Weducation

I recall during my training as a banquet server, how overwhelmed I was with details and had to constantly refer to my BEO (Banquet Event Order) to make sure everything was there...coffee, cream, sugar, spoons, tea, hot water, napkins, lemons, teaspoons, teaspoon holder, cups, saucers etc. After checking and rechecking I would announce the completion of my set-up only to have my manager would walk in the room, glance at the table and would instantly know what was missing.

Her ability to do this was amazing and a goal I had hoped to one day achieve. After working with her for many months on many wonderful events, I noticed I had become as proficient as my boss when it was my turn to train new banquet servers. I recall one particular server expressing pride in setting up an entire room alone and challenging me to find a single mistake. Of course I found several missing details which completely confounded him. When he questioned my ability to know in an instant what was wrong, I explained levels of competence to him. There are four levels which I'll describe very simply:

1. Unconscious incompetence - you don't KNOW, WHAT you don't KNOW
   At this level you are blissfully ignorant
2. Conscious incompetence - you KNOW, what you don't KNOW
   You are an eager learner at this level
3. Conscious competence - you KNOW what you KNOW
   You have learned and are confident and eager to put your skills to use
4. Unconscious competence - you don't KNOW that you KNOW it - it's just so easy
   At this level your skills become habit and you don't need to think about them

I always imagined unconscious competence as being the highest functioning and most effective level of performance, however there are times when this level can actually be a detriment. I'll explain why next week.

Can you think of a time when unconscious competence can be viewed negatively?

I noticed several banquet server positions at some of the top venues and country clubs today and since I have always been a proponent of learning from the bottom up I would recommend applying for anyone interested in exploring a career in wedding and event planning.

The experience and skills I obtained while working at Wayzata Country Club have been invaluable to me as a wedding planner. For example unexpected guests arrive with no where to sit or meals chosen? No problem, we can slip them into spots where there may have been a last-minute cancelation or squeeze them in to a table with fewer guests. I know chef's always prepare extra meals in case of emergencies so if the guest isn't allergic, they'll have a hot meal.

What about guests who decide they don't want to sit where they've been assigned? Again no problem, I'm a great juggler. What if the cake arrives late? What if there aren't enough centerpieces due to a miscount or last minute table addition? I have solutions for all these situations which I learned during my time as a banquet server or banquet manager.

So if you are sincere about wanting to learn everything you can about wedding and event planning, get a job as a banquet server ... they've seen it all.

In my experience one of the biggest failures of a new business owner is to establish a proper legal foundation and research various requirements to legally set up a new business.

Therefore, in conjunction with our next Weducation Workshop on March 12, 2011 I am pleased to welcome Ruth Rivard from the well-known law firm, Leonard, Street & Deinard of Minneapolis to enlighten our workshop attendees into the legalities of going into business for oneself and protecting oneself should problems arise.

I'm excited to hear her perspective and advice on what a new wedding planner must do to properly establish their business within the laws of their state, what's required to register and trademark protect their name and how to prepare a legally binding contract. I know her presentation will give our attendees something to seriously consider when they take their next big step towards starting their own business.

With our next in-person workshop scheduled in just a few short weeks, I've been working to create another amazing line-up of speakers. Our previous attendees have loved hearing about wedding invitations and other specialty papers so I've scheduled three speakers to collaborate on this one topic.

Attendees will hear about online stationery options, the advantages and disadvantages as well as learning what type of bride online ordering appeals to. Next up, a talented custom invitation designer, Bill Coombs will present his view of the design process, inspiration and working to create concepts that set the tone for client's formality. Lastly Brian Durk the owner of Dick and Jane Letterpress will present his perspective of the letterpress and printing aspect of customized invitations.

Letterpress is definitely the rage right now, so after our next Weducation Workshop, our attendees will be ready to assist their client's with every facet of this beautiful art form.

Please check-out Weducation Workshops to answer all your questions about whether wedding planning is the career for you.

Let’s be honest, does anyone really want to read another blog? Recent 2010 research estimates over 400 million live blogs written in English, so frankly I’m wondering what I could possibly add that hasn’t already been written. But then again, the famous quote “Everything that can be invented has been invented” from the not-so-famous Charles H. Duell, U.S. Commissioner of Patents, in 1899 just might have been wrong, or was he misquoted…hint: he was misquoted but the legend lives on 111 years later.

Let me give you just one great reason to become a fan of the 401 millionth blog; there are no other online workshops, anywhere, dedicated to introducing aspiring wedding planners to wedding planning. Weducation Workshops is the first online program that offers an honest and open look at wedding planning to everyone. We hope our blog will be a source of inspiration, information and motivation for our Weducation followers. We will take a look at topics affecting new planners while raising the bar for everyone involved with weddings.

Over twelve years ago, when I started working at a premier country club in the Twin Cities I was taught and held to the highest possible standards of hospitality operations through practical hands-on training and education. I’ve carried those same high standards with me and continue to practice them one wedding at a time.

I developed Weducation Workshops to give aspiring wedding planners a glimpse into the real world of wedding planning while raising the bar for entry. Before founding Fete Perfection in 2006, I conducted market research into local competition to determine market share, need and opportunities to differentiate my business from other planners. There were eleven established wedding planning businesses in the Twin Cities in late fall 2006.

Four years later there are over ninety wedding planning business in our same market and yet weddings are at a 100 year low meaning fewer clients and increased competition. Wedding planning appears to be an easy & glamorous job given all the movies and television shows dedicated to the subject which explains why the competition continues to grow.

My goal for Weducation isn’t to discourage aspiring planners from entering this field but rather to provide a successful foundation for building their business as well as preparing them for the challenges that lie ahead. Future workshops are being scheduled for 2011 so check back for updates.