Weddingbee PRO
When we first thought up Weddingbee PRO, we thought it would be a great way to showcase the work of up and coming vendors, as well as give readers a behind the scenes look into the business side of the wedding industry.
Recently I’ve been thinking about what is and isn’t ok to post on PRO. When a vendor posts about their original work, whether it’s photographs, invitations, or handmade crafts, they’re putting their work out there for the world to evaluate and appreciate. Their talent speaks for itself.
We’ve always been extremely careful about not allowing self-promotion on Weddingbee with Bees that eventually start their own wedding businesses, since Weddingbee’s focus is on real brides and their planning journeys. But Weddingbee PRO is different since the focus of the site is wedding businesses. So what do you think about PROS blogging about items they sell, bridal shows they participate in, and workshops they conduct? Do you think we should showcase those kind of posts on Weddingbee PRO?
Please let us know what you think! 
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Some vendors have a wide variety of posts and lots of information to offer (Love and Splendor comes to mind), which I think is very valuable for brides and pros, alike. However, some of the PROs offer such a specific product or service that they aren’t really adding to the value of the community with constant posts on the same type of thing. I have actually thought about this very topic before you posted this, so that is totally just my opinion!
I think that’s the fine line you walk with a pro board. I have been really pleased to see Pro work showcased here. It would be great if some of the photography posts focused on things that could make our photography or our experience with our photographers better. (For example)… I’m always thrilled to see real weddings.
I’m surprised at how creative some of the Pros have been at presenting useful information!
The only thing that makes me feel a little funny is the promotion of family and friends who may be associated with the pros… but I think that’s been pretty minimal.
Gah! I should have said that Anne has definitely done posts exactly like what I meant in terms of photography…
@Doctorgirl: i agree with you doctorgirl. my intention when i signed up to do this was to post more about those kinds of things as well as sharing some great weddings. my biggest issue has been time. just finding time to write meaningful, thoughtful posts. im afraid for me its just not going to get any better. i realized today i dont have a free weekend again until may 16th! but i will try and be better with the time i have left here. i think this is really good feedback and i appreciate it. thanks so much! and yes anne does a great job.
I don’t have a problem at all with the vendor bloggers hocking their goods. They are selling their business anyway, so they might as well! If I didn’t want to be sold goods, I wouldn’t be on a wedding blog written by vendors.
I read Weddingbee Pro daily because I find their work and ideas inspiring. If they have a new product or service, as a customer, I am interested.
I believe that some vendors will have an easier time contributing new and varied blogs due to the nature of their work. It is no surprise to me that a wedding planner or a beauty expert will always have some new information since it is the nature of our service. I think it is great to have this very variety among the vendors and should be expected. I don’t have a product - so it is easy for me not to show it
I should have been clear that I think there are a ton of other examples… Anne is just the first person that came to mind, but many of you have done the very things I was talking about!
Why you do not make monthly competition in each area where the judge will be the public. For vendors would be really helpful if there is going be requirement asking to post opinions.
I agree with Jess: vendors need to promote their business, so it makes sense that they would discuss the items (whether it be photography, flowers, invitations, planning, etc) that they sell. It’s a vendor specific blog, so there will always be an element of that.
I also thought that a part of Weddingbee PRO was to show the community what it was like to be a vendor. Their inspirations, their day-to-day tasks. Therefore, I thought it made sense to discuss the conventions to which they go or workshops they’re leading. I think they’re interesting, but that’s just one girl’s opinion!
I think the photography posts in particular are a little over-done…it’s just a showcase like their own blog would be. Not all of the photographers are like that, but so many of the posts are just a showcase for their latest engagement/wedding session with no real “behind the scenes” aspect or tips that would be helpful to us. I can look at their photography business blog for photo showcases.
My favorites lately have been Laura’s beauty posts because they are so useful!
Overall, I really appreciate the additional dimension that the wedding pro blog posts bring but sometimes, I think it’s a little too much when certain Pros often seem to be plugging family/friend’s businesses. I think it would be more acceptable if it were an imformative: hair and makup done by x or flowers were done by y, however, often times, its not written that way and I think it detracts from the overall post. I love it when photographers post about the behind the scenes parts or when the beauty posts have tips that I can take and utilize beyond the wedding.
I think it’s neat when PROs post about their inspirations, how they do things, behind the scene work and things that work well. It’s also just neat to see what things PROs are capable of!
I agree with DC. The Pro site was exciting to me when it launched but there are quite a few vendors that I skip right over because the post is exactly like yesterday, and the day before that.
It is great to see what they sell - just not everyday. I think that some of the vendors need to be more creative with what they are posting. We know what you do for a living, but we don’t need to see the result of every wedding or customer you have worked with.
I also follow some of their own blogs and did before they started writing for Pro and it irks me a little bit to see that some of the posts are taken directly off their own blogs from months ago and pasted here.
Vendors who don’t have the time to post something that readers would find new and interesting shouldn’t be blogging here.
Just my opinion.
I think vendors should be required to do mostly how-tos and other useful tips for brides to be– kind of like the makeup artist has been doing. The photographers could explain how to compose a good photo, or some special Photoshop technique they use. Otherwise they’re just advertising on this blog.
Thanks for your feedback everyone! It’s very helpful.
Weddingbee PRO has been a big challenge because vendors don’t have the time/content to blog daily like our brides do. Our brides are on a journey and naturally have a ton of things to blog about.
It’s also difficult because some people are super talented but not the strongest bloggers. Others may be awesome bloggers but don’t have the strongest work.
We’re definitely still shaping our voice, and are trying to improve PRO.
Let’s be real here: a vendor blogging on this site is free promotion regardless of content. Who mostly reads this blog? Um, brides. sure there are lots of applications you are going through who are viewing this spot as so (and I’m sure you are screening those applications carefully). It’s naive to think otherwise.
With that said, I think that some of the bloggers could post more informative posts but one needs to realize that in some areas, there is only so much you could post without it becoming repetitive or offering too much information. In revealing too much, a vendor makes their business - their very livelihood - vulnerable to cunning competitors who will seize that opportunity and try to steal it.
My advice: have the Pros blog on a limited basis - that way it doesn’t dig into their workload. They have more time to craft their posts which will allow for fresh content.
I was thinking that as a newer vendor, it is useful to read about how all of these individuals run their companies, work with couples and within the industry. But if the PRO’s audience is meant to be brides, then I guess tips, advice and answers to FAQ would be more appropriate.
I guess it is a matter of who is the intended audience.
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Mrs. Bee, New York
Age and Occupation: 29, Weddingbee Publisher
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Internet
Engagement Date: May 7, 2004
Wedding Date: March 5, 2005
Venue: Westside Loft, New York
About Me: Yes, my name really is Bee! I love my blogging, wikis, and tabasco sauce!
I think it would be very hard to avoid it. They pros go through a selection process to even be allowed to post on WeddingBee. Obviously their work is desirable. It wouldn’t be wrong if they got business from it.