This week's notebook entry comes from a room full of wedding professionals.
I recently had the opportunity to attend The Wedding Collective in Northwest Arkansas, organized by Bridget Nice of Nice Wedding & Event Planning, and one of my favorite things about the event had nothing to do with a wedding trend, beautiful table decor, or new product.
It was watching wedding professionals connect with each other.
Photographers met planners. Rental companies talked with reception entertainment companies. People exchanged information, shared ideas, learned from one another, and started conversations that could turn into future collaborations.
And it reminded me of something I think the wedding industry needs more of:
Community is better than competition.
There Is Room at the Table
Yes, wedding businesses compete. Two photographers may be trying to book the same Saturday. Venues serve the same geographic area. Planners, florists, DJs, caterers, and other vendors all want couples to choose them.
That's business.
But another wedding professional succeeding doesn't automatically mean someone else is failing.
In fact, some of the people who can help grow a wedding business the most are other people in the wedding industry.
A photographer needs beautiful venues to photograph. A venue needs great caterers to recommend. A planner needs reliable vendors she can confidently put in front of her couples. And when one business is already booked, having another trusted professional to recommend is incredibly valuable.
Those relationships don't happen by accident. They start by getting in the same room, introducing yourself, asking questions, sharing what you know, and actually getting to know the people behind the businesses.
Collaboration Makes Everyone Better
Networking can lead to referrals, styled shoots, social media collaborations, vendor recommendations, shared content, and new audiences.
But I think there's an even bigger benefit.
Wedding professionals can learn from each other.
Someone else may have figured out a better process. They may know a resource you've never heard of. They may have noticed a problem couples are experiencing that you could help solve.
Sometimes one conversation can spark an entirely new idea.
And when wedding professionals get better at what they do, couples benefit.
Brides Win, Too
That's ultimately what I loved most about seeing this community come together.
A bride isn't hiring one business to create her wedding. She's assembling a team. When the photographer already knows the planner, the venue has caterers it trusts, the DJ communicates well with the coordinator, and vendors are comfortable working together, that can make the entire wedding experience better.
Great vendor relationships can mean better communication, smoother transitions, stronger recommendations, and fewer problems for the couple to solve themselves.
That's why building community within the wedding industry matters.
Everyone is building their own businesses, but we're also part of something bigger. Every wedding requires people with completely different talents to come together and create one day.
Maybe our businesses should work a little more like the weddings we help create.
Wedding Pros I Connected With at The Wedding Collective
Photo by: Elm's Designs
I'm dedicating this section to some of the businesses and wedding professionals I had the opportunity to meet, reconnect with, or learn more about at The Wedding Collective.
Nice Wedding & Event Planning
Wedding Planning & Coordinating
Guided by Faith Event Co.
Wedding Planning & Coordinating (Four States Area)
Rebecca's Weddings LLC
Wedding Officiant & Ceremony Designer (Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma)
Graceful Twists Cotton Candy Cart
Cotton Candy Cart (Southwest Missouri & Northwest Arkansas)
Jordan Spears Photography
Photographer (Arkansas & Beyond)
Glo Haus
Selfie & 360 Photo Booths (Four States Area)
Putts NWA
Mobile Mini Golf (Northwest Arkansas)
Agape Wedding Company
Wedding Planning & Coordinating (Northeast Oklahoma, Northwest Arkansas & Beyond)
Beloved Weddings Co.
Wedding Planning & Coordinating (Arkansas & Beyond)
Epic Tents & Event Rentals
Event rental company offering tents, drapery, florals and more (Four States Area & Beyond)
Chiara Carroll Bridal
Custom Wedding Dresses (St. Louis, Missouri)
Everlasting Love Weddings
Wedding Planner & Coordinator (Northwest Arkansas & Beyond)
Samantha Ware Photography
Photographer (Northwest Arkansas & Beyond)
Ever Serene Photography
Photographer (Arkansas & Beyond)
Rusha Stuart Photography
Photographer (Arkansas & Beyond)
Mika Howard Photography
Photography (Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma & Beyond)
Shelby Chante Photo
Photography (Missouri, Arkansas & Beyond)
High Water Mark DJs
DJ (Arkansas & Missouri)
With Great Love (Sadie Le)
Wedding Planning (Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, & Beyond)
Casa Alejo
Mexican Restaurant & Catering (Northwest Arkansas & Beyond)
Sierra Bruning Photography
Photographer (Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma & Beyond)
Simply Wed by Laura
Wedding Officiant (Arkansas)
Ozark Music Hall
Venue (Northwest Arkansas)
Flourish Coffee
Coffee Catering (Arkansas)
Elm's Designs
Photographer (Northwest Arkansas & Beyond)
Nestled in Sugar
Peanut & Tree Nut Free Home Bakery (Northwest Arkansas)
The Apollo on Emma
Venue (Northwest Arkansas)
Luxi Loo Rentals
Luxury Restroom Trailer Rentals (Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma)
The Vault Social
Social Media Agency (Northwest Arkansas)
Ria
Restaurant & Catering (Northwest Arkansas)
Here's to more introductions, more referrals, more collaborations, and more wedding professionals cheering each other on.
Because there may be competition in business, but there is so much more opportunity in community.
From my wedding notebook to yours,
