The Perfect Wedding Guide/Karen Buck

Positive Images by Rettberg wants to acknowledge one of the best known professionals on the Maryland wedding scene, and a publication that is without peer in advertising for vendors in any wedding related fields. We are of course speaking of Karen Buck, and The Perfect Wedding Guide.

Because of the territory she covers, most wedding professionals have been approached by Karen to be advertisers in PWG. When one meets Karen, they find a warm, personable professional who always considers advertisers as partners in a win-win relationship in the quest to be successful in the wedding industry. Her relationship building skills are superb, and she endeavors to learn what each of her prospective clients goals, and concerns are.

In a recent interview we turned the tables on Karen and thought you might enjoy learning that all of her success in her business has been earned through hard work, perseverance, and drive.

Karen Adler at one time had dreams of being an Olympic figure skater, and actually attended the University of Delaware to foster that goal.As fate would have it, she returned home with aspirations dashed, but new avenues soon opening.

In 1988, the national figure skating championships were held in Baltimore, and Karen wanting to stay connected to the sport, put together, sold ad space, designed, and published the souvenir program for the competition. She quickly realized that she not only had a talent for the publishing business, but that she loved it.

On her own, Karen borrowed $20,000, went to Omaha Nebraska, and bought the first Wedding Pages franchise, and brought it to the Baltimore market.She sold her first ad space to a local bridal gown shop for $610. Within six months she was out of debt and established as a successful marketer of wedding industry advertising.

During the years that followed, Karen worked her way up to regional sales manager for Wedding Pages, and came into contact with national sales director Jay Buck. I think we all know how that team tuned out!

Wedding Pages became part of "The Knot" organization, and both Karen & Jay moved out of that corporate structure and looked into a new publication on the scene called The Perfect Wedding Guide.

Opportunity in this market was abundant, and PWG was built into a powerful organization through the driving ambition of the now Mrs. Jay Buck.

At one time, the Buck's controlled six PWG franchises throughout the country, plus launching the Baltimore, and Southern Pa. editions.

The franchises were eventually sold and today PWG in Maryland concentrates on its core business here.

Currently the book boasts of 350 advertisers, publishes three times a year, with a total print run of over 47,500 copies. There is hardly a wedding related business in the metro area that does not have a copy of PWG on its premises. In fact there are over 700 points of distribution!

Karen is complemented by a staff of nine employees, and together they also represent PWG at over 50 bridal shows per year.

Jay also publishes Modern Babies, PWG's sister publication.

Karen also promotes education and networking opportunities to all wedding professionals through the Professional Wedding Guild. A wonderful series of luncheons at prominent locations throughout the area. These are must gathering for anyone wishing to stay successful in today's fiercely competitive climate.

Never one to rest on past success, Karen is moving forward with an exciting new advertising adventure that will appeal to today's media savvy bride,and the vendors trying to reach them.

That new enterprise in concert with Comcast Cable will be unveiled at this month's guild luncheon in Annapolis on April 28.

Karen lists her greatest strength as relationship building, and as Positive Images by Rettberg can attest to over the years, it truly is her truest attribute. We encourage anyone looking to tie on to a winning position when it comes to marketing their own wedding business, check out The Perfect Wedding Guide at http://www.maryland.pwg.com/, and contact Karen Buck or her excellent staff to further the growth of their own businesses.