This October I caught up with avid tweeter, blogger and fellow Wedding Professional Pamela Wallin of Weddings in Surrey, here are some of the things we talked about;
1. Running an online directory you meet and know a whole host of wedding suppliers, in your opinion what makes a wedding supplier unique and stand out from the many others who would advertise on your site?
Yes that’s certainly true that I do get to meet a lot of wedding suppliers along the way through attending wedding fairs, or wedding venue and supplier launches. The unique suppliers in the wedding industry are the ones who invest not only money in their business, but also time. The wedding industry attracts businesses where this may not be their only occupation.
Thinking about brand image and presenting a professional front to potential customers is key. Developing brand image through logo design, stationery and web design is essential. Our wedding suppliers have their own unique page on Weddings in Surrey. This is their showcase to demonstrate who they are and what they can do for our couples! Providing professional images that are relevant and key to their core business together with descriptive text which invites our many visitors to visit their website gives them the edge over other advertisers. Of course, there is also banner advertising if they wish to feature at the head of their chosen category.
2. Destination Weddings are on the up for Irish couples, and while most prefer to travel to traditionally sunnier climates, Surrey could offer Irish couples this and more. What do you think makes Surrey such a fabulous place to get married in?
Surrey is one of the Home Counties and borders Greater London, Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire, with the historic county town of Guildford. Surrey has a great deal of mature woodland, and notable beauty spots such as Box Hill, Leith Hill, Frensham Ponds, Newlands Corner and commons. It is mostly green belt and of course has the beautiful River Thames running through from London. It is well served by Heathrow and Gatwick Airports and the M25. Surrey is credited with having the highest proportion of millionaires in the UK and is one of the most affluent and successful counties dominating the 10 best places to live in Phil & Kirsty’s Location Location 2007 List.
Surrey boasts a wealth of beautiful and unusual wedding locations of towns, rivers, country estates, private homes, castles, barns and contemporary. It has many idyllic village churches and wedding venues that are licensed to perform a civil ceremony. Newest civil wedding venue in Surrey to be granted a license is Concorde at Brooklands Museum. Just imagine getting married in Concorde, and having a wedding reception under the great expanse of Concorde’s wings. Whatever the dream may be holding a wedding in Surrey can make it come true.
3. Because of the downturn in our economies many companies are being forced to close, often taking with them couples hard earned money and sometimes their wedding dresses and even photos of their wedding day. What would be your advice to couples when booking their suppliers to try and avoid this?
It can be devastating to have a wedding day ruined by suppliers not delivering what they promised. Choosing wedding suppliers can be a tricky business – couples may just love what they have to offer but are they reliable? Will they deliver on the day? There are certain steps one can take to minimise the risk.
- Ask how long they have been in business
- How many weddings do they supply a year
- Get references from other customers
- Use wedding venues recommended suppliers (they will work with them often)
- Use a wedding planner who will have built up a reliable list of suppliers
Lastly, take out wedding insurance – with all the planning in the world, things can and still do go wrong. This will insure you against financial loss and cost of replacements if necessary.
With many suppliers vying for business, it has become somewhat of a ‘buyers market’ for engaged couples – with some even dictating the price they wish to pay for the service being offered. What do you make of this? And have you received any feedback from suppliers on this?
Time are tough, and I think everyone, no matter what they are purchasing, is trying to get a discount on services and goods. Feedback demonstrates that suppliers are looking to have a USP that distinguishes them from the competition, rather than driving prices down in the marketplace. Venues are coming up with an ‘All-Inclusive’ package so couples can see exactly what they are paying for and what they are getting for their money – no hidden costs. Last Minute deals are being offered throughout the industry and innovations with special offers and promotions.
By Pamela Wallin
Email: info@weddingsinsurrey.co.uk
Web : www.weddingsinsurrey.co.uk
- after all you deserve it! Well I am sure it lasted… into the honeymoon at least, but as of late my face is lucky if it catches the corner of a make up wipe or sees the splash of some water. As a result my skin is dull, dry and well just plain awful! Nothing a quick trip to the salon and a cleansing and ex-foliating facial wouldn’t cure – unfortunately the budget wont quite stretch that far, so I was left to find more economical methods over the weekend. While in Tescos picking up some vino to go with our steaks I casually glided by the cosmetics aisle to see if there was anything that could freshen my dull complexion.
St Ives Apricot Scrub caught my eye. More so because it reminded me of one of those funny email forwards on the difference of the male and female showering habits, but I picked it up regardless and popped it into the basket (alongside the new Galaxy Cookie Dough bar -YUMMY!! <diet starts next week 
>). Am only on day 2 of using it and WOW – absolutely amazing! It says on the back that it ‘promotes healthier-looking, glowing skin in just 7 days’ but after only 2 I am noticing a HUGE different. 
The Zoo have hired an on-site Wedding Coordinator to help couples through the process of planning a wedding at the Zoo and newly-weds will be allowed take their wedding photographs with some of the zoo’s inhabitants, such as the Asian elephants and the ring-tailed lemurs from Madagascar.
rate the company’s birthday but we also get to celebrate the birthday of our internationally sold wedding planning book, Distinctive Weddings; Tying the Knot without the Rope Burns!!
- €650 and Tom’s Wedding Cars is quoting you €150.00 you would really want to look at little closer. How is the driver dressed, are the fully insured and licensed to operate as a wedding car driver, is the car clean both inside and out, do they provide champagne, do they wait during the ceremony or are they nipping off to do a second/ third run while you exchange vows.You really do need to be careful as to who it is you are hiring.