Wedding Pro Wednesday

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Wedding Pro Wednesday: Jennifer Lavallee

Our Wedding Pro Wednesday: Jennifer Lavallee feature is not to be missed. I am delighted to introduce you to the founder of Bellajenna. Bellajenna is a small, woman-owned business that designs custom stationery and greeting cards. Jennifer’s designs are inspired by beauty, fashion and a whimsy for life. I love that she used her background in fashion to launch a company in a totally different industry that allowed her design skills to take flight.

So, if you are interested in starting a stationary company, or simply love stories of women turning personal hobbies and creativity into businesses, don’t miss Jennifer’s answers to my questions below!

Have you always been a wedding professional?

Before starting Bellajenna, I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC which lead to a career in the Fashion Industry. Starting as a merchandiser at Tommy Hilfiger, I went on to be the fashion editor for a popular fashion magazine. I would be fortunate enough throughout my career to work with a number of designers and creatives, and spent my final 7 years in the industry as a merchandiser at Calvin Klein Jeans.

What inspired you to create your company?

While at CKJ I got engaged. I didn’t design our invitations (admittedly we ordered from a big stationery company) but I did notice I had a thing for stationery. I enjoyed envisioning our storyboard, colors and all the things that go into design. Which made me realize that my background in fashion could also be applied to designing stationery. I started playing around with creating invitations and cards. Eventually making wedding shower invitations and other stationery as a hobby for my New York and fashion industry friends.

Two years after getting married, my husband and I (along with our little long haired dachshund Sienna) decided to move to the DC area. This was a move that made me nervous at first. NYC had been my home for 15 years! And, not to mention, DC wasn’t a place rooted around the fashion industry and its corporate offices like NYC.
But, we made the move and I fell in love with DC! And just after 2 months of being here I decided to turn my hobby and love of stationery into my new career. So, in early 2009 Bellajenna was born.

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?

I would have to say I was very fortunate when I started Bellajenna. Within the first month of launching the business and on a whim, I set up a booth in Capital Hill’s Eastern Market. That very first weekend one of my customers turned out to be the manager of a boutique store near the White House. She ended up placing an order for the store on the spot! Selling at Eastern Market gave me such great exposure. There I sold my greeting cards and stationery on the weekends and Bellajenna started growing organically. From my line of greeting cards clients started requesting wedding invitations, baby invitations and so on.

What do you love most about your job?
This might sound cliché but the best part of owning my own business is doing what I love to do, and making a living doing it. And the bonus is being a part of my clients very special moments.

What is your best advice related to wedding stationary?

Planning your wedding and dealing with all the choices does not have to be overwhelming. For me, I actually found deciding on our venue and cake easier than picking out our invitation design! My advice, and I’ll keep it simple, is first have a budget in mind. As with all your wedding planning, having an idea of how much you can or want to spend will guide you better through this process. Choosing your wedding paper is most often one of your first big decisions. Don’t fret, there are wonderful options that suit all budgets.

Second, think about your style – are you traditional or modern, what wedding colors are you considering, and so on.

Thirdly, if you have the option, work with a designer. Working with a stationer will at least make your life much easier. Whether you know from the beginning or not that you want to work with a stationer, a little planning with this decision will go a long way too. The internet makes everything easier today. And this includes researching your wedding paper and stationary.

My advice is to look at online sources like top wedding websites and blogs. These resources are a good source for information about stationery companies and other wedding vendors. You can check reviews and even see some designs. Then contact the stationer/s. Conduct your own interview – If they are local, is it an option to meet in person? Are they open about their pricing and services? Do you connect with this person? Do they seem easy to work with, or will every request be met with a fee?

At the end of the day, you should get the feeling that your wedding and invitations are as important to the stationer as to you. Pick a good professional with great style and they will guide you through this process with ease and care.

What is your best of advice for newlyweds?
My advice for newlyweds is to always remember the happiness and love you shared together on your wedding day. The love you build together should also be reinforced by the strong friendship you build with one another.

woman-owned stationary company Bellajenna

Did you love our Wedding Pro Wednesday: Jennifer Lavallee feature? We’d love to feature your wedding-related business too! Send our features department an email or message us on MissNowMrs.com.

Wedding Pro Wednesday: Laura C. Cannon

Today I am excited to introduce you to Laura C. Cannon. She is the founder of Ceremony Officiants™ is ranked the #1 wedding officiant company in the United States with more than a decade of experience creating beautiful, personalized ceremonies for couples of all backgrounds. Her diverse and friendly team of experienced professional officiants has performed over 3,000 weddings and maintains a perfect 5.0 average for reviews on WeddingWire and the Knot. In 2013 Laura launched a sister company, DC Elopements, which specializes in stress-free, simple elopements and mini-weddings in the Washington, D.C. area.

So, if you’re trying to decide on a wedding officiant or are curious what a career in “marriage” might be like… don’t miss Laura’s answers below!

Have you always been a wedding professional? If not, what was your previous career?
I was not always a wedding professional, but almost! The first company I started while still in college was an event planning company and weddings were certainly part of the mix. I sold that business and went on a spiritual journey that lead me to becoming ordained as a non-denominational minister. I always had the heart of an entrepreneur and was fortunate to grow up with two entrepreneurial parents. But having gone to college with the thought of having a typical 9-5 career, I decided that I had to travel down that path to have that experience. I worked in higher education in a salaried position and stayed there while I continued to officiate weddings and preside over funerals on the side. Eventually I decided to make the leap into working full-time in the wedding industry. I grew from solo-preneur to a team of wedding officiants that now covers several states, has spawned several other companies, including the formation of the International Association of Professional Wedding Officiants.

What inspired you to create your company?
I was inspired to create my company when a student of mine who knew I was ordained asked if I would perform her wedding ceremony. While doing her wedding I had what Oprah calls an “Aha” moment where everything became clear. I knew I was meant to do another wedding and that it was the perfect use of a variety of skills I had been honing for years. That first year I did a handful of weddings just from referrals. The business continued to grow and then I decided to bring on my first associate officiant. It’s now been almost 15 years and we’ve performed thousands of weddings!

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
While I am thankful for the fact that I did not experience and “failures” in my business, there were certainly challenges. I think as an entrepreneur starting out in a new industry the biggest hurdle to cross is dealing with the fact that you don’t know what you don’t know. Everything is new. I had the challenges of learning a business and the industry it was inextricably a part of all at the same time.

What do you love most about your job?
I LOVE LOVE. Seriously. Having the opportunity to bear witness to two people in love make a sacred commitment to each other is the greatest joy of my life. People ask me all the time, “Now that you are an author and a speaker and run all these businesses are you going to stop officiating weddings?” No way! There is a Sanskrit word, mudita, which means the joy derived from the joy of others. It is my favorite kind of joy and I get to experience mudita every time I officiate. It doesn’t get better than that.

What is your best advice for brides related to your area of expertise?
My #1 piece of advice for brides is to plan for your married life, not just a wedding. The wedding is one day. Yes, it is an amazing extra-special day, but ultimately it is really just the first day of your married life. We spend so much time planning for this event and we forget to put just as much emphasis on planning for a great partnership with our spouse. Spend some of your time considering what your married life will be like: What do you each need to do to contribute meaningfully to your relationship? How will you best support each other as life inevitably changes?

Laura C. Cannon’s best advice for newlyweds

COMMUNICATE. We often have different styles of communication and the way one person expresses love may not be the way the other person receives love. We have to learn how to explicitly communicate with our partner. Your partner is NOT a mind reader and yet sometimes when we are in relationship with someone for a long time we start to assume they should “just know” when something is wrong. No, they shouldn’t. It is up to each of you to be responsible for communicating your own desires and needs explicitly. Couples who communicate explicitly and frequently have deeper intimacy than those who don’t. And that deep intimacy with another human being is the true gift of marriage.

Photo Credits: Headshot – Denis Largeron, Wedding Couple Photo – Justine Ungaro

Did you love the story and advice of Laura C. Cannon? If so, don’t miss Valerie Hammer’s Wedding Pro Wednesday feature!

Natalie Seng | Wedding Pro Wednesday

This Wedding Pro Wednesday, I’m excited to introduce you to Natalie Seng, the principle designer and owner of Designed Perfectly Events. Her company offers full and partial event planning, styling, and design as well as Wedding Day Management. With over 12 years of hands-on experience, they specialize in classic weddings with bold personalities for Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and beyond. (Pssst…their passports are ready!)

If you are considering engaging a professional planner for your wedding, or are curious about the profession, don’t miss Natalie’s answers to my questions below!

Have you always been a wedding professional? If not, what was your previous career?
No, my first job was actually in Television. I was a Floor Director and Associate Producer at a local news station. I got married while working there and I absolutely loved everything about planning my wedding. Like so many brides, felt a void when the wedding and planning was over. So I contacted local planners for internship or employment opportunities but got nowhere.

I found an ad for field staff for a local catering company and called to see if I would be able to intern in the sales department instead. I was excited when they said yes. My internship didn’t last very long when I was offered a full time position as an Event Designer. I excelled at that position for many, many years and I absolutely loved the logistical and event design aspect of it. For the brides that did not hire a planner or coordinator I basically became theirs when I felt someone was needed to take the reins.

What inspired you to create your company?
I loved the involvement and the relationship I was able to form with my clients while working in catering. However, the more involved I got the more I realized that this was something I was even more passionate about and after 10 years I decided to branch out on my own. Running my own company allows me to be very hands on with my client and provide the best service possible. I started Designed Perfectly Events in the Summer of 2014.

What was your biggest obstacle and failure in going from idea to business?
I had been “dreaming” about becoming my own boss for a long time but it was a scary decision to go from a cushy job to a solo entrepreneur. However, in order to succeed in life, you have to take risks. Starting my own company was definitely the right move for me and I am enjoying every second of it.

What do you love most about your job?
My clients! Every couple and every wedding is so very different. It’s exciting to look forward to each and every celebration and to work towards translating their thoughts and ideas into something tangible that adds their personality into the mix. This industry is ever changing and the passion really keeps on building by trying to exceed your client’s expectations on their big day. Revealing the reception space to my clients is actually my favorite moment at each of our weddings. This is where they can really see their vision come to life. It’s a very emotional moment.

What is your best advice for brides related to your area of expertise?
I believe that every couple should treat themselves to have at least a “month of coordinator” to assist with the last minute details and to pull the logistics together. Most of my clients will tell me afterwards that we were one of the best investment they made for their wedding. But aside from that, I tell my clients to enjoy the journey. Wedding planning can be very stressful at times and it’s important to remember why you are planning this grand event in the first place. We encourage our couples to plan date nights where wedding plans are off topic and just enjoy each other’s company.

Natalie Seng’s best advice for newlyweds

Communicate often. Be truthful. Learn to compromise and love deeply.

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)

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