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The Client Experience

Are You a Disorganized Wedding Planner? Let’s Fix That With These Organized Wedding Planner Tips!

January 4, 2024

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I'm Candice, your new tell-it-like-it-is BFF (and purpose cheerleader). Are you ready to grow and scale a profitable business with purpose–and one that gives back to your meaningful life? Thought so!

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If you are a disorganized wedding planner looking for ways to stay organized as a wedding planner in 2023, you are in the right place. Staying organized as a wedding planner is CRUCIAL, but can I be honest with you? It’s not always easy. Not at all. After all, you’ve got weddings with a million tasks on your to-do list, you have vendors who seem to always need five follow-ups, and sometimes you even have a client who seems so on top of it that you start to question why they even hired you.

Do you feel seen right now? Listen, I hate to be so blunt, but if you stick around, it’s kinda what you get around here! Also, full disclosure – almost every wedding planner I know has felt like they are “winging it” at times–you are not alone! But it doesn’t have to be this way.

So, take a deep breath, my disorganized friend, you are in the right place.

Today, I’m going to walk you through four relatively painless steps to stay organized as a wedding planner, whether you’re new to the industry or an OG.

disorganized wedding planner

Grab a Pen and Paper, and Let’s Map Out Your Customer Workflow!

Before we dive into the exciting stuff (like using tools to automate and systemize), we need to figure out what your overall customer journey looks like. If you want to get organized and make the best use of any software or automation tool, you’ll need to understand what touchpoints and milestones you already have (or want to have!) with your customers. 

Unfortunately, you can’t just sign up for software and instantly have systems and processes in place (but oh gosh – how I wish you could!).

Our first step is to map out your client’s journey from start to finish.

Write down EXACTLY what most of your clients experience from the onboarding phase to the offboarding phase, including what you do behind the scenes. Include each individual touchpoint and milestone that you have with your clients.

Mapping out your client’s journey can feel like a mammoth task, so first, take a breath.

If you’re having a hard time with this exercise and feel like you have no idea what the eff you are doing (because, let’s be honest – the internet made becoming a wedding planner look so easy!), I have my entire signature full planning service guide here. She’s THICK. Whether you are starting from zero or just want an easier way to skip to the finish line and feel confident AF in your workflow, it WILL be one of the best investments you make this year. Be sure to check it out because it does ALL the heavy lifting for you.

Next, You NEED a Project Management System – Pronto!

Once you’ve mapped out your client journey (or let me do it for you), it’s time for you to figure out how you can build that customer journey into a project management software. A project management software allows you to manage the planning process from start to finish–and even collaborate directly with your clients.

There are a few options to choose from, but my favorite? Asana.

Why I Love Asana for Wedding Planners

I’ve used Asana for a long time. There are so many advantages to implementing a tool like Asana into your business, but here are just a few things it can do for you:

  • Increase your productivity by using template workflows
  • Avoid making costly mistakes because you forgot a task or deadline
  • Helps you collaborate with team members on weddings and other projects
  • Enhances your client experience as a dedicated planning platform.
  • Allows you to collaborate with clients on their wedding
  • Controls the planning tempo and cadence with your clients FOR you.

Not only does Asana effortlessly integrate with some of the other tools I know you are using, but with the right setup, it can also replace some of the more costly tools you might be using (like Aisle Planner!).

By the way – if you are curious about how I use Asana in my business coaching biz (and also want to score a 10% off coupon code for Asana), head here.

Look for Steps to Automate and Systematize In Your Workflow

Now, you should have your client workflow mapped out, and project management software picked out (Is it Asana? I hope so!). Next, I want you to go back over your steps and see what you can automate and systematize in your client journey.

Side note: not everything can be automated as a wedding planner

Let me just address an unfortunate realization you are bound to come across as you stay organized as a wedding planner – not everything can be automated. As a wedding planner business coach for over a decade now, one of the biggest mistakes I see wedding planners make (as they start to implement better systems and processes into their business) is trying to automate everything. Not everything can (or should) be automated. We offer an incredibly personal service, and you should lean into that when you can.

With that said, I know you are busy! Although not everything can be automated, reminders to check in on your couples and finding new ways to surprise and delight them can be automated, making it easy to stay organized as a wedding planner. So while I don’t recommend adding a bunch of automated emails like “60 days to go!”, I do recommend adding reminders for yourself for important dates (and “spontaneous” check-ins!). Where you can’t automate, systematize.

templates to help you stay organized as a wedding planner

Finally, Use Templates To Rinse + Repeat (And Stay Organized as a Wedding Planner)

I’m a big fan of templates – which is why you’ll find a ton of them in my business tools shop for wedding planners. If you don’t have a lot of templates right now – it can feel very overwhelming to start creating them. After all, as I mentioned earlier, there are likely dozens of steps in your signature process. Are you supposed to write all of those emails and brochures at once?

When it comes to creating templates in your business, I recommend working with the client-facing elements first. Start with your onboarding workflow, and tweak and template as much as possible until you reach offboarding.

Working chronologically through the client journey will help you experience it as if you were the client, which will help you uncover any blind spots. It will also give you space for new ideas.

If you don’t have a ton of time to get organized as a wedding planner, you have two options:

  1. Create templates as you go. Don’t forget to add them to your project management tool as you write those emails or send those proposals!
  2. Head straight to the shop and pick up everything you need. You know I’ve got you.

What About Systems and Processes for Working ON Your Business?

If you are asking yourself this question, kudos. Yes, you do need to stay organized in your business as well. It’s not JUST important for your couples, after all. While I do recommend perfecting the three stages of working with clients first (Planning, Design, and Execution), you may want to check out this blog post next as Sarahna talks about ALL the systems you should have in your wedding business.

Looking for Candid Wedding Planning Business Advice and the Best Templates in the Wedding Industry On the Regular?

In every month of the Planner’s Playbook, I include templates and swipe files to make your job as a wedding planner easier. If you know you want to elevate your wedding planning business this year, you can count on me to deliver exactly what you need when you need it. So the only question is, are you ready to become a Playbooker?

Explore More Wedding Industry Resources

For More Wedding Planner Business Secrets Follow Me On Instagram

Survived low-rise jeans, skinny brows, and wedding timelines in Word. 🤣 All my OG Millennials check in 👇🏻👇🏻

#candicecoppola #weddingindustry #weddingpros #weddingindustryexperts #weddingplanner #weddingpro
I never set out to plan destination weddings.

But one opportunity changed everything.

That first trip led to years of career-making moments — weddings in the caribbean, being flown in by five star hotels to consult on their product, and creative projects I never could’ve imagined when I was just a girl from a small town with big dreams.

I’ve been lucky enough to see the world through the lens of my business — to travel, create, and get paid to do work I love alongside incredible clients.

And if you’ve ever dreamed about adding destination weddings to your planning business, I want you to know it’s absolutely possible for you, too.

Whether you’re being paid to fly to Tuscany or Fiji, Mexico to Montana.

Comment DESTINATION below, and I’ll send you the link to my Destination Wedding Planning Playbook — the exact resource that walks you through:

✨ how to become a destination wedding planner
✨ how to market your services
✨ what to offer (and charge for)
✨ and yes… even how to fill out immigration forms and fly linens in a suitcase 😅

This is your sign to stop waiting for “someday.” Your next destination could be your business. 💜
You could spend all your energy trying to cut back... or you could use that same energy to make more.

In this week’s episode of The Power in Purpose, @erinn_bridgman shares such a refreshing perspective on money, and it’s one that I believe every creative entrepreneur needs to hear.

Sure, there’s a time and place to look at where your money’s going. I believe one of the fastest ways to put money in your pocket is to stop spending it. But what if you shifted your focus to how easily you could bring more in?

One additional wedding.
A higher-margin package.
A simple pricing adjustment.

That’s the difference between staying in survival mode and stepping into abundance.

For most wedding pros, the latte isn’t the problem. It’s the story you’re telling yourself about what’s possible.

You’re closer than you think to creating the income and stability you’ve been chasing.

✨ Comment 197 and I’ll DM you the link to listen (along with the invite to a FREE masterclass Erinn is hosting tomorrow if you want to learn more)

#candicecoppola #weddingpros #weddingindustry #weddingpro #weddingindustryexperts #weddingpodcast #weddingbusiness #thepowerinpurposepodcast #weddingindustryeducation
Here’s one of my favorite things about being a business owner...

You don’t have to wait for permission to make more money.

You don’t need to ask for a raise.
You are the raise.

In this week’s episode of The Power in Purpose, @erinn_bridgman and I talked about one of the most empowering parts of being a wedding pro and that’s the ability to create income on demand.

When you understand your numbers, you realize how much control you actually have. You can double down on your most profitable offer, take on one or two more weddings at a higher rate, or make small shifts that directly impact your paycheck.

If only someone would show you the way, right?

My hope is that this conversation will light a fire under you to stop waiting for “someday” and start acting like the CEO your business needs today.

Comment 197 and I will send you the link to listen (and an invite to a FREE masterclass Erinn is hosting next week to help you too!).

#candicecoppola #weddingindustry #weddingindustryexperts #weddingpro #weddingpros #weddingpodcast #weddingbusiness #thepowerinpurposepodcast #weddingindustryeducation #weddingplanner

All, Getting Down to Business, Goal Setting, Growing a Business, Tech Tools, The Client Experience, Things to Do Better, Wedding Planning Advice

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