Photo courtesy of Couture Caterer

Back in February of this year, the Question of The Week on The Stylish Planner was about Vendor Meals.  Specifically, do you accept a vendor meal, or do you request the same meal as the guests?  I am closing out the Question of the Week series this Fall, but in the process of that, I am providing my own answers to the questions I posed.  So….here is my take on Vendor Meals:

In case I have any newer planners or brides reading this post, I’d just like to clarify which vendors typically are fed at the client’s expense at a wedding.  My rule of thumb is any vendor that remains on site while dinner is being served should also be fed, especially if the service they are providing is crucial to the event and they cannot leave to go and get something.  This usually includes the photographer(s), videographer(s), the band, the wedding planner and their staff.  In cases where security is being provided, I also recommend a meal for them, especially if they are working alone or are an off duty police officer.  I do not typically recommend that onsite event staff be fed by the client, although sometimes the caterer will provide food for them as a courtesy, especially if the venue and the caterer have a good working relationship.

I highly recommend to planners that you include the topic of vendor meals with your clients as soon as you begin budget discussions.  It may not seem like a big deal, but a $300 – $400 unexpected expense in the last days leading up to the wedding can be a big deal to a client who thought they had everything covered.  Prepare them in advance for this and discuss with them any vendors that are requesting anything above a vendor meal.  In my market, vendor meals range from $15 – $27 depending on the venue and what kind of meal the chef prefers to prepare for vendors (see below).

There are a few ways that vendor meals can be provided:

1)  A boxed lunch type meal that was prepared earlier in the day and refrigerated. 

2)  A separate, less expensive meal than what is being provided for the guests is prepared.  (I see this frequently at country clubs and other private facilities.)

3)  The vendor receives the same meal as the guests.  Sometimes the caterers will prepare a plate for the vendor, sometimes the vendor is asked to go through the line with the guests. 

I have worked with several photographers that request the same meal as the guests.  Some even have it written in their contracts.  What I hear over and over from photographers is that, “We work very hard.  We are on our feet for 8 – 10 hours shooting and carrying heavy equipment.  If we leave to go buy a decent meal, we will not be able to capture all of the wedding.”  I hear you, I really do.  If you have it in your contract to be provided a guest meal, then that is what you will receive, but please don’t show up expecting to eat along with the guests – even if you are provided the guest meal, vendors typically sit separate from guests, unless you have been specifically invited to be included as a guest by the client. 

I’ve also had bands request the same meal as the guests, as well as access to the bar, but either myself or my client typically declines.  To me, regarding bands, it is purely a money issue.  With an average of 8 – 10 members per band, at $75+ per person for food, with another $10 – $15 for alcohol, very quickly the cost of an average band in my market would go from about $3,500 to well over $4,200.  Pertaining to the bar…I’m pretty old fashioned when it comes to that.  If you are working, you don’t need to be drinking. 

The policy that I have chosen to implement for my company, FAVOR Events is that we will gladly accept whatever vendor meal is provided.  I do, however, have it written in my contract that we will be provided a meal and a designated area for breaks.  Over the years, I’ve only had one or two weddings, where we were not provided food and could not leave the venue to go and eat.  At one wedding in particular, I sat on the kitchen floor and ate a Subway sandwich that my assistant had to go pick up for me because we were not provided either a meal or a place for breaks.  Every family is different and you can’t assume anything, so whatever you are asking for, it is best to put it in the contract.

There are so many reasons I have chosen not to ask for a guest meal.  For one thing, I rarely get to slip away for more than 15-20 minutes at any wedding.  If I were wolfing down a heavy meal in that time frame, it would literally make me sick.  It would quite honestly be a waste of money for my client to provide that for me, my meals go half eaten anyway.  Another reason is, I need the down time away from guests.  15 minutes of quiet away from the noise and the demands is so helpful to me.  I can analyze how the first portion of the event has gone and strategize the next portion of the evening.  Being able to slip my shoes off and put my feet up for a few moments is what gets me through the rest of the evening.  Whenever possible, I have my assistant take their break before me, then there is always someone near the client if they should need anything.  I try to take my break last after all other vendors in case there are not enough vendor meals, then I can always see if the caterer has something left from the guest meal, or I can grab a protein bar from my emergency kit.  I’m usually too busy to think much about feeling hungry.

The last reason I have chosen not to ask for guest meals is my concern over the appearance of impropriety.  If I am having the guest meal, the best time to have it is when the guests are also having their dinner time.  I need to eat quickly and get back to work, so I have 3 choices:  1)  Ask a server to make me a plate, 2)  Jump in line in front of guests, or 3)  Wait until all guests have gone through the line.  None of these choices are especially good.  If I ask a server to make me a plate, first of all, I am pulling valuable resources from the catering staff at their peak service time in the evening.  Second of all, if a guest notices that I had a server making me a plate, they will form an opinion about me, likely not a good one, and that opinion will forever become their impression of me and my company.  Same thing if I jump in front of a guest.  If I wait until all guests have been served, then it isn’t very likely that I will have time to enjoy the food and make it back in time for the next item in the timeline.   If, instead, I go with the vendor meal, at the top of the guest dinner time, then I have easily enough time to enjoy my meal and put my feet up.  Even better, there is no worry about the food getting cold!

I think as planners, we see the budget side of things and think more about the logistics of serving a second set of guests or serving a separate meal than other vendors do.  You will never hear me say that a photographer or band member does not deserve a wonderful meal or an extended break for their hard work.  Quite the contrary, and if I could, I would treat the whole vendor team to a great meal after the wedding.  I just prefer to see egos put aside and the emphasis placed on the client on their wedding day.  It is not about you or how hard you work.

Having said all that, I do my very best to make sure every single vendor gets a piece of cake or other dessert, and my staff and I will serve them water or sodas all night long as time allows.  It’s a small token really, but there is almost always more than enough dessert, and it doesn’t take away from the service staff for me to arrange this for the vendors. 

What are your thoughts on vendor meals?

 Photo credit: Joy Harmon Prouty of Wildflowers Photography: www.wildflowersphotos.com

Name:    Kathy Le Backes

Location:    Santa Monica, CA

Company Name:    The Vintage Table Co.

Number of years in business:    6 months

Website:    www.thevintagetableco.com

Blog:    http://thevintagetableco.tumblr.com/

Twitter handle:  @vintagetable    

If you are a wedding and event professional other than a planner, please describe your product or service.     Specialty rental company featuring handpicked vintage place settings (dishware, flatware and glassware) for weddings, events, photo shoots and film/TV sets.

How would you describe your personal style?    Casual, elegant and chic with a touch of vintage. Banana Republic meets Anthropologie. 

What is your “go-to” meeting attire?    Skinny jeans and a blazer or cardigan over a cute top… paired with flats and my big gold watch.

What is your “go-to” evening industry event attire? (i.e., associational meeting, vendor or venue open house, etc.)     Black skinny jeans, a cute top, scarf and heels, or, a vintage dress, black tights and heels.

What is your attire for wedding/event day set-up?    Black leggings, a loose top and flats.

What is your attire for actual wedding/event?   The nature of my business usually does not require me to stay through the actual event, but if I did…

Daytime events: simple jersey dress and peep toe heels or sandals

Evening events: simple black dress and kitten heels      

What style and brand of shoes do you wear on wedding/event days?  Set up: Glittery black TOMS or Cole Haan ballet slippers.  Actual event: DKNY black kitten heels

Tell us about your favorite jeans and why you love them.  Seven for all Mankind jeans… because they STRETCH!

Who is your favorite celebrity style icon and why?    Rachel Zoe—her style is feminine, eclectic, “boho” chic, elegant and vintage. She knows just how to accessorize and how to make a statement without going over the top. There’s a reason why she’s the stylist to the stars!

Please share with us (in 50 words or less) your favorite style tip:    Always wear one statement piece with whatever you’re wearing—a big gold watch, a unique necklace, a stunning cocktail ring, a killer pair of high heels, or some colorful earrings. You can make t-shirt and jeans look like a million bucks with the right statement accessory.

What would you like people to know about you that they may not discover just by viewing your website or blog?   I’m a HUGE foodie! I’m always up for exploring new types of foods and restaurants in Los Angeles… or anywhere I go. I love food so much, I travel to New York once a year just to EAT!

What is your most treasured possession?  A locket with my father’s picture in it. I lost him to cancer four years ago, and I miss him every day. I tied the locket around my wedding bouquet when I got married last year so he would be with me as I walked down the aisle. I wear it around my neck now, so he can continue to be with me today.      

What message would you like to convey to others in our industry?   I am thrilled and so honored to join such a creative and talented group of people. You all continue to inspire me with your amazing designs, helpful tips, unique ideas and most of all – your shared love of celebrating LOVE!

Lake Toxaway, North Carolina – site of a FAVOR Events 2009 wedding.  Photos by LaCour.

Well, tomorrow officially welcomes Summer to 2011, although if you are in a warm climate area like me, we have been experiencing hot temperatures since mid-March!  With outdoor weddings so popular among couples, we sometimes spend weeks praying for no rain on the wedding day, only to be faced with extreme heat when the wedding day finally arrives.  What’s a wedding planner to do to stay cool when working an outdoor event in warm temperatures?

Before I share with you my favorite tips, let me add that I’m not sharing this post for purposes of vanity only.  Oh no, working in the hot sun and heat is a serious matter and we need to be careful out there.  Some possible side effects of working in extreme temperatures are:

Increased body temperature and pulse rate
Dehydration
Heat stroke
Heat rash
Increased risk of heart attack or other cardiac problems
Fainting
Nausea/vomiting

I highly recommend creating a buddy system among your staff or vendor partners.  All of us want to do our best work and not slow down production on a wedding day, so having vendors watch out for each other throughout the day can go along way in the prevention of a heat related incident.

Here are some practical tips for surviving the heat:

Build exposure to outdoor conditions over a period of time.  Seriously, spend at least 15 minutes outside for a few days leading up to the wedding day.   Try to replicate the conditions you will be working under – full sun, partial shade, etc.  Humans are, to a large extent, capable of adjusting to the heat. This adjustment, under normal circumstances, usually takes about 5 to 7 days, during which time the body will undergo a series of changes that will make continued exposure to heat more endurable.  With each succeeding daily exposure, any negative responses will gradually decrease, while the sweat rate will increase.

Pre-determine a shady area for tasks and breaks.  By the time you are a week out from an event, you probably have the “lay of the land” when in comes to the areas surrounding the wedding venue.  Choose a shady spot out of the way of other vendors where your staff can assemble set up items, or just sit for a 15-minute break throughout the course of the day.  Providing cool rest areas in hot work environments considerably reduces the stress of working in those environments.

Hydrate – this is a given, of course, but I can’t stress enough how important it is.  Most people exposed to hot conditions drink fewer fluids than needed because of an insufficient thirst drive.  Therefore, we really cannot depend on thirst to signal when and how much to drink. Instead, we should drink 5 to 7 ounces of fluids every 15 to 20 minutes to replenish our body’s necessary fluids.  In the course of a day’s work, a person may produce as much as 2 to 3 gallons of sweat. Because so many heat disorders involve excessive dehydration of the body, it is essential that water intake during the workday be about equal to the amount of sweat produced.

Eat light snacks throughout the day.  Even though it may seem counterintuitive, this is a good time to skip heavy meals.  Light, crisp vegetables or fruit with a little protein will suffice if you are hydrating properly throughout the day. 

Now that we’ve addressed the physical aspect of keeping cool at a summer wedding, here are a few ways to remain looking polished in the heat:

Hair:  Summer weddings are not the time or place for fussy hairdos.  My go-to hairstyle is a simple side-part bang and bun pulled back at the nape of my neck.  I wrap it up pretty tight in the morning and all I need to do later to freshen up is comb through my bangs again and spritz with hair spray.

Make-Up:  Likewise, I keep my make-up very simple and light when it is hot.  Moisturizer with SPF is a must, and I wear very light foundation and eye make-up.  I carry a small bag with me for touch up’s that includes my eyebrow pencil, powder blush, mineral foundation with brush, and lip gloss.  I can touch up in 5 minutes.

Cool water:  One thing I do to stay cool is rinse my hands frequently with cold water, concentrating on my wrists.  Years ago, I read somewhere that if your wrists are cool, you remain cool all over, and I have found that to be true.  Rather than drying my hands off with a towel, I will pat my arms and neck after rinsing to cool my body.  It doesn’t create a mess; it dries very quickly and really does the trick. 

Clothing & Shoes:  I actually find light, knit dresses to be more comfortable than pants or even shorts when working in extreme temperatures.  I find cotton to be the best all around choice.  Not only will it absorb sweat, but also the loose fibers breathe easily, wicking away sweat from your skin instead of trapping it on the surface, which leads to body odor.  Also, my feet swell terribly in hot weather, so as much as I love my comfy running shoes, you won’t find me wearing them for set up at a summer wedding.  My go to shoes for summer weddings are Yellow Box flip-flops.  I probably could not find a less glamorous shoe but they offer the support and cushioning that I need for long days on my feet.  While my summer wedding look is definitely not as stylish as I like to be, I know that I am much more effective for my clients when I keep my look simple and comfortable.

Happy Summer Planning!

NOTE:  Parts of this article were taken from The Centers For Disease Control site: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/86-112/

By far one of the most difficult things to me about being a wedding planner is explaining to brides how their budget will be spent.  My heart sinks when I talk with brides and they tell me they have a not so small guest count and an unrealistic budget.  I get inquiries all the time through a leads website for (I am not kidding you) $5,000 total budget and 250 – 300 guest counts.  I don’t even respond to these inquiries of course, but many of my qualified leads start out with small budgets that increase, sometimes even double by the time the bride and her family have made informed decisions.  While I have a budget form that I often share that breaks down average spending per category, lately, I have been starting budget discussions with a very simple formula and a detailed dialogue.  It goes something like this:

Hypothetical Scenario:  Bride’s budget = $20,000, Anticipated guest count = 200

The first thing I tell clients is that the national average for weddings is around $27,000.  I also explain to them that Atlanta is a healthy market and most of my weddings average closer to $40-$45,000.  I tell the client that a good general rule of thumb is that 50 – 60% of their total budget will be spent on the reception, with 40% of the total budget going only towards food and food service.  The remaining 10 – 20% of the reception budget is spent on wedding cake, venue fees, alcohol, rentals, etc.   Are there exceptions to this?  Absolutely.  This is merely a jumping off point, to help the client begin to wrap their head around realistic wedding costs.

I literally take out a blank sheet of paper and write some simple calculations for the client.

Based on the above scenario, my notes on a piece of notepaper look something like this:

Reception = 50% of total budget = approximately $10,000

Food & Service Costs for reception = 40% of total budget = $8,000

Divide the food & service costs by the number of guests. $8,000 divided by 200 = $40 per person.

I then ask what they would expect to pay per person for a meal a a nice restaurant that would include an appetizer, a salad, a nice entree with two sides and a dessert.  Then I tell them to add a couple of glasses of wine to that total.  At this point, I can begin to see the realization (and disappointment) sink in.  They are starting to see it all come together.  Very quickly, they can add the actual food total up to about $75 per person, which is the average estimated per person cost that I use for catering with my couples in Atlanta. 

So, a more accurate estimate would be $75 per person X 200 guests = $15,000.  (Remember, this is for food only!)  This only leaves $5,000 for EVERYTHING else for the wedding!  At this point, the client has already exceeded the TOTAL reception budget.  We haven’t even started discussing decor, flowers, linens, tables, chairs, etc.

I then share with the client the good news…by cutting your guest count, you can decrease your budget significantly, and decreasing the guest count has a trickle down effect on almost all budget categories.  Less guests = less cake, less food, less alcohol, fewer tables, fewer chairs, fewer centerpieces, etc.  For every 25 guests removed from the count, clients can expect to save over $2,000.  Cut the guest list by 50 and you’ve successfully decreased your budget by about $4,000.  I find that with weddings over 150 guests, it is very difficult for the couple to make their way around to everyone anyway.  The lower the guest count, the better your wedding will be if budget is a concern to you.

NOTE:  I always budget the alcohol over and above the food cost.  More and more couples are going with beer and wine only instead of a full bar to cut costs, or specifically looking for venues that allow them to bring in their own alcohol.  Because there are so many variables to alcohol, I prefer to keep it separate from food. 

At this point, I talk with the client about other budget categories and give them some ballpark estimates on what they can expect to spend based on what they have in mind.  I talk about some general ways they can save money such as using a DJ instead of a band, repurposing bridesmaids bouquets for centerpieces, etc.  I encourage them to go home and think about what we have discussed, and decide if they will be lowering their guest count or increasing their budget.  I also ask them to prioritize their remaining vendor categories.  For instance, photography is increasingly more important to couples than flowers.  Couples today are open to creative desserts such as pies in lieu of a 5 tiered, ornately decorated wedding cake.

The key thing to remember is that every couple is different and some things are non negotiable for them.  For my clients on a budget, I have started including in my packages a comprehensive budget spreadsheet with an estimated spending category and an actual spending category. Anytime a vendor is booked, I add it to the actual spending and send the client an update so they can see in real time where their spending is taking them.  Many times, my clients do exceed their budgets, but I have always recommended less expensive options for them. 

A final note I would give to my planner colleagues is this:  just because a client may come to you with a small budget does not mean you should discount your services.  I find that I actually work harder on small budget weddings than on larger budget weddings.  Much of my value comes from knowing ways to decrease costs and having creative solutions for my clients that honor their desire for a beautiful event along with their desire to be frugal.

I hope this is helpful information for you.  Feel free to use the formula I shared with your clients. but please keep in mind that my dollar estimates are based on my experience in the Atlanta market.  It will be very helpful for you to know estimated costs in your area.  If you have any questions at all about my method, feel free to email me at info@thestylishplanner.com.

Happy Planning!

http://ninamullinsphotography.com/?load=flash

Location:  Lexington, KY
Company Name:  Always Planned and A Perfect Posy
Number of years in business: 4
Website: www.alwaysplanned.com 
Blog: www.alwaysplanned.com/blog
Twitter handle: @alwaysplanned
If you are a wedding and event professional other than a planner, please describe your product or service. We are a full service production company, meaning we do planning, design, flowers and décor.
How would you describe your personal style? Versatile.  I tend to adapt to my surroundings.  I love anything girly with ruffles, or sexy with some spice and love a fabulous and fun set of pajamas.  Most importantly I want to feel comfortable and that typically means casual with personality.   Boho Chic!
What is your “go-to” meeting attire? Skinny jeans, flats and a cute loose fitting top.
What is your “go-to” evening industry event attire? (i.e., associational meeting, vendor or venue open house, etc.) I am an ever growing collection of cocktail dresses, sometimes I do a classic pencil skirt and blouse too.
What is your attire for wedding/event day set-up?  We have these super cute and totally rockin t-shirts with our logo on them.  The entire team wears them with jeans.
What is your attire for actual wedding/event?  Typically a black dress.  If the wedding is more formal then I break out the jewels and dress up a little more!
What style and brand of shoes do you wear on wedding/event days?  For inside events I have some cute Cole Hann Air flats.  We do tons of events outside on farms, for those events you will see me in either Chaco flip flops or my Mizuno tennis shoes.  I am typically on my feet for 12-16 hours so great support is idea. 
Who is your favorite celebrity style icon and why? Zoey Deschanel- I think she is gorgeous!  I love her style and personality.  I think we would totally be friends if she knew me!  haha
Please share with us (in 50 words or less) your favorite style tip:  I love mixing colors and prints.  Play around with your favorite pieces!  You never know when you will create a fantastic new look and your girlfriends will be copying your savvy style.
What would you like people to know about you that they may not discover just by viewing your website or blog?  I love pigs!  I know it’s so random – but it started when I was a kid when I watched Charlotte’s Web and continues today.  The only difference is now I make it a point to only collect stylish pigs!
What is your most treasured possession?  My passport.
What message would you like to convey to others in our industry? Relax, be yourself and have fun!

One of my brides is responsible for getting me hooked on Pinterest.  “Hooked”, “Addicted”, “Crazy about”, “Pinterest = Crack” are all descriptive words or terms that you will hear when others talk about the app and for good reason…it’s so true!  I haven’t managed to spend less than one hour at a time on Pinterest, unless I am pinning something quickly as I work, in which case I have to force myself not to look at anything, just pin and keep moving!

If you haven’t heard of Pinterest, it really is a wedding planner’s dream app.  I am probably in the minority among planners, but I am not especially good at creating inspiration boards.  I can manage my way around Picasa, but that’s about it, so Pinterest will help me in so many ways.  By far the best description I can share is the one on the Pinterest site’s “About” section.  It says, “Think of Pinterest as a virtual pinboard – a place where you can create collections of things you love and “follow” collections created by people with great taste.”  A virtual pinboard of everything you find and love on the net. Genius!

I’ve only been a user for a few weeks, but I already have boards for some of my weddings, home projects, fashion & style boards, a wish list board, even a board of tattoos I love.  Here’s a screen shot:

And here’s a link to the board: http://pinterest.com/jkennedy77/tattoos/

You will go nuts over Pinterest too and it is super easy to get started.  You won’t really need a tutorial or help from anyone – you will easily figure it out as you go.  In order to open your own Pinterest account, visit www.pinterest.com and request an invite.  It doesn’t seem like I waited more than a day or so for an email with access information from Pinterest.  Make sure you install the bookmark when you open your account – instructions are on the Pinterest site, and were easy to follow.  Speaking of following, be sure to follow me on Pinterest at: JKennedy77

Happy Pinning!

I love hearing feedback from other planners when I pose a Question of the Week.  I keep reading that Vintage is out, overdone, so last year…

but it is soooo lovely!  So my question is….If vintage is out, what’s next?

Have a great Tuesday!

A couple of weeks ago, I received an e-mail from Rebecca Greenberg, a casting producer for a new show coming to the Oprah Winfrey Network called, “Don’t Tell the Bride!”

This is a portion of the email from Rebecca:

“We are casting dynamic couples who are currently engaged, but lack the funds to have a dream wedding.  “Don’t Tell the Bride” gives $25,000 to 8 cash-strapped couples to create the wedding of their dreams.  The only catch is the bride and groom can’t see each other for three weeks before the nuptials, AND the groom has to plan the whole wedding in secret (with NO input from his bride). 

Casting Requirements:

- Must be over 18 years of age

- Currently engaged

- Willing and able to get legally married between July 2011 – September 2011

- Have a few groomsmen and bridesmaids with big personalities willing to be on the show with you

- No long distance or destination weddings. You must be willing to marry within driving distance of couple’s residence(s).

For more information or to recommend an engaged couple for the show, please contact REBECCA at 323.904.4680 x1050 OR email me at rgreenberg@shedmediaus.com with your name, age, number, city/state, photo of the couple, and brief description of why you’d be ideal for the show.”

Now wouldn’t you know that all my couples are currently underway with their planning?  This sounds like such a fun opportunity – I hope my fellow planners will pass the info along to your clients.

Here is a flyer that Rebecca sent also:

Wishing you all a great week!

Linnyette Richardson Hall is the Owner and Creative Director of Premiere Event Management, a Baltimore-based firm that specializes in creating unique, elegant, fun and personality-oriented events.  She is the Special Contributing Editor of the two book series Going to the Chapel (Penguin Putnam 1998) which was created for couples who are in the wonderful process of planning their nuptials. Formerly, Linnyette was Contributing Editor for Signature Bride Magazine and Columnist forWeddingChannel.com. American television audiences are able to see her work her "wedding magic" as one of the featured consultants on the hit reality television series, “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" which airs weekly on The Style Network.

Linnyette has been in the wedding industry since 1993 and has planned hundreds of weddings for brides & grooms locally and on a nationwide basis. Linnyette’s expertise has been featured in many local and national publications such as Glamour,Essence & Black Enterprise magazines, The Washington Post as well as appearing on CNN, FOX News, CBS and a host of other media outlets.

The Stylish Planner is so pleased to have Linnyette as a contributing guest blogger! I feel her “tell it like it is” personality combined with her years of wedding and event planning experience make her feature a “must read”! The feature is aptly titled “DIVA Day”, and will be posted on the first Wednesday of every other month!

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Exit Strategy

Summer is upon us and for many in the professional wedding planning sector, it’s SHOWTIME!  For the next 3 months or so (depending on your geographical location), nuptial celebrations are on your weekly “to do” list and just like Bill Murray’s character in “Groundhog Day”, every weekend will have you hitting the alarm clock and headed out to do what you do best!

So why is this installment of DIVA Day entitled “Exit Strategy”?  It’s quite simple, really – for all of the planning we do for our clients, how many of you have sat down and clearly thought about how you will “retire” from the uber-hectic world of wedding planning & consulting?  Retirement?  Are you kidding me??  (Yes – I can hear the exclamations now).  But, it’s a worthwhile thought pattern to start formulating – no matter where you are on the experience spectrum.  Do you really want to be the 75 year old wedding planner having to chase down chicks in white dresses EVERY single weekend or would you rather be the 60 year old planner who makes the graceful exit after leaving her mark on the wedding world?

In my former life B.W.P. {before wedding planning}, I worked in financial services and my job was to help people make money on their investments as well as get them started/entrenched in a good, solid retirement plan.  What I learned from that very storied experience is that thinking ahead makes TOTAL SENSE.  I’ve been a wedding planner since 1993, so I’m now in my 18th year of “making the magic happen”.  I’m also turning 50 in December and will be the first to say that the mindset and physical capabilities of the 32 year old planner are vastly different than my current almost-a-half-century iteration.  It is what it is.

I got into this field because I loved everything (and still do!) about it.  I also got into it because my entrepreneurial spirit led me here…knowing that it would be a good fit for me.  I did not come into the business expecting to stay here forever – my theory has always been that everything has it proper season, time and place…and as a good, forward-thinking businesswoman, I have to know when to say “when”.  The same applies to all of you.  Planning the veritable “exit strategy” means that you will have to face one hard reality – you’re not going to be doing this for the rest of your life.  And for many, that will be a very, very hard pill to swallow. 

Don’t fret – look at your strategy sessions as building blocks for an even more richer, productive future.  Think about where you want to be when you are 40, 50, 60 and beyond.  Imagine the life you wish to have, complete with all of the creature comforts you love and have grown accustomed to as well as insuring that your financial future is in the bank.  It’s never too early to start planning for the rest of your life – the key is to be realistically smart.   While you may “retire” from the day-to-day operations of your business, now is the perfect time to nurture and cultivate a great staff who can run the show for you.  It also never hurts to stick your well-manicured tootsies back in to the water….for us true, blue wedding planners – the hunger to create never ends.  I’ve been working on my personal exit strategy for a while now and it’s finally starting to take root.  The end result will be a gorgeous, magnificently blooming lifestyle that I will love, honor and cherish.  Oh…and I’ll still be making money doing what brings me joy – just on another level.

So, if you haven’t starting thinking about how you’ll be getting “out”, there’s no time like the present.  Review your retirement plans/investments, think about more in-depth training for your interns/associates (if you have them).  And if you’re pretty much running solo – now is the perfect opportunity to start bringing like-minded folks into your atmosphere.  They’ll be a blessing now and in your future game plans.  Create a list of what you really WANT your future to look like – then go ahead and make it happen.  And by the way, all of this planning is not an “end”.  I want you to look at how the possibilities and new beginnings your current career can bring to an even richer one in your distant future.

Allow me to leave you with one of my life’s “mantras”:

“If you advance confidently in the direction of your dreams and endeavor to live the life that you have imagined, you will meet with a success unexpected in common hours”
-Henry David Thoreau