“There are no short cuts to any place worth going.”- Beverly Sills

I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote, personally and professionally. I’ve had some bumps along the road and I felt very inspired to share this with you. If you want to be phenomenal at something, step back and think about what you are doing to make it happen. Are you creating a solid foundation and working your way up? Good things, especially GREAT things, definitely take time. There are no shortcuts to excellence and those that make it fast and quick realize even faster that there needs to be substance behind the buzz. Hard work is hard work, there’s no getting around it. Work hard and work smart, while doing what you love and your business will withstand the test of time. Think of it this way: you get what you give, and the end result is really a reflection of your effort.

In the wedding and events industry where our work reflects so much of who we are, it’s important to put in the time and effort to build a service or product and relationships of great value that will endure over time. Yes, shortcuts may lead to instant success, but the chances of maintaining that success aren’t as likely when others realize there isn’t much there beyond a fancy blog or several styled shoots. While it’s important to produce work of exceptional quality and achieve goals to the fullest, it’s also important to remember that the ideal way of getting there is by giving it your all.

A successful wedding business has many components – relationships with vendors, satisfied customers, press exposure, a good reputation and the deliverable of something that is custom by you. There are so many wedding vendors doing what you do, so ask yourself: why would a client hire you if you’re not offering the creditability and long term trust in your product or service? Why would the press feature you if you’re just like everyone else? Creating that specialty or individuality means being you backed up with consistency and reliability. To be truly successful in the business of weddings is not for the faint or light-hearted. So strap on those boots, get your hands dirty and really invest the time and energy so you can do what you love happily for the rest of your life!

Photo by Aaron Young