Today I have the happy job of introducing you to the very lovely Lauren, who recently graduated from our US campus. Lauren is also the owner of Table 1 Events and she kindly took some time out to share her story with us. To show your support for Lauren and her business, go to Table 1 Events and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest.
Lauren congratulations on recently Graduating from the Academy. Can you tell us what course you did and why you chose it?
I took the Certificate in Wedding Planning then continued on taking the Wedding Professionals Advanced Course. I signed on for the Certificate in Wedding Planning Course for two reasons. One was to get formal training from a highly regarded program and the other was to show clients and potential clients that I was a CPW (Certified Wedding Planner) and had professional credentials. After I completed this course I went on to take the Wedding Professionals Advanced Course because I wanted to learn more about the design aspect of wedding planning
You have a business, Table 1 Events, tell us the story behind this business and is it something you were doing before you started your course?
I did have my business before starting the course. Once I got my business up and running I quickly realized I needed some formal training in Wedding Planning. I was doing things ‘my way’ but wanted to make sure this was the ‘correct way’. I started Table 1 Events almost exactly one year ago. I always had a love of weddings and considered myself a ‘professional wedding guest and bridesmaid’, since I attend dozens of weddings a year and have been a bridesmaid several times. Over the last few years I started helping plan several of my friend’s weddings. I realized that I had a knack for this and wanted to make some money from wedding planning. My corporate job was in Human Resources and corporate event planning, so creating Table 1 Events was a natural career progression for me.
In what ways did your course work help you with your business and has it had an affect on the work you do as a Planner/Designer?
I find myself referring to the course documents on a regular basis. I am not an expert on everything in the wedding industry, so having the course documents helps when I am meeting a bride at a florist and want to brush up on my ‘floral lingo’. Also, this course helped me audit myself and my business to make sure I was delivering top quality care to my customers
A lot of people like the idea of our courses because the material speaks to what they want to learn and they can see the benefits in the flexibility, but they are also scared about the online aspect. How did you find the experience of working within our Virtual Campus?
I could not have asked for a better experience! As a busy working mom, I needed flexibility. It would have been very hard for me to drive to a location and sit in a classroom for several hours. The online aspect made learning easy for me. I could log in on my own time (sometimes very late at night), print out the material, read the material on my own time and work on the projects in my free time. Plus, I was able to access the Academy from anywhere. If I ever had any issues I would submit a request and it was resolved very quickly.
Are there any trends in weddings that you are looking forward to incorporating into your client’s weddings over the next 12 months – in your own unique way?
A lot of my brides want floral arrangements hanging from the ceiling. I love the look of this trend and can’t wait to incorporate it into some of my weddings. The issue I am running into is that a lot of the venues don’t let you do this!
You are a member of our Private Facebook Group Academy Live. Can you share with us some of your experience of the group and how you feel it helps students?
I loved hearing what other students were going through and the questions they had. A lot of the students were just starting their own business, like myself, and I liked hearing the questions and challenges they were facing. It made me feel like I wasn’t the only person with the same issues and it provided a sense of community.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time Lauren?
I would love to get to the point in my wedding planning career that I can quit my other job! I would love to get all of my business from word-of-mouth, instead of paid advertising. I would also like to be regarded as one of the top wedding planners in the Philadelphia area.
