Year in Review 2018

by Diana Warner | Dec 31, 2018 | Being a Wedding Planner

The end of 2018 is here and it’s bittersweet for me.  This past year was a big step in setting myself up for success and I am already seeing the results as my 2019 season is starting to get lined up.  See this year I pushed myself a little more, took more steps outside of my comfort zone and proved to myself that I am capable and deserving of success. 

My year started off with a bang when I sat down with Ivan who runs Villa Croatia Party Center in Eastlake.  See I had this idea that my business partner and I could take our small wedding shows that we do as We Thee Wed, and could turn them into larger shows all over Northeast Ohio.  My first step in that direction was doing a larger show then we had ever done before, and my sights were on Villa Croatia.  Luckily that relationship blossomed and we had an amazing wedding show there in April.  (So amazing that we are doing it again in March of 2019.)

I went to so many networking events this year to be able to meet other wedding professionals in the area.  I am not the type of person to strike up a conversation with a stranger, but I took that plunge and it paid off big time.  I actually know quite a few people at those networking events now and I am always meeting more.  My little circle of friends is growing and with that I am able to find even more professionals that are better for my couples. 

In May, We Thee Wed organized a small wedding resale event at Concord Township Community Center.  It was a great way to stretch our abilities and see what other wedding events we can host in the area. 

At the end of June is when my wedding season started off with Joanne & Ryan’s big day.  The ceremony was at Communion of Saints Parish and their reception at the fantastic Music Box Supper Club.  I can’t say enough about the amazing vendors they brought on for their big day, including their photographer David Corey.

It was a pleasure working with Nikki on setting up her beautiful wedding at Noah’s Event Venue in Mentor.  I love being given a beautiful canvas and being told to make it pretty.  We were set up for success and everything looked elegant.

I absolutely loved being able to help Rachel & Jeff with their wedding at Lantern Court.  Rachel is an artist and she had a vision in her head that turned out very earthy and delightful.  They were a pleasure to work with and it was even better when we found out we actually went to school together too!

In September we had our third wedding show for the year at The Gage House.  A little boutique styled show that brought in the couples despite the rainy weather.  It is a quaint little venue perfect for those pre-wedding events.

Then it was time for the biggest wedding of the season at Perry Community Center for Kim & Jim.  Such a fun and laid back couple, with a large and amazing group of friends and family.  With a picture perfect first look, gorgeous flowers and a fantastic DJ (aka McGill Entertainment), this was such a fun wedding to be a part of!

Off to Ahern Catering & Banquet Center to help Laura with the setup of her wedding reception.  She spent so much time creating and bringing together all the little elements of her décor, my team and I had a great time bringing it all together for her.

October 6^th marked the last wedding for my season and it was an amazing reminder that I am so lucky to be able to do what I do.  Leiana and Stephanie got married at Steele Mansion in Painesville and then hosted their reception at Legend Lake Golf Club.  Over the nearly two years that we worked together on their big day, we got to know each other very well.  At the end of it all I gained two new friends.  This was the perfect wedding to end my season with.

My attention then turned to the last two wedding shows of the year.  The first at the brand new venue called LaPlace Events in Akron.  A fan-freaking-tastic show with an awesome turnout. 

The biggest step I took this year was in November when I took a week-long trip to Las Vegas for Wedding MBA.  It is the largest wedding tradeshow in the states and it was so worth the two weeks it took me to recover.  So much information on how to make my business and client experience better.  And the creation of many new friendships, some started online and meeting there for the first time.  It was an investment of my time and money, and it was worth it all.  I bought my ticket for next year before I left and I am bringing some of my friends next year.  #communityovercompetition

The last wedding show of the year was hosted by Sun Valley Banquet & Party Center in Chagrin Falls.  It is a hidden gem for the area.  We were blessed with dry weather when it called for a blizzard, but that’s Ohio for you.  So in turn we had a great turnout with an amazing group of wedding professionals at that show too.

The last thing I did this year was to co-host a wedding professionals Christmas party with my friends Weddings by Matthew and Ben Ricci DJs.  Matt has a fantastic space to entertain and Ben puts on a great show.  There was food, drink and laughing.  What more could you ask for?

When I look at it on paper it really doesn’t seem like much, but my year was filled with networking events, meetings, consultations and events.  It was a fast paced year that just slowed down for the last two weeks of 2018.  After the New Year it will be back to the grindstone with our first two wedding shows.  I have enjoyed these two weeks of rest, but I am much looking forward to seeing what next year has in store for me.