Graduate Features, Student Ambassador

Ambassador Feature: Afton Romrell

Tell us a little bit about yourself!

I was born and raised in Idaho. The summers there are beautiful – and yes, before you ask, I have worked on a potato farm! When I was 20, I completed a service mission for my church in New Jersey. I met my husband on a blind date in college, and we’ll be celebrating our second wedding anniversary this upcoming June. We moved to Utah after graduating with our bachelor degrees. Since then, we’ve fallen in love with the mountains and all the outdoor adventures Utah has to offer!

How did you get into the world of professional event and wedding planning?

I’ve always loved event planning and coordinating! As an 8th grader, I even planned my friends’ future weddings. Fun fact: years later, I actually helped some of them plan their real weddings, too!

While earning my undergrad, I discovered that my university had an event planning emphasis. I quickly switched majors and later landed a job at an event center in Utah. But when COVID-19 hit, it was put on hold. I then heard about QC Event School and decided to take the next few months to earn my event planning certification.

Why did decide to pursue your event planning certification online, rather than in-person?

I completed my event planning certification online due to the COVID-19 lockdowns. Thanks to the pandemic, I was unable to attend classes in-person. QC’s online learning environment let me continue my education in the event and wedding planning industry from the comfort and safety of my own home.

 Photo by Allison Thompson Photography.

Ultimately, why did you enroll in QC’s online event planning certification courses (compared to the other online schools out there)?

When my job was put on hold, I asked my supervisor which event planning certification schools she personally recommended. QC Event School was on her list! After researching other schools and programs, I determined that QC had a lot more certification options. They would also offered more flexibility with my time and budget. It also helped that QC has a bunch of great reviews!

You’ve recently joined QC’s team of Student Ambassadors. As an Ambassador, what’s the #1 reason you recommend QC’s event planning certification courses to both aspiring and experienced planners?

I will ALWAYS recommend QC Event School’s event planning certification training to anyone interested in weddings and events. Professional training increases your knowledge base and betters your reputation within the planning industry. Even if you have prior experience, the ability to list certification credentials WILL build even more trust with future partners and clients.

You’ve graduated from the Event & Wedding Planning Course. How was your experience with this program? What were the most important lessons you learned, and how have you applied them to your career?

This course was such a great experience! I loved the case-scenario assignments that went with each unit. There are valuable tips and tricks offered in every single lesson. Getting to complete the scenario-based assignments etched those tips in my memory. I discovered a whole new creative insight I never even knew I had! One of my favorite sections was learning about different religions and cultures, and how they celebrate special events differently.

Photo by Allison Thompson Photography.

You’ve also completed the Event Decor Course, too. Why did you want to add this extra certification to your resume, and how do you intend to incorporate event decor services into your business?

It’s important to understand decoration aspects when it comes to event and wedding planning. Knowing how to work with a client to create a theme, select a color palette, demonstrate lighting tricks, and pick flowers is all essential. Learning these things makes you more professional and narrows down the vendors to choose from. I loved taking this course and learned so much. With my event business, I plan to add a package where I just offer ‘decoration-only’ services.

How useful were the learning materials provided for your event planning certification courses?

VERY useful! QC Event School provides you with plenty of excellent materials including booklets (available in digital and/or paperback), a notebook, and several training videos. They also provide additional forms and templates to help you start a business, such as an example contract sheet, budget template, etc. By the end of my certification training, I felt prepared and ready to conquer the event and wedding planning world! In fact, I still often refer to the learning materials they gave me.

Give us an example of tutor feedback you received that has helped you grow stronger as a planner!

My tutor for both event planning certification courses was Shannon Fowler. She was great at giving in-depth critique. It’s a very fun one-on-one experience! Shannon highlighted my strengths and connected it back to each lesson. For example, when I completed a project on suggesting an event layout, she not only commended me, but used an example of an actual event she organized to explain why my choice was correct.

Which real-life scenario assignment was your favorite and why?

One of my favorite assignments was during the color segment of my Event Decor Course. I was given a few scenarios of clients who had an event theme, but needed help finding the right color scheme. Using my creativity and newly acquired knowledge, I had to find a color palette. I took the most time doing this assignment because I enjoyed looking over the color wheel and finding inspiration from various resources. I felt very confident in practicing the activity, and it made me excited to apply it in real life!

You’re located in Midvale, Utah – a city with over 33,000 people. What’s the demand for planners like in your area? How do you intend to stand out from the competition?

Utah as a whole has several wedding and event planning businesses. However, Midvale itself doesn’t. As such, I can stand out here by targeting audiences in my own town and offering services close to home. I can also match my client’s budgets and make everything COVID-friendly (such as offering zoom meeting consultations). It’ll be all about finding clever ways to make events special, despite not having as many people in attendance.

What sort of services do you plan to offer clients?

Once I launch my business, I plan to offer Day-of Wedding and Event Coordination, Month-of Wedding and Event Coordination, Full Wedding and Event Planning, and Decoration services.

Photo by Allison Thompson Photography.

You chose to earn your event planning certification during the pandemic. In what ways do you feel that QC’s online learning environment made it possible for you to pursue your goals during a time of social distancing?

Thanks to QC Event School, I was able to pursue my passion for event and wedding planning despite there being a world-wide shutdown. Not too many people can say that! But I can, because of the distanced learning offered through QC. The event planning certification courses are set up in a way where you can prepare for real-life scenarios – without meeting in person. I took the opportunity to keep learning more while being safe at home. It was the perfect setup!

Finally: if you had a crystal ball that let you see 5 years into the future, where would you see your event and wedding planning career?

I see myself owning a venue! I’ll offer various packages to those who book with me, such as event/wedding planning services and event decor options.

Get your event planning certification in as little as 3-6 months by enrolling with QC Event School today!

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