Simone's Virtual World of Weddings. Belle interviews SIMONE SANT-GHURAN, entrepreneur of Trinidad Weddings

DID YOU ALWAYS BELIEVE IN THE SUCCESS OF TRINIDAD WEDDINGS?

I was never actually 100% sure the website would succeed as well as it has. Our site's content is totally local and I didn't know if this would work for us or not, because of the appeal of foreign wedding websites. I really think the key was believing that I could actually do it. Once I did that, making Trinidad Weddings a reality was simply a matter of saying my prayers, leveraging the experience I had had in the corporate world, taking some calculated risks, and applying sound business theory! Though, I would have never succeeded if not for the unwavering support of my husband and my family.

Internet entrepreneurship, in particular, requires one to have more than an iota of blind faith, because unlike retail or manufacturing, it's a virtual world being built— growing something that cannot be touched.

WHAT SERVICES DOES TRINIDAD WEDDINGS PROVIDE?

We provide a dual service. Basically, we have two client bases: engaged persons, and wedding industry suppliers. For the engaged ones, we provide free information, tips, articles, a bridal photo gallery, a 'Couple of the Month' feature, real wedding stories, etiquette advice, a 'bridal classifieds' section where brides can sell their items, opportunities to win prizes, a mailing list, a monthly e-newsletter, and most importantly, a message board for our members to interact.

The services we provide to wedding industry suppliers vary; depending on the suppliers' needs and budgets. We sell internet advertising packages to them by offering directory listings, banner advertisements, and dedicated web pages. Our most recent service is our Direct Mail Service, which allows suppliers to reach our 500+ member database; should they have an upcoming event, sale, promotion or innovative product/service offering.

HOW DO YOU THINK TRINIDAD WEDDINGS CAN MOST ASSIST ENGAGED COUPLES?

The website is a portal where brides can plan their weddings, with resources literally at their fingertips. Our message board also has a huge impact, since it provides a forum where engaged people can communicate with each other, give or get advice, and even provide moral support to each other! Our tips and advice columns are written by real brides, and certified experts in their respective fields, which makes our site's content user-friendly, yet professional.

However, I think how we help couples most is through the personalised attention and feedback we give them. Customer care is critically important to us, and we respond to all enquiries within 24 hours. We are also constantly updating our site, in order to provide the best value for online users. We have not only provided assistance to local brides but also to Trinbagonians living abroad who return here to get married, and to foreigners who are engaged to locals.

HOW SUCCESSFUL HAVE YOU BEEN THUS FAR?

Success for me means reaching out to brides and helping them make connections not only with suppliers, but also with each other. Our suppliers' success is also our success, because when they get booked for weddings, it becomes a win-win situation for everyone.

For me, nothing can beat that feeling of exhilaration when someone tells me they know about Trinidad Weddings.com and how much we have helped them! I can truly say that my business is a pleasure to work for. It's been over two years now, and I still look forward to every day's challenges as much as when we were in the first month of business! I'm so proud to say that we're the first online resource for engaged and newlywed couples in Trinidad and Tobago.

Another measure of success for me is that the nature of my business allows me to have more time for family life. Giving our eight-month old daughter, Zara, the best care is paramount to my husband and me; and working flexible hours from home allows us to do that.

IN WHAT TANGIBLE WAYS HAVE YOUR ADVERTISED SUPPLIERS BENEFITED FROM TRINIDAD WEDDINGS?

I am a firm believer in networking. In a small country like Trinidad, there's no other way to succeed; being insular will simply lead to failure. There's not much we do at Trinidad Weddings without thinking about the wellbeing of our advertised suppliers. Over the years, many of them have become good acquaintances of mine. We call each other by first names, and we relate honestly with each other. If they're not getting business, I want to know, if they're getting booked, I want to know that too! It's the only way we can help each other. Tangibly, of course, they get enquiries or get bookings from site visitors. And because we are a network at Trinidad Weddings, they also get promoted whenever we participate in bridal expos, or if we have any publicity opportunities in the media.

ON TO THE ROMANTIC STUFF…SINCE THIS BELLE ISSUE IS ALL ABOUT WEDDINGS, TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR OWN WEDDING STORY!

This June I'll celebrate my fifth wedding anniversary, and I can hardly believe it! My husband and I met at a Latin dance class. Actually, I was the one doing the dancing! He had come in for an after-work drink at the bar. One of his friends knew my cousin, and we got introduced. After that, we kept meeting up at Latin dance parties; he started phoning me and after one year's courtship we were engaged. Our wedding was held at the cosy St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church with a reception at the Crowne Plaza Ballroom. We honeymooned in Aruba and the rest, as they say, is history!

IF YOU WERE TO GIVE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO A BRIDE ON HER WEDDING DAY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

"The wedding is just one day but your marriage is a lifetime." So it really doesn't matter what goes wrong, how much you spend, where your reception is, or who turns up and who doesn't! So many brides stress about these things but in the long haul, the only thing that will matter is that you are comfortable with your decision to marry your best friend—and that you make every effort to live up to your marriage vows, everyday.

WHAT WAS THE BEST NEWLYWED ADVICE THAT YOU GOT?

"Don't have kids immediately!" Of course, this advice doesn't apply in all cases but it worked for us. We waited four years to have our baby, and in retrospect, it was the best decision. We took those first four years to get to know each other better, to travel all over the world and to achieve our personal goals.

To be part of this dynamic online community linking engaged couples with the best suppliers in the region, log on to: www.trinidadweddings.com