In a special crossover episode of Wedding Day Podcast and the Wedding MBA Podcast, Iron Diamond Media owner and CEO Sonja Babich steps into the guest seat with host Clint Hufft. Ahead of her first full educational session at the 2026 Wedding MBA Conference, Babich offers an inside look at how wedding professionals can pursue publication—and why the right editorial placement can become a meaningful part of a brand’s growth.

Babich brings an unusual perspective to the publishing conversation. Before entering the media industry in 2019 and acquiring Iron Diamond Media in 2021, she helped plan more than 500 weddings while working at a Minnesota venue. She remembers having to decide where to invest her own marketing dollars and how much trust wedding professionals place in the companies promoting their work. Today, she leads seven regional wedding brands, the Minnesota Wedding Show and Wedding Day Podcast, allowing her to view publication from both sides of the relationship.

For Babich, getting published is valuable because it places a business in front of the clients it is best suited to serve while reinforcing its credibility. A feature can introduce couples to an unfamiliar photographer, planner or venue and help fellow professionals discover potential collaborators. The content also extends beyond one placement: a published wedding may appear online, in an e-newsletter and across social media, with print offering an additional tangible distinction. Wedding professionals can then incorporate the recognition into their own marketing through “as seen in” language and other promotional materials.

Selecting that content, however, requires far more than choosing the most visually elaborate celebration. Iron Diamond Media receives thousands of submissions across its markets, and its editorial team considers the story, setting, seasonality and participating professionals behind each wedding. As regional publications, the brands also aim to represent celebrations throughout each state alongside couples of different ages, identities and backgrounds. Babich encourages professionals not to rule out a submission simply because it does not resemble what they assume a magazine wants.

A strong submission should make it easy for editors to recognize the complete story. Babich recommends beginning with approximately 20 carefully selected photographs and a concise written overview of roughly 250 to 500 words. Rather than sending an overwhelming gallery filled primarily with portraits, submitters should include the ceremony, reception, stationery, floral design and other details that reveal how the event came together. Every participating wedding professional should also be credited accurately. Because the publication works directly with the submitter throughout fact-checking, proofing and production, that person becomes responsible for helping ensure no contributor is overlooked.

Professionals should generally submit weddings produced within the previous year and avoid publishing the same celebration elsewhere before receiving a decision. Babich also advises keeping styled shoots largely under wraps while pursuing publication so the eventual feature retains the impact of a true reveal. Throughout the process, wedding professionals can look beyond the editorial department and build a relationship with their regional publisher, who can help identify opportunities aligned with their goals. As Babich prepares to expand on these ideas during her “Cover Story: How to Get Published” session at Wedding MBA, her central message is clear: publication is a collaborative investment in storytelling, professional connection and long-term brand positioning.

In a special crossover episode of Wedding Day Podcast and the Wedding MBA Podcast, Iron Diamond Media owner and CEO Sonja Babich steps into the guest seat with host Clint Hufft. Ahead of her first full educational session at the 2026 Wedding MBA Conference, Babich offers an inside look at how wedding professionals can pursue publication—and why the right editorial placement can become a meaningful part of a brand’s growth.

Babich brings an unusual perspective to the publishing conversation. Before entering the media industry in 2019 and acquiring Iron Diamond Media in 2021, she helped plan more than 500 weddings while working at a Minnesota venue. She remembers having to decide where to invest her own marketing dollars and how much trust wedding professionals place in the companies promoting their work. Today, she leads seven regional wedding brands, the Minnesota Wedding Show and Wedding Day Podcast, allowing her to view publication from both sides of the relationship.

For Babich, getting published is valuable because it places a business in front of the clients it is best suited to serve while reinforcing its credibility. A feature can introduce couples to an unfamiliar photographer, planner or venue and help fellow professionals discover potential collaborators. The content also extends beyond one placement: a published wedding may appear online, in an e-newsletter and across social media, with print offering an additional tangible distinction. Wedding professionals can then incorporate the recognition into their own marketing through “as seen in” language and other promotional materials.

Selecting that content, however, requires far more than choosing the most visually elaborate celebration. Iron Diamond Media receives thousands of submissions across its markets, and its editorial team considers the story, setting, seasonality and participating professionals behind each wedding. As regional publications, the brands also aim to represent celebrations throughout each state alongside couples of different ages, identities and backgrounds. Babich encourages professionals not to rule out a submission simply because it does not resemble what they assume a magazine wants.

A strong submission should make it easy for editors to recognize the complete story. Babich recommends beginning with approximately 20 carefully selected photographs and a concise written overview of roughly 250 to 500 words. Rather than sending an overwhelming gallery filled primarily with portraits, submitters should include the ceremony, reception, stationery, floral design and other details that reveal how the event came together. Every participating wedding professional should also be credited accurately. Because the publication works directly with the submitter throughout fact-checking, proofing and production, that person becomes responsible for helping ensure no contributor is overlooked.

Professionals should generally submit weddings produced within the previous year and avoid publishing the same celebration elsewhere before receiving a decision. Babich also advises keeping styled shoots largely under wraps while pursuing publication so the eventual feature retains the impact of a true reveal. Throughout the process, wedding professionals can look beyond the editorial department and build a relationship with their regional publisher, who can help identify opportunities aligned with their goals. As Babich prepares to expand on these ideas during her “Cover Story: How to Get Published” session at Wedding MBA, her central message is clear: publication is a collaborative investment in storytelling, professional connection and long-term brand positioning.