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 Ohio wedding and event planner Emily Berg today!

Name: Emily Berg

Business Name & Location: Emily Berg Weddings; North Canton, OH

Years Working in the Event Industry: 3

Years Owning Your Event Planning Business: I officially became my own business this year (2021)!

Website: emilyjuneberg.com

Business Facebook Page: Emily Berg Weddings

Instagram: @emilybergweddings

What is your typical day like?

During the school year, I work in the mornings from home while both kids (8 and 5) are at school (just one school year left til they’re both there all day!). Much of my time is spent catching up on and creating more content for social media. I also spend time creating resources for engaged couples or those planning other events, like my Engagement Kickoff Resource Pack, Wedding Coordinator In A Box, and currently, a tutorial video and e-book on how to DIY your centerpieces without them looking cheap. No one should have sad centerpieces.

If I’m within two weeks of a wedding, I’m checking in with vendors and clients, finishing up my wedding day timelines and checklists, and making sure the couple and I are on the same page about what they want me to accomplish the weekend of the wedding.

I also teach contemplative anti-racism primer courses, so my work time is pretty evenly divided with that work. Most of this is accomplished with our cockapoo puppy, Lily Waffles, attempting to sleep on my laptop.

How did you get started in the industry?

My husband is a pastor, so I got started by helping out couples whose weddings he was officiating. I was surprised at the number of folks who hadn’t thought through ANY logistics of their day – people legitimately thought they could be the ones to hit play on Spotify on their phones before walking down the aisle. So I jumped in to help with several wedding emergencies.

A friend of mine owns a DJ/entertainment business, and also runs sound for our church. He was doing the sound for one of the weddings I was helping at, and asked me if I’d thought of doing wedding coordination as an actual business, and that if I was interested, he’d like to add me as one of the contractors available for weddings through his company. This was the perfect fit for me – I have zero business background, and things like pricing, payments, and wedding planning contracts were very intimidating to me.

For a few years I booked weddings through him, or couples my husband was officiating for, or whose premarital mentoring we were facilitating. Last year brought a lot of changes for our family (as it did for so many!), and my husband began a new job that involved a reduction in pay. This was just the kick in the pants I needed to really launch my own wedding planning business.

Still intimidated by the business side of things, I took Nicole Walters’ 1K1Day course, which was EXACTLY what I needed! It covered all the financial and legal basics, along with teaching me to build my own website and create products to make my clients’ lives easier. It was such a gift. Right now I still contract value-priced packages through the entertainment business, including its new franchise in Orlando, but have booked a couple of events for this year myself which is so exciting!

What inspires you?

Nature; I love when couples choose seasonal elements for their celebration – in-season flowers, natural settings, the colors nature puts on during that season.

My family: I’m so thankful to have a flexible schedule, and to have been my kids’ primary caregiver – even if it sometimes makes the lines between work and home a little blurry.

Old movies: If Audrey Hepburn wouldn’t have worn/done/chosen it, we probably shouldn’t either!

What are your favorite online resources for your business?

Planners Who Profit – Instagram
Nicole Walters – entrepreneurship + business training
Honeybook – for contracts and payment and keeping me organized

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

Being outside (especially gardening!), reading, drinking tea, traveling. Preferably simultaneously.

Emily, 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.