}
A complete set of templates, checklists, and tools for professional wedding planners.
Business
Wedding Planning
Marketing
Day in the Life
Self Development
Friday Favorites
Day in the Life | Abeki Carter
Welcome to our “Day in the Life” series! We feature wedding and event planners from around the world with many different levels of experience. If you would like to be featured, download our questionnaire here and email your responses and photos to info@plannerslounge.com. We are excited to feature New York wedding planner Abeki Carter today!
Name: Abeki Carter
Business Name & Location: Chic Occasions Events, Brooklyn NY
Years Working in the Event Industry: 23 years
Years Owning Your Event Planning Business: 12 years
Website: www.chicoccasionsevents.com
Business Facebook Page: Brooklyn Weddings & Events by Chic Occasions
Instagram: @chic_occasionsnyc
What is your typical day like?
My schedule is absolutely bonkers. Far from typical! I haven’t any idea of how I keep up, but I manage. I block out my schedule by days of the week. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays after returning home at 7:45 am from my overnight job, I shower and eat breakfast around 8 am. Typically I begin working around 9:00 am.
I start off with 15 minutes of social media, posting new pictures, quotes, and responding to comments. Next task is to clear my inbox by checking and responding to emails. I use boomerang extension on my emails, so they’ll get delivered around 2:30 pm, this way I can respond in a timely manner when a response is needed. Lastly, I create a to-do-list to work from later in the day.
An alarm goes off at 10am for me to head to bed and get some much-needed rest. I’m up by 3 pm to have lunch, complete my to-do-list, answer new emails, and do client work such as following up with vendors, reviewing wedding contracts, working on wedding budgets, creating floor plans, and making purchases.
Days such as these normally end around 5 pm. I also lecture aspiring event planners for a certification course in wedding and event planning, at the local community college, from 6 pm to 9:30 pm. On Tuesday’s and Thursdays, the morning part of my schedule is the same, but the afternoon is spent conducting scheduled consultation appointments via phone, zoom, or Facetime and preparing for upcoming events until about 7 pm.
How did you get started in the industry?
I’ve been in the industry since the age of fifteen, working in my mother’s party rental and supply store in Brooklyn, NY. With deep roots in event planning, I quickly discovered my passion and talent in selecting decor, coordinating menu selections, and creating ambiance based on customers’ needs.
This passion and talent are what led me to open my own wedding planning business eighteen years later and are now the heart of Chic Occasions Events. After a rude awakening, due to lack of business growth, and with a push from my mom, I earned a certificate in Wedding and Event Planning from Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute. Shortly thereafter, I became certified in Fundraising Management.
I attend numerous wedding industry conferences and seminars as well as participate in workshops to help keep me current, educated, and growing.
What inspires you?
I truly believe that inspiration is everywhere and in anything we do. The key is extracting it. Being in this industry we are faced with many opportunities to be inspired – from regular things in everyday life to iconic things like Martha Stewart Weddings, Home and Garden, Grace Ormonde, Marie Forleo, Pinterest, Style Me Pretty, Coordinated Bride, Pottery Barn, IKEA, and many others.
What are your favorite online resources for your business?
I love the blogs on The Planners Lounge, Evolve your Wedding Business, Weddings for a Living, and Every Last Detail.
For resources Sage Wedding Pros, Wedding Business Bosses, A Practical Wedding, Rising Tide Society, and Female Entrepreneur Association. I use HoneyBook® as my CRM and Trello to manage my clients. I store and create documents in Google Drive, store photos in Google Photos, and use Google Voice as my business line.
Aside from wedding and event planning, how do you spend your time?
On off days, I enjoy the simple things like sleeping in late, dining out, catching up on my audiobooks, and listening to music. I try to schedule a monthly massage as my schedule permits. Scheduling vacations is very difficult, but I manage to sneak in a few 3-day trips when I can.
Abeki, thank you so much for taking the time to share your story and a day in your life. If you are an event planner and would like to be featured, download our questionnaire today and email it to us along with a photo. If you aren’t sure about being featured, take a few minutes to read how it can help your business.
A complete set of templates, checklists, and tools for professional wedding planners.
Business
Wedding Planning
Marketing
Day in the Life
Self Development
Friday Favorites
Get the Free Guide: 20 Low-Cost Marketing Ideas for Wedding and Event Planners
Check your inbox for your free marketing guide!
PLANNER’S LOUNGE © 2023 | Website Design by Megan Martin Creative | Terms & Conditions
Comments Off on Day in the Life | Abeki Carter
share this post on