Maybe I Want to be a Wedding Planner When I Grow Up...

........................but don't hold me to that.


Sorry it's been a while.  I know this is a slippery slope so I'll make sure TWO weeks don't go by without a post again!  First, I didn't write anything because nothing interesting was happening to me and I didn't want to write a boring post with no direction (not that I haven't done that before).  Then, I got a little too busy and didn't write anything during my down time because I was too tired from what was going on that day.  In between all that, there were also times when I was just too lazy--have I ever mentioned that I'm typically brutally honest?  Well, in the spirit of my ever recurring theme of "What do I want to be when I grow up?", I'll pick up with a story from that:

Earlier this year, while I was still in my miserable dead-end job, I decided to post an ad on Craigslist.  Not one of those creepy ones,  but one offering free wedding planning services.  You see, I've always dreamed about what I would do if I won the lottery.  The problem is that I don't play the lottery.  Well, I've always dreamed about being a wedding planner. I've talked about it.  I've helped friends in planning theirs.  But beyond just talking, I never really did anything about it.

Then one night I figured, if I want to do this, I'm going to need experience.  And the only way someone's going to hire an inexperienced wedding planner (other than friends and family) was by offering the services for free.  This would give me an opportunity to test the waters, learn a little about it, and if I do well, possibly even begin getting a list of references.

Then I got a hit.  I actually got two but one of the weddings was during a time right smack in the middle of vacations, traveling, and visitors, so I had to turn that one down.  The other wasn't happening until the end of the year.

The original email from the client--yeah, I get to say that--was super professional and very organized.  We set up a time to speak shortly there after.  The conversation went well.  She seemed a lot like me.  A bit controlling about her wedding but really in need of help for the day of the festivities.  She had booked many vendors but really wasn't sure how she was going to handle them during the course of the day.  She said that was really how she needed my help.

Well, sign me up!  This seemed like a really good first opportunity.  This was a bride that absolutely knew what she wanted but just needed some help.  What a great way to get my feet wet.  I was so excited during the course of the call, that I forgot to ask the groom's name.  But no worries, I was sure to email her and ask.

I knew she had just started a new position at her company which was leaving her very little time for planning.  I reached out to her a couple of times via email but never heard anything back.  Then I got caught up in my job search and eventual switch.  We didn't communicate at all again until late August, when she called me and left a voicemail.  The issue at this point was I had NO IDEA who this message was from.  But when I called her back, she refreshed my memory--how embarrassing.

We decided to set up a meeting since the wedding was just a couple of months away but we never pinned down a time.  I followed up with an email. Nothing.

About a month later, I decided we really needed to meet, so I called her.  I was ready to put my foot down about a meeting time but didn't need to.  It was one of the first things out of her mouth, "Let's get together for lunch." So we did.  It was really exciting for me.  I really enjoyed meeting her and going over what the day is going to look like.  Then, at the end, she said something that really boosted my confidence, "After speaking to you, I feel so much better about the plans." Yup, I did that.  I made her feel better. Awesome.

So I worked on a minute-by-minute timeline, based on my wedding timeline that our coordinator did.  I emailed it off to her with some questions. And.... well, and I still haven't heard anything back from her and her wedding is in a few weeks.

So what I've learned so far in wedding planning:

1. Make sure to ask the groom's name.
2. Always CALL.

This whole thing is a learning process.  I'm not even sure at the end of it if this is really something I want to do, but I'm excited to give it a try.  Maybe there's a career change in my future... Maybe not.  Either way, it sure is fun to see what else is out there.

This could be me one day... minus the love drama of course.

The Day Not One But Two Friends Called With The Best News

Today was a good day.  I LOVED today!

It started as a regular day. I snoozed probably one too many times. Got to my office as quickly as I could--you know that room off the living room--and began my work day.  It's been a rough couple of days at work and I was facing how to handle those challenges first thing in the morning. 

My cell phone was dying so I plugged it in in the kitchen.  About a half hour later, I heard it beep the text message beep.  This was very exciting.  See, my phone goes off all day long for emails but most of my emails are from companies that I've signed up for the mailing list.  I rarely get personal emails and hardly ever get texts in the middle of the morning.

I got up and checked the message.  It was from a male friend of mine.  It read "Can u call me real fast on the dl Im [popping the] question today. On way to get ring n do it'.  I literally screamed--one of those moments it's really good that I work out of my home.

I of course called him immediately.  He was nervous, was telling me his ideas, and asking me what I thought he should do. Side note: Even someone who's only known me for 2 1/2 years knows that this is my area of expertise/interest and I should be the go-to. Love it! I talked to him for a few but I won't give away the details (his FIANCEE is one of the few people who know about this blog and it's not really my story to tell).

I worked and waited to hear back from him. I called my husband. I called my mother--who did not answer for the record. I tried desperately not to blurt it out over IM while the soon-to-be-popped-question-receiver and I chatted.  Probably another good reason I work from home because if I had this information and we still worked together, I'm not sure I could have hid how I was feeling. I tend to wear my feelings all over my face.

Eventually, around mid-afternoon I got the word. I did all my expected screaming. Shed a couple of tears. Did I mention I'm a sucker for love and weddings?  What a great day!

Later in the evening, after I thought it couldn't get any better, my friend that I grew up down the street from--one of the girls in my wedding--called me from the East Coast.  Before she could even get a word out, I tell her that I had been dreaming about her for TWO weeks.  It was true.  She had popped up in a bunch of my dreams.  I would be sitting at a table with a celebrity and on the other side of me there is my old friend.

She said, "Wow. Maybe you have some kind of intuition because I'm calling to tell you something. [Girlfriend's name] and I are getting married."

For the second time today, I screamed.  Shed a couple more tears. Then she couldn't understand me for a minute because I was yelling for her to tell me everything. The problem is when I get excited and start yelling I don't believe my cell phone can pick up my frequency. So I had to calm down a bit so she could tell me.

We spent the next hour catching up (it had been a while since we talked) and I did my best to get all the details (she's not really a detail kind of girl).

And there you have it.  One regular day turned into an AWESOME day where two friends that I love told me they were getting married.  What a great day. Now I can't wait to start helping them plan the weddings!

For my TV fan readers, here's my favorite.