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 Ontario wedding planner Jennifer Troietto today!

Name: Jennifer Troietto

Business Name & Location: The Wedding Pixie | Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada

Years Working in the Event Industry: 5 years 

Years Owning Your Event Planning Business: 5 years 

Website: theweddingpixie.ca

Business Facebook Page: The Wedding Pixie

Instagram: @theweddingpixie

What is your typical day like?

My business is my full-time gig and while everyday looks different, I always start my day with 2 essentials: journaling and a short meditation. Regardless of what the day ahead looks like, these 2 practices are a must. They allow me to ease into the day and give me the opportunity to focus and get motivated.  

I work from home and find I’m the most productive in the morning hours. This is when I tackle the important items on my to-do list; a list all wedding planners can relate to: checking messages, responding to emails, following up with vendors, invoicing clients, creating wedding day timelines, and preparing for upcoming meetings and client consultations.  

Having office time in the morning works pretty well considering when I do have meetings to attend, afternoon and evenings are typically when they happen as this is the most convenient time for my couples and vendors.   

How did you get started in the industry?

My passion for celebrating love and all things weddings started in childhood. When I was 7 years old, I volunteered to sing in the choir for my 2nd-grade teacher’s wedding. Every detail from the beautiful blooms to the fairy-tale dress left me with googly-eyes and as she walked down the aisle. My love for love, romance, and weddings was sparked. 

I became a Certified Wedding Planner through the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada (WPIC). Without a doubt, it remains one of the best decisions I have made in my life. After successfully completing the course, I took numerous day-of assistant positions with established planners to gain as much experience as I possibly could. I found these positions primarily through job postings on the Alumni Boards, which is the online community provided by WPIC for graduates.

I also reached out by email to experienced event planners in my area and simply asked if they were looking for a wedding day assistant for any of their upcoming weddings. A few years later, in 2014, I launched my own wedding planning business, The Wedding Pixie. My plan at the time was to use my new business as a creative outlet.  I thought if I had a creative outlet to balance my analytical corporate job, all would be well. And for a few months, that plan was working.  

What I hadn’t expected though was just how much I would enjoy the industry, engaging with couples and planning weddings. I soon started to dream of seeing my business grow and become a full-time planner. 

In May 2015, my dream turned into reality when I found the courage to take the biggest (and scariest) leap of my life by handing in my letter of resignation at my day job to pursue my wedding business full-time. 

I remember feeling like I was jumping out of an airplane and unsure if the parachute would open. You know what though? The parachute opened and even with a few bumps and hiccups along the way, I landed on my feet and I am now living my best life doing what I love!  

What inspires you?

I tend to get the biggest surge of inspiration after a run at the beach. Being close to the water and enjoying nature while having a clear mind from my run has proven time and time again to be a great combo for me to gain new perspectives and fresh ideas.  

I’m an avid reader of Elegant Wedding Magazine and always find time to watch Disney’s Fairytale Weddings.  

I also find it inspiring to listen to other business owners in the industry share their stories/journey, whether it’s through a networking opportunity or attending a wedding workshop or conference in my area.   

What are your favorite online resources for your business?

My go-to business resources include The Wedding Honey Podcast, The Wedpreneur, Rising Tide, and of course, Planner’s Lounge. I have also been recently introduced to Facebook Creator Studio which is helping me create and more importantly, regularly schedule my Instagram posts. Maintaining a strong presence on social media during the wedding season has been an area I have struggled to keep up with. 

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

When I’m not working and thinking all things wedding, you’ll find me at the beach running (but never in the winter because Canadian winters are just too darn cold), singing off-key to my favorite artists in concert, and hanging out with friends and family, especially my flat-out awesome and scrumptiously cute nephew.

I la-la-love reading Gabrielle Bernstein books, people with positive vibes, anything and everything Disney, red wine, sticky notes, mint tea, the cozy scent of vanilla, and binge watching Friends despite having seen every episode a hundred times. Why you may ask? Because a good laugh is simply the best! 

Jennifer, 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.