Image by: Erin Hannum

First and foremost…I want to wish everyone a VERY happy New Year!  No, you did not read that wrong…and yes, it’s early March and almost spring (how did that happen?!).

As I have been working through the beginning part of this year, getting ready for another beautiful wedding season, I’ve spent the last few months also crafting and refining some realistic goals for my business, and I wanted to talk a little bit about what 2019 is going to look like over here at FF.

As a wedding planner…I don’t really have an ‘off-season’.  When it is wedding season here in Michigan (April-October), I’m actively planning AND producing events, which is wonderful and a bit crazy at times (but in the best of ways).  In the other months (November – March), I am planning said events, taking copious amounts of meetings with vendors and clients, organizing my office, and most likely sitting in front of my computer for the Nth hour getting ready for the season to come.  Although the latter time span is typically a little less busy than the warmer months, in my book, it’s a time to get as-much-work-as-humanly-possible done, which would maybe explain why I am just now getting down to sharing my yearly goals with you.

So for my first blog post of 2019 (honestly, my first blog post in a while), I wanted to list some of my goals for you all to see…but all encompassed by only ONE word.  And this word is ‘YES’

1.  Yes…to amping up my client experience.

As everyone knows, my clients are my EVERYTHING.  Although I already do a lot for them…I always feel that I can improve on this every year, helping them to not only enjoy the planning process more…but to also make it easier.  In 2016 I added the online system Aisle Planner to my company, helping my clients to keep all of their information organized and in one place.  I have since added gifting from the lovely Marigold & Grey to welcome my clients to the FF family when they sign on with me…and this year, I will be focusing on streamlining the planning process itself to better communicate all of the tasks at hand in easy-to-understand increments.  It’s in my opinion that, no matter how organized you are, proven methods and practices should always be tweaked and adjusted for better efficiency and understanding.

2.  Yes…to sharing more on social media and blogs.

This one is definitely something I am very passionate about…but it’s often the first to fall to the wayside when my schedule gets too busy and time doesn’t allow.  BUT…I am making it a priority this year to share more of my processes, give a better glimpse of what it actually means to be a wedding planner, show off more of my incredible weddings (behind-the-scenes and after the fact), and be more accessible through social media.

3.  Yes…to passion projects and offering more educational opportunities.

This is a huge goal of mine that is going to span over the next few years…but for this year, I want to start crafting educational content for up-and-coming planners and for those planning their own weddings.  Topics such as learning different types of wedding planning, logistics and how to run an actual event, tablescape design, how to design a cohesive wedding from top to bottom, etc.  Essentially…educational material that I would have loved when I first started my career in events.

4.  Yes…to building a better foundation of community within the industry.

I have to say, I already have a pretty great ‘friendor’ group here in SE Michigan and beyond, but if social media has taught me anything, there are so many more amazing people out there to connect with and widen my scope of the world.  So, that being said, I am striving to say ‘yes’ to more networking opportunities and coffee dates with other vendors…making sure to carve out the time in my schedule to meet other industry folks and further develop relationships in my local and global communities.

5.  Yes…to better work/life balance…and to saying ‘no’.

I’m awful at this…just ask my husband.  BUT, every year (this year included) I strive to get a little better about refining my personal and business routines, and what it means to actually ‘rest’…and luckily, my clients are incredibly understanding.  Probably the biggest change I made in the last few years regarding this subject, was when I rebranded my company at the beginning of 2018, taking only full/partial planning clients and simultaneously limiting myself to only 10-12 events per year.  This not only gives me more time to spend with my each of my clients…but also gives me more time during the season to spend with family and possibly take this thing called a ‘vacation’ that everyone talks about.  By simply having more time to unwind and not feel overloaded, I’m able to realize what it is to be my best self in both my personal life and my business life…and in turn, be my best self for my clients.

 

Even though we are already three months into 2019, I can confidently say that I have been (and will continue to be) meeting these goals and then some. I am looking forward to the opportunities, people, and places that saying ‘yes’ is going bring me and FF this year…and I am super excited to say that I have actually booked my first vacation in 8 years (New Orleans here I come!).

 

What are you saying ‘yes’ to this year?