel free to share yours with us in comments!

Now - back to the Schoolhouse Rock site - I am digging the walk down memory lane and revisting my friend "Bill" up on Capitol Hill!!! LOL!

"Unpack Your Adjectives!"

Little Black Book of Wedding Vendors

Abby over at the oh-so-fab "Style Me Pretty" has done it again! She just launched the "Little Black Book" of Wedding Vendors. Described as "a highly edited collection of wedding service providers—from mom and pop boutiques to the red carpet A-listers. Personally recommended by our closest girlfriends, industry insiders and Style Me Pretty readers, there are three, hand-picked listings per category" it is sure to be a 'must read' for discriminating brides-to-be marrying in the cities featured!

The launch features hand-picked vendors in NYC, Chicago, LA, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington DC, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Philadelphia and Nashville.

I just love what Abby has done with both SMP and LBB and think it is a great example of how blogging is changing the wedding industry in a major way. She has a strong sense of style and in just a few short months has become a blogging [and media] darling with good reason! She has even been featured on Darcy Miller's blog and on the Martha Stewart Show!

The term 'networking' continues to evolve and is impacting all of our business - it is exciting and challenging at the same time but I am watching some up and comers on the fast track to becoming major forces and seeing some fantastic 'unknown' vendors become almost overnight success stories!

Would love to hear from you all about your 'new media' initiatives and how it is changing the face of your business...drop me a line or add a comment!

Rock Star Bride

Hi everyone! We are back from shooting the TV show and I promise a FULL update as soon as possible - it has been an intense week and a half to say the least!!!

In the meantime, we got an email today from the folks over at Rock Star Bride and wanted to share! RSB was launched on the concept that the wedding industry, especially accessories, need some more fun and rock star attitude added. They attract brides that are looking to go the non-traditional route for their wedding choices - with a little 'rock star attitude' of course!

Congrats and good luck to RSB for identifying a niche in the wedding industry that has yet to be fulfilled and going for it! Make sure you recommend them to YOUR 'rock star brides!'