Wedding Planning? 5 Tips for Fabulous First Impressions!
Image credit: Tracy-Ann Jarrett
When planning your wedding you interact with scores of people who will be a part of a very special experience in your life. Regardless of who they are or how you meet them, all these people make judgments in the first few seconds of seeing you. Impress every time, and in any situation, with these five tips for making fabulous first impressions.
1. Dress the way you want to feel.
If you dress according the way you want to feel, others will view you in that same way. I want to feel pretty and polished so I attire myself to match. Now … I’m not saying you have to wear four-inch heels to the grocery store on Saturday morning but wear something neat and clean and save those worn-out sweats for the couch rather than the coffee shop. You never know who you may run into. We all have those stories about that one day we ran out of the house without makeup to run a quick errand and we ran into THAT person for the first time.
2. Master the art of introductions.
Few things make or break first impressions like introductions. And mastering them takes a bit of practice. So do it every day! The basic rule is to make sure everyone is introduced in a circle and the senior person is introduced to the junior. Add a little fact about the person you’re introducing and you’re golden. “Stacy, this is Dean. Dean is a whiz at cupcakes.” Not only have you personalized the person but you’ve also provided a conversation starter. Conversation hero … that’s you.
3. Use names.
So you’ve been introduced to someone new … refer to her by name immediately! Nothing silently screams “I care about you” more than using a person’s name. The added bonus is that by using her name right after learning it will help you remember it. Of course, we’re not perfect and we do forget names. If you do … admit it. Honesty in the beginning will warm a heart more than confessions later on.
4. Make eye contact and smile.
People generally gravitate to people who are approachable and confident. Make eye contact and smile. It’s simple. It works. ‘Nuf said.
5. Don’t draw attention to your insecurities.
So you’re having a bad hair day. If that’s the one thing you don’t want him to notice, don’t draw attention to it. It seems like everyday I hear something like “Please don’t pay attention to my shirt, I didn’t get a chance to properly iron it this morning.” Well guess what … that’s now exactly what my attention is focused on. Guaranteed the majority of people will never notice anything amiss if you don’t mention it. They’re probably focused on their own I-hope-they-don’t-notice thoughts anyway.
Written by: Trinidad Weddings.com’s Guest blogger, Laura Cotton
Laura Cotton sees the world as full of sunshine and smiles with a few pearls in need of polish. A licensed etiquette trainer, she spreads her good word through her Pearl Strategies image development workshops and seminars. You may reach Laura at laura@pearl-strategies.com.
