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 photo to info@plannerslounge.com. We are excited to feature Wisconsin wedding planner Nicole Campos today!

Name: Nicole Campos

Business Name & Location: Bridal Bug Events – Wausau, WI

Years Working in the Event Industry: 10

Years Owning Your Event Planning Business: 3

Website: www.thebridalbug.com

Business Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/thebridalbug

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/thebridalbug

What is your typical day like?

I find that getting into a routine does me so much more justice than anything else. Although that may be hard to do as a wedding planner with so many different tasks to complete, I do my best! I typically get up around 7 a.m. and get my four lovely children, ages 7, 5, 3 & 1 ready for the day. By 8:30 my older two are off to school and the younger two are at daycare, which opens up my hour of workout and showering. By 10:00 am I’m typically in the office and start off with daily devotionals.

Around 10:30 am, I start with emails and any marketing that needs to be done. After all, marketing is just as important as the actual work! This can last for 1 – 3 hours. I usually take my lunch around noon. After lunch, I return phone calls, schedule meetings, and connect with vendors. Then I run errands such as returning rentals, dropping off contracts, and doing tasks related to my clients.

I get home by 4 pm every day, and though I leave my computer at the office, I keep my phone with me to answer any questions or deal with any emergencies. Other than that, it’s time for my children. I shut off from work as much as I can so I can focus on story readings, snuggles, making dinner, folding laundry or playing dress up!

Once a week, I go through every event file I have and make a list of things that need to be done that week. Once a week, I check finances and make sure everything is legally being filed. Once a month, I pay all my business overhead.

How did you get started in the industry?

When I was 14, my first job was serving at a banquet hall. I did this every summer until I turned 18. For my own events, I started planning baby showers. I was only 19 when I started and though I gave myself a business name, it wasn’t a legal business. I did it for fun and rarely charged for profit. At this time, I was going to school for business management. Word of mouth started getting around and soon my referrals to plan showers started to become weddings. By the time I planned my third wedding – my husband finally just looked at me and said you need to make a business plan.

I wrote out my 18-page business plan in a week, then dove right into getting wedding planner certified. I finished the 6-month course through Penn Foster in 6 weeks. I did my first wedding as Bridal Bug in March 2013.

Since Bridal Bug started, I have done 18 weddings and have 13 more booked. I have taught two classes on wedding planning, been published in 5 local magazines, completed The Planner’s Lounge 20 Days to a More Profitable Planning Business Course, and grew my business to profitability.

Where do you find design inspiration?

There’s the ever obvious Pinterest. Allison Howard Events is a huge inspiration for me – I love following her blog. The bible is also a very big inspiration to get through each day with the most grace and ability.

What are your favorite online resources for your business?

Weddings For a Living and Aisle Planner are two of my favorites!

Nicole, 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.