A Heaping Dose of Huge News!

Once I had the revelation that I was meant to be a wedding planner, an obvious step was choosing a business name. I knew that using my name (Rachel Moger) wasn't the path I wanted to take. It just didn't feel right. I also new that I wanted the name to be timeless, classic, and explain what I was doing! So I settled on Occasions, later Occasions Event Design and just said that's that. It was easy, communicated what I needed to say and also feminine (which is a big component of my brand). I had a logo designed (see above) and thought it was good enough.

 

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It was good enough, but I always had the feeling that it just wasn't me. It didn't explain my brand and my journey- Occasions was too vague and not unique at all. I had an itch to choose something different but nothing came to mind. For MONTHS I prayed about it and thought about it, did research, chose 15 words and tried to combine them into some trendy, girly business name. (Remember when they did that in Julie and Julia, for the book title? It worked for them!) It wasn't a good idea. My "ideas" were a product of my culture and surroundings, just mimicking event planners that I admired with my own special "twist". They were all too trendy, too posh, too something. They were just wrong.

 

After I attended a webinar hosted by the Making Brands Happen girls (Emily & Lara), the new business name that I'd been working on just hit me, and it was like nothing I had thought of before. Learning more of the importance of building your business from your CORE was so obvious yet extremely tricky to put my finger on.

 

I started thinking about what I valued about our own wedding (family & friends, flowers, Northern Michigan, local vendors) and what the most important thing of all was. LOVE. Joining in a sacred union with the absolute love of my life, celebrating the day we were joined together in Holy Matrimony so we can love each other and those around us even better. A beautiful marriage. That is what I want to inspire couples to aim for in their wedding planning process.

 

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I mentioned on the blog before that on the day of our rehearsal dinner my sweet Grandpa gave me a letter to read. It was written one week before my Grandparents' wedding. My Grandma Ginger wrote the sweetest note about LOVE, and GIVING, and how exited she was to begin their lives together. It was the sweetest thing. She passed on a beautiful June day from breast cancer when I was in 7th grade. Her life impacted me more than almost anything else, and her legacy is so strong.

 

In honor of my late grandmother, her beautiful life, her love for family and her love for love, my new business name will be Sincerely, Ginger. The name represents everything I love about wedding planning. It reminds me of what matters. Our memories together are my most cherished. She was so beautiful. Obviously, the exact name of the business I got from the letter I read, which is my most recent experience feeling the depth of her love for me and our family.

 

 

Over the next few weeks I'll be writing about some of my favorite memories with her and how they relate to my mission as a business. I'm so excited about this news- I could just burst! It's all coming together for me in a big way. I can't wait to share more.

 

Sincerely,

Rachel

Boundaries + Structure

This morning I was rushing around before headed to my day job (as usual) trying to find all of my things (binders (3), my computer, charger(s), iPad, cell phone, library books, make up bag, gym bag, yoga mat, purse, car keys, work keys, lunch box, water bottle, wallet, extra shoes, etc,) when I realized that I had a problem. I've joked for a while that I might be a bag lady, but it's really the truth. I carry so much with me all the time. I never know what I might need! My purse looks like a normal person's carry-on bag that could also fit a small dog.

 

The truth is, I bring all of this stuff with me because I never know what I'm going to need or where I'll be right after work. I'm unprepared- I haven't set myself up for success. This is part of the reason why using my Simplified Planner is such a big part of my goals. I crave organization, structure and boundaries in a big way, but I'm always the first to make an excuse about how it's not going to work out. When I read Lara's post on boundaries I knew it was time to cut the crap and bring some structure into my life! Not just in regards to running my business but in each area of my day to day. I know that if I create a plan and stick to it my personal life, day job, small business, work-outs, and time with my husband will be more fulfilling. So why can't I just do it?

 

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Excuses. "We only have one car!" This is true- it's a fact and it's not changing anytime soon. Unlike when we lived in Seattle, there isn't any reliable public transportation to depend on. We are constantly dropping one another off at work or I am left at home without a car. On our current budget, it's not time to get another vehicle. But I do know that Isaiah's schedule isn't changing, and mine isn't changing for a while. So I can work around this for now.

 

Then of course there are the million little things that come up throughout the day that prevent me from following my schedule and therefore prevent me from creating one at all! "I'm tired; I forgot to pack my lunch; I don't feel like going to the gym; the house is a mess (I better clean it first); I have two weeks until that has to be done; I need a break." Can I get an Amen? Does anyone else experience this? I know that if I follow my routine I am better set up to remember my lunch/ feel rested/ be motivated to work hard because there is a dedicated time for each of those things.

 

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One of the big motivators in setting up boundaries and structure is making time to work hard for my clients and not be all over the board! If I'm feeling like spaz, chances are my brides feel that way too. Lara said it best, "Brides ideally want people to guide them through the process - planners, photographers, designers, etc - who make them feel calm, happy, excited, secure, taken care of and confidently structured.". YES! This is what I want the whole planning process to be like for my couples, not just on their wedding day.

 

So today I'm going to be working on a real, workable structure for my day as it is now. No matter how things might change in the future I can guarantee that I should be able to stick to the same schedule for at least the next four weeks. Tomorrow I'll be back with my progress, and hopefully even post my office hours for Occasions!

 

I'll leave you with this, one of my biggest goals for my business. "A solid product + a powerful brand that helps you attract the right clients who understand your value + structure in place to allow you to provide an extraordinary client experience = wedded bliss!" Thanks, Lara. Beautiful words that I aspire to live out over the lifetime of my career.

Happy Day!

Rachel

Business Goals: 2013

I already wrote my personal goals in the form of my letter to my future self and by putting monthly goals up on the blog. However, I have some more specific business goals for the year that I'd like to write down and hash out.

 

It's going to be an undoubtedly busy and full year with the baby coming in June, and financially strained as we're choosing to make our money work harder for us. This won't only mean sacrifices for my personal life (coffee, new purses, lunch out with friends, etc) but sacrifices for my business too. For instance, I'm not going to be able to afford a new computer until 2016. That's a long ways away. I also am going to have a really small budget for editorial shoots and collateral items.

 

What I plan to do is use what I already have to make the business work for me. I already have a lot of business knowledge, my creative insights aren't going anywhere and I bet I can throw together a temporary website that looks decent. I'm just being honest. Continuing with my moment for Occasions is vital to it's success- and to our financial success as a family. I will be happier, work more flexible hours and be more available to my son if I can work from home and do what I love. This is what drives me.

 

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1. Create an amazing wedding experience for Amy & Jonathon in May. On the water, incredible florals and some of the nicest people I've met to this day. I can't wait for their celebration.

 

2. Write my business plan. I've been working on it for a while because I want it to work for me, and not be homework. It'll be very detailed and outline every aspect of the business ranging from finances to client experiences and marketing. I want to outline my packages once and for all and write meaningful and thorough content for the website.

 

3. Book two more weddings for this fall. There are a few leads I've been working with and trying to figure if they'll be the right fit. If it's meant to be, it will be!

 

4. Quit my day job, once and for all. This is a big one because my time is so valuable. The more time I can put into my work the better quality it is. Without the 9-5, I won't be as mentally exhausted to work hard when I'm home. I am open to working at a part time job that is more fulfilling.
 

5. Host two editorial/ inspirational shoots. This is multi-purpose. I envision these events as a way to connect with other vendors in my area and also to showcase my work and build my portfolio so that I have some solid content on my website. I want to show future clients that I am good at what I do!

 

6. Build a website. I don't know at all how this will play out without a web designer, because I'm not one at all. But I did invest in a logo designed by Chelsea (oh my deer), and will hopefully have some good content by the time this transpires.

 

7. Practice floral design so I am comfortable offering full service florals by the time of my official launch. I've partnered with a local farm and florist who is amazing to work with. So excited about this!

 

8. Connect with local vendors. Making it a goal to sit down and meet with the primary vendors in the area and put together a resource guide for myself and future clients. Luckily we have some of the nicest people around, so this hopefully won't be too tough if I get over my fear of putting myself out there.

 

9. Finish my office. On our tight budget this will be tough, but I live with a handy husband who's pretty good with his tool box. This space is so important to me. Our house is small and we are sacrificing a guest room and a TV room for a nursery and an office, which I am grateful for. I want to make this space functional and beautiful!

 

10. Launch Occasions Event Design... officially! Can't contain my excitement on this one. December 1st, 2013 is my launch date. It's a really long ways a way, but good things take time and patience. I'm giving myself lots of time to finish goals 1-9 (and have a baby too) so I don't get too stressed. More details to follow, but it will be amazing.

 

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What do you think? Can I do it? If you have any input or think you can help on any of these please speak up! I'm so excited about this year and launching Occasions is a big part of my 2013 dream coming true.

With Passion,

Rachel

When I Knew I Wanted to be a Wedding Planner

For the past few years, I've been blessed to really find out what my passion is. I knew I was destined to be a wedding planner on a spring day in my third year of college. At that point I hadn't really had any experience with weddings. Isaiah and I were just moving in together, it was a really sweet time in our relationship. I went to Seattle Pacific University to study in the School of Business & Economics, I majored in Business Administration with an emphasis on entrepeneurship. At this point in my college career I was fed up with all the numbers and nonsense and was feeling really burnt out. The creative side of my brain was not being stimulated (at least in the classroom). I felt so confused about what to do but was generally just drifting on, expecting to work for a bigger company in Seattle after I graduated doing something in the field.

 

Anyway, back to the spring day. We were at Greenlake to get some Starbucks and walk around the lake. It's one of my favorite spots in the city. Isaiah and I always felt so inspired and have great talks while we're walking or hiking. I was day-dreaming about our future wedding (with no ring on my finger, might I add) and thinking about what we should do with our lives after I graduated when it hit me.

 

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Why couldn't I use my degree to start a business that employs my creative and organizational skills? The answer was that I completely could, and it made sense. I've always loved designing gatherings for my friends, entertaining and helping events get planned and organized. Leadership is one of my top strengths but I've got a natural eye for design and color. I thrive on long term projects where I can create meaningful relationships with people, but like to get things done day to day. Honestly I'm pretty good at managing my own time when something is important to me. I love creating something out of nothing and pulling together an event that will leave a memory. Weddings. It was like a huge "duh".

 

After this all ran through my mind in about 10 seconds outside of Starbucks at Greenlake, I blurted out, "I'm a wedding planner!" and immediately I took ownership of that title. Isaiah essentially just looked at me like I was crazy. His first assumption was that I was going to continue on to another several years of expensive schooling. Once I assured him that that wasn't the case, he was still confused. Haha! It could have been that he thought I was getting wedding crazed myself or who knows what. The important thing is that he has always backed me up 100%.

 

The next day I went after an internship with one of the top event planners in the city, and joined the team shortly after. I learned a lot really fast about design boards, client meetings, all the phone calls and e-mails it takes, and just how many satin ribbons must be tied into bows. It was three months of bliss for me. What an amazing learning experience. Once my internship ended my mentor helped a lot with shaping my long term goals. She believed that I was entrepreneurial and should start my own wedding planning business. Of course, so did I.

 

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Long story short, we moved to Traverse City, Michigan, I started planning weddings (including my own) and now I'm hooked. I've also had the chance recently to start dabbling in floral design, and had my first full service floral design client booked in September. Wow, life changing. Those flowers rocked my world.

 

So why am I telling you this story? For one, it helps me process my journey and see how I've always been moving in the direction of my dreams, even when I get side-tracked. This summer I have an amazing wedding booked for May, and I'm not sure what the rest of the season will bring. For one, a baby. After that, not quite sure. All that to say- even if I have one intentionally slow year for the sake of our son it does not mean that I've slowed down momentum toward my ultimate goal of giving my clients a wedding day that will bring the sweetest memories for life. It also doesn't mean I've given up my intention to live a happy, fulfilling life so that I can give happiness to others in my own way. This just makes me so excited.

 

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On a related topic, my next business post will be about my 2013 business goals. I've got some pretty amazing stuff lined up, even for a slow year. Stay tuned!

 

To Your Dreams,

 

Rachel

 

P.S. Two of my very favorite people to look up to in the wedding industry are hosting a THREE PART Webinar this month! I attended the last one in November and the content was so valuable. More information is on the blog. They really inspired my Making Things Happen movement at the end of last year. I have so much to learn from them! Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Emily & Lara!