Wedding Industry- The Wedding Confidential: Industry Secretes continued

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The Wedding Confidential: Industry Secretes from ABC’s 20/20 reported that event vendors are known to charge more for their service as soon as they hear the word “wedding”. But what does this word mean to a vendor? Is there a certain level of effort that raises the prices for weddings? Also, did this report hurt a vendors business?

As I researched different for vendors who watched The Wedding Confidential and wrote how this affected them, I came the conclusion that the vendors had a negative response because they were offended and it is misleading to engaged couples.  For example from a blogger TaylorMade says that, ”industry secrets? What secretes?... The media has made me, and the rest of my colleagues in the wedding industry look heartless, slimy con artists who use lies and hype to trick brides and from into giving us money that we do not deserve.” It is clear that this report from ABC made its way to the media and created a crack between vendors and engaged couples by portraying vendors as those whom trick engaged couples to give more so vendors can get more bang for their buck.

As a bride to be, I am cautious when meeting with different vendors not only because I need to connect with them for ideas, details, etc. But also because we all know weddings are not cheap. This report from ABC is deceptive to couples about the wedding industry. Also TaylorMade commented, “Most couples do not fully realize that there is a difference between planning a wedding and a party. A wedding is not a standard party. There is more stress, an increase of time investment, more details, and more liability, which lies in a higher expense.” Planning for a wedding creates many more elements and time to a vendors work, than a party would require. As a bride I can agree, a wedding is not the typical party to plan for.

Another example is from a blogger Susan Southerland. Susan Southerland is a business owner whose company helps engaged couples plan their weddings in various price ranges. She ponders “the episode got a lot attention from inside the wedding industry, mostly because of its one-sided, negative depiction for wedding professionals…20/20 made it look as though all of us in the industry are out to empty the pockets of every last bride and groom until there is nothing left but lint.” Watching the report, it is understandable of why vendors are angry. Denise and Alan Fields from the episode had a negative perspective for the wedding industry, as well as those small businesses that create the industry.