Knowing Your Limits

We all have limits. Each one of us. Sometimes we 'push our limits' to better ourselves and our craft. Other times we 'hit our limits' only realize that we can do no more. And, then it's too late.

It took me quite a while to learn how to push my limits without hitting my limits. There's definitely an art to this science. And I've hardly perfected it. But, I do like to think of myself as a recovering 'limit hitter.' It's taken a lot to get here. But, it's feeling really comfortable and good now. And I don't want to ever go back to that place I was 2 years ago when work had no boundaries and the 'extraneous' took my life over only to prove, in the end, to be harmful and hurtful.

Here is an example as to how I'm implementing this today. This year we have four wonderful weddings and one social party on the books. These clients all deserve the very best from me. And by accepting any additional business, I would be taking away from what they deserve which is my very best at all times. That's why I have decided to close the books on 2012. I will not take on any additional work this year. By doing so, I would only be taxing myself, my staff, and my family. And this is not something I'm willing to do any more.

Think about your limits. Set them. Then, stick to them. As a recovering 'limit pusher' I can tell you that it feels pretty wonderful to be on the other side!

 

 

~Jodi

A New Year...A New Begining

It's been so long since my last post that I literally had to stop and think about who the host of my blog is and what my password was! You know it's been too long between posts when that happens!

I can't hardly believe it's 2012 already. In fact, in just a few short days In Any Event will celebrate 5 years in business! That doesn't seem possible. What a whirlwind these past 5 years have been. I remember that first event under the In Any Event umbrella like it was yesterday. To think that was almost 5 years ago....wow.

I've learned a whole lot in the past 5 years. I'm a much smarter business woman then I was in 2007. So many of the things I learned was through trial and error (or baptism by fire, if you will). Sometimes, that's the best way to learn. I wouldn't trade those 'trial and error' learning experiences for anything. They sharpened my skills and have made this company what it is today.

As with any small business, the first several years are spent building the business and developing an identity. They're spent 'figuring out' who you are in the industry and what you want to do. I'm quite sure my jaw would fall to the ground if I could calculate the hours that have been spent in my office over the past 5 years making this company a 'go.' But, it's all been worth it! Every bead of sweat. Every tear that's been shed. Every gleeful smile. And excited shrill. I would do it all over again to realize this dream!

I've always loved the saying, 'Work smarter not harder.' And in 2012, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to work smarter then I ever have before. Because, truth be told, I need to reclaim my personal life. Sure, those hours needed to be spent these past 5 years to get to the point we're at now, but those hours weren't spent without sacrifice. My personal life has really suffered and I'm ready to make it mine once again. I'm ready to do all the things I once did and found such enjoyment in.

Here's just a small list of what I want to do in 2012: read more Karen Kingsbury books, re-design our master bedroom and bathroom so I have a true 'sanctuary' (I've even started to create a Keynote presentation for the room remodel just like the ones I create for our clients! Since I have no one to present this to other than my husband, who really doesn't care much about decorating, please let me know if you're interested in seeing it because I'd be happy to share!), pull out my sewing machine and teach myself how to make ruffles and piping and then create some throw pillows for every room in the house, stop at the thrift store once every couple of weeks to look for great vintage pieces I never knew I needed (this one will thrill my husband), plan a wonderful 40th birthday party for said man in my life, and make it to my yoga and zumba class every week!

I've got a lot of work ahead of me in the quest to work smarter and not harder. But I have complete faith in myself and I just know I'll be able to accomplish this in 2012.

Happy New Year!

Jodi    

On Social Media

I recently made the following statement to my staff, 'You know, I'm really tired of twitter, facebook, blogs and the whole kit and caboodle! I think I want to take everything down and be done with it for good.'

I got some blank stares. And a, 'I don't think that's a good idea, Jodi.' But, the statement still holds true. I hate what social media has become in the wedding industry. I hate reading passive-aggressive statements from locals and wondering if I'm the target. I hate reading about how perfect everyone's business and life is when we all know that no one has a perfect business or life. (I surely don't!) I'm just so exhausted by it all lately that I wonder if it is time to pull the plug and get back to the basics?

I recently took a new direction on this blog and began writing about the issues that affect us with the idea of specifically targeting wedding and social event planners. What I write it is truly from my heart. But what I have come to realize is that my words can be interpreted in whatever voice the reader chooses to use. A very benign statement can be misconstrued as arrogant or haughty even if that is not the voice that was used when writing. This is the very thing that I am struggling with right now. How can you make someone read a post in the voice it was written in? The answer is, you can't.

A highly respected social media expert once told me that it's important to maintain a presence should you ever want to write a book or engage in public speaking one day. Publishers will look at your stats to confirm that you have a 'following.' It's always been a goal to a.) write a book b.) speak on the topic of luxury wedding planning and c.) teach event planning at the college level. But I'm wondering if these should continue to be goals if social media is going to make me second-guess myself all the time?

This post has been brewing in my head for a number of weeks now and I wonder how you, my readers, feel about this topic? Do you share the same feelings and thoughts? Do you struggle with the same issues? Please, make me feel better and tell me I'm not alone! :)

~Jodi

Who You're Serving vs. Who You Should Be Serving

It's impossible to make a square peg fit into a round hole. We all know this to be a fact and recognize this to be true. Yet we continually try to 'prove' this wrong and force that square peg into a stubborn round hole. We twist and turn that peg and try with our might to shave those sides off in an effort to make it fit. Often, we're able to make the two come together through our pushing and prodding. But, it's never the good and proper fit it should be.

Most of us in the wedding industry have spent much time thinking about the type of client we want to serve but not enough time thinking about the client we do and should serve. Too little time has been spent asking ourselves if our skill set matches the clients we're striving for. It's like making a square peg fit into a round hole. We may want to serve a certain client but we may be ill equipped to do so. Hence, the lack of that good and proper fit mentioned above. And the risk of having a frustrated and disappointed client in the end.

I am a luxury wedding and social event planner. I know that about myself and my business. I'm not a non-profit planner nor am I a meeting planner. It's not what I'm good at or passionate about. I am definitely not the right fit for everyone. In fact, I'm a bad fit for most. I freely admit I could not properly serve a DIY bride, for example. It's not the type of bride that I would be comfortable working with.

I want to challenge you to look closely at who you are and where your skills lie before you write your next proposal or accept that next job. It's easy to talk about who you want serve but harder to recognize and accept who you should be serving. Be true to who you are and intimately know and understand where your gifts and talents lie. By doing so, you'll be a perfect fit for your clients and their needs. And you won't be that square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

~Jodi

For My Sweet Jilly

Many of you know that Jillian is an awfully important person in my life. I first met Jill over three years ago when I was a one-woman shop and doing the day-to-day tasks on my own. Jill started working for me part-time shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and within months, joined me full-time.

For many years, it was just Jill and I doing everything it took to run a growing business. And in that time, Jill became so important to me and my entire family. I have a love for Jill that transcends the boss/employee relationship. She's so much more to me than that. I can't even describe how I feel about her because I love and adore her that much. My kids wouldn't know what to do without Jilly in their lives!

Jill tragically lost her brother Eric yesterday. We have spent countless hours talking about him over the years. She loved him with every fiber of her being. Eric and her older brother Nick mean the world to Jill. She's the baby of the family and looked up to both of them as any little sister would.

As I sit on the sofa inside our rented condo in Florida tonight, I find myself wishing I was anywhere but here. I want to be back in Michigan to hug Jill and tell her that it's going to be alright. That God promises to us that He will never give us more than we can handle. I want to hug her and tell her that I've amassed a group of prayer warriors that are pounding down the gates of heaven for her and her family. I want to hug her and help comfort her pain and wipe her tears away.

Jilly, if you're reading this tonight, I want you to remember that God knows your pain. He loves you so much and He will be your refuge and strength. Find comfort in His promises and the knowledge that Eric loved Him as much as you do!

You are loved!

~Jodi

Our New Venture!

You read that right! And I'm so excited to share this news with you. This process has been months in the making but I wanted to wait until the time was just right to tell everyone. The time is right. And we couldn't be more excited! In Any Event has officially become a full-service event planning firm offering in-house event floral to all of our clients!

We've been flying under the radar with this for some time now. Quietly, we've been working with our 2011 clients to develop the perfect floral 'look' for each of them. And I couldn't be more thrilled with the results. Since this is such a big change for the company, I wanted to get everything in good order and steady our proverbial 'sea-legs' before we made this transition known to the world.

I have hired the most amazing floral designer! Her name is Tracy Knoth and she comes to In Any Event with years of floral design experience. By trade, she's a gifted illustrator that developed a passion for European floral design many years ago. Tracy's floral concepts and ideas are breathe taking! And when she and I start talking about design, you can literally feel the energy in the room. It's infectious, for sure!

Adding in-house floral design has long been in my business plan but I was waiting for the right time to add it to the mix. Over a year ago, I added an invitation company and now that this business is up and running so smoothly, it was time to embark on this new adventure in floral. And what an amazing adventure it has already been. In a short amount of time, I have learned so many things about the industry. But, what many may not know about me is that floral is in my blood.

My father has been the Professor of Horticulture at a Michigan university for almost 40 years. Additionally, my parents owned and operated a very successful retail greenhouse business in northern Michigan while I was a child. I spent many summers running the cash register and helping the customers. I'm a master when it comes to transplanting geraniums and I was the only child on my 3rd grade field trip to the nature preserve to correctly identify a 'Quaking Aspen' tree! {True story.}

I do want to take a moment to publicly thank Jennifer Ederer and her entire team at Modern Day Floral for the amazing {!} product and service they have provided to In Any Event and our clients over the past three years. Though this transition comes with great excitement for me, it also comes with a bit of sadness because I count Jenn as a friend. She has always been an amazing supporter of my company {and I of hers!} and will continue to be a fantastically talented friend and peer in this industry.

So, there you have it! The secret we've been keeping close to us that we now get to share with you. I'm looking forward to this new adventure and to the future that lies ahead for In Any Event!

~Jodi

Have You Got a Friend?

I love friends.

I love having them and being one. I love how they challenge me. How they make me laugh. And how they comfort my pain.

I love how they lift me up. How they cheer me on. And how they always have my back. My friendships are truly one of the greatest blessings of my life.

But, there's one friendship in particular that I have grown to depend on and love. That's the friendship I share with another event planner who also works in the luxury market.

Why has this friendship become so important to me? Because there is no one who knows better the challenges I face on a daily basis. Or the joy I feel when the client says, 'Thank You!' at the end of an amazing night. She's a sounding board of reason. A grief counselor. And a fan. She's an amazing dynamo in her own right. And she's my event planner friend.

Too often event planners can be caddy, territorially and unkind to one another. So, finding that 'someone' you click with is sometimes like finding a needle in a haystack. But, there is no greater comfort to me than being able to pick up the phone and call my event planner friend and say, 'Hey, how would you handle this situation?'

I want to encourage each one of you to find that kind of friend within your industry; be it photography, floral, pastry, etc. Spend time developing that friendship and leaning on one another. No one will know better what to say to you in both good times and bad than that special friend who knows your job as well as you!

~Jodi

PS - Thank you for being my event planner friend, Lish!

The General Contractor

Hello. My name is Jodi. And I'm a General Contractor. If you're an event planner and you're reading this post, you're a General Contractor, too. And you're responsible for all of those sub-contractors you've hired to get the job of a 'wedding' done.

Chances are, some of you have never thought of yourselves this way. But, you are. And with that title, you've earned yourself a whole lot of responsibility. And liability. Yes, that's right. You are liable for your vendor recommendations. Let me say that again. You ARE liable for the vendors you recommend. And should you have a client that isn't pleased with the way a vendor performed at an event, you better be ready to open your pocketbook up and reimburse your client for a mistake that had absolutely nothing to do with you!

Why am I telling you this? Because, I learned the hard way that when a vendor screws-up and makes a client unhappy, the General Contractor gets to pay. And pay handsomely I did. But, my job is to keep my client happy. And my client had every right to be angry about the way the vendor performed. This vendor failed my client and was unwilling to make it right. Yes, it's mind boggling. But, there are vendors out there with no integrity that have no problem watching the General Contract {that's me!} take the heat for their mistakes. And then pay through the nose for it.

If you're new to the business or thinking about going out on your own, have you stopped to think about the amount of risk and liability you take on as someone recommending vendors? Even if you aren't signing contracts on behalf of your clients, did you know that your professional recommendations do, in fact, hold you legally liable in the face of vendor failure? Are you prepared to assume that risk?

They say there are many costs to doing business. This is one of those costs for us event planners. And if I had to guess, I bet there are a lot of you who have never thought through this. If you're one of those individuals, run, don't walk, to an insurance agency. Tell them what you do and that you need to protect yourself in the face of vendor failure. The future of your business may depend on that coverage!

~Jodi

10 Things I Learned in 2010

It's hard to believe we're already 13 days into 2011! Where did 2010 go? The year feels like a bit of a blur to me. So many things happened in 2010. Some good and some bad. But all-in-all, it was a great year with a lot of blessings and a whole lot of 'lesson's learned'.

I thought it would be nice to share with you the Top 10 Things I Learned in 2010. From the standpoint of business ownership, 2010 was the toughest year to date. February marked the four-year anniversary of In Any Event by Jodi Bos. And with it came challenges that have shaped me into a better business woman.

I will admit, the past year has changed who I am and the generous spirit I once had. My husband says that's good. But it does sadden me because it doesn't feel like 'me.' But what I have discovered is that who I am as a business woman can be a little different than who I am as a business owner. Business and personal must be kept separate. And admittedly, I have blurred those lines for too many years.

So, with all of that said, let's take a look back at the Top 10 of 2010. My hope is that you, as event professionals and business owners, can learn from some of the mistakes I've made and save yourself a whole lot of grief in the end.

1. I WISH I HAD LISTENED MORE CLOSELY TO MY HUSBAND - I can think of 4 situations that occurred this year that my husband warned me would happen if I didn't make changes. Image my horror when I had to tell him, 'You were right!' on four separate occasions! The words tasted like vinegar but in every instance, he deserved to hear them. The cool thing about my husband is that he thinks with the left side of his brain and I think with the right. Instead of fighting his advice, I learned I need to celebrate the fact that together, we're thinking with a full brain!


2. A CIRCLE OF THOSE YOU CAN TRUST NEEDS TO BE REALLY SMALL - Don't allow too many people to become intimately involved in or have knowledge of your inner-company workings. You'll be awfully hurt/mad when you get seriously burned. And it will ruin relationships.


3. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A ROCKIN' ATTORNEY - If you could see my attorney bills from 2010, you'd want to cry. Things I thought would never happen did, in fact, happen. My attorney was always calm, in control and had my best interest at heart. He gave me amazing advice. Tightened the screws on some things that were a little too lose and became a member of that really small circle of trust I mentioned above. Does it stink that I shelled out thousands of dollars to him this year regarding numerous issues? It does. But, he was worth his weight in gold if only to help me re-focus on running my business and not letting it run me.


4. MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT ALL THE NECESSARY INSURANCE COVERAGE - You can't anticipate the crazy things that might happen. So you better have a lot of liability coverage AND worker's compensation coverage. Here's a great example. I have my staff running errands for the business all the time. If one of them gets in an accident running to one of our vendor's offices, In Any Event is liable. Doesn't matter if they're contract or employee-status. Make sure you are FULLY covered!


5. DON'T EMPLOY YOUR FRIENDS - Let me repeat this. Do NOT hire friends. Feelings will get hurt and friendships will be ruined. Trust me when I say this, I thought I was above this sage advice when it came to hiring friends. But I learned the hard way that I wasn't. Keep your business separate from your personal.


6. ONLY HIRE VENDORS THAT ARE FINANCIALLY HEALTHY - The question begs itself; how do you know they're healthy? The answer isn't easy because it's not like you can ask a potential vendor to open their books up for you. So, hire those who have been in business for a while. Hire those who have good references. Hire those who can prove to you they have coverage. Ask new vendors how they would resolve conflict and/or compensate if a client is not happy. At the end of the day, if you are not hiring stable companies and you're the one signing contracts on behalf of your clients, you're going to end up compensating an unhappy client for a mistake caused by a vendor!


7. TREAT THE HIRING OF PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR YOU VERY SERIOUSLY -Check references, check references and check references! In the words of my husband, 'People don't get fired from jobs because they were good.'


8. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE POLITICS OF THE INDUSTRY - 'Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.' Whoever came up with that saying was an idiot because words DO hurt. They hurt really bad. Stay above the fray. Remove yourself from situations that only cause you anxious feelings and an unsettled heart. It's hard enough to run a healthy business in this economy without allowing what others think and say to influence and affect you. I know this is easier said than done. So take baby steps. Stop reading blogs that make you crazy. Don't follow people on twitter who make you feel bad about yourself. Take the power away and you'll instantly start to feel better. I promise, it works! :)


9. LIVE BELOW YOUR MEANS - I have been fortunate to operate in the black since starting out 4 years ago. I made purchases as I could afford them. I didn't buy a company cargo van until I could write a check for it. The basement of my home is currently under massive construction to accommodate both my planning business and my letterpress invitation business. This, after 4 years of 'making-do' until I could pay cash to make these professional-grade renovations. I'm so glad I did it this way. But I will admit that I did covet beautiful office spaces. And it took everything in me not to jump the gun and over-extend myself. But now I get to have the beautiful work spaces and my business is healthier for not making any rash decisions before I could afford exactly what I wanted.


10. DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER - Some of the situations that I experienced this year were so painful that I wanted to close the doors to the business and 'be done with this crap!' {Yup, those words came out of my mouth about 100 times this year.}But, what I see now, after coming out the other side, is that these challenges were blessings that have smoothed the rough edges of my business. They've made me smarter. They've made me ask different questions. And they've shaped me into a stronger woman. The bathwater can get pretty murky sometimes but the baby is still beautiful and worthy of life!

~Jodi

Arrogance

Be warned. I'm about ready to write a controversial blog post. And I'm likely to offend some with my thoughts. But, like the Elephant in the Room, it's time to address the arrogance I'm seeing in the wedding industry.

I'll be the first to admit, I love what I do. Starting this business from the ground up and watching it grow over the past four years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I look forward to stepping foot into my office each morning. And I love watching my staff grow and develop in their roles, too.

But as my mom always says, 'Let's call a spade, a spade.' Planning weddings and events is not rocket science. And I'd hardly compare myself to the amazing men and women who are saving lives every day or fighting for the freedom of this country. Is what I'm doing important? Of course it is. I'm not trying to diminish that at all. But, outside of the wedding industry, no one really knows who I am. I haven't developed a cure for cancer. And I'm hardly a celebrity. Frankly put, I'm hired help. Just as all people in this industry are. Albeit, I try to be great hired help, but nonetheless, I'm hired to do a job and that's what I do.

I'm rather disgusted by so much of the arrogant behavior that I see within this industry by many planners, florists and photographers. Whatever happened to doing a job because you love it versus doing it for fame and notoriety and bragging about it all over the world wide web? I don't see anything wrong with setting yourself apart from the competition, but I do have a problem with people acting like they know it all and turning their noses down at those who they deem less important in this industry. And I especially don't like those who won't give you the time of day because you're not on the 'cutting-edge' of this industry.

Everyone, take a deep breath. We're talking about planning weddings, here. People have been getting married for hundreds of years and somehow they managed to do it long before companies like mine existed or before there were blogs and books and websites. So, let's all stop taking ourselves so seriously. Let's recognize that we have value to others and what we're doing is important. But, it's nothing to be arrogant about.

~Jodi

Lisa Kae Photography

So excited to share these images with you today! This past summer, I had one of my favorite Michigan photographers, Lisa Kae, take my kids out on a little 'excursion' to capture their loveliness. I had a chance to look through all of the proofs yesterday and I had a terrible time picking out my favorite ones because they all ended up in my 'favorites' folder!

I can't say enough wonderful things about Lisa! And I truly mean that. Because she's a mom, too, she has this wonderful way with my kids that can only be described as 'a mom's touch.' When my kids say things that make me want to turn the color of a beet, she blows it off and says, 'Don't worry, my kids say the same stuff.' I can't tell you how wonderful that is to hear when I'm about ready to crawl under a rock!

Thank you, Lisa, for these cherished images. I look forward to many more summers of photo shoots!

~Jodi

The Elephant in the Room

It's time to address the elephant in the room. But before I get started, I want to preface this by saying that I've watched the elephant 'work the room' for a couple of years now and have always bit my tongue. But, the problem seems to be getting worse instead of better. And for that reason, I've decided to address it.

You see, a couple of months ago I wrote a post about how I was changing the direction of this blog to give a more frank account of the joys and challenges of running a planning firm as well as a letterpress invitation company. So, true to this new direction, I'm going to address the caddy behavior and jealousy that I see amongst wedding industry professionals and especially within my own local community.

I'm sure I'm going to ruffle some feathers with this post. But that isn't my intention. Instead, I hope this gives everyone some food for thought and makes each one of use reflect on how we act and treat other vendors within our local wedding community and within the wedding community as a whole.

I've had a couple of really tough months professionally. I have had some significant internal issues that have needed swift and immediate attention. This, on top of a full event dance-card, have made these some of the most difficult since opening the firm 4 years ago.


But, I can honestly say they have also been good months, too. I have learned many things about myself and what I want for my businesses. And I have decided to start running the businesses instead of letting them run me. Sometimes, you can't come to these realizations until you've experienced some tough times.


So, what's my point in telling you this? The point is, some have seemingly enjoyed watching me struggle with these internal issues. It seems that I'm a target for unfounded rumors and false assumptions. Through various ways, I've seen people 'buddy-up' and support poor behavior. And I'm calling it out.


I have worked very hard to get to where I am. I am passionate. I am a hard-worker. And I am dedicated. By the sheer grace of God, I have been blessed with an amazing business that I love passionately. I have been blessed with a success that I never dreamed I would have. And I will never take that for granted. Never.


But, there are planners out there who are not happy to see success. In fact, they'd really like to see failure. And I find this deplorable. The thing is, I don't just see this problem amongst wedding planners. I also see this among other wedding businesses like florists and photographers. Instead of celebrating everyone's success and the great things that the success does for the industry as a whole, false rumors are generated as a way to 'bring them down.'


Chances are if you're not in my local market and you're reading this, you're thinking, 'Holy cow, everything she's saying is applicable to my area, too.' So here's the thing, let's all put a stop to it! Let's celebrate one another's successes and STOP celebrating struggles and failures. Or worse yet, starting rumors that cause struggles and failures. What's good for one florist is good for another. And what's good for one planner is also good for another, too. If we allow it, successes can work together to elevate every single one of us.


So, let's stop the jealousy and the back-stabbing! Instead, let's use the energy that's being wasted on negativity and apply it toward positive advances. Let's not be afraid to admit to one another where we struggle for fear that it will be used against us. But, let's readily admit areas of weakness and help one another succeed.


Now that I've 'outed' the elephant, it's time for everyone in my local community to start playing nice! And I want people in your local community to start playing nice, too. Celebrate each other's successes and stop tearing successful businesses down. It hurts us all!


Phew, I feel better, now. How about you??!!


~Jodi


PS - If this post rings true for you, please feel free to re-post and help me start a 'play nice' movement within the wedding industry!

Notes From the MRS! (OUR WEDDING, PART 2)

Let's go ahead and jump right into the next round of photos...


Ahhhh...the ballroom. There were tears. Plenty of happy tears. And I probably hugged Jodi at least a hundred times.

The sweet little faces of my Flower Girl and Ring Bearer....

And probably my favorite detail of the night, our "Breakfast at Midnight" late-night snack. Which included a beautifully-designed cereal bar (a nod to Chris and I's favorite food), savory mini breakfast sandwiches, and adorable french toast shooters. How fun is that?

Many, many, many thanks to the following vendors: In Any Event, Modern Day Floral, Jen Kroll Photography, Coastline Studios, MiraBella Confections, Handbags by Jen, Cascade Country Club, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Julie Strating Makeup Artist, Erin Brown from A Davis Brown Salon, Rumplestiltskin (the band), Peter Spickenagel (classical guitarist), Grand Rapids Trolley Company, and the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

Every time I see these photos, I end up looking at them forever in awe. It makes me so happy to finally be married to my favorite person in the whole world after five long years. Thank you to our friends and family for being there to share our day with us. Without you it would have not been complete. And of course, thank you to Jodi. You made this day absolutely beautiful. We love you very much.

~ Jillian

Notes From the MRS! (OUR WEDDING, PART 1)

Hello friends! Wow, I have missed you all for the past couple months! So here we now are, and the big day has finally come and gone. CHRIS AND I ARE OFFICIALLY HITCHED! And at last, I am a "Mrs". Can I just stop and tell you how blissfully happy it makes me to be able to say that? These past 2 months being a newlywed have been a blessing. It's truly been great. And I don't know about you, but these past couple of months have also completely flown by. It's like I blinked and all of a sudden, fall has begun.

After returning from Chris and I's beautiful Hawaiian honeymoon, we hit the ground running over here at In Any Event and Gwyneth Paige. We have some spectacular events in store that are right around the corner. But before we jump into all that, I need to finally share the photos of my wedding! I know, I am a little behind on getting these posted, and for that I apologize. But I am so happy to be revealing our wedding to you all because I am completely speechless over it ...still.

To Jodi and all our vendors, I cannot find a big enough way to express my gratitude to each one of you. I love you dearly. You helped make our big day a dream come true for not only myself, but for my husband, our family, and all of our beloved friends. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And to our readers, thank you for following me on my wedding planning journey. I loved being able able to share some planning tips, some sneak peeks, and some of my experiences with you. Please enjoy the first round of lovely photos below (taken by Jen Kroll...who captured our day perfectly.)

So many beautiful moments...


And the ceremony begins, with our dear bridal party of 16 {yes, SIXTEEN!} by our side...

Stay tuned for the reception and more special details in the next post!

~ Jillian

496 Unread Blog Posts

Yes, that's what my Google Reader told me this morning. What it should have said was, 'So sorry you've been too busy to visit lately.' For that matter, my sister recently sent a comment, ' Why have I had to read the same post for the last few months!' Okay. Point taken.

I do promise, I will resume to regular blogging later this fall. But in the mean time, it's gonna be 'spotty' while we work to produce the events for ArtPrize as well as two very spectacular weddings for Diana and Tony and Andrea and Michael. Both very different but equally fantastic! The fabulous Jen Kroll will be shooting both weddings as well as the ArtPrize events, and I can't wait to see what magic comes out of her camera!

So, since the last post two months ago, my assistant Jillian got married. Her husband, who is in his last year of medical school, has been placed in Grand Rapids for his rotations. {Yes, my lovely assistant is living in a different state then her husband right now! Bless her heart, the girl actually likes working for me and told her husband she wasn't moving to Toledo because of her job here in Grand Rapids! I swear. I didn't bribe her to stay but I would of if that was necessary!}. All of our Gwyneth Paige binders were shipped to their respective stores and within two days of their arrival, we had our first store sale to a major, in-the-news-a-lot celebrity. We added another part-time employee to help manage all the goodness around here. Her name is Betsy and we love her so! We enlisted the help of an interior designer to re-design the office to accommodate our growth and needs. Construction will begin in November and we'll be posting a slew of photos! And I finally came to the realization that I am not an invitation stylist and have hired one to 'style' the photo shoot for the release of Gwyneth Paige: Baby and Child and Gwyneth Paige: Bar and Bat Mitzvah.

Jill wants everyone to know that she's going to be posting all about her wedding next week. You'll get photos and details and all kinds of great information. But, since I haven't let her leave the office before 9:00pm this entire week, you can appreciate why she hasn't posted anything yet.

Finally, since all blog posts really should have a photo {even when they don't have stellar content like this post!} I'm going to leave you with a photo of my kids and our dogs!

Have a great weekend!

~Jodi

What if this is the last wedding I design?

Have you ever thought, 'What if this is the last wedding I design?' I have. In fact, I think about it a lot. You probably wouldn't have guessed that but it's true. I'm constantly critiquing my art and wondering if I'm good enough. And if I'll be hired again.

Most people think I'm as confident as the day is long. And there is a lot of truth to that. But, I do have a very vulnerable/insecure side. A side that only my family and closest friends know exists.

I said to a dear friend one time, 'Is it normal to think 'What if I don't get hired after this job is complete?' Her response was brilliant. She said, 'It's not only normal but it's healthy. It means you're not resting on your laurels and you're constantly trying to better yourself and your business. It means your business will thrive.'

Do you question yourself, too? Are you wondering if you're good enough? If so, I think it's a good thing. My friend convinced me of that. And now I embrace that insecurity. I don't let it paralyze me. But rather, I let it strengthen me!

~Jodi

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Sneak preview of my Etsy wedding elements!

I don't want to give away too much before the big day, but I had to share these lovely details with you. So let's jump right into the fun!

A while back Jodi blogged about a shop that she found on Etsy called Milkpod Studio. This artist makes the most incredible fabric bouquets and boutonnieres that you have ever seen. So of course I fell in love with her designs the second Jodi showed me her stuff {anything that has textural elements like that, I am all over it!} This is hand-craftsmanship at it's best. And Milkpod Studio was just featured in this June 2010 issue of Brides magazine! The article is called "The Great Pretenders". Be sure to check it out and see more of her amazing work.




So what is my second great Etsy find, you may be wondering? Well, it is a shop called Brydferth. The designer creates the sweetest fabric rosettes, and makes them into rings, necklaces, shoe clips, hair clips, headbands, and more. She makes them in a wide variety of colors, too. Honestly, I probably could have ordered just about everything in her shop. But ultimately I pulled the reins on myself and I had her custom-make my hair piece for the wedding and matching shoe clips. The hair clip is a rosette trio with ivory, white, and champagne rosettes. Check out the photo below, isn't it fantastic? The rosettes that clip onto my shoes are ivory and match perfectly. It doesn't stop there, either. For my flower girl, we had a headband made with three white rosettes on it. She will look so adorable. And, of course, everything will coordinate beautifully.




~ Jillian

Is That the Highest Priority?

As a business owner, I need to know what my staff is doing on a daily basis. Now, don't get me wrong. I trust them and know they're working hard. And I truly have no interest in being a micro-manager. But, there are times when certain tasks must take precedence over others. And if I have not properly communicated this to my staff, then we're operating under different assumptions about what is important. And that's how mistakes happen.

That's why approximately 6 months ago, I implemented a new system in the office. Here's how it works. Every morning, I receive an email from each staff member with a list of projects they will be working on that day. The list looks something like this:

1. Highest priority...first thing to work on
2. Medium priority
3. Lowest priority
4. Only if I finish #1, 2 and 3, will I consider this task!

Once I review the list, I take the opportunity to talk with each person about the day ahead. This two-way communication also gives me the chance to re-prioritize tasks on their lists if need be. {This hasn't happened often, but it has happened.}

This task may seem elementary and even a little silly but there really is a good reason for the exercise. Actually, two good reasons. The first is reassurance each morning that the highest priorities for both businesses are being met. And that there won't be any surprises when I think a task is being worked on {only to discover it's been given low-priority status}. I don't like surprises and this helps eliminate them.

The second reason for this exercise is to keep my staff {and myself!} on-task, motivated and accountable. This usually isn't an issue when we're swamped and trying to survive! But, it does become an issue when we're slow and not driven by an event {or two, or three!}. It helps all of us use our time wisely and efficiently.

I really like what this system has done for us. Not only has communication improved, but I think it's empowered each person to fully embrace their position in the company and understand how vital their role is to our success. And frankly, I think there is no better employee than an empowered one!

~Jodi

Delegation = The Answer to Time Management

It's been long. Too long, I know. Since returning home from the National Stationery Show, my life has been nothing short of chaos. We've added two new pups to our home. {And our cat intensely hates them both!} My children finished the school year. I've added a new employee at Gwyneth Paige {welcome, Betsy!}. An intern at In Any Event {welcome, Audrey!}. And we now have 15 stores in seven states carrying the Gwyneth Paige line. All this in one month's time!

One of the things I've been thinking a lot about these past few weeks is how I can better manage my time and all of the demands on it. I've come to the conclusion that there's not much I can do that's not already being done. However, one thing I can do is rely more heavily on the good people that work alongside me.

Delegation has never been my strong suit. It's my perfectionist, type-A personality that causes this problem. My husband says you'll never run a successful business and be a good employer if you can't delegate. And you know, he's right. It truly is the answer to properly managing my time.

So, I'm trying to delegate more. I find that this is allowing me to work at a higher-level during the day. And empowering those around me to make good decisions. It's a great feeling. Things seem to be humming right along. And though I feel the stress that only a business-owner does, it's nice to divide the other stressors amongst friends!

How are you doing in the delegation department?

~Jodi

PS - I've decided to take this blog in a new direction. {Okay, let's face facts. There hasn't been much direction at all!} I'm going to focus on the 'raw truth' of owning a luxury planning firm and a couture letterpress company. In a sense, this blog will become my new 'public' journal. And I'm going to hold nothing back. You'll get to see the confident side of me as well as the vulnerable one. You'll discover what stresses me out on a day-to-day basis and what invigorates me. I think that this direction will really give me a lot to talk about and inspire my posts. I'm really excited for the future of this blog and its sustainability!

Notes From the Future "Mrs." - Wedding Invitation Photos!

Hello friends! Wow, has May really come and gone already? With us having such an eventful month, including a week at the National Stationery Show in New York, my mind has been blissfully preoccupied with all things Gwyneth Paige and In Any Event. So much so that I almost didn't realize I am less than ONE month away from getting married {insert the anxiety attack here}. That's right, a month from now I will officially be "Mrs. Clark" and will be exploring Maui with my hubby.

This next month is the home stretch for getting all my wedding details wrapped up, and it is sure to churn out some good blog post material. But before we move forward on any of that, I have to share my wedding invitations because I have been dying to show you what they look like! They were delivered a few weeks ago, and I would be lying if I said that I didn't nearly injure myself trying to get the box open because of how uncontrollably excited I was. Right away I took some super quick photos to post up here {but please forgive the awful photography work, I only had my iPhone camera on hand}.

The design suite that we chose for our wedding invitations is called Claire. Ahhh...our sweet and shabby Claire! We used fuchsia and champagne ink to customize it to my wedding color scheme. We also used ivory ink for the quilted background, but the ivory is subtle and referred to as a blind deboss because you don't necessarily notice the ink. It's just used to highlight and show off the beautiful, deep impressions in which letterpress is known for. Mmmm, delicious!

{Invite and Envelope with Liner}

{Reply Card}

{Web Card}

Another great detail to notice? The offset printing on the backs of my invitations, reply cards, and web cards. It adds a beautiful "pop" of color in an unexpected way. And our brilliant Andrea recommended that we create small, business card-sized web cards for my guests, telling them to visit our wedding website instead of printing accommodation and direction cards. This was a huge help because it is a great way to save money {and paper} on the invitations. Plus the cards are so darn cute.

{Offset printing on back of Invitation}

{Offset printing again}

Before mailing them out, I secured together each suite {meaning each invitation, reply card, reply envelope, and web card} with a beautiful, deep fuchsia satin ribbon and a hand-made wax seal for the finishing touch. I hope my guests enjoy them as much as I do!

~ Jillian