Archive for the ‘Blogging’Category

More Reasons to Hire a Wedding Planner or Wedding Coordinator

 

Reason #852 to Hire a Wedding Planner:

Last weekend I provided day-of wedding coordination services to a darling couple who were married at Mission Inn Resort. Bride and Groom were both in the the military and had planned their wedding from Afghanistan with the help of the Mission Inn’s Wedding Catering Manager, Tammy. For all intents and purposes you could classify theirs as a destination wedding since most of the guests were from Georgia and Colorado.

Everything was going super smoothly the morning of the wedding, except that a number of guests seemed to be running late. After a few phone calls, the party was located but we soon realized that they would be in transit for at least :45 minutes longer. The couple was upset that the ceremony was being delayed, but in this case, it just didn’t seem right to start the ceremony before the lost guests arrived – after all, everyone had traveled such a great distance.

Quick! What should you do? What can you do? As the wedding coordinator I was looking straight on at an hour delay, and needed to improvise an alternative plan ASAP! I approached the Groom and suggested that the time waiting would be better spent taking photos with his lovely wife-to-be and my counterpart Tammy agreed. Tammy and I approached the bride to suggest a “private reveal” photo session for the couple. All at once we’re checking with the photographer, notifying the banquet captain, okaying plans with the Minister and so on. In a few minutes time, we had changed the course of events.

I sincerely believe that this couple’s day could have been ruined had I not been present. And I must share credit with the entire team: I was fortunate to be working with seasoned pros – all of whom were focused on making this day the best it could be for the couple. In the end, it worked out like it was planned that way from the beginning.

This is a small example… nothing earth shattering, but when you get right down to it, do you want to be crying anything other than tears of joy on your wedding day? I didn’t want our bride walking down the aisle angry or upset because her guests were not present; nor was it worth hurting family by starting without them. (Remember, this is supposed to be a celebration!)

For more insight into the benefits of hiring a wedding planner, be sure to read “Do you REALLY Need a Wedding Planner {Wedding Advice from a Caterer}” and “Things to Consider When Hiring a Wedding Planner

I would also like to recommend Leila Khalil’s recent article which appeared on HuffingtonPost.com, “Hire A Wedding Planner…. Or Else“… And I encourage you to read the comments as well.

Reflections on Creativity and Lady Gaga

“I define my own existence. I define my own identity. I define my own beauty for myself.”
“No one can define who you are.” ~ Lady Gaga – Inside the Outside MTV Series

I am constantly fascinated by the creative process.  And I never cease to be amazed by creative people.

The funny thing about being creative:  I can’t help comparing myself to others (“Why didn’t I think of that?” – or, “I never would’ve thought of that” – or, “WOW! I wish I could do that!”).

Ok – I’ll give it to Lady Gaga; that young lady is uber-talented and creative to boot!  Heck, Barbara Walters even compared her to Oprah!   But this is not exactly a post about Lady Gaga. It just so happens that I began this blog post and coincidentally was interrupted and then unexpectedly ended up watching the Lady Gaga interview that ran on MTV tonight. I guess it was destiny… {sigh}
Lady Gaga on Oprah - May 2011

But seriously, back to my point about creativity, and insight, which has now taken on a gi-normous new dimension: I find myself making comparisons to Lady Gaga.    For example,why has it taken me almost twice as many years to achieve the same level of security and self-confidence?  Oh my!  I can’t even imagine how that level of maturity and insight would have impacted my life, and carrer!  God bless her.  God bless Lady Gaga.

I loved what she said about collaborating, because that was one of the thoughts I wanted to touch on.  It’s heartening to see that she – with all her talents – admires and desires to work with others.  Awesome.  Inspiring.

You see, for as talented as I am, I enjoy collaborating with my clients as much as I love collaborating with my colleagues.  I am constantly learning and constantly teaching.  Therefore, I am constantly growing.   I may even be blossoming… but I’m not sure.  {wink}

So, before this gets too deep, I just wanted to thank those who love me, and those who put their faith in me, and those who nurture my creativity…  and Lady Gaga who helped inspire this post.  And, last but not least, I am grateful for this incredible career that allows me to collaborate with others.

If you have any thoughts  or experiences related to creative collaboration, please share them.

PS:  Shout out to Brooklyn and NYC!

© 2011 E. Delgardio All Rights Reserved

 

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05 2011

What I Learned Last Year

2010 was a remarkable year. “In a good way or a bad way?” you ask… “Yes.” I reply.

As I make this first blog entry of 2011, there are literally innumerable topics and events I could write about. So why am I writing about this…? Honestly, I’m not sure; except that it’s foremost in my mind at the moment.

For starters, I’d love acknowledge a few recent accomplishments. It’s funny how you can plug along all year and not see much progress. In retrospect, 2010 was a very strong year for me professionally, and it’s rewarding to see how many professional goals I was able to reach!
: I enjoyed speaking at a record number of industry meetings and conferences
: For the 2nd year in a row, I received a nomination for an Orlando WOW Award
: I gave back… more
: Advanced to Accredited Bridal Consultant
(tm)

I could continue the list but it’s not my intention to compile a CV. My intention is to illustrate this point: While many goals were met (quite triumphantly!), I also encountered many obstacles (stepping stones), challenges (opportunities), and disappointments (reality checks). It was not the easiest year for business owners, such as myself; it was a physical, emotional and financial roller coaster ride – to say the least! Of course this comment flies in the face of certain conventions, but I place a high value on honesty.

And this is where things get interesting: I learned some incredible lessons. I gained some amazing insights. I met some inspirational people.

Arlene Blake, Elisa, Kerline Docteur, Heather Snively

Arlene Blake, Elisa, Kerline Docteur, Heather Snively

One such experience centered around the ABC’s annual conference. During that conference I was slated to present my portfolio of work and experience to advance to Master Bridal Consultant. For whatever reason, things did not work out for me in that respect. Instead of being advanced to Master-level, I was advanced to Accredited-level. I was disappointed, feeling that I had proven my skills and credentials . However, the significance of the situation quickly became evident and my focus shifted from what I did not receive to what I did receive: the support of my peers. I was buoyed in particular by three Master Bridal Consultants – Lisa Burnett, Heather Snively and Brigid Horne-Nestor – who reached out to me and shared words of encouragement. Longstanding friends and associates also cheered me up with kind words. In the end, I took away a much more valuable experience. Without question, I will become a Master Bridal Consultant, but in the interim, I am content to appreciate the many wonderful friendships I’ve forged.

life's little inspirations, encouragement, i love you note

inspiration

I also mentioned previously that one of my events was nominated for a WOW Award! This was quite a thrill, but {insert sigh…} unfortunately a colleague took home the trophy. I am determined to keep trying though; I will stay the course! (ha-ha)

It is because of last year that I’m excited about this year! I’m working with wonderful clients, I’ve set new goals and I’m looking forward to every new opportunity – even if it comes disguised as an impossible situation.

The road leading to a goal does not
separate you from the destination;
it is essentially a part of it. ~Charles DeLint

15

02 2011

MORE Free Tips to Make Your Website Standout!

web-tools
Welcome to 2010!  A whole year has elapsed since I last blogged about the importance of keeping your website content fresh and relevant.  My previous post – Website Tune-Up – focused on strategies to keep your website current and favorable to the search engines.  Today, I hope to share some equally important tips to optimize your website and online presence this year.

1.  Make the most of social media. Over the last twelve months I’ve enjoyed a significant increase in traffic to my website and blog as a result of social media.  Active participation in Facebook and Twitter has reinforced our web presence and generated many new leads and relationships.  If you have social media profiles, be sure to link those profiles to your website.

2.  Blog! Blogging offers great benefits due to easy to index regular content. Add a few basic SEO skills and you’re ready to go! Take your blog a step further: Host your blog on your own website instead of using a free hosted blog. Why? When you host your own blog your blog posts supplement the content of your website, thus increasing the quality and vibrancy of your site. RSSbuttonAdding an RSS feed button to both your website and blog will make it easy for readers to subscribe to your feed and keep up with your posts. Additionally, RSS features can help make your online (internet) marketing strategies more effective.

3.  Don’t be anonymous. One of the primary goals of your website is to build trust and credibility. Does your website give potential customers the information they need? Is your name, photo and contact information prominently displayed? If you are a service provider you should make every effort to make a personal connection with your visitors.

under construction-fix website4. Never underestimate the power of a well designed website. If your website is more than two years old, a revamp alone could boost your SEO ranking. HTML and CSS are the most common technologies used in making web pages, but there are also other ways to go. Flash is known for it’s excellent multimedia capabilities but is generally believed to be less search engine friendly than CSS. Some businesses have even abandoned traditional websites in favor of blog-based sites.

5. Use high quality images. Website images should be carefully selected; ideally they should represent your own work and style to help you connect with your audience (target market). Some vendors may use stock photography as part of their start-up promotions, but in the wedding and event industry I’d advise moving away from this option as quickly as possible (or risk possible damage to your reputation). By the same token, amateur photos will not adequately show even your best work – so select images with a discerning eye.

webdesign-youtube5.5 Upgrade to Video! If a picture is worth a thousand words than video is worth a million. Video is fast-rising as the newest ‘must-have’ feature because it helps build brand, it’s more engaging than static, printed text, and it’s easier to effectively demonstrate your product or service.

There is virtually no cost associated with these tips – especially if you have the ability or capability to edit your own website. Many resources and tutorials are available online if you need additional information. Otherwise, consider hiring someone to assist with migrating your blog or updating the look of your website – it will be money well spent.

© 2010 E. Delgardio All Rights Reserved

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02 2010
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