Be a Planner

I'm A Planner :: Veronica Foster

2010-09-21T15:49:00.000-04:00

Name: Veronica Foster
Location: Greensboro, North Carolina
Company: Behind The Scenes Inc
Years in Business: Since 2002
Website: http://www.behindthescenesinc.com/
Blog: http://www.behindthescenesinc.blogspot.com/

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…)? We specialize in Full Service Wedding Coordination. I do day of also, but we love full service best. It really allows us to get to know the brides, learn the way they think and it helps us to produce a beautiful and carefree wedding for our brides.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration? I still go through all kinds of wedding magazines, I also love blogs, and brides themselves are the best resource! We have brides that love theme weddings so it’s a fantastic challenge for us to find the things she needs to really let her guests know the theme also!

What made you get started in wedding planning? I used to plan corporate events and the company that I worked with downsized and a lot of us got laid off. I had already helped to plan some co-workers and friends’ weddings and I thought that it was a prime time to see if I could really plan a wedding. Then it got to the point that I found out that I was good at designing weddings and coordinating all of the aspects. Not to mention the benefit of happy brides!

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?
My radio! Hands down, I need that background music to keep me going. Sometimes is soft music just for noise background and sometimes is get up and dance music to keep me going!

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?
Before you take on a client – have your ducks in a row as far as your planning process.

I'm a Planner:: Ali Phillips

2010-07-13T21:08:00.004-04:00

Name: Ali Phillips
Location: Chicago, IL
Company: Engaging Events by Ali, Inc
Years in Business: 8.5
Website: http://www.engagingeventsbyali.com/
Blog: My blog runs directly on my website

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…)?

We do comprehensive (full) wedding planning service for our clients. I have consultants that handle the events when someone wants to hire us for the last two months.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

I work closely with my clients on how to make their wedding original and unique and a reflection of who they are. I ask them to bring me pictures and send me websites and links to wedding blogs of things they love and make them say "YAY"! We design their wedding based on things they see in the awesome wedding and design magazines and blogs that we have to use for inspiration. But we never copy something exactly. I attend seminars and conferences all over the world and when the design "gods" and "goddesses" (Todd Fiscus, Sasha Souza and David Beahm to name a few), that I look up to, share their work I don't say, I want to do that exactly. I say wow, that is gorgeous, how can I make that unique to me and my clients and the city I work in. That is why they are all out there speaking and sharing, to give us inspiration so that we can go back and bring some of that experience to our own business. I always encourage my clients to "make it their own" and twist it to reflect who they are. I want them to walk into their wedding reception and say, YAY, it is exactly what I wanted. (not exactly what we saw in that magazine together). It is my job as a wedding professional to help my clients stamp their wedding with the stamp that says "THIS IS US, this wedding reflects who we are as a couple".

http://www.thinksplendid.com/ She knows her stuff

Travel. I walk into hotels all over the world and take pictures, even of hallways or art on the walls. I have a file in my computer of places that can bring me back to serenity and bring me back to my creative place.

What made you get started in wedding planning?

I wanted to take my business skills I had developed over the years and put them to use. Those include, project management, financial management, people management and my sales skills. I selling ideas every day to my clients to make their weddings reflect who they are.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

My blackberry. I am pretty mobile all day so my car is sort of my office. And my mac (Thank you Liene Stevens)

{ From Melissa: We said technology excluded... and what does Ali do... goes right for the tech, we love her so we let her get away with it.}

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

Write a business plan. Always be learning and educating. Attend seminars, network with peers, and join professional organizations. Be a Sponge for information. Learn who you are and why that is important to what you do. Okay, that was WAY more than one recommendation…….

Next Be A Planner Class! :: BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

2010-03-23T02:55:00.003-04:00

We are so excited to announce our next class, April 24 & 25 in St. Augustine, Florida at the brand new oh so gorgeous River House!! We are so excited to be hosting this class at such a beautiful new venue, and to showcase the amazing'ness that is St. Augustine!

This is an intense two-day class, where you will learn the ins and outs on how to:

The Significance of your role as a planner
How to create a wedding day timeline
Budget Supervision
Social Etiquette
Wedding Attire
Conducting and Orchestrating a Rehearsal
Emergency Production
Starting a Business
Working with Vendors
The Art of Branding your business
Wedding Trends and Traditions
Establishing your Business
Developing your Style
Establishing your Fees and Services
Contracts
Artful Negotiations
And Much, Much, Much, Much more!!!

This class we are including breakfast and snacks both days. We are limiting attendance to 20 students, we want to be able to provide one on one attention.

We will also announce 2 amazing guest speakers that you will enjoy and really learn the meat and potato's of your business from.

If you have been in business for 8 years, just thinking of getting into the event planning industry, or are thinking of a change of careers, I give you my personal guarantee you will learn something incredible in this class!

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Eve Harrison

2010-03-15T04:00:00.001-04:00

Eve Harrison | Ooh La La Weddings

Name: Eve Harrison

Location: San Diego, CA

Company: Ooh La La Weddings

Years in Business: 4

Website: www.oohlalawed.com

Blog: www.oohlalawed.net

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…)?

I specialize in Week and Month of Wedding Coordination but am starting to get more into Full Service planning and Design! I help my brides get that look they see in the magazines for half the price by finding creative and economical ways to achieve it.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

Wedding blog's!!! I could spend hours looking through wedding blog's such as Wedding Chicks|Style Me Pretty|Grey likes Weddings., Of course Martha Stewart has tons of wedding inspiration and wedding magazines. I have boxes upon boxes that I just thumb through. Even though some are several years old, there are always ways to put a new twist on old favorites.

What made you get started in wedding planning?

I always say I was born to party because I have been organizing event since I can remember. I absolutely love to get people together, it is my passion, people are my passion, happiness and love are my passion and all of these things come together wrapped in a bow on someone’s wedding day. I feel so blessed to be able to do what I love and love what I do! I could go on and on.. :)

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

That would have to be my many date books|calendars|planners. I am obsessed! I don’t know what it is about these little|big|short|fat books but I love them and writing things down in them. I have the same thing written in about 5. Also coffee! I’m addicted and drink about 3 cups a day.

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

I would say be authentic. There is nothing worse then coming into the business and saying you have experience that you don't, or ‘borrow’ other people’s website content such as packages, etc. We all have to start somewhere and we’ve all been there. I would suggest maybe speaking with a few planners out of your area to get some advice but don’t go behind someone’s back and copy their work|packages|pricing|etc.

New Blog Favorite: Edit and Post

2010-03-10T04:00:00.002-05:00

So, Ami, the brain behind the legendary Elizabeth Anne Designs, recently launched Edit and Post - a blog about business and blogging. In Ami's words, it "will encourage you to think more closely about your blog, about your business, and about your goals."

Launched only about a week ago, Edit and Post already has a ton of really helpful entries. And, of course, with a business background and a wealth of experience working in the blogging word, Ami - and her posts - are quite brilliant.

As a planner, if you do not already have a blog as part of your marketing strategy, take a look at what Ami has to say. Undoubtedly, this new venture of hers will be invaluable to both bloggers and business minds alike.

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Sumer Schmitt

2010-03-08T04:00:00.002-05:00

Sumer Schmitt | Simply Perfect Weddings

Name: Sumer Schmitt
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Company: Simply Perfect Weddings
Years in Business: 2
Website: http://www.simplyperfectwedding.net
Blog: http://simplyperfectweddings.blogspot.com
What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…)? Complete wedding management (full service planning + design). Most of our clients are busy professionals or are planning from out of town, and quite simply, don’t have the time to coordinate the hundreds of details that go into planning a wedding. We offer smaller packages, but our complete wedding management service level is definitely our most popular.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?
My clients (because without them, you really can’t begin to design an event without first getting to know them), photography websites/blogs, and Southern Weddings Magazine (yes, I know I live/plan events in PA, but I’m still a southern girl at heart!).

What made you get started in wedding planning?
Throughout college I would plan events for my university and local businesses. I never realized at the time that I could make a career out of event planning, so I went on to pursue my degree in business management and finance. After a few years in the finance field, I just knew it wasn’t for me. I’ve always had a passion for events, and after beginning the planning of my own wedding in the fall of 2007, I became quite disappointed with the level of customer service I received from various vendors. It was at that time that I realized I wanted to do my part to change the wedding planning process, and alas, Simply Perfect Weddings was born, and we’ve been going strong ever since!

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?
My Yorktese (Yorkie/Maltese mix), Teddy. I work from my home office, so it’s always nice to have a companion to keep me company throughout the day. I can always count on him to be right there on my lap no matter what kind of a day I’m having. :)

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?
Do your homework before opening up shop! It is essential to understand the building blocks of running a business, in addition to creating fabulous events. Your hard work will pay off in the end if you take the time to do it right the first time. Lastly… “Always be a first rate version of yourself, never a second rate version of someone else” – Judy Garland. Good luck, and don’t forget to DREAM BIG!

The “B” Word - Budgets and Spending Priorities

2010-01-08T04:00:00.001-05:00

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement in the MasterPiece Weddings office, what with the holidays and wrapping up our last weddings of 2009. So, to jumpstart things back up again we thought it might be fun for someone else to chime in a bit.

Karry Castillo, of Uniquely Yours, is a dear friend and wonderful planner in the industry, and was kind enough to send along a post on breaking down the budget and assessing priorities - critical tasks to be able to take on as a wedding planner. Read below for her advice. And, thank you Karry for your wonderful post!

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Let’s face it, everyone wants to save money these days and make their dollars go farther than ever before. Clients value smart planners who are savvy when it comes to developing budgets, even more so when their projections for their dream weddings come under budget.

[Image Source]

One of the very first steps in your planning process with any client is budget development. Much of the information you will require to develop a client’s budget should be covered during your first few consultations. Every wedding is different, so a budget that works for one client most likely will not work for another. True, you can find all kinds of budget profiles and recommended percentages in the bridal publications and online. But if you are really providing custom services, then you should be focused on your client’s spending priorities. The standard budget percentages for food and beverage apply to most weddings, being 50% to 60% of the overall budget, but there is great flexibility among the other budget categories dependent upon your client’s personal spending priorities.

One of your budget-focused tasks should be to review the major wedding budget categories and discuss which categories will be included in the budget and whom will be paying for those category products/services. Another important task in this process is to prioritize the budget categories. A bride who loves photography will want to allocate more money towards a gifted photographer, whereas a bride who is a “foodie” will want to allocate more money towards an amazing food and wine experience for her guests.

Knowing the spending priorities and parameters will make development of the budget easier for you, resulting in a well thought out budget plan that will guide the decisions you make with your clients through the planning, referral, and design processes. Your clients will feel valued because you have taken the time to listen to their desires and respected their spending parameters. And you will have become a rockstar planner in their eyes, proving the value of your services from the beginning.

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Valerie Metrejean

2010-01-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

Valerie Metrejean | Southern Fete

Name: Valerie Metrejean

Location: Lafayette, Louisiana

Company: Southern Fete, The Wedding Shoebox, Butterscotch Press

Years in Business: 1 and 1/2

Website: southernfete.com, theweddingshoebox.com, butterscotchpress.com

Blog: southernfete.wordpress.com

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…)?

Full-service design. Southern Fete caters to brides who want a creative approach to their wedding day.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

Southern Weddings Magazine, Martha Stewart Magazine and House Beautiful Magazine. All magazines! I graduated in journalism and have so much appreciation for printed materials. All that inspiration chocked full in something I can carry anywhere. But of course, wedding blogs also. I could get lost for days perusing them!

What made you get started in wedding planning?

I was a bridesmaid in three weddings in 2 months. I saw so much stress and wished I could do more. When I looked into working for a local wedding planner, I saw an open market and launched my own business. I never imagined I would ever own my own business.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

Hands down my MacBook. Visually though, I’ve been able to create my office infusing my own personality completely. OK, I’m a little biased but it’s beautiful! And it keeps me inspired me to constantly make other things beautiful.

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

Knowledge and experience are invaluable. I completely recommend getting certified and training like Melissa offers. Also know that at some point you need to just do it. Don't be afraid that you aren't ready. When I started, I had helped a wedding planner with one event. That’s it. I booked 5 weddings before I had done one by myself because I carried myself with confidence. I have heard too many wedding planners say they should have started sooner. Don’t wait!!

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Be a Planner Explains: Bouquets

2009-11-06T04:00:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wondered or, better yet, been asked why brides - and bridesmaids, for that matter - carry bouquets? Sure, it's an antiquated tradition and today there are plenty of alternatives but, believe it or not, it all started with a purpose.

Bouquet by Karen Tran Florals via SWOONOVERIT.

In the 15th Century, it was common to take your yearly bath (yes, I said yearly) in May. So, June seemed to perfect time for a wedding (ever wondered why June was such a popular wedding month?). But in June you still had to worry that you might have a little body odor. The bride began carrying a bouquet to mask any potential odor and avoid the possibility of leaving the groom gasping for air.

Over time, of course, the bouquet became more symbolic than anything else. And now, many florists even advise against particularly fragrant flowers - you certainly do not want to be sneezing at the altar. And while a bouquet of the 15th century may have been fresh flowers picked from outside that morning, a bouquet today is usually a carefully planned and crafted masterpiece.

Some of our favorite sources for floral inspiration? Karen Tran Florals and Artfool.

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Brandi Hamerstone

2009-11-04T04:00:00.001-05:00

Brandi Hamerstone | All Events Planned

Name: Brandi Hamerstone
Location: Main office is located in Chagrin Falls, OH but area market is all of Northeast Ohio
Company: All Events Planned (opened previously under A Planned Event)
Years in Business: All Events Planned was created and wedding planning began under that name only in July. Personally as a wedding planner, I have had over 8 years of experience. Working with weddings through hotels, off-site catering companies and even private business clubs have given me a full range of knowledge and ability through each different source.
Website: www.alleventsplanned.com
Blog: http://adayinthelifeofaplanner.blogspot.com/

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…)?
I would say that most planners agree, we specialize in it all. I enjoy full service weddings because it gives me the opportunity to get to know the bride, get to know her likes, dislikes and her expectations. This allows me, as a planner and friend to the bride, to have all the answers and to stay one-step ahead of any issues or last minute decisions.

Day of Coordination is more of an on the spot activity. It gives you a little more excitement on the day and requires the planner to be organized, detailed and ready for anything. I would say that Day of is more of an adventure and gives you the ability rely heavily on your experience and expertise to ensure the day is perfect.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?
Wedding magazines will be my first. I subscribe to every single one that even mentions weddings. The times that you can sit with a bride a leaf through, page by page and explore colors, details and design are the best times to get to know them and their style. I hope print never goes away! Get Married is a new magazine that I have personally enjoyed and my clients have had a great response to as well!

Blogs have been a new source of inspiration. Until I started mine, I did not realize how many were out there, available to assist the bride, the planner or any of the vendors in their wedding journey. I love the photos, color layouts and even writing styles. You get to know so much about a person by how their blog is situated and it is just a click away if you want your client to enjoy the content as well!

Lastly would be my portfolio. Being able to show bridal clients what I have done, what I can create and what other brides have chosen for their events is priceless.

What made you get started in wedding planning?
I attended PA Culinary in order to obtain a degree, not in culinary, but in hotel/restaurant management. Even during school I was drawn to only the dynamics of events and planning. While in college, I worked for an exclusive club in downtown Pittsburgh as part of the event planning staff. As I worked my way up the ranks there, I stayed true to my love of event planning. After transferring from PA to OH I was able to find a job as a Catering Director at another exclusive club. Weddings were my love, my pride and my joy. Through the years of working, I stayed with events but always just felt a deep connection with weddings. I love sharing those special moments, those once in a lifetime events with clients. It takes so much to make it perfect, but at the end of the day, it is always worth it!

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?
That’s the tricky part there, technology excluded. My husband, that’s a fair response right? He is sometimes in the office. He is supportive of every decision I make and is always available for last minute assistance on site and even for appointments. I was lucky to find a man who loved weddings (or maybe loves his wedding planner wife) as much as any man could. He’s even drive hours away to drop off items that I’ve needed for wedding shows and when a steamer broke on-site he showed up minutes later with a new one. Wrinkled dress crises avoided!

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?
Never stop learning and listening. This advice is for anyone in any field really though. As a planner, you can never know too much about the industry, about other vendors or even about other planners. Always be open to new advice, new styles and sometimes criticism. (of the constructive type, that is) Someone from California emailed me about the layout of my blog. Frankly, what they said was true and after I made a few of the changes they suggested, I actually got compliments on my “new blog layout.” Not much can be said for ignoring good advice.

Lastly, don’t be afraid of competition. There are 100’s of planners everywhere, find out what you are good at and be the best. Everyone planner has their own “specialty” and you just have to find yours. As long as you are good, there is nothing to feel threatened by as a wedding planner. Good planners stay good and when a better planner comes along, learn from them and then, yup, you’ll get better at planning too!

Day-of vs. Month-of Planning

2009-10-30T04:00:00.003-04:00

Here's another from the MasterPiece Weddings feature defining the difference between day-of and month-of planning. Be sure to check out the MasterPiece Weddings blog for the rest.

Written by Melissa, of MasterPiece Weddings:

I think there is a misconception as to what a Day Of Coordinator (or Month of...or whatever your planner calls it) and what a Full Service Wedding Planner can do to help you.

There are similarities and differences.

Both services will be there on your wedding day or organize and orchestrate your wedding day. And you get to work with a planner, but the similaries sort of end there.

If you have a Full Service Coordinator they will do the following, plus a TON more:

• Help with budget
• Review contracts and negotiate your contracts, make sure nothing is missing or duplicated
• Offer Vendor Recommendations
• Attend your meetings with your vendors (offer our opinions)
• Assist with décor
• Help with Set up and possibly breakdown
• Be “In-the-know” with every aspect of your wedding
• Create and extensive timeline for each vendor involved in your wedding
• Organize and Orchestrate your Rehearsal and Wedding Day
• More extensive time on the day of the wedding
• And Much, much more!

What can a Day Of Coordinator do for you:

• Be there on the day of your wedding and your rehearsal to organize and orchestrate your day
• Meet with you 1 or 2 times prior to your wedding
• Be there for a limited amount of time on your wedding day
• Create a timeline
• Coordinate your Ceremony

It really depends on what you need. How much you’ve planned.

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Mark Kingsdorf

2009-10-28T04:00:00.003-04:00

Mark Kingsdorf | Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants

Name: Mark Kingsdorf
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (service greater Philadelphia, southern New Jersey, and Delaware)
Company: The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants
Years in Business: February 2010 will be our 10th anniversary
Website: www.QOHweddings.com
Blog: www.QOHweddings.com/blog

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design...)?

We offer both Wedding Day Services and Full Service Event Design but specialize in Green/ Eco Friendly Weddings and Long Distance Planning

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

Nature, my culinary experience, photographers websites

Why did you get started wedding planning?

Totally by accident, I am a classically trained chef with catering background – was getting out of my restaurant and was asked by a photographer to speak with a client who was having problems with their caterer planning their wedding.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

My Emily Post Wedding Etiquette book - I still refer all the time

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

Take a part time job working for a catering company as a server…. You’ll learn about catering which makes up 50% of the average wedding budget and most of the wedding day, learn how long it takes to set up, serve and breakdown an event; as well as make some great connections not only with the catering company but with wedding professionals you’ll work with on events.

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Day-of Coordinator

2009-10-26T04:00:00.003-04:00

Recently over on our sister blog, MasterPiece Weddings, we held a "Planner Week" discussing topics surrounding planners and wedding planning. So, over the next few days, we would like to share with you some highlights from our post topics.

First up, what is a wedding coordinator? What do they do? Do you need one the day of?

Here's the post, written by Melissa and directed to brides...

There is a lot of controversy going around as to hire or not to hire someone to help you on your wedding day… and I wonder why.

Let me clarify, we are a wedding planning company in Gainesville, Florida. That is what we do…that’s all we do. Full Planning. Day Of. We’ll plan anything, anywhere. Anything on the Planet we can Plan It! But I digress.

Why do you need a Day of Coordinator, Month of Coordinator- whatever you call it… someone to help you on the day of or month of your wedding. You have your wedding planned, your contracted with all of your wedding vendors. Now what? You don't want your mom or Bestie to be running around making sure your details are handled...

Who is going to organize your wedding day, create your schedule for the day of your wedding, go over your contracts, make sure you and your fiancé – your mom can be guests at your party!

Who is going to open the door for you right before you walk down the aisle… hint – NOT your mom, she’s already seated.

Who is going to take care of THAT drunk guest at your wedding, that just so happens to be a prominent judge and is making a fool of himself and pulling down his pants on the dance floor – hint, NOT your mom!

Who is going to inform your caterer that they didn’t include the green beans on the buffet, or make sure your 2 Vegan guests can't be served a vegetarian meal… hint- NOT your mom!

I know you said that your fiancé can be the “point” man for your wedding day, but really, when it comes time to cut the cake, and you want 20 more minutes to mingle with your friends before, is he going to stop mingling to inform the caterer, the photographer, the videographer, the DJ or Band that you need more time, because by the time he does that, you’ll need another 40 minutes. Because he just wasted 20 informing everyone.

That’s our job, we do all of that and SO MUCH more, really… it’s worth the money…. I promise!

Does that make more sense as to what a wedding planner will be doing on the day of your wedding?

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Lisa Green

2009-10-21T04:00:00.001-04:00

Lisa Green | Anderson Green Events

Name: Lisa Green
Location: New York City
Company: Anderson Green Events
Years in Business: Established in 2007
Website: www.andersongreenevents.com
Blog: www.andersongreenevents.blogspot.com

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…)?
I specialize in ensuring that the bride is a bride and the groom is a groom on their wedding day. My services range from Day Of to Full Planning.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?
Photographers websites and blogs, Interior Design magazines and blogs and DIY projects I find around the web. I look at all the wedding blogs too but mainly for color inspiration.

What made you get started in wedding planning?
I LOVE planning and organizing. Planning parties, planning trips, planning just about anything. It drives my husband insane when I announce that we are having a dinner party, since I treat it like a royal affair. My mother worked in fundraising events, so I’d been exposed to planning events from a young age. After college I worked at Sotheby’s and then a hedge fund and realized that I wasn’t doing what made my happy {or let’s face it, what I was great at}. I had an opportunity to work for a planner and as they say, the rest is history! Out of chance / luck / destiny & the right timing, my firm was born. Its grown organically in two years and I am having the best time helping to create seamless and beautiful weddings.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?
Besides my office mates, Lulu and Max {my french bulldogs}, I would say SPACE. While I love certain technological advances that are wonderful and great, I still like pen and paper and being able to write notes and keep my day planner close to me. I also like space so I can spread out and work on projects ~ putting together welcome bags, or creating inspiration boards. Being cramped just doesn’t cut it for me!

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?
Research and know the industry inside and out. Do your homework. Know who the ‘key’ players are in every field. Without research, you’ll never be able to formulate new trends or to stay ahead of the curve. Read a ton of business books to educate yourself not only in weddings and event planning but in business overall. Don’t forget that while planning weddings is awesome, you need to also be schooled in accounting, filing, marketing, advertising and technology. Write a solid business plan. If you treat your business like a business and not a hobby, everyone will treat it that way too. And lastly, remember that timing is everything.

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Melissa DiStefano

2009-10-14T04:00:00.003-04:00

And now, the grand finale... an interview with the big cheese Melissa herself.

Melissa DiStefano | MasterPiece Weddings

Name: Melissa DiStefano
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Company: MasterPiece Weddings, MasterPiece Certified
Years in Business: 15
Website: www.masterpieceweddings.net | www.beaplanner.com
Blog: http://masterpieceweddings.blogspot.com | www.beaplanner.com

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

Blogs (none specific, because really, I can find inspiration in a Home Depot circular), Wedding Magazines, and my clients (for without them, I wouldn’t be…)

Why did you get started wedding planning?

You’ve probably heard this story before, and it’s sort of a funny story, I assisted a wedding planner while in High School, and she was the epitome of everything you DO NOT want to be as a wedding planner. She was feared and scary! I vowed to never be a wedding consultant if that is what it meant to be in this industry. When I moved away to go to school at The University of Florida (Go! Gators!) I assisted a fabulous couple that are wedding photographers – loved them! They taught me everything right about the wedding industry! I had a family emergency and moved back home for about a month and when I came back my job was filled. So, I got a job assisting another wedding photographer – complete 180! He was mean, and terrible – I worked 20 hour days and got paid $25 (for the whole day)! I came home from one August wedding, it was 102 degrees outside - I was exhausted, had sweat in places I didn’t know you could sweat in, and my poor husband had waited up for me. I walked into the front door and laid down – started to cry and said “I might as well just become a freakin’ wedding planner!” as he stumbled over me on his way to bed, he said “well, then just do it” – the rest is history.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

Gosh, this is a hard--- why do I ask this question! Okay, deep breaths… I would have to say Amanda – does that count? Or is that slave-like – but I pay her. So it should count, right? But really, seriously! Without Amanda and Erinn (now I am up to two things, I totally suck at this!) they are my left and right hands and I love them for their crazy mind reading abilities, and to know when something needs to get done, and just do it.

I love you guys!

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

READ.THIS.BLOG! And if I can be shameless… wait, it is my blog, I can be shameless.

No, seriously, get educated, take classes, take a course like www.beaplanner.com course. Get in the industry, learn from people. Don’t just say “Hi, I’m Sally, I’m a Wedding Planner," just because you totally loved planning your wedding. That’s not fair to the educated professional (can I stress PROFESSIONAL) wedding planners.

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Amanda B. Young

2009-10-07T04:00:00.003-04:00

Amanda B. Young | SWOONOVERIT, LLC

Name: Amanda B. Young

Location: Gainesville, Florida

Company: SWOONOVERIT, LLC and MasterPiece Weddings

Years in Business: The doors of SWOONOVERIT, LLC officially opened in April; MasterPiece has been in business for 15 years - I began working weddings for Melissa in July of 2008 and was brought on as a regular assistant in May of 2009.

Website: www.swoonoverit.com | masterpieceweddings.net

Blog: theblissfulbride.blogspot.com | masterpieceweddings.blogspot.com

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

This is hard because I can - and do - find inspiration in just about everything. Firstly, I am basically obsessed with wedding magazines. Perhaps it's the editor in me kicking in, but I love reading the articles and swooning over the gorgeous photos. I'm particularly obsessed with The Knot and Real Simple Weddings. But other than that I would say that mostly my best wedding inspiration comes from things that aren't wedding related: particularly interior design and fashion. I love exploring these fields and watching them translate into weddings and wedding trends.

Why did you get started wedding planning?

Because I realized I loved everything about weddings - from the fun things like florals and linens which appealed to my creative side to the nitty-gritty things like budgets and timelines which applied to my type-a personality. My first job was as a technical editor and was something that I loved, but it, unfortunately, had no appeal to fulfill my creative mind. When I discovered a world where I could have the benefits of both I knew, immediately, that it was for me.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

You're going to think I stole Erinn's response, but since we practically share a brain it shouldn't surprise you that we both had post-it notes as our answer. I love them. I have an entire drawer full of different sizes and shapes depending on my needs. And yes, I use them all.

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

Don't stop dreaming. I know, it's cliche. But, we are only limited by what we believe we can do. If you don't think you can do something then you probably won't be able to. So, approach every new situation with an open heart, an open mind, and a world of confidence.

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Preserving the Cake

2009-10-05T04:00:00.001-04:00

We have talked a lot about business advice on Be a Planner, but have not addressed much advice for the planning itself. So, this is one that we, as wedding planners, get all the time. And, unless you want to ruin the topper for your clients you should probably be prepared with this know-how as well; you'll inevitably be asked about this.

Preserving the cake topper is simple. That is, as long as you do it right.

Case in point:

Something was seriously wrong here.

[Source.]

First, you should carefully wrap the cake in layers of baking paper, then layers of foil. Then, place the cake in a plastic container and voila! Stick it in the freezer. That easy. When you remove it [probably a year later] you should pull it out about a week before eating to give it plenty of time to slowly thaw.

The secret is in the wrapping process. Many people will just throw it in tupperware and throw it in the freezer. This is a bad idea. This wrapping process does a good job at securing in the moisture of the cake and keeping the cake from getting freezer burn. I should know, after all, we just pulled out ours a couple months ago. And, I'll admit, it was almost as delicious as ever.

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Erinn Ryan

2009-09-30T04:00:00.005-04:00

Now that we've been posting "I'm a Planner" features for a while now, we thought it might be fun to give you all a little more insight into our office and staff at MasterPiece Weddings. We're kicking it off with Erinn, our fabulous intern.

Erinn Ryan | MasterPiece Weddings

Name: Erinn Ryan
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Company: MasterPiece Weddings
Years in Business: I've been working with MasterPiece Weddings since January 2009.
Website: www.masterpieceweddings.net
Blog: www.masterpieceweddings.blogspot.com

I also have a personal blog where I keep up with different events I am working as well as my own wedding plans: www.behindtheknot.com

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

I get the most wedding inspiration from places I have traveled to. I grew up in Lousiana so a lot of my inspiration comes from the deep south. Soulful city venues, good food, and big families is what I tend to grativitate towards and love the most. I love Martha Stewart magazines, design blogs, and high fashion accessories. But really, most of inspiration comes from keeping up with wedding trends and doing a lot of research on the internet.

Why did you get started wedding planning?

I'm in school for Event Management and worked at a ceremony venue and saw weddings every weekend. I loved working with the bride and seeing how all the planning comes together. I took a certification course with Melissa from MasterPiece and knew I needed to be in this industry right away. I started taking internships and working weddings from the planner perspective and have never looked back!

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

Post It's and Multi colored sharpies. I'm a list maker and if I don't write it down when I think of it, my thoughts would never follow through! Oh, and my Vera Bradley Day Planner because I don't trust an online calendar. What happens if one day it just wasn't there?! Too scary :)

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

Take the time to learn from different professionals in the area. As a new planner coming in to the industry, I'm constantly working with different vendors and asking questions on how their work is completed. I think it makes you appreciate the different aspects of weddings more and it's great to be able to recommend different people and details to your clients.

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

The Legal Nonsense

2009-09-28T04:00:00.004-04:00

In case last Monday's post confused you, or perhaps intrigued you, passing along one of my favorite business resources seemed like a good idea. If you're sifting through this business stuff... LLCs, corporations, trademarks, copyrights... and still cannot figure out which way is up, you need to check out my friends over at Legal Zoom (www.legalzoom.com). This site has, quite literally, everything you would need to sort through the details.

Not only will Legal Zoom provide you with the information to get you headed in the right direction, but they will even do it for you [for a price, of course]. And, the best part? Legal Zoom has a question center - even if you are not a client you can call or e-mail them your questions about business.

Do you have a favorite business resource? We'd love to hear.

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Christy Bareijsza

2009-09-23T04:00:00.001-04:00

Christy Bareijsza | The Red Carpet Events, LLC

Name: Christy Bareijsza, CMP, CMM

Location: Jersey City, NJ and Napa, CA

Company: The Red Carpet Events, LLC

Years in Business: Established 2001

Website: www.theredcarpetevents.com

Blog: www.theredcarpetevents.blogspot.com

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

For me, inspiration comes from numerous sources whether it's the excitement in a Bride's eyes when speaking about her favorite color or a particular flower, the desire to constantly re-invent designs and create an original and memorable event for each couple and finally the ability to be located in an area that has anything imaginable right at your fingertips to assist in the creative process.

Why did you get started wedding planning?

I branched out to wedding planning to help give couples a different approach to the planning process and allow them the same value and vendor accountability my corporate clients experience. I often feel social Clients are considered a "one time event" by most in the industry and aren't valued and treated correctly. By balancing the two areas of business and ultimately my expertise, the couples are able to benefit through our cross market of multi-event services, top-notch vendors and enticing discounts.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

My Chocolate Labrador, Cocoa

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

I recommend to all new planners to educate yourself and understand what you a contracting, especially with a venue. For most, that is the skeleton of your event and the majority of the Client's budget. If the contract is not negotiated correctly, due to the Planner not understanding the terminology and ultimately the consequences from it, it is your responsibility to amend that. Contracts are more then just pricing and concessions, and are not considered important by most until something truly goes wrong and you don't have negotiating leverage or legal repercussions to solve the situation.

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Sole vs. LLC and Other Business Jargon

2009-09-21T04:00:00.002-04:00

When creating a business, one of the first things that has to happen is to decide what type of business it will be. And by that I don't mean what you are going to do, I mean how you are going to file. You were planning on filing that money with the government, right?

For event planners there are a few options that steal the show:

The Sole Proprietorship: The sole proprietorship is for businesses owned by one person. It is the simplest and most prevalent type of business. It is also the easiest to set up - all assets and aspects of the company are owned by and the responsibility of one person. The downside? That one person bears the responsibility of any debts or liabilities of the company as well.

The Limited Liability Company (LLC): The LLC is an increasingly popular form of company. This company type combines the best worlds of a corporation and partnership through personal protection and tax benefits. Members are not held responsible for company debts. But the disadvantage is that they do tend to cost more to set up than the other types.

The S-Corp: The S-Corp has liability protection and single taxation - meaning the corporation's income or losses are passed through to the shareholders. It is, however, easier to set up than an LLC. The only difference here really is in record keeping procedures - essentially, it has a little more to do with formalities but might cost you a little more in filing.

Does that make sense? Did I miss anything? Ultimately, it's kind of a hard choice but it really depends on you and what you are looking for in your business. Obviously, business types vary greatly and, thus, so do the types of ways you can form them. The same thing won't be right for everyone. Your thoughts?

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Kathryn Kalabokes

2009-09-16T04:00:00.001-04:00

Kathryn Kalabokes | Dream A Little Dream Events

Name: Kathryn Kalabokes

Location: San Francisco, California

Company: Dream A Little Dream Events

Years in Business: 5 years (just celebrated in July!)

Website: www.dreamalittledreamevents.com

Blog: www.dreamalittledreamevents.blogspot.com

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?
The wine country. Just driving up there gets me inspired. The colors, the vineyards, the food and I guess the wine doesn’t hurt. I also love going to flea markets, antique stores and local street festivals to find really cool vintage finds. Plus, good old Martha Stewart Weddings may seem obvious, but I really do find creative inspiration through those pages.

Why did you get started wedding planning?
I started my business to get away from doing corporate events, which I had done for years, and get into social event planning. I had done a few bridal showers and birthday parties when I was asked to do my first wedding. I was so incredibly nervous. I had helped on numerous weddings while interning in the past, but running your own had a whole new feel to it. It was thrilling! I have never looked back.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?
A wooden cutout that was a flea market find that says “dream.” I look up at it often throughout my day to take a moment to breathe and remember what got me here, even when I’m having one of my most stressful days. It reminds me of my first tiny little office that you could barely walk through, and how all my hard work has taken me to where I am today.

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?
What I have seen is a lot of girls plan their own wedding, and then they go right into opening up their own business as a planner, without any training or business knowledge. A lot of money and time can avoid being wasted by taking a few months to shadow another planner in your area. Most are open to it, as I have had many come through my doors to ask my advice and work under me before taking the plunge of opening their own business. Once you decide that this is something you have the patience to do, then go for it! Do it the proper way though; get a business license, get insured, have a place of business operation, and please, above all else, don’t do this as a hobby. You will do your clients (and wedding planners as a whole) a huge disservice, and you will ultimately not reap the emotional rewards that this business offers.

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Become a Notary

2009-09-14T04:00:00.001-04:00

[Image Source]

You might be surprised. A notary? Why would you want to become a notary?

Well, Melissa of MasterPiece Weddings has, in the past year, utilized her notary public license at least a handful of times. In one case, the bride and groom's minister became unavailable at the last minute. Lucky for them, with MasterPiece Weddings coordinating things Melissa was able to step in and preside over the ceremony while I [with an assistant, of course] lined up and oversaw the processional.

In another case, the bride was so nervous that she decided being legally married ahead of time would relieve the stress. She and the groom-to-be arranged to meet Melissa mid-week, in her office, where Melissa said a few words, signed the paperwork, and sealed the deal.

Regardless of the situation, it's safe to say that as a wedding consultant Melissa has made use of her license far more often than she thought she would. While having a notary public license is far from required [or even expected!] in the wedding consulting world, it certainly acts as a cushion and a nice trick up your sleeve.

For more information, be sure to check out your state laws. For the State of Florida you can find out more information on the process here as well as a list of bonding agencies to help you with the application process here.

The Emergency Suitcase

2009-09-11T04:00:00.005-04:00

[Source]

Okay, so it might not be that big [though it certainly feels that way sometimes!], and, it's definitely not a Louis. But as planners, most people know that one of our famed assets is the emergency bag. But the real question is, what do you have in yours?

There are the typical standards that any planner should have and should know to have [bobby pins, hairspray, nailpolish remover, scissors, floral wire], but what items do we love that are not so well known? Here are a few:

Chalk: For touching up any stains or marks on the wedding dress. It's a quick fix that works well on nearly any material.

Pipecleaners: These are good for almost anything - jewelry repair, fixing items to pews, etc.

Black socks: You wouldn't believe how many groomsmen [and grooms!] forget theirs. The last thing you need is them going down the aisle in white ones [or without any!].

Gorilla tape: The super fix. This tape will stick on anything and is strong enough for even last-minute clothing repairs.

Velcro: Again, this can be used for anything - some options: afixing the runner to the aisle, additional clothing repairs.

Extra earring backs: You never know when you'll need them.

What about you? Do you keep anything interesting in your emergency bag or have you heard of/seen something interesting someone has kept in theirs?

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Katasha Butler

2009-09-09T04:00:00.003-04:00

Katasha Butler | K Sherrie+Company Planning Atelier

Name: Katasha S. Butler

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana and available WORLDWIDE

Company: K Sherrie+Company Planning Atelier

Years in Business: 2 years

Website: www.ksherrieco.com

Blog: www.theweddingworkroom.com

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…):

We specialize in full-service, custom planning for today's chic and discerning bride. We were the first planning firm in Indy to offer "couture and luxury" wedding planning. I can say, most of our brides contract with us for our style and aesthetic. We are very much into clean and modern style, yet, very detailed and personalized design. We make sure they guests leave saying--"Wow--that was so them!" or "Did you see that??"

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

Being that I'm a purveyor of all things stylish (!), I get my inspiration for wedding designs from everywhere. As of late, I find myself reading a lot of home interior blogs and retail furniture sites. Two of my current favs: Apartment Therapy Chicago and Horchow. For strictly wedding pretty, I really like Style Me Pretty and Southern Weddings blog. I usually never mark them "Mark as Read" in my Google Reader. And--that's more than three. . .sorry.

Why did you get started wedding planning?

I love throwing great parties! Parties that are very well put together and no small detail has been overlooked. And, really--a wedding is a great big party with extra meaning and feeling. This is what I used to daydream about while in pharmacy school. Then, whenever classmates got engaged, we would plan their weddings during class time. I've always known that I would be an entreprenuer. There is no better thing to work doing what you love to do and would do for free anyway.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

My hard bound notebook. All of my notes for almost every meeting I attend for any of my clients is in that notebook. It's very pretty and pink and green, of course!

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

Keep a 50,000-foot view of what most people are doing in the industry. Don't fall into the trap of only doing what so-called experts are doing--or in reality--telling you what to do and not doing it themselves. I've come to find there is a lot of "smoke and mirrors" in this industry and I excel when I do what I do best--and that's being Katasha. Every day. All day.

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Class Recap: Be a Planner

2009-09-04T04:00:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, you may recall that we held one of our seminar classes. So, during the course, I played photographer and snagged a few photos of some of the festivities. As you can see, the course is not only incredibly informative, but also fun.

Day One: Watching videos - including the legendary "what to do when you have 20 bridesmaids and 20 groomsmen?"

Melissa demonstrates how to properly dress a bride.

Melissa demonstrating how to assemble a bouquet.

Ashley (our summer intern) putting together an emergency boutonniere.

And a gorgeous cake courtesy of the fabulous Kathy of KB Kake Kreations.

And how cute are these two!?

[In case you didn't know - we're based out of Gainesville, FL - home of the gators!]

And, cake demolished after being taught how to properly cut and serve it.

Mmmmm. Cake eating time.

And some of Kathy's legendary Kake Truffles as we discuss alternatives to wedding cakes.

As you can see, we certainly have some fun over the course of our two-day jam-packed seminar. But, this is not to make it seem like it is all fun and games; we also discuss the business side of things and strategies for developing and maintaining your own. That part of the course just doesn't lend itself to much photo entertainment.

And don't forget: we're also offering the course again October 3-4 in Ocala, Florida. For more information check out this post or send us an e-mail (beaplanner {at} masterpieceweddings {dot} net).

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Saundra Hadley

2009-09-02T04:00:00.003-04:00

Saundra Hadley | planning...forever events

Name: Saundra Hadley

Location: Evansville, Indiana

Company: planning...forever events

Years in Business: 6 years

Website: planningforever.com

Blog: planningforeverblog.com

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…):We specialize in making sure our brides have a fabulous day and laugh while planning their wedding. However we do offer Wedding Day Management up to Full Service Planning, and separate Design/Decor services.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

Blogs (life style design and photographer blogs), hip TV show set designs (I'll watch a Real World episode just to see how they designed the house), and my clients (it amazes me how many talented and creative people there are; they just don't know how to pull it all together).

Why did you get started wedding planning?

All my friends were getting married (this is early 90's) and I did not want to have to buy the hideous bridesmaid's dresses that we were subjected to purchasing (dresses now are fun, funky and elegant). So I offered my skills to stand in the back and coordinate/direct vendors. VOILA! Worked like a charm and I fell in love with a career.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

My chocolate lab, Ranger. He loves everybody, licks my toes unexpectedly, a delight to hug which makes your stress just float away and gives me the needed breaks from my computer that I would normally forget to take.

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

Do not try to be every bride's planner. Instead be unique and draw on your own strengths that make you different from others. Some people won't get it, but most will respect you for being different (and sometimes envy).

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Kickback Question

2009-08-28T04:03:00.015-04:00

I'd like to open the floor for a question that came up from a photographer friend of mine. We recently mentioned the issue of ethical compensation, but Jemma raises a great point:

What about non-financial kickback, i.e. an assumption or understanding of future referrals on the part of whoever you have referred people to? Should one recommend a vendor based on the knowledge that this may then get them more referrals in return? Sometimes you know up front, like when your reception venue only works with certain caterers. If it is happening behind the scenes, would that be ethical?

What do you think? I'll tell you next week how I feel.

Photo Credit

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Karry Castillo

2009-08-26T04:00:00.002-04:00

Karry Castillo | Uniquely Yours Wedding & Event Specialist, Inc.

Name: Karry Castillo

Location: Central Florida and Florida’s East Coast

Company: Uniquely Yours Wedding & Event Specialist

Years in Business: 4 years

Website: http://www.uywedding.com/

Blog: http://uywedding.com/blog/

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…):
As a full service firm, we pride ourselves on offering fresh, inspired planning and design services for the modern bride. Every wedding brings a unique opportunity to bring a client’s wedding vision to life. Because of the diversity among brides in terms of the services they desire and require, we design custom packages for every client. The services that comprise a planning dossier are based upon the client’s specified needs. We offer a complimentary, initial consultation during which time we get to know our clients and have an opportunity to discuss the services they desire as well as the ones we recommend to make their planning experience seamless and successful. The consultation serves to inform the options that will be included in their package. The planning process is highly collaborative, as we partner with our clients to take their vision from inspirational concept to flawless presentation and execution, all the while providing creative advice and expert assistance throughout the planning experience. We offer full service planning and design, partial planning, wedding day management, consultation and referrals, guest attendance and menu tracking, and everything in between. Our experience spans from opulent, extensive celebrity affairs to the most intimate and simple of seaside destination weddings. We serve the entire state of Florida and are available for travel.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?
Wow, there are so many wonderful sources of inspiration that serve our design and planning processes. One of our favorites is the Pantone Color Report. The seasonal reports keep us on top of the coming color trends each season especially as they apply to fashion which is closely linked to the trends we see in the wedding market. Another source of inspiration comes directly from our clients. Their personalities, interests, history (both cultural and familial), and lifestyles offer so much in the way of inspiring design, menu options, entertainment, venue choices and more. We feel that it is important for each wedding to tell a story about the couple from their lives growing up within their families to their shared life together. The more information we can gather about our clients, the more we can assist in creating a wedding that is highly unique and memorable to them, one that truly reflects their story. Finally, we look to the blog world. From interior design and stationery, to custom designed gowns and wedding accoutrements, to those that feature incredible weddings and inspiration boards from around the globe, there are so many amazing blogs that can inform and breathe life into any element of wedding design.

Why did you get started wedding planning?
My initial experiences in the wedding industry involved musical performance. I was performing as a flutist in weddings on weekends while I taught elementary school during the week. From that position, I was able to experience the design and planning side as an intrigued observer. As a classroom teacher and school administrator, planning both short and long range goals and objectives were second nature. My last position in the schools required extensive communication within the community for fundraising and neighborhood activities. It also required the organization and planning of all major events both academic and social, including the opening of the school. When the opportunity came for me to take maternity leave and resign from full time academia, I decided to explore the wedding market further - specifically focusing on wedding planning. I spent several months researching the industry, visiting with wedding professionals, and attending seminars before I decided to take an accredited course for wedding planners. As a planner I could utilize and meld my creative talents and planning skills to the benefit of clients who rely on my assistance and expertise to make their lives easier and their wedding day memorable; and as a business owner I could organize my environment to allow more job flexibility and time to focus on raising my young children.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?
I could not live without my linen swatch books and rental product catalogs. They are an essential part of each wedding, and I refer to them daily as we explore design and décor options and make budget related decisions.

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?
I would recommend you invest much time and attention to researching and understanding every facet of the industry from how to successfully operate a new business to partnering with the spectrum of wedding professionals with whom you will be involved. Invest in a wedding planning course, and get a solid educational background in planning and entrepreneurial skills before you start working with clients. Planning a wedding is not the glorified shopping spree that many new planners, mostly those that have just planned their own weddings, think it is. It is hard work, and you are taking someone’s most important day into your hands. There are no do-overs. Be prepared to develop the skill of negotiation, a sweet disposition and team building approach for working with other wedding professionals and client families, an ability to handle rejection, and a can-do attitude to deal with the pressures of things that may potentially go wrong. Be prepared to sweat on wedding day and for goodness sake, out of respect for the hard work of those that have come before you, do not copy the efforts, brand, or trademark products/services of other planners – find your own creative niche within the market. Yes, that was more than one recommendation! I love my job and wouldn’t trade my experiences as planner for anything. It has been an amazing career thus far. I have the best clients in the world, and look I forward to partnering with future couples to make their weddings all they have imagined and more!

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Vitamin B!tch

2009-08-24T03:42:00.003-04:00

When working with various wedding professionals you need to be nice. End of story. Period.

This goes without saying. But more times than not, I hear from catering managers or photographers that tell me that after working with Joe Schmo Planner, they are appalled at their attitude and how rude they were!

Really!?!?! Is it necesary to take your Vitamin B!tch pills?

Make since, play nice, share your toys! You are going to have to work with these people again and again, and the quickest way to not get a referral is to be mean. To be not nice. To keep your composure.

Remember, more than anything, if you are stressed out, do not run off and cry, do not scream and yell at anyone, do not take it out or talk in a patronizing voice to any staff members - be professional, that is our job!

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Andria Lewis

2009-08-19T04:00:00.002-04:00

Andria Lewis | Andria Lewis Events

Name: Andria Lewis
Location: Based in Memphis, Tennessee serving Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas
Company: Andria Lewis Events and Studio IV (design services)
Years in Business: I've been a planner for 13 years. I've had my company for four and a half years.
Website: www.andrialewisevents.com
Blog: www.theplannerpages.com

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…):

We specialize in the experience for brides. Therefore, we offer planning and design services and we offer linen rentals. We also work with a fabulous stationery designer out of New Jersey for custom paper pieces for all of our brides.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

My first favorite is the mind of my bride. We take what she wants and marry that with the practical and tradition to create the best wedding environments. As for tangible inspiration (on color mostly) I get that from nature and people watching (interesting patterns in clothing). I found the most beautiful redish-yellow flower recently that I snapped a photo of with my Blackberry. I'm saving it for just the right design for a bride.

Why did you get started wedding planning?

I realized 13 years ago when a relative asked me to help plan their wedding that doing that encompassed all the talents that I wanted to use. Logistics planning (I am a Logistical Queen), planning, design, working with varying people on a daily basis, project management. And, to be truthful, because I like to run things. A little bit of control-freak is needed for a wedding planner. Seriously.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

My new event assistant Brittany!

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

My biggest piece of advice is make sure you can handle that this is not a glamorous career. A lot of times I hear that newlywed brides enjoyed planning their wedding so much, they've decided this is what they want to do. Sometimes, those brides had a wedding planner themselves, which means they didn't get the full experience of ALL we do. Someone else was doing all the grunge work for them. And for those who did do the planning themselves, they only planned that one wedding. Ask yourself, can you plan 6-7 weddings at the same time and be efficient and all you need to be for your client? This career requires a lot of multi-tasking and a lot of personality differences. You NEED to be able to handle that without blinking. Then there is the business aspect of what you do. P&L statements, inventory, employees, payroll, vendors, networking. It's all a part of it. I encourage new planners to consider it all. But, I wouldn't trade what I do for the world! It's the best job ever!

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Give Credit where Credit is Due!

2009-08-17T04:00:00.001-04:00

One of my biggest pet-peeves is seeing an amazing inspiration board and then no credit to the where those amazing images came from.

Or when someone posts something on their blog and uses a video or an image that isn't theirs and not crediting the image.

This is copyright infringement! Those pictures belong to whomever bought them or took them, and you need to credit that photographer or the site you stole that image from. Most photographers would love to have you post their images to your site or blog, but if no one knows who took that picture, then it isn’t fair to them.

So please, be kind. Link back to who took that picture. It’s only fair, and it’s only legal!

We Have a Winner: Signed Southern Weddings

2009-08-14T04:00:00.003-04:00

Because we know the suspense is killing you, our random winner for the signed copy of Southern Weddings is...

And comment #6 was Cynthia, who said....

Congratulations Cynthia! Please e-mail us at beaplanner {at} masterpieceweddings {dot} net for more information on claiming your prize.

And a huge thank you to everyone who participated!

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Terrica

2009-08-12T04:00:00.013-04:00

Terrica | Fabuluxe

Name: Terrica (you know, like Cher...Madonna... ;) )

Location: Golden Isles, Georgia (a combination of three Georgia islands: St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Sea Island and Little St. Simons Island)

Company: Fabuluxe

Years in Business: 5.5 years

Website: www.fabuluxeinc.com

Blog: www.fabuluxeblog.com

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…):

We specialize in producing fabulous events at any level of service. We provide custom service collections that are reflective of the clients' needs. Since we are in a destination wedding market, we cater to long distance clientele who are looking for contemporary, stylish and expert advice, so this could be a variation of month of coordination (I truly believe there is no such thing as "day of coordination"), full service planning or consulting.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?

Fashion magazines (W, Vogue, Bazaar), Lowes (I know that sounds insane, but true), and different eras and periods (music, fashion, etc.).

Why did you get started wedding planning?

I eloped and wanted to plan a more fabulous wedding later. Each time we would get started, something would come up. I began to get to know the local vendors who encouraged me to look into it as a career. And here we are.

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?

Pictures. I have pictures of my husband, kids and clients all around my desk. They keep me motivated. It really helps on those days when you feel like you can't take another "no", set back or "I-just-can't- do-it-today-because-my-hair-is-a-mess" day, to know that other people depend on and love you for who you are and your talent. When you realize it's not all about you, it is so much easier for you to get around whatever it is getting you down.

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

Sit at the feet of the leaders so that it is possible to stand on their shoulders as you become successful. New planners can avoid so much heartbreak, rejection, lost time and squandered money if they take the time to listen to those planners who are eager to help the new generation coming through. It is always my school of thought that we (as planners) should all help each other, because it benefits us as a whole as an industry. If I help Jane in Chicago, and she provides exemplary service to her client, Jane's friends and family will say "Wow, her planner was on her A game. I think we will get one for our wedding". And who knows, that friend or family member may come to my area to get married. So while we are reflective of each other when we do something positive, the same can be said if something negative occurs, so it is our job to make sure that our singular occupational reputations are positive. Learn all you can, read as much as you can (a good wedding planner will not have her head in bridal magazines who discuss trends on their way out) or watching TV shows for inspiration). They are studying fashion and culinary arts, reading business books on sales, marketing and service, and creating trends for other people to copy. Talk to those in the trenches, and soak up any knowledge made available to you-- and remember to give back when it is your time to help a new planner. And secondly, just be fabulous. From your head to your feet: your image, your brand, your voice... all of you. Anything worth doing is worth doing right-- so go fabulous or GO HOME.

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Ethical Compensation

2009-08-10T04:00:00.004-04:00

As a Planner this question comes up often from clients, if I pay you a set Package or Collection price, do you make money elsewhere?

Or if you are charging by the hour, do you track time to read an email, talk on the phone, do you count driving time, what if you get stuck in traffic? Do you charge me for that time too?

Do you take a kick-back or a commission from other wedding professionals I've hired or that you recommend?

Do you up-charge any of the proposals you send me?

Well, these are tough questions and over the next week or so we are going to talk through them, and I'd like your opinions as well. So, please post your comments...

First up, let's talk ethics, is it ethical to not tell a prospective client or a client that you are receiving a kick-back? Is it ethical to even take a kick-back? Lots of planners do (we don't and never ever ever will) but does the client have a right to know that you are receiving compensation elsewhere?

What do you think?

Giveaway: Signed Southern Weddings EXTENDED

2009-08-07T04:00:00.001-04:00

After careful consideration, we have decided to extend the deadline for the giveaway of the signed copy of Southern Weddings premiere edition.

You have nothing to lose and copy of the gorgeous mag signed by Editor-in-Chief Lara Casey herself to win! So what are you waiting for? More details here.

The new deadline to enter is Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 11:59 EST.

Next Be A Planner Class! :: BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

2009-08-06T03:47:00.006-04:00

We are so excited to announce our next class, October 3 & 4 in Ocala, Florida at the Gorgeous Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club!

This is an intense two-day class, where you will learn the ins and outs on how to:

The Significance of your role as a planner
How to create a wedding day timeline
Budget Supervision
Social Etiquette
Wedding Attire
Conducting and Orchestrating a Rehearsal
Emergency Production
Starting a Business
Working with Vendors
The Art of Branding your business
Wedding Trends and Traditions
Establishing your Business
Developing your Style
Establishing your Fees and Services
Contracts
Artful Negociations
And Much, Much, Much, Much more!!!

This class we are including Breakfast and Lunch both days. We are limiting attendance to 20 students, we want to be able to provide one on one attention.

We will also announce 2 amazing guest speakers that you will enjoy and really learn the meat and potato's of your business from.

If you have been in business for 8 years, just thinking of getting into the event planning industry, or are thinking of a change of careers, I give you my personal guarantee you will learn something incredible in this class!

{click to enlarge}

I'M A PLANNER ON BE A PLANNER: Aletha VanderMaas

2009-08-05T04:00:00.015-04:00

On Be a Planner, we have decided to implement a new feature entitled "I'm a Planner" where we will feature some of the most fabulous wedding planners from around the country. Every week, we will ask planners questions about their business and how they got started and have them share some of the best tips that they have learned along the way.

So without further ado, we would like to begin with one of our very favorite people in the wedding industry, the lovely Aletha VanderMaas.

Aletha VanderMaas | Pearls Events

Name: Aletha VanderMaas
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Company: Pearls Events
Years in Business: Two
Website: http://www.pearlsevents.com/
Blog: http://www.pearlseventsblog.com/

What do you specialize in (Day of Coordination, Full Service Design…):
Event planning, with partial planning being our most popular.

What are your three favorite sources of wedding inspiration?
Bride & Bloom magazine, photography blogs, and Martha Stewart.

Why did you get started wedding planning?

After years of working in the food industry, retail and publishing, I was ready to ditch the gray cubicle and work with brides. I've always had an interest in consulting clients, and with my love of the bridal industry, it all just came together with Pearls Events. After years of dreaming of being a wedding planner, it because a reality on October 6, 2007 when I coordinated our first wedding. I haven't looked back since!

What is one thing in your office that you could not live without, technology excluded?
My Yorkie, Olive. She sits with me in there every single day and makes me smile. She's a great little addition to my day.

If you could make one recommendation to a new planner, what would it be?

Just do it! All those crazy ideas swimming around in your head can turn into your dream job. Don't settle for second best - if you're going to start a business, do it and make a name for yourself by doing it better than anyone else. And - good luck :)

Would you like to be featured on Be a Planner? Please see our "Be Featured" link on the right-hand column for further instructions. Submissions will be accepted at our discretion.

Selling Yourself

2009-08-03T04:00:00.004-04:00

Written by Amanda B. Young, Associate for MasterPiece Weddings:

Often one of the most dreaded, but most necessary, parts of wedding planning: selling yourself. After all, what is the business of wedding planning if not selling yourself? You are not providing your clients with a product or something tangible that they can see (decor), taste (cake), smell (flowers), or hear (music). So then, one might wonder, what exactly are you providing them with?

The fact is there is no one conclusive right answer for that. Yes, you are providing a service. But really, I would say you are providing them with confidence. Confidence that they have someone who knows what they are doing. Confidence that should anything go wrong they have someone there to fix it. Confidence that you will help keep them within or near their budget. And confidence that, at the very least, you will be there for them.

The fact is, however, that many - if not all - wedding planners own a variety of books on event management and weddings. But, how many do you think own books on sales?

Well, if you do not have one (or a few) you should seriously reconsider. Sales is quite possibly the pillar of the business. And, if you have been wondering why you aren't booking clients, this would be an excellent place to start.

Our first recommendation? Check out Saundra Hadley. (Remember? We talked about how much we love her before.) Read her blog. Memorize her blog. Follow her tips. Other than that these are some of our favorite sales reads:

Know of any others? We'd love to hear them.

Saundra Hadley: Sales Guru

2009-07-31T04:00:00.011-04:00

Written by Amanda B. Young, Associate for MasterPiece Weddings:

One of the most important aspects of wedding planning is learning how to sell yourself. This is an essential element [essential enough that we will most definitely cover it more thoroughly in another post] but today, we wanted to introduce you to our favorite expert on this.

Saundra Hadley (@planningforever) is a well-known, established wedding planner who is also an amazing speaker and sales coach. Recently, she launched http://www.saundrahadley.com/ to showcase these talents.

Her new blog, in our opinion, has some of the best industry business advice out there. Recently, she has covered topics like where to meet for sales consults, selling in a recession, and not taking sales personally. And, since you will not make any money without selling yourself in some capacity, we strongly suggest that you check her out because, well, we love her.

The Site Visit

2009-07-29T04:00:00.014-04:00

Written by Amanda B. Young, Associate for MasterPiece Weddings:

If you have been in or introduced to the event industry for any length of time you should be somewhat familiar with "the site visit." Obviously, site visits are critical when you will be working some place you have never been before. They allow you to get a gauge for space, layout, flow, and also potentially meet with the people you will be working with on-site.

But also, something you may not have considered - site visits can be valuable networking tools. Try visiting a site where you have not worked a wedding before but would like to. Remember to be reasonable, and pick places that would be feasible or likely for your typical clients to be interested in. For example, if you typically service low budget brides, touring a mansion would not be in your best interest. Exploring a venue that has potential for your clients will not only give you one more place to recommend (or steer clear from, if your experience there is not positive), but also give you one more place that might refer your services.

So, when you go, put yourself in the shoes of the bride - ask questions that your brides would want to know about the venue:

How many people can it accommodate?
What is the pricing for the venue? For the food, if applicable?
What other rules and regulations do they have? (For example, can they bring in outside catering? What about an outside cake?)
If applicable, what kind of room set up options are there?
If applicable, where would the dance floor go?

And so on. Also, if you can, take photos. Photos from your experience will be a lot more real and convincing to your clients because they aren't the contrived ones from their website or marketing materials. Additionally, it will help you jog your own memory - what color were the walls? What was the flooring like?

Recently, the MasterPiece Weddings team made a site visit of our own to the lovely Black Diamond Ranch. Find out more about our visit here.

Giveaway: Signed Southern Weddings

2009-07-27T04:00:00.001-04:00

Are you ready for this? Be a Planner is thrilled to announce that we are giving away one copy of the gorgeous Southern Weddings magazine. But not just that...

...the copy is signed by Ms. Lara Casey herself.

To enter, comment on this post by Wednesday, August 5th at 11:59PM explaining why you deserve it or what you would do with it. The winner will be randomly selected on August 7th.

We Recommend: Aspire to Plan

2009-07-24T04:00:00.000-04:00

As often as possible we like to add new and helpful links of the best resources on wedding planning and the event industry. Recently, we stumbled across Aspire to Plan and could not love it more.

Aspire to Plan is a blog very similar to our own, featuring important ideas, facts, and tips about being an event consultant and owning a small business in the event industry. We are totally loving the recent posts "Do You Speak Accounting?" and "Getting Your First Client."

As you will see, we promptly added it to our "Fantastic Resources" section, and, well, we think you should bookmark it too.

So, do you have any fabulous sites or blogs about becoming a planner, being in the event industry, or owning a small business that you think we should check out? We would love to know.

Wedding Grammar

2009-07-22T04:28:00.008-04:00

Written by Amanda B. Young, Associate for MasterPiece Weddings:

Just at the outset of this post you are probably laughing. Grammar? What does grammar have to do with weddings? But, let me assure you, having good grammar is nothing to laugh about.

You see, the way you speak and write (both formally, as in contracts, and informally, as in e-mails) reflects not just yourself but also your business. Someone with bad grammar, excessive typos, and blatant misspellings throughout their communications looks careless and, ultimately, ignorant. And, as an event consultant where you need to be confident, look composed, and possess excellent communication skills, the last thing you want people to think is that you are ignorant.

So, while I am not going to recap all the things you should have learned in your youth (it's/its, you're/your, their/they're/there, etc.) I will cover a few wedding essentials that, as someone in the industry, you simply must get down.

..........

officiant: Notice this people. It is O-ffic-I-ant. Not efficient. Not officant. In fact, when you type it in Microsoft Word it will still tell you that it is spelled wrong unless you add it to your dictionary, but don't let this throw you off - it starts with an "o" and has two "i's" in there.

boutonniere: This one kills me. As Americans, I'm pretty sure we're grossly incapable of spelling things from the French language. I'm not sure why this is or how to help it. It just is. Regardless, "boutonniere" is one of these unfortunately hard-to-remember words.

hors d'oeuvres: We have an ongoing joke in the office about how to spell this. But as far as breaking it down for you? I can do nothing but refer you to the incomparable Bespoke blog post Ordervz anyone? which is absolutely legendary in my geeky grammar-loving mind.

stationary vs. stationery: The first spelling [with an "a"] means it isn't moving - the item is "stationary." The second refers to the paper goods and products we all know and love.

aisle/isle/I'll: You might think this one is obvious but the number of times I have seen these interchanged is too scary to discuss. "Aisle" refers to the wedding aisle. Aisle of a grocery store. But then, if you are going on an exotic vacation you might visit an "isle." And, of course, when you say "I'll tell you about grammar" you are using a contraction of the words "I" and "will."

..........

Capeesh? Did I miss anything? Do you have any blatant spelling or speaking faux-pas that just drive you nuts?

Tour Our Studio

2009-07-20T04:31:00.003-04:00

Written by Amanda B. Young, Associate for MasterPiece Weddings:

In light of our recent studio talk, we thought you might want to see ours. So, here are our very non-professional photos.

The warm but neutral palette of reds, greens, and browns give the office a sophisticated but comfortable feel.

Also, we are huge fans of The White Box studio (seen below). Aside from the obvious reasons, we also love it because it is so different from our own and yet so beautiful as well. Check out this fabulous space.

The clean gray and white tones of the studio are so very elegant and bridal. And all that white furniture? Gorgeous!

So, what would your studio look like? Would you incorporate your personality into it or would you try to use the decor to convey a certain feeling to your clients?

Have you been dreaming about decorating your studio since you decided to get into the industry or is it something you won't think about until you have one?

Blind Cake Tasting

2009-07-17T04:26:00.002-04:00

Written by Amanda B. Young, Associate for MasterPiece Weddings:

At MasterPiece Weddings, one of the fun things we get to do for our clients is set up blind cake tasting. Doing this is helpful for them because it allows them to go into it completely unbiased. Regardless of any preconceived notions about the bakers or bakeries, they will be able to pick the cake that they feel truly tastes the best.

As consultants, we take into consideration their budget and overall style and call around as to what bakers would be willing and able to participate on the decided day that the tasting is to take place. Unless the client has something really specific in mind, we try to cover the realm of options from Publix to Baker Extraordinaire and everywhere in-between.

On the day of, we gather the cakes, label them with numbers, and keep a legend of which cakes came from where.

Then, we provide our clients with a cake tasting sheet giving them plenty of things to think about the cake itself. We instruct that they taste each piece bit by bit:

First, they should taste the filling on it's own: How is the flavor? How do you like it? How does it make your mouth feel?
Then they should taste the icing on it's own: How does it taste? Is it sweet enough? Too sweet? Does it leave an aftertaste? Do you like the flavor?
Then they should taste the cake on it's own: Is it baked to perfection? How does it make your mouth feel?
Then, finally, they should taste all of the components together. Are they the perfect combination? Is there anything you would change? Does it taste like heaven in your mouth?

And, as a consultant, the fun isn't over until you get the phone call with the final results and get to tell them where each was from.

Oftentimes, people do not realize how much weight they give to their assumptions about different bakers and are pleasantly surprised when they find out the cake they chose may have even been the least expensive.

Seriously, how much fun does this sound?

Studio vs. No Studio

2009-07-14T04:01:00.002-04:00

Written by Amanda B. Young, Associate for MasterPiece Weddings:

One of the first issues that many wedding planners face when they are new to the biz is whether they should have a studio. You know, brick-and-mortar. A place to call home. Or something like that. The fact of the matter is that this is not something to take lightly; whether you have a studio or not can drastically affect the nature (not to mention the finances) of your business.

Source.

What many people do not think about is that having a wedding planning studio is kind of like having a "home base." It is where your clients can meet with you and where clients may drop by unannounced. It has a fair share of perks:

Provides a professional and comfortable environment to meet with your clients with everything at your fingertips
Allows you to demonstrate your creativity and convey your taste and general sense of style to your clients
Keeps all of your work things together potentially eliminating the need for a home office
Gives you a good professional mailing address - as a side note, you should never ever give clients your home address
Gives you a place to focus on work - minimizing the distractions of pets, children, and home needs that you might find when working from home

But, with great perks comes great responsibility. Having a studio is anything but cheap. Not only do you have to pay the cost of rent and upkeep, you also face the cost of decorating and furnishing as well as monthly phone, electric, and internet bills. Opening a studio is anything but to be taken lightly.

The good news? Many planners operate efficiently (and successfully, I might add) without them. In today's day and age it is anything but unusual to meet with a wedding planner at a coffee shop or some place similar. Plus, it gives you a neutral ground where you can also indulge in your favorite beverage.

Welcome to Our Official Re-Lauch!

2009-07-13T04:30:00.003-04:00

We are thrilled and excited to announce the official re-launch of Be a Planner. As you may have noticed, the logo and site itself recently received a huge overhaul, and we have all kinds of goodies in store for the future of the blog.

We will be your one-stop-shop for advice on being in the wedding planning business, planning tips and tricks, and the best planner finds to make Be a Planner a top resource for event professionals.

Think of Be a Planner as the place to go for everything planning-related if you are new to the business, starting out in business, branching out into event planning, or a seasoned Professional. We promise to deliver educational information in a format that is easy to understand and we will offer real life advice.

So, if you are a planner, are thinking of becoming a planner, or have ever wanted to be a planner make sure you bookmark us!

Another Class!

2009-06-22T17:37:00.003-04:00

Thrilled to announce that Be a Planner will be offering another certification class in July in Gainesville, Florida. The class will be held July 25-26, 2009 from 8AM-5PM both days at the beautiful Sweetwater Branch Inn.

This class is a two day course, basically it is a very intense, but enjoyable, two days filled with everything you need to know about planning an event. It is like having a degree in event planning with a major in wedding planning. We feel that you could walk out of the class with enough knowledge to plan and direct a wedding on your own, or for a company without a second thought. And if you are already in the industry it will give you the credentials as well as some of the tricks to the trade including how to work with a difficult client and how to meet and exceed the needs of your current clients. It is a fun weekend, filled with tons of information that will be super valuable to you whether or not you decide to pursue a career in this industry.

We talk about how to handle those simple but unique details to suit even the most extravagant requests, the proper way to cut a wedding cake, how to dress a bride, working with vendors, how to acquire contacts, how to receive referrals, how to work with a client, how to acclimate to new location, how to start a business, and A LOT MORE! This course has been approved through the Department of Education, and we are very excited to bring it back to Gainesville.

So please don't hesitate to contact us at info {at} MasterPieceWeddings {dot} net for more information and to join us in the fun!

Part II

2008-11-03T11:16:00.005-05:00

{Kristin, Melissa, Amanda}

{The continuation of Kristin's journey}

Fast forward about four months…welcome to June, the busiest month of the year for MasterPiece Weddings! We had 5 weddings in a row! What a great experience, this month taught me more about the personal implications that come with being a wedding planner. Not only was I incredibly exhausted, but I wasn’t sure if I was going to come out of the month with a boyfriend either…you seriously have no personal time in a jam packed month like June. It was so much fun, so much work and such a great experience that I wouldn’t trade it for anything (and of course, my boyfriend understood!).

That month, I did my very first wedding all by myself and learned that cheesecake at a Summer wedding in Florida is never a good idea among other things (you can read the blog post about that wedding here). I also learned that I will never do another wedding at what we affectionately call the “venue palace” and that, as a wedding planner, it’s a very strange feeling to be photographed at a rehearsal or wedding day.

Those were just a couple of examples of the big things that happened that month which brings us to July, which is when I got to take the MasterPiece Weddings Certification Course (MWC). Wow! What an informative, interactive, fun thing to do. I thought I knew a lot (I had learned from the best!) but there is always more to soak in, it was particularly helpful to learn about owning your own business. Being a small business owner is a lot more than a pretty sign on your door and a couple of clients. If you are thinking about becoming a wedding planner, you should definitely consider becoming certified (and if you’re in the area, we are hosting another course in November!)

With August brought Graduation – the end to my internship with MPW but the beginning of my big girl job with MPW!!! I couldn’t have been more thrilled about working with Melissa and the rest of the MasterPiece Weddings staff. I love the Gainesville bridal market, the vendors are all so sweet and easy to get along with and FABULOUS at what they do! I’ve managed to stick around for another six months and help plan our upcoming weddings along with Let’s Eat Cake!

I am excited to see what is to come here at MasterPiece Weddings, great things are happening! Melissa has been the best mentor a hopeful wedding planner can have, I am so blessed that God put her in my life as a boss, mentor, teacher and friend!

Evolution Part 1

2008-10-28T16:57:00.000-04:00

Kristin (aka Bossy Associate) has been with us for more than a year now. She started off with a love of events, and a passion that I don't find too often. For us it's been an incredible journey. I asked Kristin to write a post of two for me about her journey. And that series starts now.

First of all, I am “that” girl who has been planning her own wedding since I knew what high heels were…just waiting around for the perfect “Ken” aka my groom to come into my life. Never in a million years did I think that I could plan other people’s weddings as my profession! Fast forward about 15 years when I was a junior in college looking for a place to do my field experience (pre-internship required by my University program), I came across Melissa and MasterPiece Weddings on the list of approved locations and immediately got all giddy and knew that I just had to interview! Melissa offered me a position on the spot…which I have since learned is unheard of, it was fate!

So this began my journey…I was determined to learn everything that I could in those short 100 (more like 200!) hours as a field experience student. My first task was to create a list of rehearsal dinner options in Tampa for one of our clients. Seriously, I must have spent 6 hours of my time researching this. My boyfriend thought I was crazy, but I could not-would not turn in anything less than perfect. Melissa said it was exactly what she was looking for and the best work she has received in a long time! YESS!!! It all paid off! I have been that way ever since (even with this “assignment”)!

I was able to sit in on numerous meetings, all types including new client meetings, follow-up meetings, detail meetings and many, many, more! I learned something new at each and every one, taking in the excitement of wedding planning, the stress and heartache (usually over budget) and the way Melissa dealt with our clients.

No matter what, no matter how large the problem, there was always a solution, ALWAYS! I learned that many times we are not just wedding planners, but the best friend, a mediator, a psychiatrist, a CPA, and many more! It is our job to be there to answer questions, calm nerves, offer advice, cut costs, give recommendations and most importantly be excited with the bride and groom about their big day!

More on Kristin tomorrow!

What I've Learned

2008-10-21T15:13:00.002-04:00

I know this blog has been slow, but don't you worry, we are about to make a big over-haul add tons of resources and pick up a ton of steam! So tell your friends and neighbors!

First, I wanted to share with you some insight from on of our brand spanking new interns Sharilyn. Sharilyn attends The University of Florida, where they have an Event Management degree! And part of her degree is that she must complete 100 hours with a company specializing in her field. That's us.

After taking many event management courses at UF and speaking with number of planners and professors, everything that I was learning seemed to be pointing me towards one general consensus; it’s a lot of hard work. What I’ve learned from Melissa and MasterPiece Weddings is that, yes, it is in fact it is a lot of hard work; however, at the same time, it is also incredibly rewarding. Although I have only worked at MasterPiece Weddings for a short time, I can honestly say that I have truly valued what I have learned thus far. In order to excel in this field or in any, I believe you need to surround yourself with people who are passionate and compassionate; that is what I have found to be true here. It has been such a great experience to work with both weddings and with the “Let’s Eat Cake!” charity event.

I have found that when I am given an assignment, I am also given free range and encouraged to use my creativity; through this I have learned a lot about myself. Although my assignments have been important, and greatly appreciated, I think where I have learned the most is by observing. When I look at Melissa, I know that she has about 800 thoughts that she is juggling in her head, but somehow she manages to stay organized enough to get everything done, while remembering to ask me how my weekend was. I know you can’t really teach someone how to remain calm and organized, but watching Melissa and knowing that it is possible to successfully run a business and plan a huge charity event is definitely an encouragement.

I think my favorite part of this job is sitting in on client meetings. I love looking at the clients as they walk through the door during that first meeting and just knowing how overwhelmed they seem to be. Slowly but surely as the meeting progresses you can sense the sigh of relief and know that burden has been lifted off of their shoulders. I have learned from Melissa that it is important to make your clients feel special, comfortable, and let them know that anything is possible! I have also learned that the relationship you form with your client is almost as important as the event you plan for them. Once you realize that a couple has put their faith in you to help them plan the wedding of their dreams, it is only natural to form a special bond with them.

-Thanks Sharilyn for your really kind words, and honesty!!! Be looking for more great insight, and a fun class we are teaching tomorrow!!!

Brittany's First Wedding

2008-10-13T17:19:00.002-04:00

Brittany was one of my first interns, we in-turn made her an associate of MasterPiece Weddings, her bio can be seen here. Then Brittany got pregnanted, and she moved to Jacksonville - she had a beautiful little girl, Charlotte.

And now Brittany is all growed up herself, and is working weddings and totally rocking it! (and by chance is pregnant again!!! Must be the water in Jacksonville!) I asked her to document her first wedding for our blog... so without further ado, here's Brittany!

So this was the first "full service" wedding I've done. The groom is a co-worker of Jared's so that's how they found me. The bride was in Panama City Beach in the Air Force and knew she would have a hard time planning it all on her own from there, so she wanted the "Platinum Wedding Planning" package! And at $800, I was a steal, though I do feel like I earned every little bit of that! She wasn't demanding or high maintenance by any means, but she did need a lot of help since she was only in Jax a weekend here and there.

The pre-planning adventures included making countless appointments with dj's and florists. One dj actually showed up to the consultation with a diamond encrusted grill in his mouth. I wish I was joking about that one. I also made lots of phone calls to get room blocks at hotels (the Omni in downtown didn't have any rooms because of a barbershop quartet convention... again I'm not joking), timings for tastings, and quotes for linens. They decided last minute they wanted chair covers and table runners, and it's a good thing they did because the room wouldn't have looked the same without them. The chairs the yacht club has are gold with blue seats... barf! I found the company that gave me the cheapest quote for what she wanted, we went to the place and put the order in for brown covers and runners, then a couple days later were told that they didn't have enough in brown. So I called what was the second cheapest place I found and somehow they ended up being $100 less for what she ended up getting. I'm still not sure how that worked out, but Connie Duglin was the way to go.

The wedding day started out with me picking up the cookies for the kids' table centerpiece. I was going to snag one if there were any left over at the end of the night, but those darned kids loved all that sugar and I didn't get one :( I dropped them off at the Florida Yacht Club where the reception was, gave some last minute instructions to the event directors there, then headed to the church. You would have been so proud of your little once-was intern! The parents walked down the aisle exactly at 5:00 and the timing of the ceremony was flawless. I even gave the bridesmaids the "Take a deep breath. Lower your bouquet. Go ahead and go" spiel. Yeah, I learned that one from you, Melissa!

After that all the guests headed over to the Yacht Club which was gorgeous. It's right on the river and has this amazing view of downtown. The lighting was perfect for the photographer so she got some awesome shots of the B&G out on the balcony. And the timing worked out perfectly there so that the guests were in the balcony area where the great view was for the cocktail hour, the B&G got to check out the ballroom, then the guests were ushered into the ballroom, the doors closed, and they got their pictures on the balcony without anyone seeing them so they still had their grand entrance. It really was just perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better day.

The photographer's blog with a lot of great shots from yesterday. You can see me in one of them. We're in the bridal room, Crystal is looking behind her at her then-to-be stepdaughter and you can see a few people in the reflection of the mirror. The photographer was amazing too. She is so sweet and relaxed, very unobtrusive and was just in the right place at the right time to get all the great shots.

Oh and since Melissa always shares what she used from the wedding bag, here's what came out of mine... Scissors to cut a loose string from a bridesmaid's dress, a safety pin to help keep one of the flower girl's sash in place, the lighter for all the candles, Special K bar for the bride to snack on, Special K bar for me to snack on since I couldn't get enough to eat yesterday, and invisible thread and a needle to make an eye for a hook-and-eye closure on the brides dress (she went by to pick it up from the seamstress on Thursday and it didn't fit! She hadn't gained any weight so the seamstress took in about an inch too much on either side in the waist, where no material was needed to be taken in. Crystal went back Friday to try it on again, but it still didn't fit, so she didn't end up getting it until her wedding day. Panic moment!).

So those are the highlights from my first big wedding all by myself! I was exhausted, my feet were sore, but they were so grateful and sincerely appreciative so it was worth it. They invited me to the rehearsal dinner which was extra sweet and Jonathan asked if I was nervous about the next day. I lied through my teeth and said "No, not at all!" He said if I wasn't nervous, he wasn't nervous. "Never let them see you sweat!" --Wise words from Melissa DiStefano.

Gosh, I love her!

Next Class!!!

2008-10-02T18:09:00.001-04:00

MasterPiece Certified is now enrolling for our November course! We are so excited about our next class coming up! This class will run Monday through Friday at our offices, and we'd love to include you!

This the most inclusive Certification course approved through the DOE! You'll learn everything you need to know about being a wedding planner, starting a business, and much, more! We'll have guest speakers, learn to start a business, work with brides, how to network, and much much more!

Please send me an email to melissa {at} masterpieceweddings {dot} net for more information, and to see if you qualify for a discounted tuition.

Wedding Bag Emergency!

2008-09-22T04:18:00.000-04:00

We had a beautiful wedding this past weekend! Renee and Jim danced the night away - the MasterPiece Team only had to use 2 items from our Wedding Bag:

BBQ Lighter (aka Chucha-Chucha): To light a bazillion candles 45 minutes prior to the ceremony, up on the alter and down the aisle.
Corsage Pins: Grandma had a pace-maker and the magnet corsage would interfere and we could have needed some serious 911 - so we had to disassemble the corsage and recreate it, without it so she wouldn't die.

And that's it! There seems to be a trend, we use some sort of pin at every wedding!! Bobby, Safety, Diaper, Corsage, Straight, Sewing... the list goes on!

Be sure to carry pins in your Emergency Kit!

Splish Splash!

2008-09-08T19:07:00.000-04:00

Wedding planners do it all, when a bride is concerned about something, we need to make sure to cater to it.

For instance - we met with a bride recently and she was concerned with how often she's been using the potty, we chatted a bit about limiting her water intake on Saturday but she's still nervous about having to tinkle during her ceremony - she asked us to remind her at 2PM to stop drinking water, and at 2:45 that's her last stop to the potty.

Secret code - Splish Splash!

Indecisive Much?

2008-09-02T06:01:00.000-04:00

There are lots of brides that get so overloaded with things that they love, they become these indecisive monsters.

It's our job as planners to guide them on the right path. Not the path that spends the most money, but the path that is right for them.

If they are unsure of the color palette they are interested in, get a good feel for the things they like or don't like. It will become much easier to narrow things down when you know their likes and dislikes.

And starting with a budget is good, if they have $30K to spend and that's it - you know which vendors to refer them to, and which ones will go way over.

But most importantly, be the best advocate you can be for your client, that makes you a better planner.

Happy Labor Day!

2008-09-01T06:04:00.000-04:00

To our American readers, Happy Labor Day! See you tomorrow, I have you are enjoying your day off!

This marks our un-official end of summer... bye-bye white shoes.

Level Playing Field

2008-08-28T15:40:00.000-04:00

Who said that all competition was created equally? Really, I don't think so.

Everyone has a chance that's true. But some are certainly better than others. You need to know your competition, but that doesn't mean you need to bad mouth them or lie to your potential clients about your competition.

If your potential client likes you for who you are, and for what you can do for them, that's what business is all about. Not bad-mouthing or smack talking - that's just not right.

I've turned away business, I've asked brides to meet with other planners, I want them to know that they are working with the right consultant for them. I feel that's my job.

Blind Planning

2008-08-18T06:41:00.000-04:00

Recently I was thinking of a new series for MasterPiece Weddings, and my mind started to wander to weddings that we have planned that might have opened my eyes to new challenges that brides face.

One wedding in particular was a sight impaired couple, both were legally blind. For me this was interesting to plan, because I am a very visual person. I can visualize a banquet room with flowers and drapings, and lighting - but how do you describe that to a visually impaired person?

The answer came a bit easier than I expected- I needed to use lots of adjectives and really talk to them about their vision for the wedding, but not really in colors, but more in textures. The wedding was really beautiful (and not just visually) - there were some moments that I still think of today.

I arrived at the church early and waited for someone to get there to open up the church and turn the lights on. After 15 minutes I called my client and she said she was in the church - duh! I hadn't thought that she might not need to turn the lights on!

One of my favorite moments was when she saw her bouquet for the first time, I held it at first and she lightly rubbed her hands over the top, felt the petals, and then smelled each of blooms, ever so gently, and then she told me "Melissa, it's perfect, it's so beautiful!" for some reason, I started to tear up - it just stuck me as a beautiful moment that sighted brides take for granted.

And- how much fun each of her guests had at the reception! They danced and danced and jumped and sang. I think they danced longer than any sighted wedding I've ever done. Really an amazing wedding.

I am so blessed to have this job!

Follow Up!

2008-08-06T05:23:00.000-04:00

It's hard, it's tedious, but do it, Follow Up!

Email or call your new contacts regularly, giving a quick update of what's going on in your life {or your business}. They'll help you keep up on industry news, and you'll also recognize a few friendly faces in the croud at the next function.

In the Wedding business new business are entering our marketplace all of the time, they are thriving for the same business, same vendors, same clients, so if you stay in their minds first, you'll be the first one to receive the referral!

Flattery will get your Everywhere!

2008-08-05T04:33:00.000-04:00

Don't Be Afraid to Flatter.

If your introduction doesn't generate an instant conversation flow, don't slink away. Offer a simple compliment, such as "I love your scarf!" Where did you get it?" People love talking about themselves, and any subject that fosters a genuine connections can segue into a bigger-picture discussion.

I always find something to compliment the person I'm talking to about, whether it's their shoes, earings, necklace, hair-do - people love compliments! And it's a great subject to talk about... THEM!

{Segments borrowed from Anna Davies}

More Networking

2008-08-04T05:30:00.000-04:00

Have your Intro Ready.

We used to call this an Elevator Introduction.

Before you head to an event, practice a 10-second introduction of yourself and your goal or area of interest. Then, find someone who's also on her own, or approach a large group and introduce yourself. By taking the lead, you'll seem in control and confident - just the person you want people to remember.

Practice makes perfect!

Networking...

2008-08-01T05:27:00.000-04:00

Perfect the Art of Small Talk.

Remember when you used to talk in the mirror and pretend you were accepting a date with a boy. Or vise versa.

Practice stricking up a converstaion - make a joke to the woman standing in the line with you at the bank, or share a witty observation with teh guy next to you in spin class. Soon, you'll feel more comforable having casual chats with near strangers - and networking anywhere won't feel forced.

People do business with friends - so be friendly with your business associates, other vendors, meet with them at conventions, chat with them at mixers.

{Some of the article from Anna Davies}

For the Love of Networking

2008-07-31T11:51:00.001-04:00

Whether you work in an office or at home, or just have an idea for a project you’d love to get going, you need to add networking to your routine. “It’s really about cultivating new friendships that might open some doors for you both professionally and personally, “says Cynthia Shapiro, author of What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here? Shapiro shares smart ways of effortlessly add to your career contacts.

We are going to talk about those for a bit, because networking is a key factor in the wedding business and there are lots of ways to do it!

There are four keys to networking and making sure your work of networking sticks. There are lots of industries to schmoose with, and lots of people you want to know you.

Look for those starting tomorrow!

Momzilla's!

2008-07-24T06:10:00.000-04:00

I swear, for some reason, I am absolutely blessed with the bride's! It's the mom's that seem to be the zilla's - for me...

But this mom, is the best!! She's an A-Type Personality, so I was worried she'd be a bit critical, or over bearing... but nope, she was amazing to work with - and even better today I got this:

We cannot begin to thank-you enough for EVERYTHING you and your staff did. You all were amazing and truly allowed us to enjoy the moment. I can't imagine what we would have done without you all (don't even want to think about that one !!!) I not only would very strongly recommend to all of my friends, relatives, and acquaintances to have a wedding planner- but probably should have some of your cards to hand out.

So keep in mind your client isn't just the bride, it's her family and his family, and really all of the guests - because if they aren't happy - neither are you.

What do you know?

2008-07-23T11:51:00.000-04:00

Getting to know your clients, their needs and wants is one of the most important aspects of what we do. When a client comes to you and has a $20,000 budget, it's our job to make the most of that money.

If photo's and food are the most important aspect of the wedding to your client, then make it happen. Write her a budget explaining where the money is going and where you feel the market can be made the most of.

If she needs your help, help her! But also make sure not to get in the way of the bride's relationship with her vendors. They are there to help her as much as you are. Treat her like royalty - and know that your vendors are her vendors, and they'll treat her like royalty too.

Service is Key!

2008-07-21T05:28:00.000-04:00

Obviously Wedding Planning is a service industry, we must service our brides- make sure they are happy, we meet their needs, exceed their needs – and make sure that their wedding day runs super smooth! (at least in their eyes)

They are essentially buying air, I mean they are paying you, but are they getting a product for that fee? Is it something they can touch and hold and feel? No. They are buying peace of mind. And it’s your job to supply that. Peace of Mind. It’s sort of like buying Life Insurance, right? You are paying a fee for Peace of Mind – knowing things will be taken care of when you no longer can. Morbid, but true.

Recently when my husband and I went to Ireland, we went to The Waterford Factory. We bought ~~a lot~~ some crystal. And when it was delivered to us, one of the wine glasses in the set of 6 was broken, when I called to let them know – the service personnel offered to send us two as a replacement – Just in case in shipping from Ireland one was broken.

Service!

And today the package arrived – and they sent a new set of 4!

Service Exceeding Expectations.

That is what I strive for with every client – because this is the only time they are going to get married and have this wedding, and it should be perfect, exceedingly perfect!

More Course Love!

2008-07-17T06:47:00.000-04:00

Just knowing that people found a passion for planning, enjoyed the weeked, and had fun means the world to me!

Here's what Natalie had to say:

Thank you for a fun and educational weekend! You have gotten my mind going and now it will not stop. Thank you for not only sharing your knowledge of the industry with us, but the passion you have for it. In a world that is driven by what you can get, it was incredibly refreshing to meet a variety of professionals that did things out of love and concern for their clients. I learned that one of the most important things you can do in business and life is surround yourself with these kind of people. Thank you for helping me find my passion and giving me the tools to succeed.

New Look!

2008-07-16T06:43:00.000-04:00

Check out Be A Planner's new look!

And a new seal/logo to go with it!

Thank you Katie for designing our new seal!!!

So many comments...

2008-07-15T17:23:00.002-04:00

I am getting so many nice things said about our course this weekend! Megan just sent this:

Going into event planning so many people asked me if that meant I was going to be a wedding planner and I always told them no, then I took myself by surprise when I interned with you and fell in love with the industry. Of course working with the best pays off, but the perfection and passion you put into each event is exactly what I want to do for someone else. When I think about starting off on my own, my mind kind of goes crazy trying to think of every possible thing to do and where to even begin. I am beyond happy that I decided to take this class because now I feel like I have a better grasp on thing. I think teaching us that before we jump in head first, we need to take time to learn all aspects. That's what I'm going to work on this next year. I want to find all the vendors near me who will be willing to let me take a peak into their world, because it made sense when you explained that you need to have contacts and need to really understand who you are working with and what kind of things you have to expect before you can offer the expert service that MasterPiece Weddings guarantees. I know I am going to have so many questions, concerns, experiences, and woes to report to you throughout but first if you have any contact in DC that you can refer to me. I am so excited to talk to and learn from whoever I can, as soon as I can. Your spirit is contagious and I've caught it once again. Thank you thank you thank you for including me this weekend because it's been one of the most useful insights into a career that I have received.

Excuse Our Dust!

2008-07-15T15:10:00.003-04:00

Now that our fantastical class is over, I am going to do some upgrades to the blog! Enjoy the changes but excuse our HTML dust for a few days!

Phew!

2008-07-14T15:36:00.000-04:00

Our Wedding Certification Course was a huge smashing success!!! Frankly, I am exhausted, I still have alot of paperwork to review- but emails keep coming in like this from the students, and now I feel almost pumped!

From Erinn:

Thank you SO much for this weekend! I appreciate you letting me come sit in and listen to your words of wisdom! I have been babbling about it since I got home to my family--I learned so much and had a BLAST! You made my confusions and doubts very clear and I know for sure now that this is the industry I want to be in. I can't wait to put myself out there and get certified! I know this is so early to send it, but I couldn't wait, I am just so excited about everything right now! Thank you again, I loved hearing about your experiences and can't wait to make some of my own. I'm so looking forward to working with you and learning even more!

2 Spaces Left!

2008-07-07T11:55:00.000-04:00

Our Wedding Certification Program is this weekend! I can't believe time has flown so fast!

You'll learn all aspects of being a Wedding Consultant, from incorporating, how to network, dressing a bride, cutting a cake, working with brides...and much, much more!

In case you were debating on taking the class, we have just 2 spaces open!

If you are interested, please let me know ASAP - melissa {at} masterpieceweddings dot net!

Uh Oh!

2008-07-02T06:37:00.001-04:00

On Saturday Amanda and Greg had a beautiful wedding! Their ceremony was so personal, I don't know that there was a dry eye in the house as "Uncle Mark" married the high school sweethearts!

This wedding was perfect in the eyes of all the guests involved, and frankly it was almost perfect for us as well!

Almost being the optima word!

The problems started early in the day for us – unbeknownst to Amanda when I showed up to pick up the 11 Chivari Chairs from the rental company, early I might add- the doors were locked – all of the doors. Someone decided to leave more than an hour before the store was scheduled to close and locked up. With MY chairs inside. As I banged on the door furiously yelling, HELLLLLOOOOO!!!! Nothing.

As minutes slipped by, I called all of the other stores owned by these people, and nothing. No answer.

What do I do!

I went to my local Hilton and asked if I could borrow 11 chairs – I mean if I got to the client with a solution I thought the problem wouldn’t be so bad, right?

Right! Phew! Amanda basically said well, the chairs will at least blend with the venue. And I then explained to her that I would handle the rental company on Monday.

I did. And they apologized, not having a full explanation, but fully refunded her money. Phew!

Tomorrow – Ummm…..are you color blind?

Venue-sentric

2008-07-01T06:22:00.000-04:00

Recently we had the honor and privilege to work some pretty fantastic clients! The wedding was absolutely perfect, amazing, beautiful - really everything a wedding should be!

BUT.... (and there is a BIG BUT!)

We weren't needed. That's right, if I had worked at this venue in the past, I would have told the bride that she didn't need to pay us - because the venue really had it all under control. We were an added cost to her, that she didn't need to spend.

Now, don't get me wrong. I enjoy making money, I love, absolutely what I do. But this client could have used our services for her pre-planning issues, as needed, and not paid to have us there on the day of the wedding- we really didn't have much to do, except network with the vendors who were there that we hadn't had the privilege to work within the past.

I am not saying this be flippant and turn down business, but take another direction with the client, and help with any pre-planning needs, bridesmaids gifts, finding a spa, setting up seating charts (if the venue doesn't already do that).... general guidance. Charge and hourly charge for that type of help.

Soooo... note to self, any brides getting married at a venue that is very venue-sentric, no need to work that weekend!

Photo By: Damon Tucci Studios

What I used in the Wedding Bag!

2008-06-30T10:53:00.000-04:00

We had such a great wedding this weekend! We finally had the opportunity to work with K-Gallery which was an absolute blast and a pleasure! I can't even tell you how refreshing it was to work with a set of photographers so "timeline" driven, and fun and got some great photo's! They were fantastic! I can't wait for the images to come back!

Okay, back to the wedding. We had a few snafoo's which happened earlier in the day, which I'll talk about in another post, but as far as the Wedding Bag... we used the following:

Scissors - We had to cut ribbon, hanger, hanging tags, threads, tons of stuff!
Double-Sided Tape: Kristin used it tape the bridesmaids dress to her chest to hide her undergarments
Masking Tape: We used to tape the cake boxes, seal the boxes the bride and groom were taking home with them
Bandaids: A groomsmen had ripped open his finger with an umbrella and I saved the day! (and his tux!)
Ribbon: The groom brought a dozen red beautiful roses for the bride and brought it to the reception site, so we made them look prettier with some ribbon and placed them in a beautiful vase. (he was very happy!)

$1500 and Runs!

2008-06-27T13:40:00.000-04:00

I was on my way home from work yesterday and I saw this truck, and a sign that said:

$1500 - Runs!

And it got me thinking, it's the same thing with wedding planning - you can pay $1500 for a "truck that runs" or a wedding consultant that isn't necessarily in running order maybe she doesn't knowt he ropes, hasn't been in business very long, has only planned one wedidng, namely her own - or just honestly doesn't know the business quite as well as another that might cost double, but RUNS... and I mean that in more ways than one!

I had a new bride come into my office the other day, and she said that it was the right time to get out of the contract she was in with another planner. Apparently that planner - left the company she was with and disappeared - like a magician!

That's not fair to the bride, - so make sure you know that the person you are working with is reputable, has a solid contract, and isn't going to leaving you hanging (or broken down on the side of the road!)

New Favorite Thing!

2008-06-25T15:04:00.003-04:00

I love business advice, I drink it up! And Free Good (no Great) advice is even better!

I'd like to introduce you to Seth Godin - A Smart, Funny, Entrepreneur at age 16, and Best Selling author of 11 Books! I think you could gain some great insight from Seth and all he has to offer!

If you aren't already reading Seth, please add him to your RSS feeds right away---- what are you waiting for!!

(And why haven't I posted here in so long? What is wrong with me?)

How do you Get Paid?

2008-06-03T12:33:00.002-04:00

This question comes up often - vendors that I've worked with recently have started offering our firm a gratuity for having our clients use them.

I turn them down. Every time!

Why... because it's my firm belief that at MasterPiece Weddings we refer vendors to our clients that we know will treat our clients like royalty - not because they are padding our wallets.

For us it's just a policy. I am not saying it's wrong, lots of Wedding Consultants charge nothing for their services but take a "kick back" or "commission" or whatever you want to call it from the vendors they work with. Some, make that a very lucrative business.

But I don't have to agree with it.

Make sure that how you are making your fee is very clear to the client. I let all of my clients know that I work for them and only them. I do not take any money from the vendors I refer to them - I refer them specific photographers and cake bakers because I know they'll do a great job for the bride and groom.

But there are lots of ways that consultants charge -

Gratuity- meaning they'll charge by the percentage of the wedding (15%-25% of the total budget)
Commission - as discussed above
Package - That's how we charge, there are 4 packages that we offer from Day of Coordination to Full Coordination.
Fee Basing - By the hour, or by the service ($10 per phone call, $100 per hour...etc)

Just make sure that your very clear with your client on how you charge, and that your contract is very clear!

I'm Certified Now What!

2008-05-20T14:22:00.002-04:00

I got a great reader question today:

I recently completed the Weddings Beautiful course and am now a “Certified Wedding Specialist.” I have been running my own company in Montana for about three years. I live in a small town on Flathead Lake. We have beautiful scenery, but evidently no brides. I haven’t even gotten one wedding for this summer. I would like to move out of the area and got to work for someone as a bridal consultant. Maybe a hotel or large firm or even one of the hotels in Las Vegas (like Bellagio). Do you have any advice on how to get a job as a wedding planner? I’ve tried the do it yourself route and it’s not working for me where I am. Any advice you have would be great.

Here's my response:

This is such a common misconception, that once you open a business and become certified that business will flock to you, somehow a phenomenon occurs - where they will come to you if you open a business. But unfortunately it doesn’t happen that easily. There is a lot of networking that needs to be done, introducing yourself and your work to the people you’ll work with the most, Caters, Photographers, Bridal Salons, DJ’s, Videographers, Florists, Bands, etc…. also attending Bridal Shows as an Vendor, don’t just attend a Bridal Show and pass out your cards to the other vendors, that’s not fair.

You also need to get in front of brides, a way you can do that is working Part Time at a Bridal Salon, but make sure your intentions are known to the owner of the salon, make sure they know that you’ll be talking to the bride’s about your business and if that’s okay. It’s a great way to talk to brides, get to know them and find out if they need help on their wedding day, but remember you are there first and foremost to sell gowns, so make sure that is your first priority!

Also know that just because you say “Hey I’m Abigail, and I’m a Wedding Consultant” doesn’t mean that brides or vendors will come flocking to you – you might need to offer your services for a significantly discounted fee, or even free, at first to get your name and reputation out there. Being new is great, but vendors who don’t know you, don’t know that they can trust you with their clients. You need to earn their trust, and one way to do that is to work with them.

You say there are no brides in your area, I find that hard to believe, maybe there aren’t millions and gazillions, but I am sure there are some… and the surrounding areas too, get friendly with the Florists, Photographers and Bridal Salons in your area, put your cards in their stores, get to know them too, talk to them about the market you are hoping to work with. One way to earn their trust is to work or intern for them, you’ll earn valuable knowledge like how to make a bouquet super fast and it’s good for your repertoire too!

If you wanted to work in the Hotel Business, that’s another fantastic market, but it’s very different than the Independent Wedding Consultant business – talk to the hotels first and find out if they accept interns you might want to intern there for a bit before you decide if that’s what you’d like to do.

You have the education, but what are you going to with it?

A New Send-Off!

2008-05-19T06:32:00.004-04:00

This may sound silly to you, but I've always signed my emails and letters "Warm Regards," this has been for over 15 years. Today I've changed it to Happy Planning! That's more me anyway.

Warm Regards was beginning to feel cold, and impersonal... Happy Planning... more me! Funner and more personal, don't you think?

Your business should represent you, and who you are. Your market and your brand should signify you.

July Course - Coming Up Fast!

2008-05-14T12:58:00.002-04:00

Don't forget our July class is coming up quicker than you think! If you are interested let us know - we do limit our course to 15 students to give you the individual attention you SO deserve!

This class will be in Gainesville, Florida - July 12&13!

It's the most hands on course in the industry!!!

Just email me for more information - and keep in mind we are running a Super Summer Special with a significantly discounted tuition!

Engineer/Planner Same Thing!

2008-05-02T10:10:00.004-04:00

There are so many times you have to make due with so little. I find that having an Engineering Degree might have been helpful to me in this profession.

There have been so many times I've felt like MacGyver and had to make a necklace out of safety pins and pipe cleaners. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

I love my job! I think you have to in order to deal with the emotions and stressors of an emotionally driven day such as a wedding day.

Always think on your feet, and always say it with a smile!

Wedding Course!

2008-04-22T14:38:00.004-04:00

I am so happy and excited to announce that we are having another MasterPiece Weddings Certified class in Gainesville!!!! The class is going to be held on July 12th and 13th of 2008 - from 8AM-5PM both days. Please let me know if you’d like to attend.

This class is a two day course, basically it is a very intense, but enjoyable, two days filled with everything you need to know about planning an event. It is like having a degree in event planning with a major in wedding planning. We feel that you could walk out of the class with enough knowledge to plan and direct a wedding on your own, or for a company with out a second thought – and if you are already in the industry, it will give you the credentials as well as the some tricks to the trade, and how to work with a difficult client, and meet and exceed the needs of your current clients.

It is a fun weekend, filled with tons of information that will be super valuable to you whether or not you decide to pursue a career in this industry. We talk about how to handle those simple but unique details to suit most extravagant request, the proper way to cut a wedding cake, dressing a bride, working with vendors, how to acquire contacts, receive referrals, how to work with a client, how to acclimate to new location, how to start a business, and A LOT MORE! This course has been approved through the Department of Education, and we are very excited to bring it back to Gainesville.

The Wedding Book

2008-04-21T06:53:00.003-04:00

As a Wedding Consultant you always want to be in-the-know, on the up-and-up and as educated as possible!

I for one own every wedding related book that a bride can own. And when I found out that one of my favorite Wedding Consultant's Mindy Weiss was writing a book. I knew it would be a winner.

Mindy, along with Lisbeth Levine have written what most will call the Bible of Wedding Books! It's a step by step, hand holding, fun guide to planning the perfect wedding!

If you have a budget of $1000, $100,000 or $10 Million this book is for you!

The Wedding Book will help you from the time the bling is on your finger to after the wedding is over (and every step in-between).

Honestly, a must have!

{It's avaiable on Amazon}

Wedding Hangover!

2008-04-18T06:12:00.000-04:00

This is what I call my state the day after a wedding.

This is what my husband calls me being useless.

This is what I call, giving it my all, my absolute everything, then the day after, there isn't much left to give.

This is okay when the wedding is on a Friday or Saturday. But on a Sunday, when I am at the office the next day. I have to say, my mood is significantly different on a Wedding Hangover Day than any other normal day.

I love doing wedding, don't get me wrong - it's a high, seriously! Making a brides day perfect so she doesn't have to worry about anything on her day. I love it!

But the day after, is more like sipping coffee and watching television on Lifetime, so I don't have to think. Because I did enough of that the day before.

A Wedding Hangover. (I should Wikipedia it...)

Doing What you Love!

2008-04-18T06:01:00.000-04:00

I've trained countless consultants... I'm not trying to brag, just be honest. Most of them have turned out to be amazing consultants unbelievably successful.

One of our Montana based consultants vowed to me she'd be a consultant to the stars! But they found their niche targeting professional women. Even thought they had originally intended to coordinate high-profile and celebrity weddings- they soon found that was more of a "challenge" than it was worth to them financially. By refocusing their efforts on serving professional women, they now book weddings for fees averaging $30,000!

Then on the other side of things, they are about 5% of our students that think they'll love being a consultant and then find that it's not all glamour and roses. It's sweaty and sometimes thankless.

But it's always fulfilling!

Once you feel like you might be burning out STOP, take a break, it's not worth it to not give your clients 100% of you!

Consider this...

2008-04-17T06:08:00.001-04:00

Who or what is your market... consider first where you are starting your company, in NY city, or rural town USA? This answer will help you to determine what your market is... not that there isn't money in rural town USA, but you probably wouldn't be planning Multi-Million Dollar events every weekend either. (and that's totally fine! - not every bride has a 6 or 7 figure budget)

Another thing to consider is that the most significant demographic for wedding consultants to consider is age. According to theknot.com, the average age of today's bride is 26, which the average groom is 28. So while you certainly can serve people of any age group, you'll probably have the best success and garner the most business if you target brides in their mid-20s. This means that if the population base in your business's area doesn't have brides in this age group, you must either decide to reconsider your market or adjust your marketing strategy.

Fantastic Opportunity!

2008-04-16T06:12:00.000-04:00

When you find out something that will change your life, what do you want to do??? Tell everyone! So that is what I am attempting to do! Check out Engage 08!!!!

A blurb from their blog:

One of the focuses of this first engage! event will be to help wedding professionals have their 'passion meet profit.' Because if there is one thing that this industry has no shortage of - it is PASSION! Passion at every level. And the profit part - well I know that as creative professionals at our core - we could all use a bit of focus on that...*wink!*

Certainly check it out!

Working the Room!

2008-04-15T06:09:00.001-04:00

Layout of the Room"Working the room" is not a phrase just used for dating anymore! You need to know and understand the best use of space for the room, and stand your ground if you are firm about it.

I have fought with more caterers about placement of buffet tables, or where to place the DJ. Some catering managers are just not subject to looking outside of the box - or heck, a little to the left of it! Just learn to use the space wisely! And don't be afraid to let them know that you've done this layout before and it does work.

There are so many different ways to design your reception, just keep in mind that location is everything, be aware of the space, and where things are located. You can use free and fantastic sites like Simple Seating to design your reception site exactly how you want it. Or The Perfect Seating Plan, another great option!

{This post was first seen - slightly altered at MasterPiece Weddings}

Course Structure

2008-04-14T06:37:00.001-04:00

The question recently came up, asking if our course was offered online or through DVD's?

The answer is Yes and No...

Yes, we do have a digital course, however upon the official roll out of the digital course, I was highly unpleased with the way it turned out.

So, no, we don't have an online course at this time, however we will soon!

Keep in mind with air travel going down and Fare Wars happening all of the time, it's makes financial sense to take the class in person! I guarantee you'll learn more and have the most hands on training than ANY other certification program!