PLANNING a wedding is no walk in the park.

Mya (left) and Dyana.

No matter how simple the wedding reception may seem, there are many details to look into. For inspiration and advice, visit 4weddingku.blogspot.com.

Klang-based Mya Hamzah started the blog in May 2006 as a journal detailing her countdown to her wedding at the end of that year. She shares about her experience with vendors on anything related to weddings and also lists her favourite wedding themes, vendors or links.

The blog also supports the photo blog www.MyaandDyana.com, an online business involved in weddings, gifts and cakes which she has been running with partner Dyana Zakaria since 2005.

“At first, the blog was only viewed by close friends and potential customers to add their opinions and to know more about our products. But since 2007, 4weddingku has become a favourite reference among many future brides.

“From our records, the blog gets at least 150 clicks per day. From Cluster Maps, we find that readers go beyond Malaysian shores and include those from Brunei, Singapore, the UK and the US,” Mya said.

Through feedback, she found that many readers are students from abroad who learnt about her blog through links and reviews associated with wedding scenarios in Malaysia.

Due to the high hit levels, she updates her blog at least once a week in a “sincere voice”.

“Real opinion on real stuff, I believe, is what brides-to-be want to know. I feel honoured that they seek my views,” Mya said.

“In previous years, before blogging became big, resources on weddings were limited in Malaysia. Advances in online communications have inspired me to start blogging in my own style and preference. So, I’ve created many columns and sub-stories for my readers.” Among the features on 4weddingku are Mya’s column, MyaandDyana.com product reviews, Wedding Talk (a forum for local wedding bloggers) and links to local and international photographers and providers of wedding hantaran, catering, invitations, cakes and even honeymoon destinations.

“For a more appealing presentation, I feature music through Flesh Fetish, live chat using CBox and Chat Mix. The photos are displayed using Picasa and Flickr. I also use applications such as Feedjit, Cluster Maps, MyBlog Log, Wowzio and StarCounter.

“Since it started from a personal blog, I am comfortable using a free hosting service as it is user-friendly and easy to maintain,” Mya said, adding that she has enrolled with NuffNang as well.

She also shared, “4weddingku is among my best experiences in life. Many of my readers have now become my friends. My confidence level is higher, especially where future customers are concerned. I also have met other wedding service providers whom I’ve work with, sometimes.” Financially, the impact has been significant, too, although indirectly.

“4weddingku has created a huge impact in branding MyaandDyana, a small company operating from home. From zero know-how on blogging, our blog has put us on the online map for wedding planning,” Mya said.

She added that she hopes her blog will continue to receive huge support from readers.

“With the right mix of content, presentation and specific target segment, blogging can be a healthy hobby that turns passion into income!”