clocktower.

The wedding industry in this city is so pumped about everything.  They’re all slightly insane, these photographers, videographers, celebrants, florists, and especially the planners.  But they’re excited.  Excited about everything and sometimes I wonder if maybe they’re all sniffing the same glue.

Last night I went to a networking evening.  Completely casual, just a get together of happy people who like each other.  Beer and pizza at the Clocktower. 

I’m not much of a networker.  I’m trying to work on this, but put in a situation where I don’t know faces and am expected to shake hands and remember names, I kind of close up.  I’m shy, really, when it comes down to it.  I fake it well sometimes, but these situations give me anxiety.

I finished my beer, however, and decided that this was my life, goddammit, and I was going to make it happen.  I shook hands, I took cards.  I met one woman who is sometimes considered the city’s best wedding planner.  She’s completely cracked.  And frankly, I love that about her.  I think she’ll be a valuable contact to have.  Especially since she mentioned she might want to retire in a few years.  Hello!  And she loves my business partner.  Not that that’s a surprise.

I’ve learned a few things while I’ve sat back, trying to avoid plunging head first into the networking around me.  I’ve watched and listened.  My business partner, Nicole, is the Ottawa wedding industry’s sweetheart planner.  People freaking love her.  She’s adorable, she’s excitable, she laughs easily.  She’s little, but she is so well spoken that you kind of stop and are mesmerized by what she has to say.  She commands speech.  And she really loves planning weddings.  You can’t help but get caught up in her passion for the job.

I guess what I’m saying is that I’m fired up.  I’m excited about the possibilities again. 

And I’m not going to go get a tattoo this weekend.  Maybe next?