Planning a party, a wedding, an event of any kind is more than just saying "Let's do this," and then just showing up. There is a lot that goes behind the scenes with the vendors that make the event even possible. As a wedding professional, I get the amazing opportunity to work with, and become good friends with, some amazing people. These people become your support system. They help you out in a pinch. And together, we are able to make it look like planning an event was the easiest thing ever.
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT - Issue #1
MEET LORI OSBORNE of TLC EVENTS AND WEDDINGS - Wedding Planner
Lori is the owner of TLC Events and Weddings. She has been in business for two and half years, and is based out of Dayton, Ohio.
Lori's Favorites:
Colors - Red, Gold, and Emerald Green
Food - Steak and shrimp cocktails and Steak Fajitas
Month of the Year - "October because it's when my husband and I usually go to the Smokey Mountains to see the fall colors."
Holiday - "Thanksgiving, because it's a time our family actually still gets together."
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
"Play piano."
What would the name of the autobiography of your life be called?
"From Drab To Fab In Just 50 Years!"
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
"England and Scotland because my family hails from Somerset, England. Plus I love the Victorian Era and would love to see castles and all the historic buildings and landmarks."
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do with the money?
"Build a cabin in the Smokies and move."
When you have 30 minutes of free time, what do you do?
"Watch TV or read."
If you could BE a fictional character for one day, who would be and why?
"Scarlett O'Hara, so I could wear some of those amazing gowns."
If you could meet and interview anyone, dead or alive, who would it be, why, and what questions would you ask this person?
"My maternal grandfather, because he died when I was 2 so I don't remember him, but from the stories my mom told, he was quite the character.
"What was your life like during the depression?"
"How did you meet Grandma?"
"What was mom like as a little girl?"
What is something new you learned today (or yesterday, or last week)?
"I learned how to set up a scheduler/calendar in the client relationship management program I am using, so now when I email a potential client after they first contact me, they have the option of scheduling their consultation through a quick and easy link.
If you could write a letter to your teenage self, what would it say?
"Don't wear your heart on your sleeve. Don't let the hurtful words of other teenagers bother you. Figure out what you really want to do in your life and follow your dreams; don't let anyone stand in your way."
Why did you choose the field [wedding planning] you are in?
"I always loved planning events for friends and family, and bringing people together. I fell in love with everything about wedding planning when I planned my own wedding in 2002 - and then weddings for a few friends after that. I love joyous celebrations and making people happy."
What led you up to creating your business?
"I wanted to start my own business about 17 years ago but needed to work outside the home and found it virtually impossible to plan weddings while working full-time. So, in 2016, I had an opportunity to leave the job I was in and had the funds to start my business, so I decided to just go for it even though I was already 56 (a little old for a planner to be starting out)."
How did you come up with your business name and logo?
"My husband's name is Terry, and we just came up with Terry-Lori Corporation which turned into TLC - and it also stands for Tender Loving Care (which I use in my slogan/tagline).
"I had a good friend design my logo using colors from my wedding -burgandy and gold - and just told him I wanted something elegant and not 'cookie-cutter' like you see all over other websites today."
What is your FAVORITE part about your business?
"Besides setting my own hours, being able to successfully plan and execute an entire wedding and seeing the happy faces of the couples."
What is one thing you wish potential clients knew about you or your business?
"I wish more couples realized the value of hiring a wedding planner. They don’t realize that executing their day, managing all the vendors, and taking care of all the décor setups and tear-down can result in a 10 to 14 hour day (or longer). I wish fewer couples looked to their family and friends to take care of everything for them on the wedding day, and would just let those people enjoy the day with them and also truly be guests!"
What is one thing you would like to know more about in your field?
"Technology is one area where I really struggle; there are so many apps and electronic tools that a planner can use but I can't begin to grasp all of it. Also, I would like more hands-on training on how to decorate, specifically on how to do backdrop draping, different chair sashes, napkin folds, and uses for table runners in unique ways."
Lori is an amazing person to work with, and I am lucky enough to have had her as a mentor, friend and colleague for the last couple of years. Take a look at a couple of highlights from her career.
(Photo Credit: SureFocus Media; https://www.surefocusmedia.com/)
(Photo Credit: Breathless Moments Photography; http://breathlessmoments.com/)