Wednesday, June 26, 2013

So You Want to be a Wedding Planner Vol. 1 {Gaining Experience}



So You Want to be a Wedding Planner?


 
I hear this A LOT....
~I want to be a Wedding Planner
~Your job must be so fun and glamorous
~Did you have to go to school for it?
~Do you have any special certifications?
~How do I become one?

Since I'm asked this so frequently I thought it would make a nice blog series...so here we go.....

Gaining Experience:

This is by far the most important piece of the puzzle.  I've seen planners fail several times and the reason being.....they didn't have enough experience.  More times than not, a girl will plan her own wedding....love doing it, and afterwards think she's capable of planning other people's weddings....and that's just not realistic. 

Now, please allow me to preface this by saying...some days I still feel new...and there are several planners who have even more experience than me, but I can tell you that I'm at a point in my life where I feel 100% confident in planning a wedding, and here's why....


Gaining Experience:

I graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Communication.  Do you have to have a college degree to be a Wedding Planner?  Not necessarily, but I do believe that having a degree definitely gives you more career confidence.  Plus allows you many more opportunities to initially gain experience and allows you more diversity should you want to change your career one day.

Following college graduation, I experienced some set back.  I was waitressing at the Olive Garden, and regretfully had a bad attitude about it {probably mainly because the uniform was so damn unflattering}... I remember getting sent home one time because I was missing a button on my collar...I was furious.  I wish I could back now and tell my 22 year old self to "calm down....you won't be serving salad and bread sticks forever".

After a long job hunt I finally landed a job at a private event venue....I was elated!  I had no experience...other than planning events in high school and college {which by the way, professionals don't take seriously on a resume}.  And, after about a week, I was fired.  That's right FIRED.  I was beyond devastated. More on this later...


A few months later {still waiting tables at this point}  I was hired again, this time at a brand new gorgeous Private Golf & Country Club, there I spent five years of my life.... five years, four promotions and tons of incredible experience!

Job titles over this time included; Membership Concierge,  Member Events Coordinator, Catering Sales Manager, Private Event Director

After leaving, I then went on to work for a private photography company handling their sales and marketing... only to again return to another private wedding venue...then on to another Golf Club.

Job titles over this time included;  Sales & Marketing Director and Director of Sales.


Collectively spending nine years before I launched my own company and felt comfortable and confident enough to call myself a Wedding Planner!

During that time, if I had to guess I had involvement 500 plus weddings. 

And that is why I can proudly say I'm experienced...I'm seasoned, I've been in several amazing and terrifying situations...each one teaching me something different.

So that's where I suggest starting.... There are several different pathways, mine is only one example... but you must start by getting lots of exposure in the wedding and event world...and learn, grow, allow yourself to be naïve and vulnerable. It will be a very humbling but very rewarding experience.



Monday, June 24, 2013

Manic Monday 6.24.13


Good Morning/Afternoon All!

 Last week was SUPER eventful!!!  Therefore I have tons of catching up to do today and a VIP Wedding to work on...so no time for a full post...but here are some highlights...lots of photos this week.

Happy Monday!  As always, thank you for following my little blog on this enormous world wide web!!! 

Much Love, Jennifer Starr
 
Sissy Kissies

Officially sold our first home together.  

 
Happy Birthday Baby!
 
Awe
 
Uncle Trevor flew in for a visit

How to play ping pong during the summer in Arizona.  
The many emotions of Top Bunk & Bottom Bunk
{nicknames referring to their past placement in my belly}
Doors Tribute Band, "Strange Days"...incredible performance!
 
Me and the faux Jim Morrison, a girl can pretend, can't she?
Mesa National History Museum
Daddy protecting from the Dinos  
 
Me and My Little Ladies 
 
 Trevor was such a good sport  
Whoa, they love fishies! 
 
My World  
Justin finally has a bachelor pad now that he's married with children. Brothers watching Louis C.K.  {I'm so glad I'm a girl!}
Starr Brothers
Monkey's Uncles
Details from Seville Golf & Country Club's Bridal Open House
Attended with this darling girl! And my two not so helpful {but adorable} assistants.
 
Some of my very favorite Wedding Vendors:




Friday, June 21, 2013

Humor Me a Little Vol. 9



Mornings that I wake up and feel that I'm lacking in creativity and wit, I throw one of these posts up. 

Happy Friday All! 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 






Wednesday, June 19, 2013

John & Karissa's Starr Style Wedding Day!

Some wedding days I don't even feel like I'm working at all, because I'm so wrapped up in the fun of the day.  This was one of the days...everything just flowed so smoothly. 
 
Karissa and John married on a warm but breezy night in June.  I stood with John for several minutes before he got to see his bride for the first time {during the "first meeting"}.  He told me many times how he just wanted to marry her. 
And that he did.....










Vendor Team:
Coordination/Event Design: J.Starr Stylized Weddings
Photography: Still Life Studios
DJ/Master of Ceremonies: AZ Celebrity DJ
Chair Ties: Southwick Linens
Wedding Cake: Piece of Cake
Venue: Superstition Springs Golf Club




Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Happy Birthday Justin!

Dear Justin,

There are so many reasons why I'm happy I'm married to you.... let's discuss a few of these reasons.... shall we?

 
You love skinny dipping.....

 
You have big strong muscles.....and you're not afraid to flex them at any given notice...


You've got mad driving skills 

 
You always know how to strike a pose... 


You're  fearless in a canoe....


You're confident, even in your little short shorts....

 
You love your family, even when they tuck their shirts into their underwear, just to sing you Happy Birthday. {Hi Trevor}


You didn't mind being the creepy kid in the sink.... 


 
You make the cutest little tough guy face... 



I Love You Honey Happy Birthday!























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