It’s that time of year! Time for post-turkey naps, family reunions, and reflecting on what we’re thankful for as another crazy year comes to a close. The holidays can put a lot in perspective, and sometimes that’s exactly what we need to serve as a reminder of how lucky we are to work in such an amazing industry.
For example, we’re super thankful for another year in business (and all of the foster cats we’ve been lucky enough to have on rotation in our office!). When it comes to the industry itself, we’re thankful for:
· That innovation and ingenuity continues to abound and inspire in a time where so many companies are having a tough time evolving in the industry.
· Despite being lovely and grand unto itself, that the second royal wedding of 2018 was far more low-key, giving us permission to sleep in on the Big Day, and simply catch the highlights.
· That more and more industry events are embracing magnetic name tags, thus saving us from having to put holes in our clothing.
We also asked around to see what other industry pros were thankful for this year, and some answers were surprising, but most were relatable.
Shannon Tarrant of Wedding Venue Map is grateful for creative partners that tag each other for credit on social media posts, even if they may have forgotten the first go-round.
Kristy Rice of Momental Designs gives thanks for “the death of the short-lived pop-up micro wedding”, and Paula Ramirez of Historic Mankin Mansion agrees. “I’m thankful a huge wedding is always in fashion,” she adds.
Tifany Wunschl, owner & lead designer of Gourmet Invitations, is grateful for something we can all agree on. “The number of grooms who are starting to get involved in the invitation process. Men typically make decisions fast, and I love that!” She continues, “Not to mention all of the couples who are looking outside of the ‘Pinterest’ box and are making their weddings unique and personal. Bring on the color and fun themes!”
“We’re thankful for the resurrection of Style Me Pretty!” Rice also notes of the wedding publication.
And as for the WeddingIQ editor Kevin Dennis, he’s thankful for #southwestfirstclass (as always!), as well as WIPA’s continued growth throughout the US, and now, internationally.
All in all, this was an incredible year for the wedding industry- we all have much to be thankful for.
Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding PR and wedding marketing firm OFD Consulting. Ely is a sought-after speaker, adjunct professor in the field of public relations, and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast.