I recently was in a meeting where someone suggested I write about my life's lessons. Not weddings, but life. This is a little odd for me since I feel most people coming to a wedding consultants blog will want to read about weddings. Trust me, there are enough wedding blogs where consultants showcase their work and that is fantastic. But sometimes, there needs to be more. What is that consultant about? Who are they as a person? and Why are they truly doing this a profession? These are very important questions each bride needs to answer. Therefore, I am going to start to do this or maybe something of the sort. Welcome to unconventionality!

Being an event/wedding planner does have many perks, however it also has its downs. Over the past 20 years or so, I have learned how to be a better person. Through working with the bride on her most special day, you truly realize one of the many marvels of life. Passion. I have been able to find passion in what I do and I truly believe that you need to be passionate about life. If your passion is sitting in a cube job and answering phones during the day for 30 years so you can retire, more power to you. I personally would be on the brink of suicide. I cannot imagine doing the same thing day in and day out and hating going to work. My job is fun because I make it fun. I have had the distinct pleasure of seeing some bat sh** crazy things happen at weddings. I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting almost every type of bride there is out there (notice I do say almost since, well , quite frankly I am constantly given new opportunities to deal with special brides). Why do I smile about this since weddings are not always puppy dogs and rainbows? I have a unique quality of being able to make the best of a situation. The reason why I say that it is unique is because I have come to learn that many people do not have it. I could be stuck in a funeral home and most likely make friends with everyone (if you are getting my sense of humor-- that means people are dead). Why? because just the thought of sitting amongst dead people would depress the heck out of me! YOU make the best of what you are given. No one will make your life better for you, except you. If you do not like what life has dealt you, then move on and find something else. Life is too short to be upset!

I try to begin each day with the feelings I had on my wedding day. Passion, love, excitement, happy fear of the unknown, adventure and fun. It is possible to say that "well, today will be a sucky day" and then it most certainly will. We are in control of our own destiny. On the days that I wake up in a bad mood, my husband and kids are in a bad mood, my clothes look awful, my email will not work, the car is falling apart, and my gray hair is sticking out all over. So how is it that the days whne my attitude is bad, everything is bad? Well, I can only believe that I dictate how my day will be. By losing the passion, excitement, love, adventure, fun and happy fear of the unknown, I have predetermined myself to miss out on teh best things in life! I will miss the joy of my husband, kids and my personal successes. Man, that is a HUGE thing to miss out on. It is not easy, so do not think that "well, she is one happy freakin' ray of sunshine" because it is not true. I feel that I make a conscious decision to take on my day and be the best person I can be. That one small act willmake the most extraordinary impact on your day.

Make sure you are extremely aware of your surroundings. That will allow you to internalize the most crazy of craziest things! There is always going to be someone better than you, wealthier than you, skinnier than you, fatter than you etc. but if you are not dead, you should be contributing to society. I was at the grocery store the other day when there was a bagger packing groceries. He thought it was s good idea to pack bread underneath cans of soupl. The customer went nuts on him. She said insults that were so impressive that I had to listen. Sure, he should have thought about how he was packing groceries (afterall, it is his job) but I truly wanted to record her on my phone since the insults just rolled off her tounge. As I carried on through my day, I looked at the silver lining and thought "well at least I do not have to go hom with that lady tonight" and I hugged my husband as he walked through the door. See, you have many opportunities during the day to see life. Good/bad/indifferent? That truly does not matter. It will allow you to appreciate what you have an how you can be a better person.

So, I will wrap up my first entry patting myself on the back (since that is quite frankly what wedding consultant blogs do:)) I had a wedding featured on the Style Me Pretty Blog. Go to Ashley and Drew's wedding. It was in November 2009 at Laguna Gloria Art Museum and it was pretty fantastic! Sure, it was a bang out event-- but more importantly, they were truly a unique couple. What I appreciated most about them was that although there was a fantastic wedding planned, paid for and executed, they truly had passion for eachother and I look forward to attending their 50th anniversary party.

Amy