Candice (00:02.894)

Hey, it's your coach, Candice. I have a very special and important episode for you today. We're talking about the state of the wedding industry, what I'm seeing behind the scenes in hundreds of businesses and some of the old rules that just don't work anymore in business. Now, I have a unique bird's eye view of what's happening in our industry. And I think that my vantage point gives me

really unique perspective as to how things are changing in real time across the world for our industry, how clients are changing, how businesses are changing, and not just with one specific category of wedding pros, but photographers, planners, invitation designers, across thousands of different types of businesses.

I get to see patterns, pain points and shifts long before you might even start to feel them. And today's episode is for any wedding pro who is maybe feeling like the rules of business are changing. Things feel like they're shifting a little bit under your feet and you want to evolve with our industry instead of reacting to it.

Also, if you care about staying relevant, if you care about being trusted and you are building a business that remains in demand, then you have to shift as things are shifting. That's what we're talking about today. So let's get into it.

Welcome back to the Power in Purpose podcast. If you're the kind of wedding pro who wants context, clarity, and a real perspective on what is happening in our industry, make sure you're subscribed and make sure that you share this episode with a business bestie or somebody who you can find in your business and you want them to see the bigger picture along.

Candice (02:14.636)

with you. Now, this State of the Industry address is something that I actually delivered inside my membership for Wedding Planners, the Planners Playbook. And it was received so well, and it really opened up such a beautiful conversation inside this community that I have created. think we're in year, almost five of the Planners Playbook. So this membership has been around a while. It created such an incredible conversation and

really what I'm going to share with you today is directly affecting how I teach, how I show up, where I show up, and it is affecting how I mentor and coach not just planners, but wedding pros across all categories. So while I delivered this inside the Planners Playbook for paying members, I thought it was really important to share it here. And I've adapted a little bit of the context of how I delivered it to appeal to all wedding pros, okay?

Now I do want to say if you're a planner and you are looking for a space where these conversations are happening privately, I'm going to invite you to check out the planners playbook. Inside we focus on design and you'll see why in a second. We focus on design, AI and systems and also visibility. So if those are things that are important to you and I think they will be after today's episode.

I'm inviting you to check out the Planner's Playbook and come hang out with us. I teach on this every single month and provide resources and tools to help you grow your wedding planning business. You can go to the plannersplaybook.com to learn more, sign up for the wait list. And if you really want to get in the membership, just email me and I'll see what we can do. Okay, back to today's episode in the state of the wedding industry. Couple things that I want to just tee up before we get into.

today's episode, a couple of things. The wedding industry is not in decline. I know that so many people are worried that our industry is declining and things are definitely shifting, but I don't believe that weddings are going away or that we're in decline, but there is a recalibration happening.

Candice (04:43.456)

I do think that 2026 is going to be a make or break year for a lot of businesses and the businesses that will be rewarded this year are businesses that show leadership, clarity around who they're for and what they offer.

And also businesses that pay attention to relationships. We're going to talk about that in depth. If you've been feeling like selling is more difficult, working with your couples is more difficult. Things are slower. People are more indecisive. You're absolutely right. That is definitely happening. Couples are harder to convert. And we're going to talk about why in a second.

They're slower to commit. They're more price conscious. They're making decisions that are a little bit different than the generation that preceded them. So all of that is absolutely happening and it's happening across the board. I think a lot of times we feel like the other side of the grass is truly greener. So if you are not in the luxury space, you think everybody in the luxury space is just

You know, it's just gangbusters out here and everybody's just minting money and things are fantastic. And if you're in the luxury industry, maybe you don't necessarily feel like that about the quote unquote lovely industry or the industry below you. But you do wonder maybe if you made the right decision because you're seeing other planners booked busy things seem to be going well. And you're wondering, did I make the right decision kind of switching markets or up leveling my business?

And I want you to know that this slower to commit, resisting, couples being more difficult to work with is happening everywhere. That is not a specific niche problem. It is an everybody problem. We're also noticing that marketing is just less effective. Instagram marketing is less effective. SEO.

Candice (06:51.458)

marketing is less effective, things are not working as they used to. And that's why we're really truly in a recalibration phase. And if you're questioning how to stand out in a saturated market, how to market sustainably, how to build a business that complements your life and also complements your values, then I think today is going to be a wake up call for you.

I am going to deliver some pretty bad news. And I told the Planet of Slavebook members this right off the jump. So I'm sorry if I, that I did not come out the gate sharing that, but let me just be clear. What I'm going to share with you today affects everybody and it affects you. And there are going to be some things I share with you today that you don't want to hear that you are going to be upset about. But I have to tell you because I think

I believe that I'm an ethical educator and I don't want to pull the wool over anyone's eyes. Okay? I don't want to sugarcoat what is truly happening and I really want you to make decisions based on the reality of the circumstance and the situation. So with that said, I'm going to be delivering some bad news and we might as well just get into it.

So I'm going to be sharing five specific things today, five shifts that we're experiencing in the industry, what is happening, the state of the industry, and really what you can do about it, not to necessarily affect the industry at large, but to reward your business and stay on top of things. So the first shift is that we're in a trust recession. If you've been experiencing a decline in your bookings, difficulty and resistance with booking clients,

This is why couples are a lot more cautious about who they're booking. They're a lot slower to commit and they're becoming extremely skeptical about our industry. And I believe that that's partly our faults, but it is also just in the world that we live in. They have been burned by vendors and they have read Reddit threads, TikTok series, Instagram call-outs, reviews.

Candice (09:05.132)

And they've been burned by vendors who are over promising a lot of stuff, under delivering or not even delivering at all. I have watched a lot of vendors blow up their business, a lot of photographers not deliver images, a lot of planners not show up for the wedding day. And I mean, this isn't isolated stuff. And I know you are different. You listen to my show, so I hope you are. I know that you're different.

but there's a lot of bad apples in the bunch. And they're spoiling things and have spoiled things, that's true. But costs have also grown a lot. So it's not just the occasional vendor that screws everything up or the venue that closes. mean, costs have risen significantly in the last two years. Look at any wedding venue and you will see the difference in price just post-COVID.

But in the last two years, things have really jumped up and couples are finding it really hard to navigate a more expensive wedding industry. And these are often people who a year or two ago, maybe a little farther back could have afforded a really bomb wedding. Like could have afforded something that most wedding pros would be really happy to be a part of. And now they're like, why is my $65,000 not enough to have even a basic fucking wedding?

And so this is absolutely affecting our industry and you can't close your eyes to it. Even if you work with the Uber creme de la creme of clients, you can't close your eyes to this. This is a real fact. So you might be able to sit here and say, well, I don't work with those clients. So this doesn't affect me. It actually does affect you because even clients with money are skeptical about costs. And this means that we have a lot of decision fatigue.

and a lot of gaps in trust.

Candice (11:09.12)

I think that trust in our industry has become the most valuable currency and pros who work toward establishing trust will win clients. outside of decision fatigue, AI content is everywhere and this is feeding into our trust recession. We were already in a trust recession, but the fact that everywhere you look, everybody is sounding the same and it's all the same chat GPT song and dance.

It immediately signals low effort. And I don't know about you, but if I'm spending $65,000, $100,000, a million dollars on my wedding, I don't want low effort. Okay? I don't want to hire the wedding planner or the wedding DJ or the wedding photographer that is just pumping out low effort marketing. Immediately, my antennas go up and I think, ooh.

this person is probably budget or I mean, what's really happening with their marketing? What are they really saying? This looks low budget. Now, if you like attracting low budget clients or if that's your niche, cool, you're gonna really be doing well. But most of us don't work with low budget clients. Why? Because they don't pay our bills.

So we really need to evaluate how we're using AI. And I think the way I teach using AI is superior, not just because I teach it, but because I recognize that AI content immediately signals low effort. And so we have to use AI in our business, but we have to use it in a way where it's not just undetectable, but it's just smart. It's thoughtful. So we're in a trust recession. What does this mean? It means that your lack of marketing

or your inconsistency in marketing is a red flag. So ask yourself, are you consistent? Do you consistently show up in the places that you have committed to being? And if you're the type of wedding pro who's constantly like, hey guys, I haven't been around in a while, but I'm back now. And we all know that guy because we're on Instagram and we see them.

Candice (13:24.354)

Just cycle through every 90 days the same script, you know? And we think, what's your problem, bro? Like, why can't you market your business like everybody else? Nobody says you have to be out here every day, but you need to be out here consistently. And you need to stop apologizing. If that is you, you need to figure that shit out because you're a red flag. Lack of marketing, inconsistency in marketing, too much AI-generated marketing is a red flag.

And it's only contributing to the trust recession across our industry, but it is going to make people pause and really wonder if they can trust you enough to plan their wedding, photograph their wedding, do invitations for their wedding. So, I mean, think about it. Really think about this. If I'm a customer and I'm going to your Instagram and you don't really post ever, not even in your stories,

You don't really show off your work. I'm moving on to the next person. I'm moving on. You've got to get your marketing dialed in in a way that's sustainable for you, but it needs to be consistent. And your visibility has to be a priority this year. Also, if you have vague pricing, if I can't find your price online, I'm gone. OK? If your services are unclear, if I have to...

sit here and figure it out what you do on my own. I'm gone. I'm out. If you confuse me, you lose me. If what you deliver is questionable, fuzzy, it might make sense to you, but ask, does this make sense to the person I'm trying to attract? If not, it creates buyer hesitation and a lot of mistrust. Couples are hiring wedding pros that feel steady, honest,

and direct. They want to be confident that you know what you're doing. And if you don't know what you're doing and you're just winging it, we can tell. Experience, clarity, leadership, these are valuable in today's society where anybody can start a business, anybody can do what we do. It doesn't mean they can do it well.

Candice (15:52.11)

So the shift here is to be very transparent, very consistent, and you need to start talking like and acting like an expert. And if you have imposter syndrome, if you don't feel like an expert, if you dealing with all those big emotions, my advice to you is to get it together, hire somebody to help you get a coach to help get you out of your comfort zone. Do what is necessary to

Be the expert I need you to be. Because your focus in 2026 to combat this trust recession is to be consistent in your marketing and your visibility. That's actually the easiest thing you can do. And I mentor and coach wedding pros one on one inside my mastermind. And I can tell you, the women who are wedding are consistent and visible. They're not perfect. They're consistent. They're visible. You also need to be transparent about things.

your process, your pricing, your boundaries, expectations. And what I'm not saying is to teach me about your process. No. Be transparent about what the process looks like. There are different things. And I think people resort to, well, let me show you exactly what I do. Maybe in some circumstances, but a lot of times that comes across like I'm teaching a wedding pro how I do something and clients don't

give a shit about that. I don't care about that. They want to know what am I going to experience? And hopefully they're not experiencing all the back end shit you do in your business to make magic in the front end. They want to be wowed. They want to be razzled. They want to be dazzled. Think about it like a magic show. I want to be entertained.

I don't wanna know exactly how you do everything, because it spoils the entertainment. Think about when you go for massage. I don't need you walking me through every fucking thing you're doing, including like prepping the table and getting the oil. Like, lady, cool, do your job. But I wanna know what to expect. I wanna know that I'm gonna be in a great environment, that I'm gonna have nice smelling lotions and the best of the best care and a heated blanket and.

Candice (18:14.254)

You know, that little pillow under my knees so that my legs are aligned. I want to know that. I want to know the vibe, but I don't need to know the mechanics. So when I say be transparent about your process, I don't need you describing every painstaking thing you do. Please don't do that. Sorry for the tangent. But you have to be transparent about your pricing. Like, babe, it's 2026. How much are your fucking services? We don't.

It's not a mystery. It doesn't need to be and it can't be. Gen Z doesn't want to be romanced into your cost. They want to know it upfront. They're smart. They're educated. You also need to be transparent about your boundaries. Don't do a bait switch with me, okay? Don't tell me that you're going to be my BFF and then, you know, I hire you and you're gone. Or now you're suddenly treating me like I'm a nuisance. Please don't do that.

and make sure that you set my expectations for me. I also need to make sure that you are focused on positioning yourself as an authority who leads calmly. I don't need you reacting in your room. I don't need to be on your emotional journey for your business. Save that for the mastermind you're a part of. Save that for your coach or your business bestie quiet text thread. Please stop.

oversharing your struggles in business and start leading as a calm authority who tells the truth about business, what it's like in the industry, even if it's uncomfortable. But I need you to be an expert here. And an expert knows when to say what and when to keep certain things quiet.

when to keep certain things between them.

Candice (20:11.754)

and God. Do you know what I'm saying? Far too often I'm out here scrolling the Instagram and I'm like, girl, that's a little bit of an overshare, like a love vulnerability, but babe, this is not the place because your vulnerability is making you look untrustworthy. And that's putting it mildly. So to wrap this one up in a little bow, we're in a trust recession. Welcome. It's harder and harder for you to establish trust with

clients, no matter how much money they have. So you need to be focused on trust building this year if you want to book clients. The second industry reality is that AI is reshaping how couples plan. And I'm not sure if you are quite ready for what is about to happen. Couples are using AI just like we are. And they're using it to do the same things we're using it to do.

which means that at their fingertips, they can get information and output, things that we used to gatekeep and also be responsible for. And many logistical or administrative services in our industry have already become less valuable. And the jury is still out on how that will continue. But I'm telling you right now,

that your checklists and all that other bullshit are no longer as valuable as they used to be. Specifically for anybody who offers that kind of stuff, wedding planning adjacent tasks, and I know a lot of you guys offer this from DJs to invitation designers, floral designers, so this isn't just wedding planner specific, even photographers. These wedding planning adjacent tasks, these templates,

This stuff is basic now and it's automated. And if a couple can go into chat GPT and get it to output its timeline, you have to start asking yourself, okay, what's my value now? Because it's not in the documents and in the checklist and in all that bullshit. And I've been, I've been saying this for years, by the way, been saying it for years, but now it has really become.

Candice (22:35.667)

less valuable. So what does this mean? Execution alone is no longer enough. Your value is no longer, know how to do this because I know how to do this too. And I use chat GPT and I'm not just saying like DIY people, this is all sectors of the industry. So if your value is no longer, I know how to do this for you. I could do this for you. What is your value? I think your value is, well, I know what matters.

I know what matters. I know where you should be focusing your attention. I know where to find the right person to do that. I know what your priorities should be.

The gap between high touch, experience led services and this kind of transactional service is widening. And we're seeing this in the industry. We saw this all throughout 2025. It's only gonna be a deeper ridge. This means that, and I'll use planning as an analogy here, okay? If you're a wedding planner and you're in the mid market,

and you're balancing execution and checklists, and I'll do that for you, with wedding day execution, your business is at risk. If you are a high-end planner who is focused on design, taste, experience, curating something special, your job is not at risk.

And if you are a month of coordinator, a day of coordinator who's focused on buttoning things up and showing up on the wedding day to make sure everything goes well, your job, I believe, is safe. But for all my middle of the road people, and this is in all industries, not just planners, but I'm using planners as an example, my middle of the road people, I hate to tell you, but you got to pick a lane. You got to either.

Candice (24:47.094)

streamline, automate, become the person who does that final execution and is known for that, known for complimenting your budget, working with clients in a lower budget, or you have to focus more on the higher level clients who care not about how you do it, the little tools and the templates and the bleh, they don't give a shit about that.

They care about what you know, who you know, and how you're going to make this special.

Candice (25:25.728)

Your focus this year is to focus on creative direction.

I believe wedding pros who focus on creative direction, who step into the role of a leader, not executor, creative leader to boot, who develop a strong point of view about what looks good, what sounds good, what tastes good. And they develop the language to articulate that are going to win.

Your role is to help clients edit, decide, and commit. And more more, they're going to lean on you for the human side of the business that AI just cannot replicate.

Candice (26:16.527)

If you don't prioritize this, you are going to feel it.

Candice (26:25.022)

And this is a big sticking point for me this year. And I, in fact, I have changed the Planner's Playbook completely. I've taken this program and evolved it so that creative direction and design leadership is our priority because I think this is so important. It is gonna make or break.

a lot of businesses. And it's one thing that AI can't steal from you. So your focus this year to combat this is to step into the role of creative director of your business and of the weddings and the clients that you serve, developing a strong point of view on aesthetics, design, creativity, what matters, what's in, what's out, and the language to articulate that.

The next industry reality is that visibility is harder than ever.

It is harder to stand out. Algorithms are unpredictable. Educational content is everywhere, and it's ignored because it's boring. It's boring. People don't care about this anymore. They don't want to learn how to do something. They want to hire an expert, a creative director, an authority to do it for them.

And if you're playing it safe with your marketing, you're just blending into the noise. And if you're using AI to produce all your content without editing it, refining it, being a creative director with it, it's cringe. It's just like, you know what I'm talking about. I'm like, girl, it's not just obvious that Chat GPT wrote that, but like.

Candice (28:20.782)

so cringe. Like why even do it? It just, does not do anything for you. It is a red flag. And like I said, it looks low effort. And let me ask you again, do you want to hire a service provider who's low effort? Like, no. If you were, do you want to hire me as a business coach? If all I do is put out low effort shit? No, you're going to be like, well, that's exactly how she's going to be coaching me. Low effort. She's not going to take the time.

to get to know me, to pay attention to me, to give me advice that is based on me. People are thinking the same thing. So what does this mean? Visibility is harder than ever. It's harder to stand out if you're doing what everyone else is doing.

You know, we look to what other people are doing to guide us and we copy it. That's human nature. But I'll tell you, if that's your strategy for marketing, if you're just worried about doing what everyone else is doing because you think that's right, your marketing is having the opposite effect. And I need you to know your marketing can make or break how someone feels about your brand.

Candice (29:31.99)

It makes or breaks it, the colors, the atmosphere of it, how it makes them feel, what you say, how you say it, your positioning.

The wedding pros who are booking faster and booking better have a very clear perspective. They're just not afraid to share and they're not afraid to share it. Okay. They're not, they're, they're not, and I'm not talking about being polarizing. You don't need to be polarizing. We don't need to say crazy shit to get attention. That's not necessary unless you're crazy and you like doing that. And then you know what? Do you.

of your brand, do it. I can think of one person in particular who like does this and they do it so well and they're like known for it and it's fine. But not everybody has to do that, okay? You have to have a clear perspective and you have to not be afraid to share it. Your marketing sets expectations for how it feels to work with you and if it's confusing, if it's generic, if it's chaotic, if it's just all over the place, if it's unpredictable, it's going to create hesitation even if your work is beautiful.

So your focus this year has to be to market with a point of view. Remember what I said, creative director? Say something specific. Take a fucking stand on something. Take a stand on an aesthetic, on a color palette. And it doesn't have to be negative. You don't have to focus on what's out. You don't have to talk about burlap and barrels and or whatever the fuck you call those things. Basin jars.

babe, we get it. Like that stuff's been out forever. Take a stand on something you like. Take a stand on something you think is cool, that you think people don't appreciate enough and let your marketing begin to pre-qualify clients for you. I that's what it's supposed to do. So my question is, where are you watering yourself down? Where are you playing it safe? Where are you being lazy? And I can tell you directly where I'm being lazy. So I get it.

Candice (31:40.794)

I understand. These are also realities I have to face. Because this isn't just you guys experiencing this. I'm experiencing this with you guys. So I completely understand. Where are you watering yourself down? I need you to get visible. I need you to prioritize your marketing. I can't emphasize this enough. People come to me daily.

Candice, I'm not booking any clients and I don't know why. And my first question, how's your marketing? And 10 out of 10 times, it sucks. It's inconsistent, it's not visible, they're not making it fun for themselves, it is AI generated, if anything at all. And that is the problem. Visibility is extremely important. And I'll tell you again, the people in my mastermind,

who are booking clients well, the one problem they don't have is a visibility problem.

The next industry reality is that couples are craving fewer but richer experiences. We're seeing a return to analog lifestyle. We're seeing people, this is all over, people logging out wanting to spend less time on digital devices, going back to the old ways of doing things, watching DVDs, listening to records, reading books. We're craving this.

And be real with yourself. On a scale of one to 10, how much are you craving the nineties, the early two thousands where life was different? I mean, this is why all this is coming back into fashion. And it is actually impacting the wedding industry. This is a good thing. This is an exciting thing. This is something that should park your ears up because this is where we

Candice (33:47.054)

as an industry get to make a difference and we actually get to deliver an analog experience. So people are craving an analog lifestyle, simpler times. You know, I was talking to one of the women I mentor, we were having this conversation about this and we were just both going back and forth and talking like friends, because we are, and we were just saying how much we just are craving like a simple lifestyle and how...

Bizarre it is at how connected we are to everybody's everything. know, think about it. We're so connected and you would think that this connection would make us feel less lonely, but it's only more isolating. And I just don't think that human beings are meant to be so connected all the time. We are meant to be offline. So it's no wonder why people are seeking offline experiences, adventures, and a return to when things felt more simple.

So guess what? This impacts how we plan. Wedding weekends, multi-day experiences, intentional gatherings, all these things are on the rise. All these things are things that people are craving. I truly believe that we're entering into what could be a golden era for weddings, where we prioritize what is real.

and deprioritize the Instagram moments and the bullshit that has been happening for a long time. And it's so funny, just a little side note. I've been around a long time and I always find it interesting when I log into a place like threads and I watch the conversation unfold and people are complaining about the things that we were complaining about in 2012. And they're complaining about it like it's a new issue and I see it and I think, well, that's not new. People were.

People were superficial back in 2012 when Instagram came up on the scene. People were like, well, I want my wedding on Instagram. I want people to like my photos. And that changed the trajectory of weddings completely. So this is not a new thing. Doing it for the Gram, doing it for TikTok is not a new thing. It's only just gotten more sophisticated. But what we're seeing is that people want memories that feel lived in, not content that's produced.

Candice (36:11.854)

And it's curious because you might think, what about all these content creators? Yeah, what about them? I don't think, by the way, if you're a content creator, I don't think your job is at risk. I think people want the moments they see online, they want to live in it. They want to live in the analog content they're consuming, the record player, the simple girls night with no, quote unquote, no phones, the...

the walk in a trail, the hike, the DVDs, they want to live in that lifestyle. And this gives us an opportunity to create some analog experiences in response to the digital exhaustion that we're all experiencing. So guess what, babe? The art of celebration, hosting, human connection, it's back. And it's gonna become more valuable than I think ever before.

This means that experience design, the design of an experience is becoming more important than the scale or the spectacle of it. That doesn't mean that we won't see weddings with scale and spectacle. We're always going to see that, just like we're always going to see people wearing logos because they see that as important. We're always going to see people prioritizing show and the scale of things or like peacocking. But

What if we could design something beautiful, but also focus on the experience of it and the analog celebration of it, the human connection with each other and the vendor team, the couple, their guests.

So your focus this year is to latch onto this like a dog who found a juicy steak. Okay. And you need to think about how your role in this industry creates an analog experience. And let's just, if you're an invitation designer, girl, boy, friend.

Candice (38:33.032)

You provide the ultimate analog experience because, we're mailing invitations. We're not doing this whole digital bullshit. If you're a DJ, your job is so valuable. mean, sure, we could ask ChatGBT for a playlist. We could play it on an iPad or an iPod. And at the end of the day, those clients aren't for you. I will give you that. But.

Think about the experience you provide people at an event and what you deliver on the dance floor. You get people to put their phones down and be in the moment. We want more of that. So your focus in 2026, design weddings as experiences. Many of you are already doing this, but I'm asking you to bring in this analog element.

lean into the human side of your work. That also really helps to combat this AI saturation. Show the richness of analog experiences in your marketing and explain why you prioritize them with your clients, why this is a priority for you, why you design, create, and do the work you do so that

you can help people create moments that matter.

Where could you deepen an experience that your clients have on their wedding day instead of expanding it? How do you help clients slow down in the process and enjoy it? All things for you to ask yourself an answer.

Candice (40:24.322)

The final shift that we're seeing is we're entering into a relationship economy.

Relationships are very valuable right now. Why? Well, we're in an algorithm driven situation. Visibility is fragile. It's pay to play even more. And even that is kind of tanking. Referral ecosystems, referral worthy relationships are tightening up. They're not expanding.

People are getting more cautious about who they refer. Why? See number one, we're in a trust recession. Some vendors are out here doing the least yet doing the most.

I know a person popped in your head where you're like, this person can't respond to my emails. This person can't. It's almost like they like the appearance of being a business owner, but they don't want to do the work. And they're creating a trust recession. So referral ecosystems are tightening. We are getting more specific about who we want to work with because people out here doing the most.

as we would say in the Caribbean, play in the ass. And couples are hiring wedding pros and vendors that are known, that are trusted, that they have a long history of reviews and happy clients that other people look up to. if you're new, and I know a lot of new people listen to my podcast, so please don't be discouraged, okay? You've got to build your reputation. We all start out as new and you will build your reputation.

Candice (42:17.294)

couples are looking towards people who are known, not just visible. And vendors are prioritizing relationships where they, A, they know they can trust the person they're sending. They know that if they send you a client, you're not going to be a dumb ass. But they're also prioritizing relationships that feel reciprocal. I know a wedding planner listening right now can think of

$100,000 with the business you have sent somebody and you have nary gotten a thank you card. You're thinking, the fuck?

sending you all this business and you can't even send me a chocolate on Valentine's Day to say thanks. That shit matters by the way. So if you have wedding planners who are referring to you, hope that you are, not to shower them with gifts. It's don't have to be obnoxious, but I hope that you are prioritizing that relationship, how you work with their clients and sending them clients of your own. Because in this economy, we are working with people

who number one, are easy to work with, number two, treat our clients with dignity and respect and prioritize the referrals we send, and number three, are sending referrals back.

Also, on the flip side of all this, in-person industry events are resurging right now. And if you have yet to attend an in-person event, I'm telling you, get in the car, get on a train, get on a plane, get your credit card out, get signed up for something.

Candice (44:10.53)

because a lot is happening in these rooms, whether you're going to engage or kindred or kinetic or one of my former mentees, Lindsay, her awesome Camp Wildflower, or you're joining a mastermind like mine and you're coming to my retreat that happens in my home, by the way, in Barbados. You need to get your booty out there, babe, because...

People are really prioritizing in-person events and connections and relationships aren't just the wedding vendor that you see every weekend at an event. Some of the best relationships that I've created came from going to places like Engage and meeting people. And I'm thinking about some of my, you know, long time friends like Kelly McWilliams. I don't know if Kelly listens to my show, but...

Kelly and I met at a conference back in 2009 and we don't talk every day, but I hold Kelly in high regard. She's an amazing planner based in Florida. I met Kelly at a conference or my friend, Ali Phillips from Chicago. Chicago is Ali Phillips. When I think of Chicago, I think of Ali. I think of my friend, Alan Z. I think of the people that I met at these conferences that aren't in my neck of the woods, but we...

became friends and changed everything about my business. I need you to prioritize in-person events.

And I'm seeing lack of relationships showing up in coaching calls, in my office hours and planners playbook, in my conversations with people as I'm not getting the referrals like I used to. Or I feel invisible online, even though I'm posting, nobody's engaging. The wedding pros that seem booked, they're not as active as I am on Instagram. That's not accidental. That's...

Candice (46:17.192)

likely because they're prioritizing referrals and relationships. Sure, there are people who just stay in their little corner of the internet, and they just do their own thing, and they are successful, and they're happy with that. I can actually think of a couple of people who I know who are quite happy doing that. They're the exception, not the rule.

The truth of the matter is that at some point they will come up against this hurdle as well, where they're not getting the referrals from venues and vendors like they used to. They're not getting engagement anymore from the industry. The industry is changing. They don't really know anybody anymore. And they're wondering what happened. Well,

You stayed in your office. You only networked with people when you saw them at an event and you didn't make an effort. So this means that your network is now part of your value prop. This is part of what sets you apart is the people you know. I mean, any good planner will tell you, got shit hit in the fan. I know who to call. I mean,

the weatherman on speed dial. He was my friend. And trust me, I worked that relationship. Shout out to you, Matt Scott. He's still the weatherman. If I was in a pickle, I was calling that while I was texting him. And he was like, I mean, I can remember the time that there was a tornado warning and I had all these Obama staffers in a tent. It's reelection time. His whole reelection campaign people are in a tent and I'm texting.

Matt Scott saying, what do I do? Do I need to like, do I need to create an emergency plan here? So your network is part of your value proposition. Any planner would tell you this, but to my planners out there, I know your network could be deeper and better. And this year you need to focus on expanding that. Who you know and who knows you directly impacts your bookings.

Candice (48:32.052)

I can think of someone who really focused on this so well and their business exploded.

exploded. They focus on relationships and wow, it really served them so well. Relationships provide stability when your visibility drops. And if you are isolated, isolation makes business feel so much harder and so much riskier than it needs to be. I need you to get outside your comfort zone and you can begin by joining a group online and meeting people that way.

but please let that push you to get in person with people and attend one of these fantastic in-person events that are being hosted by really great people. mean, people are out here for the wedding industry putting on great events. Now, I haven't attended any of these. I mean, I've gone to engage, I've spoken at engage and I've gone to engage many times.

And I've gone to several events, but there's some really great conferences out here. There's some great retreats and different style networking, immersive experiences that you could be a part of. So your focus this year needs to be to invest intentionally in relationships, not just casual networking. Be known by people. When you're top of mind, when people think of you and they're like, yeah.

They're talking to someone like, should meet Candace. You need to know her. You want to be at the tip of people's tongues. You want to be known by vendors, venues, peers. And in order to do that, you have to show up in rooms and make sure you're around. Otherwise, people won't know you exist. You're forgettable. And when you show up in rooms, I don't need you just hanging out with your business bestie at a high top table, drinking drinks and taking food off the past appetizer tray.

Candice (50:33.547)

when you get to the event with your biz bestie, that's the last time you see them for the night. Get out there and start meeting people, please.

Please prioritize in-person industry events. Join your local WIPA chapter. Join your local networking group. It's no longer a nice to have. Put some money into it.

And think about this, how many people could vouch for you if a client asked about you? Where are you relying too much on social media or blogging and SEO to do the work for you instead of people speaking your name? And what rooms should you be in this year? What rooms should you be seen in, photographed in?

That is a good beginning to getting yourself out there.

I would love to know which of these five focus shifts feel the most uncomfortable for you. And which one do you think you are going to make your first priority this year? You're going to prioritize all five. But which one are you really going to spend some time focusing on? Do me a favor. Open up your Instagram app. Go to my profile, at Candace.Coppola.

Candice (52:03.768)

DM me. I'm a real person. I really care. I want to hear from you. I'm not going to sell you anything, but if you want to buy something from me, I'll show you how. I am a real person who wants to talk to you. So tell me this. Don't be afraid to share it with me. I would love to hear from you. Open up your app. Tell me which one of these felt the most uncomfortable for you. So that is why you're going to prioritize it this year. Is it?

the trust recession and you need to step up and bridge that gap? Is it how AI is reshaping how couples plan and you're now going to focus on creative direction? Is it the fact that visibility is harder and you need to get your proverbial shit together with your marketing? Is it that couples are craving fewer but richer experiences? want

an analog experience and so you're gonna step up to the plate and really figure out how your role fits into that.

Or is it the relationship economy that we are in? And are you going to focus on being strategic with your networking and building a community? Because guess what? You actually have the power to do that. You don't have to wait for somebody to tap you on the shoulder like traitors, OK, and tell you, you you're picked. You can join an established community, and I highly recommend you do that. But you can also create your own community. And maybe you should.

So the professionals that I think will win this year, and by win, I mean who are building a sustainable business that makes money and works with great people, are going to prioritize these five things. And if you're a wedding planner and you want help implementing some of these shifts into your business with strategy, community, accountability, education, this is the exact work that I do inside the Planner's Playbook.

Candice (54:04.332)

We focus every single month on the creative aspect. Your role as a creative director. I have a whole course on wedding design. We do design trends every single month where I break things down for you. We talk about design. We also focus on systems and AI. I've got lots of AI tools that will help you plan smarter and work better in your business. And they're undetectable, by the way, because I don't play with this whole basic AI bullshit.

And we also focus on visibility. Every month I give you a marketing plan and it's not just some dumb ass marketing plan. mean, it's strategic. I really think about what I want you to be focused on. So if you want to do that with me, go to plannersplaybook.com, the plannersplaybook.com. It's in the show notes too. Go sign up. And if you want to work with me one-on-one and you're not a planner or you are a planner and you're like, yeah, babe, I want that. Plus I want to work with you one-on-one.

Make sure you signed up for the wait list for my mastermind, Wedding Pro Insiders. Who knows? Before you know it, you could be booking a ticket to Barbados, coming to my house for our annual retreat, hanging out in my pool, eating my frozen rosemary and sea salt grapes, and living your best life with a bunch of women and friends who are so excited to support you. All right, friends, thanks for tuning in to today's episode of the Power and Purpose Podcast. Do not.

Be afraid to DM me, Candace.Copla on Instagram. Share with me something that you're going to focus on this year based on today's episode. I want to remind you there's so much power in your purpose, and I'll see you next week.