Hi everybody. I have a great appreciation for wedding vendors and know first hand that the wedding business is a full time job.
Do you all take calls days/evenings/weekends at anytime? Do you ever just shut down for one day a week to re-group or do you find your business is seasonal so you can rest over the slower months?
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I work from home, running my wedding & event florist business, so dividing home life from business is pretty hard. It's definitely been a learning curve, but I now try my hardest to focus only on home life on Sunday, not business. That means no email, no paperwork, no nothing. There is the exception of the Sunday event, but it doesn't happen very often. I've also been trying to take Monday morning for myself, housecleaning, etc. and making the afternoon an office day only (no errands or consultations). I do tend to work on emails in the evenings many weeknights, so I definitely don't feel guilty for drawing boundaries at the beginning of the week.
I only answer phone calls during normal business hours (Mon afternoon - Friday), and tend to let things go to voicemail on delivery/installation days too. I'll get pulled off track too easily and forget something for the clients we're delivering flowers for, and that's my top priority on those days. I know not everyone can do this, but you have to find what works for you. Once the boundaries have been set, its up to you to enforce them (or bend them occasionally if necessary).
We do have slower months in terms of actual events (usually late winter and August), but I find I can get more office work done and work on the long-term to-do list during that time. We've also been pretty busy with new client consultations then too, since the lulls here in Houston fall right after major bridal shows.
Bottom line, I still keep busy every week, and I definitely need a break to recharge and shift focus. Good luck! :)
Yes, I totally agree. The job of a wedding planner usually doesn' t have a normal schedule...
I run a full service events planning company as a wedding planner and makeup artist, and even though i have 3 other consultants m job is somewhat 24/7. It's not just about meeting with clients and vendors but you have to do strategic planning, lots of paperwork, budgeting, the details never really ends.
I do have all my emails and calls track through to my blackberry, so I am able to respond to the messages that need immediate attention. But on a whole, if i try to schedule specific time for items on my calendar. Time to finish budget, handle leads, etc.
I am also now starting to give myself a cut off time for work and but will respond to situation that need my immediate attention.
As a professional Wedding DJ/MC serving Puget Sound, WA., I typically put in 8-12 hours of planning and getting ready for an event, before the day of the event. Often the client doesn't even realize this. Why do I do this? Because my reputation is based on doing a superb job for each client. I want to be polished and spot on the day of their event. I care too much to just show up and play music.
Robert Bonham
Music De-Lite
I perform "romantic" wedding ceremonies in the Greater Phoenix area - the 5th largest metro area in the U.S. My office is in my home. Whenever my business phone or cell phone rings, I answer it. I work whenever the Brides and Grooms need me. I perform an average of 75 wedding ceremonies each year. My experience has been that if a Bride or Groom have to leave a message, their very next call is to someone else.
We are very fortunate that in Arizona we have two wedding seasons - March, April & May and October, November & December. Most of my weddings are outdoors at resorts. The summer - June, July & August - are too hot for outdoor weddings, so if I do take any time off it's always in the summer. I do lots of destination weddings, especially in the last 3 months of the year - when it snowing in other places. ;-)
Read: "Getting Married in Arizona? Here's the Latest Scoop" at: http://tinyurl.com/3pgn7bo
Celebrate Love!
Larry James
Scottsdale, AZ
Award Winning Wedding Officiant, Professional Speaker, Author & Relationship Coach
Member: Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC)
I will answer and email or return a call day or night. This is my livelihood, and I know first hand how many of my colleagues NEVER answer the phone, so i want to be the exception in every way possible.
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