Part 1 - Series - An article
to inform Wedding Services Professionals
Wedding professionals, due to my last few days on bride populated Internet social networking sites, “madness” has requested its domination. Of course, I refuse to say, “Yes” to its invitation to torment! Suffice it to say, event professionals, we may be in trouble! If your marrying couples are “High Enders”, perhaps this article is not for you. But, it could be. For those many wedding service providers delirious to find work at all or simply attracting the average bride, please join this series’ discussion.
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News outlets have studied the unfavourable bonds formed within Social Media. Just today, a woman's Facebook post, featuring an image of her toned physique and her 3 young children, was barraged by 15,000 "name callers" (predominantly women)! And, for what? This young woman simply suggested it possible to be healthy and a mother of three young boys! Within a news story about this Facebook woman, the female commentator offered some descriptive words, often posted about herself, by social networking "name callers"! - Such as "whale", "elephant", "gorilla", and the like. This news anchor also admitted a struggle with her body weight. To take a big leap, it seems that there is a viciousness inherent within this generation's Social Networking Culture, and it makes these women's experiences more normative than isolated. So, how does this translate within the "Wedding Planning Industry"? In keeping up with the world outside The Knot or Wedding
Wire, there is an entire universe of engaged women, who might have possibly been
brought to earth by sadistic alien beings! Let me describe our experience on just
one of the more popular social networking “Mods” forums. My reason for keeping
up with the new, newest and newer of
the monstrously growing Internet social cafés might be different from yours,
but you still need to know. This new kind of bride may be coming through your doors very soon. Here we are, never thinking that this group of wedding professionals would write about such a thing! - Especially, as birthed by their own
experiences!
So, here goes….Did you know that there are actually on-line “Bride Gangs”! Yes, “Bride
Gangs!” -- With the same mentality as any garden variety of “Gang”. There is a “Gangland”. There is a “membership”. There is a “territory”. There is a “creed”. There is a “policing
force”. There are the “ruled” and
the “ruling”! And, unless you live there, you will not know
the kind of things that go on. It is enough
to say, “Let’s all just only service the
luxury bride, and forget the rest!”
Social Networking Forum
- Bride Type 1 – The Bully or
Enforcer
So, what is that to
you? Perhaps, you don’t even frequent or visit these bastions of the engaged
women. But, dear wedding professional, the kind of brides found in a wedding forum
are not necessarily a fringe element. – This
is a generation of wedding customer, who might be here to stay for awhile! And, that is a problem for the whole industry!
Let me introduce you to the first bride. She was a sort of a “Greeter, Gangland Style!” Within, just a few moments of posting an informative article for discussion, her response: “Get off of our site you
########! You are spamming, you ########.... We don’t want you here!” Now, do bear
in mind, there is no sign on this forum which says, “Die Wedding Vendor Die!” But, if she had fired a gun at me, I would be
deceased! Seriously, what is wrong with
this bride? Apart from possessing only a "four letter word vocabulary"! What is this "false sense of territory"? Why is she so naturally "hostile"? What are her mental and emotional issues? This was a “Gun Moll” of the “Bride Variety”! ... And, she had followers!
So, what was the nature of our unforgivable social act? What heinous
crime did this wedding professional commit? Should I be executed for my crime?
Now, don’t laugh but, I simply posted a link to an original article that was thoughtfully researched and compiled! Bringing to the light, a true concern for marrying couples. And, then asked if anyone would like to discuss it with me! Even inviting brides to help by adding to it also. This article's ideas were posited by me, a human behaviourist, caring person, and devout wedding professional. Couldn't another's experience and academic insight be helpful to a wedding planning bride-to-be? Now, because of this posting, I am amongst “America’s Most Wanted“! Shocked aren’t you? Well, you are not alone! Again, don't make the mistake of thinking that this Greeter Bully Bride was the only one like this on the wedding planning forum!
Should I Strike A Plea
Bargain?
Let Them Run Me Out Of Town On A Rail?
In this Wedding Professionals Series, I hope that we
might collaborate on “What to do next?”
What adjustments to make, or not make. - Because,
ladies and gentlemen this “Bridal Mafia” is amassing its army. There is a clear message, that they don’t
need us. They are shouting, “We can get what we need on the Internet”!
Crystal-clear were their messages of
contempt for my 24 years of wedding experience and education. (A “Bully Bride” actually wrote, “I am an expert…. I have been planning my
wedding for 9 months!”) These brides were tired of us vendors promoting our websites or Facebooks! And, especially those "pesky" informative articles, whereby they might learn something! These brides were a tribe, a clan, a family! Wedding
professionals, in our collaboration, I hope that this continuing series will arm
us for our wedding industry futures! In
the meantime, “I am going back in. Cover
me!”
For Discussion By Brides or Wedding Professionals experiencing the "Bride Gang" mentality on Wedding Planning Forums. For the purposes of suggesting, "How to bring generous expert assistance (via Social Networking), to those brides wanting it, but being blocked by bride-peers with personal agendas.
TO BE CONTINUED – DR. LINDA (Words and Images - All Content - Copyright 2013 - Dr. Linda)
Dr. Linda Wainwright Trott - The Clergy Network & LegallyMarried is a Celebrity Wedding Officiator, Writer, Blogger & Educator, and has written and presided marriages for 24 years. With multiple academic degrees, she was also a professor and president of a university. Friends with many National & International Wedding Professionals, she enjoys writing "collaborative" articles with them. From The Food Network Star Chef’s Wedding to The Real Housewives of Orange County Bravo T.V. Wedding to the bride on a budget, Dr. Linda is a “Wedding Values” writer. Dr. Linda encourages what is really important about “getting married”. Starting with absolute values first, helps a bride make the best and most memorable wedding planning decisions.
