Experience vs. Expertise
If I were to say that in my twenty plus years of working in the event industry in Philadelphia I think I have seen and heard just about everything… it would be time for me to retire. It has been my observation that the wedding and event industry is ever evolving – as time passes so do trends – and there is a big difference between experience and ‘expertise.’
The wedding professional with experience knows that listening to what the bride wants is the path to success, while allowing the bride to rely on the experience of the professional as a barometer. I have found that most brides have specific wants, and if ever a day that a bride wanted her dreams to come true, it’s a good bet that would be her wedding day.
On the other hand, the ‘expert’ (and yes, they exist) is the professional that is more interested in talking than listening.
They try to focus the bride on ‘their way,’ saying things like “Oh, this is the way it’s done” or “I do it this way.” These are clear warning signs… heed them. As a wedding DJ, my experience with ‘The Expert DJ’ has been with brides telling me “The last DJ I spoke with told me they don’t take requests.” Yes, I said brides plural, because I get that call more often than I can even believe. When I ask them what the [DJs] reasoning was behind such a statement, the bride usually tells me, “He/She said that they know what works.” Believe it or not, I hear this at least twenty times a year.
Whether it is a caterer, a photographer, wedding planner or videographer, make sure they listen to YOU. Remember, your wedding isn’t called ‘Your day’ for nothing. The professionals you choose to hire for your big day should be all about you, what you want, what you need, and help to achieve making your dreams come true.
-Craig
‘DJ Brain’ Illustration by Sean Gallo – http://seangallodesigns.wordpress.com
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You da man Craig!
I’ve been trying to make wedding professionals understand that philosophy for years…
Craig great Article in your 20x years try my 30x years, no matter how you tell others it always comes down to the same thing over and over again
plus the words you have said before (above)
and there is a big difference between experience and ‘expertise.’
its what I have been telling Dj’s myself for years
thanks again for getting the message out
have a great day
I agree. I’ve been a DJ for almost 30 years now and I can’t believe the number of DJ’s that don’t understand bride’s wishes. They are more about making it their (the DJ’s) day rather the the brides. In Myrtle Beach there are 4 major DJ groups. I started there 3 years ago and am just about to become # 3. We pride ourselves on customer service, which means ” L I S T E N”.
Very True! Couples hire wedding professionals to assist and help them discover what is necessary to create the day they are envisioning, not tell them what they want.
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