I don't normally use my blog for personal reasons but today I felt it was necessary to do so. The past events of recent days have caused me to stop and rethink...is it all worth it?
Most of you know I am in the wedding and event industry. We are all supposed to be adults and professionals. What happened was uncalled for and malicious. Facebook is not the place to "call out" a fellow pro. If you have a beef with them, make it private. There is absolutely no reason to blast it for your minions (if you even have any) to see.
"Because of the personal and confidential nature of many professional services and thus the necessity to place a great deal of trust in them, most professionals are subject to strict codes of conduct enshrining rigorous
ethical and
moral obligations."1 Ethical and Moral obligations. This is where the problem lies. Some do not understand the meaning of these two words. Shame on them.
In an industry that is seeing struggle over the past decade or more, it is now even more important that we work together to rebuild the relationships, partnerships and all around good feelings, that used to be. There's plenty of work to go around. Not everyone will fit your expertise. Would it hurt to send the business to a colleague? Working together is so much nicer than tearing apart...an industry that's already hurting from battle wounds.
1. Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional
Dorinda Duclos is the owner of
Favors by Dorinda - Personalized Candy Bar Wrappers & Custom Candy Cakes for your wedding & other special occasions!
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Wayne,NJ} – January 23, 2012 –
WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding Marketplace, is excited to announce
Favors by Dorinda has been selected to receive the prestigious WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for Favors & Gifts!
The esteemed annual awards program recognizes the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. While many industry awards are selected by the organization,
Favors by Dorinda was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients.
Favors by Dorinda is recognized as part of the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community, comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year.
“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate
Favors by Dorinda for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”
We are happy to announce that Favors by Dorinda is one of the very best Favors and Gifts professionals within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012.
For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at
Favors by Dorinda.
To learn more about the Bride's Choice Awards™, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.
About WeddingWire, Inc.WeddingWire™, the nation's leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers. WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go. WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers. Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Brides.com and Weddingbee.com.
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Author's note: First, let me start off by saying that we aren't writing this post to upset or offend anyone or any company in particular. To be honest, this post came as a result of a long conversation between a bride (let's call her "Julia") and me. She had wanted to know what the difference was, and so, IMO, here it is:{Warning: I'm being straight forward and real here. Like the saying goes, if you can't take the heat, then stay out of the kitchen!} ;)1. Education/Experience. No, it is not enough that you watched JLo in
The Wedding Planner. It's not enough that you planned your own wedding or helped your best friend with hers. Just like in any professional field, there are certifications, degrees and even plain old experience that are available and necessary. Brides or other event clients are relying on YOU to create that event or that everlasting memory and a "Whoops! I'm sorry!" or "OMG can you believe I almost forgot that?!" won't cut it when you screw up or forget something. No, this isn't necessarily a Corporate America career, but this shouldn't be your hobby or "job." If it is, then I'd consider it a high risk business that I would bet wouldn't make it past the short term.
So what should brides ask? "What is YOUR experience or education as a planner?" And planners, in retrospect, should be honest and upfront. For example, I came from a Fortune 500 company where I started my experience in this field and I also decided to first become certified as a wedding planner for added knowledge and to build that solid company foundation for
No Limit Events.
Looking to become a planner? Then learn the ropes the right way. I recommend you start with education. Next move into interning or job shadowing to learn the industry "in real time." Like many careers, it's quite different when you actually do it in the moment versus learning it from a text or course.
2. Insurance.What if your planner gets sick on the day of your event? What if he/she has an accident and is unable to attend? Or worse, goes out of business and has your deposits/payments?
These are real and scary scenarios that no bride or event planner wants to go through. There are options for insurance as a planner and as a host/bride or groom (for one:
WedSafe). Consider them! Outdoor events with no option for inside, unfamiliar territory, international events... insurance needs can be endless and unfortunately come in handy at unexpected times.
3. A back up plan. Granted, if there is no option to move an outdoor event indoors, there must be a back up plan. Clients/couples should have no fear in discussing this with your event planner. Furthermore, they should not have to worry about an alternative plan on their own. This is, of course, what an event PLANner does (aside of many, many other things!).
4. Originality. Yep, I said it. Originality. Potential clients should always ask if the images they are looking at are THEIR work. Are those YOUR flowers? Are those even your clients photographed? If not, say so or at least indicate where credit is due.
I've particularly always dreamed of becoming an interior designer some day so (IMO), I think it's perfectly acceptable to judge a planner's taste and sense of style by the way they dress/carry themselves, office furniture/layout and color selections, and even by what catalogs or references are made! Do they have the latest bridal magazines on their coffee tables? Are they familiar with the latest looks and colors? Granted, every planner has their OWN style and interests, but they should at least be versed in what's considered mainstream or popular. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So there you have it. And thank you "Julia" for the chat that sparked this post. I was honestly amazed that "Julia" had no idea how serious these 4 items were!
Whether you're looking into a wedding or event planner or even just becoming one yourself, consider the 4 above. Be true to yourself and be honest! It can only bring good things, IMO...
Thoughts? Opinions? Want more?Sign up for our F*R*E*E Audio download where we discuss this a little more, in sound.
***Gabriela is the partner and certified wedding/special event consultant for
No Limit Events LLC as well as the main writer for the company blog,
No Limit Events LLC: Bloggin' It. She enjoys sharing fun and unique wedding ideas, which include helpful wedding and party related posts, inspirational photos and advice for those planning special celebrations. Gabriela lives in New Jersey with her husband and business partner, Justin, and their 2 lovable cats. Planning a luxurious wedding or special party? Please visit her blog and web site for specials and helpful advice.***
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The holiday's are right around the corner and we're excited to bring you Cyber Monday Deals & Giveaways!!
Favors by Dorinda Cyber Monday Deals & Giveaways!Favors by Dorinda will be offering great deals on custom holiday candy cakes, sweet gifts, wedding gifts, baby gifts and more!
DISCOUNTS include:
* Custom Holiday Candy Cakes ~ up to $10 off!
* Teachers Gifts ~ over 20% off retail price
* Wedding Gifts ~ various discounts, up to 25% off
* Baby Gift Baskets - A sweet treat for mommy!
* "Sweet Calling Card" Business mini's ~ You'll have to wait til 11/28 to see how low!
More to follow
GIVEAWAYS! (We'll be posting about each giveaway on our Facebook page (
http://www.facebook.com/favorsbydorinda )throughout the day on Monday, 11/28/11. All you need to do is comment for a chance to win)
* One free month of Facebook promotion from Thanks for Noticing Me ($50 value)
* One Personalized Silver Frame from Forever Friends Fine Stationery ($34 value)
* $10 Kohl's Gift Cards - (2 available)
* $5 Dunkin Donuts Gift Card - (2 available)
* 1/2 hour public relations coaching call from PR for Small Businesses ($75 value)
* Hand-crafted Wedding DVD Holder from Dorinda
* $50 gift certificate to CardBoxDiva.com
* One dozen OSY Holiday Cookies from Oh! So Yummy Cookie Favors & Confections.
* $50 gift certificate for SPArties Mobile Spa.
* RESERVED The DORINDA Wax Seal monogram initial pendant with charms in pewter w/necklace from Artibility ($22.50 retail value)
Check back for new additions!!
We're looking forward to making your shopping experience a pleasant one, so sit back, relax and click away!!
Open to residents of the United States Only. Restrictions apply. Coupons and % (percent) off cannot be used during this sale event. Does not apply to previous orders.
Dorinda Duclos is the owner of
Favors by Dorinda - Personalized Candy Bar Wrappers & Custom Candy Cakes for your wedding & other special occasions!
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We all join them, create them, hope people will think that what we have to say has meaning to them. But what are these groups really all about? Lately, I've been very disillusioned by the whole "group" thing.
I have joined many groups, even moderated a few, and still do. For the most part, people contribute on a daily basis and the content remains good. When does this change? Most groups have a document called "Guidelines". These are the rules, if you wish to call them that, that you agree to when you join this group. If you do not agree, no one is holding you hostage, you're free to leave the group. So why do you stay?
Based on that statement, why do people find it necessary to cause conflict when they don't follow the guidelines? We are all looking for information that is relevant to our professional industry, whatever that may be. The problem lies here: too many people think that liking their Facebook business page is the only way to drum up business. They couldn't be more wrong. In fact, people can like a post or picture on your page without even becoming a fan! What people fail to see is as an opportunity to promote their business OUTSIDE of Facebook!! Sure, it's great, you have a business page...and? Does that really tell me anything about what exactly it is that you do?
Instead of complaining that you can't do this or can't do that, use the self-promotion days to promote you, your web site, your blog, photos, events you've done, areas that contain information about you & your business but within the guidelines you agreed to when you joined! No one wants to see the constant "Like my page & I'll like yours." What does that get you? Your fan numbers may go up but are those people really interested in you? How do you know? You've probably had no interaction with them since. This is the same reason I prefer to not do "liking ladders". Who are these people joining your page? Are they relevant to your business? Can you make them your client?
The most important thing to remember when you join a Facebook group that someone else created: This is NOT your group! You are simply a member, by choice, and by doing so you agree to follow the guidelines set forth by the group owner(s). Period. It's really not that hard, now, is it?
Dorinda Duclos is the owner of
Favors by Dorinda - Personalized Candy Bar Wrappers & Custom Candy Cakes for your wedding & other special occasions!
Join us on
FacebookFollow Us on
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Google+ Copyright 2011 Favors by Dorinda/Dorinda Duclos All Rights Reserved
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