Wedding PR: 4 Ways to Get Publicity Beyond Real Weddings

By Sasha Vasilyuk, I DO PR

Submitting real or styled weddings has become the go-to way for wedding professionals to get their work published. A couple of years ago, getting a real wedding published on a blog was cause for true celebration because it often brought real customers to your doors.

Today, however, wedding blogs and social media channels have become so saturated with pretty images of weddings that it’s become much harder for any one brand to stand out and book more brides (and grooms).

So how do you cut through the noise and build a brand that’s unique,
recognizable, well-respected and seen by actual customers?

Let me share four powerful wedding PR strategies beyond real wedding submissions that you can use to get publicity and establish credibility for your business.

#1 – Go to Print

If you have a gem of a wedding, hold off on submitting it to blogs and try sending it to a print magazine instead.

A print feature always looks more impressive in your portfolio than a web one and if published, it will get greater visibility than on a blog because it won’t be replaced by a new real wedding the next day. If you have a truly unique wedding with great details on your hands, in my experience a magazine feature isn’t hard to get as you may think.

#2 – Offer Tips

Journalists who write about weddings are always seeking tips from wedding professionals with subject matter expertise. I have no doubt you give out tips to your clients all the time.

Remember that those same tips can be reused to give advice to brides who could become your clients. Invest in establishing relationships with journalists so you can become a go-to source whenever they need a quote or a tip from an expert.

#3 – Guest Blog

If you want to up the ante on your publicity game, consider guest blogging for the media. Many bridal blogs and magazines offer opportunities for wedding professionals with good story ideas.

If you have a way with words, look for a publication that runs guest blogs, create a list of ideas that you can write about and ask them if they’d be interested. If your ideas are solid and timely, you’ll be surprised how many editors are willing to consider your guest blog post.

#4 – Collaborate

Collaborating with other vendors is not only a necessary way to get referral business in the wedding industry, but also a way to get publicity.

If you’re a venue, host a dinner or a party and invite select vendors and journalists to come. If you’re a photographer, partner up with a fashion designer on a shoot. If you’re a caterer, partner up with a mixologist and a band to create a unique private tasting experience for food and drink journalists.

The event industry is the luckiest one in that it covers every aspect of entertainment that can give the media a good source for a story. Think creatively, reach out to friends in the industry and create something unique that will get the media excited.

While publishing real weddings is an easy way to get your brand out there, going beyond that will help you establish a more long-lasting and more fruitful recognition for your brand.

How do you get publicity for your wedding business?

Sasha Vasilyuk is the CEO of I DO PR, a public relations agency that helps connect wedding brands with the media. She is the author of the ultimate wedding PR book Marry the Media: How to Gain Publicity for Your Wedding Business, available on Amazon and on her site.