Ottawa’s longest running wedding planning company is teaching aspiring wedding planners the reality of the glitter-filled world with a new educational side of its business.
“We want to show people the real side of what it means to not only be a wedding planner but to run a business,” says Marry Me owner Stacey Price.
Marry Me Productions has been planning luxury weddings in Ottawa for more than 10 years.
The company’s expansion will be the first time a wedding planning company in Ottawa reaches out to help potential competitors.
Price says with so many new wedding planners in the city, she’s noticed a discrepancy between services and prices offered.
Right now, it’s difficult for brides to tell whether someone has real experience or is using stock photos, according to Price.
“Marry Me knows the good, the bad, and what happens when you undervalue your brand,” says Price. She wants to help the industry reach a point where everyone is held accountable.
Price plans to host a two-day workshop in April to help planners define their market niche and build a recognizable brand. Some popular niches in the industry include do-it-yourself and luxury weddings.
It will also cover marketing, social media, vendor relationships, and wedding day best practices.
Price says it’s the right time to start helping others.
“We have a lot of experience and connections we can share with new wedding planners,” she says.
Twenty-two-year-old student Robyn Mooibroek says she is looking forward to seeing another side of the business world. She currently works in corporate banking, but will attend the upcoming workshop to decide if wedding planning is for her.
“You have a huge impact on the most important day of someone’s life and that really interests me,” she says.
Ottawa is a hub for wedding shows, and Algonquin College’s event planning programs discussing the industry attracts many students. Websites like Pinterest cater to girls’ wedding day fantasies and make them accessible.
“People have this vision of romance, but it’s not all glitz and glam,” says Price.
Tom Duxbury, an entrepreneurship and small business adviser in Ottawa, says he sees many parallels between what Marry Me is doing and the restaurant industry.
He compares Marry Me’s move to restaurants that produce cookbooks and host classes for new chefs. In a competitive industry, he says assuming the role of teacher elevates a company above the rest because it will be seen as a confident leader with expertise.
“Any business that has successfully thrived for 10 years in an environment as complex and personalized as the wedding planning industry has a great deal of know-how to pass on,” says Duxbury.
He also points out that offering these programs can diversify the revenue streams of Marry Me and could offset expenses during their less busy seasons.