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Behind the Veil: A Conversation with the Architect of Love Stories
Actionable Advice From a Wedding Planning Solopreneur
Happy Sunday. This week we are talking to Keri, owner of a wedding planning business with a side hustle of a virtual assistant. Keri has close to two decades worth of experience in the field and has grown her business to provide hundreds of happy couples a memorable and unique day.
This interview covers a few important tips:
Finding inspiration to create a business about something you love.
The importance of adaptation to fit the customerās needs.
Advice for getting started in a similar field.
Now, over to Keri!
Keri Louise Weddings
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your business?
Iām Keri from Keri Louise Weddings. Iām a Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Celebrant and Virtual Assistant based in the U.K. Iāve been involved in the Wedding Industry for 15 years so have tons of experience creating the most perfect wedding days!
What was your main inspiration for getting into this line of work?
I've always been interested in Weddings & Events since I was young, but after working in a 5-star hotel for many years and seeing all different types of weddings with all different budgets and requirements, I loved the variety and enjoyment that a wedding brings and I wanted to be a part of that.
Plus, who doesn't love a wedding?!
How do you stay adaptable with your business practices?
Wedding season mainly runs from May to September, so I do find the majority of my work happens within that time - so it can be a busy few months, with a quieter Winter. To combat this, I also run a business as a Virtual Assistant (VA) alongside my wedding work. Wedding suppliers tend to need admin support year-round to help run their businesses so I saw the opportunity to offer them this service.
Every wedding is unique, so I have to be flexible with timings, needs and requirements for every wedding Iām involved in. Each couple is different from the next and this requires me to be able to work to their preferences.
How do you define success in your business?
Success to me is coming away from a wedding, whether Iāve planned the whole event, been the On-The-Day-Coordinator, or have conducted their bespoke Wedding Ceremony, and knowing that the couple have had the most perfect day and one they will remember for the rest of their lives. Itās always someoneās special day and I love being part of that.
Itās also getting feedback from my VA clients and knowing that they were able to give an excellent service that I was a small part of too.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in a similar field?
Be prepared to give your time to gain valuable experience in the wedding industry and before you know it, opportunities arise. - Iām always happy for people to spend time working alongside me so, just get in touch!
Itās always great to have a good knowledge of all aspects of a wedding so gain any experience you can and build good working relationships within the industry. Like with everything, networking is key.
Where can people find you?
š§° Tools & Resources:
If youāre thinking of starting a side hustle but donāt know where to start, consider using my Side Hustle Starter Guide. I've distilled years of experience and research into a concise, easy-to-follow guide, ensuring you have everything you need to hit the ground running.
This guide is designed to give you the confidence, vision, and motivation to start your own successful side gig.
Check it out here!
šļø Now itās your turn to answer a question:
How was this week's interview? |
If youād like to read last weekās interview, with Ross, founder of Innovator, click here. He shares his advice on becoming your own boss when your hand is forced to turn your side hustle to a full-time job.
Thank you all,
See you next week! š