How many times have you needed to send images to your client that are so big they take about an hour to send? Not to mention what they do to your poor bride at the other end who can't understand why it is taking forever for her emails to download. Well fret no more. I recently discovered the wonders of YouSendIt.
YouSendIt. allows you to email files of up to 2GB without using your Outbox or your clients Inbox and it is so easy and simple to use. All you do is sign up for an account, upload your file and YouSendIt. does the rest quickly and efficiently. They send an email to your bride telling them where they can download a copy of the file you have sent them without it clogging up their Inbox. The best part is as a small business you can probably opt for the free account , or Lite Account as it is called. This let's you send up to 1GB of data spread over a month with no monthly fee. For more than that you can go up to the next level which is the Pro Account. Even this is only $9.99 US a month.
Last week was one of the most intense, yet satisfying, weeks of my working life.After months of planning and preparation by a team of players, including myself and The Academy of Wedding and Event Planning Director, Kylie Carlson (www.aawep.com.au), NURHC 2009 was presented in Cairns.
On a basic level, NURHC is a Conference held each year for Medical and Allied Health students who are interested in working in rural and remote areas.It is a professional development and networking Conference and is attending by students from around Australia.Other delegates include Academics and Professionals who have an interest in rural health.
The event was a huge success, but was also a massive undertaking.With almost 400 delegates to fly in and out, transfer between venues, entertain, inform and cater to across 4 days, how could it be anything else?There were times last week, when I had a moment to reflect on what I was doing, that I realised how much I was enjoying it and I can’t tell you how satisfying that is.
Like many of you I have studied the Diploma of Wedding and Event Planning at AAWEP and when I made the decision to move in this direction, this is exactly the type of thing I hoped I would one day do.However, wanting to do something and knowing it is right for you are two different things and I think that the key is to listen to your heart/instincts and go with that…which is what I did and today I am living a life that makes me happy.What else can you ask for!
Since I returned from Cairns I have been asked what managing a Conference of this size was like and what my job entailed.Summing up the week’s activities is difficult and it varied from supervising others in their jobs, meeting with the MC and the Committee each day to go over the day’s run sheet and dealing with a potential Swine Flu incident, to setting up rooms for workshops and getting 400 people from A to B…and back again.
When it comes to Conferences the hard work is really done before the first day and then the task is to carry out the logistics of the Conference and ensure that all of the suppliers are doing what they should be.I would also add that my job (and that of AAWEP graduate Renae, who worked as my assistant) was to bring order to a group of somewhat disorderly students.In saying that I don’t mean to paint a grim picture of Australia’s Uni students, only to say that although they were there to work and learn, they also were ready for some fun and a break in what I gather are generally very demanding schedules for them.However for the most part everyone was very cooperative and with the aid of our run sheets we managed to mostly keep the Conference running on time and get everyone to where they needed to be at all times.I also saw plenty of smiles and heard some great compliments from delegates about the quality of this year’s Conference.
In my previous blogs about this event I have discussed the importance of planning, but of also being able to ‘roll with the punches’, so to speak.Little did I know when I wrote these blogs how significant that piece of advice would become.
I arrived in Cairns for the Conference on Tuesday of last week, one day ahead of the delegates.This was a chance to meet the team and go over the finer details of the Conference.In all the day was productive and at the end of it everyone was confident about the day ahead, although we all knew that transferring the delegates between the airport and accommodation and getting them checked in would be a big undertaking.
That evening I chose to dine with family in Cairns and it was a nice way to relax ahead of the next day (managing a Conference is intense and the days long and it is important to try and take some time out during it to recharge yourself – even if that just means an early night or a soak in the tub between sessions).Unfortunately for me my relaxed evening out came back to haunt me at around 2.00am on the Wednesday when I woke feeling very ill (whether from food poisoning or a virus I don’t know).I remained in bed for most of the next day!I won’t take you through the grim details of my experience but let me say that it took me most of the next week to face food again!!
So with me in bed, I had to rely on my assistant Renae to pick up the reins; which she did beautifully.I did my best to act as a control point for all enquiries and thankfully I had done a lot of work ahead of the day by preparing schedules for arrivals and transfers.Whilst the planning I had done did play a huge part in the success of the operation, I cannot say enough about Renae’s professionalism and dedication to the task.Her training with The Academy of Wedding and Event Planning certainly held her in good stead for the challenge, as did her happy disposition and ‘can do’ attitude.(Likewise it was my training that got me through too.On more than one occasion I found myself reflecting on a unit of the course in order to work out the best way to proceed.)
I won’t say I didn’t shed a few tears on that day and my first feelings were of letting the team down, but once I had accepted the fact that I would not be able to carry out my duties I moved on.As I said in a previous blog, you need to be adaptable in this job (and life too) and work with what you have rather than what you think you should have…and that it is what we did.
So with NURHC 2009 behind me what’s next?I am very much looking forward to working on some ‘development’ projects for the Academy so that we can continue to offer the very best Wedding and Event Management training in Australia.As for Event Management;I will take a break from Conferences for the rest of the year and work on Weddings instead (the ability to be able to do both is something I love and the reason I chose to do the AAWEP Diploma Course).
If Event Management is something you are interested in please do not hesitate to contact me at Christine@aawep.com.au.I am only too happy to chat with anyone about this industry and the courses on offer at The Academy of Wedding and Event Planning.
Every bride wants their wedding to be unique, but this latest trend that has taken the UK by storm is not for the fainthearted. So what is Marryoke?
Marryoke is an alternative style of wedding video shot at your wedding where the bride and groom choose a song to perform where they star in the leading roles and their guests as the chorus. It certainly adds some fun and flair to a wedding, but will only work if all those in the bridal party are willing to participate.
I can almost hear the panic in the minds of the guests as they hear about what is in store for them if they attend this wedding, but there really is nothing to worry about. You don't actually have to sing. It isn't a complete replica of karaoke. All participants are actually miming not singing outloud for all the world to hear. The best songs to use are those that feature a duet between a guy and girl with plenty of action from the chorus.
Personally, I think this is a great option for those that want to add a point of difference to their wedding. For some it is a chance to fufill their ambition of starring in their own MTV style video while lip-synching away to their favourite song. Plus, as well as forming part of the couple’s wedding DVD, the Marryoke video can be posted on YouTube and stored on people’s mobile phones or iPods. What a great thing to show your grand kids when you are old and grey.
So how does it work? Well first of all your bride needs to find a film production company who offer this service. Then choose a song and make sure the lyrics are sent to all the people in the bridal party who will be starring in the video, prior to the wedding day. (You may even want to have a rehearsal which could then be turned into a rehearsal dinner with a twist). The film company should then help to produce a storyboard of the song so your bridal couple have some ideas on how they can incorporate it into their big day. From there it is all done on the wedding day itself.
Generally the song will be played several times during the course of the day in different settings and your film production company will then edit where necessary to make it look as though your bride and groom are starring in their very own Broadway musical extravaganza. Check out the clip below and let us know your thoughts. There aren't currently any companies offering this in Australia so maybe this is a marketing opportunity?
Have you ever been worried about what you are wearing when attending a wedding? Have you ever been concerned that somebody else might have picked up the fantastic new outfit that you found for a steal in Myer and wear it to the same wedding? I know I have and I am sure there are many of you out there who have too.
Same Wedding! Same Outift! Crisis can now be averted!!
There is now a new website in the UK that has launched a solution to this ever present problem that faces all female guests attending not just a wedding, but an event of any kind. What R U Wearing?.co.uk
whatruwearing.co.uk allows people to register their wedding or event online and then inform their guests that they have done so by giving them a unique code to enter when they logon to their exclusive event area. Once logged on the guests can register the outfit they will be wearing for all to see. Alternatively, as a guest you could log in to see what other guests will be wearing before you go shopping for their outfit.
There are also some other great features on the site including an 'Occasion Wear Directory' and plenty of fashion tips, inspiration and advice. The best thing of all is that it is completely free for the user.
For more ingenious ideas like this and to stay up to date with everything happening within the Special Events Industry, register on a specialised industry training courses. As a student of the Academy of Wedding and Event Planning you will receive regular articles such as this and have access to an online library that will help you to stay ahead of the competition.
Well as most of you will know, we have just launched our new E Learning Virtual Campus. So, you might say that we love technology and all that goes with it. On top of this we have launched a new website www.aawep.com.au and new wedding planning software Wedding and Event Wizard
Well this week has been the most trying week I have ever experienced as far as technology goes. First of all we had major delays with the new website due to the developer not being able to get the Ecommerce section of the website up and running on time. In the end we have launched with only Paypal as an online option so stay tuned for the upgraded ecommerce section. Then to top it all off my laptop has given up the ghost! It is only 3 months old and it has gone into spasms and decided not to open half my files, disable rules in Microsoft Outlook and not allow me to use Java at all, which is a slight problem when designing new E Learning course material. There has quite honestly been times this week when I have wanted to chuck my beautiful, pink, Sony VAIO laptop out of the window. Only this morning when someone asked how my laptop was, I told them that I no longer had a relationship with it and we were getting divorced!!
I have now paid a small fortune to my IT guy and the problem still isn't fixed. Don't you hate it when you hear the words 'this is a unique problem'. Normally I like being unique, but not when it comes to IT - this isn't a good thing. Thursday in sheer desparation I agreed to have my laptop wiped and put back to factory settings. This took 5 hours out of my days by the time we had reset it and reloaded all my software, set up my email accounts etc. Imagine how I felt when I realised that I still had half of the problems after all that. Yes, you heard me correctly. Not all the problems were rectified. I still couldn't view most of my files and the laptop was being choosy as to what software programs it would and wouldn't download. How was this possible? Hadn't we just completed wiped the hard drive and started again?
Yet again, I heard some words that I didn't want to hear "I am at a loss. I have never known this happen before". Oh goody. Just what I needed. A well and truly stumped IT professional.
Naturally, I need someone or something to blame for all my problems so I have decided to blame Windows Vista. I HATE IT!
My IT guy has decided our next plan of action is to ditch Vista and replace it with XP. I have my fingers, toes and many other parts of my body crossed at the moment hoping this will work. He is coming back on Monday to yet again work on my troubled laptop and hopefully restore it to it's former glory. Is it really too much to ask that I go back to being able to sigh at how beautiful and fantastic my pink laptop really is?
Well, after what has been an extremely frustrating week. I am off for an early lunch and lots of red wine over the weekend. Luckily I am event free this weekend so I can drown my technology sorrows in peace and lament the frustrations of poor Windows Vista.
Till next week when I hope to be back to normal and firing on all technology cylinders.
This weeks blog sees Renae building up to the conference on the week prior to leaving.
Friday 17th July
Today was a really busy day, I have to make a call to Ron ( Cairns Bus Company ) to follow up a few loose ends regarding the transfers for the conference. Worked mini bus transfers from the airport to accommodation and return to airport after the conference. Continued on with printing up of labels for special dietary requirements for catering. Received signed waiver emails and faxes back from delegates for their bungy jump and jungle swing, had to check off my list that I have created. Continued working on loose ends and follow up on emails.
Saturday 18th / Sunday 19th July
Spent the weekend with the family, went to the football (Richmond v’s North Melbourne) it was a draw !!! I went for a relaxing time, but I was on the edge of my seat...Before I left and when I got home, just checked on emails and checked on a few issues that Christine asked me to look over. Sent an email off to selected people asking for flight details – they haven’t already advised us.
Monday 20th July
Spent most of today shopping for some comfortable shoes and getting a haircut. Finished off special dietary requirement labels and printed off waivers that had been emailed to me over the weekend. Checked off my waiver list. Still have a few delegates to get back to me. Packed my suitcase ready for the morning
Tuesday 21st July
Today is the day ....... up at 5am, had a quick shower, packed my toothbrush and the last minute things. 5:45am headed off to the airport. 7:15am meet up with some of the other organisers of the conference. We had to wait on the tarmac for an hour before we took off so we landed an hour late. We met up with Christine and I drove the mini bus with delegate to our accommodation. Spent the rest of the day helping unpacking and re packing up handout information for the delegates. I had dinner at the poolside cafe and then back to my room to write this blog and gat a good night sleep .... tomorrow is the real test, we have to meet all the delegates at the airport and take them to the buses that will transfer them to the cairns Colonial Club and Palm Royal . I must remember to pick up loafs of bread tomorrow and the other items on my shopping list ...... I will write again tomorrow night .... wish me luck
NURHC 2009 is now just days away. There are many people involved in different aspects of this Conference and my role only encompasses a part of it, albeit a fairly large part.
Working on this project has been an interesting task. particulary because I have never met almost everyone involved. In fact I have only met one of the team and then only to be introduced briefly.
Renae, who is my assistant, is also someone I have not met in person. However, a comment made by her prompted me to consider how, that when you are working as part of team, it is not necessary to have met one another, or even work in the same state, but it is important to have clear goals that everyone understands. I think the other important element to this type of working relationship is communication. My inbox is flooded with emails, but this modern method of communication has enabled four people who are closely involved in the event to all work together towards a common goal, whilst all being geographically separated.
My role does not just involve communicating with the team working on the Conference, but also the suppliers. Again, when you are working with suppliers it is often the case that these will not be people you know well (although as an event planner, developing good relationships with a range of suppliers is good business practice). So, as well as keeping communication flowing between you and suppliers, I find that it is good practice to avoid ever assuming anything about how others operate.
I am lucky to have some very professional suppliers on board for this conference, but due to the distance between us and the fact that I have never used any of them before, one of my most important jobs this week has to been to confirm all arrangements. I can’t assume that my AV supplier has sent our goods to Cairns, I must check. Similarly I cannot assume they arrived and that my Functions Manager at the Conference venue will let me know if they have or not, I have to check this myself.
This week has really been about going over every element of the event to review what has been done, what still needs to be done and what components are as organised as they can be at this stage. This is where planning software like Wedding and Event Wizard can help. You need to keep track of your event at all times.
Things are always going to go wrong and this is where a ‘can do attitude’ is essential, but up until the start day of any event your goal must be to do whatever you can to dot I’s and cross t’s.
I am almost to that point. There are the last few details to tie off but I am liking the way things are looking at this stage and this weekend I am going to try and take a bit of a break from thinking about NURHC…next week is shaping up to be very intense but I am also expecting lots of fun….how could it not be with 300 + uni students to spend time with!
Where possible the Academy of Wedding and Event Planning offer work experience to our graduating students. Over the next two weeks you will meet Renae Matthews who has recently completed the Diploma of Wedding and Event Planning. She has recently been successful in her application for work experience on the NURHC 09 conference working alongside Christine. As part of her experience Renae has agreed to keep a diary of life as a trainee event planner. Watch out for her posts over the next couple of weeks. The first one is below. If you have any questions for Renae please ask them by posting a comment below:
Thursday 9th July
Christine Kerr and I spoke on the phone and I was advised that I will have my first jobs emailed to me tomorrow. I am very excited.
Friday 10th July
I have received 5 emails from Christine and I start by printing the emails off so I don't miss part of what I have to do. The instructions are good. My first job is update information of flight details from one sheet to another using excel. I then move onto working out the room allocations for the 300+ Delegates. I found the room allocations fun as I had to mix up people from the same group so they will mix with others - I think this was the first time I thought I am actually planning something that is not just in an assignment on paper. I hope everyone is going to be happy with whom they have been placed with !! My next job was to email all delegates that has allergies and find out more about what they are able to eat. I then they were added to the "Special Dietary Requirement List". I am still waiting on a few reply's.
Saturday 11th July / Sunday 12th July / Monday 13th July
I couldn't sleep last night. I had information going around and around in my head, I just wanted to keep working......... I have been working on contacting delegates that are going to be participating in a Bungy or a Jungle Swing next Friday. I have to email out waivers for delegates to sign and return back to me. I am keeping a list of who is sending them back. I am still finalising the Special Diet People. I have mad a call to a guest speaker to confirm if her real name is Maggie or what name we are to book her flight under. I feel like I am fitting into my new career change. I am enjoying all the paperwork side so I guess I will be 'on cloud nine' next week when I am actually in Cairns. I am looking forward to 27 degrees!!
Tuesday 14th July / Wednesday 15th July /Thursday 16th July
Today I have been updating our transfer sheet with any new flight details that Christine has received. Christine is looking after the arrival transfer's and I am looking at the departure ones. I have put in order of time of departure and now just looking at which delegates we need to have special transport to the airport for. Many times have quite a few delegates departing at the one time, but some only have a couple. I am having so much fun. A little tired as I worked until 1am Thursday morning - but that all comes with the career of being a planner!
The Academy has recently partnered with Career Chick to highlight the career benefits in our industry. CareerChick is a great way for any organisation to engage with young women entering the workforce via the internet. With over 18,000 members, the website provides a unique channel to attract and influence Australia’s female talent in their career and employment decisions.
As part of our partnership with them we are featured with an Employer Profile, so check us out on Career Chick and let us know what you think of their website. Click here to go to Career Chick
After much sweating and agonising, the new Academy website has now launched!
We can now invite you into the glossy new world of the Academy of Wedding and Event Planning. Choose to study by E Learning in our brand new Virtual Campus, take part in our workshop webinars, read all about our latest Event Design course or join our Mentor Program for new businesses. It has been a long time in the making but it is now finally live so go and have a look and let us know your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to hearing from you all.
We are now well and truly on the countdown towards the Conference and I am feeling a renewed sense of excitement. I can see the finish line and I am really looking forward to getting to Cairns and executing this event, which has consumed my life for many months.
This feeling in itself is somewhat distracting and I have found myself daydreaming instead of working on one too many occasions. When this happens I bring myself back to ground by reminding myself that it is a little too early to be popping champagne corks and toasting success; and referring to my ‘To Do List’ is a good way of grounding me!
A big picture view is necessary when planning an event, but more important is the ability to break down every aspect into smaller tasks. Of course it is then necessary to follow through on those tasks and this is where a daily review of the ‘To Do List’ is absolutely necessary.
Needless to say my To Do List is playing a big part in my day at the moment. It is not unusual for me to receive more than 100 emails in a day with regards the Conference and there is no way I could rely on my memory to track conversations or pending items.
As well as my trusty daily ‘To Do List’ I have a notebook that accompanies me everywhere. I start each day by dating a page in my notebook and every note I make is recorded in there – no scraps of paper allowed. This way, I can flick back over my notes to refresh my memory of conversations or ideas I have had. This trusty notebook has been the missing link for me on several occasions and it is something I will continue to use in my working life. My notebook is part of the routine, just like making my coffee each morning before settling into the morning’s work is a routine that settles me before I start.
This week Academy graduate Renae joined me to assist in managing the event and in just a few days she has become an integral part of the management team. At first I felt some reluctance to forward her tasks…I worried about swamping her and that she would need too much of my time to explain the event…time I did not have to give. However I soon dispensed with those thoughts. The ability to delegate effectively does not always come naturally but there are times (like now) when it is an absolutely necessary part of managing such a big event.
Wonderfully Renae has required very little from me but she has given so much back. What I have been so thankful for is her willingness to just run with the tasks I forward her. Her understanding of how an event is run means that I don’t have to spend time I don’t have giving her an extensive brief on every task. Renae has an understanding of how the tasks she is working on fit into the bigger picture of the Event itself.
Renae’s other great attribute is her attention to detail and at this stage of the planning process that is so vitally important. Finally her excitement at working on the event is infectious and as I said earlier on, I am actually excited about the work ahead.
As a one off special promotion to celebrate the launch of this fabulous new wedding planning software, Wedding and Event Wizard are offering 50% discount off their advertised price with all enrolments received by the Academy of any of our courses between now and July 31st.
Wedding Wizard is Australia's first and only web based planning software developed for Wedding and Event Planners here in Australia by industry experts. You now have the option to include training on the software as part of any of the courses you choose to enrol on here at the Academy. We will show you how to use and understand the software and incorporate it within your wedding and event planning business. Some of your course assignments will also involve using the software to help you even further.
The cost of a yearly license for all students of the Academy is $995, but this promotion will allow you to purchase the software at a special, one off price of $500. So, if you have been thinking about whether or not to take the plunge and enrol in a course at the Academy there couldn't be a better time to do it.
For more information on Wedding and Event Wizard please email us for a brochure by clicking here.
To take advantage of the free 15 day trial please register here.
Offer ends @ 5.00pm on July 31st 2009 All prices quoted are subject to GST
As Wedding and Event Planners we are always on the look out for inspiration for the design of our events. I spend quite a few hours each month trawling the web looking for ideas to spark my imagination and one of the best ways for me to do this is by reading my favourite blogs.
As you will know design inspiration can come from all avenues. It can come from travelling on a train or walking through the city to wandering around an art gallery or reading a book. One of the biggest areas I have found that gets my creative juices flowing is interior design. If you can find a good blog or magazine it will be your secret weapon for learning how to work with your event space. One of my favourite blogs for this is the Material Girls Blog. The blog has 5 contributors who are spread around the US from Chicago to Los Angeles. They have a passion for prints, materials and any kind of design materials. It is a great read and one of my favourite blogs for finding inspiration. Click on the logo below to visit their site. We are always interested in any sites that you find interesting too so be sure to let us know if you think there is a site we should feature and share with the rest of our readers.
I have never liked doing things by halves and these next two weeks are certainly no exception. Here at the Academy of Wedding and Event Planning we have been working away fevourishly on our new look website which is a huge upgrade from what we have now. You will be able to enrol and pay online for all your courses, you will have the option to study online rather than by distance and we will be releasing our latest course which is the Event Design course.
As if this wasn't enough we have also been working alongside an IT expert to design and release Australia's first and only web based planning software for Wedding and Event Planners. We have always relied on the American versions to plan our weddings and at the end of this week you will be able to sign up for a 15 day trial on Wedding and Event Wizard.
They always say things happen in threes so not to be outdone we will also be launching our E Learning Virtual Campus when we upgrade the website. From now on you will be able to opt to learn online as well as using our paper based system. Our Virtual Campus will allow you to watch our video tutorials, listen to our Podcasts and experience a very interactive learning environment. You will also have access to our Student Forum, Job Board and Tutor Lounge as part of the package so it is very exciting.
So as you can see, the next couple of weeks are going to be big. If you aren't already subscribing to our newsletter now is the time to do so. You need to keep abreast of all the changes and be the first to know about any special offers we might be running with the launches. To subscribe just click on the link below:
Like most people, life has thrown me some unexpected challenges. Two in particular have taught me some valuable life lessons and although they were difficult to deal with at the time and continue to have an impact on my life, I am thankful for the lessons. My approach to life is to try and embrace its twists and turns and that is not to say it is easy, but I know for others, doing this a difficult thing. For some, this is because the twists and turns are far more traumatic than mine, but for others, it’s because they feel completely thrown by any deviation from what feels normal to them.
This evening, as I write this blog I am reminded of perhaps the most important of my life lessons.
Four weeks ago I felt very happy with myself as I had organised the majority of the 200 flights I was required to book for the Conference, however each week as I have felt that I was going to close the book on this chapter of the planning process, the issue of flights has reared its ugly head again.
This all came to a head this week (of course it also happens to be school holidays and I have 3 of our four under my feet), as students began to discover the conflicts with their timetables and have started requesting amendments to flights. Instead of moving on with other tasks, I have become really bogged down in this very frustrating element of planning the NURHC Conference and this is what has reminded me of one of the important lessons I took away from my personal challenges; that planning (Event Plans, Life Plans, To Do Lists) is a useful tool in both our personal and working lives, but even more important is the ability to adapt to change and the unexpected and to be able to throw the plan aside when necessary.
I am keen to move on…I have many tasks ahead of me to ensure NURHC comes together in time and I see my planned schedule of work becoming increasingly stretched and I feel exhausted by the constant requests flowing in. Because I work for myself it is also a bit of a lonely feeling and I have this sense that there are only three people who could possibly understand how difficult this week has been; Eira at Jetstar and Sue (who I keep calling Kylie) of Virgin, who are my Group reservation angels. They have interpreted all of my requests and amendments with professionalism that even I (who has had customer service tattooed on her soul thanks to 12 years with the National Bank) am amazed by.
And of course there is the ‘real’ Kylie, the Director of the Academy of Wedding and Event Planning and my business partner in Event Designer (www.eventdesigner.com.au) who has worked on this Conference herself previously and who is always there with words of support and encouragement. In fact Kylie is probably the only event bible anyone needs!
A quick tip…often when we becomes stressed we take it out on others…those in the direct firing line. Maintaining good relationships with your suppliers is essential and by treating them with respect and staying calm regardless of the situation you are confronted with (or are confronting them with) will glean the results you need….screaming, ranting and raving rarely gets the best out of anyone.
However, even as I write this blog I feel myself regrouping. Its important that our delegates are catered for where possible so these jobs must be done and whilst I feel tired and a little frustrated by my week, I am not suffering from stress; although I did feel myself swerving towards that feeling on occasion this week. So why am I not stressed? Ok I will be honest, there was some chocolate involved, but also its about understanding that stress is an emotion often driven by a feeling of having lost control.
No one is ever really in control of every element of their life. So called ‘Control Freaks’ try and might believe they are in control, but often their stress levels are super high, because of the effort it takes to keep everything where they want it to be and deep down they know they are never fully in control, which stresses them even more. They might have their stress under control too, but somehow its affecting them. I always imagine these people like swans, all calm on top of the water and paddling madly below. These people are only ever effective to a point. The world and its peoples cannot be controlled (despite our best efforts), by plans and to-do-lists.
When I was 8 months pregnant with my first child and living in Darwin, my son’s father was diagnosed with stage 5 Cancer. No one said it to us at the time, but he had 3 months to live without treatment. It was totally unexpected and the moment the news was delivered is one I will never forget. The day we were told this news was also my last day of working with the National Bank. At the time I had just finished decorating my dream nursery and I had four weeks ahead of me to relax and await the birth of our child. I also had one year of study towards my degree left and we had some very specific plans for our future in place; I would resign from the Bank and be at home with our child; help my partner in his campaign for election in the upcoming Northern Territory elections; and within three years I would open my own Public Relations Consultancy and have another child.
We were well known and respected in Darwin and we had a great future mapped out before us. However, within 2 days of being told that my son’s father had Cancer, we left Darwin and never returned. We relocated to our home town of Brisbane and took our life with us; pets, nursery and all. The next two years were taken up with the exceptional joys of being new parents and the ups and downs of Cancer.
In that single moment (of being told my partner had Cancer) our plans were put aside, not forgotten but certainly no longer quite so relevant to our lives. When I reflect…and really this is something I have done with the help of the people who were around me at the time, I see that I kept it together amazingly well. It is something often commented on by my friends and family and people ask me how I did it. I am not exceptional, but I am a bit of a free spirit and I do seem to understand that nothing is for certain. That may seem like a flippant statement, of course nothing is for certain, but think about your own attitudes, do you live your life that way or do you suffer when things don’t go the way you expected?
It took several more years than I anticipated, but I did finish the degree and become the stay at home working Mum and I am still in the PR industry; although now my focus is on Events, which are in fact a PR tool, (Weddings are my creative outlet). As regular readers of my blog will know I now have two children and two step-children and a new partner (my children’s father came through Cancer and he is still a huge part of all our lives and thankfully has been Cancer free for 9 years). So life has taken many twists and turns and I am sure it will continue to do so.
Ok so why I am telling you this rather personal tale? As an Event Manager your job is (or will be) to be in control of your Event and everything that goes into it. Other people may have ‘jobs’ to do in relation to the Event, but as the ‘Coordinator’ or ‘Manager’ the ultimate responsibility for the Event rests with you. One of the ways we control an event is by extensive planning. Some of us use software, such as Wedding and Event Wizard (see www.aawep.com.au ), to manage an event, others use spreadsheets and lists. I use a combination of both and they really are the ‘event bibles’ that I refer to often (and Kylie of course). Another very useful tool employed by many people including Event Managers is the ‘To Do List’ and I live by these - to a point.
What do I mean by that? Well here comes the very important point of this blog – the life lesson I carry with me. Never let a plan or a to-do-list stop you from doing what you need to do and never, ever let a plan stop you living life or moving forward. You will learn that it is essential for an Event Manager to be organised and detail orientated, but I would add adaptable to that list. So as well as creating plans and to-do-lists add, review and edit to your routine. You must regularly review where you are at and edit as necessary and you must be prepared to do this at a moment’s notice – when the unexpected happens.
Let’s think about events, rather than life for a moment (we need chocolate for life talk and I have eaten it all). Structure around your event is essential, but just as important is your ability to adapt to change. You cannot put out a fire when you are running around like a chook with its head cut off crying over the fact that things are not going to plan (I wish I had a better analogy but essentially this is what someone who is out of control looks like). This attitude will help no one and will actually make a bad situation, worse.
In life and Event Planning be strong enough to throw the plan to the side or re-work the to-do-list as needed. By engaging in an attitude of acceptance when it comes to the unexpected you will avoid the stress that comes from feeling that everything in your world has become undone because life or your Event, deviated from the plans you made and when it comes to Event Planning this is what will help you achieve your goals.
The Australian Wedding & Event Planners Network has been suspended until further notice. We've had a great deal of fun working on the Network and met some wonderful people. However, after long deliberation and many discussions, we've come to the conclusion that the time commitment that is required is taking it's toll on other business objectives and personal lives, and the industry participation level is just not there to support the Network at the current time.
We would like to thank those who have participated in the Network, especially our members. You are the 'early adopters' when it comes to making wedding planning a profession rather than a job and we'll be keeping our eye on where you take your businesses in the future. All membership fees will be refunded and any member who has not already received a personal email about this should contact Fiona on fiona@awepn.com.au.
The Australian Academy of Wedding and Event Planning will continue 'business as usual'. We have some exciting developments planned for the next 6 to 12 months and are looking forward to sharing them with you. You've already seen the first one with our launch of our Event Design Workshop.
We hope to be able to reintroduce the Network in the future, but we don't yet know when that might be. Thank you again to all of those who supported us and we look forward to growing alongside you as our industry develops.
Your stepping stone to success! Australian Academy of Wedding & Event Planning
PO Box 290
South Melbourne, Victoria 3205
Phone: 1300 854200 Fax:03 8456 6407
Email: info@aawpc.com.au
ABN: 63 128 263 624
