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Graduate Feature: Jeanette Spencer

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

My name is Jeanette Spencer, and I currently live and work in Central London. I own a company called MJP Events that specializes in event planning and design.

I have been organizing events since 2011 and have developed a huge passion for flowers and weddings.

I come from a corporate background and previously worked as an Insurance Underwriter in London City, but I have always found that something was missing for me. That something was creativity!

I have had a very interesting business journey to say the least. And now, I have found my feet and absolutely love running my wedding planning business. A typical day for me includes generating leads, planning and designing events, attending client meetings, and doing lots of research.

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Why did you decide to become a wedding planner?

In 2010, I was given the opportunity to help design and plan a friend’s wedding, which gave me my first taste of the world of wedding planning. It involved a lot of hard work but I thoroughly enjoyed it. From that point on, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in event planning.

In 2018, after running my wedding business alongside my day job, I decided that I was ready to run my company full-time. So I quit my job and extended my services to include event decor rentals.

Being a wedding planner is very hard work. It is extremely demanding but it’s also a very rewarding profession, and I absolutely love what I do. I really enjoy seeing the look on my clients’ faces when I bring their visions to life.

What’s the story behind your wedding planning business’ name, MJP Events?

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I changed my name to MJP Events in 2015 after being unhappy with my original name. MJP is my mother’s initials. I felt that my name should be something that means something to me personally. When I first started my event planning business my mum helped me a lot so it felt natural to rename my company after her!

Has you been able to catch the attention of more clients because of your additional training?

I decided that if I was going to be taken seriously as an event planner, I would have to take a course in event and wedding planning. This is what prompted me to take QC’s Event Decor course and Event and Wedding Planning Course. I feel that these courses have equipped me to take my business to the next level. Clients can look at my company and feel comfortable knowing that I am a certified wedding planner who knows what I am doing!

Can you describe your event decorating style?

Lucie Mlt Photography

I would describe my event decorating style as classy chic. For me, event design includes everything from atmosphere to food to the guest experience and, of course, the decor. I look for clients who appreciate custom details and are okay with their wedding being even just a little outside the box.

You have your own event decor inventory! Has renting out event décor been a worthwhile investment for your wedding planning business?

I started purchasing decor inventory mainly because weddings can be quite seasonal. The inventory was another means of income during slow season, mainly in the winter months.

Unfortunately, I was involved in an incident earlier this year where my inventory’s storage unit burned down in a fire. I lost everything, so I am slowly rebuilding my stock.

Having my own inventory is great because when I am designing events, using the items I have adds to my bottom line. It is also a great way to build relationships which potential clients as the items generate a lot of inquiries as well as sales.

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Do you have advice for anyone just starting their wedding planning business who want to add event decor rentals right away?

If you can afford to purchase some of your own event decor inventory right away, then you most definitely should. But try to purchase original or unique pieces that are current and trendy. It’s easier to promote these items to brides since they tend to want their weddings to be a little unique.

If not, make an effort to build relationships with vendors that supply the items you may need. You may be able to get a discount if you bring enough business their way!

What was the most difficult part about starting your wedding planning business?

The hardest part about starting my wedding planning business was lead generation as well as understanding and putting into action the principles of marketing. I know a lot of start-up businesses struggle in these areas. It takes a lot of research, hard work, and determination to push through these obstacles.

Lucie Mlt Photography

Also, keep in mind that there is always someone offering similar services for a fraction of the price. I think the best way to get around this is to research your ideal client and offer services and products that will appeal to them. If you prefer working with bigger budgets, you need to be able to show this in your targeted marketing and your wedding planning portfolio. It’s also important to get your wedding planner certification as you are generally taken more seriously when you are.

Why did you decide to attend an online wedding planning school over a physical school to become a wedding planner?

As I began running my event planning company alongside my full-time job, having enough time was always an issue for me. I was not able to attend a physical wedding planning school, so was very happy to be able to study online in my own time. Doing online event planning courses enabled me to juggle my time efficiently and achieve my goals.

What was your proudest moment as a certified wedding planner?

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It’s a very nice feeling to be able to hang both my certificates on my wall for clients to see when we meet for consultations. I think people generally get a sense of ease when they know you are a certified professional.

What do you have in store for your wedding planning business for the future?

I am working on diversifying my event planning portfolio to include a larger range of events including celebrations and corporate events.

Not sure where to find unique pieces for your own inventory? Check out these 5 best places to buy event decor!

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