Elopement wedding planner

B2B Wedding and Event Consultant #theweddingowlWith over 16 years experience in the Wedding & Events Business, since 2015 I've been supporting and coaching wedding business owners/ directors to improve sales and to look for up-sales opportunities, deliver specific wedding projects to improve their clients wedding experience so ensuring their long term chance of success, within a highly competitive market.I have worked with a number of clients including Turner Contemporary Art Gallery, The Old Kent Barn Wedding Venue, Hayne House and Chapel House Estate in Minster on wedding and event strategy, planning, problem-solving, project management and launching a new wedding business, whilst running my own wedding business @e-Lope. I help clients develop business skills and knowledge. I give advice, train and develop staff to get results.I LOVE wedding research, brainstorming with clients to produce practical results and enhance strategic thinking which brings value to business owners.I support wedding clients with Marketing, Press and Publicity, often as a ghost writer.I love part-time, or contract based work. Skills- Developing and implementing venue sales strategies to ensure market penetration- Successful track record in building new business- Trend and style spotter- Trainer and developer of staff- organised and enthusiastic with a strong supplier network.Experience in brief- Worked in and at Historic Venues (English Heritage) delivering Weddings & Events- Set up and opened on time and to budget a a 4-star Hotel- Worked within a 5-star Best in Kent Wedding Venuewww.theweddingowl.com

Engaging couples through social media, writing blogs and editorials, subscribing to key accounts such as Hitched, conducting show-arounds and delivering wedding and events.

This was a contracted role primarily focusing on selling the multi-award winning venue for weddings, private hire and secondary to bring the catering in-house, which culminated in achieving a five-star food hygiene rating. Daily this involved: - Helping the Partners to focus on sales through marketing and PR- Re-writing scripts for email and show arounds to increase sales- Ensuring prospects were courted- Ensuring booked clients felt the 'love' during the planning process- Improving the filing and type of information held on each client- Processing invoices in a timely manner- Gathering accurate event information and ensure that event setups are accurate for all events and that information is efficiently communicated to staff- Supplying the highest possible levels of customer care and service - Responding to Trip Advisor to maximise all reviews - Producing statistical information- Establishing relationships with vendors, suppliers, etc to improve the quality of our Wedding Shows and Open Afternoons- Working with freelance photographers on styling shoots and then putting out to the press- - Working with the Partners to ensure at all times a safe environment for clients, suppliers and staff alikeProject-based:Working closely with the Parters and Chef to:- Purchase in all of the necessary equipment to set up a new kitchen- Source and purchase all silverware (cutlery etc) and crockery to meet the brand and clients expectations- Ensure that all the booked clients attended food tastings (to try the new menu), collating feedback and sharing the information in such a way to help shape the reprint of the menu (Customer Survey) - Devise systems and processes to ensure the smooth running and delivery of an event - to ensure a 5-star service from the event sheet through to calling and food service-follow up on any food complaints or feedback organising private food tastings if necessary

During my Contract, I was responsible for the effective and efficient management of Turner Contemporary’s trading company. The commercial functions included the launching of the sales and delivery of weddings and events, managing and leading the day-to-day operations of the shop (staff, products and service levels); the external catering contractor: to deliver excellent food ensuring local and seasonal relevance, ensuring maximum availability at peak times from the cafe but also providing excellent food for the venue hire.Weddings and eventsI devised a new venue hire strategy with the aim to deliver, through the Events Manager excellent Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE). We aimed to achieve this by listening and working closely with clients and party planners to ensure all events from set-up to breakdown are delivered on time and to budget with excellent service throughout. I successfully managed this portfolio to help ensure that the art gallery has a more sustainable future.

Responsible for the launch and subsequent selling of the four star Port Lympne Mansion Hotel within the Port Lympne Wild Animal Reserve for exclusive use, private parties and weddings. Also responsible for selling Animal Experiences such as 'Keeper for the Day'.

Reporting to the Visitor Operations Director, I was accountable for the delivery and expert co-ordination of major maintenance, conservation and capital development projects. I co-ordinated the business planning to drive commercial performance and achieve exemplary standards of visual presentation and visitor satisfaction at some of the countries most popular historic attractions such as Dover Castle, Walmer, Osborne House, Caririsbrooke Castle and Battle Abbey

Reporting to the Commercial Director I was responsible for driving sales and securing profit across 4 shops, 2 in London (Fulham Road Head Office and Marylebone High Street, Edinburgh and the Factory Outlet in Stoke on Trent); delivering a strong brand through exemplary merchandising to reflect the strong family values; forecast and plan to ensure demand was met at critical times.

Reporting to the Commercial Director, plan and manage the revenue and cost budgets; propose innovative, practical and effective ways of growing the business, manage all retail staff-related issues, encompassing recruitment, training and motivation with 5 direct reports.

Reporting to the Marketing and Trading Director to lead the retail division of the Museums trading operations encompassing: admission points and shops at Lambeth Road, Cabinet War Rooms, HMS Belfast, RAF Duxford and the Mail Order business to achieve sales and profit Margins.

Responsible for all aspects of sales and customer service while maintaining a focus on team building and development. Additionally responsible for helping the buyer in planning promotions, merchandising and display.

Responsible for the selection, ordering and maintaining of stock to compliment and support the exhibition program whilst building up a client base whilst managing the mail order business and selling from the exhibitions .

Maintaining computerized stock systems to enable best ordering to avoid stock outs and over stocks.Following my promotion managing the sales floor to achieve maximum income whilst maintaining high standards of merchandising

Working for the Shopfitting Division I was responsible to the Chief Buyer for the purchase of all items for retail fit out projects within retailers such as Harrods