Artwork for podcast Wedding Pros who are ready to grow - with Becca Pountney
Lessons learnt as a bride - interview with Rachel from Veiled Productions
Episode 10 • 19th May 2022 • Wedding Pros who are ready to grow - with Becca Pountney • Becca Pountney
00:00:00 00:37:10

Share Episode

Shownotes

Rachel from Veiled Productions is my longest serving client, she owns a successful wedding videography business and recently got married herself! Whilst planning her own wedding Rachel realised she was picking up lots of advice along the way that she could use to improve her own business, and in today's interview she wants to share that with you too!

You can find out more about Rachel and Veiled Productions here:

https://www.veiledproductions.co.uk/

Want to get access to my inner circle of wedding pros? Why not join the Wedding Pro members lounge! Even better you can use the coupon code PODCAST and get the first month for just £1.

go.beccapountney.com/wedpro

In today's episode we also mention Studio Ninja!


Want to meet other likeminded wedding pro's so that you can share ideas, network and help each other out? Then why not go ahead and join my free Wedding Pro community over on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/weddingprosreadytogrow/


Find out more about how I can help you grow your wedding business over on my website or Instagram page:

www.beccapountney.com

www.instagram.com/beccapountney

Transcripts

Becca:

Now this conversations come about because we were chatting at a networking

Becca:

event just a couple of weeks ago, because you recently got married yourself.

Becca:

So congratulations.

Becca:

It's taken me some time to get used to your name change as your name pops up.

Becca:

And we were talking about how you've gone from being on the business

Becca:

side of weddings to being on the client side of weddings and the

Becca:

lessons you've learned from that

Becca:

I'm Becca Pountney, wedding business marketing expert, speaker and blogger.

Becca:

And you're listening to the wedding pros who are ready to grow podcast.

Becca:

I'm here to share with you

Becca:

actionable tips, strategies, and real life examples to help you take your

Becca:

wedding business to the next level.

Becca:

If you are an ambitious wedding business owner that wants to take your passion

Becca:

and use it to build a profitable, sustainable business, doing what you

Becca:

love, then you're in the right place.

Becca:

Let's get going with today's episode.

Becca:

I like to refer to today's guest.

Becca:

Rachel is my longest ever client.

Becca:

She was one of the first people I spoke with at my first ever networking night

Becca:

that I hosted in 2016, when we were both still wedding videographers, I've watched

Becca:

Rachel change and grow her business.

Becca:

Move location, become a parent, and most recently get married and she is

Becca:

a true founding member of my wedding.

Becca:

Pro members lounge today's interview though is going to be a little bit

Becca:

different as we're going to discuss Rachel's recent wedding planning and the

Becca:

lessons it's taught her in her wedding.

Becca:

Rachel it's great to have you.

Becca:

Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself.

Rachel:

Hi Becca.

Rachel:

Thank you very much for having me.

Rachel:

So I'm Rachel from Vail productions.

Rachel:

We make fun wedding films for modern family focused couples.

Rachel:

So we're all about the fun.

Rachel:

Traditionally, you might see a very cinematic slow-mo.

Rachel:

Beautiful films, but that's not me.

Rachel:

I am all about the fun.

Rachel:

And, um, the, the wedding films highlight that.

Rachel:

Um, so if you're looking for something fun, then I'm the person to come to

Becca:

amazing.

Becca:

Now, the first question that people might be wondering as they're

Becca:

listening to this podcast, as I've just introduced you as my longest ever

Becca:

client is why are you still around?

Becca:

Like, why have you stopped by me all this time?

Becca:

What is it that makes you stay in

Rachel:

my world.

Rachel:

Uh, Becca your great.

Rachel:

That's why.

Rachel:

Um, but no seriously, because, um, you've always been there whenever

Rachel:

I've had a concern, um, with some very level-headed advice.

Rachel:

Um, and the wedding pro uh, members group always has advice as well.

Rachel:

So, um, there's always someone who has had a similar situation or even positive

Rachel:

things like, um, celebrating wins everyone wants to support everyone else.

Rachel:

So, um, it's brilliant and from a sort of growing perspective.

Rachel:

Uh, all the training in the members group has been brilliant and

Rachel:

I've always taken something away.

Rachel:

Even listening to your podcast.

Rachel:

There was something that I was like, yes.

Rachel:

So there's always something you can take away, no matter how long your

Rachel:

business has been going for, or how.

Becca:

I am glad you stuck around.

Becca:

Cause it wouldn't be the same without you.

Becca:

Cause you've been there right since the beginning.

Becca:

So when you first went into weddings, obviously, I didn't know you, when

Becca:

you started your wedding business, what was it that made you take that

Becca:

leap and decide to go self-employed

Rachel:

so I.

Rachel:

Um, went to university at Loughborough and studied geography.

Rachel:

But my main interest at uni was doing the student television.

Rachel:

And, um, I graduated in 2009 and my friend got married in 2011 and I offered to,

Rachel:

um, film and edit the wedding for them.

Rachel:

And.

Rachel:

They loved it so much that I, it sort of planted a seed that, oh, maybe

Rachel:

I could do this for other couples.

Rachel:

Like as a job at the time I was working in London in a less

Rachel:

positive job, shall we say?

Rachel:

And, um, So I, I looked into it and I did a few for free in 2013 to see if

Rachel:

this was something that I could do.

Rachel:

And then I bit the bullet in 2014 and went full time.

Rachel:

Um, I haven't looked back since really, um, It's been a good, almost 10 years now.

Becca:

Wow.

Becca:

That's incredible to say, isn't it.

Becca:

10 years in the wedding industry.

Becca:

Now this conversations come about because we were chatting at a networking event

Becca:

just a couple of weeks ago, because you recently got married yourself.

Becca:

So congratulations.

Becca:

And it's taking me some time to get used to your name change as your name pops up.

Becca:

And we were talking about how you've gone from being on the business

Becca:

side of weddings to being on the clients side of weddings and the

Becca:

lessons you've learnt from that.

Becca:

So before we go into those lessons, just tell us, how was your wedding?

Rachel:

It was the best day ever.

Rachel:

Um, I knew it was going to go by really fast.

Rachel:

I knew it was going to be a whirlwind, but still nothing

Rachel:

prepared me for the whirlwind.

Rachel:

It was.

Rachel:

Um, so, so yeah, it I'm so grateful for the photos and the video.

Rachel:

Not that I've seen any of it yet, but just knowing it's going to be there

Rachel:

because it just went by so fast.

Rachel:

Um, but yeah, I wish I could do it all again.

Rachel:

It was, it was amazing.

Becca:

Oh, I'm so glad.

Becca:

And the little pictures I have seen you look amazing.

Becca:

So I can't wait to see the rest of them.

Becca:

The question I get asked all the time, myself, and I'm so thankful, I'd

Becca:

already started planning my wedding before I worked in the wedding industry

Becca:

is when you work in the wedding industry, how on earth do you decide

Becca:

between all of the people that you know, how do you decide who to have?

Becca:

Like, what was the thing that you were looking for when you're choosing.

Rachel:

Well, yes, it did make it challenging.

Rachel:

Um, but also really fun.

Rachel:

Um, Pete and I, for the venue specifically said we didn't want

Rachel:

to have worked there already.

Rachel:

Um, It's just by chance, actually that where we got married at

Rachel:

Borton hall, it was a new venue.

Rachel:

And I just happened to see a Facebook, um, advert for it.

Rachel:

And when I clicked the link, I recognise the website and basically they're owned by

Rachel:

country, house weddings, and I've filmed other country house wedding venues before.

Rachel:

So I knew that it would be good.

Rachel:

And then when we got there, they like ticked every box.

Rachel:

Not just from a wow, it's beautiful.

Rachel:

But things like they had artificial flowers and they were like, if

Rachel:

you want us to keep them here, we can, we can take them away.

Rachel:

And I was like, yeah, makes it easy.

Rachel:

Um, and just other things were included and it was a whole package.

Rachel:

We didn't have to worry about money.

Rachel:

Um, so it just, it just made it easy from a

Rachel:

I want no stress on my wedding day, please perspective.

Becca:

And do you think having got married as a wedding supplier has

Becca:

made you love weddings more or has it made you look at them differently?

Rachel:

Uh, I think, I think a bit of both, I, I love it from a perspective of.

Rachel:

Uh, my clients this year now, like I'm excited for them cause I know

Rachel:

they're going to have the best day.

Rachel:

I think I said I've said to family and friends for me, mine and Pete's

Rachel:

day almost feels a bit surreal.

Rachel:

Like I was in a dream.

Rachel:

It, it doesn't quite feel real still, which is so bizarre.

Rachel:

Um, and I think.

Rachel:

Maybe that's because I knew what was to come like how

Rachel:

the day flows and everything.

Rachel:

Um, so I think maybe I was conscious of that on the day, a little bit, but still

Rachel:

looking back at the pictures that we have got from family and friends and stuff, it.

Rachel:

It is the best day ever.

Rachel:

So yeah, I think a bit of both.

Becca:

Well, I'm glad you've gone through it because I know that now you've got

Becca:

some really good information to share with everyone that's listening about

Becca:

how they can take your experience and implement some of what you learnt as

Becca:

a bride into their wedding businesses.

Becca:

So you've got three things to share with us.

Becca:

We're going to start with the first thing, which was actually the thing we

Becca:

talked about at the networking night, uh, about a little bit of disorganization.

Becca:

So do you want to start with the story that you told me and then

Becca:

explain what you've learned?

Rachel:

Yes.

Rachel:

So my key takeaway was, um, you can't underestimate how

Rachel:

excellent admin is so important.

Rachel:

Um, and basically on the morning of the wedding, uh, we all got ready altogether.

Rachel:

Um, had a hair and makeup.

Rachel:

Uh, well hair stylist and a makeup artist, two separate people.

Rachel:

And, um, already I was a little bit apprehensive because, um, I turned up

Rachel:

for my hair and makeup trial at the address I was given by the hairstylist

Rachel:

and it was the wrong address and she'd moved house and not told me,

Rachel:

but luckily it was just the trial.

Rachel:

So.

Rachel:

I was fine I was like, oh, well, you know, it's not the wedding day.

Rachel:

It's fine.

Rachel:

Um, but then on the morning, hair and makeup's all done.

Rachel:

Everyone's looking beautiful.

Rachel:

And I'd moved over to the honeymoon suite, um, in, and people were still in

Rachel:

the getting ready suite at the venue.

Rachel:

Um, and my mum came in and said, oh, they're ready to go

Rachel:

the hair and makeup artist.

Rachel:

But, um, they're asking for payment and it threw me completely

Rachel:

because I'd already paid.

Rachel:

And not that long before, like a week ago, I'd emailed because I hadn't

Rachel:

heard from them and said, I'd like to settle the final balance, please.

Rachel:

Um, can you just confirm it's this amount and the best account

Rachel:

to transfer the money to?

Rachel:

So it had been quite explicit, so I just said I've already paid and obviously

Rachel:

I didn't go and sort out my mum.

Rachel:

But it was just added stress 20 minutes before I'm about to walk down

Rachel:

the aisle that I just didn't need.

Rachel:

And I was quite gobsmacked, to be honest, I thought, how as a wedding supplier, do

Rachel:

you not know if you've been paid or not?

Rachel:

Like, I would not turn up to a wedding if I hadn't been paid.

Rachel:

Clients know that immediately, that final payment is due a month

Rachel:

before I couldn't believe it.

Rachel:

Um, and I, and it was just my biggest takeaway was like, your one rule

Rachel:

is, do not stress the couple out on their wedding day and they did.

Becca:

I think it's really interesting, actually, just listening to you tell

Becca:

the story from both perspective, because I know as suppliers, sometimes

Becca:

we just get in, a muddle don't we, and we're stressed and we're trying

Becca:

to get our business sorted out, but actually we probably underestimate

Becca:

the stress that the family and the couple are feeling on that morning.

Becca:

To us, it's just another job another morning.

Becca:

And then we've got to go to something else.

Becca:

We, we can't neglect the fact that to that bride and that groom this is an

Becca:

incredibly stressful moment of their life and we need to understand it.

Becca:

So how could, how could your suppliers have done better?

Becca:

What can we learn from it?

Rachel:

So for me, um, and it ties in a little bit with, um, the next point I'm

Rachel:

going to talk about is, um, It's having good admin and having systems in place to,

Rachel:

to automate it for you to make it easy, to take the stress away as a supplier.

Rachel:

So for me, I've got a management system, a customer relationship management system,

Rachel:

um, that was recommended to me and I've had it for probably five years now.

Rachel:

And it takes a little bit of setting up granted, but once it's in place, all

Rachel:

my invoicing goes out automatically.

Rachel:

Um, you can do quotes, you can do contracts, it's all there.

Rachel:

You don't have to rewrite everything.

Rachel:

You don't have to put clients' names in it, does it all for you.

Rachel:

And I think that's why I was quite gobsmacked because

Rachel:

there are systems out there.

Rachel:

Um, and some of them aren't necessarily that expensive.

Rachel:

Um, so it's worth it.

Rachel:

And so for me, it was like, how, if you, like, you are an a well-established.

Rachel:

Um, wedding supplier, how have you not got these simple or what I deem

Rachel:

as simple, important things in place.

Rachel:

Um, and, and so from that, it was sort of tying in with knowing your worth.

Rachel:

Um, I have had this system in place, but I didn't up my prices when I introduced

Rachel:

it because it was making my life easy.

Rachel:

I didn't even think about it from that perspective, but actually now that I've

Rachel:

got married myself, I'm like, this is what takes you from a wedding supplier to an

Rachel:

amazing wedding supplier, because you're doing it from a perspective of, I want to

Rachel:

be organized, but I also want to give my.

Rachel:

Clients the best experience possible.

Rachel:

Um, and my wedding videographer, um, Adam from creative spark

Rachel:

films and our photographers sky photography had incredible admin.

Rachel:

The photographers were unbelievable.

Rachel:

I mean the amount of emails, just checking everything, um, explaining

Rachel:

things, Pete sort of joked and said, I think it's a bit too much,

Rachel:

but honestly I couldn't fault them.

Rachel:

It was, it was incredible.

Rachel:

And that.

Rachel:

Is then I then said, sky photography should be charging more than what they're

Rachel:

charging because it's next level service.

Rachel:

Um, and so as a wedding supplier, if you're doing these things up

Rachel:

your price accordingly, know your

Becca:

worth.

Becca:

I think that's really interesting because one of the things that people say is I

Becca:

don't want to implement these systems cause I don't want to spend money, but

Becca:

actually it it's a good idea to put your prices up, but also your worth is going

Becca:

to increase and your customer service is going to increase by using those systems.

Becca:

Right.

Becca:

So I know people ask me, so what system is it that you use yourself in

Becca:

your business and why do you love it?

Rachel:

So this one is called studio ninja.

Rachel:

Now it's marketed for photographers, but.

Rachel:

I think it's perfect for the wedding industry in general.

Rachel:

Um, the people that made it they're Australian and they are photographers

Rachel:

themselves, which is why it's marketed for photographers, but because

Rachel:

they were in the wedding industry themselves, it works for any suppliers.

Rachel:

So I know that, um, there's a local cake maker that uses it.

Rachel:

Um, celebrants use it.

Rachel:

They've got a closed Facebook group for all of there customers.

Rachel:

And I've seen loads of people that aren't just photographers in there

Rachel:

because you can create workflows.

Rachel:

You can create, um, different contracts.

Rachel:

They've now introduced.

Rachel:

You can have different companies, um, running alongside each other.

Rachel:

Um, so it just works for the wedding industry.

Rachel:

Um, basically it's, it's all designed around a main shoot.

Rachel:

So obviously for the wedding.

Rachel:

Industry that works really well because the main shoot is the wedding.

Rachel:

And then you've got work flows for before the wedding.

Rachel:

I E I've got an automated questionnaire that goes out asking who their

Rachel:

other suppliers are, so that when I upload the video to social media, I

Rachel:

can tag all those suppliers in it.

Rachel:

Um, and then after the wedding, I've got reminders to edit things

Rachel:

by a certain date, um, and send out.

Rachel:

Other information for the couple and you can automate it or

Rachel:

you don't have to automate it.

Rachel:

So I'm very aware of customers not receiving tons of automated emails

Rachel:

that don't come across very personal.

Rachel:

Um, and I think for weddings, that's quite important because obviously

Rachel:

again, it's giving your customers faith that you know what you're doing, um,

Rachel:

and you understand them and their day.

Rachel:

Uh, so.

Rachel:

I do tailor emails, but you can also set up templates so you can have email

Rachel:

templates and then you just add in a bit of personalization and it's really quick.

Rachel:

It makes things flow much easier.

Becca:

That's really helpful.

Becca:

So I will put a link to studio ninja in the show notes.

Becca:

So if anyone wants to take a look at that system, go ahead and look at them.

Becca:

There are other systems, but if you are listening to this and you're feeling

Becca:

overwhelmed and realizing, actually I really don't have my admin organized.

Becca:

I've got invoices all over the place.

Becca:

I don't know whether I'm coming or going.

Becca:

Please go and look into getting one of these systems because it

Becca:

does make all the difference.

Becca:

Now we touched on it a little bit.

Becca:

You talked about knowing your worth, as you were planning

Becca:

a wedding, getting quotes.

Becca:

What did you learn about how people were charging and your own

Becca:

worth as a wedding business owner?

Rachel:

Like a surprising amount?

Rachel:

Um, I think when you're immersed in your business, you

Rachel:

get so engrossed in actually.

Rachel:

The work that's involved.

Rachel:

So for me, obviously going and filming and editing, and I've done a bit of research

Rachel:

in other wedding videographers before, but of course, because you're so involved

Rachel:

in the business you like years can slip by before you do more research again.

Rachel:

And so in doing the research for video, particularly, I knew what I

Rachel:

wanted from the wedding film, basically what I do, but the one thing that

Rachel:

Pete said was he didn't want to hire somebody just to go and film the day.

Rachel:

And I edited it because he wanted to sit down and watch it together without

Rachel:

me having seen all the footage first.

Rachel:

So we looked into it and I found two perfect videographers.

Rachel:

And one was the wedding industry award winner two years in a row.

Rachel:

They charged 3000 pounds for one videographer and 4,000 pounds for

Rachel:

two videographers to film the day.

Rachel:

And I was like, wow.

Rachel:

Um, because it's essentially like twice my price, uh, their films

Rachel:

were absolutely incredible and I have no doubt that their admin and

Rachel:

everything was incredible as well.

Rachel:

Um, but for us, it was just out of reach really the, the.

Rachel:

The budget as much as I value the video, I was like, oh yeah, I

Rachel:

don't think we can stretch to that.

Rachel:

Um, but there was another one who was amazing.

Rachel:

Um, and sadly he wasn't available.

Rachel:

Um, but again, his prices were not as much as the 4,000 pounds one, but,

Rachel:

um, more but the one thing I noticed, particularly from a video perspective

Rachel:

was that, um, I offer a long feature.

Rachel:

Um, and I think it's quite traditional and it's basically the whole day from

Rachel:

beginning to end with the ceremony speeches, first dance in full.

Rachel:

And I noticed that hardly anyone offers this anymore.

Rachel:

Like very few people.

Rachel:

And I was intrigued, intrigued because I was like, oh, does this set me apart.

Rachel:

People don't want it.

Rachel:

So they then don't want me or.

Rachel:

Make me stand out because someone who does want it will then book me.

Rachel:

So it was a bit of a tricky one.

Rachel:

Um, and I've basically come to the realization that I should offer it,

Rachel:

but also not offer it so that I can please both sets of sets of customers.

Rachel:

Um, but tying in with knowing your worth.

Rachel:

Um, I think one thing that I've learned recently is you can't please, everyone.

Rachel:

And so targeting the right people.

Rachel:

Um, is also very important as a wedding supplier.

Rachel:

The people you want to work with this is who you should target

Rachel:

because you can't please everyone.

Becca:

And everyone has a different budget because there will be people that

Becca:

will have been able to pay that three, 4,000 pounds for those videographers.

Becca:

And they're obviously successful.

Becca:

There'll be other people that can't.

Becca:

So there are people willing to pay all sorts of amounts.

Becca:

You just need to know which of those people you're targeting and

Becca:

who you're trying to go after.

Rachel:

Yes.

Rachel:

Exactly.

Rachel:

So, and I think, I think no matter what, your budget it's then hard to

Rachel:

comprehend other people's budget.

Rachel:

And I think as suppliers, sometimes that can get in the way you'd think, oh,

Rachel:

I'd never spend five grand on a film, but actually like you say, some people

Rachel:

can and they value it wholeheartedly.

Rachel:

But I think what I've learned coming out from having our own wedding is

Rachel:

that whatever you charge it doesn't actually matter what you charge.

Rachel:

If you go above and beyond and exceed expectations, that's the most important.

Becca:

That's very true.

Becca:

And you're exactly right because people say that to me all the time.

Becca:

Well, I wouldn't pay that much for something.

Becca:

I wouldn't pay that something.

Becca:

And we were, me and my friend were at Fortnum and Mason at the

Becca:

weekends, and we were looking around all the crockery and the plates.

Becca:

And we were having a discussion about this tiny little plate that she wanted to buy

Becca:

and whether or not she could afford it, or she wanted to spend the money on it.

Becca:

And as we were stood there, this other girl came over with her

Becca:

friends and her friends were going.

Becca:

Well, you might as well just buy the whole set.

Becca:

There's no point in just buying one plate.

Becca:

And I'm thinking, because it was like 500 pounds, but different mindset because

Becca:

they obviously had a completely different mindset about what the worth was of

Becca:

the item or how much money they had.

Becca:

So we can't say, well, I wouldn't pay it.

Becca:

So no one would because that's absolutely not true.

Becca:

And we see that in everyday life.

Becca:

Okay.

Becca:

So we've covered knowing your admin we've covered, knowing your worth.

Becca:

What was the third thing that you learned from your wedding?

Rachel:

So this is basically about inclusivity and being

Rachel:

inclusive in your business.

Rachel:

And by that, I mean, targeting like all your marketing and your, um,

Rachel:

any sort of client facing stuff that you put out is inclusive.

Rachel:

So that's, uh, LGBTQ plus people, different cultures, different ethnicities.

Rachel:

And I think in doing, I think I was aware of it, um, more for me

Rachel:

personally, more with the LGBTQ plus.

Rachel:

Uh, side of things because my sister is gay and she's also a sort of,

Rachel:

um, inclusivity, um, advocate, uh, that's her sort of role in life.

Rachel:

Um, and so I was very aware about having inclusive language on my

Rachel:

website and in any marketing that I do.

Rachel:

Um, but I think I'm guilty in terms of other cultures.

Rachel:

So often I will reference.

Rachel:

Ceremony, speeches, first dance, but actually not all cultures, not all

Rachel:

couples will have those formalities.

Rachel:

Um, and that's only come about really since doing our own wedding.

Rachel:

And my sister bless her, is getting married in June.

Rachel:

She was supposed to get married in 2020, and she's experienced quite a

Rachel:

lot of bride and groom references.

Rachel:

Uh, And it comes up surprising amounts, um, where we were staying at Boughton

Rachel:

Hall the night before they have a cottage on site and they had a brochure

Rachel:

that explained different things and who to call if you have any problems.

Rachel:

And there was, then it just said bride and groom, and it just makes that assumption

Rachel:

that every couple is a bride and groom.

Rachel:

And that's obviously not the case.

Rachel:

Like we're in 2022.

Rachel:

It's no longer taboo um, there are widely different varieties of couples out there.

Rachel:

And so if you put bride and groom in your business paperwork, your website, your

Rachel:

marketing you're instantly alienating.

Rachel:

Um, those couples who don't see themselves as a bride and groom,

Rachel:

or in England, you know, English.

Rachel:

Civil ceremonies or, um, church of England or Catholic ceremonies, your

Rachel:

instantly alienating those people.

Rachel:

Um, and so I think the biggest takeaway that I took was you can't actually make

Rachel:

assumptions in your wedding business.

Rachel:

So my brochure says, um, we're there from preparations till an hour

Rachel:

after the first dance, but I'm going to change that now because yes.

Rachel:

Quite a few of my couples.

Rachel:

Do you have a first dance, but not all of them.

Rachel:

So I think even that might put some people off if they think, oh, there's

Rachel:

an expectation that I need to do a first dance, but I really don't want to.

Rachel:

Some people might say, oh, we're not doing a first dance.

Rachel:

It's fine.

Rachel:

But for all I know there might be some couples who have looked at

Rachel:

my website, seen that I've written first dance, and then they've gone.

Rachel:

Well, we're not having a first dance, so I don't want that person.

Rachel:

So it's just being mindful of people's differences and not making assumptions.

Becca:

That's so interesting because again, I'm definitely an advocate for

Becca:

people showing diversity and different cultures on their platforms, on their

Becca:

Instagram, on their social media, but the thought that actually you're right.

Becca:

People do talk a lot about the speeches, the first dance

Becca:

and the structure of the day.

Becca:

And that really isn't relevant to a lot of the different cultures

Becca:

and the different weddings.

Becca:

And actually that's something I've never really thought about in depth before.

Becca:

And I think there's probably a lot of learning from a lot

Becca:

of us that actually, yeah.

Becca:

We need to ask questions about what people are expecting from their day.

Becca:

We'll do our own research, have a broader scope of knowledge, rather than just

Becca:

assuming everyone fits into our box.

Becca:

So you've mentioned.

Becca:

Inclusivity in terms of the way you're titling things, you've mentioned

Becca:

changing some of your own wording.

Becca:

Is there anything else you're planning to do in your business on the

Becca:

diversity front to make a difference?

Rachel:

Yeah.

Rachel:

So I plan to learn, um, which I, again, I was talking to, so my sister is

Rachel:

getting married to the lovely Laura and Laura is also a wedding videographer.

Rachel:

And so I was talking to them, um, and they, it was off the back of them

Rachel:

having a bad experience with the DJ that they booked for their own wedding.

Rachel:

They were invited to an event and there, um, The DJ stood up and they,

Rachel:

they kept referencing bride and groom and they kept referencing, oh,

Rachel:

your groom is going to be waiting.

Rachel:

And it was terrible because they were sat, there was only 20 of

Rachel:

them in the room apparently.

Rachel:

And knowing that well, you've invited us and you know, we're a same-sex couple

Rachel:

like how, like you're not thinking about how this is making us feel.

Rachel:

And of course it's their own wedding day.

Rachel:

So it's, you know, it's just being mindful of that.

Rachel:

Um, and I think learning about, so learning about.

Rachel:

The, from that perspective, the LGBTQ plus side of things,

Rachel:

because it isn't just same sex.

Rachel:

So I sent an email to Borton hall and said, um, and use same sex in the email.

Rachel:

And I, I sent it to Laura and Lisa and said before I sent it to Boughton

Rachel:

Hall and just said, what do you think?

Rachel:

And they changed it to LGBTQ plus, cause they were like,

Rachel:

it's not necessarily same sex.

Rachel:

So again, I think, oh, I'm a, I'm a bit more mindful about it

Rachel:

than maybe some other people, but actually I'm still learning that, you

Rachel:

know, the right way to say things.

Rachel:

And, and that's not a bad thing.

Rachel:

My sister will always say, if you correct yourself and you continue

Rachel:

to learn, that's the most important, um, it's just being mindful of it.

Rachel:

Um, and then off the back of this conversation with Lisa and Laura,

Rachel:

I talked about how I'd had a few inquiries for say, Jewish weddings.

Rachel:

And I just sent my.

Rachel:

Regular brochure out.

Rachel:

And actually that's terrible because I've not done a Jewish wedding before

Rachel:

and it's probably totally different.

Rachel:

And actually what I need to do is go and research what's involved in a Jewish

Rachel:

wedding and almost create a brochure specifically for that, that talks

Rachel:

about their traditions or formalities, which I currently know nothing about.

Rachel:

But actually it's, it's on my head as a supplier that I should, because

Rachel:

otherwise I'm just, and it's true.

Rachel:

You know, I've been in the business 10 years and I've

Rachel:

never shot a Jewish wedding.

Rachel:

Well, that's alienating that whole culture.

Rachel:

Um, so learning, like we said, at the beginning, Becca you can never

Rachel:

learn, you know, you, you've never learned everything in business.

Rachel:

And so that's the biggest takeaway from.

Rachel:

From things that have come out of my own wedding, but actually is applicable

Rachel:

to business on all different sides.

Rachel:

You know, it's not just Jewish either.

Rachel:

There are there are loads of different types of weddings and diversity in the

Rachel:

country that I just need to be a bit more mindful of and, and learn about.

Becca:

Absolutely.

Becca:

And I, I think none of us are gonna ever get it perfect, but you're right.

Becca:

It's about being humble enough to say, actually, I don't get this and I

Becca:

want to learn and I want to do better.

Becca:

And how can I do better?

Becca:

And how can I learn and not make assumptions about people?

Becca:

I mean, even when I got married in 2000 and, uh, I went to get our 2010 ages

Becca:

ago when I got married in 2010 me and

Becca:

matt we wern't living together at the time we lived separately until we

Becca:

got married, but people just assumed we lived together even back then.

Becca:

So there's all sorts of little things you can't make assumptions about.

Becca:

You need to ask questions and get to know your couples on a personal

Becca:

level so that you can serve them in the best way possible.

Becca:

I think this has been a really fascinating conversation, Rachel,

Becca:

about those three different areas.

Becca:

Is there anything else that you're thinking.

Becca:

I need to go ahead and change this now having been a bride and going

Becca:

back into your wedding business.

Rachel:

I think the main thing is, um, being consistent, um, as well.

Rachel:

So treating each couple, um, not the same as in, um, more from

Rachel:

a sort of delivery perspective.

Rachel:

Um, so.

Rachel:

One thing.

Rachel:

I assumed that Pete and I would get some sneak peek photos from our photographer,

Rachel:

just because I followed them on Instagram.

Rachel:

I'd seen some sneak peaks come around and then a week after our wedding,

Rachel:

we haven't received anything yet.

Rachel:

yet I'd seen on their social media, that the Saturday after our wedding,

Rachel:

They had shared on the same day as the wedding that Saturday some sneak peaks.

Rachel:

And whether it's because they approached the couple or the couple

Rachel:

had explicitly asked, I don't know.

Rachel:

But to me, I was like, oh, we haven't had any, like, have we not paid enough?

Rachel:

Like, I don't know.

Rachel:

I think it's like offering each couple the same thing so that they

Rachel:

aren't looking at someone else's and thinking, oh, I haven't had that.

Rachel:

And then it sort of takes it.

Rachel:

We did email them and say, is it possible to have just one picture

Rachel:

to use for our thank you cards?

Rachel:

And they then did send us a few?

Rachel:

Um, so it wasn't, it wasn't necessarily a really bad experience, but for

Rachel:

me, I was thinking, well, do they just prefer that wedding to ours?

Rachel:

Like, why are they sharing sneak peaks?

Rachel:

And we're not seeing any, and as a, as a photographer and videographer.

Rachel:

Really insistent that during the formalities, none of our guests took

Rachel:

pictures basically because you've seen it all before, but there's,

Rachel:

you know, uncle Bob with his iPad in the middle of the aisle, ruining

Rachel:

the professional photos and video.

Rachel:

And I did not want that.

Rachel:

So it was a bit of a joke in our ceremony.

Rachel:

Like Rachel's probably scared you all into submission not to take any pictures,

Rachel:

but if you'd like to now's the time.

Rachel:

Um, and of course my auntie was the only one who came up and took a picture, but

Rachel:

then to then not get any at all, like I said to you back on, on the networking, I

Rachel:

haven't actually got that many in daylight because people take pictures, but then

Rachel:

they don't send them to you necessarily.

Rachel:

And so to not have it, and then to see other couples receiving

Rachel:

it, I was a bit disheartened.

Rachel:

So it was just.

Rachel:

Be consistent in what you're offering to every couple.

Rachel:

And even if it is say for instance, so for me, I offer a sneak peek film and

Rachel:

currently offer that as a, as a whole in the package, but going forward, it's going

Rachel:

to be an option, but it's just making it known to every single customer that this

Rachel:

is an option so that if people do see so-and-so's got a sneak peek on Instagram,

Rachel:

oh, they've paid extra for that.

Rachel:

So it's.

Rachel:

Being consistent with what you're offering.

Becca:

And it's setting expectations as well.

Becca:

So it might be that you need to just put something in your contract or your

Becca:

paperwork that says we occasionally share images of our couples on social

Becca:

media, but this isn't guaranteed and you know, something like that as well.

Becca:

So that at least that the couple aren't sitting there thinking.

Becca:

Oh, did I not pay enough?

Becca:

Did they not like me?

Becca:

Because nobody would even think about that again, as suppliers,

Becca:

we are just sharing things.

Becca:

Cause we're desperately trying to find content for our social media feeds.

Becca:

We're probably not even thinking about how that makes our other couples feel.

Becca:

So yeah.

Becca:

Setting expectations and being consistent is really important.

Becca:

Rachel, this conversation has been really interesting, but I can't let you go

Becca:

without doing my usual quickfire quiz.

Becca:

So I'm going to give you two answers.

Becca:

You've got to decide which one is your preference.

Becca:

Are you ready?

Becca:

Okay.

Becca:

Would you rather get married in a barn or manor house manor house?

Becca:

Would you rather have live music or DJ?

Becca:

DJ light and airy or dark and moody, light, and airy summer

Becca:

wedding or winter wedding?

Becca:

Ooh, chocolate cake or lemon cake,

Rachel:

chocolate, Instagram or

Becca:

Facebook or Instagram.

Becca:

Would you rather promote yourself on a wedding fair or wedding directory?

Becca:

Directory.

Becca:

Are you an early riser or a night owl, early riser

Becca:

and do you work too hard?

Becca:

Or are you easily distracted?

Rachel:

Um, a bit of both, probably

Becca:

that was the slowest quick fire quiz, Rachel, that we've ever done.

Becca:

and bearing in mind you just recently got married.

Becca:

I would like to think you could have answered those questions quicker.

Becca:

What was interesting is I think you're the first person to choose

Becca:

wedding directory over wedding fair.

Becca:

So tell me why that is?

Rachel:

Uh, it's always been the case actually.

Rachel:

Um, I think with video people at a wedding fair, they can't engage properly with it.

Rachel:

So I've done a few, um, and very early on, I think I've only ever had one

Rachel:

booking, um, that's come about from it.

Rachel:

And because the cost of one wedding fair usually exceeds an annual.

Rachel:

Um, wedding directory listing, but it just was worth it.

Rachel:

Um, uh, having said that it, I think it's evolving.

Rachel:

Um, so I don't actually pay for directories currently.

Rachel:

Um, um, my focus is Google at the moment.

Becca:

Okay.

Becca:

Interesting.

Becca:

Well, we'll have to see how that goes.

Becca:

Maybe we'll have to get you back and talk to you about that in more detail.

Becca:

Now, before I let you go, one final question that I ask all of my guests.

Becca:

What is the one thing you wish you'd known sooner in your wedding business?

Rachel:

Definitely who my ideal client is, um, which kind of

Rachel:

ties in with the previous comment about Google and directories.

Rachel:

Um, I think.

Rachel:

People, my ideal client are people who know from the very

Rachel:

beginning that they want a video.

Rachel:

Um, and, and so I wish I'd known about ideal client and, and again,

Rachel:

not trying to target everyone, um, much earlier on so that I could yeah.

Rachel:

Target, target the right people and be a bit more streamlined in, in

Rachel:

marketing from the very beginning.

Becca:

Absolutely.

Becca:

Rachel, it's been a pleasure.

Becca:

If people want to find out more about you, where's the best

Becca:

place for them to find you.

Rachel:

So the website is veiledproductions.co.uk.

Rachel:

Um, and you can find me on social media, um, which is veiled

Rachel:

productions, um, everywhere.

Rachel:

I think there's no, there's no differences.

Rachel:

So just put their productions into, into social media and.

Becca:

Perfect.

Becca:

Thank you for your time and congratulations again on your

Becca:

recent wedding.

Becca:

Thank you so much.

Becca:

It's been wonderful.

Becca:

Thank you.

Becca:

If you want to get to know Rachel better or find out more about what she's up

Becca:

to, then why not come over and join us in the wedding pro member's lounge.

Becca:

That's the place where you can get really great access to me.

Becca:

Monthly training, weekly updates and accountability, and so much.

Becca:

If you're thinking about joining the members lounge.

Becca:

Well, your luck is in because right now I have a very special offer just for you.

Becca:

The podcast listener, you can join the members lounge for just

Becca:

one pound for the first month.

Becca:

All you need to do is use the code podcast at the checkout.

Becca:

You can find the link in the show notes.

Links

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube