If there is one thing I’ve learned in my travels and while working for wedding pros throughout the world, it’s this: there is no shortage of wedding planners anywhere you go.

This must come as no surprise- anyone can be a kick butt maid of honor, then outsource a logo on Fiverr, purchase a web site template and call themselves a wedding planner.

It. Gets. Frustrating.

As a result, your priorities are three-fold:

• Produce amazing events
• Keep your clients happy
• Stand out from the competition

Numbers one and two won’t be a problem if you love what you and make a continued commitment toward self-improvement. Number three, however, intimidates people. Beyond the upgraded (hello letterpress!) business cards and steady presence at networking events, what’s a wedding planner to do?

Don Mears Photography featured on Brides.com

Enter: real wedding submissions

You are no doubt sitting on gorgeous weddings filled with fun couples and thoughtful details that would be perfect for editors. And statistics tell us that couples continue to consume wedding blogs and magazines as much as ever, so you’re missing out on a key marketing strategy by letting those images sit in your DropBox, collecting dust.

It’s time to make a commitment to featuring your wedding planner portfolio, something that new to the scene planners are not in a position to do. Show prospects what you’re capable of. Delight recent clients by sharing their featured wedding. Keep your creative partners excited by handing them press on a silver platter. Grab those fabulous back links to your site. And best of all- establish credibility by allowing magazines and blogs to swoon over your hard work.

Glint Events feature, photography by Stephanie Yonce Photography

So what are editors hungry for?

• Details, details, details

The wedding media aims to inspire its readers and they do so by showcasing weddings that feature fun and fresh details. Think creative florals, unique linens, and gorgeous bridesmaid dresses.

• A great story

You know more than most that personal touches abound with weddings these days and editors want to hear all about it. Pair those lovely images with the couples back story- what inspired them while planning, their wedding day colors and DIY projects they tackled.

• All the information wrapped up in a bow

As a wedding planner, you’re in a unique position to hold the keys to the information kingdom so make it easy on the editor by giving them everything they request up front. While all submission guidelines are different, you’ll want to consider including a comprehensive list of vendors, the wedding date, venue and couple’s contact information.

Not sure you can make the time to incorporate real wedding submissions into an already busy season? Know that you’re not alone.

That’s why we offer our monthly real wedding subscription. We’ll take care of up to (15) wedding submissions a year on your behalf (and yes, that means working with your photographers to get the images you need!). We’ll also track your local wedding media deadlines and alert you to national media opportunities that only our subscription holders are privy to.

In addition to having their real weddings featured, our subscription members have enjoyed sharing their expert commentary with such sites as The Knot, Brides, Martha Stewart Weddings, About.com, and more.

Contact us today at meghan@ofdconsulting.com for more information!

*This is a sponsored post by OFD Consulting