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 Callie Carr of Callie Carr Events today!

Name: Callie Carr

Business Name & Location: Callie Carr Events (Warner Robins, Georgia)

Years Working in the Event Industry: 10 Years

Years Owning Your Event Planning Business: 10 Years

Website: www.calliecarrevents.com

Business Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/calliecarrevents

Instagram: www.instagram.com/calliecarrevents

What is your typical day like?

I am a night owl, so my day normally starts just before lunch. The first work task of the day is checking my emails  and text messages from clients. I work from home and usually spend all breaks with my fur babies. I have two  dogs, a Great Pyrenees named Lil Girl and a Rescue Boxer Mix named Stanley. I also have two lovely cats,  Racksy and Bizzle, that assist me at my desk (with their own personal box to sit and observe – and mostly nap).  My husband and I are both small business owners and work from our home, so our free time is very flexible. I  schedule meetings with clients and vendors in the afternoon when I am not working on timelines and design  layouts. I also own my own travel agency, so the work balance is between events and getting my clients to  their tropical destination.  

How did you get started in the industry?

I have worked in healthcare for over 20 years. I was a Deputy Coroner for Houston County for almost 10 years  and worked for the Medical Examiner of Houston County, assisting with autopsies for over 11 years. It was such  a rewarding career for me, and I still miss it to this day. While working in forensics, I began planning events at my church for the youth and various functions. It was very easy for me, and I loved putting together different  activities. I grew such a liking to it that I thought about getting certified to do it professionally. I thought I would  first start out as more of a hobby and do both careers. I googled different wedding planning programs and  enrolled in Penn Foster College for their Certified Wedding Planner Program. With that program, it gave a free  6-month membership to the Association of Bridal Consultants. I was excited to find a group of people in the  area that I wanted to work in. I contacted the Georgia State Manager at the time and found out the  information for the next meeting. It was so refreshing and educational for me to meet others near me that I  could reach out with any frustrations or questions. It has been 10 years as a member of ABC, and I am now the  acting Georgia State Manager as well as the states of Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina. In the last year  and half, I have been able to dedicate my focus full time to my business. It took me quite a long time to take  the leap to rely on events full time, but with the encouragement of my husband and family, I made the leap  and never looked back. Even though I have been in business for 10 years, it is a bit of a learning curve  transferring from part time to full time as far as structure, but I am getting there.  

What inspires you?

I love bright and vibrant colors. There is nothing like the use of the color wheel to brighten up any event, room in  your house or garden. It automatically gives me good vibes. A close second would be the texture and smell of  flowers. Floral design is a way to create something new in so many ways. A bouquet of flowers on your dining  room table always motivates me to be in a better mood. Shows that include house remodel and design are  some of my favorites to watch. It is so inspiring to see what the creators use in the remodel, that mindset is essential in event planning to create new spaces out of old ones.

What are your favorite online resources for your business?

The Association of Bridal Consultants has so many resources as a Wedding Professional, including education,  webinars, speaker information and membership. The Wedding Summit Series (twice a year) is full of useful  information to help restore/restart/recharge your business. Braden Drake is a Tax Attorney and specializes in the  Wedding Industry. He has invaluable resources for Wedding Professionals to get that area of their business in  order. Sara Does SEO is a super powerful website with so much helpful SEO information to help get your business  found on Google. 

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

Outside of Wedding and Event Planning, my husband and I love to shoot pool. That is how we met and love to  keep that passion alive in our relationship. We shoot on several leagues throughout the week. Aside from  spending time with our friends and family, we absolutely love to travel and see new places. I am Certified  Sandals Specialist and frequent the Caribbean at least twice a year to the fabulous all inclusive resorts. Some  of our favorite places are Jamaica, Grenada, and Antigua. I am originally from Florida and love to go back  and visit my hometown of Fort Walton Beach, to the fluffy sand and sparkling waters. 

Callie, 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.