Last week we introduced you to our brand new Apprentice Wedding Planner, Summer. She’s spending a year at the Wedding Academy learning the ropes of becoming a Wedding Planner and sharing her journey with you here on the blog and on her Instagram.
In case you missed her first diary entry you can read that right here.
For those of you who don’t know, Summer is my daughter. Yep we’ve crossed that Mother/Daughter line to see if it will work.
In all honesty I never thought she’d be interested in joining me in the business, but here we are.
I’m excited and proud to have her join the team, but like so many of you reading this, it wasn’t her first choice of career.
So I thought it would be fun to do a bit of a Q&A with Summer to find out more behind her decision and what she’s learnt so far.
And who better to ask the questions than her Mum?
KYLIE: What’s the earliest memory you have of the Wedding Academy?
SUMMER: Looking back on my childhood, I have these images in my head of my mum in our spare room/ her office in our old house in Australia. And then a slightly more frantic memory of her dropping me off at school at the same time as trying to book a client on the phone. She had one of those Bluetooth headsets on and that always used to make me chuckle.
That, along with my mums wedding. It was a gorgeous setting on Hayman Island, a tropical resort in North Queensland in Australia, right on the beach. I just remember thinking; this is the most magical day ever. I cried myself to sleep that night because I didn’t want it to end.
KYLIE: When someone mentions the word ‘Wedding Planner’ what’s your first thought?
SUMMER: When I hear the words “Wedding Planner”, my mind usually wanders to the likes of Franck from Father of the Bride.
I picture an over the top office with flowers covering every inch and fabulous place settings covering the tables. I’ll admit that I do have a somewhat cliched idea of a typical wedding planner in my head. But that image is one of the reasons that I’m so excited to be joining this industry.
If I end up resembling any part of Francks’ style or sass, then that’s fine by me.
KYLIE : Since starting your course with the Academy what’s the biggest thing you’ve learnt so far?
SUMMER: That time management is absolutely essential! There are many temptations that can present themselves to distract you, especially at this age.
Ever since I was a skater, I’ve always put ridiculous pressures on myself to succeed, and that’s stayed with me throughout my life.
I’m still very much finding my feet with this, identifying the type of planner I want to be is definitely a hard one. But exploring different themes and styles is really exciting for me. It’s important to realise and understand that things take time. It can often take a few attempts until you get into a groove that works for you. Everyone is different!
I’m the absolute worst for this. I compare myself to everyone else and mentally beat myself up if I haven’t done as well. Or if I’m behind schedule in any aspect of life. It’s one of the most toxic mindsets of all.
KYLIE: When you made the decision to explore the wedding industry as a possible career choice what were the things that held you back initially? What did you have on your list of Cons?
SUMMER: Obviously, I’ve been watching my mum tackle this industry for years. But my decision to take my first steps in this career wasn’t a straightforward nor simple one.
I had been weighing up the pros and cons over and over. The thought of being self-employed has always been very intimidating for me. Being able to take my own lead without anyone to rely or depend on, has often made me question whether this career path is the right one.
One particular con that kept resurfacing was, “what if my business flops?” Or the ultimate fear of disappointing my mum and not matching up in some way.
Understandably, you can’t predict the future and I think 2020 is the perfect example of that! So, source all of your options, ALWAYS plan ahead, and do all of your research.
KYLIE: So I have to ask what was on the list of Pros?
SUMMER: Thankfully, my pros list was a lot longer than my cons.
My brain associates this career with a very glamourous lifestyle. The idea of visiting and coordinating exquisite venues every day and turning my countless number of Pinterest boards into a real life vision are the thoughts that excite me most.
I LOVE the fact that the opportunities are endless! I’ve always been very creative, as a kid I always used to put on little skits for my mum (the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree). So being in one of the most creative industries ever, suits me perfectly!
KYLIE: You’re at Uni studying journalism and at 22 it’s hard to know what you want to do for the rest of your life. When it comes to making a big career decision like this, in your case combining Uni with wedding planning, what advice would you give someone thinking about doing the same thing?
SUMMER: Well, I’ve always been someone who likes my options. I like knowing that I have some kind of safety net to fall back on when things get rough. If this pandemic has shown me anything, it’s that there are always resources, and there’s always an option for you!
I’ve changed my mind more times than I’ve had hot dinners, I’ve gone back and forth so many times about what it is that I actually want to do. Countless sleepless nights have been had just toying with the idea of any sort of career.
I started with skating, which was the biggest aspect of my life for 12 years. I explored the options of pursuing that, but it never really gelled for me. I’ve been studying my bachelor’s in journalism for 2 years now and it’s already opened up countless doors for me, including my position now with the Academy.
I like being busy. I function off the thrill of feeling accomplished, so juggling a degree and being the Apprentice Wedding Planner provides the type of hectic, chaotic lifestyle that I love.
KYLIE: If you had to choose just one word that describes the feeling of changing careers what would that word be and why?
SUMMER: In a word? Exhilarating. This has without a doubt been the most exhilarating experience, and I’m only in week two.
KYLIE: What are you most looking forward to as part of your role?
SUMMER: Living in London has always been a dream of mine. One too many romantic comedies has led me to that conclusion. (We’ve all been there right?) I was one week away from going to university at Westminster when I realised that London on a student budget was not going to be the London I’d envisaged. So I’m absolutely ecstatic about being a part of some styled shoots with Academy Brand Manager and founder of Anemone, Martha, in London.
I’ve also loved connecting with students on social media and sharing my content with you all as well. Exciting things coming soon!
KYLIE: You have your own Instagram, The Apprentice Wedding Planner, what can we expect to see from you on Instagram?
SUMMER: I won’t give too much away, but I’m exploring the idea of a video in the coming weeks! “A day in the life” vlog is in the works!
I’m posting my daily stories and chatting with you all and I love interacting with the students. Drop me a message or a comment and let me know what type of content you’d like to see from me!
KYLIE: Is the wedding industry everything you thought it would be from what you’ve seen so far?
SUMMER: I’ve had an absolute ball with it all so far. Obviously, there’s hard work involved, as there always is, but there are so many exciting opportunities that come with this job. I get to share my journey with you all every week, and I love it. Its well and truly exceeded my expectations.
If you’re having any doubt about taking the plunge into weddings, I can without a doubt say that this is one fun industry.
Kylie and Summer x
