There are a lot of conferences happening for wedding and event professionals in 2011.  It can be a difficult decision to decide which ones to attend, especially at a time when we are still cautiously optimistic about the future economy.  I’ve seen several vendors on facebook and twitter debating where to go and more importantly, where to invest those professional development dollars.  I would love to share with you why I believe that Eventology, the Science of a Wedding business would be a great investment for you.

Disclaimer:  I am actually a guest speaker for Eventology 2011, so of course I would love for you to be there!  Honestly, however, I was planning on attending long before I was asked to be a speaker.  It has become an annual retreat for me, as I have attended the last two Eventology conferences, the first of which was held in April, 2009.

In 2009, I had no idea what to expect.  I was extremely nervous.  I had just activated a Twitter account and was still learning my way around that.  I would be networking outside of the Atlanta wedding market – meeting amazing planners from across the country whose work I had admired on wedding blogs and in magazines.  It seemed very surreal to me at the time.  In a wonderful turn of events, I got to bunk with my sweet friend, Lara Casey, and via Twitter, several of us planners made arrangements to meet in the Indianapolis airport and carpool together to the Omni Severin Hotel.  I was completely giddy to be attending, and the conference definitely did not disappoint.  I made lasting friendships at the first Eventology.  The presentations and camaraderie over those two days truly catapulted my creativity and sparked ideas that ultimately took my business to another level.  Because of the relationships formed and my desire to continue interaction with new friends, the first seeds for The Stylish Planner were sown at Eventology 2009.  I even got my very first tattoo there!

At Eventology 10, I had just launched The Stylish Planner in November of 2009 and things were going great.  I knew I would attend E10, and began to think of ways to promote the blog without taking away from the other speakers or the content.  Ultimately, I became a sponsor and gifted all attendees a cute luggage tag.  Simple but effective, and I saw a direct increase in blog traffic after the conference!  While things were going great with The Stylish Planner, I couldn’t say the same for my planning business, FAVOR Events.  2010 was looking very slow, so I had decided to use the down time to re-evaluate and re-structure, but I wasn’t sure what to do or where to begin.  I am so grateful that Harmony Walton presented on Branding Success at E10 – I saw right away that I needed to fine tune some things and that my website needed an overhaul.  Terrica Skaggs presented on using technology tools to help you work smarter, not harder and I have since implemented so many of her recommendations (with a few still to go!).  I always learn something profound when Saundra Hadley talks about sales techniques and pricing, and soon after E10, I re-evaluated my pricing structure and made adjustments.  Sasha Souza blew me away with her knowledge of wedding and event design and I so appreciated that she shared tips and tools so openly with everyone.  Lastly, hearing Lara Casey talk about building a team made me see so many things I had done wrong with my staff in the past.  I made a decision right then and there to work alone for a time and only keep staff for assisting on the day of a wedding.

From my personal photos – Eventology 2010

In a nutshell, at both conferences, I have learned things that either caused me to change my business altogether, or that confirmed decisions I was already leaning towards. I always return home from Eventology with a clarity about my business that I don’t always have from day to day, and I walk into those changes or decisions with complete confidence.

Here are a few things that I believe make Eventology unique from other conferences:

• At Eventology, attendance is limited and it has SOLD OUT both years.  The intimate feeling of the conference allows you to meet almost everyone and make lasting connections.
• Eventology is chock full of content, but not rushed.  There is no rushing across a crowded trade show floor to get to your next session.
• Katasha Butler and her staff pay great attention to detail.  There are enough seats for everyone, your check-in time will only take a few moments, and there are adequate breaks throughout the day.  Attendees are well taken care of at Eventology.
• There is sufficient down time.  You will have the opportunity to network with others beyond the usual session breaks.  There is an official welcome reception & cocktail time, you can gather with old or new friends for dinner or drinks each evening, share a ride to and from the airport, work out together in the gym, hang out in the lobby bar, etc.
• The vibe is amazing.  There is such great energy when creative people who are passionate about their work gather under one roof.  You will return home with that feeling and it will carry you on bad days, trust me.
• The swag is unbelievable and there are no salespeople monopolizing your time in between sessions.
• There is a GREAT mall directly attached to the Omni Severin Hotel. Holla!

I am so honored to be counted among the speakers for Eventology 2011.  I’ll be presenting The Style Plan, which is a great workshop I developed to help wedding professionals evaluate their image and business collateral, maximizing those key elements of your brand to reach your target market.  The other speakers are stellar and will present the following topics for you:

Saundra Hadley – Fearless Negotiation Skills
NaShara Mitchell of LawGLOSS:  Contracts and Agreements
Ali Phillips – Make It Personal:  Cultivating and Maximizing Vendor Relationships
Michelle Loretta – Accounting for Creatives {Not Creative Accounting!}
Linnyette Richardson-Hall – CONFIDENCE:  How to Get What You Want and What You Need in the Wedding Industry

When: April 11-12, 2011

Where: Indianapolis, Indiana at the Omni Severin Hotel

Cost: $430 Early-Bird; $480 after

Eventology registration is open now and early bird pricing is in effect until January 20, 2011.  This year, payment plans are available – see details on the registration page here.   If you have any questions at all about Eventology 2011, please feel free to email me at info@thestylishplanner.com.  I’m sure I will write some additional posts about the conference before April, so watch the blog and follow me on Twitter @StylishPlanner.  I really hope to see you there this year!

I’m not starting a new weekly post, I promise – but I had to take care of some major gratitude this morning.  On Monday of this week, I presented for the first time, the first full length format of the workshop, The Style Plan that I have been in the process of creating for almost a year.  The format of the workshop allows for participation for other wedding and event industry vendors to participate by sharing their experience in their area of expertise with the attendees.  The topical content of the workshop is very broad and I would never claim to be expert in every area, so I really rely on these vendors to help educate the attendees.  Monday’s workshop was here in Atlanta and I am so grateful to the attendees and the vendors.  I’d like to give a special thanks to the following people:

Endive Catering – Kim Ferguson, Event Designer and Owner/Operator Chef Drew Ihrig created a wonderful menu for our group.  Because of the emphasis I place on wellness on The Stylish Planner, I asked for healthy fare and for the chef to provide some insight into preparation and ingredients.  What we received was a wonderfully prepared spread that included a veggie/spinach salad, a salmon spinach salad, thai chicken tacos, and an amazing assortment of other items,  including my absolute favorite:  sushi.  Chef Drew was kind enough to personally introduce the menu – complete with a hand rolled sushi demonstration.  It was by far the freshest meal I have had in a while.

I learned that Endive does not have preprinted/pre-set menus for their clients.  Instead, Chef Drew personally takes the time to sit down with each client, getting to know them and the details of their event.  A menu is then thoughtfully prepared and presented to the client.  The level of service we were provided at The Style Plan was a wonderful example of client focused service. 

Lisa Zachary of Papered Wonders – I asked Lisa to conclude the segment on business collateral with a description of her services and her insight on what is happening in the stationery world.  She graciously shared with us several examples of her work in which she helped companies with rebranding.  It was so helpful to me to see the before and after results of her work – STUNNING!  Papered Wonders is equipped to handle your business stationery needs and produces beautiful wedding invitations and stationery as well.  Check out Lisa’s website for details on her services and examples of her work.

Erica Angeline is an Atlanta area custom clothing designer.  She specializes in wedding gowns and cocktail dresses.  I have known her for a few years now, but I really had no idea how far her area of expertise reached when it comes to fashion and style.  I asked her to speak during the afternoon segment on personal image.  Specifically, I wanted to hear her expert take on on the importance of fit and good tailoring in one’s fashion selections.  She discussed that and so much more, including use of color, fabric types, etc.  I so enjoyed hearing from her, and especially appreciate that she enjoys designing for a real woman’s body.  I find myself definitely dreaming of her cocktail gowns!  You can learn more about Erica and her beautiful custom designs on her website.

I want to be the first to officially declare Heather Norwood of Peachy Treats Candy Buffet Catering as “one to watch” in the wedding and event industry.  Heather is so enthusiastic and is filling a definite void in the Atlanta market with her beautiful candy buffet designs.  Throughout the day as I presented The Style Plan content, I could almost literally see light bulbs over Heather’s head!  Not only was she an attendee, but she also provided the mid-afternoon pick me up of a candy assortment for each of us.  How exactly Heather knew that those little tiny candy bananas are a weakness of mine, I’m not sure, but they didn’t last very long!

Jamie Fine of Sugarplum Visions is a dear friend and she provided mini Bundt cakes of my favorite flavor of hers – lemon-lavender glazed goodness.  Jamie is a true artisan and is a pleasure to work with – brides LOVE her!

Janet Howard of Blue World Studios was the official photographer for The Style Plan Atlanta.  She is someone that I have wanted to work with for a long time and I was really glad that she was there to capture the day.  I can’t wait to see the official images from her!

Last but not least, I must thank my amazing friend and Studio Wed Atlanta owner, Michelle Gainey.  She has encouraged me from the moment I first shared The Stylish Planner with her and has shown me such incredible support.  I am fortunate to call her my friend and I am so grateful to all the StudioWed owners for hosting in each of their locations throughout this year. 

I am so fortunate to have worked with these wonderful vendors and I hope you will take the time to get to know them yourself!

There are three more Style Plan workshops currently scheduled for this year.  I would love to add a few more dates to the calendar this Fall, so If you would be interested in bringing The Style Plan to your area, please feel free to contact me by email at info@thestylishplanner.com.

You can click on either of the following links to register or read about workshop details:

• StudioWed Nashville on Monday, July 26th
• The Bridal House in Charlotte, North Carolina on August 23rd
• StudioWed Denver on September 27th

I hope to see you at a Style Plan workshop soon!

Graphic designed by Jess Lehry Designs aka The Savvy Bride. 

I’ve been talking about The Style Plan workshops for a while now.  This content really comes from the heart, and I say that knowing that it sounds cliché.  I went through a very difficult time last year in my personal life that completely shattered what I thought I knew about myself.  That difficulty turned out to be a tremendous blessing in so many ways.  One thing that was crystal clear in the midst of that was that if I wanted to keep my business and continue doing the work that I loved, I had to completely change the way I operated the business.  (In my case, that translated to bigger is not better.)  Another thing that happened was that I took two months off and stepped completely away from the wedding industry during that time.  I was able to think about my business with more clarity than ever before, and my creativity soared.  I took lots of notes and journaled my thoughts, but did not allow myself to work on any new ideas until the personal situation was nearly resolved.

Out of that time away, The Stylish Planner was born, and along with it, the desire to put my experience and everything I had learned into a format to be shared with others.  That was a year ago and I can’t believe the first in a series of workshops will be held in my hometown of Atlanta in just two weeks!

From the infant stages of the workshop, my wonderfully talented friends and StudioWed owners, Nicole Riley (Asheville), Michelle Gainey (Atlanta), Mary Alice Sublett (Nashville) and Debbie Orwat (Denver) agreed to sponsor and host the event.  This unique relationship provides me with talented StudioWed vendors at my fingertips and allows me the opportunity to tap into their skills and expertise and showcase them to the workshop attendees.  While the workshop format will remain the same in each city, here is a sample of how vendors are participating in the Atlanta workshop:

LUNCH:  I requested a healthy lunch, used fresh, nutritious ingredients that busy professionals could easily incorporate in their everyday lives.  I also asked for the Chef to share with us their thoughts on healthy eating and how good nutrition affects our health overall.  Endive Fine Catering has already exceeded my expectations with this wonderful menu:

1)  a traditional middle eastern mezze spread of white bean and garlic hummus, babaganoush, select Persian olives, tabbouleh and grilled vegetables served with sliced cucumber and ethnic flatbreads. 

2)  soy bourbon glazed salon file over a strawberry spinach salad with baby curly spinach tossed with raspberry vinaigrette topped with sweet and spicy roasted pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled maytag blue cheese and fresh sliced strawberry. 

3)  California rolls with chef’s choice of smoked salmon, ahi tuna, cream cheese, avocado, tri-colored bell pepper, pickled daikon and cucumber served with soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger, and

4)  miniature wonton tacos filled with Thai chicken, Asian vegetables, fresh ginger and cilantro sautéed in a bold sherry soy tomato sauce. 

NOTE:  Chef Drew will also conduct a live demonstration of sushi rolling techniques!

Photography:  I asked that one of the StudioWed photographers in each location be available to photograph attendees for a small fee.  I thought it would be a great idea for attendees to have the opportunity to update their headshots for their websites, blogs, Facebook and Twitter avatars and more.  I’m so excited that the incredibly talented and fun Janet Howard of Blue World Studios answered the call for the photography spot!  For a $30 fee paid directly to Janet, attendees will receive 8 – 10 images within a couple of weeks of the workshop date.

Hair & Make-Up:  Scoobie West is one of my dearest friends in the wedding industry.  I simply adore him.  He will be on hand to share his thoughts on hair and make-up trends and tips, talk about the importance of good grooming and how to look your best.  (He will also discuss some male grooming trends for the gentlemen in attendance.)  Scoobie will also offer a discounted hair & make-up styling session to The Style Plan attendees to be booked with him at a date and time of your choosing.  I’m hoping he can teach me some new up do looks as well as how to apply faux lashes!

Dress Designer:  The wonderfully talented Erica Angeline will be with us and during the Personal Image segment of the workshop, she will speak on fashion and discuss in detail the importance of good tailoring.  This is a wonderful opportunity to hear from a designer what fits are best for your body type.

Desserts/Treats: Peachy Treats will provide a delicious surprise.  I’m not picky at all when it comes to sweets, I love them all, so I am definitely excited to see what is in store for us at StudioWed!

The Style Plan news highlights:

- I’m very pleased to announce the charity of choice for The Style Plan is Wish Upon A Wedding.  1% of all proceeds of every Style Plan workshop will be donated to the wishing well.

- On Monday, June 14th, I will be announcing guidelines for a scholarship opportunity to the Atlanta workshop.  I will offer this in each city with the same guidelines.  I remember all too well how overwhelming things were for me when I first started in the industry, so I definitely want to be sensitive to those who are just starting out.  One Atlanta area wedding professional will receive a full scholarship to the workshop as long as the guidelines are met.

- In addition, I am offering a limited time discount to five attendees.  E-mail me at info@thestylishplanner.com with a short note on what interests you most about the website, and you will receive 1/2 price registration ($75).  This offer will be available until all five slots are filled or until tomorrow (June 11) at midnight.

To learn more about The Style Plan workshops, read this post I wrote last week and see the workshop outline, list of deliverables and registration information here.

I’m curious to know – what interests you the most about The Style Plan workshop?

I’m so excited to share with you something I have been working on for over nine months.  I have created a new workshop I’ll be presenting in Atlanta, Denver, and Nashville, hosted and sponsored by StudioWed.  Please take a moment to review the workshop description and topics – it is so much more than “what to wear”, and all wedding and event professionals can benefit from the content.  In today’s business world, we don’t always meet people in person right away.  Sometimes it can be months before we meet them, and in some cases, we may never meet at all.  Make no mistake – you still project an image through online correspondence and social media.  Do you share marketing collateral with clients and vendors through the mail?  That’s a tangible aspect of your image that can easily get tossed aside if it doesn’t seem noteworthy. 

This has been a long journey for me and I’m excited to share with you what I’ve learned, both through success and through failures.  If you’d like to learn more about me and my journey, please feel free to read my bio.

Photo courtesy of Marta Noe Photography

The objective of The Style Plan is to clearly show the importance of having a strongly defined and consistent image. I believe that image is so much more than just your physical appearance.  During the workshop, we will discuss three key areas of our image as follows:

Virtual Image = website, blog, online ads, and social media

Business Collateral = cards, stationery, brochures, books, albums, etc. and their packaging

Personal Image = YOU, the person – outward and inward

The Style Plan topics will include:

- My story of how The Stylish Planner came to life

- Why creativity and passion are crucial to your business

· Overall image case studies of 3 celebrities

- Overall image case studies of 3 successful wedding professionals

- Looking the part – why image matters and should be consistent

· How your website, blog and social media use convey your image to others

· Why your business collateral should be more than just your card and a price sheet

· Basic style guidelines such as dressing for your specific profession and dressing for various events

· Your self-promotion plan: interacting with vendors and clients, promoting yourself at networking events and through social media

· Why you MUST maintain all areas of your image on an ongoing basis and how to do it

Deliverables: Each attendee of The Style Plan Workshop will receive the following:

- Self Analysis Worksheet: Virtual Image, Collateral Image & Personal Image

- Target Market Analysis Worksheet (are you reaching who you are aiming for?)

- Professional Biography Worksheet

- Dress Codes Defined Reference Sheet

- Weekly Wardrobe Planner

- Wedding submission tips and guidelines

- Image Maintenance Worksheet

- Complete Style & Image Resource List – with discounts for goods and services for attendees

Attendees will also receive The Style Plan swag bag full of items generously donated by companies and professionals equipped to help you on the journey to your best image.

Registration for the Atlanta workshop to be held on June 26 is open now.  You can register to attend here:  http://event.attendstar.com/view-event/the-style-plan—atlanta/.

Registration for the Denver workshop on July 12 and the Nashville workshop on July 26 will open next week.

If you have any questions at all about the workshop, please feel free to reach out to me at:  info@thestylishplanner.com. 

I look forward to connecting with you at one of The Style Plan workshops!

 Eventology 2009 – from left to right:  me, Lara Casey, Katasha Butler and Latrice Cushenberry

Today I thought I would interrupt the regular schedule for The Stylish Planner and offer a few thoughts on what to wear and pack for any first time attendees of Eventology.  First, I just want to say what a treat you are in for.  The speakers, the hotel, and the food are phenomenal, the interaction with other industry professionals is so encouraging.  Katasha and her staff put on such an organized and well thought out event.  Prepared to be “wowed”!

Here are a few tips to help you prepare over the next couple of days:

1)  Initiate conversation via Twitter.  Let’s face it – you will have plenty of down time sitting in airports, on your flight, and in cabs.  Why not say hello and make a point to connect with someone when you arrive?

2)  Follow the chatter on Twitter.  You’ll feel in the loop and see what everyone is doing and where they are doing it.  Need a workout partner one morning?  Send out a quick invite via Twitter.  Need to run out to a store for forgotten items?  Send out a twitter invite and share a cab with someone else who needs to go.  Just do a keyword search on your Twitter app for the official hashtag: “#eventology” and you will see in real time what’s going on.

3) Prepare to be mobile:  The incredibly tech savvy Terrica Skaggs posted a great blog earlier this week about Must have iPhone apps for Eventology – trust me, you’ll want to check it out.

Thoughts on packing:

With the airline restrictions regarding carry-on luggage, you may be trying to get everything you need in a carry on bag.  More power to you, I wish I thought I could manage that myself.  Last year the conference was only one day and I still checked a bag!  Check your airline’s website for details – here’s some condensed specifics if you are flying Delta:

Carry-on items are limited to 1 purse, briefcase, camera bag, or diaper bag OR 1 laptop computer (computers cannot be checked and must be carried on); OR 1 item of a similar or smaller size to those listed above.  Additional approved carry-on items that do not count toward your personal items are:  coat, jacket, or umbrella, food or drink purchased after clearing the security checkpoint, one box or bag of duty free merchandise, special items such as wheelchairs or crutches.  Carry-on items do come with size and weight restrictions and must fit in the overhead bins or under the seat in front of you.  Checked baggage fees will also be applied to the oversized bag if it has to be checked. In order to avoid delays as well as fees, follow these size and weight requirements:

• Baggage may not exceed 45 linear inches (length+width+height) or 115 cm.
• Baggage must fit easily in our SizeCheck® unit (approximately 22"x14"x9" or 56x36x23 cm).
• Fees apply if your bag is too large to carry on and has to be checked at the gate.

Checked baggage guidelines are:

• Weigh 50 pounds (23 kg) or less.
• Not exceed 62 inches (157 cm) when you total length+width+height.

Oversize and overweight fees will apply if the guidelines are not followed.  Checked baggage fees vary by airline, but you can expect to pay around $23-$25 for your first checked item and $32 – $35 for a second item.  You may be able to save a couple of bucks by checking your baggage online – Delta offers a $2 discount for this vs. checking in at the airport.

TIP #1:  I suggest transferring your critical handbag contents (ID, credit card, tickets, cash, cell phone, compact and lip-gloss, etc.) to a small clutch that fits inside your laptop bag and only carrying your laptop bag on the plane.  You can pack your larger handbag in your checked luggage with the non-crucial contents still inside and pull it out when you arrive at the hotel.  The clutch can then be used as an evening bag for the evening events on Sunday and Monday if you wish.

TIP #2:  I carry a large wrap instead of a coat.  The weather report for Indianapolis as of now is predicting a low of 40 degrees on Sunday and a high of 66 degrees on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with only a 10% chance of rain on M/Tu/W.  Because we will be inside most of the time, and the temps are fair, the wrap should be enough for me and I can also use it as a blanket on the plane.  If I’m not wearing the wrap when I land, I can easily drape it over my laptop bag in order to have my hands free.

Thoughts on wardrobe:

The dress code for Eventology is business casual.  Wikipedia defines business casual as:

• for women: A reasonable length skirt (not mini-skirt) or full-length trousers of a non-jeans material combined with a top (such as a dress shirt, polo, or sweater set) is considered acceptable. An informal dress with appropriate skirt length is also acceptable.
• for men: A combination of collared shirt (such as a dress shirt or polo shirt), cotton trousers (such as khakis) with a belt, and dress shoes(such as loafers) with socks is generally acceptable

TIP #1:  Be sure to bring a cardigan or lightweight jacket.  Meeting rooms can be quite chilly in order to accommodate such a large group of people. 

TIP#2: Consider bringing a pair of flats that can slip inside your handbag or laptop bag.  There is some free time worked into the Eventology schedule.  On Monday, lunch is on our own and we have some leisure time in the evening prior to the welcome reception.  The Omni Severin Hotel is connected to the Circle Centre Mall, so chances are you will walk there for lunch or a little shopping at some point.  The last thing you want is a blister while traveling, or so I’ve heard.

TIP #3:  If you are trying to keep your baggage to a minimum and carry-on luggage rather than check it, consider wearing a versatile wrap or sheath dress on Monday.  For Monday evening, you could simply change out your accessories and shoes only for an evening look.

TIP#4:  I recommend dressing more comfortably and simply on Tuesday.  With the evening events that are planned, it’s very likely you will be tired on Tuesday, so make your morning routine as easy as possible.  Also, many of you may be flying out immediately after the conference.  For me, this would mean limited jewelry, a sleek ponytail rather than wearing my hair down, flats vs. heels and slacks rather than a dress or skirt.

Other thoughts:

- Is a laptop necessary?  That is a personal decision.  Last year I did not take one and was completely fine with just my iPhone.  I let clients know ahead of time I would be out of the office, I indicated that I was traveling and unavailable on my voice mail message and added an out-of-office auto reply to my email.  This year with the conference being 2 days, I will be taking my laptop.  I took the liberty of contacting Angela in Sales & Marketing at the Omni Severin Hotel today to ask her a few specifics about their wi-fi service.  Basically, if you signed up for the free Omni Loyalty Program, you will receive complimentary wi-fi in your guest room and public areas.  (If you are not an Omni Loyalty member, you can still access wi-fi for $9.95.)  NOTE:  There is no wi-fi access in the meeting space.  So unless you want to type notes on your computer, you really will not need one during the conference time.  All you bloggers, be sure to prepare and schedule your posts ahead of time!

- Airborne is a wonderful thing.  Airplanes are germ cesspools.  Remember to dose up prior to your flights and wash your hands frequently.

- Drink plenty of water and be sure to keep your skin moisturized.  Air travel is very dehydrating.  If you are dehydrated, not only will you not feel your best, but any fine lines you may have will be more prominent.

- Don’t forget to pack your cell phone charger!!  (This always seems to be the thing I inadvertently leave behind.)

Have any specific questions regarding what to pack or what to wear to Eventology?  Send them my way – it would be my pleasure to connect with you prior to the conference and help out however I can!

Historically, I forget that it is April Fool’s Day and I almost always get taken by someone.  This morning was no different, some of you really had me going with your tweets.  Good thing my brain wasn’t able to process much until I’d had a couple of cups of coffee and I remembered what day it was! 

No April Fool’s pranks from us, I’m focused on the future and on making some great improvements and additions to The Stylish Planner that I’m really excited to share with you!

First, let me share with you the blog statistics for the month of March:

Basically, what I’d like to point out from these stats is how the blog has far exceeded my expectations and continues to grow each month.  Now I realize that most wedding blogs receive Page Views in the millions, but that was never my goal.  I don’t really feel it should be if the content is specifically geared towards wedding and event professionals.  I made an early prediction to my husband when I started the blog that I would have an audience of 75 to 80 faithful readers per month, so please believe me when I say I am truly humbled.

While I am really pleased with the growth of the blog, I’ve never been one to rest on my laurels.  It’s time to kick things up a notch (or two), so I’ll be introducing some changes/additions starting next week.

First, there will be a few changes to the weekly blog schedule.  The most popular posts have been ones that provide you with solid information for your business, so the Monday feature title will change from “Controversy” to “Serious Business”.  Each Monday’s post will be on a topic that can help you run and/or grow your business.  I’ll cover more on personal branding, social media, workflow, must have business resources, how-to’s, industry news, etc.  I’ll even open my file cabinet occasionally to share document templates I have found to be helpful in my own wedding planning business. 

The Thursday post, “Featured Planner of the Week” will now be “Style Profiles”.  While I will still feature wedding and event planners, profiles can be submitted for any type of wedding and event professional, and I will also profile the occasional celebrity.  After all – they are so often where we get our style inspiration from!  (Reece Witherspoon is a hands down favorite among wedding planners!)

“Wild Card Wednesday” will become “Wellness Wednesday” with topics including health, nutrition, exercise, anti-aging tips, and emotional wellness.  I am dedicated to bringing you up to date content on how to live a balanced life, as this is an area that I have always struggled in myself.

Our other weekly posts will remain the same, however, I will finally be adding to the Tuesday Beauty lineup the Male Point of View (Male P.O.V.) feature that I promised from the beginning.  It has been a bit challenging to find a gentleman interested in contributing!  Friday will remain “Fabulous Fashion Friday” – and I welcome anyone to share their latest shoe, handbag or fashion obsession with the rest of us!

More news to come, but I need to wrap up today’s post.  Just a hint of what’s to come:

*  Giveaways – I will have at least one contest giveaway each week, starting next week.

*  Advertising – I will be offering a limited number of advertising spots (10 or less) on The Stylish Planner at very affordable rates.  I will offer 3 month, 6 month and 1 year terms.  If you have a product or service that you’d like to get in front of wedding and event professionals, e-mail me now at info@the stylishplanner.com for details.

*  I’m going on the road to present The Style Plan™ Workshops!  I simply cannot describe this workshop in one bullet point.  I’m working now to open the registration ASAP, but could not wait to mention the dates!   I am so grateful for the fantastic sponsor and host, 3 of the StudioWed locations!  The first workshop will be on Monday, May 17th at the Denver, CO StudioWed  location; the second will be held on Monday, May 24th at the Nashville, TN StudioWed location, and the 3rd workshop will be held on Monday, June 28th at the Atlanta, GA StudioWed location.  The objective of the workshop is to equip wedding and event professionals to sync personal style and branding in order to consistently represent your business.  I really can’t wait to share more details about this experience with you!

Finally, this is your blog.  YOU are The Stylish Planner, (or The Stylish Professional) – what would you like to see more (or less) of on the blog?  Let me know and I will do my very best to deliver!

I really enjoy seeing wedding professionals thinking outside of the box and collaborating in a spirit of helping one another.  I’m pleased to feature today a very unique opportunity for wedding and event professionals…

Carla Ten Eyck Photography and Jubilee Events present “Collaborate and Create”, a workshop designed for planners and photographers in the wedding industry. The event will be held May 16^th through the 19^th at the Ocean House in Watch Hill, RI. There are eight spots available. The workshop will give attendees an opportunity to design and create their own editorial style wedding photo shoot with the guidance and support of two experienced industry professionals. Each participant will leave with a phenomenal portfolio of their work.

Take a moment and look on the website at the beautiful New Orleans shoot featured in Brides Magazine and on Style Me Pretty.  As of the time of this writing, only one spot remains for plannners!  Carla and Candice explain why they hold these events and how collaborating on creative photo shoots has helped their businesses:   

“So many planners and designers have written expressing interest about how we put together our monthly editorial shoots. We began setting up our own creative projects in 2009 and have achieved great success in having them published and featured. Not only has the buzz about our shoots been positive, but they have allowed us to explore artistic avenues that aren’t always available when working on a client’s vision. We have found ourselves more inspired, enthusiastic, innovative, creative, determined, and challenged than ever before. The best part? All this has translated into more business for us all– and it will for you, too.

If you’ve been dreaming of putting together a creative and amazing wedding-styled editorial shoot than this workshop is exactly what you’ve been looking for.”

For more information feel free to visit www.collaborateandcreate.com. Or contact Jubilee Events’ Owner and Creative Designer Candice Dowling Coppola at candice@eventjubilee.com

Ladies, when you attend, be sure and send me a sneak peek of the images, ok?!

“Does anyone actually plan weddings anymore?”  I saw this comment on Twitter recently, and I must say, I get it.  There certainly are a lot of education opportunities available to wedding and event planners right now – no doubt, more than ever.  You may roll your eyes every time someone announces they are starting to do workshops, but I say this is a good thing – and here’s why:

In the past, we were faced with very few educational options.  Sign up for an expensive online course with some unknown association, wait forever for a particular topic to be covered at a local workshop or lunch & learn, or wait for an association’s annual convention to get more info on a particular topic for your business.  In these scenarios, either the content wasn’t covered in the depth that we would like, or we would be required to pay for a convention/seminar in it’s entirety and sit through countless other topics in order to hear about the topic we are truly interested in.  Now, we are seeing seasoned wedding and event professionals who organize and present workshops based on their particular area of expertise in cities all around the country.  Hmmm….much like the Photography industry, right?

Just Google “photography workshops” and you will see what I am talking about.  There are photographers holding workshops on photography business start-up’s, editing, lighting, client relations, studio management, post-production, getting published, branding and photography techniques, including hands on shooting tips with actual models and detailed design elements.  From the activity I see on Twitter, not only do these workshops sell out, but the attendees completely rave about the content and experience.  Attendees chose certain workshops because the subject matter was something they were particularly interested in.  They came out of the workshop feeling informed and empowered, with most or all their questions answered.

Being able to pick and choose the workshop you are interested in is key.  We are all at different phases in our businesses.  Naturally, some people are more creative and excel at the design side of the business.  Others excel at the business side of things.  No matter your level of success or expertise in any area, if you are passionate about what you do, you are always looking for ways to improve. 

I read a statistic back in January of this year that disturbed me.  It said that approximately 60% of brides this year plan to start a wedding related business after their own wedding.  *GROAN!*  (NOTE:  I have been unable to find this statistic again – please forward it my way if you know what I am referring to!)  As if the industry isn’t already challenging enough….here come the brides!  Are you and your business ready for that?  Set yourself further apart from the competition, take advantage of the educational opportunities that are available to you.  Add another notch to your belt, another certificate to your wall, perfect yet another aspect of your business.  The more knowledgeable you are, the more confidence you have and clients will take immediate note of that upon meeting you.

Knowledge is power.  –Sir Francis Bacon

What workshop or seminar do you plan to attend (or have you attended) this year?  What topics (for wedding and event planners) would you like to see presented in a workshop or seminar?

p.s.  I like to feature educational opportunities on The Stylish Planner.  Please see the drop down tab labeled “workshops” for more information and follow me on Twitter & Face book (see links above) for future educational announcements.  If you are a speaker or presenter and would like your workshop featured on The Stylish Planner, just send me an e-mail to:  info@thestylishplanner.com.

Yesterday, I attended the Atlanta Wedding Professionals monthly networking/lunch and learn.  The speaker was Steve Moore, owner and creative director of The Moore Agency.  His presentation topic was: “Attract a million dollar client by looking a million dollars”.  In addition to sharing his background, he addressed  what is and what is not appropriate to wear when meeting with your clients and attending industry events.  Kellie McDonald, Stylist at Banana Republic at Phipps Plaza was on hand with the latest spring fashions.  Steve and his staff at The Moore Agency provided makeovers for 5 local wedding professionals, and Kellie with Banana Republic styled their clothing for the runway show.  Kellie and Steve thoughtfully showed some great ways to take your look from day to night.  This was really on point for a room full of event professionals because as much as we work during the day, we also like to party at night, and there is always an event to attend!

Here are just a couple of my favorite Banana Republic items used for the presentation:

Classic Sleeveless Sheath Dress – $150          Indigo 3/4 length sleeve Trench Coat – $175

I especially appreciated that Steve shared thoughts similar to mine regarding fashion in a professional setting.   Here are just a few things he said that resonated with me (and I’m paraphrasing):

• It’s great that you have a pair of $600 designer shoes, but we do not want to see them every time we see you.
• We should not smell your perfume before you actually enter the room.
• If your shoes are dirty and unkempt, you will not receive my attention. (He was speaking to men at the time, but this applies to women as well.)
• Change up your look – accessories are your best friend.

I really enjoyed hearing from Steve, and especially seeing an emphasis placed on keeping your image professional and taking pride in your look.

Thanks to Heather Vreeland of Atlanta Occasions Magazine and Linda Surles of Atlanta Bride and Groom Planner for sponsoring the luncheon and for coordinating events for Atlanta Wedding Professionals.  You ladies rock!

Have you ever seen something and thought, “What a fantastic idea! Why didn’t someone think of that sooner?!”  That is exactly how I felt when I discovered the SAGE Wedding Pros website last year.  I felt that way again when I heard about the workshop they created called The Simple Plan.  It is a 2-day workshop designed to help you:

-Define or refine your mission statement, company objectives, and goals for your business.

-Create a marketing plan, operational plan, and financial plan for your business.

-Expand your business mind and broaden your professional horizon.

-Get your questions answered by wedding pros who have years of experience in the industry.

-Network and collaborate with other business savvy wedding professionals.

Best of all:  You WILL walk out with your own business plan (WRITTEN or TYPED) in your hand!

Seating is limited to 50 participants in each city, with talented guest speakers from the industry presenting the various workshop topics. Speakers will vary in each city.  Make plans to attend in the city closest to you, or contact SAGE Wedding Pros if you are interested in bringing The Simple Plan to your area!  Current locations and details for the workshops are as follows: 

February 8 & 9 – Dallas, Texas – guest speakers include Blair deLaubenfels, Co-owner of Junebug Weddings, and Shannon Streater, CEO of The Texas Wedding Guide.

February 22 & 23 – Atlanta, Georgia – guest speakers include Lara Casey, Publisher of Southern Weddings Magazine Magazine, CEO of Bliss Event Group, Owner of Lara Casey Reps and Wendy Robinson, Owner of Aspire to Plan.

March 29-30: Washington, DC – tickets go on sale February 11, 2010
May 10-11: Los Angeles, California – tickets go on sale March 22
May 12-13: San Francisco, California – tickets go on sale March 22
June, 2010: TBD – NJ or NY or PA
July, 2010: Seattle, Washington
July, 2010: Portland, Oregon
TBD: FL
TBD: TBD – Midwest

About SAGE Wedding Pros:

Kelly Simants (on the right, above) is the owner of Sweet Pea Events, a wedding and event planning business with offices in Seattle and Dallas. Before launching her business, Kelly worked for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and Starbucks in Human Resources. In 2008, Kelly co-founded the wedding industry not-for-profit Get Hitched Give Hope. Kelly is excited to bring her background and passion for training and development, as well as her 8 years experience in the wedding industry, into the The Simple Plan.

Michelle Loretta (on the left,  above) is the owner of mmm… paper, a custom wedding invitation studio based in Seattle. She founded the business in 2004 after working as an accountant for Deloitte, a sales manager for DDLA, and a merchandiser for Coach, Inc. In 2008, Michelle co-founded the wedding industry not-for-profit Get Hitched Give Hope. You can say she is a “mixed bag”. Michelle loves talking all things business with people in the wedding industry and founded Sage Wedding Pros because of this passion.

I just love what Kelly and Michelle are doing in the industry and had to share The Simple Plan with you.  What do you think – will you attend in your city?  Tell us why here!