How To Go Brand Your Wedding!

Folks, we’re heading into the wedding season (though in my experience one of the best wedding I’ve been to was in the middle of winter)!  Nevertheless, it’s time for the Marketing Doctor to tackle the how tos of Wedding Branding.  

Fact is, preparing for a wedding is a great time to think branding!  Afterall, a wedding is literally going to create the marriage of two great brands.  You and him/her!!!  And like everything about your personal brand(s), a wedding has got to start with you. 

In so many ways a wedding has always been about branding whether people have thought about it this way or not!  The couple chooses colors, fabrics, locations, designs…  I mean, they might as well be hammering out a logo –and, of course, they basically do this in the invitations (My God, talk about a direct-mail campaign!).

There’s been a lot of talk about how expensive wedding’s are getting.  See this article in Money on how the average wedding is costing upwards of 30 grand these days and here’s a site that let’s you calculate wedding costs and even gives you averages for your neck of the woods.

But the Marketing Doctor is here to give you some branding basics that will go a long way to making your wedding: 1) even better with branding and 2) probably end up costing you a lot less.

Here goes. 

As with personal branding, you and your soon-to-be spouse need to sit down and do an inventory.  Who are you exactly?  Be honest and thorough!  Do this individually first –remember this is a coming together of two brands so you better get an idea of these individual brands first!

What do you individually really like (list it even if it sounds crazy!)? 

Who do you individually really like (this is your day!  Why ruin it with people you don’t like?)? 

What do you want this day to individually express?

You’re going to be surprised by what you discover about each other and this is great (at least I hope so)!  Next, do these questions for you as a couple.  More than likely you’re going to find out that both of you are going to have to compromise a little –and the Marketing Doctor knows better than to get involved in that one (good luck!)!

At this point, you should really have a pretty good sense of what your combined brand is and this knowledge should guide you through the obstacle course of wedding planning (i.e., location, photographers, flowers, food, dress, etcetera etcetera).  Basically, rather than do a one-size fits all approach, your branding knowledge will allow you to take control of the process and even make it fun!  Not everyone needs flowers!  Not everyone needs a spring wedding (especially if you met in the fall or winter)!  Not everyone wants formal!  Not everyone needs a twenty-course meal fit for a Maharajah!  Maybe you want to dress up like characters from Star Trek or say your vows as you and your betrothed parachute to earth!  You get the picture!  Knowing your branding essentials will allow you to say “Yes” and “No” with more confidence and might even lead you to have one of those weddings that everybody talks about –in a good way!  And if you’re true to your brands, I’m confident that you’re going to be better hosts to your guests!

Some relevant family Tantillo wedding history.  I can remember the battle my sister had with my mother on who to invite to hers!  My sister wanted something small.  My mother wanted a Godfather-sized wedding with all the cousins and every generation!  Many things may have changed in wedding planning in 30 years, but these kinds of tussles have stayed the same!  Also, more on the one-size-doesn’t-fit-all point.  My sister was very practical. Her wedding gown was bought on sale, because the retail store was closing their bridal department –a four-figure dress for three-figures!  Boy, she was one happy bride, and my brother-in-law one happy groom!

And let me leave you with this bit of trivia.  Did you know that the most expensive wedding ever was thrown by Lakshmi Mittal on June 22, 2004?  The six-day celebration of his daughter’s nuptials came in at a mere 60 million dollars!  

Remember, it’s always easier when you keep your brand in mind!

Here a few wedding sites that might be helpful:
www.Weddingchannel.com 
www.Theknot.com 
www.Brides.com 
www.Instyleweddings.com 
www.Realsimpleweddings.com 

And, of course:
www.Marthastewartweddings.com