Market To Market: Say 'I Do' To The Wedding Industry
Promotional items make memorable reminders and favors for the big day
Not every bride-to-be dreams of a fluffy white dress and a thousand rose petals strewn down the aisle—but that doesn’t mean alternative visions of the big day are any less meaningful or in need of a specific plan of action.
The many faces of the wedding industry, from photographers to bakers to ceremony officiants, exist solely to help to make wedding dreams a reality—and promotional products marry well with the messages these vendors want to deliver.
For businesses whose bread-and-butter comes from the wedding industry, bridal shows can make up a sizable chunk of annual revenue. Great Bridal Expo, a national bridal show producer based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offers vendors several tips on making promotional products count when exhibiting at one of the company’s many national shows. Take note, promotional consultants—these tips could turn a wedding-business vendor into a client:
- When selecting the right products, choose quality over quantity. Giveaways that are geared toward a target market such as brides, bridal party members or couples, increase opportunities to keep a business’s brand in front of potential customers. Photographers, for example, might consider custom photo frame magnets with contact information printed on them.
- Premium items such as crystal champagne glasses are ideal for enticing qualified leads, but if brand awareness is the goal, stick with less expensive items that can be distributed in bulk.
- Wearables and tote bags are always popular and are available at several price points. Consider the importance of a quality method of decorating for both of these long-lasting products.
- Food gifts are great for attendees, who will be wandering through dozens or even hundreds of booths without stopping and will definitely have worked up an appetite.
Kick wedding festivities up a notch with products like these
Guests will carry a wedding memory with them forever when it’s on a U.S.-made metal keytag. Four-color process personalization allows couples to create mementos with photos, text or logos on brass, antique brass, nickel silver or sterling silver tags.
Osborne Coinage Co. UPIC: COINS www.osbornecoin.com
Dip into an adorable customized nail polish in a color of your choosing. Imprint the square bottle in black, white, silver or gold, and cap it with a black, white or silver top.
Diamond Cosmetics, Inc. UPIC: Diamond1 www.diamondcosmetics.com
Who says feminine and rugged don’t go together? Bridal parties will love getting this frayed camo cap in pink-Mossy Oak Breakup or Fuchsia-Realtree Max 1 styles. The cap sports a 100-percent cotton washed twill front and 60/40 cotton-polyester camo back. The unstructured, low-profile design has six-panel construction and a pre-curved, distressed visor. The Velcro® closure also has a camo-brand woven loop label over the back arch.
Kati Sportcap UPIC: KATI www.katisportcap.com
Pack perfectly for a destination wedding or the honeymoon with pieces from the KAPSTON™ Collection. The collection offers four bags with coordinating padding on the straps, plenty of storage and retail-inspired fabric. The 19-inch carry-on folds up nicely for storage underneath a bed or without taking up too much space in a closet.
BIC Graphic USA UPIC: BIC www.bicgraphic.com
Make a save-the-date announcement stick with a sticker postcard. The 4.25- by 6-inch size guarantees visibility for custom graphics on the front, and a pre-printed return address on the back.
Magna-Tel, Inc. UPIC: MAGNATEL www.magna-tel.com
The SPARKLE imprint process features glossy holographic or metallic dots that make promotional bags like this one shine. These dots come in more than 30 eye-catching colors for use on nonwoven and polyester bags like this Grandé mesh panel tote, a 100-GSM premium non-woven polypropylene bag featuring front and back mesh panels, 26-inch-long handles, and a wide Velcro® strap closure.
BAG MAKERS, Inc. UPIC: BAGMAKRS www.bagmakers.inc
Take a wedding reception or rehearsal party from day to night with pinhole sunglasses and light-up foam sticks. The iconic sunglasses are available in nine colors and feature UV400 protection, four-color process decals and optional imprinting on sunglass arms. When the sun goes down, light up the party with a light-up foam stick decorated with a four-color process wraparound sticker.
WOWLine UPIC: MANY0002 www.wowline.com
Line up the wedding party for an epic photo with the help of a custom selfie stick. The nine-inch stick extends to just over three feet and includes an adjustable phone holder that fits all smartphones. The attached cable plugs into the headphone jack; no Bluetooth connection required. Then, toast to making memories with a personalized Moscow Mule mug. The stainless steel 16-ounce mug is coated in copper with smooth rims and a fashionable handle.
Makana Line LLC UPIC: MAKANA www.makanaline.com
Add some pop to the post-ceremony procession with 0.6–ounce imprintable bubble bottles. With two hearts on the top and a wand inside, these effervescent favors are ideal for sending off the bride and groom.
Essef Distributors UPIC: 7414140 www.lincolnline.com
Case Study
A Different Kind Of Wedding Band
Hide-A-Band makes for a memorable, multifunction favor
Wanting to treat guests to a memorable favor, and to encourage them to participate in the wedding festivities, one couple chose to hand out Hide-A-Bands from Suntex Industries (UPIC: SUNTEX). The bands were decorated with an engagement photo, the couple’s names and their wedding location using fusion sublimation DigiPrint decorating technology. The hidden pocket of the band was filled with confetti to throw after the ceremony, and the band also was used as a beverage wrap during the reception.
Source: Suntex Industries
Supplier Hears Wedding Bells For A New Market
As the chapel doors continue to open for more couples, one supplier is keeping an eye out for new promotional opportunities. Leslie, Michigan-based supplier Weepuline, LLC (UPIC: WEEPULS) recently launched a line of Same-Sex Marriage Weepuls™. Michael Crooks, vice president of U.S. operations, says his company’s newest Weepuls fill the void of relevant promotional products for the same-sex-marriage (SSM) market.
“We believe the same-sex-marriage market is largely underserved with specific products that deliver a message creatively and effectively,” says Crooks. “We developed our SSM Weepul in an effort to expand the markets for our distributor partners by providing a relevant product with which the gay and lesbian community can promote causes and celebrate events.”
The SSM Weepuls are two Weepuls on one base, outfitted in either top hats or bridal veils. The concept can be further enhanced with the optional use of Weepuline’s “rainbow” poms. The promotional message is imprinted on an attached ribbon. Crooks adds that the concept is applicable across other Weepuline products as well, including a Weepul holding an appropriate-colored awareness ribbon, and relevant bookmark options.
From The Ring To The Reception Hall
Millennial brides these days are more likely to use online resources than traditional print wedding magazines. Six out of 10 brides in this demographic report using mobile devices to plan their nuptials; 64 percent use Pinterest for inspiration, while 54 percent use the site to illustrate their wedding vision to planners and vendors. Nearly 40 million boards on Pinterest are dedicated to weddings.
Source: Huffington Post
Wedding Trends For 2016
Photography/videography drones
Social media hashtags
Retro menswear
Mixed-gender wedding parties (think man of honor and groomsmaids)
Metallics in the color schemes and stationery
Fresh-picked floral arrangements; freeform bouquets
Custom-created monograms
His-and-hers cocktails
‘Naked’ cakes
Holy Matri-Money
The bridal business is a $48 billion industry.
In 2015, the average cost of a wedding fell somewhere between $29,000 and $31,000—honeymoon not included.
Approximately 2.5 million weddings are performed each year in the U.S.
Marshall Field’s became the first store to launch a wedding registry, in 1924.
Many couples request donations instead of gifts; vetted charities include the I Do Foundation, JustGive.org and Brides Against Breast Cancer.