July 30, 2007
I can hear the bells

An opportunity has recently fallen in my lap. At least I hope it turns out to be an opportunity. The owner of a private estate that my work has frequently recommended as an alternate site for private events and weddings has asked me to consider being her preferred event coordinator.

She and I are friends. She's a wonderful woman and she has such great faith in my abilities for some reason. She has had some bad experiences with some other coordinators in the area and she would like to be able to start recommending me instead. In fact she wants me to be the only coordinator that she will allow to work on her property.

It's highly flattering and a little intimidating. I mean yes, I've done some events at work and I'm organized enough to think that I can pull it off, but I would prefer to have some formal training. Actually work for someone who has done it for years so I can learn all the tricks and the things to avoid and the questions to ask and make all the contacts. Just walking in and saying I'm your wedding coordinator and these are my prices seems a little daunting and overly ambitious. What if I mess something up big time. I mean this is someone's wedding day. Despite the fact that I think they can be insane and stupid doesn't mean I don't realize how important they are to people. (and yes that is going to be my advertisement)

Anyways I spent the evening putting together a list of what my services would entail. I'm going to have to do more research. I feel a little sketchy on a few of the things I listed, plus a wedding coordinator is supposed to know all the wedding etiquette. What do I know about wedding etiquette?!

So yea. The owner of this private estate is only looking for 6-8 more events for next year, so it's not like that would be anytime soon or very many of them and she started out with no real experience except the two weddings she organized herself for her daughters at the property and she's has a wonderful little business going, so I suppose why can't I?

Yea. Uh-huh.....still terrified

Posted by nuala at July 30, 2007 11:29 PM
Comments

That's awesome! You could totally do it. Your slogan can be "Get married: it's kind of retarded, but what the hell, eh?" Or "Weddings by NM: you could do a lot worse."

Posted by: didofoot on July 31, 2007 08:13 AM

that is wicked sweet!!!! you could buy some books on being a wedding planner. i looked on amazon and they had some (with info on etiquette and checklists and stuff). or i could buy you one for your birthday. i wasn't sure if you needed it right away or not so i didn't buy it. i almost did though! and still could! or maybe you could shadow a wedding planner for a week or something and learn things quickly in a crash course? i've got faith in you! you are very diplomatic with clients and know A LOT about SB's resources. you can pull this off!

and i loved the new hairspray!!!

Posted by: michele on August 1, 2007 12:30 PM

you would definitely kick ass at this. I would totally trust you with my imaginary wedding. and I bet a lot of people are more interested in having a wedding tailored to themselves than having traditional wedding etiquette. or anyway I hope so. there's nothing dumber than wedding etiquette if you ask me.

Posted by: didofoot on August 1, 2007 12:49 PM

All you really need to do is the rent the movie, The Wedding Planner and study it exhaustively, though I don't agree with their motto, "Those who can't wed, plan."

Posted by: sean on August 1, 2007 01:01 PM

Sean, I'll have you know that I have already studied the movie The Wedding Planner very extensively and I can catch my heal in a man hole cover and steal a groom very well, thank you.

I was actually thinking about buying some wedding planning books myself so I can study up on a few things. I still have to talk to Betsy about how exactly she wants to present me and how she wants this to work so don't buy any yet, but I may need some.

I think I should plan Kristen's imaginary wedding as a test.....

Posted by: nuala on August 2, 2007 02:44 PM

marina says you can come try to supervise her non-imaginary wedding. or at least take notes on what goes wrong (ha ha! maybe i'll trip on a manhole cover in my high heels. watch out, marina! =P)

you can totally stay in my hotel room (with jason, jacob and i). it's delightfully priced at la jolla inflation rates!

Posted by: michele on August 2, 2007 09:37 PM
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