Publisher of the Month: Rocky Mountain Bride
Rocky Mountain Bride is an online and print wedding inspiration magazine based in the Rocky Mountain region whose gorgeous niche wedding ideas and breathtaking pages have made them an Issuu favorite and our current publisher of the month! We had the opportunity to chat with Erika Oltman about the magic behind Rocky Mountain Bride, the challenges of running a small business, and her biggest advice for aspiring publishers. Read our interview to learn more about our publisher of the month and the evolution of Rocky Mountain Bride:
Tell us a bit about Rocky Mountain Bride.
Rocky Mountain Bride is an online and print wedding inspiration and vendor resource dedicated to the Rocky Mountain Region. Our six state; Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah & Wyoming, two province; Alberta & British Columbia, territory is filled with stunning locations and beautiful stories about love that we share in our magazines and through our online blog. The publication has been around since 1995 and continues to be the only resource with national and local reach in the region.
How did you come up with the idea for this niche wedding publication?
I’m afraid we didn’t. The current owners purchased the publication in 2014 and have revived, expanded, and rebranded it in the last few years. It is now a group of nine ladies who are fully in love with where we call home and the beauty of the region, talent of the incredible wedding vendors we get to work with and stunning and sweet couples who marry here.
As you have been publishing for so many years, what are your secrets to creating a consistently beautiful publication?
Love what you do and put your heart into it. We joke that every magazine is our baby, but they really are!
What kind of challenges have you faced along the way?
We are a small business so we have faced all of the challenges that go along with it, but it has been worth every frustrating, stressful, and amazing moment.
What do you like about being able to publish both online and in print?
Reach – our goal is to get more people to the Rockies to fall in love, celebrate that love and forever hold it as a special place in their hearts. Our print magazines are sold throughout The West and in most of Canada and are so fun to flip through, turn a corner down on, and be able to take and show folks. Our online presence allows for people from all over the world to dive in and see what we have to offer as well as a place to come back to time and time again for inspiration and to peruse past issues.
What led you to publish on Issuu?
The desire to have an online presence for our print publications. Issue has nice sharing capabilities and a friendly user platform that allows brides to easily find us!
What do you look for in your submissions?
Natural beauty and true love. We can’t get enough of couples sharing their real love with each other and gorgeously capturing it in photos!
What makes a beautiful wedding to you?
We love when we see who the couple are in their wedding day. Whether its that they are adventurous at heart and they elope on a mountaintop or cherish their friends and family so much that they forgo fancy and just have a fabulous bash. No matter the type of wedding it is most beautiful when it represents the love they share.
How has your magazine changed over the years?
The magazine started in 1995 as a little half size Colorado mountain town vendor guide. In the late 2000’s it found its way to shelves and grew into a magazine dedicated to all of Colorado. By 2014 when it changed ownership the publication was in it’s infant stages of growing with the expansion of print publications dedicated to Wyoming and Montana. From there styling has changed and the bar has been raised. 2015 launched our regional issue, V1, covering our entire area in a big, gorgeous 250+ page publication and 2017 launched two more dedicated issues – New Mexico and Idaho. Each publication is created with our hearts and are filled with content from only their areas. It is amazing to see how unique each state and province are. 2019 brings the end of our expansion with our new Utah and Canadian Rockies publications of which content is starting to be created now!!!
We continue to push ourselves in design and are constantly pursuing what is to come trend-wise. RMB will forever be improving and changing!
Do you have any advice for aspiring publishers, up-and-coming creatives or blushing brides?
Publishers – be prepared, none of this is cheap and if you are going to do it, you need to do it well. Don’t skimp, use good tools and create standards that will set you apart.
Up-and-comers – this industry is filled with pretty, enjoy it. There are so many amazing and talented folks that work in it and most of them have good souls and sweet hearts. Don’t let the crazy hectic season take your creativity and alway pursue growth both personally and professionally.
Blushing Brides – marry for love and it will show through in your wedding. Include special parts of you and your fiancé’s relationship to make your wedding day special and be you!