64. How to Become a Wedding Planner https://i0.wp.com/nachesnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/S78064-pin.jpg?fit=740%2C900&ssl=1 740 900 Nache’ Snow - Speaker, Author, Productivity Junkie, and Host of the Studio 78 Podcast Nache’ Snow - Speaker, Author, Productivity Junkie, and Host of the Studio 78 Podcast https://i0.wp.com/nachesnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/S78064-pin.jpg?fit=740%2C900&ssl=1 September 9, 2018 October 19, 2019

64. How to Become a Wedding Planner

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Lesley-Anne Billups is the owner of Elegantly Charming Events. She has always had a passion for event planning and weddings. She has coordinated several weddings along with special events to include a podcast launch party and a book signing. She holds a Masters Certificate in Project Management from the University of Virginia and received her Certification in Planning Weddings and Events from Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute.

In this episode, we discuss how she made the jump from doing events for family and friends to starting an event planning business. We dig into how she established credibility and began to market her company. Lastly, we talk about how she manages running a well-established business with a full-time job and finds time for her passion, bodybuilding.

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After doing a few events for friends and family, she decided to start an event planning business
To establish herself, Leslie chose to get certified as a wedding planner and event specialist
She also did an internship with a wedding planner to gain a better understanding of what she was getting herself into; online research was also key

The worst thing that can happen is that you fail, but you won’t know unless you try. And even if you do fail, it’s not really a fail you just have to rework the plan a little bit and just keep going and keep trying and you’ll get there.

At her first wedding expo in 2015, she was able to secure two clients by trusting in herself and being genuine
In the beginning, Leslie created her website; however, once she started to get clients she decided to pay a professional to help rebrand the business
Online reviews, word of mouth, and styled shoots in publications helped Leslie become an authority online
We discuss how she determined her pricing structure and how it’s changed over the years
Leslie takes us through what goes into wedding planning depending on the package chosen: day of coordination, partial planning, and full planning
Leslie is starting to branch out from weddings and also provide event coordination
We discuss maintaining balance since Leslie has a 9 to 5, runs Elegantly Charming Events, and competes in bodybuilding competitions
To stay organized she likes to write out her to-do list