Part of the plan

Imagine this: You’re planning a wedding and, instead of going to 12 different places all over town looking for the right florist, the perfect photographer, and the best caterer to fit your budget, you can just stop by one place, get familiar with more than 100 vendors, and not have the pressure that comes with a wedding fair.

My Wedding Library, a local business that only works with Northern Nevada and Tahoe vendors, is just such a resource. And, best of all, it’s totally free for brides.

Founded in early 2010 by wife and husband Beth and Chris Jones, My Wedding Library is a membership-based company that currently features wedding vendors at its virtual and brick-and-mortar locations. Unlike other dot-com directories, this one is completely local. The virtual storefront at www.myweddinglibrary.com is divided into different categories. For example: florist, invitations, venue, etc. Each member is represented online with their own profile and links to their own sites and contact information. Perhaps most useful is that vendors are ranked within each category according to reviews that other brides have given them. It’s a wonderful place for brides to start their research—and it’s especially helpful for the destination bride who may only have a few days in town to find the right people to help with her wedding.

At My Wedding Library’s physical location in South Reno, vendors have cubbies where they display their services so brides can come browse the shelves—like a library. Head librarian Beth Jones and assistant librarian Brooke Smith are there to help. Special events and workshops hosted at the store regularly range from fashion shows to making centerpieces. Vendors can also use the space for meetings and to host informational sessions.

“Sometimes, when you are planning a wedding, you forget about certain things,” says Jones. “People will see a category when they come in and then be inspired.”

Changing displays showcase vendor services and offer ideas for browsing couples. There is even a groom room complete with TV, beer and movies.

“Planning your wedding is an overwhelming experience,” says Jones. “I am jealous of every bride that gets to use My Wedding Library. My wedding would have been different. Instead of having to drive around to a million places, we could have come here, had a glass of champagne, and had fun looking through albums and displays.”

My Wedding Library also launched a free magazine at the end of December that represents all of its vendors. The magazine doubles as a wedding checklist, includes a budget sheet, and offers tips on getting a marriage license.

“The marketing we do on behalf of our vendors gives brides more of an opportunity to find the vendor,” says Jones. “A lot of vendors don’t have the means to market themselves or target brides directly.”

My Wedding Library gives brides an opportunity to find out about local options at their own pace without feeling like someone is trying to sell them something. The bride is then more able to make a qualified appointment instead of wasting time.

“Today’s bride is very educated and is going to do her research,” says Smith. “We are here to make that easier.”

“Brides can come into the library and get ideas,” adds Jones. “We want to be a place where they can discover things that they never thought of, and to make the process what it should be. It’s fun.”