HAVE YOU SIGNED UP YET? 

There is so much I have in the RAE Method Course for new and aspiring wedding planners to learn from.

STEP 1: DEVELOPMENT

* Defining Your Why

* Knowing Your Ideal Customer 

* Selecting Your Business Name 

* Processes And Systems

* Branding 

STEP 2: MARKETING AND ADVERTISING

* Social Media For Your Wedding Business 

* Advertising Your Business

* How to Create A winning Website 

STEP 3: ONBOARDING  

* Initial Client Call- How to engage and land a client on your initial client call

* How To Charge- How do develop a pricing structure for your services

* How To Create Your Client’s Wedding Budget

* How To Create Your Service Offering Proposal

* Things To Include In Your Wedding Planning Contract

* Creating Your Welcome Packet

* Wedding Planning Timeline Template

STEP 4: PLANNING

* Building and Managing Vendor Relationships

* Helping Clients Manage Their Wedding Payments Without Stress

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Okay so I know I have talked about this over the last weeks but running a business requires you to stay protected. One of the ways to do this is to make sure you have insurance to keep yourself secured. 

Today's post is talking all about insurance. I have been asked this question before by planners I mentor if having insurance is a necessary thing for a wedding planner? My answer is yes. 

On The RAE Method (a comprehensive course for new wedding planners) I have some expert interviews and in this snippet shared by @kunbiesq (from @legallyset) she talks about the importance of business insurance. 

P.S. For information on wedding insurance check out Thimble

One thing I stress to my couples is to make sure they are enjoying the season of being engaged. Wedding planning can be stressful for couples with multiple deadlines, family drama, and decisions to make so you want to encourage them not to carry this into their relationship. 

Remind them to keep dating each other and to have fun through the process. 

It helps when they set out times when they talk about the wedding and not mix the wedding planning talk with spending quality time together. Remind them that they have a planner to handle the stress and let them know how important it is for them to enjoy the season of being engaged.

Earlier this week I talked last week about the importance of supporting your couple through this season but today I want to focus on the importance of protecting yourself.

I have heard too many stories from planners of how they have been burned within the last year from clients canceling weddings and proposed income disappearing, to weddings moving two years in advance but clients expecting the same rates. There has been a lot of damage that has affected businesses and I wanted to share this video to ensure you don't fall into the same traps.

Make sure you update your contracts to match the new guidelines and also make sure you add all new rules to your contract.

Enjoy this snippet from @kunbiesq and stay @legallyset 

All wedding planners can relate to this has been a whirlwind of changes but this is what we do, we help our couples through the good, bad, and in-between. This past week I went to NYC for another set of site visits for one of our rescheduled weddings from 2020.

I enjoyed touring new venues and one thing I have found is that couples are more willing to go for what they want for their day and less concerned about pleasing others. This should have been the case from the start, but I think the pandemic has put a lot of things in perspective and put the most important things as important.

One thing I wonder often is how brides without planners are coping through the changes. I have the kindest couples and I feel so blessed to be able to help them through the different waves and I can’t wait to be there at the finish line crying happy tears as they celebrate with their loved ones.  

As planners, we have to be our client's rock and help in this time. The decision to move ahead...

Happy Monday everyone, I decided to start off this Monday with a boost you need because I don’t want any new planner to fall into the traps I did. 

On the RAE Method (my comprehensive course for new and aspiring wedding planners), I had an interview with my lovely attorney @kunbiesq and I will be sharing some snippets here this month because I want you all to be legally set (no pun intended but do yourself a favor and check out @legallyset).

Have you ever wondered if having legal counsel was necessary or wondered having an attorney draft your event planning contract is a must? Check out this video and let me know your thoughts on Instagram @raemoments 

For a 20% discount on your contracts from www.legallySet.com use code RAEMETHOD

When starting out as a wedding planner it can sometimes be confusing in knowing what services to offer and which not to offer. In the video, I break down the various things to consider when you are deciding what service to offer and the various types of services.

According to www.weddingwire.com 

Full planning 

A full-service wedding planner, also known as an all-inclusive wedding planner, is best for couples who want step-by-step guidance and a professional opinion from the get-go. According to the 2020 WeddingWire Newlywed Report, 31% of couples hire this type of wedding planner. Full-service planners are a great option if you don't have a lot of free time to dedicate to planning a wedding. They will be involved in every aspect of your to-do list, from helping you choose a wedding venue and handling vendor correspondence, to setting up escort cards and corralling your bridesmaids on the wedding day.

Month of Coordination:

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Recently I was talking to one of the wedding planners I mentor and she had questions about why her consultations were not yielding any results. I went on to have her talk to me about the process of her consultation so I could help identify if she was missing anything. 

I soon found out she was doing things well; responding quickly via email, transitioning to a call, and having a call that lasted about 45 minutes but yet something was missing. So I decided to do what I call a " demo consultation.' During the call, I had her pretend to be a client while I was the planner and she took her role seriously. She asked me some difficult questions she knew she was uncomfortable answering when clients asked.

After our demo session, she realized the missing link was her consultations wasn't impactful and she was not leaving a lasting impression to make them want to hire her. Following the steps is one thing but having a consultation where you connect...

After the last few weeks of constant snow and as February comes to an end soon I am reminded that warmer days are ahead and that means the wedding season will begin soon. I am excited for all the beautiful things to come out of 2021 weddings and I hope you are too. 

Here are a few tips to remember as the wedding season begins:

1. FOCUS: It is important to focus on finishing up your planning details early. 2021 weddings will not be typical because of the pandemic so it is important you get things done early and don't work with regular timelines as you would have before the pandemic. Your couples have enough to worry about with the changes of the covid restrictions so do your part to get the planning deadlines done ahead of time so they have less to worry about. 

2. OVER COMMUNICATE: This is a time where your couples need your full attention and their guests also have a lot of questions; so make sure you communicate with them often. A week should not go by without...

As the year comes to an end, and we are in the season of festivities with the holidays all I want to do sometimes is slow all the way down. I want to kick up my feet, Netflix and chill all day every day till 2021. I tell myself when 2021 starts I will start to achieve all my goals. I don't know if I am by myself, but this is how I feel but I have learned to push past my feelings and do what is necessary. 

I want you all to end this year with the mindset that this is a time to reposition yourself for the win you want to see in 2021. These coming days where most of you will have a break from work, I want you to take advantage of them and get your house in order. By house, I mean get your business in order. What are things you still need to do to prepare for the type of year you have envisioned for 2021? 

Don't waste the time in front of you, put it to good use. Finish any courses you have started, make sure all your processes and systems are in place,...