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2010 Wedding Trends and Revenue Opportunities
Discussing trends in weddings and in the industry is always fun. New colors, new looks, fabulous food ideas! As an industry professional, the trick is to find the application for you and your business as to how to take a trend and find the revenue opportunity in it. So, whenever you see the word "trend", think upsell opportunity! Trends provide the "extras" that make your sale go from ordinary to extraordinary. As you read through the following list, jot down a few notes on how these trends can apply to your business, and how you will market them to your clients.
Also, realize the HUGE amount of information and inspiration that brides now have access to via the internet. The sky is the limit! They will come to you with all and every idea imaginable, and it is up to you to help them fit the most important items into the budget, or create similar ideas that accomplish the same effect.
DIY Weddings (Do It Yourself!)
- This is probably one of the biggest trends this year due to all of the wonderful ideas seen on blogs and inspiration boards. It actually rolls many trends we will be talking about all into one- organic, hands on approach and VERY personal. Brides WANT to do it themselves, but they still have this time crunch factor to deal with. How can you help them DIY?
Outdoor Weddings
- Barns, wineries, vineyards, backyards, hilltops with a view. . . Tent weddings are all the rage! Outdoor settings can be personalized to reflect a spirited and casual vibe, or totally elegant. Very popular is mixing styles - chandeliers in wine caves! The décor possibilities are endless.
Vintage Inspired
- It’s the ultimate in recycling - from vintage cake toppers to vases and pottery for your centerpieces to completely mis-matched vintage china settings, a return to "all things old" makes for a beautiful and relaxed ambience. If the mother or grandmother’s wedding dress is not a viable option, have it re-created from a picture!
Local Farm Produce, Eggs and Meats
- From pesticide-free flowers to organic menus, local farms are the best place for everything fresh and abundant. When the Chef goes shopping, make sure he wears his chef’s jacket so the locals can see he supports the community. Nice to list the name of the farm on your menus as well...
Something that Creates a "Buzz"
- Personal and whimsical touches add just the perfect "something extra" that brides are looking for. Have just one unexpected thing that guests will talk about for decades to come - incorporating their grandmother's best recipe as part of the menu, a champagne station in the restroom, a whimsical favor from the city in which the bride & groom met, or forgoing favors and making charity donations. Even in the most sophisticated of events, just one whimsical touch will get guests talking and give them something to remember.
Color Combos & Patterns!
- One of everyone’s favorite things to speculate on! This year waves goodbye to pastels and hello to rich colors like navy, orange with dark ruby reds, plum, and amber. Chocolate brown is still a great color to mix with, however basic black is taking center stage. Yellow is extremely hot! Bright and fresh or rich and earthy, yellow pairs with so many different colors - this year, look for pairings with turquoise, bright pink and orange. Gold & platinum are the metallics of choice this year.
- For people looking for a color that reflects a fresh, new beginning, beautiful bright greens make a great splash. Especially fun if paired with other "brights" - robin’s egg blue, bright yellow or orange.
- Patterns everywhere, mixed and matched - linens, bridesmaid’s dresses, china...Toile, florals, damask, polka dots, even gingham - there’s a pattern to fit any mood and style.
- Colors are bright and bold when it comes to shoes as well! Brides are choosing a bold color under their white or champagne gowns, and choosing great coordinating colors for the bridesmaids.
Tapas and Sample Stations
- Great for sophisticated evening weddings, or when you’re short on space for a sit-down dinner.
- Also fun for a cocktail hour, creating an "urban lounge" atmosphere (which is also a huge and fun trend - you can rent great furniture and create an area packed with ambience!)
- "Foodies" love tasting bars - every whim granted! Wine and cheese stations will be educational as well if you hire a professional sommelier to provide pairing pointers.
- Update the "old standards" with fresh takes on the menus - breathe new life into "South of the Border", "Asian infused" and "Americana"
Whimsical Signage
- Fun and whimsical signs "labeling" all the details as well as directional signs. Keep it in the theme of the wedding.
Wedding Stationery
- Fun, personalized graphic elements create a unified look for your wedding stationery, and can be anything from a flower to a bird, to a non-representational graphical element. They may reflect the location of the wedding, the wedding theme, or one of the bride & groom’s favorite things. Creative "Save the Date" cards are HUGE!
Libations, Wine Collections, Bar Chefs and Awesome Signature drinks
- Wine is still a major focus in 2010, thus we have seen a run on weddings at wineries. Create a great pairing menu for your client and offer to pour their own collection with a corkage fee (offer to decant as well).
- "Signature drinks" are still all the rage for the bride and groom, and creating drink "recipes" that pair beautifully with the menu and incorporate local fresh herbs, produce and purees (yes, produce!) such as a 6-flavor bellini bar with fruit purees (peach, pomegranate) and fresh herbs (mint lavender, fresh flowers). The key to a signature drink is not only the personalization and meaning behind the drink, but also that the color coordinates with the event!
- Along with the vintage craze, "vintage" cocktails are back as well. Make sure your bartenders brush up on their "Manhattans" and "Sidecars"...
Late Night Snacks
- Guests need a little "pick-me-up" as the night goes on. . .! Gourmet popcorn or french fries served in brown paper cups or mini Chinese food containers, after dinner cheese boards, tray passed sweets like cheesecake lollipops, mini ice cream sandwiches, mini root beer floats, and warm chocolate chip cookies with milk shots - make it fun and whimsical!
Long, Dramatic Tables
- The long tables came on strong in 2009, and are carrying right though 2010. More dramatic than round tables, these long tables become quite the showcase when covered in luxurious, amazing linens!
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"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down."
- Oprah Winfrey
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Tactics |
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Powerful Relationships
Seasoned and new industry sales people alike all realize the same importance of prospecting for new business and extending your "reach" as far as you can within your marketplace. When determining the prospecting programs and actions that will yield the highest return, we simply cannot deny the importance of industry relationships and referrals as one of the avenues that can potentially cost you the least and bring you the most.
Networking within and outside of the industry with other professionals can and will support each other’s efforts and interests. Maintaining these relationships is just as important as cultivating these relationships. It is just like a friendship - you cannot ignore each other and expect that the relationship will stay as strong as it once was! How can you accomplish this in our special events industry? Here are a few tips:
- Seek out and cultivate new relationships with the best in the business in whatever price point you are in. In every price point in your specific product or service, there are those known as "the best". These are the people you want to associate yourself with!
- Volunteer - find a great non-profit or organization that you are passionate about and show them how hard you can work for them! There is a great new charity called "Pink Initiative" which is a is a collection of wedding industry pros & private donors dedicated to funding awareness, outreach, education & research for breast cancer. Any organization is a great idea, though.
- Write, Write, Write! Blogs, newsletters and tweets are a great way of establishing yourself as an expert in your field and keeping in touch to maintain relationships. Sharing valuable information attracts attention of those you will want to build relationships with.
- Extend Your Client Base - we all get comfortable in our marketplace. Get uncomfortable. Do things you have not done before and prospect in new places in order to increase your database of prospects and expose yourself to new relationships.
- Network - yes, it’s an "overused" term, but the impact of doing it can be significant. The trick is not only to do it within the groups you already belong to, but if at all possible, extend yourself out to a new group. Widen your circle of influence!
- Create Mini-Groups! Nothing compares to a face-to-face meeting, so every now and then, get a mini group of great influencers together for coffee to share ideas and brainstorm. Sessions like this also help to feed our souls with the energy and excitement that keeps us passionate about our work.
- Introduce People - we always have our favorites that we like to do business with, so share the wealth of the relationship and introduce those people to other great people - it’s a win/win all around!
- Ask for Referrals - people naturally like to help other people when at all possible, so ask people in your current network to introduce you to others that can be beneficial for both parties. Everyone you know will have at last one other person that they can put you in touch with to start building a relationship.
Lastly, always become known as the best in the world at what you do - be excited, have pride in what you do, DO NOT SETTLE - be the best at some aspect of the business! Your reputation is gold, and people like doing business with people they trust and respect.
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"It's not what you do once in a while, it's what you do day in
and day out that makes the difference."
- Jenny Craig
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People in the News! |
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Congratulations to our new
Beverly Clark Certified Wedding Professionals:
Lorraine Kellam, Pala Casino Spa & Resort
Genie Rossetti, Sandia Resort & Casino
Jennifer Ball, Evince Management Agency
Wendy Dahl, Dahl Wedding Company
Karla Sandoval Sanchez, Hyatt Regency Cancun
Christine Gire, Anchorage Convention Centers
Linda Smith, Deer Creek Golf Club
Alexis Zangar, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
Josefina Luna, JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa and CasaMagna Cancun Resort
As well as gaining their certification, they now have the right to use a logo with their new designation on all marketing materials.
Every great salesperson in the special events industry, whether new or seasoned, has passion!
Passion for the industry
Passion for the event
Passion for the outcome
Passion for creating unforgettable experiences!
What drives your passion?
Share it here
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Webinar Series
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#7 - Attracting the Destination Wedding Market
Join us Online on March 16, 2010 at 11am PST/1:00pm CST/2:00pm EST (approximately a one-hour duration)
Topics will include:
Becoming a Destination Wedding Hot Spot, Destination Wedding Trends, Creating a Wedding Friendly Culture, Marketing/Advertising/Prospecting Strategies, Referral Relationships, Upselling and Revenue Increasing Strategies.
To register or for more information >> Please visit our Learning Center
#8 - Strategic Partnerships in the Special Events Industry
Join us Online on May 18, 2010 at 11am PDT/1:00pm CDT/2:00pm EDT (approximately a one-hour duration)
Topics will include:
Building Vendor Relationships, Unexpected Partnerships, Increasing Revenue Through Strategic Alignments.
To register or for more information >> Please visit our Learning Center
#9 - Maximizing the 2010 Holiday Season
Join us Online on July 21, 2010 at 11am PDT/1:00pm CDT/2:00pm EDT (approximately a one-hour duration)
Topics will include:
Marketing Streams and Timing, Increasing the Value of Your Product or Service, Securing Dates Early, Upselling the Extras.
To register or for more information >> Please visit our Learning Center
#10 - Wine Sales and Upselling
Join us Online on Sept. 22, 2010 at 11am PDT/1:00pm CDT/2:00pm EDT (approximately a one-hour duration)
Topics will include:
Pairing with Menus, Conducting Proper Tastings, Upselling to the Next Tier (or two)!
To register or for more information >> Please visit our Learning Center
#11 - Preparing for the 2011 Wedding Season
Join us Online on Oct. 20, 2010 at 11am PDT/1:00pm CDT/2:00pm EDT (approximately a one-hour duration)
Topics will include:
Trend Alert - What's on the Horizon for 2011, Making the Most of Your Advertising Dollars, Multi-Cultural Wedding Opportunities, Your Annual Wedding Marketing Plan - New Ideas!
To register or for more information >> Please visit our Learning Center
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| About Lynne |
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Editor in Chief
Lynne LaFond DeLuca
Lynne is the Sr. Vice President, Business Development and Education for Beverly Clark Hospitality Training. She is a highly regarded speaker in the special events industry and has written for industry publications including Boardroom and Catering magazines. Lynne has trained people around the world in the art of catering industry sales and operations. She has an absolute passion for what she does and for helping the people that she works with in the hospitality industry to perform at their maximum level.
lynne@beverlyclarkenterprises.com
More info on having Lynne as a Guest Speaker at your next industry event or sales meeting, please visit >>
Beverly Clark Hospitality Training
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| Resources |
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Beverly's Advertising Resources
Contact a Beverly Clark Representative about advertising on one of our websites. A strong internet marketing presence is a MUST today!
T | 800.933.3434
E | info@beverlyclarkenterprises.com
For information on advertising in this newsletter please go to our:
>> Newsletter ad information
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