Show notes:

In this week’s episode I’m joined by Nina Beer, venue manager at Bugle House in Southampton, who completely reimagined what a wedding showcase could look like. Instead of focusing on selling, Nina focused on creating an unforgettable experience. From carefully curating suppliers to styling every room with purpose, every decision was designed to help couples emotionally connect with the venue and genuinely picture themselves getting married there.

The results?

A showcase that generated £25,000 worth of bookings, delighted suppliers and completely changed how couples experienced the venue.

Time stamps:

00:15 – Understanding the Value of Marketing in the Wedding Industry

03:40 – Transitioning to New Beginnings in the Wedding Industry

09:57 – Rebranding and Marketing Strategies for the Bugle Venue

22:54 – Creating the Perfect Venue Experience

32:02 – Event Experience and Improvements

37:10 – Curating Supplier Lists: The Key to Venue Success

45:00 – The Importance of Supplier Relationships in Weddings

51:13 – Innovating the Wedding Industry

Transcript:

Nina
00:00:00.240 – 00:00:15.760
Absolutely no point on this world going to a showcase, spending all that money on marketing, spending your time, your day, whatever it might be that you’re missing out on back home to go and do this. Unless you are absolutely sure that the people there can afford you, like you, and want to be with you and haven’t already. They’re just not.

Becca
00:00:15.840 – 00:01:18.100
I’m Becca Poundey, wedding business marketing expert, strategist, speaker and author.

Over the last decade, I’ve combined my love of marketing with my knowledge of the wedding industry to help thousands of wedding pros and venues just like you learn new skills, strategize, get re energized and grow their businesses. Because after all, that’s how you stay top of your game. Whether you’re brand new into this industry or been here forever. I want to help.

So grab a cup of tea or a cocktail, sit back and enjoy a brand new episode of my award winning podcast, Wedding Pros who Are Ready to Grow. Let’s get going with today’s episode.

Today I’m chatting with Nina Beer, venue manager of the Bugle house, a grade 2 listed Georgian townhouse in Southampton. We all know I’m a fan of people stepping outside the norm and getting creative.

So when I heard that Bugle House were doing things differently when it came to their wedding showcase, I knew I wanted to find out more. Today, Nina’s going to walk us through exactly what happened and what they’ve learned from the experience. Nina, welcome to the podcast.

Nina
00:01:18.100 – 00:01:19.300
Thank you for having me.

Becca
00:01:19.300 – 00:01:34.250
It’s an absolute pleasure. We’ll give the listeners a little insight.

We’ve actually tried to record this podcast twice before and for various technical reasons, illness, everything else, it’s been chaos. So we’re glad that today we’re actually able to be here together and chat about this.

Nina
00:01:34.250 – 00:01:35.850
I’m excited. Third time lucky?

Becca
00:01:35.850 – 00:01:51.810
Absolutely. And I’m sure third time a charm, as they say, is all going to be good.

Now, people may have heard your name before, now, obviously today you’re here representing Bugle House, but do you want to just give us a bit more background about you, about what you do and how you ended up in the wedding industry in the first place?

Nina
00:01:51.810 – 00:03:04.940
Oh, okay. So I’ve been in the events industry for over 20 years now.

I’m really old and I was doing that cliche thing of getting married 10 years ago, and I realized when I was looking to get married that there was nothing on the day coordination relevant that fitted with me. Like I wanted someone to come in on my wedding day and just coordinate the Day, I didn’t know someone to take over.

I didn’t need someone to manage it. Six weeks before, I didn’t want any of that. And it was all available in America, but I couldn’t find it in the uk, so I started it.

So I started a Cajun Queens 10 years ago. I sold it three years ago to the lovely Jess, who’s amazing, and it’s so wonderful to watch her grow the business now and then.

I’ve just started consulting and I’ve been consulting in the wedding industry ever since, doing all sorts of things.

And at the moment, my main role is consulting at the Bugle, as you said, and supporting the team there to really push the weddings at the Bugle and all other events as well. But, yeah, that’s kind of where I’m at.

It’s a really lovely role with a really lovely team and we’re really, really trying to reestablish the wedding venue in Southampton, along with just bringing all that experience from the events industry and make it a real gem of the town.

Becca
00:03:05.100 – 00:03:36.120
Yeah, amazing.

Well, we’re going to talk about Bugle House in a minute, but before we get there, I don’t want to let this moment go past because I think talking about selling a business is something that we don’t really ever talk about on this podcast. And there’s probably. People get to a point and they wonder if the only answer is just to shut a business down.

So what made you think about selling the business? Was it complicated? I mean, you don’t need to go into all the details, but was it complicated? Was it that someone approached you?

Was it that you decided to sell it and move on to new things, like, just talk us through that process? And was it scary to hand your baby over?

Nina
00:03:36.680 – 00:03:53.480
I didn’t hand. Yeah, it was scary to have my baby over because I ended up having another baby. So.

So for me, I think from the outset, I didn’t want the company to be my name. It was very much associated with me. Absolutely. But I was very keen that it was occasion queens.

Becca
00:03:53.480 – 00:03:53.920
It was a.

Nina
00:03:53.920 – 00:06:40.910
It was a brand and it was a business that could be sold in the future. And that was really important. I think that’s the first thing that kind of planted that seed. It was always there from the very start.

The other thing was that I had got to a point with the business where it needed to grow, it needed to expand, and for those that followed me for a long time and know me, you know that I did a lot of work doing with the government and everything else, Trying to get weddings back during COVID And that really put a massive halt on the business and how I wanted it to be. So I finally got it to where I wanted to be, but five years too late.

I kind of got a bit old and I wanted to go in a different direction with my life. And so for me, I was like, this is amazing. We did. The last year that I had the business, I did 117 weddings. And I loved it, absolutely loved it.

But I knew that I wasn’t the right person to carry this on and keep continuing to build and build and build. And that’s what it deserved, that’s what I wanted for it. So it was a very natural, very organic decision.

It’s something that had always been in my head from the beginning. And it got to a point where I put it out there. I just put it out there.

And the lovely Jess reached out to me for a completely different reason, actually. And I said to her, that’s absolutely fine.

I’m more than happy to talk and guide you any way that you want to be guided and talk to you about the business and industry, because she’s just starting out, but just, you know, I’m selling my business, I’ve got no work for you. And she actually turned around and in the end she bought it. And I think that’s really rare in the wedding industry. Really rare.

I do not think many people sell their businesses because it is such a personal service. It’s so in tune with the person that has done that work.

And if you look back on occasion, Queens reviews, there’s a lot of Nina mentioned and it’s taken some time, but there’s now there’s a whole lot of Jess and Nina who. Which is exactly how it should be. And I’m just. It’s so wonderful to see her grow.

I’m still in touch with her and still talk about it and that kind of thing. So it’s lovely to see that the business is flourishing way that I always wanted it to, and I don’t have any regrets about it.

It was the perfect timing for my life and it was always what I wanted it to be. But I do think it is rare.

And the amount of businesses, hand on heart, that I’ve seen in the last six months even say that they’re now stopping trading and they’re not working. And I haven’t seen any that have sold. I’ve seen them all just stop and shut. And I do think that’s because people don’t enter this as a career.

And A business, they enter it as a hobby first, really enjoy and then not thinking about that, that long term goal. And that’s, that’s where people need to kind of re establish, I think, when it comes to their end and exit plan.

If you don’t have that at the beginning and what are you working towards?

Becca
00:06:40.990 – 00:07:12.630
Yeah, absolutely. And I think a lot of people don’t have that at the beginning.

And it’s interesting that you say that was part of the plan almost all along you had that in your head. So it didn’t happen by accident. It wasn’t that you woke up in the night and thought, I don’t want to do this anymore.

Actually, you knew that was always the plan, so you moved on. But you’re still in our wonderful industry, which is great to see. So talk to me. How long have you been at the Bugle now?

How long have you been working with them? And you know, what was it about them, you think, that made them take on someone to help them?

Because I do think it’s quite a big step for a venue to go. You know what, we’re going to go to an outside consultant.

Nina
00:07:12.630 – 00:09:26.100
Yeah, I totally agree with you, actually. So actually I started working with the owner a few years back.

I kind of, I think it was like 21, 22, around that time maybe that I started working with them and they just bought the venue.

So I was consulting for them then and their refurbishment and how it should work and looking at packages and looking at competition and trying to help them get established in that way. They brought in a venue manager, got it all sorted, backed away and left them to it.

And then I got a call when I was on maternity leave and they said, can you come back all right, if you want, but I got a baby in tow and they’re like, yep, that’s fine, come on. So I came back on a consultancy basis to just reevaluate where they were and unfortunately the existing venue manager hadn’t worked out.

And what we’ve had to do over the past year and a bit now is just really start again and looking at the competition, looking at the client, looking at how the packages are working, looking at the PR has been a really big thing and making sure that we kind of rebuild the brand and marketing it in the right way.

So there’s been a lot to it, but it’s actually been a really lovely way to kind of come back after maternity leave and kind of come back into the industry in a way that’s just doing it all.

And it’s Bringing all the experience that I’ve got into one venue, from a corporate point of view, a party point of view, a wedding point of view, a charity point of view, all those things are coming into play and making sure that we are working together in a really small but perfectly formed team to establish this venue as the Gem. Because it is a gem, it is beautiful in Southampton and just making sure it’s really well known and it’s been really nice to do that.

But I do think it takes guts. I do think it takes a venue who really is kind of looking at their whole big picture to go.

Actually, I need some support with this because I need someone who’s got eyes from the outside and we all kind of get in a little echo chamber, don’t we? We all get a little bit siloed and we don’t think about that big picture.

And you need someone to come in and look at where you’re at and assess it and be like, this is what you’re missing and this is where you need to improve. This is what you’re doing. Fantastic.

Becca
00:09:26.100 – 00:09:56.400
Yeah.

And actually, I think it’s the smart business decision, because actually, when someone takes on a consult, often they bring in someone with a whole lot more experience, they’ve got a whole lot more to give, they’ve got connections all over the industry, but also they’re not taking in some ways the same risk as employing a member of staff who might not work out or might be, you know, less qualified. Yes, they might be right there on the ground, but actually sometimes it’s the strategic decision making the.

The top stuff that’s actually the make or break rather than the stuff on the ground. So I think they’ve made a smart decision by taking you on.

Nina
00:09:56.400 – 00:10:11.620
I think so. But, yeah, you’re absolutely right.

And it is about being those eyes and years and the bigger picture in the industry and making sure that we kind of look at everything as a whole rather than just. You get so bogged down in the day to day, don’t you? And, yeah, sometimes we lose. We lose sight.

Becca
00:10:12.100 – 00:10:30.750
So I’m guessing you’ve implemented various different changes or things or ideas at the Bugle in the time that you’ve been there.

We’re going to come onto the showcase in a moment, but before we do, is there anything else that you’ve kind of gone in and put your stamp on to try and shift how they’re doing things or to try and attract more couples to the venue?

Nina
00:10:30.750 – 00:11:44.790
Quite a lot, to be honest with you. We actually really did have to start again. So the marketing had to change the way that it was being marketed.

I was a little bit sick in my mouth, if I’m honest. It was horrific. It was terrible. There was swearing in it, which is fine if it fits your brand, but this is an elegant, historic venue. It’s beautiful.

Like, this wasn’t. That wasn’t part of the makeup, but they were swearing. It was like a club vibe. It was. Let’s just get really pissed and not worry about anything.

So we’ve lost that kind of romance and that elegance with everything that they were saying and doing.

So I think that, first of all, the marketing was like, a really important part of the project that we had to make sure, which is why the showcase leads into that.

We had to make sure we changed and changed very quickly, even down to how the staff looked, uniforms that they were wearing, how they presented themselves, just little things, even like badges and. Do you know what I mean?

Just making sure that all of those details and all of the elegance was reintroduced to how we work and that we got the whole team on board with that because that was really important.

So that was the very, very first thing is we had to reintroduce and we’ve had to work hard on the PR to make sure that the Bugle is seen again, as what it should be, which is this stunning historic venue.

Becca
00:11:44.790 – 00:12:12.850
Interesting. So I think there’s a lot of lessons in there for people as well, in terms of their own marketing, because it is easy to go in the wrong direction.

It is easy to think, oh, this is going to be a quick way to attract business.

But also, we know, again, bigger picture, if you attract the wrong kind of business, then suddenly you’re getting all the cheap end of the market you’re getting. You’re never going to then track to the top end of the market because you’re becoming known as, this is a cheap place to get married. It’s for anyone.

You know, it’s not.

Nina
00:12:12.930 – 00:12:13.650
You lose.

Becca
00:12:13.650 – 00:12:18.370
It’s a lot harder to gain that audience than it is to lose them. This is exactly the problem.

Nina
00:12:18.370 – 00:13:04.950
So we completely lost the whole heap of clients because it wasn’t known as this wonderful wedding venue. It was known as a party venue where everyone just got trashed. Like, that was what was happening.

And we’re not getting the clients in that are going to pay the right price for what we’re offering. And we’re not actually marketing ourselves and pricing.

We’re looking back at the invoices that were being sent for the events and how much we’re being charged and the venue’s not making any money. And it’s because we weren’t attracting people that could afford it. And it goes back to the market. Like it’s a whole big picture. Right.

And so we literally had to strip and when I say we had to start again, we stripped everything back, started again. And it’s amazing where it is now. Like, I’m, I’m so proud of the team and where it’s come. It is really, really good.

It’s been hard, but I think that the marketing actually just plays this huge part in it. Such a ripple effect with everything that that was and that had to be the starting point.

Becca
00:13:05.340 – 00:13:15.740
Amazing. So just give us a flavor then of obviously you’ve told us where it was. If we were to look at the Bugle marketing now, what’s different about it?

What have you done to elevate the property?

Nina
00:13:16.620 – 00:14:41.590
So I think it’s just more about kind of making sure that things like Instagram become our brochure. So it’s becoming our window into what the venue looks like, how your wedding day can be run.

We, and as I said, we reintroduced the romance, we introduced the elegance of the venue and we kind of established it as more of a high edge venue where people will really be taken care of, where they will be looked after, where they will enjoy themselves, but in a way that encompasses the whole family. So everyone’s going to come to their wedding and really enjoy it and not just the young people and do you know what I mean?

It was kind of just making sure that actually I think Instagram was probably a big part of it, but also looking at the directories as well, making sure that we worked with the directories and we relooked at all of our pages that we had on room because they were all different and making sure that they were all aligned and that they were the right pricing and, and all the photos are up to date. And the imagery, we had no imagery.

We had to reach out to all of the weddings that had been, all the parties that been, get more imagery, put on some styled shoots, like make sure that actually the images that we were putting out there were exactly what we wanted back and we didn’t have that.

So I think it was working really hard on just that focus of imagery, website overhaul, Instagram overhaul, and making sure that our shop window was what we wanted back. It really emphasized that this is a high end, beautiful, elegant venue with, with everything that you need for your wedding day.

Becca
00:14:41.590 – 00:14:50.790
Fantastic. And then as part of that overhaul of course was also the showcase. So why was it that you decided to shake up the showcase model in what you did?

Nina
00:14:50.790 – 00:16:10.260
Right. So we all know, having worked in the industry, that every single couple thinks that they’re going to be unique. Right.

And we know that every single couple is looking on Instagram reels and Pinterest and everything else, because that’s how they want their wedding to be. And let’s not even go there with AI. I can’t. But now we have to make sure that we are presenting our ven in that way too.

It has to be immersive, it has to be unique, and we have to give them insight. If they can’t walk into the wedding venue on a showcase day and imagine themselves getting married there, you failed.

Like, you have absolutely failed. So for me, what was really important is that we didn’t have too many suppliers. We had enough to make it full, busy atmosphere.

They could see the kind of people that we wanted to work with and we wanted to make sure that our recommended supplier list was, you know, really curated. But actually they could walk into the venue and see themselves getting married.

They could see exactly how they’re going to experience their wedding day, right down to how we do our viewings. So for me, viewings are really important, as they are with everybody.

But we start off in the room where they’re going to get married, we start off in the room where they’re going to get ready, and we walk them through the whole venue in that way, because it’s really important to make sure that they’ve got the flow and that feel of how it’s going to be. Everything has to be immersive.

Becca
00:16:10.260 – 00:17:08.250
Yeah. And I have a lot of opinions on this. I talk about it a lot. And so that’s why I was thrilled to hear that you were doing something different.

Because I think when I remember even going back to when I got married, which is a long time ago, 16 years ago, when I got married, I went to my a wedding fair wedding showcase with my friend, expecting a great day out, and just found myself at a sales pitch. And I re. I remember that feeling of I thought this was like a fun day of wedding planning. And that wasn’t even in our Instagram TikTok generation.

That’s 16 years ago. And thinking, what? Why are people showing me what to do while they’re just stood behind a table and giving me a flight? I don’t understand it.

And my other high horse that I like to get on is about the show rounds. I think, how are we Selling this incredible day where we’re going to treat this couple like a prince and a princess at every moment in the day.

And yet on the showcase day, we’re not treating them anything like that. And so we’re trying to sell this experience without giving them any kind of experience.

And so it sounds like you’re trying to shift that at the Bugle, basically.

Nina
00:17:08.250 – 00:19:07.870
Yeah, I just literally want everyone to walk in, feel welcome. But also it is that kind of curated experience, isn’t it? It’s that experience where they come in, they feel loved, they feel welcome.

That person showing them around has got to be their new best friend. They’ve got to be able to read their mind.

They’ve got to be able to see what kind of wedding they want from the very minute they walk in and explain to them how that’s going to happen and that you’re not giving them bog standard options every time. It’s got to be able to be flexible, otherwise you’re not going to win in this day and age at all.

So for me, showrooms are so important that they’re done in the right way that allows people to really feel connected to the venue, that they feel emotional about the venue, they feel emotional about the person that’s walking them around. And the showcase is a massive way to do that, but in a bigger way.

So, you know, with the flowers and the ceremony set up and making sure that the singer on the showcase.

One of my, my proud points actually, I think from it was that we had a saxophonist and a singer and originally I wanted them on two separate floors, I didn’t want them mixing. But in the end they kind of convinced me that they should be on the same floor and they never met before. And now they’re doing Papa Jim.

They collab together and it was so beautiful that when one of the guests walked upstairs, she just burst into tears straight away when she heard them playing. And that, that is what I want. I want everyone walking around in tears.

Like I want people to feel that emotion and that they’re not just being hit in a sales way because emotion is what is going to make them spend money. And it’s not in a sales way, it’s in a. This is genuinely, we care about your wedding, we want it to be perfect and this is how it’s going to be.

So for me, that was really, really important. And it worked. It did. It really, really worked. And I think that emotion side of things needs to come in. I’m not a massive fan of pop up banners.

I’m not a massive fan of flyers. I’m not a massive fan. Goodie bags that all end up in the bin. You know, I’m all for giveaways, but I want to make sure their giveaway lasts.

There ain’t no biscuits at the Bugle, I can tell you that much. Now, I’m not giving you a biscuit, but you’re gonna eat it. Forget me. No.

Becca
00:19:08.190 – 00:20:00.850
And please ban pop up banners from showcasing. I’m all for banning the pop up banners and I’m all for banning the flies because we know this stuff does not work for you anymore.

In that kind of environment, like, you’ve got to show what you do. And what’s interesting is the way consumer behavior is changing and shifting is.

We know from all the data that coupled with have done 90% of their research before they walk through the door, right. They already know the pricing roughly. They already know the space. They already know all of the things that they can know.

All they need now is the vibe check. All they’re coming for is that moment. A bit like when you go to look around houses.

I don’t if you’ve ever bought a house, but you just, you see all of the house online. But it’s something about when you walk into the right house and you’re just doing. It’s like, yeah, this is it. Like you can see it.

And it’s exactly the same when couples go to the venue is they know the information. We’re not needing to sell them the information. They just want to know, ah, I can see myself getting married here.

Nina
00:20:00.850 – 00:20:15.290
Exactly. If they don’t walk into the room where you’re having your ceremony and gas done, walk away. Don’t worry about it.

They’re not gonna, they’re not gonna buy. Fine. Move on to the next person. You need to make sure they walk in and they have that instant. It’s love at first sight. That’s what we want.

We want love at first sight.

Becca
00:20:15.290 – 00:20:27.250
So walk me through the showcase that you had at the Bugle, then. I’m a couple. I’ve signed up to come before, have I? Or bought a ticket.

I’m coming along like, how are you giving me that moment as I walk through the front door? What’s the experience?

Nina
00:20:27.410 – 00:25:41.150
The welcoming, obviously the most important part. As soon as they walk in, everyone has to be greeted. I don’t want anyone walking in and being like, where do I go? What do I do?

Instant hi, you’re at the Bugle. Here’s a friendly face, here’s a smile. So, so Important the amount of times I’ve been to venues and I’m talking about some high end venues in London.

Like where you walk into that showcase and you don’t really know where you’re meant to go or what you’re meant to do or who you’re meant to speak to. Are you meant to register? Are you meant to give your name? Like, what is it? My head’s really annoying me. Sorry.

What is it that you’re mean to do as soon as you walk in? How does that work? So for me, that instant I’ve walked into the Bugle and I’m welcomed and I’m greeted and I am explained.

So this is how you go around, this is where you can go. If you have any questions, we’re here to help you. Or would you like someone to guide you and show you around right now?

Like, what was your preference? Give them that choice.

Because sometimes it can be intimidating and you don’t want someone to show you around, you just want to take your time and other times actually you want everything explained to you because you’re that person. You need that information up to you.

So given the choice, make sure you’ve got enough people there to do that, but make sure no one’s there in limbo or they’ve missed you because then you haven’t got their details. Potentially if they haven’t registered, you haven’t got their details. Maybe you don’t know who’s turned up, they haven’t got the information packed.

Like one of those things could happen. So for me, that introduction, super important.

Once you’ve got that introduction, you know whether they want to be shown around or whether they just want to have a look. I think it’s more about making sure that they understand that is guided in a way that’s kind of intimate, I think is probably the right word.

So it’s an intimate showing. As I said, we didn’t have many suppliers and we had a curated number of suppliers. All of them matched our brand. Okay.

This wasn’t about walking into a massive room with a million people. Like, that’s not what this is about.

It was about giving a select few people the opportunity to sell to our couples in a way that we knew would fit and enhance their wedding day. And I’m so about that. I don’t want to work with supplies that are going to make my couple’s life hard.

No, that was one of my E horses from when I very first started in the wedding industry. Everything’s about making their life easier because weddings are daunting for them.

So we went in and if they wanted to be guided, we took them straight through to the bedrooms where they would be getting ready in the morning of their wedding and explained the wedding suite to them.

And just making sure that we kind of quickly got to grips with were they engaged, you know, how many guests are they looking at, would they want accommodation, all of those kind of things, and just getting to know what kind of food do they want. And one of the things we do at the Bugle is we don’t do catering. So they’ve got complete flexibility over their food.

So making sure they understood that actually they can have whatever they want.

And that’s again, making sure that they feel that it’s unique to them, Guide them through, take them into the ceremony room, which is beautifully laid out with the most stunning florals. Really, really, really stunning florals and ceremony rooms all laid out. We’ve got wonderful singer going in the background, creat emotion.

So not only have they felt that they’re getting ready and we talk them through kind of how it works when they go and wait for if they’re having a civil ceremony where they would wait for the registrars or if there was a celebrant, how that would work.

And then they walk in and again, it’s about making sure that as soon as they walk into that room, they’re seeing them walk down the aisle, they’re seeing themselves standing at the top of the aisle. You know, they can see they’re with their mum and their dad and, you know, they’re getting a bit emotive about how this is going to.

Going to be for them. That’s the selling point for me, that’s really, really, really important. So that room critical. And then we moved them into the ballroom.

The ballroom for me, had to be styled in a way that was modern, but also not doing your face because we didn’t want to distract from the other suppliers that were in that room.

So we had a couple of tables that were styled beautifully by our stylist and we wanted to make sure that people could see how they could bring things to life within the venue. And that was talked through very intimately.

And again, each point, you know, the saf that I provided, the stationer was there, the stationery was there as well, a photographer was there and the case there was a caterer and a content creator. And just making sure that the people that were there, the florists and everybody, that was it. They’re the people you need for your day.

It’s a small, select group and that’s all you need. You don’t need to be overwhelmed because that’s such a huge part of the wedding industry. It’s total overwhelm and we didn’t want that.

We wanted them to understand, feel relaxed and have everybody there that they needed. If that their budget, if that fitted their style, then great, this is it. There is no need to overcomplicate, there’s no need to stress.

But you can walk in here and you can imagine all of your wonderful guests having the best time. And it was about the language that we’re using. It’s about how we make sure that we kind of communicate all of that to them in the best way possible.

That doesn’t allow them to go away feeling overwhelmed, stressed, questioning anything. But instead I want them buzzing, I want them brimming with ideas. I want them thinking about how this can work.

Like, we had the most amaz company outside in the courtyard doing these little miniature pancakes. Do you know what I mean?

It was about kind of giving them those little touch points of style while also making sure that they understood that we’re there to help and guide them the whole way.

And that if they have their wedding at the Bugle, everything’s going to be taken care of, everything’s going to be laid out for them and it’s not going to be a hard day.

Becca
00:25:41.150 – 00:25:59.970
Okay? So it makes perfect sense to me. Absolutely. Showcasing the venue really well. You’ve got your different suppliers involved practically.

How were they set up? Did they have the traditional tables? Were they just kind of stood around? Were they near their work? Were they in different areas of the venue?

Talk me through how it worked as a. As one of those vendors, you know what?

Nina
00:26:00.450 – 00:27:04.430
So it was fairly traditional in that sense because of the specs were limited.

Like, there’s only so far that we can go with that with making sure that everyone gets enough space to showcase their work, but at the same time as to how big the room is. But what was really nice is that no one really sat at the table. Like, all the suppliers were just hanging out and talking.

So it meant that when they were talking to the clients, they were all just talking together and chatting. There was no hard sell involved. There was no kind of like, obviously people had direct questions for a stand supply, then fine.

But it wasn’t just like everyone stuck behind their table and no one feeling like they could communicate in that way. It was just. Everyone just hung out. Everyone just had a nice day.

And we had so many suppliers come up to us at the end and say to us this is the best showcase that they’ve ever done and that quite a few of them have booked there. And then like. And the amount of bookings that they had was like.

I think one of them came over to me that day and she said, I literally, I’ve got six bookings today, like at the showcase.

That never happens, like to come away with that many on the day, let alone the, you know, if you do your own follow ups and get the emails and that kind of thing. But on the day she got six bookings.

Becca
00:27:04.430 – 00:27:56.450
Amazing. And that makes, it makes sense though, because you’ve curated the list and they’re showcasing their work.

And I think again, to give the suppliers the confidence, they should be walking around. I mean, if I was the florist there, there is absolutely no point me stood behind a table with pictures when my flowers are all over the venue.

I should be wandering that ven with my branded top on that just very clearly shows I’m a florist. So that when people are going, wow, these flowers are amazing, you’re right there to go. I actually created those.

If you want to chat, you know, it makes no sense to be stuck behind a table going, here’s a photo of my work. When your work is right there out in the open. When you, you can be a photographer walking around taking photos and chatting to people.

Like, we’ve just got to get out of this mindset of I have to be stood by this table. What about food and drink? Was there food and drink? You mentioned the mini pancakes. Did you give drinks to people on arrival?

Did you have a drink station somewhere else? How did the food and drink stuff work?

Nina
00:27:56.450 – 00:28:45.040
So the food and drink, we kept that quite low key because it was a Sunday and, you know, it’s, you know, it’s not like a Friday night. But obviously there was Prosecco and arrival and there was canapes going around.

And what we did is because we work with preferred caterers, we asked our caterers who was available to do different stations. So one of them did like a dessert station. So one of them provided some, some really amazing, like indulgent cookies, next level cookies.

And the other one was doing canapes and do you know what I mean? So we had, although we work with four preferred caterers, people can bring whoever they want, but we work with four preferred caterers.

They each had their own section, they each had their own station.

So again, it was making sure that people understood that there was flexibility and the quality of catering that we had whilst no one tramping on each other’s toast. And that was really important.

Becca
00:28:45.280 – 00:29:21.090
That makes sense. And again, a great way to showcase different people doing different things, whilst also giving the guests a really great experience.

Experience because they don’t need to try canapes from three different companies, but actually to be able to have a variety of things and for them to showcase their speciality, what they’re good at as well, makes perfect sense. The other thing I’m interested in is the exit, because you talked about how important it was on arrival.

So if someone came in and they wanted to show themselves around, they were wandering around, like, were you saying goodbye to them?

Was there kind of a plan on how to help them exit the event to make sure they’d got the most out of it, rather than them just slipping out the back door? Yeah.

Nina
00:29:21.090 – 00:30:38.750
Luckily, the entrance and exit was the same place, so no one could leave and no one could enter without seeing my face and being, hello. I got back, like, that was. That was basically it. So it was making sure that no one left with any questions.

And actually what happened was it was really nice because we all kind of ended up like people that were viewing and us, we all just. Especially the later on in the day, as it got.

And as it got a little bit quieter, we all just kind of talked about chatting and a lot of the questions that people were asking, other people wanted to listen to as well. You know, things like that were in our FAQs that they got taken away, but just wanted an answer there and then they were going to sit and read it.

So it was nice. We just kind of chatted the whole time with everybody and it was just super relaxed and just a really nice atmosphere that we were able to.

And there was enough of us to make sure that we catered for everybody as well. I think that’s really important.

So, yeah, it was just a really nice way of making sure everyone felt loved and they knew that we were going to follow up with them and they knew that we were here to help if they had any questions. And they all had an information package take away. Beautifully styled, beautifully put together. Everything had to kind of.

The attention to detail is something that I’m really keen on, you know, in the moment, I’m. I’m changing the scent of the soap, do you know what I mean?

Like, making sure that that whole experience is immersive and that no one felt that they didn’t have everything they needed when they were about to leave and leave our faces.

Becca
00:30:38.750 – 00:31:14.320
It’s really important to stress that I Think. I think it’s. It’s easy to get the entrance right and sometimes it’s easy to mess the exit bit up because it sounds really obvious.

I’m there on the door, so I’m going to see them before they leave.

But quite often what happens is, you know, people sign people in and then they’re pushed off, then they go on a tour and then actually there’s no one there left at the end.

And actually, I think if you’re a venue listening to this, just make sure someone is assigned to stay in that spot or at least stay near that spot, because I think how someone is greeted is incredibly important, but I also think how someone is. Is made to feel as they leave is also important. And often something simple that slips through the net.

Nina
00:31:14.320 – 00:31:52.010
Exactly that. And to that, for me, that was really important. Naturally.

One of the things I established as soon as I got there, because I hadn’t been to the venue for ages, was that I’m not the right person to be showing everyone around right now because I haven’t been here enough to know this off the back of my head. And I, you know, when I know a venue, then don’t get me wrong, I can, I can sell that venue, but I hadn’t physically been there enough.

And so I was the one on the door. I was right there and I didn’t leave leave. And there was always someone there.

If I did need to leave, then there was someone, always had to be someone there. We didn’t like it to be, you know, unmanned. And we made sure that between us and the bar staff and everyone else, there was always a touch point.

There was always someone around in that room that they could ask questions to.

Becca
00:31:52.010 – 00:32:15.590
Sounds great.

I think, I think the whole concept is something that we should be absolutely seeing more of here in the uk, but we like to be transparent on this podcast and we don’t want to make everything sound perfect. And as great as the show can case sounds.

I’m sure there were probably some things that maybe didn’t go so well or things that you would improve in the future. So I’d love to dig into any of those if there’s anything. And you think, yeah, that didn’t work, we’re going to do that different next time.

Nina
00:32:15.670 – 00:33:50.820
I came away with such a long list. It’s unbelievable. I’m a perfectionist, Becca. That’s what I do. I wish I had the longest. I’d show you. I literally threw it away the other day.

There were small things, small things that I wanted to tweak. At every point. And that might have just been where one of our suppliers was. Actually, it didn’t work for the flow of the room.

So we need to look at where we put someone in that area again, which I’m never going to know until the day, like.

And that might have just been down to the way that their stand was, or it might have been actually the way that people ended up organically working their way around, that just wasn’t helpful. So we need to think about what we’re going to put in that position again in the future.

So I think those little things you learn on the day are really important. I mean, there was lots of little things on the venue. Why do you think I’m changing the soap?

You know, I want the whole experience to be immersive and I want to make sure we overstuffed. Massively overstaffed. So that cost money that I didn’t spend. But the one thing that I would say that I really valued on the day was the staff.

And actually having one or two many was more of a comfort. Although I know in the future, I kind of can gauge the numbers now.

And I think when you don’t, we had 120 or something people register just really pleased with. And then on the day, I think it was 80 to 95. 90 Actually turned up amazing. I’m so happy with that.

So to know the level of staffing that we need compared to the number of people walking through the door was always going to be a lesson done. And on the day, to have more staff than I needed, okay, it was an overspend, but I’ll get over that one.

Becca
00:33:50.820 – 00:34:16.150
And it’s interesting as well, though, because I do think when you’re trying to give that high level of customer service, when you’re giving that that more luxury experience that you’re working so hard for, actually being overstaffed is a good thing in a sense. Whenever you go anywhere that’s of a high level, you feel like there’s loads of staff. And that’s not by accident.

That’s so that there is always someone on hand. And I definitely think it’s a better problem to have to have too many people there than to be spread too thins.

Nina
00:34:16.310 – 00:34:44.929
And that was definitely one of the things I wanted on the day. I didn’t want to be thinned out in any way. And it worked. It did, it worked. But I now know roughly numbers to how much staff I really need.

So, yeah, there were definitely lessons learned and there was loads.

Honestly, I did come With a huge list, I’ll say they’re the kind of the top ones with more kind of small details in the venue that I wanted to change staffing levels and just making sure, again, just probably maybe marketing it a little bit sooner. But now I was happy, really happy with the way that it went. Like, overall, it was fantastic. We made.

Becca
00:34:46.289 – 00:34:53.249
Yeah, well, that was. My next question, was going to say, like, have you got any commercial success stories? How did. Did it work? Did it turn into business?

Nina
00:34:53.329 – 00:34:59.610
Honestly, it works so well. I’m so proud of this. We made 25 grand from that showcase.

Becca
00:34:59.610 – 00:35:01.490
Amazing. And if you look at our price.

Nina
00:35:01.490 – 00:35:17.810
Points, that’s, you know, for our packages and things like that, it was really good, like, really successful. That’s not. I know some venues charge £18,000 for a one wedding. We’re not there at all. Ours range from about five to nine.

So for 25 grand to come off from that showcase, I was really, really pleased.

Becca
00:35:17.810 – 00:35:30.020
And actually probably some softer success as well. In terms of the repositioning that you’re working so hard to do. Presumably, seeing that come to life started to make that transition feel more solid.

Nina
00:35:30.020 – 00:36:14.840
And that’s one of the things we’re really working hard on, is actually our local pr. And we did have a couple of the neighbors of the venue pop in. They wanted to see what was happening.

And we actually had a gentleman that said that his mum used to work at the venue and stayed in one of the rooms. He said, can I go and look in one of the rooms? And we’re like, absolutely, God, you know, have a look. And he came down.

He was really emotional because he’d had the opportunity to go and see where his. And he was elderly, so his, you know, to see where his mum had worked and lived for a period in this historic venue was really lovely. So there was.

There was a big ripple effect in the community and just making sure that, you know, Southampton knew that we were here when we’re friendly and they can come and use us. And whether that’s for a charity thing or a yoga retreat, whatever it might be, isn’t just weddings. Getting that community vibe is really important.

Becca
00:36:15.000 – 00:36:25.470
And so presumably it went well. So you’re going to do it again. So what’s the plan for the future? How often are you looking at doing one of these events? Is it once a year? Is.

Is it once a quarter? What’s the plan going forward from here?

Nina
00:36:25.630 – 00:36:57.800
For us, it’s once a year. I don’t think we need to do it any more than that.

At the moment, the success was fantastic and I think we need to just build on that, but not put ourselves under pressure. And that’s a really good thing. So we’ve got so many events for the autumn that actually finding a weekend this works is quite hard.

So we’re not going to squeeze it in and not do a good job. We’ll wait until the new year and we’ll put another one on.

And I think that’s really important that we make sure we are assess the strengths and the stresses of the team and that I don’t continue to add and add and add. And I think if I did, there might be some worse.

Becca
00:36:57.800 – 00:37:35.240
Yeah. And it’s better to have one really good event a year than to try and have two average events a year, because then it becomes the event.

Now, we talked a lot from the venue side and I think there’s some really great learnings in there for any venue people listening.

But I just want to focus for a moment on the supplier side because I know there’ll be lots of wedding professionals listening that are thinking, well, I’d love to be part of a showcase like that. I wish the venues near me were more like that. I’d love to get more involved.

You talked about having a curated list and I know that people will be screaming at their podcasts. Well, that’s great. But how do we ever get on one of these curated lists? So give us the secret, like how did you curate that list for the Bugle?

Nina
00:37:35.480 – 00:39:17.670
So I work with an amazing person called Katie Stock. She’s fantastic. She does all of our marketing.

I love Katie dearly and she brilliant at looking at suppliers locally, looking at their aesthetics, looking at their previous clients, looking at their Instagram, looking at their website and making sure that their presence as a whole is really a value, I think, for anyone who is starting out in the industry to expect to get on preferred supplier list. Depending on how the venue works straight away, you’ve got to prove yourself first. It’s a huge thing to recommend somebody to your couple.

It reflects on you so much that you have to make sure you get it right. And it is incredibly important. We can’t just bung anyone on there that we haven’t worked with that we don’t know.

That’s only been in the industry for five minutes. So there is a bit of grafting to do. If you’re new, there’s no two ways about it, you know, you’ve got to prove yourself first.

Might get a lot of hate for that, but I would say that you know, the way that the industry works now is you’ve really got to have a presence, you’ve really got to know your stuff, and you have got to give the clients the best customer journey. And if I find anyone on my list isn’t giving them a great customer journey. They’re being smart, they’re being vague, they’re not answering emails.

Quickly, guess what, you’re off. Because I’m not having that. And I will not let my couples suffer because that’s not what we’re about. So I think it’s about doing the hard work.

Grafting, reach out. Of course, because it might be that you’re so niche that actually you’re the thing that they’re looking for.

Like right now, I had someone email me and they do artisan pizza. I really need a pizza person. Great, let’s talk do you never know. It is always worth reaching out, always.

But you’ve got to make sure that you’ve got the backup there to prove your worth.

Becca
00:39:17.830 – 00:39:56.060
And what’s really interesting, actually, in that conversation is that, you know, traditionally the worth was just the service that that person offered. Right. They took really good photos. But actually, from what you’re saying is, and.

And I can see it very clearly, the word worth for you as a venue, if you’re going to promote them, is also what they’re doing in their own marketing, is that they’re working hard, maybe they’re creating great content, they’re aesthetic, They’ve worked really hard on that.

And so if someone might take great photos, but if you were to go and look at their Instagram account and they’re never posting and they’re not engaged, they’re kind of. They’re only giving you part of that picture because ultimately it is a partnership. It’s a partnership opportunity. They’re coming in to help you and.

Nina
00:39:56.060 – 00:40:37.850
You’re not going to market them. Yeah, if you’re not going to market me, then why should I market you? Absolutely. We need to make sure that you’re up.

Also, I know that our couples are looking on Instagram. So if they’re going to go on Instagram for you, and I’m recommending you, and you’ve got zero presence, what does that say about me?

Like, and the venue? Like, no, that doesn’t work. I need you to fit, and that’s really important.

That’s why the list is curated, because you have to fit with our brand as a whole to be on there.

So you need to have the website, you need to have the Instagram, you need to have the following and the presence and you need to have the good work to show for it. So, yeah, I think it is really important that the list works for our couples as a whole and represents and supports the business.

Becca
00:40:38.090 – 00:41:18.560
And actually, I think it’s an exciting opportunity for newer suppliers because I know you said, oh, people might hate me for saying that, but actually I like to flip that on its head because often the people who’ve been in this industry a long time sit on their laurels and they’re not doing that work.

And actually, if there’s people coming in who are newer and have got fresh ideas and are being creative with their social media media and are seeing this approach in a completely new way and are realizing what they can do for you as a venue as opposed to just what they can get from you as a venue that opens up a world of opportunities.

And I’m seeing newer people coming into the industry who are giving way more and doing way more exciting things than some of the people that have been in it 20 years because they think, well, that’s just, you know, this is just how it’s always been.

Nina
00:41:18.720 – 00:42:31.550
Honestly, I had this conversation the other day about how there’s new people coming in and I think there’s a balance, I have to admit, because some people are coming in with great ideas, but establishing themselves as experts from the off, don’t even get me started. So I think there’s definitely a balance about coming in and making sure that you show your worth, but in an honest way.

I’m not so here for lots of fake it till I make it kind of thing. Like, because there’s. This industry is full of people that have been doing it for so long, they don’t need to fake it till they made it anymore.

We could do that 10 years ago because it wasn’t. That’s big now. It’s huge. The wedding industry is huge.

There are so many people in it that you do need to be unique, you do need to have a presence, but you need to be honest with that as well. So I think that there’s some fantastic people coming in and showing their worth in a really, really great way.

But just as long as it’s actually like has one new person say something about, I can’t remember it now. It was something about speeches and where they should go in the order of your day. And it was horrendously wrong. Horrendously wrong.

I was like, that’s the worst time to do speeches. Everyone’s going to be absolutely off their faces and heckling all throughout your speeches. Why are saying this so that kind of thing.

But you know, they, they’ve got loads of followings and they can spread whatever they want because they’re an expert. It’s a, it’s a balance. There’s a balance.

Becca
00:42:31.550 – 00:42:54.350
It is an absolute balance. And also we are in a trust recession, so we have to be gaining trust from our couples. You know, there’s a, there’s a whole way we could go down that.

So just to close off this point then, just so I understand you, right, with your curated suppliers, particularly for your showcase, was it more of a fact that you were going out looking for the right people or did you have existing relationships that you were going on with? Or was it a bit of both?

Nina
00:42:55.240 – 00:44:07.260
So there were some that we have existing relationships that we love and that we know work really, really well. So some of our caterers, for example, we knew that was okay. We actually have lovely Alex from Blow Up South.

She’s worked at the venue so much and she’s really unique in the way that she does her balloons. Like, beautiful, like the muted pastels that fitted with the venue so well. See the pictures, it’s stunning.

And so there’s some that we’ve worked with for years that know the venue and can work their artistry within a venue. Great. The ones that we were missing, for example. So lovely illustrator. We wanted to go out and find an illustrator. We did that.

We went out and found that. We found a cake person. Cake’s a really big one for me.

I hate advertising and promoting cake that I’ve never tasted and I’ve had a lot of worming cake in my life.

So, you know, making sure that we work with the right cake person that again, had the right price point for our clients that was unique and beautiful in their designs. Don’t show me a semi naked cake, you know, that kind of thing.

So, yes, it was just making sure that there were some people we were missing that we needed to reach out to. But as well as making sure that our OGs felt loved and cared for.

Becca
00:44:07.339 – 00:44:34.510
And again, for those people, I think there’s something in the loyalty and the value they’ve shown to you as a venue through the journey.

Again, I think, you know, when you were looking at that list, of course, if people have been loyal to you, if they’ve worked with you, if they’ve promoted you, if they’ve shouted you from the rooftops, if they’ve been a long term fan of you, you’re much more likely to value that relationship and work with them moving forward again than if they’ve just happened to be on a list for ages and the expectation is, well, you’re not going to take me off this list, whatever I do.

Nina
00:44:34.510 – 00:45:40.540
Exactly. But I think it was also making sure that they felt loved with that.

So, for example, like on every table we had a personalized little note to them and a bottle of water for the suppliers. Do you know what I mean? It was like making sure that in advance we knew whether or not they needed electricity.

So again, we were working with the parameters of the building.

It was making sure that, you know, on the day that they were taken care of, they want tea or coffee or they wanted a cold drink or something like that. Like at every point we needed to make sure that all of our suppliers felt loved and that they.

Look, to me, suppliers are a huge marketing tool, right? If you are good to your suppliers, they will rave about you. If they had an amazing showcase, they will rave about you to everybody and anybody.

And you don’t know who that one person has a corporate party they need to organize. They might have, you know, a wedding and they might have something you don’t know, right?

So you need to make sure that every single person that walks through that door, including your suppliers, is felt loved. So, yeah, the little things for me really make a difference with that as well.

And things like personalized notes and, you know, so they had the WI FI code straight away, they didn’t have to come and ask us and all that kind of stuff. Just making sure that they, they knew what was happening or if they’d forgotten a pen and paper, you know, here it is.

Becca
00:45:40.540 – 00:45:54.260
And yeah, it absolutely makes a difference.

I don’t know if you’re happy to answer this question, but hopefully you are in terms of your creative suppliers, the people at the showcase, were they paying to be part of the showcase on that day? Was it invitation and it was part of them being on the list?

Nina
00:45:54.420 – 00:46:34.870
No, I don’t, I don’t agree with them paying the open honesty when it comes to that kind of thing.

I think that actually it’s a two way partnership, It’s a two way relationship and I want to look after you and you look after me and there’s no money that needs to be transferred to be part of that. Everyone and I think again, just making sure that everyone’s on the same page, that they understand that.

We will work with you, we will promote you, we will work closely with you, we will shout you from the booth up and love you lot but we expect the same thing back and that’s the kind of relationships we want to build. You don’t want to start taking money from people unnecessarily. It just doesn’t feel right.

It leaves a bad taste in your mouth and it then becomes a transaction, not a relationship.

Becca
00:46:34.870 – 00:47:16.160
Yeah, absolutely.

And I think what’s really interesting is I think a lot of venues who still have that model need to look at it because it works on so many different levels.

But if you want to create this amazing experience that’s curated and you’re going to invite people in, you know, as soon as you start selling spaces and seeing it as a revenue generating opportunity, what ends up happening is you end up like loosening the boundaries of who can come because you’re desperate to get the money and you end up with suppliers that aren’t the right fit.

And ultimately you’re going to make a whole lot more money from having a really great high end list of curated suppliers who will want to be there and give a great experience because more people are going to book the venue than you’re ever going to make by charging them 50 quid, 100 quid quid for a stand and ending up having average people who are just desperate to pay to be there.

Nina
00:47:16.160 – 00:47:17.840
That’s when you’re gonna get your pop up banners.

Becca
00:47:18.080 – 00:47:27.160
Absolutely. Let’s please just ban the pop up banners. Like you can have your business, Dave, in another way, like put it on a neon sign, do something different.

There were a couple of pop up.

Nina
00:47:27.160 – 00:47:33.960
Banners, I’m not gonna lie. But it’s fine, it’s fine, like there were a couple, but on the whole, yeah, my bam bam, pop up on us, please.

Becca
00:47:33.960 – 00:48:11.830
Don’t worry, Nina, there won’t be. After they’ve listened to this episode, I still realize that they need to be me more creative.

And you know, I always say as well, like, if you’re listening to this and you’re thinking, oh, they’re saying I should use a pop up banner, I don’t know what to do instead. That’s fine, ask like, you know, I’m happy, send me a DM and say, becca, I don’t know what to do. You said don’t use a pop up banner.

What should I do instead? Because there’s so many different creative ways and it’s okay not to know because you’ve just been in the industry watching what everyone else does.

But actually if you, if you don’t know what you don’t know. And so you know, we’re not hating on you from the pop up banner because we don’t think there you’re any good.

What we’re saying is you could like, it’s easy for you to do a better job and we’re willing to help you with it.

Nina
00:48:11.830 – 00:49:51.890
This whole podcast episode has been about being innovative and that’s what you need to do. You need to think outside the box. So for me, when I was doing wedding showcases back in the day, I’ll give away all my secrets now.

So for me, scent was really important. So I had, you know, neon sprays, I had the distress one and I used to spray my understand with it.

So instantly when people came over subconsciously, even I’m hoping I’m de stressing them because that’s what OQ was about. That’s what occasion quiz was about, was de stressing them. As I said, biscuits, no, they get eaten, they get forgotten. So my giveaway was.

And I did the same for the Bugle. My giveaway was a to do list notepad with my logo and details on.

Because that’s going to stay on their coffee table, that’s going to stay on their desk and they’re going to use it for their wedding planet. It was that kind of thing. So I want giveaways that are going to stick around. I want useful information only to be given them.

So with the venue, it’s kind of your FAQs, I think is vital and they’re always evolving and changing. So don’t just do it and then be there. Like continue to tweak and add it as venues progress.

It’s making sure that actually you’re allowed to experience the whole of your business so they understand. And for me, it was about making sure that they understand from the off. It wasn’t just me, it was my colleagues that they might get on the day.

Do you know what I mean? It was just understanding the whole business and you can do that in so many different ways.

And it’s also about being funny, have quirky signs, don’t just have your business name up, that’s obviously important. But like I had a big sign that said we don’t do wedding planning. Like that wasn’t what we were about, you know, it was.

It was things about being funny, being quirky, getting something that breaks the ice and they can engage with.

Becca
00:49:51.890 – 00:50:26.960
Yeah, and just showcasing your personality, making, making it stand out. All the things we talk about across Instagram and your website, like, why is it any different when you’re in person, you’re there to shine.

Just stop thinking you’ve got to be like everyone else and fit in a box. Because actually the more creative you are, the more memorable you are in the first place. And that’s exactly what you’ve been doing at the Bugle.

It’s great to hear about it. In terms of the future for other venues, not just the Bugle.

Do you think that there is still a place for a traditional kind of have your stands up and go around and see it, or do you think all venues need to be shifting in this direction of more of the experience led venue open day?

Nina
00:50:26.960 – 00:51:13.420
I think if you’re a venue, you need to be innovative and you need to be experience led. You need to be a talking point. They’re going to go away and mention they’re not going to be like, oh yeah, it was fine.

Like, no, that’s not going to get you sold.

I think if you are a wedding fair company and you’re hiring out a venue to do a wedding fair, then fine, because then you’re creating, you know your client is different, you’re getting all different price points in there. So that’s, that’s a different model.

But if you’re a venue and you know your client or you know the client you’re trying to reach, you need to make sure your showcase reflects exact.

And if you just invite loads of suppliers and there’s loads of different things and they’re going to come away completely overwhelmed and overstimulated and they’re not going to know whether they’re coming or going and they haven’t seen your venue because your venue was just filled with loads of people, then no, it’s not going to work, you need to think again, it’s just going to be a waste of money.

Becca
00:51:13.420 – 00:52:13.290
Yeah.

And I think as well there’s a nuance in there that people need to be really aware of when they’re signing up to either exhibit at one of these kinds of events or whether they’re the venue hosting the event. They are two very different kinds of, of events. So the showcase is for the venue to show off the venue.

When a wedding fair comes in, you might think, oh, it’s easier. This wedding fair company just comes and runs a wedding fair for us. But actually their prime interest isn’t showcasing your venue.

And so if you have thought, oh, all I do is just ship it out to another external company, you need to think again and think actually, how can, how can I be showcasing my venue?

And the same as a supplier, you need to understand just, just because an exhibition is happening in a venue doesn’t mean it’s attracting the clients who are going to get married in that venue if it’s an external company. Again, nothing wrong with an external company, but you need to understand what you’re getting yourself into and the approach needs to be different.

And so before you book into one of these things, make sure you’re asking these questions as a supplier and finding out what the ethos is, what’s happening at this event and who’s coming.

Nina
00:52:13.930 – 00:53:00.230
This used to be one of my huge works when I was there and I used to see lots of new people coming into the industry and they would say to me, should I do the showcase? Do you think it’s worth it? And I’m like, hold on, is your ideal client going to be there? Just stop.

Like, just because you’ve been given this opportunity, we now have to make sure. Because there are so many things, because there are so many ways for people to reach out.

There’s absolutely no point on this world going to a showcase, spending all that money on marketing, spending your time, your day, whatever it might be that you’re missing out on back home to go and do this. Unless you are absolutely sure that the people there can afford you, like you and want to be with you and haven’t already. They just not.

Some people, look, let’s face it, they just go for the free shift. Like, that’s not what you want.

So I think I’ve always said this to everyone, the last 10 years I’ve been in the industry, don’t ever do a wedding showcase unless you’re sure your idol clients can be there.

Becca
00:53:00.230 – 00:53:16.910
Absolutely.

And most people who say wedding showcases don’t work for them is because they’ve been at the wrong one, rather than because it’s still a great form of marketing. I mean, talk about the florist at your venue or whatever supplier it was. You’ve got all those bookings.

It’s not the wedding fairs don’t work for them. They just found one that was actually a random, really good fit.

Nina
00:53:16.990 – 00:53:47.630
And that’s the whole point, right? So it’s not only finding one that works for them, but it’s also making sure that your stand is decent.

If your stand doesn’t stand up because you will have a stand, like, we’re not going to completely reinvent the wheel here. You need to have some marketing platform somewhere.

If your stand isn’t decent, if it doesn’t look attractive, if it’s plain, if it’s not grabbing people and telling people what you’re doing straight away, or breaking the ice in some way that makes them want to talk to you. Dead loss. So there’s two really important things to think about.

It is how you’re presenting yourself, what’s your image, and also, is your person there.

Becca
00:53:47.630 – 00:53:52.830
Amazing. Nina, what’s next for you? What’s next for the Bugle? What are your plans over the next year?

Nina
00:53:53.310 – 00:53:53.950
Oh, boy.

Becca
00:53:53.950 – 00:53:54.270
Lord.

Nina
00:53:54.910 – 00:54:44.640
Next year. I am continuing to consult for the Bugle and other wedding venues. I’m also doing mentoring with wedding suppliers.

I’ve done that for the last three years and absolutely love it. And just continuing to support the wedding industry. I’ve done that since 2020, since kind of.

I’ve really been passionate about making sure this industry fires, and that’s what I want to do. So, yeah, continuing consulting for the wedding industry, continuing doing mentoring, continue consulting in various forms.

And then for the Bugle, it’s growing from strength to strength. Like, I am so proud of the team.

I’m so proud of where it’s going and just making sure that people understand that the Bugle is now the most beautiful, stunning venue in Southampton. There is nowhere better. And that it produces the most incredible events with the most incredible team. I love them dearly.

It’s a really, really rewarding place to support and consult for.

Becca
00:54:44.640 – 00:55:10.050
I love it. And if people are based in that area, then they absolutely should try and pop down there, go and see it, go and explore it for themselves.

Look at your social media and.

And see this hidden gem that sounds like it’s been hidden under a rock for a long time and you’re finally dusting it off and getting it out there back to its. Its former glory?

Dina, I always have my podcast with the same question, so I’m going to ask you that now, which is what’s one thing you personally wish you’d known sooner in your own business?

Nina
00:55:10.370 – 00:55:53.790
In my own business, I wish I’d known sooner. I wish I’d known sooner, actually. And I. My absolute motto is, anyone, stay in your lane. Stop looking at everybody else and what they’re doing.

And I do this. I say this to all the people I mentor.

They’re worried about what everyone else and all the noise around them and what this person’s doing, that person’s doing and how they’ve priced it.

Because put your blinkers on, stay in your lane, Ignore the noise, because you will get noise and you will get people that hate on you, especially when you’re introducing new services into the industry. That kind of. I’ve got a lot of hate when I Start, started.

No one was okay with on the day coordination, which is mental to think 10 years, like 10 years now needs to standardize, really isn’t. It doesn’t matter. Put your blinkers on, stay in your lane, trust what you’re doing and you will thrive and you will succeed.

Becca
00:55:53.790 – 00:56:44.680
I love it. And don’t be afraid to be a disruptor. Disruptors are my favorite kind of people. I’m a disruptor.

You’re a disruptor because we’re innovative, because it moves things forwards and it. It keeps things exciting, it keeps things fresh.

And there’s always room in any industry for things to change, for things to evolve, for things to improve. And so if you’re listening to this and you’ve got fresh ideas and you think, yeah, but what will people think?

Who cares if you think it’s got legs, if you see a need for it, if you’ve got an idea, then you will find success by running after that, rather than just trying to blend in with everyone else and be boring. And it leads for a more exciting life, doesn’t it? Nina, it’s been so good to have you on the podcast.

I’m glad we finally made the interview happen and hopefully people have so taken inspiration from what you’ve had to share. If people want to find out more about the Bugle, the venue, or about you personally, where are the best places for them to go?

And I’ll put them in the show notes.

Nina
00:56:44.680 – 00:57:03.210
Amazing. So the Bugle website, Bugle House. Same for Instagram. With me, it’s Instagram. Ninabeer Weddings, they’re the best places to find us.

And yeah, reach out.

If anyone’s got any questions about anything to do with entering the wedding industry, being part of reinventing themselves, progressing to the next level of their business, whatever it might be, then, yeah, love to have them support.

Becca
00:57:03.370 – 00:57:07.970
Nina, it’s been fantastic. Thank you so much for your time and I hope to see you somewhere soon.

Nina
00:57:07.970 – 00:57:09.010
Lovely. Thank you, Becca.

Becca
00:57:09.010 – 00:57:36.600
What a great conversation. I’m all for disruptors, I’m all for innovation, and I think we need to be doing more of this in the industry.

You know, I shout it from the rooftops, but we’ve got to give people the experience they’re expecting. We’re living in an experience era.

And the way we do wedding showruns, the way we do wedding showcases the way that things smell, the way that things taste, all of that is part of that experience. And so hopefully today’s episode has inspired, inspired you to think differently, to think bigger, to think better. And I’D love to hear about it.

If you find success. I’ll see you next time.