Did you spend the last week of 2011 thinking about goals for your wedding planning business and for your personal life? Goals can keep you focused and help you achieve what you want in life.

But many times when I work with new wedding planners, I’ve found that they have too many goals they are trying to accomplish at the same time. Their attention is scattered, they feel overwhelmed, and they end up not moving forward with any of the goals they set out to accomplish.

It’s not until we select two or three to focus on at one time do they start seeing success and, with it, gain the confidence and energy needed to move forward quickly.

Don’t let yourself get bogged down by trying to accomplish all of your goals at the same time, select two or three to start with first then move on as you beginning seeing results.

Here are 4 steps for selecting and accomplishing your first goals:

1) Start with the goals that excite you the most

If you start with goals that you feel you “have to do” or, worse, someone else wants you to accomplish, you will procrastinate and not get anything done. But when you start with something that excites you and makes a big difference in your life, you will quickly reach your goals.

2) Write them down, in detail with due dates

I’m frequently surprised by the number of wedding planners who keep their goals in their heads. Writing them down will help you clarify what you want and putting goals onto paper can make you feel more committed to getting them accomplished.

3) Schedule your tasks

Determine the tasks you need to perform to get your goals accomplished and schedule them on your calendar. Since you are starting with two to three goals, your list of tasks should not be overwhelming and your calendar should not be overbooked before you even start each day, which can happen if you are trying to do too much at one time.

4) Review your accomplishments

At the end of each day, review what you have done towards your goals and adjust your schedule for the next day, if necessary.

When you focus all of your attention on just a few goals at a time, you are able to have more clarity about them and will find them easier to accomplish in a shorter period of time.

The dragonfly wedding theme is not new but when celebrity wedding planner David Tutera planned a dragonfly wedding on his WeTV Show, “My Fair Wedding,” he took it to a whole new level. He added a feeling of whimsy and magic and gave the bride a fairytale wedding that was much more beautiful than she could even have imagined.

The bride had not yet selected her ceremony site and had planned to have the reception in her own backyard. David moved the entire event to the Calabasas Inn. Although it is already a beautiful location with trees, gardens and a waterfall, he had the florist bring in rose bushes and plants to make the site even more lush.

Tip – add flowers and plants to an outdoor space to make it suit your bride’s theme.

The ceremony was set outdoors, guests were seated on mahogany chairs with lavender cushions. Programs, printed on green paper, hung on ribbons from the backs of the chairs.

Tip – tying the programs to chairs is a great alternative to placing them on the seats where they can fly away.

When it came time for the outdoor reception, the chairs were moved to the dining tables and the lavender cushions were switched to white ones that matched the white lace napkins and white candles that were on each table.

Tip – switching cushions gives a different look without the cost of renting additional chairs.

The long dining tables themselves were positioned around the dance floor. They were covered with lavender underlays and lavender sequined overlays.

To give the guests the feeling of that they were sitting in a garden, there were no cut flowers anywhere at the reception.

A “garden” of rose bushes, flowers and moss decorated the centers of each table.

Tip – if your bride wants to use plants for centerpieces, she might be able to rent them or she can select plants that can be given to guests as favors. 

The cake had a garden theme and was decorated with dragonflies.

To give the wedding the whimsical feeling, David had wonderful costumed showgirls walking among guests, a garden nymph, a purple fairy in a “glamour sphere”

and a 9 foot tall gold candelabra “glamazon.”

Tip – a couple shouldn’t be afraid to give their wedding a feeling of fun and magic if that is what helps them express their personalities in their wedding.

What would you do if you had a bride who wanted a dragonfly themed wedding?

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Wishing you a healthy, prosperous, and successful year

 filled with an abundance of your ideal clients.

Happy New Year!

Sharon

Wedding and event designer Preston Bailey gives his expert advice in every issue of Event Solutions magazine. In the December/January issue, he answered a question about entering the wedding and event industry in Dubai. I thought his answer provided excellent advice not only for someone wanting to enter the business in Dubai, but anywhere in the world.

Here are 5 of the tips he offered to new wedding planners, I’ve added some comments:

1) Get experience

Even if you have a degree or certification in wedding planning or design, you need to get as much “real world” experience as you can. Plan events for family and friends, work as an intern for an experienced planner, florist, wedding photographer or caterer to gain insight into what brides want and how different types of wedding professionals work. The more you know, the more you have to offer to your brides.

2) Find out who the most successful planners are in your area

Learn what makes them successful and figure out how you can also be successful in your own, unique way.

3) Find out the price range for wedding planners in your area

What is is low in some areas might be considered high and out of the question where you plan to do business. Or the opposite might be true. You want to know the general price range so you don’t price yourself so low that people think you give poor service, or so high that brides in your niche cannot afford you.

4) Attend bridal shows in your area

This will give you the opportunity to mingle with brides and meet new vendors. You will be able to see what products and services attract brides at shows and “eavesdrop” into their conversations to find out what interests them.

Attending shows will also give you an opportunity to decide if you want to get involved in a show and be an exhibitor in the future.

5) Work daily on creating your unique identity

In order to attract brides, you will need to be able to stand out in a crowd. Learn what your greatest strengths are and develop them so you become an expert who can help brides with your unique abilities.

And if you want to learn more about becoming a wedding planner, sign in to get my free report, “7 Steps to Becoming a Top Wedding Planner.”

Are you planning a wedding with a bride whose theme is from a different era? Celebrity wedding planner David Tutera’s bride was planning a black and white wedding with an “Old Hollywood Glamour” theme. The problem was, her decorations, such as the film strip David is holding in the photo above, were more suitable for a child’s modern day birthday party. In addition, because she was so overwhelmed by her theme, she didn’t know where to start, so she procrastinated and hadn’t gotten much done.

Tip – Procrastination is a sure sign of overwhelm. If you notice a bride has procrastinated, she may need more help than she is willing to admit.

David took charge. He first changed her dress and her bridesmaid dresses to gowns that looked more “Old Hollywood Glamour” than the dresses they already had. He had the bride try on three dresses from his line, David Tutera by Faviana, and ultimately chose for her a 60’s look, like a “young Diana Ross,” (below is the dress in a photo from his website).

The bridesmaids received black evening gowns (Style Number: L360062, it appears in white on the website) that were red carpet worthy.

David put the groom in attire that was also reminiscent of the 60’s, a shawl-collared tuxedo jacket.

Tip – Don’t forget, if you are helping the couple select their wedding attire, the groom’s outfit should match the style and level of formality of the bride.

He changed the bride’s venue from a one that, though beautiful, didn’t have the “Old Hollywood” feeling, to The Majestic Halls in downtown Los Angeles, a grand and opulent site that is often used in films.

Tip – Make sure the venue echoes the chosen theme.

To give the Hollywood feel at the ceremony, the aisle runner was a red carpet. And the aisle was further defined by red velvet ropes and movie lights.

The chairs had black covers and the backs were wrapped with a white ribbon pinned with a brooch.

The reception was made to feel like a movie that came alive.

A “living red carpet” led guests to the reception area that featured a checkerboard dance floor.

Tip – Entertainment isn’t just a band or DJ. If your bride has the budget and wants some theatrical elements, consider dancers or performance artists.

The tables were covered with black and white cloths and accented with red napkins pinned with a brooch.

Crystals hung from the ceiling and centerpieces were crystal vases filled with white roses, Calla lilies and Casablanca lilies.

The cake followed the colors of the wedding, it was white with black designs and some layers were decorated with red roses.

Tip – Help your bride match the cake to the theme and colors too!  Tell the cake designer about the theme, bring pictures and swatches.

Do as David does when planning a themed wedding, make sure every detail matches the theme, that is what makes the wedding memorable.

May the joy, beauty, and blessings of the season be with you and yours today and throughout the coming year.

Sharon

If you are new to wedding and event planning, you are probably just realizing how busy the holiday season can be for you. You may be planning and organizing holiday events, working with brides on their early 2012 weddings, meeting newly engaged couples to talk about your services, planning a booth for the January bridal shows, and working on business goals for the new year. All of this in addition to planning your own family holiday celebrations.

Here are 5 helpful hints for staying sane during this season:

1) Keep track of what you must do

The hectic holiday season isn’t the time to rely on your memory. Keep a notebook or journal handy to jot down a list of to-dos or speak them into a voice recorder, most smartphones have this feature, and refer to it often.

2) Schedule your tasks

Take your to-dos and fit them into your calendar. This way you know if you actually have the time to accomplish all you want to do or if you need to delegate or delete some items.

3) Take breaks

When you are busy, it’s tempting to grab a meal at the drive-thru and eat in the car between appointments or sit in front of your computer for hours at a time while you do something such as create a timeline for your bride. However, you will actually work better when you take breaks several times a day. You will come up with more creative ideas after you spend a few minutes taking a walk, listening to music, or just relaxing.

4) Get plenty of sleep

Eight hours a night is best. Sleep deprivation can cause memory loss, lessen your attention to detail, and make you feel overwhelmed and depressed. You need to be at your best when you have a great deal  to accomplish, so get the amount of sleep you need each night.

5) Think before you commit

As wedding and event planners, we have a natural desire to take care of everyone and make sure they are happy. But as a result of doing favors for people, we often find ourselves staying up late to finish our own projects or neglecting to do something that was important to us. Help others when you can, but don’t give up all of the valuable time you need to run your business and have a satisfying personal life.

As a wedding planner, you’ll want to share with your brides that it is the unexpected expenses that can add up and throw their wedding budget off course.

The current, January 2012, issue of Brides Magazine has a wedding budget guide that includes a list of surprise expenses that you should  share with your brides.

Here are 7 “surprise” expenses from both the article and my experience, that you’ll want your brides to be prepared for:

1) Tips

The limo driver, hairstylist, manicurist, delivery people, waiters, bartender, band or DJ and anyone else who provides services should receive tips. Many times you will also get one from your brides.

2) Taxes

Most vendors will tell your brides the price of their products or services and say they are “plus tax.” Unfortunately, many brides don’t calculate how much that tax could actually be. Remind your brides that sales tax applies on almost everything, both products and services, and should be included in their budgets. (You may also need to be charging tax for your services, check the sales tax rules in your state.)

3) Additional postage fees

If your bride selects an invitation that is bulky or has a square or over-sized envelope, she will need to pay more than the normal cost of first class postage to mail it. Add to that the stamps for the RSVPs and postage could add up to be a hefty sum.

4) Alterations

Wedding dresses usually need alterations to fit perfectly. When a bride sets her dress budget she should include enough for alterations, which can be expensive if she wants or needs a lot of changes made to her dress.

5) Corkage and cake-cutting fees

Many brides don’t know that if they provide their own wine, the caterer will charge a corkage fee for pouring it. If they use a baker who isn’t affiliated with the caterer, they will be charged a cutting fee for the service.

6) Cosmetic dentistry

Brides want their smiles to look their best for their wedding photos so they invest in professional teeth whitening or veneers or they get their teeth straightened or fill in gaps and cracks. If this is something a bride is considering, she needs to add this to her wedding budget.

7) Change charges

If a bride has trouble making up her mind and makes changes to her contracts with vendors, they may charge her to do it. She should not make deposits or sign contracts until she is ready to make commitments.

If she asks you to spend unanticipated time on her wedding because she has made changes to your duties, be sure you let her know of additional charges right away, so your bill is not a surprise.

As a wedding planner there will be many times when you will make appointments with potential clients and new vendors whom you have only “met” via email, the Internet, or a phone call. You will also find yourself running errands at different times of the day and night in unfamiliar areas in order to do business. While most people you meet with are good and most places you will visit are perfectly fine, it doesn’t hurt to take the steps necessary to keep yourself safe at all times.

Here are 5 tips for staying safe:

1) When meeting a bride or any potential client for the first time, do it in a public place

Don’t invite strangers to your home office and don’t agree to meet in theirs. Arrange to meet at a potential wedding venue or other public place that allows you to be seen by other people but also has a quiet place for you to talk privately.

If you have an office, make sure you are not the only one in the building. If you must meet after hours, ask someone to join you and wait in a nearby room so you are not alone.

2) Tell someone your schedule

Before you head out the door, let your assistant or family member know where you are going and how long you might be gone. Check in with them if meetings or errands take longer than you thought they would.

3) Prepare your car for your busy schedule

Keep you car in good repair and always have plenty of gas in your tank so you don’t have to stop at a gas station in an unfamiliar area.

Use a GPS to guide you when you drive or check directions before you head out so you don’t get lost.

Keep an emergency kit in your car that includes a pair of walking shoes, in case you need them. 

4) Carry a fully charged cell phone

Almost everyone has a cell phone but not everyone keeps theirs charged and ready to use, be sure you do. You need it not only to keep in touch with brides and vendors while you are on the road (of course, don’t text or talk while driving), you also need it for emergencies. Invest in a charger that plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter if you spend a great deal of time on the road.

5) Resist the urge to broadcast your whereabouts

Don’t go on Twitter and tell everyone where you will be and when you will be there. You could be putting not only your personal safety at risk, but also the safety of your family and personal property, if the information is seen by the wrong person.

Be safe!

Celebrity wedding planner Diann Valentine believes in doing everything in a big way. On her current WEtv show, “I Do Over,” she gives couples, who have had disastrous weddings, second weddings that are beyond their wildest dreams.

The ideas that she and her team execute, although perhaps more extravagant that what you might do for your brides and grooms, will give you ideas that will help you make your couples’ weddings more memorable.

In a recent episode, Diann redid the wedding of a couple whose February 2010 outdoor tented wedding in Southern California had been ripped apart by the rain and winds of a tsunami. At their first wedding they had planned a sweet dreams candy bar but because of the weather, it never got set up.

Staying true to her belief  “go big or go home,” Diann, with the help of her sponsor, celebrations.com, created an entire candy environment. The candyland lounge (see photo above with Cheryl Dent, the designer) had jars filled with 200 pounds of assorted candies, platters of cupcakes and other baked sweets, and bowls of candied popcorn. Guests could fill bags with candy to take home with them.

While your bride may not need to fill a room with 200 pounds of sweets, think beyond just a table of candy. Design, or work with an event designer to design, a fun, visual experience for guests. You can select candy that follows the color palette of the wedding. Or, do a retro candy table and fill it with candy from the 50’s or 60’s, you can find companies on the Internet that sell candy from different eras. A visual tip from the show, Diann’s staff unwrapped the individual pieces of candy so they were easy to see in the displays.