By Meghan Ely, OFD Consulting, Richmond, Va.Wedding blogs and magazines are constantly on the lookout for fresh and inspiring details from real weddings in the marketplace, which gives wedding pros ample opportunities for publicity. But the question is this: How do you break into the market and start reaping the PR benefits of getting your real weddings in print and online—right in front of hundreds of potential clients? Good news! Wedding planners are in a unique and advantageous position to incorporate wedding PR into their marketing mix with relative ease. In fact, wedding PR is quickly becoming an essential addition to a planner’s to-do list, because today’s discerning brides take the time to do ample research prior to hiring their wedding day team. An extensive press portfolio adds value to your services and sets you apart from the competition.Psst....have a planFirst and foremost, take the time to consider the goals for your intended efforts. Are you hoping to saturate the local market or introduce yourself to a new region? Would you like a portfolio with a handful of top-tier press mentions or a more extensive list of boutique blogs? Fine-tuning your goals and intentions early in the process will give you the focus you need to make things happen. It is then time to roll up your sleeves and get to work on planning your submissions, which typically consist of the following components:It’s in the details, details, detailsA lovely shot of the bride and groom is certainly a nice opener, but the media craves photos that inspire future brides. When selecting images for a feature, remember the cake, flowers, favors, and tablescape as well as bridal accessories, décor, and those fabulous shoes the bride is rocking for her big day.Tell the storyPairing a compelling narrative with gorgeous images is always the ideal wedding PR combination. Take the time to interview the bride and groom for further insight and include their story along with the photographs. Find out what she loved most about her wedding day and learn about the details that were created to make it “theirs.” As a wedding planner, you’re at an advantage already since you’ve had steady access to the bride and should already know the ins and outs of the wedding day from the planning process.It takes a village—include the vendor listMost real wedding features include a comprehensive list of the wedding professionals involved in the planning process. Make it easy on the editor by including a list of every vendor, including a link to their website. Be sure to also keep the vendors’ emails handy should the real wedding receive a pick up and you’d like to share the good news.Be thorough—include the bride’s contact infoDespite your best efforts, you may not have all of the answers that the editor needs in order to move forward with the feature. Include the bride’s contact information in case there are loose ends that need to be tied.Seal the dealFabulous images with a compelling story aren’t always enough, however. Consider the following steps to ensure your real wedding submission is competitive as it makes its way into the editor’s hands:Exclusivity—Bloggers and magazine editors alike tend to prefer to be the first ones out of the proverbial starting gate with your feature. Know and follow the rules of exclusivity for the media outlet that you are targeting. When in doubt, submit the wedding to one media outlet at a time until you find it a home.Match your work to the right audience—Wedding blogs and magazines have their own particular niches as they each target a particular “type” of bride. A competitive real wedding submission is one in which the overall look matches that of the intended wedding blog or magazine.Pay attention to the rules—Every editor has his or her own set of submission guidelines, from preferred image resolution and the method to send photographs, to the type of information they may need on hand to make an informed decision. In short, make sure you follow them to a T. Not only will the wedding be more likely to get picked up, it will also assist with building a sterling reputation for yourself with the media.Enjoy the limelightWedding PR can be a fantastic addition to a strong wedding marketing campaign, as it will assist you with building value for your services. To keep your submissions organized, consider signing up for an account with www.TwoBrightLights.com, an online wedding publicity tool that allows you to submit to a variety of wedding blogs and magazines on their site. With the right strategies in place, wedding PR can guide wedding pros in new and exciting directions. Ensure your real wedding submissions are optimized by following these tips and tricks and get ready to start enjoying the limelight. ••