Water Cooler Shouts Down Negative Wedding Report

By Paul Pannone

Additional members of the Wedding Water Cooler step forward to denounce negative information that purports the wedding business has years of trouble before it. Some members are digging in to uncover whether the information has an ulterior motive of selling marketing information to unsuspecting business owners.

An entire forum of wedding experts says wedding activity is up and will continue to rise from 2008 levels. Save for a few sources armed with a wedding report, it looks like the wedding industry is on a rebound course to prosperity.

The latest members of the WWC to step forward include Steve Lang of Mon Cheri Bridals, Jim Duhe of Bridal Guide, Celebrity planner, Samantha Goldberg and Christine Boulton of Think Like a Bride

According to Lang Mon Cheri is in the throes of a record-breaking season. “ My warehouse is open several nights till 11pm. They are also working some weekends packing to get ready for pick up Mondays. Anyone that wants a tour, they are welcome to see it happening. We are an open book,” according to Lang.

Lang told eWedNewz all portions of his business is up over last year, growing beyond expectations. According to Lang the attributed results are from steps taken in 2011, improving marketing and advertising while others were cutting back. Lang is an avid believer in marketing, spending a robust part of total revenue to ensure wanted results.

Lang and other successful notables of the wedding industry choose to spend company resources wisely, where the return on investment is greatest.

While most print media is dying, Bridal Guide claims to be growing. Lang shifted his advertising budget from Brides to Bridal Guide, feeling he would be better served by the move. Lang objected to the focus of attention at Brides, feeling they spoke to a higher spending market that no longer existed. He chose Bridal Guide, feeling they are more in touch with reality.

“I think it has to do with our logical approach to what’s really happening in the marketplace. Sure, if the market demanded five and six thousand dollar gowns we’d be featuring them. But the reality is the average bride is careful these days; so are we,” says Jim Duhe of Bridal Guide.

Duhe’s logic and honest approach earned him a very distinct reputation in the wedding business: steering advertising clients towards solutions they can afford and brings results. Duhe told eWedNewz his clients are upping advertising.

“You don’t do that unless you feel good about the future. I’m hear much more positive forecasts and hardly anything negative about the future of the wedding business,” according to Duhe.

A business owner, a wedding advertiser/marketer both saying the same things based on information gleaned from sources that deal primarily with manufacturers and retailers of the number one interest of the bride; the wedding dress.  What about from the celebrity side of wedding planning for the future?

An interview with Celebrity Planner, Samantha Goldberg, says the wedding business is set to explode.

“We’ve felt it for about six months and here it is, right in front of our faces. Traffic to our website has doubled in that time and I don’t think it’s because of our re-launch. I doubt that traffic just appears, it has to be there to begin with,” according to Goldberg.

Goldberg dismissed recent information that contradicts Wedding Water Cooler findings.

“I really don’t know how that data and information was obtained but my collaboration with major organizations and high-profile celebrities is 180 degrees from that report. But it’s not just at the highest level of spending; my company has many budget tiers for brides that can’t afford me. But they can certainly afford members of my staff to help plan their wedding,” says Goldberg.

Wedding analyst, Christine Boulton, told eWedNewz she believes there could be a motive behind why some wedding sources cite the negative information.

“It’s simple; if times get better, they can’t sell their fairy dust. It’s ironic that when times were getting worse they wanted people to believe otherwise. Now that things are turning around, they’re taking the opposite stance. What other possible reason could there be?” questions Boulton.

Over Super Bowl weekend, Christine visited a local bridal show in Nashville, giving a stellar report to her readers. Boulton attended the show with a specific agenda in mind: to look for any negativity or unflattering forecast.

“If there was, I didn’t hear or see it. I scoured the entire show and all I heard was optimism. Sure, have things changed since 2007? Of course they have. But are we in a nosedive the way we were? Absolutely not,” she told eWedNewz.

Boulton followed up with a story based on information, quotes and poll results she’s been gathering for over a month. The results in her story speak for themselves. eWedNewz continues our investigation.

What do you think?

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