We recently connected with Jojo Marcelo and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jojo, thanks for joining us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?

I manage my own social media and I love it! I truly enjoy making reels and posting behind the scenes “BTS” of my wedding day set ups or providing a quick glimpse of my life as a wedding planner. I feel that my audience/followers can really get a sense of who I am since I am managing it on my own. I don’t act a certain way for social media- you get what you get.

This has been very beneficial for my business as vendors and couples find me very relatable and personable. I have made some great connections with vendors through Instagram and continue to do so. I also have received inquiries from couples through social media.

One insight I would say to other business owners is… be you! Nothing is more powerful than selling your business when customers can see the person behind the account!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Jojo and I own “Events with Jojo”. I’m a wedding & event planner. I started my business in August of 2022. But, I am actually a nurse by trade. A little background on my journey to the wedding/event industry. I have been a nurse since 2008 and I have done different types of work from inpatient nursing to Kidney and Pancreas Transplant coordinator. Although I chose nursing as my career, my heart was always with planning events. I grew up in a Filipino household where we hosted a lot of family/friend parties. Growing up I always looked forward to these parties as they were such joyful events. Now as an adult, my husband and I host many parties and absolutely love it!

In the Spring of 2022, I was working remotely as a nurse case manager for an insurance company and was getting burnt out. I was on my phone one night and I saw that a local wedding planner was hiring for an assistant for the wedding season. I briefly mentioned to my husband how much fun that sounded and wished I could get in the wedding industry. My husband knew nursing was not my passion, so he encouraged me to reach out to the wedding planner to inquire about the job. So I did! I was so nervous. I thought the wedding planner would think I’m crazy for applying since I am a nurse and have no background in the wedding industry. However, our meeting went well. The wedding planner was so welcoming and encouraging. I was pleasantly surprised. After that day, I ended up reaching out to 4 other wedding planners. So in the summer of 2022, I assisted 5 wedding planners and learned so much from them. I did a total of 11 weddings last year! For the first time, I worked and it didn’t really feel like work for me. Yes, my feet hurt after running around for 13 hours. But, to be part of someone’s special day was the best feeling. There is so much joy in a wedding and you can’t help to feel the same.

While assisting Jami (wedding planner), she asked me if I was starting my own business. I reluctantly said, I don’t know, maybe? Because, I really didn’t know at that time. Jami responded with- You should! So, with my husband’s support, I decided to just DO IT! I left nursing to pursue my passion. I took a big leap and so glad I did. I started right away-I did a lot of research, created my own website, started my instagram business page, and started marketing myself. Well, to my own surprise- I have booked 13 weddings for my first wedding season and already 2 for 2024! My business took off and I was getting busy in the best way.

My potential and current clients can really see how passionate I am about wedding planning and can see my excitement during our meetings. One of my pet peeves is waiting for a long time for a response. So, I really strive to be present and respond back to my clients quickly. All my clients have told me they love how responsive I am when they ask questions.

As a wedding planner, my main goal is for my couples to truly enjoy one of the best days of their lives. My motto is, I will be their professional hype girl! I am there to take all the stress away from them, so they can party the night away with family/friends.

Being a small business owner is definitely not easy. I work more hours and I wear many hats. However, my success is the direct outcome of my hard work, drive. and commitment. I want to be a great example for our son and show him if he wants something, don’t be afraid to go after it. Follow your dreams! I did and I have been enjoying every step of the way.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

I get a handful of my inquiries from other wedding vendors. A vendor referral is such a big honor for me. It shows that they trust my work to refer their clients to me. I also utilize social media-facebook and Instagram to get leads. I joined a lot of wedding groups on Facebook and I am very active on my Instagram page.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

My wedding/event packages have set expectations of how many meetings are included. I put calendar reminders to myself when to contact the couples to schedule the next meeting, so I don’t miss it. I really strive to be supportive and be present for my couples. So, I also offer unlimited communication during their planning process on top of the scheduled meetings. This really shows my commitment to provide stress free wedding planning by being available for any questions they may have. The feedback I have received has been positive.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.eventswithjojo.com
• Instagram: @eventswithjojo
• Facebook: @events with Jojo

Image Credits
IG: @aikafoz- Aika Foz IG: @saltywave_photography- Amber