What Just Happened??

Last Friday I attempted to load a security software suite that had been charged to my account monthly for almost a year but had not yet been installed.  Something went horribly wrong during the installation and my entire hard drive was virtually wiped out.  No one from tech support knows what happened (“this has never happened before”).  Fortunately I have an external back up and was able to restore the majority of my files with the exception of e-mail.   It appears that I’m missing about one year’s worth of information including all the dates stored on my calendar.  It has taken me four days to restore what I know to have been lost.  The rest will be done as I go along and realize something’s missing.

As a wedding planner I am the external back up for my clients.   The list of services we provide is extensive, however, the best planned event can still have a glitch or two.  If you don’t have an event coordinator – who’s going to handle those glitches for you on your wedding day??

I have consulted with a few clients who have decided not to use my services for a variety of reasons.  I have heard stories after the event was over that includes the groom missing the entire cocktail hour because their DJ showed up with an iPod and no play list.  Or the venue that can host more than one event at a time and got the passed hors d’oeurves mixed up for two events  so that each got the others food.   Then there was the bride who wanted to control every last detail which caused her to be 2 hours late for her pre-ceremony pictures which then delayed her ceremony by almost an hour  which then caused her to have to pay for overtime so that her reception wasn’t cut short.  The list goes on and on.

A wedding is a once in a lifetime experience.  Don’t be caught wondering “what just happened?” without a good back up.  If you’re not going to hire an event coordinator then designate someone not involved with the wedding party to take care of any issues that might pop up.   Most weddings go off without any glitches – have your back up ready just in case!

It IS What you Know!

Today I arrived in Indianapolis to attend my first Association of Bridal Consultants Annual Fall Conference.  My seat mate on the plane was a very nice man who is an education consultant to school districts throughout the US who have more students that are failing then are passing.  His career includes 22 years as a classroom teacher and he told me that he stills reads and studies constantly.  “Every good teacher ” he told me “is always learning.”  After observing in the classrooms, he works out a plan that is specific to each district, then he guides the team of teachers and administrators through the implementation process for his action plan.  In one of his districts the 7th graders went from having the lowest math scores in the district to among the highest.

As we were getting off the plane I realized that our work processes are very similar.  Granted, I’m not raising the education level of our nation’s youth, however, guiding clients through the process of planning their wedding is truly a milestone in their lives.  After a consultation with my clients I put my education and 25+ years of experience to work.  An action plan is formulated which is then implemented by guiding my clients and their family and friends through the process.

I still get a thrill when I learn something new.  That will never get old.  I’m looking forward to taking advantage of all this conference has to offer and to participating in other conferences, classes, and networking opportunities as they become available throughout my career as an event planner.  The more I can bring to the table for my clients, the better!!