Last year I was a vendor at The Big Fake Wedding Show, which is wedding show that recreates a couple’s wedding day for them, in front of 200+ strangers. The show is designed to show couples how wedding vendors operate in an actual wedding setting, rather than just while standing at a 10x10 booth space at a vendor show.
Although it is such a unique and amazing opportunity, I have to admit that I was completely terrified to participate in last year’s show. Because they only allow one wedding planner per show, I participated instead to showcase our desserts and calligraphy signage. The show was a great learning experience and I met some amazing vendors, but I was immediately determined to return the following year as the planner.
I knew that I had a goal in mind, but I also knew that I hadn’t taken full advantage of the networking opportunities that had been provided to be the previous year, and I wanted to change that about my experience this year. Sure, I had gone to the cocktail hour the night before and mingled with a handful of people who would later become friends, but I hadn’t truly submerged myself in the process, and there are still wedding pros that I wish I had taken the time to get to know better.
So this year when the opportunity came around again, I jumped in head first. I attended the cocktail hour the night before, got to the wedding setup early, and stayed late mingling with new friends. On the drive home that night I was struck by how far we have come as a company in the last year. Not just in the business or in the number of bookings we bring in, but in the difference in how we interact and foster relationships with fellow wedding professionals.
When I first started working for myself full-time, my days were pretty lonely. Some days were filled with client meetings, others were filled with paperwork, but none involved people who knew what I was going through. Now, my weeks have almost as many coffee (or wine) dates with fellow wedding pros, as I have with clients.
If you’re a girl boss like me, believe me when I say that we need that. Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, everyone needs to feel like they have someone who knows what they’re going through. And if you don’t have that person yet, or could use an extra pal or two, shoot one of us here at Magnolia Grove a message! We’re always down to chat.