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 Oregon wedding planner Jordan Dull today!

Name: Jordan Dull

Business Name & Location: Totem Weddings and Events, Portland, OR

Years Working in the Event Industry: 5

Years Owning Your Event Planning Business: 3

Website: www.totemweddingsandevents.com

Business Facebook Page: totemweddingsevents

Instagram: @totemweddingsandevents

What is your typical day like?

I start my day around 8 AM. I am by no means a morning person, so even 8 is a stretch for me. But one of the benefits of owning your own business is “starting your day” anytime you want! I eat breakfast and then go for a walk or to the gym. About 10 AM I usually hop on my computer and start responding to emails, doing research, and calling vendors or clients.

My evenings are set aside for client meetings, but generally, I keep 2-3 nights a week open for time with my husband. Having a family life is something that is so necessary for entrepreneurs to keep intact. It’s easy to just work until you go to bed, but by doing that, even if you enjoy your work, you are robbing yourself of true relationships and life. Sacrificing time for those people and things that matter most are what make life enjoyable.

How did you get started in the industry?

I started by planning my own wedding over 5 years ago. I did not want the process to stop! I had wedding depression when it was over. Seriously. So, I searched out an internship with a wedding planning company in San Diego, where we lived at the time. I eventually worked my way up to being one of their coordinators. I learned everything I needed to learn from that company, but wanted to branch off and create the type of weddings that I had been envisioning. I wanted each of my weddings to be different and unique and full of life and creativity! So, Totem was born.

What inspires you?

I find that if I spend too much time on Pinterest, my work falls flat because of comparison and just remaking what I see. I find inspiration from nature, and living in the Pacific Northwest, there is lots of that.

I love blogs, podcasts, and books. I read a lot of autobiographies, many non-wedding related, just to be well rounded. You never know what you can glean from someone else’s story! My favorite book right now is Shoe Dog, the story of Phil Knight (who created Nike!)

What are your favorite online resources for your business?

Planner’s Lounge
Girlboss Podcast
The Skinny Confidential Podcast

Aside from wedding and event planning, how do you spend your time?

I love to explore new cities and places. Whether that’s a weekend of camping or a train ride up to Seattle. Being somewhere new really inspires me. I spend a lot of time with my husband and wheaten terrier, Bronco, and our close friends.

Jordan, 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.