Danielle Tate

Wedding Pro Wednesday: Jon Mervis

It’s Wedding Pro Wednesday, and I couldn’t be happier to introduce you to Jonathan Mervis. Jon is an “artist of business growth” at Mervis Diamond Importers. And, one of the nicest DC entrepreneurs you will meet. Perhaps his “sparkling” personality runs in the family! With direct access to the world’s finest diamonds, Mervis offers an amazing array of magnificent diamonds. By importing directly, Mervis eliminates the middleman and provides unbeatable prices daily. Their guiding mission is very simple. Provide the finest quality diamonds at the lowest price to the most people. Their obsession with this is the driving force behind the company’s continued success. If you have inherited a family business, or are in the midst of wedding ring shopping, don’t miss Jon’s answers and advice below!

Have you always been a wedding professional? If not, what was your previous career?
Yes – my family has been in the diamond and jewelry business for over 80 years! My grandfather started our company in Johannesburg, South Africa and I’m the third generation. I joined the family business full time after graduating with my MBA in 2009.

As a kid before joining the family business, I had several small businesses and little ventures. Just after undergrad, I started a clothing line called Crooked Monkey. We made graphic t-shirts and sold to companies like Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom. In college, I didn’t want to get a boring summer job and so I started a company doing the only thing I was qualified to do at 19 years old: Take the SAT’s. So, I started an SAT tutoring company with some friends. And amazingly, we were able to really help local high schoolers improve their scores!

What inspired you to create your company?
I’m really grateful to work in a family business and continue the family tradition that my grandfather started. While the diamond ring is a timeless tradition – the world of today is so very different than it was for my grandfather and even father’s generation. What drives me is the challenge and joy to continually adapt and innovate. We need to continue to do what our clients appreciate while also finding new ways to appeal to tomorrow’s bride.

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
The biggest obstacle for any multi-generational business is often the balance between longstanding traditions that have proved successful versus new ways of doing business.

What do you love most about your job?
I love meeting couples that are just so happy together and excited to get married! DC is an exciting place, bringing together interesting people from all over the world for any variety of reasons. I love hearing our client’s stories, not just about how they met, but about their lives and what’s important to them.

What is your best advice for brides related to your area of expertise?
When you’re planning your wedding and budgeting costs, remember to consider the lifetime value of each part. You will keep your photos and wedding rings forever. You’ll wear your wedding rings every day and keep getting joy from them! On the other hand, many other parts of the wedding will be consumed within a few hours. You’ll want flowers to make the ceremony beautiful, but it’s helpful to remember that your flowers won’t last and budget accordingly.

What is your best of advice for newlyweds Jon Mervis?
My one piece of advice is to stay humble. Remember that neither one of you is 100% right at any point and the other 100% wrong. Look for the good in your partner and you’ll always find something to smile about!

We hope you loved all that Jon Mervis had to share. From his story, to his advice on jewelry and relationships. We can’t help you with diamonds. But, should you be ready to change your name, MissNowMrs can save you 13 hours of hassle!

Omarosa Married Name Change?

Omarosa Manigault just tied the knot with John Allen Newman… and of course we’re all curious “will she change her name?” Omarosa became a reality star on the first season of The Apprentice. Most Americans know her by her first name, so perhaps a switch to Mrs. Omarosa Newman is in the cards.

There are several factors that heavily influence a woman’s decision to change her name. One of the biggest is the age of the bride at the time of her marriage. Omarosa is 43, so that would point to her keeping her maiden name. Another factor that plays into name change after marriage is a woman’s level of education. The more educated a woman is, the more likely she is to keep her maiden name in some way (just think of all the framed diplomas that would have to change.) Omarosa has a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and started but did not complete her Ph.D., so that skews her more towards keeping her last name of Manigault.

Another name-change prediction detail to consider is the fact that Omarosa opted to hyphenate her name with her spouse’s last name in her previous marriage.

Despite all of these factors pointing towards Omarosa sticking with her maiden name, there is the wild card called love. Many female celebrities and professional women opt to make the switch to Mrs. for a variety of reasons. So, our prediction for Ms. Omarosa’s name change is hazy with a chance for surprise. Regardless, we wish her and John a lifetime of love and happiness!

Wedding Pro Wednesday: Kimberly Dean

Today I am excited to introduce you to Kimberly Dean, the founder of Kimberly Dean Photos and publisher of Valley Bride Wedding Guide. Her company specializes in understanding a client’s uniqueness so they can capture that essence in photos!

I met her at a sorority sister’s wedding and then noticed that my Facebook feed was continuously flooded with gorgeous images from her engagement, wedding, equestrian, and baby photo shoots. I am a photography snob, so if I like it, 99.9% of the population will as well! I also had the opportunity to experience Kimberly as a photographer at one of my best friend’s weddings. There were none of the fussy, stiff photo set-ups. Instead there were playful shots that showed the bride’s true colors and the entire feel of her big day.

If you are curious about professional photography for your wedding, or photography as a possible career, Kimberly’s story and advice are ideal for you. Read her candid answers to my questions below!

Have you always been a wedding professional? If not, what was your previous career?
No, I spend ten years working in online publishing for Agora Inc. as a marketing strategist, copywriter, and advertising buyer.

What inspired you to create your company?
As a wedding photographer, I meet so many couples who are very inspiring and hold such gorgeous weddings. My natural tendency to learn about people and my journalistic mindset sparked the idea to begin a wedding publication. I live in an area, just next to the Greenspring Valley, full of horse country and oodles of wedding venues. The North County, which touches the valley, also holds so many talented wedding professionals: from florists and caterers… to photographers and dress shops. Creating a geographically niche publication for the area just made sense. Start small, start local, and see where it leads.

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
Getting over my own self doubts and fear of failure were hands down the greatest obstacles. Once I began taking one step forward, however, the other steps luckily came easier and easier. Meeting some fellow publishers randomly at a coffee shop one day, who coincidentally were also starting a new home owner’s magazine in the same location, felt like a sign I was headed in the right direction. Having them to partner with for printing our magazines together also kept me on target with my deadlines. Sometimes you just meet the right people at the right time. This serendipitous chance meeting really helped me believe I was where I was supposed to be.

What do you love most about your job?
Both wedding photography and publishing entail telling stories. Whether it’s through photographic documentation or written words, storytelling and making memories are the common denominator for the two. I love the process of creating and sharing the final outcome. I’m also a hopeless romantic who loves details. I want to capture the emotion… the look… the vibe… the story. On the publishing side, interviewing and learning about the professionals behind all the wedding day magic also fascinates me because there’s so much talent there.

What is your best advice for brides related to your area of expertise?
I hope that brides and couples remember that although weddings do take so much time and money… that the ultimate goal is to enjoy the day you’ve been planning for. Remember what it’s all about. Remember why you fell in love, what the day represents, and don’t let any surprises or bloopers take away from that joy. Life is full of the unexpected, and weddings are no different. All the careful planning and meticulous detail in the world can’t prevent some kind of a hiccup on the day of a wedding. Laugh it off and consider it all part of the adventure. That’s really my best piece of advice. Laugh it off together.

What is your best advice for newlyweds?
I continue to keep in touch with couples post wedding who come back to me to photograph their first child’s portraits and family pictures, so I get to see how the marriage appears to be holding up. None of us can know for sure, but it seems to me that those who look the happiest have a true friendship. There’s an admiration there as well, and mutual respect, that maintains that friendship and helps bond them through life’s ups and downs. So, I suppose my best piece of advice is to make time to nurture the marriage and… stay friends.

Photo Credits: Kimberly Dean Photos (obviously)

Name Change Questions to Ask Yourself

As wedding season hits full bloom, brides are beginning to ask themselves name change questions. Remember back to middle school when you tried on various boyfriends’ last names to see how they sounded? This is the real-life version of that game. Newlyweds have to decide if they will keep their maiden names or change to a married name.

The MissNowMrs name change experts have come up with some facts and name change questions to help you as you ponder your married name change decision.

There are many name change options to consider. You don’t have to choose between your maiden name or your spouse’s last name. Brides today can hyphenate, take two last names without hyphenation, take their maiden name as a second middle name, replace their middle name with their maiden name or keep their maiden name. Not having to part with your maiden name completely can make your decision process easier.

Think about your life now and in the future. Is your career tied to your maiden name? If so, it may be wise to keep your maiden name or choose a married name change option that includes your maiden name with your spouse’s name. Do you plan to have children? How would you and your spouse feel about having different names than your children? How will your children feel? Asking these questions can help you refine you feelings about married name change and what is best for you.

Will you? Won’t you? While there isn’t a time limit for deciding to change your name after marriage, it is wise to make the decision as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more things you will need to change if you opt to change your name (ex: leases, insurance, mortgages, bank accounts.) We’re big fans of the Band-Aid mentality.

If you’re going to change your name, do it, and do it as quickly as possible. That’s why we created MissNowMrs.com to streamline the 13 hours hassle of changing your name after marriage into a 30 minute app or online experience! We’ve also created a free married name change checklist that details the entire process of making the transition to Mrs!

Photo credit: Kenziemil

Wedding Pro Wednesday: Valerie Hammer

It’s Wedding Pro Wednesday! The day I showcase a wedding professional’s startup story as well as their advice for brides-to-be and newlyweds. Who better to give that advice than the professionals who work with engaged and married couples 365 days a year? The professionals behind dream weddings deserve a little limelight themselves!

Today I am excited to introduce you to Valerie Hammer, an amazing DC-based makeup artist and the founder of Valerie Hammer Makeup Artistry. I heard about her from a circle of girl friends, you know the ones you turn to when you need a really great recommendation. I was looking for someone to do my makeup for a photoshoot for my book cover, and every single friend said I had to call Valerie Hammer. So of course I booked an appointment! When I met Valerie I was immediately put at ease by how professional yet approachable she was. She listened to what I wanted, and worked her magic (which includes an entire armoire drawer of false lashes). I looked like a better version of myself… and felt like a super model business woman for the day!

If you are curious about professional makeup for your wedding, or makeup artistry as a possible career, Valerie’s story and advice are perfect for you. Read her answers to my questions below!

What inspired you to create your company?
I spent 9 years working in the credit industry during the week, while building a freelance makeup business on weekends. As the bridal niche kind of “found me” I decided to leave the credit industry in 2014 to dedicate more time to my makeup clients. I was inspired to create Valerie Hammer Makeup Artistry because I knew I wanted to spend my life doing something I truly enjoyed. There is nothing more gratifying to me than making people feel absolutely beautiful.

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
My biggest obstacle was the thought of leaving the “security” of my corporate job. I had a 401k, stock options, medical benefits, PTO and sick days, and a steady/dependable paycheck. The idea of transitioning to a career that was highly flexible without the security was terrifying.

What do you love most about your job?
From a literal perspective? It’s the reaction that I get from a client when they look in the mirror after their makeup is done. On a larger scale? I love knowing that my clients will look back on their wedding/event photos years down the road and remember that they felt beautiful on one of the most important days of their lives.

What is your best advice for brides related to your area of expertise?
Don’t be afraid to speak up during your trial run. Remember that this is YOUR day, and your vision is my #1 goal. As a professional I will help guide your vision into what flatters your features and will ultimately compliment the rest of your look. What’s most important is that YOU feel beautiful, and your makeup artist can only accomplish that if you tell us what you like and what makes you feel comfortable.

What is your best advice for newlyweds?
Always remember that you and your spouse are a team. You may not always agree on everything (because having your own opinion is also very important.) But make sure you consciously respect each others’ opinions because in the end, you guys are building a life together….as a team. The larger life decisions are ultimately much easier to make when you and your spouse are working together to make them.

Photo credit: Elisenda Llinares Photography