Tag Archives | ciara daykin

Wedding Planners Wanted

By on June 2, 2011 in Coaching Programs, Events

Do you love planning weddings but feel like running your wedding planning business is taking over your life AND your wallet? I can help you– come learn how!

Having a successful wedding planning business is just NOT as easy as loving weddings!

When I began Firefly Occasions, I quickly discovered that running the business was not as easy as it looked!

There were essential steps that I took in building Firefly Occasions that have led to its success in the planning world today.

And I want to share my secrets with you!

You can learn about this list of MUST HAVE, Wedding Planner Business Essentials (and how much they cost) from myself, the original Rockstar Wedding Planner!

And guess what? It’s FREE!

I am welcoming you to join me in Calgary on Tuesday June 14th from 6-9pm for a FREE, no cost seminar.  In only 3 hours, you will learn what you MUST have to start, grow, and maintain a successful planning business.

And if you want to be a Firefly Occasions wedding planner, there’s no time like NOW. I am on the hunt for wedding planners to join Firefly Occasions. You could be the next Firefly! I’ll give you all the details at this event.

This seminar will be in HIGH DEMAND and seats are limited.

All we ask is that you call 1-800-791-5636 ext 701 or email katie@fireflyoccasions.com by June 10th with a credit card ready to secure your spot with a $20 no show deposit.

Don’t worry! This means that a crisp $20 dollar bill will be waiting for you upon check-in because learning my secrets is too good to pass up!

This is a rare opportunity to learn from me in person.  My current coaching programs for wedding planners are between $8,500-$50,000. But the cost of this seminar is $0!

To make this an even more exciting experience the first 10 want-to be-planners to register will receive reserved front row seats at the event. (Reserved seats will be released 5 minutes before the seminar begins so don’t be late!)

 

 

 

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Grace & Luxury Live Simulcast

By on March 17, 2011 in Events, Rockstar Wedding Planner LIVE

Wondering what the Grace & Luxury Live Simulcast will look like? You can check it out now by clicking here. We have some recorded video playing now, but imagine the virtual experience you will have once that video is live and you are participating with the people at the event in real time.

Tomorrow is our deadline for reaching the magic number of 75 live simulcast attendees for the event. Are you still wondering if this virtual opportunity is for you? 

Are you worried that you won’t get the same content as live attendees?

We plan on broadcasting every minute of the event to your computer, so you don’t need to worry about missing a thing. Unlike a normal Vegas road trip, this time, if it happens in Vegas, it doesn’t stay in Vegas, you get to see it all.

Are you thinking that attending virtually won’t provide the same networking opportunities?

If you attend the live simulcast you will be sharing the virtual space with at least 75 other virtual attendees. You will have a live chat room where you can share all of your questions, take-aways, and business ideas. It will be a great networking opportunity.

I won’t be able to attend all of the sessions live.

This isn’t a problem at all as every session is recorded as it is streamed live. You will have almost immediate access to these recordings so you can catch up on what you missed, or review a session you found interesting.

I won’t get to interact with the speakers or live audience.

Using the chat room, and Jeremie your community liaison, you will have the opportunity to have your questions answered by the speakers. Live attendees will also be able to visit the simulcast camera and say hello. We will do everything we can to make you feel like you are in the room.

If that helps you make your decision then click here and come join us in the Grace & Luxury virtual community.

The deadline for our 75 attendees is tomorrow, so come join us now.

Love and wedding planning success,

Ciara

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This Just In

By on March 15, 2011 in Rockstar Wedding Planner LIVE
In celebration of our big announcement of the live streaming of Grace & Luxury and because we are so innovative, we are excited to announce that we are adding a 4th Wedding Innovator Award.  This 4th Wedding Innovator of the Year Award is being presented live to Ian Prosser.   We need 75 people to register for the live simulcast of  Grace & Luxury, so don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity.  Click here to reserve your ticket to the live simulcast.  
 
Ian Prosser

Born in Scotland, Ian Prosser has over 36 years of experience within the floral industry. Ian has won many design awards. He was the youngest person to receive the honor of “Floral Designer of the Year” for Scotland. Ian has also earned the “National Diploma of the Society of Floristry” (NDSF), the highest European honor in floral design. Most recently, Ian won The Sylvia Cup Design Competition in 2008 for the Society of American Florists and the title of 2010 “Designer of the Year” for Event Solutions Magazine. He has been inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD), The American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) and Professional Floral Communicators International (PFCI). He is also a member of the FTD Design Team, which sends him around the country demonstrating, commenting, and teaching floral design to his peers. These travels have also sent him to China to lecture students regarding current floral design and upcoming trends.

Ian has also had the honor of providing floral decorations for many dignitaries, celebrities and professional athletes, including members of the British Royal Family, Inc., HRH Queen Elizabeth II, Tom Cruise and Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys. He was invited by the Society of American Florists to participate in designing the inaugural decorations of President Bill Clinton and President George W.Bush. In 2005, Ian was given the honor by the Society to serve as “Floral Design Chairperson” for the second-term inauguration of President George W. Bush. He also was responsible for the décor for Grace Ormonde’s book tour in Florida and has had a recent wedding featured in her magazine.

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Calgary Entrepreneur Nominated for Award

By on March 10, 2011 in Featured, Rockstar Wedding Planner Legends, Wedding Industry News

Calgary, Alberta – Event professional, Ciara Daykin, has been nominated for the Canadian Special Events’ Event Professional of the Year Award. Ciara is the CEO and owner of Firefly Occasions, a luxury wedding planning agency in Calgary, Alberta. Daykin will travel to Toronto on March 25th to attend the Star Awards Gala. This is a national award and four other candidates have been nominated to compete from across the country.  

Amanda Smith, client of Firefly Occasions, states, “Ciara shares her knowledge and passion with everyone in her path.  Her contributions to the event planning industry are a paramount to her successes. She has enabled many others to achieve their personal business plans.”

The award is designated for outstanding event professionals who inspire others to achieve event success, and who stand out from the crowd by having made exceptional contributions to the industry over the past year.

Nominees must have created success stories time and time again while operating their businesses with the highest level of enthusiasm, accomplishment and professional integrity.

As a nominee, Ciara has also contributed to the growth and development of the event industry in Calgary and has gone above and beyond her client’s expectations.

“I’m thrilled to be nominated for the award and to have the opportunity to represent not only myself but also the Calgary event industry,” states Ciara.

To find out more information about Firefly Occasions please visit www.fireflyoccasions.com. To find out more information about the award please visit www.canadianspecialevents.com.

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THIS JUST IN!

By on March 9, 2011 in Rockstar Wedding Planner LIVE

Announcing… The 2011 Wedding Innovators of the Year Award Recipients

These amazing Innovators will accept their awards LIVE at Grace & Luxury in Las Vegas. You can still join them there by clicking here.

Sylvia Weinstock

She’s called the “Queen of Wedding Cakes”.  Sylvia Weinstock creates cakes for luxury clientele. Her client list includes Mariah Carey, Maria Maples, Eddie Murphy, Tom Arnold, Whitney Houston, Chynna Phillips and William Baldwin, Cyndi Lauper, Jane Fonda, Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, Wayne Newton and Oprah Winfrey. Sylvia creates more than 500 cakes a year in all shapes and sizes. All Sylvia’s cakes are custom designed and created according to the specifications of her clients.  Her cakes can be as tall as 12 feet high and feed as many as 5,000 people. Sylvia’s cakes have been all over the world, including Japan, Mexico and Saudi Arabia… even to Canada where one of her creations was featured at a wedding I planned.

Chris Easter

Chris is Co-Founder of the TheManRegistry.com, the web’s leading wedding resource and gift provider for grooms and groomsmen. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the company’s blog, GroomsAdvice.com. The Man Registry’s network of sites offers a male voice in an otherwise female-dominated wedding industry. Since 2007, The Man Registry’s “for men, by men” approach to wedding gifts, wedding showers, booking vendors and, of course, bachelor parties, has helped grooms realize it’s possible to have fun during the wedding planning process.

Easter has been quoted in national media including Details Magazine, The Knot, Fox News and Entrepreneur Magazine, and has appeared on The Big Idea With Donny Deutsch, The Tyra Banks Show and Playboy Radio. Easter was recently named one of the Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30 by Inc. Magazine. He has signed a book deal with Penguin Publishing to create a men’s guide to wedding planning that is due out in December of 2011.

Stacie Francombe

After a successful career as a television Producer, Stacie launched Get Married in 2006, growing the company into a nationally renowned wedding planning resource, connecting brides and advertisers through three unique media platforms – online, television and magazine.

During her time at Get Married, Stacie developed and served as Executive Producer for Get Married with David Tutera & Get Married with Colin Cowie, both on Lifetime, then as host in its final season on WeTV & Wedding Central.

She was the visionary behind the publication Get Married – The Shopping & Trend guide for the Savvy Bride, serving as Editor-in-Chief, filling a gap in the bridal market, and growing the title into a nationally distributed quarterly magazine.

As Get Married’s Founder, Stacie was a sought after public speaker and industry insider, addressing wedding professionals and brides around the country, and appearing on CNN, Fox, WABC, and more.

Stacie also developed and hosted the successful web series Get Married in Times Square, planning and hosting the first of its kind wedding event on New Year’s Eve 2010.

Having sold the company, and after much soul searching, in February of 2011, Stacie stepped down as Editor-in-Chief to pursue new business ventures.

In March 2011, Stacie launched Celebrity Wedding Reporter {CWR}: Celebrity style for your walk down the aisle, because every bride is a star on her wedding day! On her personal blog she translates celebrity wedding trends and shows brides how to use these trends as inspiration for their wedding day details.

Stacie is also a Founding Board Member of an organization called Wish Upon a Wedding. Wish Upon a Wedding is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization that provides weddings and vow renewals to couples facing terminal illness or other serious life-altering circumstances, regardless of sexual orientation. Often, couples facing such situations do not have the energy, time, money, or resources needed to plan their wedding. Wish Upon a Wedding takes care of all the details, offering couples a chance to relax and enjoy a very special day while surrounded by the love of their closest family and friends.

Want to hear what inspired their innovative wedding business ideas? Click here to attend.

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Learn How to Push Past the Fear

By on March 9, 2011 in Featured Events, Rockstar Wedding Planner News

I’m wondering if you’ve ever had a really GREAT idea.
 
Ya… just one right?
 
You’ve had LOTS! I know it!
 
But here’s my real question… Have you ever had a really great idea that you felt like would be so cool if you acted on but you didn’t because, well… you don’t really know why?
 
I know why!
 
Great ideas don’t get shelved because they’re not great enough. We put them aside because we’re afraid of what would actually happen if we acted on our great idea. What it would mean for our business and our life. But we often don’t think of the AMAZING things that could happen, we think of worst case scenario. Have you heard this before?
 
“Ya it’s a great idea but I don’t have the money for it.”
 
“Awesome idea but it’s just not the right time for me.”
 
“Wow that would be cool but I don’t have enough help to make that happen.”
 
“This is a HUGE opportunity. But I’m not well known enough yet.”
 
Those are all BIG excuses that are trying to protect you from taking leaps in your business and your life! I know because I have the same feelings when I’m about to make a big shift in my life BUT I’ve figured out how to overcome these feelings, push through with my big idea and achieve great success quickly. In fact, I was just nominated by CanadianSpecialEvents.com as Event Professional of the Year (I’m 1 of 5 event pros nominated for this national award!)
 
Would you like to know my secret? Click here right now.
 
If you want to push past your own self doubt and conquer the fear that’s stopping you from big success in your wedding planning business then I want you to join me on my no charge call TODAY:

 “How to Push Past the Fear That’s Stopping You From Having the Rockstar Wedding Planner Business and Life You Want”
 
When: TODAY, Wednesday March 9th @ 3pmPST/ 4pmMST/ 5pmCST/ 6pmEST
 
On this call you will learn:
-     The biggest move you can make to push past the fears you’re experiencing in your business and life that are stopping you from moving forward (this move is a bit uncomfortable but once you do it nothing will ever be the same!)
-     How I overcame a time in my life when I experienced the greatest, paralyzing fear I’ve ever had and ended up having my best year ever!
-     The way that you can make it easier and easier to get through self doubt and fear going forward (I’m not sugar coating this, the first time is always the hardest, but so rewarding)
 
I will also be revealing live on the call the names of the TWO other recipients of the Wedding Innovator of the Year Awards. (The first winner was already announced. Legendary cake designer, Sylvia Weinstock will be joining us LIVE at Grace & Luxury March 21-23 in Las Vegas).
 
Can’t wait? Sign up here for access to this breakthrough call.
 
Love and wedding planning success,
Ciara
P.S. And remember, this free call is happening today!
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Big News

By on March 1, 2011 in Events

You CAN Have Your Cake and Eat It Too!

When I set out to award 3 top wedding professionals with the Wedding Innovator of the Year Award at my upcoming event, Grace & Luxury, I knew immediately that our first winner was not just an innovator but a LEGEND in the wedding industry.

I’m excited to announce that Sylvia Weinstock will be joining us at Grace & Luxury to accept our Wedding Innovator of the Year Award on the 3rd day of our event.

She’s called the “Queen of Wedding Cakes”.  Sylvia Weinstock creates cakes for luxury clientele. Her client list includes Mariah Carey, Maria Maples, Eddie Murphy, Tom Arnold, Whitney Houston, Chynna Phillips and William Baldwin, Cyndi Lauper, Jane Fonda, Alex Baldwin and Kim Basinger, Wayne Newton and Oprah Winfrey. Sylvia creates more than 500 cakes a year in all shapes and sizes. All Sylvia’s cakes are custom designed and created according to the specifications of her clients.  Her cakes can be as tall as 12 feet high and feed as many as 5,000 people. Sylvia’s cakes have been all over the world, including Japan, Mexico and Saudi Arabia… even to Canada where one of her creations was featured at a wedding I planned (that’s me with one of her cakes!)

Sylvia is a Rockstar in the wedding industry and I cannot wait to welcome her to the stage. I have always admired her for her innovative ideas, not just in regards to cake, but in how she has grown her business. I am thrilled to recognize her as an innovative businesswoman with the Wedding Innovator of the Year Award.

If you still need your ticket to Grace & Luxury you do not want to delay! You still have the opportunity to meet and listen to Sylvia share her stories of success at Grace & Luxury. But we are getting close to selling out this exclusive event on how to attract, work with and be referred by the high-end bride. Click here to join us along with Sylvia and her other 2 fellow award recipients (watch your email for the upcoming announcements of the next 2 winners!).

Love and wedding planning success,
Ciara

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Sunny Mexico

By on February 15, 2011 in Blog, Ciara's Updates, Events, Rockstar Wedding Planner LIVE
Well 2011 continues to be a fabulous whirlwind for Rockstar Wedding Planner and Firefly Occasions. Sy and I took a working vacation to attend a friend’s wedding in Mexico this past week. It was so great to get to the warm weather and just relax.
  
Just in case you missed it, I want to invite you to register  for THE luxury Wedding Planners Business Event of the decade, Grace and Luxury by clicking here.
 
The big news is two-fold…
 
One is that this is the last Rockstar Wedding Planner LIVE I’ll be throwing for Wedding Planners to teach you about how to attract the High-End Bride and plan opulent weddings. 
You see, my wedding planning business has grown significantly over the past year and I need to give it more of my time and attention. As much as I want to help wedding planners I really love to help luxury brides come up with amazing ideas for their weddings.
 
But don’t worry. There will still be ways for us to connect.  In fact, I’m making a huge announcement at Rockstar Wedding Planner LIVE this year that you don’t want to miss.  
 
The second is that I am giving all Grace & Luxury attendees ALL of my business building products for Wedding Planners valued at $1,519.79.
  
Once again, here is where you get tapped into your new successful business…Grace and Luxury.
 
Love and wedding planning success,
 
Ciara
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How to Set-up Your High-End Wedding Planning Business Videos

By on February 2, 2011 in Blog, Ciara Recommends

Have you heard about our Internet sensation for Wedding Planners yet? It’s called, How to Set Up Your High-End Wedding Planning Business. I personally designed this content rich, free 5 video training series for Wedding Planners ready to take control of their own destinies and create a business they love. You can still register here for this no-obligation series which serves as a taste of what you’ll get at the Grace and Luxury extravaganza in Las Vegas in March.

Grace and Luxury is a full-disclosure event when I will openly share exactly how I work fewer weddings, make income in the upper 6-figures, and have more fulfillment than I have ever had in my life. Best of all, I’m going to share exactly how you can do this too! Click here to buy your ticket so you do not miss out on this amazing opportunity!

I’m looking forward to laying out my step-by-step system for serious Wedding Planners like you at Grace and Luxury!

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Love is in the Air… But Are They Planning Their Wedding Without You?

By on January 28, 2011 in Articles, Blog, Uncategorized
Ah, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. It’s internationally accepted as the most romantic holiday of the year…only to be outdone in romance by her wedding.
 
As you know many engagements happen at the end of the past year or beginning of a new one. If your potential bride didn’t get engaged over the winter holidays of Christmas and New Years there’s a very good chance she could get her ring on Valentine’s Day. (At least that’s what she’s secretly hoping!)
 
As a high end wedding planner, this isn’t the time to lay low. You must make sure your bride recognizes your value as her wedding planner. Stay on her radar. Most of all let her know you really care about her. After all she’s relying on you to bring her dreams alive for the most important day of her life… her wedding.
 
Here are some simple ways to stay on-top-of-mind with your current brides and future clients:
 
1. Get a jump on your Valentine’s Day cards to past clients and your hot list- Valentine’s Day is February 14 every year. So be smart and get your cards in the mail EARLY. I’ve personally noticed a huge drop in Christmas cards over the past few years. Fewer and fewer people seem to take the time to send cards. That means YOU’LL stand out when you take the time to be thoughtful. In fact there is a current service called SendOutCards.com that does the entire mailing for you at a very reasonable rate. You simply choose from their thousands of store-quality greeting cards and create any message you like. They will mail the cards for you. It couldn’t be easier to send fun mail that gets you noticed.
 
2. Stay in front of her with timely blog posts and articles- Your couples are eager to read about ways to make Valentine’s Day special. You’re a perfect resource for them! So put it in a blog or article. Need some help to jog your memory? Here are a few suggestions:
  • Memorable ways to propose
  • Your 5-10 favorite celebrity or historical weddings
  • Unusual gift ideas for him or her
  • Stories of fantastic or disastrous Valentine’s Day celebrations
  • Top 5-10 destination weddings or honeymoons
3. Map out an entire marketing plan just around Valentine’s Day- Creating marketing promotions in advance is a great habit to get into. When you plan promos around a holiday you have a ready-made reason to reach out to her at least once per month. To get the most bang for your buck it’s best to have the end result of the holiday be something exciting for her. Be sure to prime her for 1-2 weeks before Valentine’s Day so she looks forward to hearing from you. You could:
  • Ask her opinion on a topic related to the holiday or take a poll then release the results on Valentine’s Day;
  • Offer to share your expertise about Valentine’s Day or romance in a free teleseminar, video or audio tips;
  • Hold a contest for the best story, picture, proposal, or any other romantic ideas;
And more…
Once you get your groove on and think about the joy of Valentine’s Day I’ll bet you’ll be flooded with your own ideas.
 
4. Share the love – enjoy the attention- We all like to be thought of and we all like to receive gifts. Your wish list of top vendors are no exception. When you want to get noticed, put a little more effort into an elegant, memorable gift. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just thoughtful. Not only will you be remembered, but the next time you want to make an appointment with your favorite vendor, you may just find you’ve been moved to the head of the schedule.
 
5. Keep your romance alive too- Your brides love to live vicariously through someone they admire. As a Rockstar Wedding Planner, that someone is YOU. Part of your positioning is to create an aura of loving yourself. Whether you’re in a relationship or not, be sure to take time for some pampering and spoiling…not just of your loved ones but of you! When you show yourself love, you are setting a great example for her while feeding your own soul.
 
 
Ciara’s Rockstar Advice
 
The word “planner” is in our job description. Yet it’s so easy for many of us to be caught off-guard and unsuspecting when it comes to our plans for how we are going to fill up our sales funnel. While there will always be surprises we aren’t prepared as much for as we’d like, there are steps you can take to be ready for those speed bumps.
 
Take daily, weekly, and monthly inventory on what is on your calendar so you can break your items into manageable bits. Keep lists because it’s much easier to refer to something written down than trying to carry all that you do in your brain. And visualize often about how you want things to turn out. (Visualizing is one of the most powerful secrets to my success.)
 
Don’t wait until the last minute to scramble putting something together that isn’t as good quality as you’re capable of. When you plan ahead you look together and organized so you can wow their socks off! If you need time to make this yearly plan, give yourself three days with us at Grace and Luxury.  Make a plan to woo the high end bride this year.”
 
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