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1
Jun
2011
By Boho
Today’s Wedding Wednesday post is more of a personal post than anything else, but do feel free to join in and add your opinion if you have one.
I have been having a bit of a battle with myself over the last few weeks over what I am, am I a wedding planner or a wedding blogger?? I guess a bit of a split personality, crisis of identity thing going on in my little head!
You see I started into the wedding business as a wedding planner, I spent a lot of time and money getting the branding for the website right, the design, the copy and the images just how I wanted them. The blog was a bit of an add on, something that people told me I needed! I started writing maybe 2-3 posts a week, this then went up to 4, then to 5, then to 6 and now 7 posts a week, sometimes more if I have something special I want to share with you. When I started I saw the website as a static shop window, somewhere where I was professional and sold my wedding planning services, where as the blog was somewhere I could be a lot more of myself, have an opinion and share with you what I liked in the wedding world. If I had met a great supplier I would write about it, or if I had been to an amazing venue I would write about it, but in the first instance the blog was there to promote the wedding planning and help me get business.
And that it has done. But what I have found is that the Blog has became a real labour of Love, something I have really put my heart and soul into, and something I get real satisfaction from…I do see it as a baby that I have nurtured and something I am really proud of.
So why am I bring all this up?? Well I have come to a point when I feel that isn’t the case anymore and I have been a bit stuck on where I go with both……….am I a planner or a blogger, and can I really do both?
In the last 6 months I have seen a big difference in my readership, especially the last 3 months. This in turn has made it possible to take on sponsors which has given me a new wage away from the wedding planning………..which leads me to wonder which is more important…….am I now a wedding planner or a wedding blogger??
Having spoken to some of my wedding friends some say that they still see me as a wedding planner with a blog as a side line, while others see my main job as a wedding blogger!…….I once used one to build the other, but as I see it now they are both businesses in their own rights, so need to be treated as two separate entities…but how do I do this when they both feed off each other?
I have already had questions about branding, does one fit with the other, should they both be the same, or should they now be completely different?
I am considering a whole new brand makeover at the end of the year…but do I really need it??
But it’s not just the look of it all, how do I split my time?
Before the blog was bringing in any money my brides where always the most important thing to me. Now though I have to make sure that I am looking after my sponsors and brides in equal measure. Before my wish was to make the blog as good as possible for my own personal pride and self-satisfaction, but now I have the added responsibility of knowing that people have paid good money to advertise on my blog so I have to make sure my readership stays high and I do the best possible job for them!
It’s hard enough being a wedding planner, trying to juggle 20 weddings with 20 demanding brides and grooms, but now added to that responsibility is all that being a wedding blogger brings!
After a lot of thought though and chats with my wedding friends I have concluded that I can’t do one without the other. The blog is the blog it is because I am writing from the industry as a working wedding planner, There are a lot of great blogs out there and they are all different, what I feel makes mine different is that I am a living working wedding planner, involved in weddings on a daily basis and for that reason I can write not only from the experience of my own wedding but because I am involved in so many other peoples weddings on a first hand basis. I am out there meeting the supplies, going to the venues, answering the problems of real brides and sorting through their wedding plans on a first hand basis.
On the down side I do miss some of the wedding events that I would love to go to if I was only a wedding blogger, so many things that I would love to go and report on but I can’t as I am working at a wedding, or meeting with a bride…….but surely this isn’t a bad thing??? I could be sat at home commentating on the wedding world, but instead I am out there working in it, and able to bring you the wedding world on a first hand basis.
So that is the way I need to look at it!
I enjoy the wedding planning, I enjoy the Wedding blogging…and without one the other wouldn’t exist……………….So I am both a wedding planner and a wedding blogger in equal measure, they both have the capacity to bring in the same amount of money, and the wedding planning means that I’m not stuck in the office 7 days a week, feeling like I am losing touch with the wedding world that I know and love, while the office days I have blogging means I can still have the odd makeup less days, slobbing in my over sized jeans and sweat tops!
But I have to make sure I have to divide my time equally, make sure my diary is split on a weekly basis, time for each bride and time for researching each blog post, meeting with different suppliers, while going through submissions, walk thoughts at venues while answering advertising enquires…….the list is endless!! And so it sees is my to do list!
So I guess in all my questioning I have found my own USP and that is that I can wear boht hats and make them both work! I never thought when I set up the wedding planning side of things that the blog would be as successful as it, so I guess life as much as I like to plan it (and believe me I like to plan) always throws up curve balls!…….and that is what makes it so exciting!
So does anyone else have this problem? There must be other people out there wearing more than one hat when it comes to the amount of jobs you do.
How do you mix the two? How do you separate one job or brand from another?
What if you’re a bride? Do you read my blog and maybe think how fabulous it would be to have a blogger plan your wedding? Would you pay extra for the privilege? Or do you think that I’m not a propper wedding planner because I spend so much time writing the blog?
I would love you to share your thoughts, am I Boho wedding planner, or wedding blogger…….and what are your own experiences of the situation?
www.bohoweddingsandevents.com
http://blog.bohoweddingsandevents.com
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I have had the same debate with myself but I actually love being a polymath it is nice to have multiple strings to my bow as I know what I get like too much of anything and I switch off and get bored. The great thing about being both a blogger and a stationery designer is that every day is completely different and being a wee bit of a social animal; staring at my screen day after day kerning, playing with Bezier curves makes me a monosyllabic bore who grunts things like ‘pantone’, and ‘bleed’.
The best part of this is how many amazing new friends that I have made that I never would have met if it hadn’t been for the blog!
It might be hectic, and I might get a touch of the guilts every so often about where I spend my time. But, I like being a bit of a wedding renaissance woman – a little from colomn A & B never hurt anyone. Variety is the spice of life *insert more slogan for T-shirt quotes here* ha!
Excellent post as always Kelly!!
Totally understand where you are coming from, there was a day when I was just a accountant, then a wedding planner, with a bit of mural painting..all of which ran along side eachother working for myself happily and I enjoy doing them all …and now the boutique, which is fast becoming my passion and is taking over everything which is fantastic as I get to help couple’s plan their special day’s but also hopefully inspire them to have the day they want and the best bit is Im doing it with one of my best friends!!
I think I must have a split personality also as I manage to somehow keep everything seperate and wear different hats on different day…technically today Im wearing my accountant’s hat…but Ive swapped it for a moment ha ha!
Your blog is fantastic like ive said before its fast becoming one of my favourite daily read’s and so are the weddings you help to plan, I have no doubt that you can easily do both (and more) and will be extreemly sucessful in what you do, as you already are!!
Colette xxx
Kelly, you have just reiterated the many things that were going through my head last year. I really wanted to be a planner, hence why I set up London Bride, but I, like you have grown to love writing, showcasing and inspiring through the blog. I think it absolutely is possible to do both and that is exactly why it works. Every successful blog has it’s own niche, identity and personality and you offer all this from a planner’s perspective which is unique.
It is VERY hard to juggle your time between brides and blog – I agree and sympathise (and on top of a full time job for me!) but that is why we are good at and do what we do :) xox
Once again I love how honest you are in your posts.
It must be hard trying to split yourself. But the two go hand in hand really well so why not! We put ourselves into boxes too often and need to just do what we enjoy, we all have different sides to us that we need to fulfill there is no reason why you can’t be both.
Me too! I have two hats I love, calligraphy and my wedding blog. At the moment I’m wearing both very happily – I feel lucky to be able to split my time between the two.
The thing I love most is that the blog follows its own path and leads me along with it. I never know what will happen next month and I love the element of surprise it brings!
Life is a journey and blogging is a side road. I’m exploring!
Whatever you decide, Kelly, go with your heart. You’re in a lucky position to be able to (remember this time last year?) And enjoy it.
Xxx
i think youre so right. being a planner and actually being IN the industry really is your USP. so what if you cant go to some of the events that all us bloggers go to…if we’re all blogging it and your not – well thats good – it makes you different.
keep doing what your doing lady.
Thank you all for your comments, it is reassuring to know there are so many others out there doing the same as me, and managing perfectly well.
I am a very privileged position to be able to do both, and will keep using my wedding planning as a source of inspiration for the blog
Thanks for the support you are all fab!
Hi kelly.
As long as you have time to both well why change? You’re a very talented and inspiring lady! Owning a business means wearing many hats, so if you can enjoy two of them i would say thats a bonus (it’s the accounts and administration hats i hate the most)
Keep the posts coming and pop over to see me sometime soon for a cupcake and a catch up!
I too wear the planner and blogger hat. I first thought that my blog would simply be an extension of my business, but in recent months my blog readership has grown tremendously. I am in the process of evaluating whether I want to turn over the planning part of my business to my intern once she is properly trained and me just focusing on design and the blog. It’s a bit of a crossroads for me and it will require a lot of thought and evaluation. Right now, I love doing both, but if my blog continues to grow at the rate it is now, I will definitely have to make a choice.
As a bride-to-be, I would did not consider any vendor that does not have a blog (or worse, has a blog but hasn’t updated it in more than a month). Any vendor can show me their portfolio or a site containing their best-of-the best. But, consistently blogging about their tips and the events that they have done, shows me that they can do the work well and do it consistently. I also like that you can tell a lot about a vendor’s personality from his or her blog and tweets!
I have 2 jobs. I work full time in a events / marketing company. And I art direct engagement shoots and I blog every spare waking moment I have. I find it hard managing the two. But what I learn in my day job is easily transferred to my art directing / thaoski blog. So for now I know it serves me doing both :)
My biggest challenge is separating my head / mind when I switch jobs. And the only way I can do it is (it sounds really lame) … I sit at a separate table when I’m doing thaoski stuff. I change my environment.
Ok I don’t think my comment is useful as all but just wanted to share :)
ps. Your USP is a great one! X
As a coach & NLP practitioner (and one time Mother of the Bride with Kelly as my co-ordinator) I have a suggestion for all of you guys juggling jobs and roles. If you physically MOVE between your roles it will help. Even if you get up and return to the same spot in your office, the movement will become the trigger for change. Alternatively (& this may seem really silly but it is effective), people talk about putting on a different hat for their different roles, well – how about either physically or MENTALLY changing hats when switching roles. I actually have a red hard hat that helps me switch into hard headed business woman from caring coach! Might look slightly ridiculous but it works!
Keep up the great work Kelly
Hugs
Kay
Hi Kelly – as a bonafide ‘Boho bride-to-be’ with you as my planner, I just wanted to say that I do hope you don’t pick one over the other – as I think you are truly talented at both. Your blog covers such a wide array of topics, and wedding-inspiration – and it also means that as a client, I am constantly reassured that you have your ‘finger-on-the-pulse’ as it were, and promote trustworthy and credible suppliers. On the other hand, as a planner, you can also recommend ideas/suppliers based on real life personal experiences with other couples – you know what works and what doesn’t, and your guidance is invaluable – and something you don’t often get by blog-readership alone! xx
thanks Laura, that is all very sweet of you and great to hear from a first hand bride of mine to be! and thanks Kay for your ideas, they make a lot of sence…..we should catch up soon, it’s been to long!
Everyone makes such great points here, thank you all for your comments. xxx
Hi Kelly
Really interesting to read your post on this and I do wear several hats and its very difficult to juggle the two! I am a lawyer as well as a planner and having started my business almost 3 years ago now I have had to keep some legal work going at the same time and I find myself setting up a marquee whilst exchanging contracts on someones house purchase or doing a completion on my lap top! Its quite amusing sometimes but somehow I have been able to do it and make sure that everyone is well looked after with the best quality service provided from all angles. I agree with the NLP’s comment that physically moving can help to keep your relevant hats on and I try to do that. I think its quite a skill to be able to juggle these things and get the priorities right for each and give each element to your professional the care and attention that each deserves – sometimes I am sure that you will feel like throwing the toys out of the pram as I do but you do such an amazing job and I am sure that when you get the lovely testimonials from your brides it makes it all worthwhile – for me that is the reason for doing the job
Keep doing it
xxx
I really enjoyed this post Kelly. I was worried that you were going to announce that you were giving up the planning at one point – which you totally shouldn’t do. They are so complimentary!
I have the same issues, right now I am juggling the blog with assisting my Mum in the planning side, with styling, events, and my full time job. Its hard core, but I wouldn’t swap it for the world!!
Have a great day Julia xxx
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