Nearly every new client that calls me says the same thing; “I want to reach that top end luxury market bride.” Well here is a tip: you won’t find them at a bridal show. You won’t find the mid-level luxury market bride there either and here is why.

Brides in the top 3% don’t plan their own wedding. It’s just that simple. They hire planners and delegate the leg work out. Brides in that market are there for one of two reasons; they are either wildly successful in their own right or are the children of privilege.

The first group is too busy to manage all the minute details involved in a wedding. They know how and when to delegate and aren’t afraid to do it. They are business savvy and know how to find what they want and get it. They are either going to get a planner referred from a friend or from whoever has been planning their other events. With the exception of the gown, you are more likely to be dealing with their personal assistant than the bride herself.

The second group isn’t planning their own wedding either. They too, are using a planner but it’s probably the one that Mom finds. If this is your target market you need to direct your marketing to her and her social group. Period. Oh the bride may have a lot of input into the style and look of the event but you can bet your bottom dollar that Mom is picking the vendors. Those vendors will be the ones that her friends use and that her planner recommends. For this group it is about status. They are not going to trust their social reputation to someone they “find” at a bridal show.

So what about the tier right under this one? Well they just don’t want to screw it up. That is why they hire a planner. They may be at a bridal show to get ideas, but not to buy.

Do I still think bridal shows are a valuable marketing tool? Sure, just don’t go in looking for something that isn’t going to be there.

For more good stuff on bridal shows, subscribers can check out this month’s Marketing Column at Think Like A Bride.

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