Information Needs of Seattle Wedding Planners

LIS 510

Professor Cheryl Metoyer

Andra Aaby, Naomi Bishop, Holly Gale, Sarah Julsonnet,

Valerie Rho, and Rachel Scott

December 4, 2008

Wedding Planners 1

Introduction and Literature Review

The planning and implementation of weddings in the United States of America has

become a multi-million dollar business. The average cost of a wedding is currently $26,000 –

$28,000 (Chatzky & Gengler, 2005; Harris, 2008). According to “The Wedding Report,” the

estimated cost of a wedding will rise to $30,860 in 2009. In comparison, the 2008 Statistical

Abstract of the United States projects that in 2009 the federal minimum wage will be $7.25

per hour, which averages to about $15,080 per year. In 2009, weddings will cost over twice

the minimum wage. Regardless of the current state of the economy, every year millions of

Americans throw wedding celebrations.

Approximately one percent of the population marries each year, with over two million

couples marrying in each census year. Since 1990, the wedding industry has brought in about

161 billion dollars (as cited in Watts & Brown, 1994; “121 - Marriages and Divorces,” 2008;

Harris, 2008). To ease the stress of planning such a momentous event, couples, primarily

middle-to-upper class, employ the services of a wedding planner. Although this is primarily a

"class bound phenomenon" involving higher economic classes, these groups are not

necessarily able to access more of the resources they need (Blakely, 2007, 641). The strength

of one’s network is a strong predictor of their access to information. "Those to whom we are

weakly tied are more likely to move in circles different from our own and will thus have

access to information different from that which we receive" (Granovetter, 1973, 1371).

Couples hiring wedding planners generally only have a weak tie to the planner, but the

planner has strong ties to a wide circle of others, such as vendors. This allows the couple

access to a wider circle of information, thereby better filling their wants and needs in regard to

the wedding.

Wedding Planners 2

With the current state of the economy, some are questioning the need for wedding

planners. JoAnn Gregoli, owner of Elegant Occasions in Manhattan, tells the New York

Times that "[e]ven among families to whom a $50,000 to $100,000 wedding might not have

seemed a reach earlier this year, some are now 'reprioritizing…rethinking, downsizing,

inviting fewer people and rethinking décor'" (Rohrlich, 2008). One truth many people do not

realize is that, no matter the state of the economy, wedding planners "can actually save

[couples] money" using their expertise and connections to bring the price down, and

ultimately pay for themselves (Chatzky & Gengler, 2005). Wedding planners not only

coordinate and articulate operations on the commercial side of organizing weddings, but also

bring together the necessary resources and contacts for planning the event.

Given the plethora of resources available to them, it is more imperative than ever that

wedding planners make smart choices when choosing how to communicate information to

clients. Herron (2008) points out those components to successful planning include; prompt

responses to clients and the ability to be flexible with numerous changes regarding even the

“little details.” Wedding planners track and manage numerous changes to information. The

wedding planning process can be both daunting and emotionally trying. A study by Otnes,

Lowery, and Shrum (2008) discusses the interplay between emotions, expectations and the

marketplace. The successful wedding planner will manage this interplay and articulate it to

his or her client.

Background Information on Wedding Planners

The role of the wedding planner is to coordinate and articulate the desires of the

wedding party, serving as an intermediary for vendors and clients. Wedding planners often

serve as gatekeepers to a very specialized area of information. The role of a wedding planner

Wedding Planners 3

in the wedding planning process gained popularity in the mid-to-late 20th century. This rise

was during a time when women were moving into the workforce in large numbers. Blakely

(2008) describes how the job of the professional wedding planner evolved to fill a role

typically held by the bride and her family.

Wedding planners often serve as gatekeepers to this specialized area of information.

According to the Association of Bridal Consultants, “92 different kinds of vendors…can be

hired for a wedding" (Chatzky and Gengler, 2005). On average, forty-three businesses get a

piece of the profit (Harris, 2008). Wedding planners are in a powerful position to control the

profit that businesses and vendors gain from the wedding industry. They are the gatekeeper of

information regarding the wedding plans. Vendors depend on wedding planners for access to

clients and clients depend on wedding planners to keep track of all aspects of their event.

There is an understanding that these details will be communicated to the client in a beautifully

articulated way that is understandable and useable. This relationship enables couples to work

together with their wedding planner to coordinate a perfect wedding day.

Problem Statement

The planning and implementation of weddings in the U.S. has become a multi-million

dollar business. Last year weddings cost an average of $25,000. During the past 10 years, the

position of the wedding planner has gained increasing importance, as a critical component in

wedding planning. In order to plan weddings, these individuals require a range of information.

It appears that very little research has concentrated on the information needs of wedding

planners. This study will assess the information needs of wedding planners by conducting a

series of interviews with wedding planers in the Seattle area. It is intended that this

Wedding Planners 4

assessment will inform the design of an information system that reflects their information

needs in relation to their responsibilities.

Purpose of Study

We will focus on how wedding planners access and manage the information they need

to perform their jobs. By interviewing three wedding planners in the Seattle, Washington area,

we will research current practices and preferred methods of communication between wedding

planners, their vendors, and their clients. With the information gathered, we will identify the

information needs of Seattle wedding planners and design an information system to meet their

specific information needs.

Methodology

Our study into the information needs of Seattle wedding planners incorporates the

findings of Raya Fidel and Pejtersen’s “Cognitive Work Analysis” (2006). Using this

approach, we created a detailed Interview Schedule designed to elicit the information

approaches, use, and needs of Seattle wedding planners. In groups of two—one person to ask

questions and one person to record the responses—we conducted live interviews with three

wedding planners for approximately 30-60 minutes each. The same questions were asked of

each wedding planner (see Appendix A for interview schedule). From the interviews, we

gained insight into the information needs of Seattle wedding planners. Combining the

knowledge gained from the interviews, our understanding of what it means to be human, and

an intensive literature review, we were able to create an information system that supports the

information needs of Seattle wedding planners in their careers.

Limitations and Constraints

Wedding Planners 5

Our study of Seattle wedding planners was limited in a variety of ways. Time

constraints were one of our limitations, as they prevented us from interviewing more than

three wedding planners. We initially set up interviews with four Seattle wedding planners, but

one planner cancelled at the last minute. Unfortunately, we were unable to replace the fourth

respondent. If our study had extended to include an additional month of time, we would have

interviewed more wedding planners and possibly conducted follow-up interviews over a

period of time to better determine their information needs. Each interview we conducted gave

us valuable insight into the information needs of wedding planners. Nonetheless, the ability to

interview more than three wedding planners would have expanded our knowledge base when

creating our information system.

On top of time constraints, we underestimated the speed and length of time of each

interviewee response. The speed of each response made it sometimes difficult to write down

every word from the interviewee. Fortunately, we interviewed the wedding planners in groups

of two and we were able to count on one another for back up information. Overall, we were

fortunate to have talkative and informative wedding planners willing to speak with us. Despite

the limitations in our study, we were still able to extract meaningful information from our

findings to create a beneficial information system.

Findings

Our findings detail the utilization of information within the wedding planning

profession as seen through interviews with three Seattle wedding planners. The findings

specifically touch upon how wedding planners seek, gather, exchange, and manage

information. The participants in our study included three wedding planners from the Seattle,

Washington area: Liana Woo, Jennifer Taylor, and Stacy Kvam. Their years of experience in

Wedding Planners 6

wedding planning range from two to ten years. Two of the three participants are members of

professional wedding planning organizations. All study participants are female, which

represents the majority in the wedding planning industry. Two of the three planners we

interviewed work alone, operating their own wedding planning business. Perhaps as a

correlation, those same two consult with other planners for information in both formal and

informal settings. The remaining planner prefers to keep information to herself, seeing the

other wedding planners in the area as competition. All of the wedding planners we

interviewed prefer methods of communication such as email, telephone, and face-to-face.

Furthermore, our participants are all proficient users of computers, using such programs as

those within Microsoft Office. Additionally, all wedding planners interviewed frequently use

cell phones and electronic devices for planning and managing contacts.

I. How Respondents Gather (Collect) Information

Wedding planners must gather information to effectively do their jobs. All of our

respondents use professional literature, specifically newsletters, to gather information. One

respondent also gathers information through Business, Northwest Meetings + Events, and

Martha Stewart Weddings.

For a majority of our respondents—two out of three—information gathering also

involves being a member of professional associations like the Association of Bridal

Consultants. As association members, they are offered continuing education, given

information in the form of newsletters and brochures, and are provided with networking

opportunities. They also have monthly meetings with other association members, which leads

to an informational sharing of stories, questions, problems, and current trends. The respondent

Wedding Planners 7

not holding any association memberships, currently or in past, feels that memberships are not

needed for her business, rather, networking, word-of-mouth, and Craigslist work well enough.

In planning a wedding, our respondents work with between eight and thirty vendors.

One planner remarked: “The more details, the more vendors.” According to all of our

respondents, close vendor relationships give the planners an information edge over the general

public. The benefits of this information edge varies per planner and include: (1) being able to

match bride/vendor personalities, (2) getting whole sale prices and honest feedback, and (3)

knowing who has done a bad job in the past and therefore which vendors to avoid. With this

knowledge it can be seen how the wedding planners serve as gatekeepers to vendor

information for the wedding couple.

II. How Respondents Seek (Search For) Information

All of our respondents use a computer for their day-to-day work, which includes

networking. Computers were unanimously preferred information seeking method of our

Seattle wedding planners. According to one respondent, “Networking is key.” Another noted:

“Face-to-face networking saves time.” All respondents also mentioned using vendors as a

preferred information seeking method, although one respondent prefers to do research before

working with a vendor. Table 1 shows all of the methods our wedding planner respondents

utilize when seeking information for their profession, as well as noting their preferred

methods.

Table 1

Wedding Planners 8

In order to discover exactly how wedding planners seek new information, we asked:

“Have you had clients request a service that you have never previously provided?” 1 Our

interview schedule allowed for further exploration upon receiving an affirmative answer and

only one of our respondents answered in the affirmative. When asked how she obtains the

information needed to provide new services, she mentioned using the clients themselves to

gather more information regarding their needs and also the Internet to gather background

information. The other two respondents simply consider new requests—such as a need for

cufflinks or a desire for a candy bar—a part of their normal duties rather than a new service

request.

III. How Respondents Exchange Information

A. Advertising

1 The interview schedule used for this study may be found in Appendix A.

Information Seeking Methods Yes No Preference

Internet 100% -- 33.33%

Networking 100% -- 100%

Bridal Conventions 100% -- --

Vendors 100% -- 100%

Clients 100% -- --

Newsletters Magazines, Journals, etc. 100% -- 33.33%

Other -- 100% --

Wedding Planners 9

All of our respondents advertise their services in a variety of ways. According to our

research, we learned that wedding planners tend to use the methods listed in Table 2 to

advertise their services. Based on this knowledge, we asked our respondents whether or not

they also utilize any of the methods listed; Table 2 shows the percentage of our respondents

using each method. Our list is not comprehensive and each respondent also has at least one

other advertising method. The other methods include: vendor referral, vendor lists (location

preferred list), and auctions.

Table 2

Advertising Methods Yes No

Trade Journals -- 100%

Word of Mouth 100% --

Blogs 66.67% --

Bridal Industry Websites 100% --

Personal Websites 100% --

Business Cards 100% --

Each of the advertising methods listed in Table 2 reach a different audience. Personal

websites can showcase a variety of information about the wedding planners’ services and

capabilities. Each of our respondents has such a website that allows them to electronically

exchange information with potential clients and vendors, such as contact information, sample

weddings, blogs, news, biographies, and other event planning services.

B. Personal Communication

Communication with clients is a large part of information exchange, especially since it

can affect the unanimous method of finding new clients through word-of-mouth. When asked

Wedding Planners 10

who dictates the mode of communication between the wedding planner and the client, each

respondent alluded to the wedding planner dictating, but the degree of dictation differed. The

first respondent initially noted that both the wedding planner and the client dictate the mode

of communication, but then added that it is mostly the wedding planner dictating. The first

wedding planner mentioned the importance of flexibility when exchanging information with

clients. The second respondent said: “We make our suggestions” but “we have found they [the

clients] really dictate.” The third respondent commented that the “age of bride and consultant

can dictate mode,” but ultimately the planners dictate because “each planner works

differently.” All three wedding planners unanimously preferred email as the best client-

communication method because of documentation, detail-capability, and ease. One

respondent also liked phone-voice communication, because it gave a personal touch. She also

notes that her clients like to email or text. Another respondent also mentioned texting among

young clientele. She stated, “I prefer not to text and always follows up with a phone call”

(Stacy Kwam). Two-thirds of our respondents face problems when communicating with

clients, such as email and scheduling problems.

Communicating with vendors is another major part of information exchange, because,

as with clients, the unanimous method of finding new vendors for our respondents is through

word-of-mouth. Two-thirds of the respondents prefer email exchanges with vendors for

documentation purposes. One-third preferred phone communication, but they always follow

up with email. As to which party dictates the mode of communication, one respondent said

she dictates since she is “orchestrating the wedding,” another said that “everyone emails,” and

the third respondent lets the vendors dictate but will “drive if we need to.” As to having

communication problems with vendors, the respondents unanimously answered in the

Wedding Planners 11

affirmative, although one initially said “No.” Problems include: communication style,

following a time-line, last minute switches, and the fine line between the vendor’s job and the

wedding planner’s job.

IV. How Respondents Manage Information

One of the goals of our study was to understand how wedding planners manage

information, thus we asked how they keep track of information changes (e.g. vendor

existence, cost of services, venue availability, and product availability). Two respondents

responded to the question in terms of how they record information changes. Both use a

computer, one specifically mentioning Microsoft Excel. Likewise, two of the respondents

responded to the question in terms of how they discover information changes. One of the

planners keeps in constant contact with vendors. She reports that she finds out about changes

along the way, and if prices change, she is notified via email. The second planner answered

each part of our question in regards to discovering information. She learns of new vendors

from her clients or from other vendors; she calls a vendor for service costs, visits a store to see

what products are available, and either calls or receives an email from a venue regarding

availability.

All of our respondents use technology, specifically computers, for numerous work-

related tasks. The average time the respondents spend per day on the computer for work-

related tasks varies from 50% to “all day.” In addition, two-thirds of our respondents also said

they spend “all day” on the Internet. No matter what they do on the computer and Internet, all

of the tasks involve managing or tracking different types of information. Table 3 offers

examples of the types of tasks in which the wedding planners utilize computers. Only one

respondent gave an answer of something not listed: using a computer for a checklist for

Wedding Planners 12

planners and brides. Beyond the computer, all of our respondents use an electronic handheld

device, such as a Blackberry, to manage and organize their job tasks. One respondent also

uses a day planner for managing and organizing information, while the other two respondents

utilize managing software like Microsoft Outlook and Google.

Table 3

The wedding planners find inspiration in organization, people, and objects they

perceive to be “pretty” and simplicity. This inspiration shows through in the responses given

when asked what attributes they would like to see in an information system. Desired design

aspects of a system included; ease of use and familiarity. They also wanted a system based on

a program with which they are already familiar. Specific types of systems desired include

ones that do the following: list creation (such as guest list), budgeting, timelines, room layout,

organization, checklists, calendar operations that automatically connect with vendor schedules

and thus set up meetings, and general information management.

Computer-Related Tasks Yes No

Email 100% --

Research on the Internet 100% --

Appointment Calendar 100% --

Budgeting 100% --

Word Processing 100% --

Advertising 100% --

Professional Networking 100% --

Desktop Publishing 33.33% 66.67%

Other 33.33% 66.67%

Wedding Planners 13

V. Summary

The above outlined findings suggest that information plays a key role in the wedding

planning profession including; how information is gathered, sought, exchanged, and managed.

As a part of a client-centered business, wedding planners focus on being organized. This

includes utilizing technology and documentation-style communication. They all seek and

gather information to further their profession, and while methods vary and often involve

computer technology, one unanimous method is through a newsletter. Furthermore, while

their information needs also vary quite widely in scope—no two respondents had the same

answer—they unanimously seek to effectively exchange information with their clients,

utilizing only familiar information tools.

Information System

Although Seattle wedding planners have a variety of information systems already

available to them, many of them do not address the specific needs of wedding planners. For

example, problems presenting information to clients in several areas such as budgeting, guest

lists, and vendor relationships exist. After conducting interviews with three Seattle wedding

planners, we decided to create an informational brochure that addresses the needs of wedding

planners. Our brochure addresses the problems wedding planners face in presenting clear and

organized information to clients. This tri-fold brochure is available in print and online. It is a

monthly publication available for all wedding planners in the Seattle area via a mailer

brochure or a portable document format (PDF), currently accessible online in its prototype

format at: http://students.washington.edu/nbishop/guest%20list.pdf. 2

2 The informational brochure created for this study may be found in Appendix B.

Wedding Planners 14

We decided that we would distribute the brochure to local Seattle Wedding Planning

Associations and online through Seattle Wedding Planning websites and blogs. As the

wedding planning business relies heavily on networking, we will also use this method to

promote the brochure and gather subscribers.

The wedding planners we interviewed all utilize print resources, such as newsletters,

to gather new information about their profession. All also shared a difficulty in presenting

information to their clients, organizing information, and managing contacts. We address these

issues in our monthly brochure and offer helpful hints in each area. For example, we found

that among the three Seattle wedding planners interviewed there was a need for assistance in

translating busy Excel sheets into easy to read data. We suggest in our information brochure

that wedding planners use illustrations to explain Excel sheets. Excel can easily make charts

and graphs of data. The data can also be color coded for organization and easy presentation.

Our brochure is unique, because it is designed specifically to meet the needs of Seattle

wedding planners and combines information and resources for local Seattle wedding planners.

We did not want to create something that already exists, such as a website, database,

or software for wedding planners. Rather, our goal was to create something that would be

useful to Seattle wedding planners and meet the specific needs they addressed in the

interviews. The wedding planners we interviewed wanted something that stems from existing

programs that are familiar with. They also wanted something simple, easy to use, and that

combines everything in an organized fashion. The planners stressed that the new system not

require any new training for usage. One even suggested it look pretty. We believe that our

information system will meet these needs as expressed by local Seattle wedding planners.

Recommendations

Wedding Planners 15

As noted previously, time constraints limited us from interviewing additional wedding

planners, as well as, conducting follow-up interviews with the wedding planners we did

interview. By scheduling follow-up interviews and diversifying our interviews, we would be

able to collect more information on the type of information system that would benefit all

wedding planners in the Seattle area. All the wedding planners interviewed in this study have

stressed that each wedding is different from another; each wedding requires different needs,

and no two weddings will be the same. They also stressed that every wedding planner has a

different and unique style. How they approach planning a wedding various from planner to

planner. Conducting follow-up interviews would provide us with feedback on the system we

created. This would allow us to provide a big picture on meeting the needs of wedding

planners in the Seattle area.

In our study we also found that there is a current technological shift with the way

information is transferred from planner to their vendors and clients. While planners and

vendors like to keep with the old ways of record keeping, leaving a paper trail for

documentation, planners and clients are moving towards advanced technology that allows

expeditious means of communication. Although paper trails involving documentation likely

will not change so much in the near future between planners and vendors, it would be

instrumental to do more research with brides and planners on the types of communication

proven to be the most efficient and favorable. All three planners stated that blogs are popular

right now and that texting is following right behind. A study could be conducted to see if

designing blogs would help communication and information transfer between wedding

planners and clients. Another study could focus strictly on text messaging between planners

and clients. For example, the wedding planner could give their client a card with text codes,

Wedding Planners 16

potentially enabling smoother communication through text language and consequently

delivering instant communication. Future studies should focus on creating systems designed

for clients, because the current systems available today are more focused on the needs of the

planner. One of the main needs of the planner is communicating with their client, thus it

would be beneficial if systems were in place for clients. As stated by Agre (1995), the future

of information is determined by its user; therefore a client-focused system would be more

useful for planners and clients. 

Conclusion

The study interviews and literature review reveal an intimate relationship between

wedding planners and information. Wedding planning is a client-oriented business, thus

communication and organization are key to successful weddings. Wedding planners’

information system needs may vary widely, especially given the technology shift that is

occurring. Conducting multiple interviews with our respondents, as well as, adding more

interviewees, would have been helpful in creating a system that truly meets the needs of a

majority of wedding planners in the Seattle area. However, due to time constraints, this was

not able to occur. Nonetheless, our study clearly shows that ease of use and familiarity are

important traits for any system design.

As with the information needs of wedding planners, the ideas of what it means to be

human can vary widely. Our proposed information system does, however, relate to many

aspects of what it means to be human. Our group agreed that being human revolves around

important rituals such as birth, marriage, and death. We also agreed that one must think in

order to utilize the rituals of life to the fullest potential. This suggests that structured

creativity, innovation, and individuality are also part of being human. Our research revealed

Wedding Planners 17

wedding planners want tools with which they are familiar and yet they need to focus on

helping their clients. This information system aids the process by giving wedding planners

access to information they can use to ease the process of information exchange, management,

and organization for themselves, vendors, and clients while incorporating the aspects of what

it means to be human into the system.

Wedding Planners 18

Annotated BibliographyAgre, Philip E. (14. December1995).Institutional Circuitry: Thinking About the Forms and Uses of Information. Information Technology and Libraries; 4. Pg. 225-230. Looking at future of information and information professionals related to the circuitry of information. Overview of the flow and circuitry of information using a business memo and a Beef Handbook as examples.

Blakely, Kristin. (2008). Busy Brides and the Business of Family life: The Wedding-Planning Industry and the Commodity Frontier. Journal of Family Issues, 29(5), 639-662. Article discusses the rise of “liberal feminism” using the example of wedding planners as an example of outsourced labor or “women’s work” evolving out of women’s desire to have it all.

Camenson, Blythe. (2003). Opportunities in Event Planning Careers. Chicago: VGM Career Books. This book includes a full chapter on Wedding Planners, giving an overview of training, professional associations, payment, and where and when planners work. It also provides personal career narratives, including advice, from a few different planners. This book helped provide background information on what the wedding planning career entails.

Chatzky, Jean and Amanda Gengler. (2005). The Blowout. Money, 34(5). Article discuses the cost associated with planning a wedding and makes suggestions for budgeting. Davis, Fred D. (1993). User Acceptance of Information Technology: Systems Characteristics, User Perceptions, and Behavioural Impacts Man-Machine Studies. 38, 475-487.Looking at components of information systems and its successes and failures. Figuring out what makes the users accept or reject an information system and how the system can be built to make the user accept the system.

Fidel, R. & Pejtersen, A. (2006) Cognitive Work Analysis. In K. E. Fisher, S. Erdelez, & L. E. McKechnie (Eds.), Theories of information Behavior (88-93). Medord, New Jersey: Information Today, Inc. Article discusses and endorses the use of the Cognitive Work Analysis approach to the design of information systems, evaluates the system that is already in place, examines information behavior in context, and then develops recommendations for design of system modifications or new systems on that basis. Friestad, Marian and Wright, Peter. (1994). The Persuasion Knowledge Model: How People Cope with Persuasion Attempts. The Journal of Consumer Research, 21(1), 1-31. This article focuses on the theoretical psychology behind persuasion and its knowledge or motivation. There are eight models used to illustrate how people and their persuasion knowledge can influence their responses to persuasion attempts: The Persuasion Knowledge Model, The Relationship of the PKM to Prior Theory and Research, The Role of Persuasion Knowledge in Persuasion Targets and Agents, Implications for Consumer Research and The Development of Persuasion Knowledge.

Wedding Planners 19

Granovetter, Mark. (1973).The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology 78.6 1360-1380. This paper analyzes small networks of interpersonal relationships and tries to show the link between micro-level interactions and macro-level patterns. He discusses how a person with a large network of acquaintances, or weak ties, has access to and gathers more information than someone with only a small network of close relationships, or strong ties. It is useful to our study because the weak tie between the couple and their wedding planner actually gives access each party access to more opportunities outside of their normal network.

Harris, Ashley. (23. June 2008). Brides Go on a Budget in This Lousy Economy. Newsweek, 60-60. Article discusses the effect that the struggling economy is having on wedding planning. The article also discusses the types of things that couples are doing to save money and the effect that couples trying to save money may have on the wedding industry as a whole.

Harris and Dewdney. (1994).  Barriers to Information: How Formal Help Systems Fail Battered Women Chapter 3. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.Article explores how people find information and the barriers they face in information access through an exploration of the assumptions about human behavior that underlie the architecture of information and retrieval systems.

Herron, David A. “Abby McAfee Daigle. (May 2008): Wedding planner.” Texas Monthly 36.5 44-46. In this article Herron relates, as told him, what it means and what it is like for Abby McAffee Daigle to be a wedding planner. Key components of the wedding planning profession can be determined from Daigle’s experience, such as time management, organization, prompt responses to clients. The first-person look at the wedding planning profession is invaluable background information for our study.

Howard, Vicki. (2006).Brides, Inc.: American Weddings and the Business of Tradition. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Focuses on American weddings and the wedding industry. The entire book offers an excellent overview of the business of weddings and chapter five concentrates specifically on Bridal Consultants or Wedding Planners.

Junebug Weddings-Seattle weddings.(2008). http://junebugweddings.com/ Junebug. 10 October 2008.An online wedding resource guide. The Seattle site offers numerous resources including, Seattle's most highly recommended wedding professionals. Two of our three wedding planner interviewees were found on Junebug.

Martinko, Henry, Zmud. (1996).An attribution explanation of individual resistance to the introduction of information technologies in the workplace. Behaviour & Information Technology 15.5 313-330. Authors conduct a literature review in an attempt to explain user resistance to information technology and make recommendations for reducing resistance to new IT in the workplace.

Wedding Planners 20

My Wedding.com Seattle. (2006). http://www.myseattlewedding.com/ mywedding.com LLC Pacifica. 8 November 2008.An online resource for people planning weddings in the greater Seattle Area. This site offers a variety of services from vendors to locations. It was a helpful site for information for designing our information system.

Otnes, Lowery and Shrum. (1997). Toward an Understanding of Consumer Ambivalence. Journal of Consumer Research, Inc. 24 80-93. This article focuses on a case study of the stress and needs of people planning weddings.

Rohrlich, Marianne. (26. October 2008). Field Notes. How to Take a Cake Knife to Wedding Costs. New York Times.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/fashion/ weddings/ 26field.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss. 2 November 2008. This article looks at how the current economy is affecting wedding planning, both for couples and the wedding industry. Personal stories share with reader’s ways to cut costs within middle-to-upper class family weddings, while still being socially acceptable. This article gives our study a picture of the current wedding-spending situations faced by those who employ wedding planners.

Taylor, Robert S. (1962) The process of asking questions. American Documentation 13(4), 391-396. This paper seeks to examine and define question formulation and presentation. Taylor believes that through an understanding of the question process, of which there are four defined levels, information systems can be better designed to meet the inquirer's true needs. This paper was not helpful to our study, as it was merely an exploration of the question process, the point of which was to raise more questions than answer them.

The Knot.(October.17, 2008).http://www.icrsurvey.com/Study.aspx?f=Brides_and_Grooms_Poll_2_15_06.htmResearch conducted as a study to measure how many couples had financial trouble during their wedding planning and offering ways to track budget through American Express .

The 2008 Statistical Abstract. 121 - Marriages and Divorces--Number and Rate by State: 1990 to 2005 [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/births_deaths_marriages_divorces.html. Site maintained by the U.S. census Bureau provides information and data about the nation's people and economy.

The 2008 Statistical Abstract. 630 - Federal Minimum Wage Rates: 1950 to 2009 [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/labor_force_employment_earnings/compensation_wages_and_earnings.html. Site maintained by the U.S. census Bureau provides information and data about the nation's people and economy.

Wedding Planners 21

“The Wedding Report.(2006). Reprinted Bridal Association of America.. Bridal Association of America. <http://bridalassociationofamerica.com/ Wedding_Statistics/#marketsummary>. 3 November 2008.“The Wedding Report” is a statistical report on the past, present, and projected spending and trends within the wedding industry. It is very useful to our study because of the hard data that it presents, especially that detailing the average cost of a wedding and the percentage/number of weddings utilizing a wedding planner’s services.

Thompson, Angela L (1998). Unveiled: The Emotion Work of Wedding Coordinators in the American Wedding Industry. Diss. Brandeis University, Ann Arbor: UMI, 2002. This dissertation gives an overview of the wedding industry through the wedding planner profession. It looks at the monetary aspects of weddings, the world of the wedding coordinator, the emotional aspect of wedding planning, and industry trends. This work provides an overview of how the wedding planning career works, however, as it mainly focuses on sociological aspects, it was not very useful to our study.

Torpey, Elka Maria. (2006-2007). Jobs in Weddings and Funerals: Working with the Betrothed and the Bereaved. Occupational Outlook Quarterly, 50(4), 30-45. This article is a comparison study of wedding planners and funeral directors. It details the industry in regards to occupation, planning and management. The article provides statistics on the number of weddings held each year, cost of weddings and the salary of wedding planners. It also details the sort of information required by wedding planners, their needs and how they organize them.

Wallace, Carol. (2004). All Dressed in White: The Irresistible Rise of the American Wedding. New York: Penguin Books.Discusses the history of weddings in America, the rise of the wedding industry in America, and the subculture of the American wedding. This book is a narrative of many different wedding celebrations and modern wedding customs.

Watts, Christina F. and Carolyn M. Brown. (1994) "Here Comes the Money." Black Enterprise. 24.12 29-29. Article discusses various aspects of wedding planning services and is written for the audience of wedding planners.

Wilson, T.D. (1999). Models In Information Behavior Research. The Journal of Documentation, 55(3), 249-270. Wilson’s article analyzes five models of information behavior: The Wilson Model of 1981, Dervin Sense-Making Theory, the Ellis model of 1989 and 1993, Kuhlthau’s phenomenological model and a revised version of Wilson’s model. Wilson also discusses the implications of the information behavior models in information retrieval systems.

Wedding Planners 22

Appendix A: Interview Schedule

Thank you for taking the time today to meet with us. My name is __________________ and this is _________________. We expect that this interview will take approximately 30 to 60 minutes. However, if at any time you need to take a break or we need to stop the interview, please let us know.

Our part of the interview today has been pre-scripted so that the questions we ask each wedding planner will be consistent. However, please tell us if a question is unclear or if you would like it repeated.

This study is an attempt to study the information needs of Seattle wedding planners. The students performing this study are graduate students at the Information School of the University of Washington. The findings will not be published and will only be discussed within class.3

*Instructions for Interviewer and Recorder: If the interviewer or recorder feels more explanation for a question or follow-up to an answer is needed, the interviewer or recorder should ask the interviewee accordingly and make clear note of the question and answer on the Interview Schedule.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Biography

1. How many years have you been in the wedding planning profession?   

2. What level of education have you completed?

3. What language or languages do you speak? (if Only “English”): Go to question #4 (If 2+ Languages): What is your native language?

4. Do you currently hold any association memberships? (if YES):

1. What are the association memberships? 2. Do(es) the association membership(s) provide you with any information?

(If YES): What types of information? (If NO): Have you held any association memberships in the past?

1. (if YES): What were the association memberships? Did the association membership(s) provide you with any

information? o (If YES): What types of information?

3 We would like to thank the Breakfast Club for their assistance in developing the introduction to our Interview Schedule.

Wedding Planners 23

5. Do you receive any trade journals, newsletters or other literature related to your profession?

(If YES): What trade journals, newsletters or other literature do you receive?

6. Do you work for a company or for yourself? (If they work for themselves): Go to question #7 (If they work for a company):

1. How many employees are there in the company? 2. What position do you hold in the company? 3. Are there other wedding planners in the company?

7. On average, how many different vendors do you typically work with per wedding? (If asked for clarification: By “vendors” we mean both the different types of vendors and the total number of vendors you typically work with per wedding.)

Information Technology

8. Do you have access to a computer? (If YES): On average, what percentage of your day do you spend on your

computer for work related purposes?

9. Do you have access to the Internet? (If YES): How frequently do you use the Internet for work?

10. Do you have a website? (if NO): Go to question 11 (if YES):

i. What type of information is on your website? Please mark any that apply. [Hand them the card]

Contact Info Wedding Packages Price List Sample Weddings Other(please explain):

ii. How often is your website updated? Please mark the one that best applies. [Hand them the card]

Hourly Daily Weekly Monthly Varies (please explain):

Information Seeking

11. Do you use a computer for any of the following work related tasks? Please mark all that might apply. [Hand them the card]

Email Research Appointment Budgeting Word Advertising Professional Desktop Other

Wedding Planners 24

on the Internet

Calendar Processing Networking Publishing(please explain):

12a. How do you find information for your profession? Please mark all that might apply. [ Hand them the card ]

Internet Networking Bridal Conventions

Vendors Clients Magazines, Journals, Newsletters, etc.

Other (please explain):

b. Which of these methods is your preferred method for finding information for your profession? [If the interviewee already returned the card, hand it to them again]

13. Do you advertise your services? a. (if NO): Go to question 14b. (If YES):

i. From our research we learned that some wedding planners use the following methods to advertise their services. If you use any of these listed advertising methods, please mark them.

[Hand them the card]

Trade journals Word of mouth

Blogs Bridal industry websites

Personal websites

Business cards

ii. Are there any other ways , not listed on the card, in which you advertise your services?

Information Management

14. In our research, we found that the following types of information changes may occur: Vendor existence, cost of services, venue availability, and product availability. How do you keep track of changes such as these? [Hand them the card]

15. What is your preferred method of managing and organizing the tasks for your job? Please mark the one that best applies. [Hand them the card]

Day planner Managing software (E.g. Outlook/Google/etc.)

Electronic Handheld Device (e.g. Blackberry)

Other (please describe):

Communication/ Information Exchange

16. What is your preferred method of communication with clients? Why?

17. Do you or the clients dictate the mode of communication?

Wedding Planners 25

18. Do you face problems when communicating with clients? (If YES): What are the problems you face with clients?

19. Where do you find new clients?

20. What is your preferred method of communication with vendors? Why?

21. Do you or the vendors dictate the mode of communication?

22. Do you face problems when communicating with vendors? (If YES): What are the problems you face when communicating with vendors?

23. Where do you find new vendors?

Information Gathering

24. Have you had clients request a service that you have never previously provided? (if NO): Go to question # 25 (If YES): Did you provide the service?

o (If YES): How did you obtain the information needed to provide this service?

25. Are you in contact with any other wedding planners? (if NO): Go to question # 26 (If YES): Do you share information?

o (If YES): How do you share information?

26. How do you think clients who do not use wedding planners retrieve information? 27. Is there a difference between the information you obtain and information a general

person obtains for any type of vendor?

Information System

28. From the information we have gathered, we will attempt to create an information system that helps manage information used by wedding planners. What are some attributes that you would like to see in such a system?

29. As we design our system, out of curiosity, what inspires you?

Conclusion

Wedding Planners 26

This concludes our interview. As we said before, this was a confidential interview and we will only be using the results for class discussion. Thank you so much for your time!