Wedding Magazines - Anyone else thinking they are getting abit repetitive?

Yup I know what you mean.

But I'm still addicted - bought 2 today....arghhhhh

I stopped buying wedding magazines a few months ago as I basically have a pretty good idea of everything I want now. Also, very few actually had anything on getting married abroad so weren't very relevant for me.

TBH, I always though they were a waste of money, especially as they never really had anything in them (stockist etc) that were relevant to me as I was getting married in Scotland.

I found it was mainly catered for the English wedding market and the only one that catered to my needs and that I found useful was The Scottish Wedding Directory and I found the website easier and quicker to find the services relevant for our wedding.

I always looked at dresses online too so in all I'm sure H was happy that we had less clutter in the house and saved a few £££ too.

Yeah, I know what you mean - I used to advertise in Wedding Ideas about 5 years ago and when it first came out, it was packed with useful information and ideas for 'normal' Brides rather than just full of adverts like the glossy ones are. However, after a couple of years, I found that too became a bit repetitive and didn't seem to veer away from 10 of the best this and 6 of the best that. I advertised with them for 2 years and originally got an overwhelming response but after a while, the enquiries started to slow down so I cancelled my advert with them. One thing which annoys me is Bridal mags tend to be wrapped in cello so you can't peep to see if they are any good before you buy and they are a lot of money if when you get home and flick through, they are full of nothingness and adverts! I find that the local wedding magazines seem more helpful because you can see features on venues, photographers etc that are based in your area. One good point from an advertiser's point of view is that even after you have stopped advertisiing with Bridal mags, you still get people ringing saying they have seen you in such and such mag. I took a booking last week from a Bride who saw me in a mag in the Doctors Surgery from 2005! They do tend to do the rounds of Dentists, Beauty Salons, Surgeries etc!

I like it!

I agree, but I guess they have to be repetitive to a certain degree because they don't target a continuous readership. Most new brides to be will want similar initial advice, and then stop buying (or maybe not!) once they've finished planning their wedding.

Saying that, it does really annoy me that they're often wrapped in cello, and I agree that there should be more for grooms, and more info on the finer details.

George

Hello ?

Yes, I very much think this! It's partly why I'm hoping to launch my own online wedding resource later this year. The cello wrap around magazines puts me off buying them TBH - I like to be able to see what I am buying. The site I am planning would update on a daily basis and constantly keep fresh and inspiring (well, I hope it will!) so no more waiting around for another month until the next issue of your preferred magazine comes out.

I agree that Wedding Ideas has become a little samey, but I still think it's streets ahead of the other publications in terms of its thinking. I want to see normal people having normal weddings, not just high society stuff, and I want to see all the little details and know where I can get hold of them.

Susie x

I keep trying to quit my Wedding Mag habit...I'm on about 2 a month! I had stopped over christmas but its started again now ?

Problem is I'm not really finding them useful as Mogwai said, with getting Married abroad they aren't very relevant.

Think we should set up a Wedding Mag's Anonymous thread........Kick the habit together! xx

I agree with what everyoen has said here as well. What annoys me most is there is nothing about vow renewals and yet whenever I speak to suppliers at wedding fayres etc about my vow renewal it seems I'm not the only one. Also my vow renewal is abroad and there isn't much for ideas with dresses and accessories....

.... and what is it with shoes with a heel. How hard is it to find a flat bridal shoe (because the last thing I want to do is sink into the sand!).

Definately agree essexmum......Can't find many flat shoes apart from ballet pumps which I don't want! x

I bought my first one yesterday. Just because I was stuck in a queue in Sainsbury's. It's nice to look at, but I doubt I'll buy any more as it seems to be mostly pictures of dresses. And I have that already. I only bought it to kick start me into planning again!

I think they're only any use if you've just got engaged and have no ideas whatsoever!

I'm another 'abroad' b2b, I tend to buy wedding ideas & perfect wedding, just because they're small enough to hide away! But a lot of the stuff they have is very UK based, they need to start showing more ideas that you can pack in a suitcase as it were.

I went to the earls court wedding fair and there was nothing really there that I could use abroad...I'd love a band and a photobooth, but there's no way Im paying the airfare.

...and how do you get to be a 'real life' bride??

Why don't you write to the editors if there are things you would like to see in the magazines. If enough of you want the same things and are getting bored with the current way they do things they won't want to lose out on potential sales.

Trouble is because of the way the planning process works you might have bought the same magazine 2 or 3 times and seen the same thing but there will always be someone just starting out on their planning so it is all sparkly and new to them. And by the time some editor sits up and goes "oh yes potentially a missed opportunity" you will probably be sat on your honeymoon! But if you don't ask you don't get.

I think your photographer has to put your name and photos forward along with a little editorial about you and if they like it, they will print it. One of my customers who was also a hitcher on here a while ago Vindaloo had her wedding featured in Wedding Ideas. I think you have to wait a while though - it took about a year I think for Vindaloo's wedding to be featured.