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How to…Get your Wedding Featured on a Blog

June 9, 2010 in How To... by Kat | 46 comments

Credit: Natalia Vodianova by Mario Testino for Vogue

I get a lot of submissions. And I mean a LOT. So many in fact, that most people might break down and cry if they saw my inbox in the morning. However I LOVE it and I enjoy looking at every single one – really really truly do so don’t stop them coming! However there are some common mistakes made with submission-sending and I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight a few that I see over and over and over to try and make the process of getting your wedding or photo shoot featured on Rock n Roll Bride a smooth one for both of us.
So, here are my top tips which will most certainly give you more chance of getting featured.

♥ I put up a submissions guidelines page quite a while ago now. Please please please read this before you send me anything.

♥ I hate emails that say ‘Hi check out my website, I’d love you to feature some of my work!’ I’m sorry but I reeeally don’t have the time to look through your entire site and pick something. Send me something specific that suits the Rock n Roll/alternative style of my blog.

♥ As a general rule I usually only feature professional wedding photographs. ‘Uncle Bob’ and diy photography usually don’t make the cut. However don’t be put off submitting just because you didn’t have a professional photographer. I have featured weddings in the past which were just shot by friends and family and I would still love to see your wedding!

♥ I feature weddings, engagements, day after shoots, bridal shoots, trash the dress shoots, boudoir shoots and even the odd random- yet-way-too-awesome fashion shoot. I do not feature maternity shoots, senior shoots, baby shoot, bar mitzvahs, christenings and family sessions.

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How to… Not become a Blogging Pushover

May 26, 2010 in How To... by Kat | 205 comments

Credit: Via Love Shot

I have thought long and hard about actually posting this after I wrote it. It is, in all honesty, a little bit of a rant but I hope it actually might give you a greater insight into my world. As I hope most of you know, I put a lot of work into running Rock n Roll Bride. When I’m at home I’m on my computer pretty much from 10am to at least 10/11 pm past midnight working on posts, running up new ideas and keeping in touch with people. It’s no longer just a hobby for me, and weird as it feels to say this, it is now my business and one I work very hard on. Anyway…

This is a bit of a random post, but I think it’s something that needs to be said. I hope in sharing this I won’t p*** anyone off and if anything I hope it might be able to give you, my loyal readers an small insight into how I view the blog in terms of advertising and sponsorships.

I love my sponsors. Every single one of them. I never take offers of sponsorship from companies who I deem to be spammy or not right to recommend for my readers. It would horrify me to think I’d ‘recommended’ anyone to be involved in your wedding that was unreliable or shady just because they were paying me to. I have and will continue to turn down these kind of sponsorship offers.

Similarly I often (like on a daily basis) receive emails from companies and individuals wanting product mentions or reviews…and don’t want to pay for it. ”Sure, I say, I love your product, here are my rates” I’ll be honest here, in about 95% of these emails I am fully aware that these companies are wanting free coverage, as if I’m some kind of platform for them to get free advertising. The response is usually something along the lines of “erm…thanks but we don’t have any budget for advertising, we were thinking something more along the lines of an editorial mention, in exchange we’ll give you a link back to your site from ours/we’ll send you something for free/we’ll think you’re really really cool.” Oh reeeeeally?

FYI – in my book the definition of editorial is something I make my own editorial decision on, something that I blog because I love it. If in your book editorial means free advertising, well in the nicest possible way. F-Off!

I’m not being funny (well maybe I am) but FFS a) this is my job. This is how I make my living and I am not going to apologise for making money from advertising and b) Where exactly would I draw the line with these ‘free’ mentions? What would Rock n Roll Bride become? A place for companies to freely spam you with their products? Well I wouldn’t have many readers left would I? Who wants to read that?!

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How to…Deal with Uncooperative Relatives

January 24, 2010 in How To... by Kat | 4 comments

KA_1658

Credit: Calla Evans Photography  (from A Halloween-esque Steam Train of Epicness)

I need some advice. I live in Virginia, but all of my family lives back on the west coast. (I’m from Arizona) We decided that we would get married in Vegas this year so my family would be able to come (mainly my grandparents since they refuse to fly) They agreed to come and everyone seemed really excited about it. Then, I sent my mom pictures of what we’ll be wearing. She hasn’t shown my grandma yet, but she told her basically what they look like. When I called my grandma to talk to her about when we’ll be flying into Tucson, she started lecturing me. She said it’s “not a clown thing” and went on to say that if that’s what I’m going to wear, she won’t be able to come. Apparently, my clothing (which fits my personality very well) is making a mockery of marriage and weddings. I’m very upset about this, since she’s as close to me as my own mom. I don’t know what to tell her to convince her to come. Even my mother in law (who is extremely conservative) loves the outfit and thinks she’s being ridiculous. Have you known anyone to have problems like this?
(There’s pictures of our outfits attached if you’d like to see what the big deal is)

Thank you for your time.
Allison

rockabilly

Eugh Alison I feel for you, what a horrible situation to be in! So from what I gather it’s just your grandmother who has a problem with your wedding style? I can only imagine that weddings were very different in her day and so she has (unlike us!) never been exposed to anything other than an uber traditional wedding. My advice to you would be to write her a letter (grandmother’s LOVE to get real life letters) and explain to her your reasons for wanting to dress in an non traditional way – ie that this is how you dress all the time (surely she knows this already) and that you and your fiancé want your wedding to be a perfect reflection of who you are as a couple. Tell her how upset you are at the thought of her not being there and that you hope she will reconsider. The fashion and style of the wedding is all aesthetics at the end of the day and without her there it wouldn’t be right. Your wedding is the most important day of your life and it means a hell of a lot to you and your fiancé that all your family attend.

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How to…Plan a Wedding in No Time at all

January 5, 2010 in How To... by Kat | 5 comments

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Credit: via MissWallflower

With the New Year upon us, I thought it apt to begin thinking about where I want Rock n Roll Bride to go in the next 12 months. I downloaded Gala Darling’s ‘Love & Sequins’ #7 podcast, in which the crazy-inspiring writer/blogger/international playgirl imparted all her blogging, writing and general career awesomeness on to us mere wannabe blogging gurus. It really gave me a much needed boot up the arse and go me a-thinking about the year ahead (note: if you are a blogger yourself you need to download this think – it freakin’ rocks) My mind is now fit to bursting with new ideas and directions for the site, but to ease you in gently, here’s diversion numero uno.

Now don’t you worry, there will still be just as much real wedding goodness this year (how could I possibly stop) but with the success of the ‘How to Blog’ series still ringing in my ears I thought it a great idea to expand on the idea and reach out and help all of my readers in one way or another.

The ‘How to…’ series will be vast. It will be diverse. It will mould and shape itself in to a sequined glitter ball of knowledge and inspiration in no time at all and I need your help. What do you want help with? What can I write about to help you? Planning your wedding? Building your blog? Expanding your business? How to dye your hair pink!?…anything. I have a crack team of experts behind me who I plan to call upon whenever I need them (although most of them actually don’t know this yet!)

So, without further ado, here we go with an email I received just the other day.

Hi…i am desperate…my lil man and i are planning a wedding but it has to be done ASAP!!! i am getting shipped out soon. he has a pretty serious medical condition and may not be with me long…like he may pass why i am deployed…we don’t have a ton of money but we NEED to do this for us..any suggestions. i am VERY crafty and open to suggestions. birds, skulls, and stars are a pretty big deal for us…thanks for the thoughts and help!!! Love riotgrrrl

Planning a wedding in a short time frame is certainly possible – in fact bar the venue, photographer and maybe the dress, everything can be done last minute (note: I actually think you can get these 3 things pretty last minute too, they can easily be got around with a bit of creative thinking) You haven’t said exactly how soon the wedding needs to be, but I’ve heard of people planning gorgeous weddings in just a few short weeks so let’s work with that timeframe. You just need to be organised, you need to be fit to bursting with ideas and you need to ask for help. Your wedding will be perfect I’m sure, but here are a few tips and tricks that I hope will help your planning run a bit smother.

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