039 - Tamryn Settle #whataboutweddings

Send me a Text MessageIf you are in the wedding industry you would have heard about the #whataboutweddings campaign. On today's episode, I was lucky enough to interview one of the initiators of the movement Tamryn Settle.Tamryn has been part of the wedding industry for 18 years starting as a wedding planning, only leaving to spend more quality time with her young son. The call of the wedding industry was too strong to resist though and Tamryn came back to work with Annabel Beeforth at Love My Dress as a senior writer and also as a celebrant helping couples personalise what has been until recent years the most important part but the most impersonal part of the day. Her goal is to create a ceremony that is as individual as the couples getting married and in this episode, her passion for what she does shines through. Get ready for goosebumps!It was Tamryn and  Annabel who started to put in place what has now become the What about weddings campaign. Having both had sleepless nights last March not knowing what to do or how to help, they put their heads together and reached out to the industry and to couples. Initially, their goal to be there for both sides to help them navigate what was being put in front of them and to be there to listen.This grew to incorporate Jessica Westwood of Studio Sorores and over a zoom meeting one day the question was asked but What About Weddings and the rest, as they say, is history. The movement has grown with surveys conducted data collected Twitter takeovers and focus groups. In Summer Tamryn says they realised it would need to get political. Tamryn relieved my fear of the industry being set back to zero by this lockdown saying 'we are not at zero, we are in a much better position than we were back in March, we have allies.' Which was so great to hear. Asking Tamryn what is it the wedding industry needs right now to move forward her response was, 'We need a plan! An idea of how it will open up at what stages, ie if the r rate is this in April this will Happen by May if the rates are moving in the right direction this will happen etc. We need financial help! So many vendors slipped through the cracks in the help the government has already handed out and we slip through it again and those who did manage to get grants are still going to need help to get through the next few months. And finally, we need the insurance companies to do their jobs! Payout and take on new clients. So many couples haven't started booking because they can't get insurance.'And what can we do as vendors to help the campaign?'Get on Twitter! I know we prefer Instagram but the journalist and MPs are all on Twitter and if enough people are shouting over there then they just might and they have taken notice. use the hashtag what about weddings and tell people what is going on in your business. Follow @WAWofficialUK if you don't know what to post we are there to help. Write to your MP! Even if you have already done it. The wedding industry is part of every constituency so the more letters they get from their constituents the more likely they will take notice and the more likely it will get heard in Westminster.Most important of all DON'T BE QUIET! be the squeaky wheel make noise shout about it you will not be alone you will have support it will help you feel better to take action. You can control your voice so use it and support the campaign'Tamryn on Twitter and Insta @TheCandidApple Love my Dress Studio Sorores FREE 3 Part Audio - Access Here www.donnaeade.comSupport the showPodcast Equipment Recommendations MY KITFEA Create Simple all-in-one web, CRM, email systemFor graphics CanvaJoin the Pod Squad in the FB GroupMy MIC ACTION PODCAST - here is a link to SpotifyRead from My Book Shelf & My Guests Book Shelf Want to Guest? Apply here >>FORMEdited and produced by Donna EadeThank you for your support:)Until next week, Bye for Now XoX