Why Do I see Wedding Gowns In Real Estate??
You may be thinking something in the way of ….when a couple become engaged, they want to buy a home and transform it into their newlywed sanctuary.
About 20 years ago I worked as a Manager in a very upscale Bridal Salon. We carried bridal gowns ranging in price from $350.00 on up to over $5000....even now, this is quite a major expense.
As you can imagine, when a bride first walks into the Bridal Salon she is always full of excitement and more often than not, is a pleasure to work with. I would introduce myself and immediately begin asking questions i.e. have you set a date, information and detail in regards to the style of gown she was looking for, how many brides maids will be in the bridal party and so on. During this time I would also inform her of the many valuable services we could offer to assist in making her wedding day perfect.
I found in my experience during the 3 years I worked in Bridal Retail there were primarily three styles of Brides…..
1) The Bride who had no idea of what style or type of gown she was looking for.
2) The Bride who came in and knew exactly what she wanted right down to the smallest detail.
3) The Bride who had an idea of what she wanted but was open to suggestion.
The Brides in the #1 category more often than not ultimately drove themselves more or less insane and would end up so confused, exhausted and frustrated that oftentimes, they never found that perfect gown. This style of Bride felt compelled to try on every single gown there was and would ultimately find something (with each one) that just wasn’t right. This could go on and on….from month to month and salon to salon.
The Brides in the #2 category were at the total opposite spectrum. She had such a detailed requirement of the perfect gown (that unless she had it made) was at risk of never finding it. This could also be the bride however that chose 1 gown out of 50 to try on and kazaam….that was it! It was perfect and she had no desire to look further.
The Brides in the 3# category simply fell right in the middle. This Bride desired to try on a selection of different styled gowns, would ultimately find the style she preferred and could make a decision that she was thrilled with, this Bride had no pre-conceived ideas in which she felt compelled to hold on to.
During my time as a Manager of a Bridal Salon I learned many things and have noticed I can apply them to my career in Real Estate, although admittedly in an off beat sort of manner.
The following were my Golden Rules.......
- The Brides needs always come first, listen to them carefully to be able to assist in the most productive and pleasurable manner.
- Brides are very emotional be patient!
- Always set aside “buffer time” to allow everything to coincide on completion time (the wedding date). Often there are unexpected issues which arise and this “Buffer time” proves invaluable.
- Never let her see you sweat!! Always remain calm and in control.
- The Mother of the Bride can be a VERY formidable force, tread carefully and at your own risk! Always be polite, however, you must take the lead.
- NEVER place anything aside until the last minute, this could mean disaster!
- Understand that this is your Brides “special day.” Do your utmost best, to ensure every thing goes smoothly so she is able to experience a stress free and truly unforgettable wedding day.
- Be honest, it is always appreciated, though sometimes later rather than sooner.
- Always tell a Bride what you can do….not what you can’t do.
- Remember if the Bride is not happy….no one is happy.
It is amusing for me to see how easy it is to find a connection from a previous career (mine being almost 20 years ago) and how these prior experiences can still be of great value to you in the present day. I never would have dreamed I would see “Wedding Gowns in Real Estate!”
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