500 Weddings: Here’s What We’ve Learned Along The Way
During one of the most difficult years in the history of the wedding industry as we know it, we silently passed a pretty huge milestone. Ashley Lewkowicz joined the Signature Weddings team in 2008 and had the pleasure of taking over the company in 2011. Since then, she and the Signature Weddings by Ashley team have planned and executed over 500 weddings. From intimate mountain-top elopements to multi-day grand ballroom events, it has been the most special and truly unforgettable journey.
When asked what’s her favourite part of her job, Ashley always answers “everything.” She loves meeting the couples for the first time, hearing their stories, and learning about their unique visions for their big day. Beyond that, she says that seeing it all come together at the end of the process is one of the most rewarding feelings imaginable.
“I still tear up at every single wedding,” says Ashley. “There’s no such thing as just another wedding to me.”
She says that one of her favourite parts of each wedding is those few short moments right before the bride steps out onto the aisle. “It’s so intimate, only the bride and the person walking them down the aisle get to experience it, it’s just so special,” she shared. In these moments, everything slows down, the energy of the fast-paced morning slips away, and the magic really begins.
With a challenging year soon to be behind us, we wanted to share some of our biggest takeaways and learnings from the past decade spent doing what we love in this magical place that we call home.
Every Single Wedding is Different
If you’ve landed in the wedding or event planning industry, you’re likely hyper-organized and a plan-ahead type of personality. While you can spend years refining your process and procedures, there’s simply no template for the perfect wedding. What matters to each couple, their families, their culture, and their guests is completely different from the last. Some couples really emphasize amazing wedding photos, others care about the flowers and decor above all else, and some are more focused on the flow of the day and the experience for their guests.
Listening and asking the right questions right at the beginning is so deeply important. You need to understand a couple and the meaning behind their decisions in order to give them the wedding they’ve always wanted. As a wedding planner, you need to be prepared, but you also need to be flexible and ready to accommodate.
You Need to Be Two People at Once
A wedding planner needs to be the perfect fusion between a type A and type b person. Details are key, but the willingness to go with the flow and remain calm at all times really does come in handy. You always want a plan B in case of bad weather or a change of plans, but you simply can’t account for everything. Being quick on your toes without getting overwhelmed is one of the best qualities a planner can have.
You are Everyone’s Main Point of Contact
In its nature, the planning itself is a big part of the job. But, it’s important to understand that a key part of the wedding planner’s role is communicating. You are the point person between the couple and all of the vendors, and you are the main point of contact for everyone involved in the wedding. From the wedding party and the guests to the venue and the vendors, you need to effectively communicate with everyone from start to finish.
While it may seem like a bit of a juggling act, and it absolutely is, it’s also an invitation to connect with some really incredible people that you may not have met otherwise.
This is Brand New to Everyone
Many of the couples you’ll encounter will be getting married for the first time. Not only does this mean that they are brand new to this experience, but it means that their families and bridal party may be, too. As a wedding planner, you see hundreds of weddings unfold and you learn the drill like the back of your hand, but you must always remind yourself that not everyone has that same insight. Use your knowledge and experience to guide your clients through this huge, special first and be patient all the while. Everyone will have brand new questions and you are their trusted expert.
The Biggest Challenge is Budget
Setting a realistic budget is often difficult as couples tend to set their budgets before gaining clarity on the cost of everything they’d like to see on their wedding day. It can be a great idea to select a budget range and refire that budget once you’ve seen some vendor quotes. For example, flowers are often imported internationally from places like Holland, so they can be more expensive than people often assume.
Collaborate & Build Relationships
Finding your community is one of the most important parts of the wedding industry. As a planner, building and maintaining relationships with your local vendors and venues makes your job so much more enjoyable and expands the connections you can share with your couples.
When you build a supportive, collaborative community, you learn so much about the ins and outs of all parts of the industry while being able to make lasting connections with inspiring, talented people in your area. It really does take a village, so be sure your village is filled with awesome people who you love collaborating with you.
Passion Projects, Always
As a wedding planner but more so a business owner, it’s extremely inspiring to always be building and working towards a new passion project. Whether it’s a new website or expanding your service offerings, if something is really exciting to you, it’s a great way to remind you how much you love what you do and give you confidence in the constant evolution of your business.
Wedding planning is such a magical, sentimental, exciting job and after 500 weddings, Ashley is so excited to discover new avenues for growth and keep her finger on the pulse of the ever-changing industry.
