After more than 16 years in the wedding industry, I’ve clearly had my fair share of learning experiences. I’ve mentioned a lot of stories in my podcast (Weddings Unveiled) and shared tips about what I’ve learned. This week, we have our intern, Lauren, sharing some of her big takeaways from her first steps into the wedding and event world. From communicating with clients to everyday challenges, there are so many things to share with rising professionals in the industry.

I was very blessed to step into my first wedding the way I did; the mother of the bride had planned almost everything, and all I had to do was coordinate the day. Everyone was relaxed and sweet, making my job pretty easy. I had only participated in one of Angela’s webinars about timelines and listened to a handful of her podcasts, but I felt confident I would implement well, using the skills I soaked up.

However, weddings aren’t something you can learn overnight; experience is necessary. For the caliber of events by Angela, I’ve found that practice builds maturity and knowledge, both of which are essential to succeed in luxury events. From coordinating my first wedding to sharing just 3 months with Angela, it’s been clear that exposure has the potential to push you toward your goals. After my few months of personal development in the industry, here are my BIG takeaways:

Communication

A big part of coordination is communication. The couple, wedding party, videographer, and everyone in between needs to fully understand everything about their role in implementing a couple’s big day (or really any event). Be sure to communicate expectations clearly; answer questions before they can be asked. If you keep everyone fully informed, you keep everyone accountable. You have a schedule to keep and tasks to complete, so organize timely communication through emails, meetings, and phone calls. Take notes and keep a smile on your face!

There’s a lot to learn

I asked Angela how she never forgets to put anything on a timeline, and she told me that it all comes with experience and meetings. When I did my first wedding, I didn’t know there was such a thing as a getaway car where I needed to put snacks and wine for the couple. I didn’t know that there was a marriage certificate I was in charge of. I didn’t know that most tents need extra lighting. There are so many other details that I really would have never thought of, but all of these things you can learn with time and experience. For me, it creates a yearning to do more and learn more everyday in the industry. It has been a treat to spend these months with Angela and learn about business and weddings almost everyday.

Stay on your toes

All of the things you learn happen when you have your eyes open to everything going on around you. There’s a lot going on during event days, but I’ve seen that if you’re aware of your vendors, your team, and the timeline, you will find many opportunities to learn. Ask questions and be ready for everything.

Do what you love

A big part of a successful business is having a strategic team. When it comes to building your team, delegate tasks to someone who would love to work on the tasks you struggle with. Spend your time wisely; everyone has different passions and personalities to create a team with many strengths. Especially since there’s so much going on in the event world, you have to streamline what you do to what you love. I’ve found that weddings have made me busier than I’ve ever been, but I’ve never been more engaged and excited about my work.

Photo: Kristyn Hogan