Wedding Industry Spotlight

This month the Wedding Maker blog is thrilled to be able to take some time to speak with an owner of Wedding Maker, Kristina Valdmaa.

 

WM – How did you get started in event planning? How long have you been doing it?

 

KV – We have been producing event décor for more than 12 years, and we’ve produced thousands of events. All of a sudden I realized that my clients needed much more than just a floral décor. They needed guidance in almost every aspect of planning their events. Early on, we did not call ourselves event planners. We just supplied that guidance, and we did it because we wanted to help our customers to realize their vision.

                                                                                   

WM – What do you find most satisfying about your work?

 

KV – A hug from a happy bride, a letter from a satisfied customer, sometimes an invitation to the wedding or event we are planning. When the party is a success, and everybody is smiling and having a good time – I know my job is well done.

 

WM – What are the biggest challenges when planning a large wedding or event?

 

KV – Capturing client’s vision to the last detail. Coming up with all the answers that people are expecting from you. Creating a theme and taking into consideration all the factors – season, place, budget etc.

 

WM – Any memorable experience you would like to share?

 

KV - Every event has its own personality in one way or another, and is therefore memorable to me. Right now we are working on an event that I think deserves to be on the Platinum Wedding Show. It is well thought out, has a lot of personality and a lot of interesting ideas. We are having so much fun creating the design for this wedding and its theme. Our clients are great people to work with. Given all of this, I have no doubt that the event will be absolutely stunning.

 

WM – What kinds of things do you draw your inspiration from?

 

KV – I think that the main inspiration comes from my initial meeting with a client. They tell the story. Everything about them gives us a clue. When we see the bride and groom together at our first meeting we try to read and understand their thoughts. Every little detail of what they like helps us to think about the overall theme and colors. The way they hold their hands shows the level of their romance. Their background and heritage will give us a hint as to what details we might include.

Also, both, me and my husband were born in Europe, and travel a lot. Michael loves diving and used to be a scuba instructor years back. I don’t know if there is an ocean or a sea that he has not been to. We love to go to museums and historical places and visit small villages anywhere in the world. You can learn so much about the native customs, people’s habits, food, national costumes, and traditions and so on. We love to share our experience to help our clients develop their vision, or on the other hand, sometimes their experience helps us draw our vision about what they want their party to be like.

 

WM – What sets you apart from other event planners?

 

KV – As I mentioned before, event production includes planning. When I say production, I mean everything, from room décor to flowers, from lighting to linens, from props to special effects. We do most of this in-house and very seldom subcontract the work to other vendors. This way we can save money for our clients. Also, we can control everything that needs to be done and do it according to our high standards. We are not a huge company with big overhead and a lot of employees; we just have the right ones, people that have been working for us for several years. Finally, I don’t believe in putting a time limit on my consultations. How can you plan an event that you have been dreaming for all these years in two hours? I will take whatever time my client feels is necessary.

 

WM – What are the new hot trends in the industry?

 

KV – Everywhere you go two words come up – Echo and Chic. We were fortunate to do all kinds of parties, including the ones above. Using glass vases or containers vs. traditional candelabras, branches with crystals strands, flower garlands, fabric and ribbons, whatever it takes to achieve the client’s vision. There is an old saying from our childhood that “Everything old is New again.” A lot of new trends have been used before, and as they come back you need to know how to implement them in a new form to make them even more interesting and exciting.

 

WM – Any advice for young engaged couples?

 

KV - Have fun. The party is a success if you will be a guest at you own party. No matter how worried you are or will be it will all come together. Take a deep breath and relax. If you feel that putting all this together is overwhelming, find someone you can trust and delegate some of the chores. And if you don’t find that someone among your friends and relatives, look for professionals like us. For example, if you want us to design and produce your event, most likely we wouldn’t charge anything extra for providing the guidance in selecting all your vendors, finding the right venue that suits your needs, coordinating the big day, etc. Some planners will have their services in a form of a menu so you can choose which ones will help you to best achieve your goals.

 

One thing I will tell you. Before you make any decisions, you can see what and who is out there and check references, or you can simply call us for free, and honest advice.

 

WM – How can people contact you for more information about your services?

 

KV - Our customers have an access to us 24/7. You can reach us by phone, email, fax or just drive to our home and you will find a nice cup of coffee waiting for you. Feel free to contact us anytime. We enjoy our work so we live our work.