If you’ve had the chance to flip through this month’s Darling, I’m sure you already read the words of Shira Savada, Real Weddings Editor at Martha Stewart Weddings. She is the guru, gatekeeper, whatever you want to call her when it comes to getting your wedding in the pages of that gorgeous glossy! For many of my brides, getting published is a goal they have from day one and while, I don’t think this should be the end all be all factor when designing your big day, through failures and successes, I’ve stumbled across a few of my own tips when it comes to getting exposure for your big day:
1. Photography is everything. While details are amazing and important, if you don’t have a strong photographer that is great at capturing these details or styling up the image in a way that will showcase well, most magazines will pass on what could have been the most creative and inspirational wedding in the world. In addition to the shot list Shira recommends, before you hire your photographer, look at their body of work to see if they capture the details & moments that you see your favorite publications showing off. Also, if they have been published before, you can feel more comfortable that they have the skill to capture what the magazine needs to show off your gorgeous day.
LOUISA & JOHN: As seen in Inside Weddings & on Style Me Pretty & Hostess with the Mostess: Photography by Jose Villa
2. Keep it original. Keep in mind that magazines are essentially looking for weddings that their readers will find inspiration in. That being said, if they covered a rustic wedding with mason jars everywhere last week or even last month, chances are they are not looking for that type of inspiration to share with their readers anytime soon. Now, this doesn’t mean you should be adding random trendy touches just to be different, but try not to copy ideas from magazines or blogs that have been done over and over again if your ultimate goal is to get published. While Martha obviously loved the cake they put in their Spring 2009 issue, they won’t love it enough to repeat the same content in future issues. The same is true for most magazines.
ZOE & GRIFF: As seen in Destination I Do, Flower Magazine & on Style Me Pretty: Photography by Steve Steinhardt
3. Know what your preferred publication looks for: If you love Grace Ormonde, then you might consider a day full of glamour and maybe even a bit avant garde. Love Town & Country? Think timeless, timeless, timeless. Or, if Martha is the direction you want to go, then no detail is too small. Don’t just think about the cake design, but also the cake display & backdrop behind the cake and so on.
LIZ & CHRIS: As seen in Town & Country Weddings and on Style Me Pretty and on Snippet & Ink: Photography by Aaron Delesie
4. Budget isn’t everything: While some publications do prefer to feature big, lavish, over-the-top weddings, many prefer charm over grandeur and from experience, I can say for a fact that the weddings we have had published haven’t always been the most expensive in our portfolio. Instead what they had was a well thought out design, lots of details and an overall approachability that just makes you want to jump into the moment!
ANGIE & BRETT : As Seen in The Knot & on Style Me Pretty : Photography by Meg Perotti
No matter what though, don’t allow your desire for getting published to get in the way of creating a day that makes sense for you. Create a day that is reflective of you as a couple whether that means throwing in every trend there is or going classic & sophisticated. In the end, the weddings that truly tell the story of the couple are almost always the most inspirational!
