Like a cherry on top!

We joined the league of wedding suppliers for this year's Getting Married Bridal Fair held last January 13-15, 2012. Hundreds of couples and soon-to-be-weds got their backpacks on and headed to SMX in search for the perfect suppliers that will make their dream weddings and debuts come true.

But who knew that more couples would find their dream wedding photography team in Imagine Nation? Yep, God just rocked our weekend with the Getting Married Bridal Fair Top Booker award -Photography category!

And with all the couples and suppliers who we had a great time with over the weekend, the award was just the cherry on top!

But boy wasn't it also a tiring stretch. Imagine Nation's photographers and marketing staff manned booths from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and even had to miss lunch just to attend to clients!

"But when you get to talk to couples, find out how they are doing, and maybe also try to relieve their stress and give them some tips," says photographer Derrick Lim, "That's our jackpot. Getting us booked was actually secondary."

Yes, the word for that weekend was not Quota, Profit or even Competition. It was Relationships. Or make that the word for the year! We follow in Jesus' emphasis in Mark 12:30-31 when He said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, and Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Relationships is the heartbeat of Christ, which is why Imagine Nation is making a full shift in gears this 2012, giving priority to building friendships and touching the lives of people and clients we encounter. Business comes only next. Why so? That's because at the end of the day, profits come and go, but relationships are priceless.

And it showed in how Imagine Nation handled their booth. From the staff to the photographers who all volunteered their time in meeting the couples, the intention was clear: to just bless the soon-to-be-weds. Most couples nowadays hunt for suppliers and pull their weddings together on their own, with little or no help from coordinators. Oh, we know the stress. So we made sure that when they walk in to our booth, they don't end up talking to sales people--they end up meeting friends; friends who would share in both with their excitement and stress, and friends who would spare them their two-cents as part of the wedding industry, giving them advice in picking the suppliers that would best fit their requirements. Yes, even if the suppliers they were looking for were not us. It may sound weird, but we actually feel good to see so many other suppliers who were also doing good at the fair!

And God did not forget us! We are so blessed to have met so many new friends--both couples and wedding suppliers! And of course who could miss that Top Booker trophy waiting for us after our team came back from church that Sunday? Praise God! What a way to cap the weekend!

So for all those who we met, booked us, or just spent a great time with us at the booth, thank you! You made our weekend extra special!