v-Fluence Blog

Valentine's Day 2007

I recently experienced my first Valentine’s Day as an engaged woman, which, more than anything else, served as a stressful reminder of my rapidly approaching wedding day and its accompanying countless tasks and responsibilities.

Important to note: I’m truly excited to celebrate this societal tradition, but planning a wedding is not my idea of fun. It is a chore, not a privilege, and the initial weeks following my engagement back in December were consumed with nerves and frustration. In fact, I was really considering eloping when I came to the enlightening realization that the experience and skills that I’ve gained working for v-Fluence, as well as the flexibility of a virtual office, facilitate my fantasy of a simple, affordable and efficiently planned wedding.

For example, working for a company that’s focused on Internet search and communication has taught me numerous strategies for successfully maneuvering the Web. As such, I’ve learned to embrace online social media and now rely on it daily for wedding planning. The popular site, TheKnot.com, has become my crutch, in fact, not only for organizing my guest list, budget and ideas in one virtual place but also for learning new tips and lessons learned from newlyweds and other brides-to-be via its online discussion forums. I‘ve also fallen in love with RealTravel.com, a social networking site where members share travel stories and reviews of various destinations. I frequently visit this site in search of honeymoon possibilities.

In general, searching the Web has allowed me to learn what kind of gown I want before I try it on, what type of caterer I ‘d like before I taste the food and what sort of DJ I need before I hear the music. Paying tribute to the v-Fluence motto, I started online and quickly laid the foundation for a memorable celebration.

However, to my disappointment, I’ve realized that I’m incapable of coordinating an entire event at the click of a mouse. Face-to-face meetings with church officials, caterers and family members are necessary and, luckily, supported by v-Fluence’s virtual environment. In a fast-paced industry, full of pressing deadlines and high expectations, the flexibility of the virtual office allows me to meet with vendors during business hours and still accomplish work either in the early morning or later in the evening. In addition, since my office can relocate anywhere that offers Internet access, I’m able to retreat for a week at my parents’ home in Atlanta where my mother, a hospitality and entertaining genius, is overflowing with creative ideas and the motivation to execute them.

With seven months to go, I’m shocked that I haven’t keeled over in anxiety. I credit my work experience and the virtual office environment for making the planning process an easier undertaking than it would otherwise be, all while allowing me some breathing room to worry about some of the less controllable circumstances. Keep your fingers crossed for a rain-free September 22nd.

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