My Week as a Wedding Planner

Have you ever wondered what a week in the life of a Wedding Planner looks like?

Spoiler alert: It’s never the same, and not as glamorous as J-Lo makes it seem. BUT it’s very rewarding and full of unique love stories, excitement and a lot of dedication! Here’s a little peek at what goes into making wedding magic happen- My Week as a Wedding Planner in Texas.

Brandi Swanson | Owner and Lead Planner + Designer at Next Chapter Weddings, based in HTX

Monday: Catching up on emails, finalizing timelines, and touching base with vendors to make sure everything is running smoothly. Organization is key! Honestly, I do this more than I do anything else in my business. Emails and vendor communication take up least 50-60% of my work hours. I do enjoy the process though! Especially, since I purchased my pink iMac. It makes my life run so much more efficient.

I'd much rather email than make a fun call! What about you?

Tuesday: Education + Learning. Always growing! Coordinating with my team, brainstorming new ideas, and prepping for upcoming weddings. Next year (2025), will be my third year to serve on the Association of Wedding Planners Board of Directors. This group is phenomenal. It consists of top notch Wedding Planners throughout the Greater Houston Area that all believe in community over competition. The association also focus on providing training to its members, in addition to great networking. You will find me attending AWP Meetings every month. You can also find me listening to hours of educational podcasts and webinars.

"Next year (2025) will be my third year to serve on the Association of Wedding Planners Board of Directors."

I was asked to speak on the panel to discuss Styled Shoots and why they are important in the wedding industry.

Wednesday: Venue walk-throughs and design meetings—bringing the couple's dream to life, one detail at a time. When new venues pop up or I book a client that is getting married at a venue I have never worked at, I always try to schedule a venue walk-through. Knowing the layout and logistics of a venue prior to wedding day makes everything flow seamlessly. As Next Chapter Wedding's Lead Planner + Designer, I get the honor of designing for all of my planning clients. This includes floorplans, moodboards, mockups, color-matching, video calls, warehouse visits and more. Designing a wedding is not for the weak! (It's also my favorite part!)

We love in-person meetings, but nothing replaces the flexibility of virtual calls!

Thursday: Marketing to get our company name out to Brides and Grooms. Final check-ins with this weekend’s couple, packing my emergency kit (you name it, I’ve got it!), and making sure every little detail is in place. Marketings has so many faces. This could look like planning and executing a styled shoot, creating Instagram Reels, sending emails, participating in Bridal Shows, etc. Without marketing, couples would not know that Next Chapter Weddings exist, so we have to put the effort in each and every week to get our name out there.

My favorite way to market is to make Instagram reels!

Friday/Saturday: Wedding day magic! From rehearsal and setting up décor to keeping the schedule on track, we're in full coordination mode making sure everything is flawless. I usually only take meetings the first half of Friday as Friday evenings usually included wedding rehearsals. Some couples opt to have Friday weddings, so if that's the case, we are at a wedding, of course. And if there is no rehearsal or wedding, I try to recharge and catch my breath before Saturday. Most Saturdays are wedding days. Now that our Next Chapter Weddings team is growing, I personally may have less Saturdays booked. In a way this is sad- I LOVE wedding day! However, allowing time to recharge and grow the company only benefits everyone involved (myself, my family, my team and my clients).

"However, allowing time to recharge and grow the company only benefits everyone involved (myself, my family, my team and my clients).

I miss that coat... this photo was take years ago. I still get excited for my lovely Bride!

Sunday: A little R&R with my #1 favs. This is a non-negotiable this year. I no longer take meetings on Sundays. Wedding days are so hard on me physically, I NEED the recovery time. And more importantly, my kiddos need me to be present. I am so honored to have a job that I absolutely love, and I have the most amazing clients, but Sundays are simply my favorite. You can't beat the snuggles and laughter from an 8, 6 and 3 year old. (Oh and the cuddles from my labradoodle, Jazzy, too!!)

This is my crew. The Swanson Family. Donovan, Brandi (me), Eliana, Wyatt and Zara.

Being a Wedding Planner is unpredictable, challenging, and SO rewarding. I wouldn’t trade it for the world! What part of this week surprises you most? Let me know in the comments!

Photographer Credits:

Senae Photography (first and third photos)

ClearShutter (second and forth photos)

Rivers Light Photography (last photo)

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Offices in Houston and San Antonio. (But we travel too!)

Written by: Brandi Swanson | Owner + Lead Planner of Next Chapter Weddings