We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jana Harmon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jana, so great to have you on the platform and excited to have you share your wisdom with our community today. Communication skills often play a powerful role in our ability to be effective and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your communication skills.
Practice makes perfect! Studying grammar/english in high school and college was always very important to me, and I believe that skill makes a big impact on running a business effectively. Using proper grammar and punctuation can show a potential client an exceptional level of professionalism.
I’ve also learned over the years that prompt responses to clients can set someone apart from their competition! If a client knows that they can rely on you for quick answers to any questions they have, they are more likely to book your services once they have that sense of trust.
Finally, I always like to think about how I would like to be communicated with. I want my clients to feel assured that I am always excited about their wedding/event and am always looking forward to the next step in the planning process.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’ve been blessed to be a wedding coordinator in East TN since 2015. I have a degree in culinary arts and a lifelong musical background, but my interests started shifting after assisting a catering team with a wedding almost a decade ago. Shortly after, I started my new career under another coordinating company, and was blessed to be able to launch my own business, Rose and Ring Events, in January 2022.
My level of creativity has always needed more than a 9-5 job, and being a wedding planner constantly gives me that creative outlet! No two weddings are the same… each client has their own beautiful ideas of what their dream day will look like. And it’s so incredibly rewarding for me to be able to make those dreams a reality!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Having a background in music as well as culinary arts has made a big difference in my career as a wedding planner. There are moments during the wedding day when a planner needs at least some knowledge of how most vendors operate in case we need to assist with tasks. For example, you may need to know how to decorate the cake with fresh flowers, give cues to the ceremony musician, or help the caterer set each place setting.
Learning how to be extremely organized is another skill that should be continually developed and polished! I like to print out every form, floor plan, and event summary the day before a wedding so that I can always have a hard copy on hand. This makes the information easy to reference throughout the event and helps me answer questions that any vendors or guests have.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I always love to collaborate with fellow vendors and creatives! My passion in 2022 was designing styled shoots while growing my new business. Those events gave me amazing opportunities to meet and work with new vendors as well as allowed me to push my creative boundaries.
I am also always looking for like minded people that may be a great addition to my team! Wedding days can be physically demanding, and it’s not uncommon to spend 12+ hours on your feet. But seeing all of the pieces come together and making the couple’s dream day come true is beyond rewarding!
If anyone is looking to connect, they can reach me via roseandringevents@gmail.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.roseandringevents.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roseandringevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roseandringevents
Image Credits
Humble Perspectives Photography ST Photography Leah Nicole Photo
