Phew! The last few weeks have been a crazy whirlwind. But I couldn't let June pass by without telling you all about my trip to LVL Academy earlier this month. I had the absolute pleasure of spending 3 full days with the LVL team and more than 25 planners from around the world in Santa Ana, California. I continue to be floored by the amount of education I walked away with. If you're an experienced planner, aspiring planner or anywhere in between, you will come away with more knowledge than you can imagine!
Where do I even start? Well the brains behind LVL Academy are Lindsay & Heather, who also run the team at LVL Weddings & Events. If you had the opportunity to watch our webinar with them you already know this, but the amount of wedding and event knowledge the two of them have is incredible. When I tell you just being in the same room with them is inspiring, I'm not kidding.
Heather & Lindsay | LVL Academy Attendees
On day one we immediately hit the ground running and tackled everything a planner needs to know about process & planning. And I mean everything. Look at that topic list!
Day 1 Recap
- Definitions and Services
- What is Your Why
- People, then Planning
- Being a Pro
- Your Ideal Client
- How to Book Weddings | Sales
- Client Books, What’s Next? Welcome Email, Managing Expectations
- Creating and Managing a Wedding Budget
- Leveraging Aisle Planner to Streamline Your Business
- The 411 on Catering
- Vendor Referral Process
- How to Create a Timeline
- Photo and Video Panel with Brandon Kidd Photography and Hoo Films
Tayler from Aisle Planner | Meghan Learning to Sketch
Day two was all about the Design & Details. I even had the opportunity to face my fears of putting pencil to paper in sketching and come out with something I wasn't completely embarrassed with... that's until I texted a picture to my husband and he immediately brought me back down to earth, ha!
Day 2 Recap
- How to Make Inspiration a Reality
- Gather Inspiration
- Building an All Star Vendor Team
- Wedding Logistics
- Execution of Design
- Stationery
- Rentals, Linens and Layouts
- Flat Lay Styling How Tos with Lorely Meza Photography
- Be a Pro Taking iPhone Photos with Villa Visuals
- Planner Panel with Brooke Keegan with Brooke Keegan Events, Amorology and Rheefined Events
- Table Top How To’s with Carizza Rose Villa, DIr of Marketing and Public Relations of 24 Carrots Catering
- The Sketchbook Series with Mary Phan
- Color Theory with Tono and Co
By day three, we were all ready to get our hands dirty and really work on mastering the skills that make the wedding day go off without a hitch. It was also the day I got to take off my learning hat and teach everyone how to choose the right publication for them, submission process do's and don'ts and why getting published boosts your business.
Meghan sharing submission do's and don'ts
Day 3 Recap
- 60 Day Checklist
- Wedding Ceremony
- Live Rehearsal Run Through
- Emergency Kit
- Expertly Confirming Vendors
- Breakouts
- How to Tie Bowties and Ties with Friar Tux
- Live Floral Mock up with Janelle Wylie, Owner of Lavenders Florals
- How to make an emergency boutonniere
- Portfolio Reviews with Two Bright Lights
- Social Media
- Two Bright Lights demo with Meghan Stolar Brown
- How to Cut a Wedding Cake, Cake by Simply Sweet Cakery
All our new friends from LVL Academy
Reflecting on the three days at LVL Academy, I am able to call so many of these amazing women friends. A big thank you to Lindsay & Heather for inviting Two Bright Lights into the LVL family. Can't wait for the next Academy in November. Want to join us? Register for the November Academy today! Can't make the trip? No problem, you can find all the amazing education in the wedding planning online workshop too!
Written by: Meghan Brown, Manager at Two Bright Lights
Contact her at @meghan_sb or meghan@twobrightlights.com
Photo Credit: Lorely Meza
