Frequently Asked Questions
- Who are you and what right do you have to put on a wedding show?
- Who are the other vendors participating in the show?
- Can anyone be a part of the show?
- How many people do you think will show up for it?
- Who is going to attend?
- How are you getting the word out about the show?
- I know someone who might be a great person to have in the event, can they apply
- What does ‘virsouq’ mean? How do you pronounce it?
Q: Who are you and what right do you have to put on a wedding show?
A: Yes it’s true, I’m new to weddings. And full disclosure, I’m not even married–yet. But like many entrepreneurs I’m going out on a limb and starting a new venture because I’ve personally experienced something missing in the marketplace. What’s missing? Alternatives. There is just no easy way to discover what alternatives Vancouver can offer a couple in search of the unique, the personal, and the off beat when it comes to weddings.
So, while I’m a little light in the established wedding industry, I do have is a very solid understanding of the market segment, a firm grasp on what kind of vendors this market is looking for (and currently have difficulty finding), a business plan and a healthy amount of tenacity. In “real life” I help large companies conceptualize new products and services. As a result, I am attuned to unearthing new opportunities and turning them into a reality. And it also helps that I’m crazy organized.
(btw, our reasonable vendor fees are structured so that you can try this niche out without financially risking much–think of it as being a renegade trailblazer).
Q: Who are the other vendors participating in the show?
A: The final list of vendors won’t be determined until the end of November when we’ve collected all of the applications. We’re shooting for around 20-25 exhibitors in total, but the integrity and overall flow of the show is what’s most important.
Q: Can anyone be a part of the show?
A: Yes and no. Since this show is targeting unconventional style weddings, we are looking for unconventional vendors. In addition to looking for the unconventional, we are also looking for a certain balance and resonance among the exhibitors.
Q: How many people do you think will show up for it?
A: Hard to tell. This is a brand new event, not just for us, but for the city. So there’s no precedent yet. We do know that there are about 11,000 weddings a year in the Greater Vancouver Region. We have also determined that about 13% of couples these days are actively looking for alternatives to make their wedding a little more unique.
Q: Who is going to attend?
A: We anticipate that the show will attract couples (and by couples, we mean both men and women) that might not otherwise go to a wedding show, or would have only reluctantly gone to more traditional shows. Our target demographic is in their late 20s through 40s, appreciates one-of-a-kind retailers, and is internet savvy. A secondary market we will be targeting is the GLBT community.
How are you getting the word out about the show?
A: This is an unconventional show so we are using some unconventional methods for spreading the word. Of course, good old fashioned print advertising, listings in major events calendars, posters, and flyers are in the works, but we are also focusing on a lot of online methods (Google ads, banner ads, blogs, forums, and some more guerilla techniques we won’t publicize 
) since our target market does not necessarily read the usual suspects of wedding magazines.
I know someone who might be a great person to have in the event, can they apply?
A: Hell yeah! We’ve got our feelers out for people but we can’t possibly know everybody. Send them our way for sure.
What does ‘virsouq’ mean? How do you pronounce it?
A: Pronounciation: ver-sook. Meaning: You won’t find it in the dictionary (at least not yet!). We were inspired by the Arabic word souq meaning a commercial area or central market.
