Featured Vendor - Simply Perfect Weddings

Sumer, from Simply Perfect Weddings, participated in the Southern Weddings Ornament Swap with me and I am so lucky to have met her. She truly is a great person!

Simply Perfect Weddings is a boutique wedding planning firm serving the Greater Pittsburgh area and surrounding counties. They provide personalized planning, coordination, and consulting services. Also, Simply Perfect Weddings specialize in complete wedding management for the modern bride who is looking for the ultimate pampering experience!

Q&A with Sumer:

1. What inspired you to start your business? Simply put, I am passionate about helping people. The long answer? I’ve always known I wanted to become an entrepreneur…my Dad instilled that in me from a very young age. Although, I didn’t always know what kind of business I’d own. I went to school for business management, with a concentration in finance. After graduating, I went on to work in the mortgage industry, followed by accounting. Neither were for me. I didn’t do the whole 9-5 cubicle thing very well. I grew bored very easily. I had planned events in college, and had really enjoyed those experiences, and after I started planning my own wedding, I decided to give event/wedding planning a try. The real push for me to get started in the wedding industry was the fact that I was quite disappointed with the level of customer service I received from various vendors (rest assured though, I ended up hiring some fabulous vendors in the end). It was at that time that I realized I wanted to do my part to change the wedding planning process. So, I got certified, got a few weddings under my belt, and then opened up shop in the fall of 2007. And the rest, as they say, is history…we’ve been going strong ever since.

2. What exactly does Simply Perfect Wedding entail? We are a full-service boutique wedding planning co. We provide a wide range of services to help brides in all aspects of the wedding planning process. Everything from complete wedding management (full-service planning from beginning to end), wedding day coordination, set-up/décor assistance, as well as hourly consulting sessions.

3. What advice would you give other female entrepreneurs? Find out what motivates you, and don’t look back! Be sure to understand the building blocks of running a business before opening up shop – write your business plan, look into tax laws, draw up a solid contract, and put an accounting/record keeping process into place. I know these tasks may seem mundane at first glance, but things like these are crucial elements to the success of owning a business. Don’t forget to DREAM BIG, and never stop learning! 



4. What are 3 things people don't know about you?

1. Frozen yogurt is my #1 guilty pleasure.
2. I am obsessed with penguins. Especially around the holidays…I could decorate my entire house with various penguin décor. I also love polar bears!
3. I hate coffee. Hot chocolate is my preferred beverage in the a.m.

http://www.simplyperfectwedding.net/
simplyperfectweddings.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/spweddings

Thank you Sumer!

Featured Vendor - Emmaline Bride

I met Emma, from Emmaline Bride, on Twitter and absolutely fell in love with her handcrafted wedding marketplace. The products are amazing, which include card boxes, garters, invitations, decorations & much more.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Sash by Dream Catcher Studio

Clutch by ANGEE W.

Album by Special Occasion Design

Q&A

What inspired you to start your business?

When I planned my wedding, I was disappointed at the lack of quality and customizable options found in big box stores. I turned to the internet to find DIY ideas and handcrafted items instead, to add a personal touch to my wedding day. When I found the overwhelming amount of talent by handmade artisans, I was instantly in love and wanted to spread this love with other brides-to-be! Thus, Emmaline Bride was born.

What exactly does Emmaline Bride entail?

Emmaline Bride is the resource for brides who love handmade. We offer the handcrafted marketplace featuring beautiful items by independent artisans, curated by our team; the blog (fresh daily!) showcases new finds, Real Weddings, DIY ideas, and more, and THE BRIDAL BOOK, our preferred vendor network which highlights local wedding resources (wedding photographers, planners, artisans, and more) that not only support the handmade initiative but also offer creative, out-of-the-box ideas for weddings.

What advice would you give to other female Entrepreneurs?

Three things come to mind: 1) Find your passion – and follow it. 2) Never, ever give up. 3) Network. Find others who also love what you like to do, because it will not only help you to learn but you will build lasting relationships (often that turn into friendships, too!); there is so much to learn from others. Also, it will inspire you to be surrounded by others who share your passion.

What are three things that people do not know about you?

I am a graduate of the University of Detroit College of Business, I have two adorable black cats named Geppetto and Shadow, and my handsome husband and I were high school sweethearts! ♥

Thank you Emma!! You are truly an inspiration :)

http://emmalinebride.com/

http://twitter.com/EmmalineBride