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When I first became a wedding planner, I had a lot of friends and family members approach me with quizzical looks. “What exactly do you do as a wedding planner??” They were either genuinely curious OR still coming to grips with my crazy life/career change ;-), but either way I was happy to answer their questions. First, here are a few replies to FAQs.

How much do you actually work?
I work a lot, but it never feels like work. It sounds cliché, but it’s true! I spend hours each day answering emails, researching vendors and obtaining quotes for clients, and drafting various paperwork (e.g. time lines, checklists, inspiration cheat-sheets for other vendors). I probably am on the computer a minimum of 5 hours a day. The rest of the time I am typically in my car, driving to client & vendor meetings all around southern California. Other times you will find me sourcing the perfect ribbon in downtown LA, assembling programs and paper goods for clients, or touring new venues and vendor showrooms. On an actual wedding day, I spend a minimum of 12 hours working (set up, event, tear down). It averages around 16, although I have done amazing weddings (with very intense set-ups) that have kept me on my feet for 22 hours from start to finish.

What hours do you keep?
I try to stick to a 9a to 6p schedule (during the week) as much as possible. I work from home (and love it!), so it is tempting to scoot over in front of the TV and just hang out instead of work. But, I want to have time to be with friends, keep my home looking lovely and cook dinner each night. So, I really try to stay on top of my work during the day. Erik and I spend at least an hour just “hanging out” each night. Once that is done and my dishes are put away, I like to sneak in another hour or two of emails. That said, I do not consider myself a 40-hour-a-week kinda girl. So much of my job is wrapped up in my loves/hobbies that it’s really difficult to feel like I’m slaving away when I’m surrounded by flowers and fabrics and all things beautiful.

How much time do you spend in the office vs. out of the office?
It’s close to 50/50. I handle so much of the communication with clients via email, so I am in the office often. (I have a great home office!) I take at least 3 meetings a week, so 2-3 days each week I will be out and about. A lot of a wedding planner’s job is done “on-site”. I’ll visit the wedding venue with my client, or we’ll go to a florist’s studio, or we head to a linens showroom. I quickly realized that renting my own office was not going to be a great ROI, since most of my meetings took place somewhere else! This means I spend a LOT of time driving. Last year I bought a very fuel-efficient vehicle because I knew I was going to drive it into the ground. I already have over 40k miles on it. I do my best to consolidate meetings on specific days so I have at least 2 “at-home” days per week.

How do you motivate yourself to get out of bed every morning (as a self-employed person)?
I am excited to get to work each day! I love my clients and love what we do together. I will be honest and say I am not always quick to get out of my PJs, but I like to think that my comfort only adds to my productivity. I frequently need to be coaxed to get to bed by my sweet husband. It’s hard to resist finishing one last email…

Here’s a sample schedule of meetings that I took from the actual pages of my agenda this year (June 30-July 4)…

Monday — 9am consultation with potential client (Pasadena); 11am meeting with Kristy at linens showroom (Irwindale); 2p centerpiece mockup with Jenny at florist’s home studio (Sherman Oaks)

Tuesday — 10am centerpiece mockup with Susan with florist (Commerce); 2pm late lunch with former client, Nari (Pasadena)

Wednesday — 6pm rehearsal for Susan’s wedding (Silverado)

Thursday — 12noon lunch with one of my best friends in the business (Studio City)

Friday — Susan’s wedding in Silverado, CA

I hope this was helpful in giving you a look at my day-to-day operations. My next post will cover the services a planner/coordinator can provide and what I specifically do for my clients. As always, feel free to leave questions in the comments section and I’ll do my best to answer them. Have a fabulous weekend!

xoxo, Angel