Why I Love This Job

I had a prospective client email me today and ask me some simple but important questions.  As I was writing her back, I realized that what I was telling her was actually stuff I would and should be telling everyone and anyone who wants to know. :) I've been doing a lot of networking lately as well - which gives me the chance to explain what I do and why I do it.  Each time I do so, I think it challenges me to refine those ideas and explain them better. 

 

Can you tell me more about yourself?
I started my company coming up on two years ago, after having worked in various administrative/organizational jobs that had a high level of people contact including some customer service and executive level assistant work. I had always had an event planning component to my positions (planning trainings, holiday events, etc.), it just wasn't ever the full time gig. After one of those "perfect storm" type situations, where everything in my personal and professional lives seemed to be pointing towards pursuing a career doing something I love full time, I decided to start my own event planning company and have been doing that full-time plus ever since. 

I have experience in all sorts of events - having planned and coordinated personally and professionally a wide variety of parties and events. If you want to check out the most recent fun - they are on my facebook page at facebook.com/younameitevents.  Specifically for weddings, I've been highly involved lots of weddings thus far - about 15 total. I did four weddings professionally my first year - and have begun a busy year with seven on my slate for 2012, with a goal of doing at least eight this year, doubling my first year's work. I think what suits me for this work is a unique combination of traits: I am organized and efficient, creative and a problem solver, friendly and outgoing, and am able to see the importance of the details without losing the big picture.

Can you tell me about your services & what you offer to brides to be during the planning process?
What sets apart my work is the values I bring to each and every project I do. I intentionally work to provide highly personal service that is relationship-based and focused on excellence in both the experience for the client and the execution on the day of the event. All of my services are custom, based on the specific needs of the couple and their wedding plans. I don't offer cookie cutter packages. On the flip side, I also have a clear minimum of service - because I know that I cannot do an excellent job for a client without investing some time and effort into getting to know them and learning about their hopes and dreams for their wedding.  I believe that in order for us to work well together up to and on your wedding day, ideally we will like each other enough that we develop a friendship and you feel comfortable with me. 

I know that working with a planner or coordinator on your wedding day is a leap of faith and trust in that person. You are trusting that I will work hard and do everything I possibly can to make your day a success - and that I will care about your day as if it is my own. I don't think you can find that in just any planner - and I am building my business around this simple thought: It is a rare person who can take care of business while taking care of hearts*. That's what I aspire to do. I take it as a great honor when someone hires me to work with them on an event, because these are the milestones of our lives, from which our memories are created - and I believe that is a special and wonderful thing. 

*Special thanks to my sister, Danielle, who sent me a card with that quote in it - I hadn't heard it before then and when I did had a bit of an AH HA moment, realizing that it captures my intentions better than anything I had thought of before!