Attention Aspiring Event Planners...

Every day I get 2-3 emails or phone calls from young men and women who are aspiring wedding or event planners. They always want the scoop on how I got started, what my typical day is like, and other curious details. In efforts to answer all of those questions for everyone, I wanted to post the most recent email inquiry I received and shed light for anyone who wants to know! Please see the email below from Dominique. My answers are in *PURPLE*


Hello Kara Marie,

My name is Dominique and I am looking to pursue a career in Event Planning. After quite some "googling", I came across your' website (which I love). I think you all have done a wonderful job with your company and website. I was writing to ask for some guidance...

How did you all get started in this business? When I realized I wanted to be an event planner, it was truly all of a sudden, even though I was subconsciously heading down that path all my life. Up until my freshman year in college, I thought I wanted to be a journalist. I first started planning weddings and parties for my friends and family members, as I'm sure most planners do at the beginning. While doing this as a hobby, I was earning my first certification (More on that below). Once my first certification was completed I registered my business "From this Day Forward...". I went all in, full force without too much research on other event planning companies or how they operated. I was VERY VERY fortunate to be blessed in the industry and have a talent for what I did, because my business could have easily just flopped because I was so impulsive in starting it without proper background research. I eventually decided to try my hand with a larger event planning company down south. I moved to Florida and helped plan quite a few fabulous weddings. I returned back to the "land of the north" shortly after I had my son, Anthony, so we could be closer to our family. I picked up the business where I left off, only changing the name to "Lavish Events" as I decided that I was interested in taking on more than just weddings. Now, here I am!
How did you earn your credentials? I did a lot of research on certifications, and really could not determine what certification was the best for me, or the most recognized in the industry. I did not have any one else in the industry to ask for advice from either! I enrolled in the Penn Foster school of Bridal Consultation and completed it with flying colors within a couple of months. During that time I also decided to try another certification course that seemed like it had a little more to offer. I enrolled in the U.S. Career Institute's event planning and management course (I believe the course is called something different now). Most certifications are based online now, as only really large cities actually have schools to physically attend. So my first two certifications were under my belt while I took on any and all additional experience that I could including helping out a local florist, working part-time at a bridal boutique, and reading every event planning book ever created. I finally came across the most comprehensive course I had seen, and decided that the QC School of Event Planning would be the most beneficial and all-encompassing. If you are seeking out a good, thorough course, I recommend this one. It covers weddings and non-wedding parties, as well as the business aspect of planning on your own. This course is far more expensive than the others, but you get what you pay for! I learned SO much more than I had from my previous two certifications. However, hands-on experience is so important as well.
How long did it take you to make a name for yourself? Several years. I wish I could sugar coat this for you, but I can't. It wasn't until I returned from my even planning position in the south that I realized that I was thinking on too small of a scale. I realized that I needed to not only be an event planner, but the BEST event planner in the region. Once I realized that I had the potential to do this on a BIG CITY scale in a small town, my business took off. The events I was planning were absolutely amazing and looked like something you'd see in NYC or LA! The calls and emails were absolutely pouring in. Soon, I couldn't handle the workload on my own. I brought on a few qualified professionals to help me out. Then I had to get planners in other cities because I was getting SO many calls from other states, and I just didn't have the time or the manpower to travel to all of these different events, but what a great opportunity to spread the name of Lavish cross-country! I now have a team of over 30 fabulous miracle-workers planning Lavish Events for the style-conscious nationwide.
What does your workday consist of? That's the beauty of it...my workday consists of anything I want it to. Typically every morning I flip through my to-do list and create a plan of action for the day. I speak to a lot of great clients about color schemes, decor, menu selections, favors, etc. I contact countless vendors on their behalf to find them the best possible selection for their event based on quality and price. I do a lot of sketches and storyboards of my ideas. I take a lot of quick trips to Starbucks, the florist, and the local linen supplier, as well as a dozen trips a month to the book store where I get a lot of inspiration. My day is scheduled entirely at my discretion, though typically I will focus each day on 3 of my events, devoting 2 solid hours on each one. Later in the evening I typically spend 3-4 hours running the business-end of the business, which is not nearly as fun as cake tastings, but needs to be done nonetheless! During event season (spring, summer, and early fall) my days are much more frantic. I spend the whole week preparing, and the weekend I work about 15-18 hours a day at the event itself making sure everything runs flawlessly.
Are there any pros and cons of the field that you can share with me? Pros: You have so much creative freedom, flexibility, and job satisfaction! You get to work with great people and travel all over the place if you want to. My job is SO rewarding to me. I couldn't imagine doing anything else for the rest of my life. It just doesn't feel like work. Cons: Time is always an issue. I devote a lot of time to work, and because of the nature of the industry, I don't really have scheduled work time and scheduled relaxation time. I'm sure that I could be a little better about giving myself more "me" time, but I just can't turn it off! I do a lot of my work around my son's nap and sleep schedule so I'm not missing out on the most important thing to me. So unfortunately that leaves me up in the middle of the night and wee hours of the mornings creating custom centerpieces for my brides, working on invitation design and wording, and answering emails!

I would greatly appreciate any information your staff can provide me with. Thank you so much for your time! I hope I answered all of your questions for you! Please be sure to let me know if you, or anyone else has any other questions. I really wish that I had someone to ask for advice when I was first starting out, too! Best of luck to you!

Sincerely,
Dominique