How did the idea of becoming a wedding planner / designer come to you?
Passionate about drawing and everything related to art in general, I developed my creativity through my own creations. Decoration is also a field I love because of its diversity.
It all started when I was asked to decorate a wedding without having any experience in the field. I learned to organize myself and adapt to my friends’ requests for that event.
I really enjoyed working on it, whether from a relational, organizational or decorative point of view. Having to combine my skills according to my clients’ needs is also a challenge I love taking on in this profession.
So it was from that first wedding that my motivation to become a wedding planner-designer was born.
The couple and the guests were delighted with the result and encouraged me greatly, which motivated me to keep volunteering on other events. Over time, with experience, I learned to overcome obstacles.
Tell us about your background before getting started
I graduated with a vocational diploma in accounting and a childcare qualification, and I am naturally outgoing. I worked for more than ten years as an activity leader for young children. That job allowed me to develop my creativity, my organizational and relational skills, and taught me how to adapt to unexpected situations. At the same time, I was also often asked to help organize and decorate many events such as galas, conferences, weddings and birthdays.
What difficulties did you face before getting started and how did you overcome them?
At the beginning, launching my activity was difficult. As a beginner, I did not know where to start, how to go about it or who to turn to. The lack of contacts and entrepreneurial information really slowed me down. That is why, after a lot of online research and personal efforts, and with the help of my employment advisor, I enrolled, not without difficulty in obtaining funding, in the program offered by the International Wedding Institute in order to make up for my lack of knowledge about the profession.
That is how I stopped my activity as an activity leader to devote myself fully to this new beginning. At last I was making all those years of effort and determination real.
Describe your project
RÊVE SUR MESURE offers wedding decor and planning services, but also other events such as bachelorette parties, birthdays, baby showers, galas, openings and private parties. It is all about bespoke, personalized and above all unique decoration.
How did the first year of activity go?
Because of an administrative mistake, I had to create my business in a hurry in March 2019 in order to qualify for funding for the program. So I first had to find the right name — that was the very first step.
I chose to call my business 'Rêve sur mesure'. I was inspired by the fact that it was a dream that had been growing in a corner of my mind and was finally becoming reality. I then created the website, opened my professional social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram, imagined a logo and designed a business card. Finally, I registered with the INPI.
Some of these elements later had to be reworked one by one following advice from my trainers.
To officially launch things, I created a short presentation video that I posted on social media in January 2020.
Only a few days passed before I was contacted to create the decor for a wedding scheduled for August 2020, as well as a birthday event for June 2020. Very encouraging for a beginning.
The Covid-19 epidemic had an impact on the entire world and on my work as well. All events were cancelled or postponed. Even so, I do not get discouraged. Patience.
My biggest day-to-day difficulty and how I deal with it
My biggest challenge is keeping my social media active every day and estimating the right price for my services. Putting into practice what I was taught during the program is not easy. You are always afraid of making a mistake.
This lockdown period will allow me to improve and work on my communication by launching surveys and quizzes, for example, and by rethinking my sales strategy. I am also using this time to showcase my wedding decor-inspired drawings while waiting to be able to bring them to life at real events.
What the IWI program brought me
The International Wedding Institute program opened my eyes and answered my questions.
It helped me gain clarity and structure, especially regarding the commercial and administrative sides of the business. I had the opportunity to follow both the wedding planner and wedding designer programs offered by the International Wedding Institute. I spent unforgettable moments with people who were just as passionate about the profession as I was, and with trainers who were attentive, kind and motivating.
What I retain from this program is a clearer awareness of aspects of the profession that are sometimes overlooked or unclear, and I now feel more confident about moving forward with my activity. Thank you, International Wedding Institute.
Even when you are well informed, facing reality on your own can be frightening, but fortunately we are never truly alone. A Facebook group is available to help us with all the everyday questions that arise. Real solidarity and support were created, even after the end of the program.