Birds of a feather

There's been an interesting blog story circulating recently, written from the perspective of a wedding photographer. The blog entry discusses the issue of wedding blogs (and yes, I'm aware of how terribly navel gazing this is!). It's actually quite an interesting piece.

Today, I've been reading that, plus other blogs, tweets, and Facebook comments of people responding. It's had quite a mixed reaction, but almost everyone has had a reaction.

http://hindsightbride.com/2011/10/10/open-letter-wedding-bloggers/#axzz1aYNhxLX1

The blog entry addresses some issues which have, to be fair, been addressed by wedding bloggers previously. The main issue, is that wedding blogs, in their quest for quirky, unusual weddings, have effectively become a caricature but also perhaps exclusive from the majority of weddings, brides and grooms. While they go out hunting the peculiar and amazing and off-the-beaten-track, they leave behind them in their wake a tide of brides who either don't have the time, or inclination towards those styles. The focus becomes heavier on the detail, and less about the actual people involved, and if you don't "fit" into that style, then it can feel like a rejection. All of a sudden, you're not going to be part of the new Cool Bride Gang. You're simply too ordinary.

From the photographers perspective, this can be frustrating. The wedding you photograph might not be a bloggers paradise, but as long as it's special to the couple, then that's important. I think we can all agree that blogs aren't as important as the special commitment two people make, in front of all their loved ones. For photographers, blogs are important to us though too - they're fast taking over from wedding magazines as a means of reaching out to potential new couples and a great way of showcasing our work. What's interesting to me, is the reactions. There's been quite a bit of discussion about "who" the target market is, and that it's not actually photographers. There's a truth there, but we want to work with bloggers, wherever possible, sponsor posts, run competitions, you name it, we're in there. We use blogs too, for our inspiration with our work. We recommend your blogs on our Facebooks and websites and our blogs to our couples.

But here's the thing. Who writes blogs? Brides to be, married women, wedding planners, photographers, stationers... we've all got blogs. Most of the blogs though, in fairness, are about looking at "look at this thing I found" "this is a new thing". It's very... magaziney, with lots of people becoming what I'd call experts in the field of weddings, or at least enthusiasts with a lot of useful wedding knowledge and fingers on the pulse. The people who allegedly dictate - the readers, the brides to be - the majority of them don't have blogs. Most brides-to-be have enough other things on their plate, with work, personal life, and wedding planning, to sit down and write an online blog about their experience. There are some, as I've said, but there aren't that many. At a guess, I'd put the number of brides-to-be-bloggers in the tens, rather than the thousands of actual brides-to-be out there. Blogs aren't as ubiquitous as Facebook accounts. So how do they get through to the wedding bloggers what they want? Do they have to sit there, write a response to each post? Should they vote with their mouses and switch off? How do they convey that information? Should they email wedding bloggers and say "look, I'd really like to see more imaginative ways of turning a hotel function suite into a gorgeous dinner reception than look at a cornfield with wrought iron tables and deckchairs and paper lanterns, please"?

The thing that was interesting about that particular blog article, was that as it's written by a photographer, perhaps we're the ones who are actually more in touch with couples on a day-to-day level. We speak to them, they hire us, we are their photographers, we build up a special bond with them, and when you read photographers saying that couples lament that their wedding isn't "blog-worthy enough", maybe we're the ones out there hearing it. They might not be tweeting or writing their own blogs about it, but it doesn't mean they aren't feeling and reacting and saying these things. People say things out loud that they might not feel they can commit to writing. And how do bloggers respond to those brides and grooms if they say "could you write more about X, please?". What are your responses? Sorry, no, it's not my style? Do you turn them away? do you point them in the direction of the "blog description" and suggest they find something more appropriate to their style? Do you take what they say on board? Would you? I understand that each blog has it's own style, and style and taste are a very individual thing. You're bloggers, after all. You're not being run by a publishing company with directors and shareholders. You don't have a sales team pushing to get X thousand sales each month. You weather the dips, and ride the peaks of your readership statistics. It comes completely from within, I understand that. You're creatives, effectively; social media written creatives, self-employed, and you need to stay true to who you are. There are countless bridal magazines out there, with very polished, traditional and contemporary styles of wedding photography, venues, cars, details. You're doing something different because there isn't a "Quirky Bride Magazine" published and sold every quarter from WHSmith, but there is enough for you to have a regular readership every day/week/month. But if you're a blogger claiming that the true compass is the reader, I'm curious to how you're engaging with them, how you're monitoring that, and how much they can and do and are able to choose the direction.

I have to admit, I have read blogs who have addressed this previously. It's not new. This isn't some under-current that's just popped up. Of course it's about the bride and groom's big day. It's not a competition for who can have the most peacock-swan-feathered, birdcage, teacups and posies, chantilly lace tableclothed, blackboard, fake mustached, gingham, candelabra, save-the-date-gold-leaf-toilet-paper, cupcaked wedding in the land. I know bloggers know that, and I know there are those that have addressed this issue, and they're lovely about it, and supportive of brides regardless of their personal wedding. But that blog entry on Hindsight Bride did point out a few things that are true. It's stirred debate; it's resulted in some quite polarised reactions, and I think it's one of the few times that's actually happened, to that scale, from my perspective. That's why I'm writing about it.

But personally, I'd be really curious to see a blog post about how to customise a hotel function suite and make it amazing. I'd love to see what a blogger could do with that subject matter. I feel, if I had to, I could turn even a small garden into an incredibly exclusive quirky reception venue pretty easily. I feel rather confident in that, and I've never been married or been involved in planning a wedding. That I could do.

The real challenge would lie in making something that's used every day as a wedding venue unique to the couple. Honestly, if there's a wedding blogger reading this who fancies it I'd love to see what you can produce. Now that, I think, would be a truly unique creative challenge.