Poll: Brides Use Internet For Wedding Vendor Searches
Where do brides go to find a caterer, photographer or other wedding vendor? In the past they’ve used the Yellow Pages, visited brick & mortar stores, attended bridal extravaganzas or asked a friend. But today the answer is clearly “The Internet”!
Jeff Kear and the gang at My Wedding Workbook (an online resource for wedding planning) recently conducted a poll that surveyed over 800 brides. They discovered that when searching for wedding ideas and information, brides go online. In fact, the top three kinds of pages that brides visit when researching for their wedding are wedding websites, wedding blogs and search engines (like Google).
flowers captured at an Austin, Texas Wedding
Here’s some great information taken from the My Wedding Workbook article:
Generation Y and the Millennials have been using computers and the Internet practically their entire lives, so it only makes sense that these are the first resources they use when they start planning a wedding,” said Jeff Kear, owner of My Wedding Workbook.
In fact, when brides were asked what will be their main source of aid throughout the wedding planning process, the Internet (17.8%) ranked just behind brides’ fiances (28.4%) and their mothers (21.3%) – one of the more interesting statistics from the survey.
And what do brides specifically look for when they are surfing the Web? The top items are wedding advice and how to’s, planning tools, wedding attire, floral and decor, and photography/videography.“It’s no surprise that wedding guidance and shopping are definitely the two areas of most interest for online brides,” says Kear. “However, the recent recession has made brides even more reliant on the Internet for assistance in these two areas. Brides are more budget conscious than ever, so they are planning more events and details themselves and need more guidance. They are also spending more time comparison shopping and browsing for bargains, and the Internet has become the default venue for comparing prices and vendors.”
Likewise, it’s also critical for brides to do their homework in evaluating vendors they have discovered online. “Don’t just rely on the ratings on websites, as they might be unfairly weighted toward positive or negative reviews,” says Kear. “Instead, ask your friends who have planned weddings, pose questions in local online forums and even talk to vendors who you have already found and trust. I guarantee a caterer has already worked with a florist they admire, or an officiant knows of a great wedding coordinator who they would recommend. The Internet can be helpful, but there’s no substitute for word-of-mouth.”
The complete online system for planning a wedding, My Wedding Workbook offers a step-by-step process for planning and sharing your wedding, from the proposal all the way through the honeymoon. Included in the system are dozens of wedding planning tools, a wedding website, guest email communications center and dozens of tip sheets and checklists that walk you through the whole wedding planner process.
You can contact Jeff by email at jeff@myweddingworkbook.com or by phone at 1-877-266-3885.
Source: My Wedding Workbook
Austin Bridal Extravaganza – September 12, 2010
It’s almost September, which means it’s time for the Austin Bridal Extravaganza, promoted by The Austin Wedding Guide. Just like last year, it will be held at the Palmer Event Center, off of Barton Springs Road near downtown Austin.
Last year my wife and I attended the Austin Bridal Extravaganza just for fun. There’s lots of free stuff and fun people to talk to. I think the thing we enjoyed the most was having our photo snapped in a photo booth – which can be a lot of fun on wedding day as well (imagine all your guests and you dressing up in costumes during your reception and snapping fun pics in a photo booth). Usually the photo booths will allow couples to snap photos for free – which means once you’re behind the curtain you can act silly and make faces, which are captured in one print.
Usually there’s a fashion show as well. When you enter you’ll be given a bag to collect information from vendors. Your bag will likely include “bridal bucks”, which you can use toward discounted pricing with participating vendors at the extravaganza. There are definitely great deals to be had on the big day and what better way to meet face to face with so many wedding vendors in one day!
My Wife & Me Being Silly In The Photo Booth.
Bridal Extravaganza 2010 boasts more than 200 wedding vendors, games, prizes and more. According to the official website, there’s even an area called the “groom’s corner” where grooms-to-be can relax on plush couches and watch tv. If you’re having a hard time convincing your groom to come along to the Extravaganza you might use that little tidbit about couches and tv as a carrot for him! J
Details:
Date: Sunday, September 12th, 2010
Time: Noon – 5 pm
Location: Palmer Event Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, Texas
Admission: $14/person – Purchase here.
Save The Date! Austin’s Progressive Round Robin Wedding Tour – CANCELED!
Update: This event for 2010 has been CANCELED! Check back in 2011…
Austin Americana Studio in conjunction with Martin Whitton Photography is proud to share with you the charity event of the year! 25 couples getting married in Austin on the same day! You are invited….
SAVE THE DATE!
Austin is about to celebrate a VERY unusual wedding.
The Wedding Industry Outreach is hosting the first ever Progressive Round Robin Wedding Tour, and YOU are invited to witness 5 couples getting married AT THE SAME TIME. While one set of couples is getting married in one area of town, another set of 5 couples will be getting married at 4other locations across the city. That’s 25couples!!
Mark your calendar for
August 22, 2010!
Be a BRIDE or be a GUEST,
hitch a ride, and we’ll do the rest!!
Make a difference in YOUR village!
Details are on the website, our www.weddingindustryoutreach.com
Don’t have time to plan all the details?
Don’t have the budget to have all the bells and whistles?
Getting married for a second time?
Want to be a part of a very special way to give back to your community? The Progressive Round Robin Wedding, sponsored by the Wedding Industry Outreach, is looking for couples who would like to make a difference in their community and at the same time, have the wedding of their dreams.
Cost? $500.00 (100% of which is donated to the charity of your choice)
What you get: Your own photographer, ceremony venue, cake cutting, light appetizers and toast at a second venue, and reception complete with dancing, bouquet, garter toss and get away at a third venue, wedding cake, floral bouquet, appetizers, videographer, shuttle, champagne, ALL completely donated by The Wedding Industry Supporters below!
Don’t have time to plan all the details?
Don’t have the budget to have all the bells and whistles?
Getting married for a second time?
Want to be a part of a very special way to give back to your community? The Progressive Round Robin Wedding, sponsored by the Wedding Industry Outreach, is looking for couples who would like to make a difference in their community and at the same time, have the wedding of their dreams.
Cost? $500.00 (100% of which is donated to the charity of your choice)
Vendor Supporters:
Ame Soeur Events – Donna Aleman
Angelic Strings – Belinda and Michael Morris
Austin Wedding Jookbox – Beverly and Stephen Lee
Austin’s World of Rentals – George Bates
Austin Photo Booth – Martin Aleman
Angel Springs Events Center – Anthony and Norma Beissner
Austin Wedding Day – Rita and Don Nowakowski, Cheryl Ann
Austin Wedding Guide – Bob Lowman
Arbor Pointe Event Center – Pat Ott
Alamo Photographics – Veronika and Vlad Jirasek
Altared Weddings – Ryan
Beyond the Big Day – Valerie Williams
Blue Note Bakery – Angie Giles
Bruce Covill Photography
Bill Bastas Photography
Bouquets of Austin – Stephanie Barro
Cakes by Kathy – Kathy Hunt
Catering By Mopsie – Robert and Mopsie Cavo
Chateau on the Creek – Kathy Hunt
Complete Music – Scott and Becca Valley
Courtney’s Catering – Mark Dowling
Cedar Park Convention and Visitor’s Bureau – Aimee Whitley George
D & C Entertainment – Coleen Yantis
Dagar’s Catering – Kathryn Dagar
Elite Events – Kathie Millen
Epic Productions – Clint Choate
Eudora’s Cuisine – Catherine McDargh and Jo Terrell
Ever After Images – Debra and Ray Malkiewicz
Flora Fetish – Carrie Beamer
Fountain Glenn – Jon Bradley and Jack Graham
Fairy Godmother Foundation – Keri Byer
The Gold Coat Inn – Catherine McDargh and Jo Terrell
Getaway Travel – Suzy Secora
Hill Country Events – Amy Mullins
Hollywood Sounds – David Combs
Hilton Garden Inn – Sarah Lindstead
Hooked Photography – Michael Hooks
The Inn at Wild Rose Hall – Morgan Jackson
Jmark Photography – Mark and Vickie Cowling
Jacqueline Platt – Harpist
Jeff Loftin Photography
Judge Jon Wisser
Kelly Cameron Photography
Leave the Details to Me – Keri Wootton
Maris Malone Calderon
Memory Lane Events Center – Thalia Morgan
McMurtrie Farms – Chelsea McMurtrie
My Power 2 – Michelle Conner
Matt Montalvo Photography
Martin Whitton Photography
Mercury Hall – Herb
Marquee Rentals – Damon Holditch
Nelson Jetter Photography
Neil Holman – Hotels for Hope
Officiant – Connie Larson
Officiant – Joey Wilson
Officiant – Vicki Wood
OnPoint Communications – Alicia Terry
Premiere Party Central – Delores Crum
Plantation House – Luanna and Norris Cole
The Photo Shoppe – Chris Howard
Photohouse Films – Will Herrington
Parkcrest Floral
Rebel with a Camera – Travis and Christina Gagnon
Say Cheese Photobooth – Todd Darby
Simon Lee Bakery – Judy Le and Jad Simon
Sterling Affairs – Larry Kille
Studio 563 – Andy Peterson, Sean Wray
Stubbs Staffing – Robin Plett
Southwest Party Productions
Texas Old Town – Larry Kruzie, Danny German
Texas Wedding Mall – Travis White
Villa Antonia – Toni Sharp/ Michaja Tate
Villa St. Clair – Kim Sinclair
Wild Bunches Floral – Janet Morgan
ZuZu’s Petals Floral – Steve and Elaine Lincoln
