Everybody knows that Florida is a place that brides flock to for their weddings. If you’re an aspiring wedding and event planner - who wants to get certified to take your business to another level - Ana Cruz is just the person you need to talk to! She’ll be teaching an upcoming certified wedding- and event-planner course at Miami Dade College, North Campus, Miami-Dade County.

Ana has had her own business, Ana Cruz Event Planning, for going on 11 years. Certification is an important part of a career in wedding planning, she says, and “aspiring wedding and event planners today have so many wonderful tools to get started in the business.” Students should know that this business “is a lot of hard work. While many consider a party just ‘fluff,’ people hire a planner because they want to mark a milestone in their lives, help their business to be successful, or raise money for a worthy cause. All these things are very important and should always be treated at such.”

Ana didn’t plan on being an event planner. “I initially wanted to be a teacher,” she says. “Right out of high school I got a job at a bank, where I took on positions that involved such event-planning tasks as the company picnic, holiday party, etc. I really loved that part of my job and realized it came very natural to me. By the time I received my teaching degree I was sure I wanted to be an event planner. I was promoted to marketing manager and loved my job but a restructuring caused my job to move to New York, and I had too many ties in Miami to take the leap. In 1999 I took a position planning events for the American Diabetes Association and was very qualified thanks to having been a volunteer for the March of Dimes for almost 10 years, in which I helped with fundraising events. While my background was in corporate planning and later in not-for-profit event planning, I did plan a few weddings along the way for friends and relatives. In 2001 I started my own business, giving myself a year to either make it or go back to corporate America. I have never looked back!”

One of Ana’s weddings was featured on the Style Network in 2005, changing her client base. Suddenly more brides were coming to her asking for an amazing event like the one they saw on TV. While Ana plans all types of events, 70 percent of her clients are now bridal. She was also featured on the Style Network’s hit show “Whose Wedding is it Anyway” from 2005 until 2010, and she has also been featured on the network’s destination-wedding show, “Married Anyway.”

When it comes to planning, Ana’s favorite part of the job is “being able to be a big part of a milestone in someone’s life. It is a gift to be able to create an amazing memory for a client. With my corporate and charity events, it is very rewarding to create a vehicle to help my clients showcase their business or make money.” And the toughest part? “Balancing work and family. This is not the type of career where you can take a sick day. You have one shot to do it and do it right. My husband and two young boys, ages 8 and 11, are supportive and proud of what I do. There is a quote I once saw posted in the Florida Panthers’ locker room that said, ‘The will to win is easy, the will to prepare is difficult.’ Everyone wants to have an amazing event, but not everyone can or wants to put in the effort to make it happen. Luckily for people that hire a great planner, they do not have to.”

Ana Cruz Events / Facebook / Twitter
Certified Wedding and Event Planner Course
Miami-Dade College - North Campus
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Register for the class

Good news for Floridians! An LWPI certified wedding- and event-planner course is starting soon at State College of Florida in Sarasota, Fla., Sarasota County. The fall instructor will be Anna Pohl, who says her students can look forward to several field trips and some great speakers.

Anna Pohl is a certified wedding consultant with an MBA and BFA in fine arts. She says her background in business, paired with her creative side, are invaluable in navigating clients through the world of event planning. One of her strengths, she says, is figuring out what wedding style is best for each client: traditional, beach, modern, elegant, vintage, green or ethnic. She also tends to go with the creative flow and her events and weddings often counter what’s considered the norm.

She says her favorite thing about wedding planning is that “being a planner is truly knowing that I have helped couples and families to celebrate a very important occasion in their lives, their wedding.” And the toughest part? “Probably staying completely organized at all times. No slacking off for a wedding planner!” she says.

She is the owner of Day Planners (of Sarasota, Bradenton and St. Petersburg, Florida), and even before starting her own business she was an award-winning director of catering and events at Mattison’s in Southwest Florida. When she began her career she focused on event planning in the biotech industry, working on international meetings. Among her other awards and recognitions are: People’s Choice Award - Best Planner; the Herald Biz Bash Flash Award - Top 20 Event Planners in Florida Under the Age of 40; and the Gulf Coast Business Review’s 40 Under 40 Award. Anna events have been written up in several publications, including Kiplinger’s, The Knot, Sarasota Magazine, SRQ Magazine, Scene Magazine, Biz Bash Flash, Taste Magazine, Nuovo and several local newspapers. She was also recently interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, along with Preston Bailey, about wedding planning.

She wants her students to “never forget that you should do your very best to make your wedding clients as happy as possible. You should always strive for perfection and give the utmost care to your clients, their families and their friends. You shouldn’t be doing this profession if you don’t truly mean to do all that you can for those getting married. Go above and beyond, and then your clients will be thrilled and you will be blessed.”

To learn more about Anna, check out her Website and Facebook page. To register for her class, visit the LWPI Website.

Certified Wedding and Event Planner Course
State College of Florida
7131 Professional Parkway East
Sarasota, Florida 34240, United States
Sarasota County, Florida
9/22/2011 to 12/2/2011
Thursdays from 6 to 10 p.m.
Register for the class

Do you live in the Austin, Texas, area? If so, and you’re interested in becoming a certified wedding and event planner, you should check out Michelle Bromley’s class with Lovegevity’s Wedding Planning Institute at Austin Community College in Travis County. We recently sat down with Michelle to find out more about her, her class, and her teaching style.

How did you get involved in wedding and event planning? I started working in the event industry 15 years ago at a bed and breakfast overlooking majestic Lake Travis in Austin, Texas. During my five years there we turned the B&B into a wedding venue where groups could take the place over for the whole weekend. Not only did I sell the space, but I also became the day-of coordinator for the events. You can say I got my experience through trial by fire.

What is your work/education/experience background? When the nearby, nationally renowned restaurant The OASIS decided to construct an event venue as well I was asked to help the owner of the B&B develop the wedding program. I learned a lot from that process. Since then I have worked for catering companies, a charter cruise ship on Lake Travis, and with various planners. It was about five years ago that I realized planning the whole shebang from beginning to end is my strong suit. I have a Psychology Major and Business Administration background from Texas A&M, Austin Community College and Southwest Texas State University. One of the reasons I think I am so effective as an event planner is my education in psychology.

Do you own your own business? I worked as an independent contractor most of those 15 years with the dream that I would eventually own my own business. I was fortunate enough to be able to take over Allison’s Events as the owner last July. The previous owner is a dear friend of mine, and she made it really easy for me to take her reins. Since then I submitted a press release about the takeover, changing my name to Allison’s Events by Michelle, and am now in my second phase of rebranding to eventually become Here to Help! Stay tuned for a press release about that and my new website, www.heretohelpbrides.com.

What is your favorite part of being a planner? Design and Decor. I call it the calm before the storm when I get to bring a wedding vision to life. It is so quiet when I am setting up a room, and then it is very gratifying to me when all the guests and my clients see the room for the first time. It is a very dramatic, impactful moment.

What is the toughest part? Dealing with the psychological dynamics between family members.

What is your favorite part of the class? The projects and the design boards. I enjoy the classroom interaction and turn the online projects into class projects. It is interesting to see how far the students come from their first project to their fourth in both compilation and delivery.

What do you think is the most important lesson for your students? This is not the glamorous career that it seems on the surface. It is very hard, stressful work. An event planner takes on all of the stress that comes with planning any event so having a firm grasp on all the details, big and small, is extremely important. A wedding is one of the most emotionally charged days in someone’s life, and we in the event industry are right in the middle of it. You have one day to make it memorable (good or bad), so make sure you address everything that could come up in the planning stages. If something unexpected does pop up, deal with it with calmness and professionalism.

How has teaching for LWPI rewarded you? I recently hired one of my previous students, who is now certified as an Associate Coordinator. She has hit the ground running and is doing fabulously. I get about three or four inquiries a week asking if I need interns. I have made the decision to only utilize those who have taken classes and gotten some form of certification as interns. I also work with venues and have other event industry professionals asking me for intern referrals. Taking this class and getting certified really can help you get a job in the industry.

What trends do you see growing popular in 2011? Peacocks! Also, metallic colors: gold, silver, bronze and copper.

To learn more about Michelle, visit her website or Facebook page. And if you’re interested in becoming a certified wedding and event planner through LWPI, take a tour of the course or register for a class in your area today.

Wedding and Event Planning Certification
Austin Community College
Highland Business Center Campus
Austin, Texas / Travis County, Texas
September 13 through November 15, 2011
Register for the class online

Amanda Allen started planning weddings in San Diego in 2003. Armed with a degree in studio art and psychology, Amanda was inspired by her florist mother to help brides have stunningly beautiful weddings. MMD Events Inc. was created five years ago upon moving to Florida, when Amanda and her husband, Matt, realized that with their powers combined they could work together to create a one-stop shop for brides in need of a comprehensive design for their wedding day. MMD Events offers full floral and décor services in addition to event design. MMD’s motto “more is more” has created a design aesthetic that attracts fashion-conscious brides who keep their schedule full throughout the year. Weddings are their main focus, however, MMD has proudly worked on a number of prestigious projects throughout the Tampa Bay area including the premier party for the Discovery Channel Show Pitchmen with Billy Mays.

Amanda says she believes that teaching should be a part of everyday life whether it is teaching her staff, educating clients, addressing her peers at a luncheon, teaching for LWPI or giving seminars at bridal showcases. She says that “if you are not learning than you will fail to adapt and if you fail to adapt you will fail.” This will be her fourth semester teaching for LWPI at St. Petersburg College in Largo, Florida. To learn more about the course or to register for Amanda’s class, which starts July 12, visit the LWPI website. You can also take a tour or contact the LWPI staff for more information.

St Petersburg College Wedding & Event Planning Classroom Course
Tuesdays & Thursdays
6 p.m. until 10 p.m.
13805 58th St N
Largo, Florida 33760
United States

Today’s Instructor Spotlight highlights Jennie Streitberger, who will be teaching a wedding and event planning certification course at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, in Clark County starting Tuesday, April 19. For more information or to register for the class, visit the class calendar and registration page.

Jennie, who is also a graduate of Lovegevity’s Wedding Planning Institute, says of her upcoming class, “Along with the coursework we will also be taking some great field trips to a wedding venue, rental company, bridal boutique and have many great guest speakers (lined up).” And all of that is what you can expect from a course at LWPI.

We asked Jennie why she chose to study with LWPI. She says, “Students should select this course because it is multidimensional. You can do the coursework online, but having the classroom experience is great because you get to learn from an experienced professional. (Students) will also get to meet other wedding and event professionals through guest speakers and field trips, which is a great way to meet and network with vendors in the area. I would suggest this program to anyone looking to enter the wedding and event industry. It is a great way to get started in a fantastic and fun career!”

It’s always interesting to find out how LWPI instructors get started in the wedding business. Jennie was working at a hotel in San Diego that planned many weddings and events throughout the year. That sparked her interest in the field of wedding and event planning. She decided to take an event-management program and then choose LWPI for more hands-on experience in designing weddings and other events.

Jennie is a graduate of the University of San Diego, and upon graduation she moved to Portland, Ore., to work for a large event venue. She has also worked in the hotel industry and has experience planning large polo events. She is a certified wedding planner through several area associations and has planned more than 200 weddings and many corporate and social private events. She currently owns Magnifique Boutique and Magnifique Events, which are a retail bridal boutique and event-planning company.

The wedding and event-planning industry is a great one to be in. Jenny says that for her, it’s all about working with great people and being creative. “When you get a client that really lets you be creative,” she says, “you can find new ways to personalize the wedding or event and exceed their expectations.” What is the toughest part of the business to Jennie? “The hardest part is making sure you communicate and are on the same page as the client.”

Jennie has a lot of experience to share with her upcoming students at Clark College. If there is one piece of advice she’d give them it’s “to stick with it and that taking a class like this will definitely help you get your foot in the door.” Plus, she says, “it’s important to continue learning throughout your career. That is what will set you apart from other planners out there.” And, she promises, “Your hard work will pay off in the long run!”

Clark College
Course Information
Class Registration
1933 Fort Vancouver Way
Vancouver, Washington 98663
Clark County, Washington, USA

Today’s Instructor Spotlight highlights Amy Hamilton, who will be teaching a certified wedding and event coordinator course at Northern Essex Community College in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in Essex County, starting May 10, 2011. For more information or to register for the class, visit the class calendar. Amy says:

“All of my life I have been the person that friends and family turned to take charge of planning parties and events. About 15 year ago I realized that event planning was an actual job, and I have been working in this industry ever since.” She has a B.S. in Communications, with a specialization in Graphic Design, from Fitchburg State University in Fitchburg, Mass. She also has an M.S. in Communications Management from Simmons College in Boston.

“The event planning positions I have worked in include: Jillian’s, Dave & Buster’s, a hotel in Boston, and a non-profit organization in Boston,” Amy says. “I started my own business after I was laid off due to the economy. Presently I operate my business on a part-time basis.” What is her favorite part of the wedding- and event-planning business? “I most like being able to see a couple share their dream with their family on their wedding day. I am so honored to be able to be a part of my clients’ wedding day, and I love seeing them interact with family and friends.”

As for working as an instructor for LWPI, Amy says, “I love being able to share my passion with people just getting started in the industry.” She wants to make sure her students know they should “be yourself, have fun, be super-organized, work with great vendors, and learn to take charge without being pushy.”

Amy is the founder of AE&A and has more than 15 years of experience in the events industry in New England. She is a super-organized, creative visionary with a lifelong passion for event planning. She is also the ultimate bargain hunter and do-it-yourself-er. AE&A combines all of these elements to make the luxury of a personal event planner more affordable. Amy works with each client to fully understand the purpose of the event and the experience that they would like to create for their guests or attendees, and then dedicates herself to making it a reality. You can find out more about Amy at www.amyelizabethevents.com, on Facebook and on Twitter at amybethevents.

Northern Essex Community College
Course Registration
Essex County
The Riverwalk
360 Merrimack Street
Building 9, Entry K
Lawrence, Massachusetts 01843
United States

Today’s Instructor Spotlight highlights Kim Brown, who will be teaching a certified wedding and event coordinator course at Delaware Technical and Community College, starting March 28, 2011. For more information or to register for the class, visit the class calendar.

Kim Brown created the concept for Xclusively Your Events in 2008. XYE is a premiere wedding and event company based in Salem, New Jersey. Kim has coordinated and designed numerous weddings, bridal and baby showers utilizing a variety of creative ideas, current trends, and styles while adding traditional and cultural forms unique to her client’s lineage.

Kim is originally from Delaware and has lived in Salem, New Jersey, for more than 25 years. She attended the University of Delaware, where she majored in chemistry. She has been employed in the field of customer service for more than 20 years. She began her event-planning experience while working for the corporations in which she was employed. She decided to open her own wedding- and event-planning business after planning weddings for her son, daughter and niece. With the encouragement of her family, and her belief that her customers would benefit from a trained and certified planner, Kim received the Professional Wedding Planner (PWP) designation at Lovegevity’s Wedding Planning Institute’s certified wedding planning class held at Delaware Technical and Community College in 2009.

Kim has also been a contributor to The Women of Salem County magazine, providing articles that pertain to successful event planning. When not planning events, Kim enjoys reading and spending time with her family. She is also researching and planning to start a wedding-planning magazine for Salem County brides. You can learn more about Xclusively Your Events on the company website and Facebook page.

Today’s Instructor Spotlight highlights Desiree Moore Dent, who will be teaching a certified wedding and event coordinator course at Elgin Community College, starting this week, and a Preston Bailey Wedding & Event Design Certification course, also at Elgin, starting Feb. 22. For more information or to register for the class, visit the class calendar.

Desireé Moore Dent established Dejanae Events in April 2000. She has since coordinated numerous weddings, employing her knowledge and research to assist couples with their special day while maintaining their specialized budget.

Desireé obtained her B.A. in Communications and English from DePaul University in 1995. Since working for a large accredited university and mid-sized law firm in downtown Chicago, Desireé has coordinated dozens of client events and assisted with sizeable client functions both in and out of state. She received her certification in Bridal Consulting & Event Planning in 2003 from the Professional Career Development Institute and from The Wedding Planning Institute in 2007, and is an active member of the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC).

Additionally, Desireé is the Instructor of Elgin Community College’s Wedding Planning Certification Program and Preston Bailey’s Signature Event Design course hosted in conjunction with The Wedding Planning Institute, a division of Lovegevity Inc. She is recognized as a “wedding industry professional” and “academic leader” in the latest textbook edition of Professional Wedding Planning - How To Start A Wedding Planning Business used in the Certification course. She has been a guest speaker at Kendall College (November, 2005); Harold Washington College (September, 2006); and Washburn Culinary Institute (November 2006; March 2007) addressing the wedding and event planning business. And on May 8, 2009, Desireé appeared on Lifetime Channels newest wedding show called Get Married. She was one of the experts offering advice to couples planning a wedding on a budget. Her first appearance was in December 2007.

And now Desireé’s greatest achievement is authoring WEDology Notebook: For The Budget-Chic Bride, which was released Jan. 30, 2011.

Today LWPI talks with Carol Crist, who will be teaching an upcoming corporate event-planning class at the University of New Mexico. Crist is on staff at Madeleine’s Place Event Center in Corrales, NM, where she does wedding and event planning. For more information and to register, visit the LWPI website today.

How did you get involved in wedding and event planning? I believe they are decidedly different so…. I started in the event business by accepting a job as a catering secretary at a small Holiday Inn in Alexandria, Va., many years ago. (1973) When my boss became very ill I was asked to take over and run the catering department. I was very shy at that point in my life, and I was suddenly thrust into a very different setting by having to deal with clients and staff to create successful events. It really had a very positive impact on my personality.

What is your work/education/experience background? I have worked as a secretary in a variety of positions, and eventually landed an executive-secretarial position for Yokohama Tires Corporate in US (California), working for the Marketing Director. I was promoted to marketing coordinator and planned all the national and local sales meetings and trade shows; directed the national sales program with an inventory of $500K of goods; and managed their national signage program for new dealers and the co-op advertising program. I left Yokohama to work for a new Hilton hotel in Whittier, Calif., as the executive secretary to the owner and manager. This provided me experience in a start-up operation, which has proved invaluable. I left the hotel business in 1988 to work for Southern California Edison. Again, my secretarial background and hotel background led to my being the event coordinator to the CIO in our department of 1600 personnel. Additionally, I learned project management and headed up a very large two-year IT project involving the entire 13,000 employees. I retired from SCE in 2005 and moved to New Mexico.

Do you own your own business? No, I do not own Madeleine’s Place Event Center. I was asked by the owner to come out of retirement and help her start this business about three years ago. It works quite well because I can see the fruits of my labor in our recognition across the city.

What is your favorite part of being a planner? Working with the client to create their vision and keep it within their budget.

What is the toughest part? Dealing with dissatisfaction after you’ve done the best that you can.

What do you think is the most important lesson for your students? To always have a backup plan for your clients.

What trends do you see growing popular in 2011? Head tables are out; sweetheart tables are in; colors are brighter; and smaller, boutique-style weddings and receptions are growing more popular.

Mrs. Randi Moore, also known as the Wedding Planning Diva, is one of the industry’s most experienced wedding planners and a designer who strives to create organized, elegant and astonishing weddings. With her team of wedding and design experts she has been responsible for detailed wedding planning and creative consultation and design to many families throughout the country since 2006.

“I love ‘I DO’! With the wedding day on the horizon to share with your soon-to-be spouse, family and friends, we make sure to make it count and make it last. We assist and ensure brides and brooms have a day full of memories. We make memories last forever, we make guests say ‘wow’ with our designs, and we make love ever-more lasting!” says Moore, of RSVP Special Events & Design.

Coupling her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public policy and relations and extensive experience in the wedding industry, Moore has been honored and respected for her passion and commitment to the wedding industry. Because of her dedication and commitment to innovative wedding planning and design, Moore has been on-air talent for We TV’s nationally syndicated television show Get Married. Moore has also been invited to be a part of Grace Ormonde’s Platinum List, which is an upscale wedding magazine dedicated to the Platinum Weddings of our time. With her many accomplishments, including becoming a featured planner, designer and member for Get Married magazine and Grace Ormonde’s Wedding Style magazine, and also becoming a certified floral designer, clients can count on Moore to make each and every wedding new and fresh.

RSVP Special Events & Design is a full-service wedding-planning, design and floral agency dedicated to creating unique and elegant weddings. Creating a grand, exceptional and astonishing wedding is RSVP’s dedication to each and every couple on their wedding day.

Moore’s LWPI class will begin January 11. For more information or to register for her course, visit the registration page today!