Sarah Young Invited to Speak at the Exotic Wedding Planning Conference in Dubai
Just 2 weeks after organising the hugely successful Commonwealth Businesswomen Awards 2018 in London, Dubai was the next stop for Sarah Young – this time as a panellist and guest speaker at the outstanding Exotic Wedding Planning Conference.
The conference was hosted at the Palazzo Versace Hotel on the 29th-30th of April. The Exotic Wedding Planning Conference (or EWPC as we call it) is a fantastic event that brings together the top wedding planners across the globe to a single platform.
About the Exotic Wedding Planning Conference
Aside from brilliant networking and engagement opportunities among the wedding planners and the vendors, one to one meetings, networking lunches, dinner and cocktails, Sarah was given the opportunity to share her words of wisdom from the centre stage as one of the main guest speakers.
“After 17 years in the industry, it feels great to have the opportunity to give back to other wedding planners from around the world. Nobody will ever know it all, there is always more to learn. Through meeting some great international planners in Dubai our horizons were broadened, we got updated on the latest in design and the most advanced practices in the industry.“
– Sarah Young
Day 1 – Sarah Young in Panel Discussion at EWPC Dubai 2018
On the first day of the Exotic Wedding Planning Conference, Sarah formed a part of a panel discussion alongside 4 other top wedding planners discussing how to deal with pricing challenges in such a competitive industry.
Day 2 – Sarah Young’s Presentation at Exotic Wedding Planning Conference in Dubai
On the second and final day of the conference, Sarah gave a solo presentation titled “Unrealistic Wedding Expectations: How to Prepare the Bride and Groom.” The presentation received a great response and was commended by both the delegates and organisers of the event.
What are the main factors causing unrealistic wedding day expectations?
- Social Media
Of course, we all love our Pinterest, blogs, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, however, all our clients who have access to social media are creating images in their heads of what they want that might be unrealistic.
- Reality TV Shows
Oh MY! We’ve had the Wedding Story running on TLC since 1996, Bridezillas has been running on the WE cable television since 2004, ‘Say yes to the dress’ since 2007 there now endless wedding reality TV shows… So it is no surprise these reality TV shows have created unrealistic expectations and couples often fail to remember that these shows are mainly staged to look perfect and this is not always the real world.
- Wanting a bigger and better wedding than friends or family
We all know the world has become very competitive and couples want to be better than other family members and friends and just want to show off, so again this triggers unrealistic expectations.
How Can Wedding Planners Set Realistic Wedding Day Expectations?
- Good two-way communication between the couple and the planner is extremely important.
- An idea of a realistic budget must be established from the very beginning. The wedding planner must then come up with the best options for the couple within this budget range.
- Set and stick to detailed timelines.
- Preparations leading up to the BIG day – have a plan B and organise a practice run and a final onsite meeting including the couple and all major suppliers.
- Choose your suppliers wisely and how to the couple should relate to them
- Make couples trust your expertise – remind them when they hired you and ensure them that you ARE the expert.
If you are about to tie the knot, we hope that this insight helps you be prepared and able to manage unrealistic expectations and enjoy your special day to the fullest! If you’re looking for a wedding planner to make sure your wedding experiences is as wonderful as it could possibly be, get in touch with Sarah Young.
