Entering the Wedding Industry During a Global Pandemic - post 1
The past year and a half has been a lot of firsts for everyone (but I don’t need to tell you that). For most, it was the first (and hopefully last!) global pandemic that was declared and witnessed. Trips got cancelled, borders have been closed, small businesses have suffered behind indefinitely closed doors and as I am sure far too many of you are aware, weddings and events shrunk and shriveled up, changing an industry forever.
Enter me. Who, a month and a half into George Brown College’s Special Event Management program (Universe – One, Sydney – Zero) was told school would be online, and events will be online or cancelled and (what felt like) everything I was excited for through my program would be delivered through a virtual format.
This may be a slight generalization, but in my humble opinion the majority of event planners are huge extroverts who love shiny things… frankly, I was feeling pretty bad for myself as I felt all my shiny things I was looking forward to were being taken from me.
Enter Shana. If you don’t know Shana, she is a dream (No puns intended). An experienced planner who knows exactly what questions to ask, has a sharp eye for aesthetics and making people’s dreams come to life. She remains cool and calm under pressure, and is controlled enough to schedule into her calendar regular crying times. Put simply, Shana is who I want to be when I grow up.
I met Shana while putting on an online event in my third semester. She spoke at my event about her career and how the pandemic has changed things. I reached out to her after the event regarding a possible internship at and was overjoyed when she told me she’d have me. Now, here I am, writing for her webpage! (Universe – One, Sydney – One).
I have gotten to be involved now in two weddings (micro and covid safe – stay calm) since starting at Dream Weaver Events. I would be lying to you if I told you this is how I thought my career in event planning was going to begin. To say I like shiny things would be an understatement. I like making cakes and dinner menus for my friends’ birthdays. I like having themed parties for no reason other than ‘it’s a Tuesday’. I like making a production schedule on my phone for simple family dinners JUST FOR ME. So, the idea of weddings containing less than 10 people honestly upset me just as much as you, at first (Okay- probably not quite as much but I am also prone to a hyperbole).
That being said, the two weddings I have seen since starting at Dream Weaver Events have brought me to tears (literally). The shiniest part about a wedding is seeing a couple truly in love. The ideas I have had previously about events and what makes a good event in general have changed forever. These smaller, intimate weddings are beautiful and can be just as extravagant and memorable as the huge wedding you have been dreaming of.
I truly feel like learning about this industry this summer was meant to be. And I cannot wait to share my stories about some of the amazing, and perfectly shiny weddings I will be helping curate this summer.
If you can’t currently envision your wedding being ‘shiny’ (or whatever word you want to use – beautiful, extravagant, special) enough with the current restrictions, please feel free to reach out to us. I promise you; we will do everything in our power to show you that small definitely isn’t a negative thing.
XX,
Sydney Blair Eileen