How I came up with the idea of becoming a Wedding Designer
After the closure of my creative leisure business, I had to find a new direction. Someone I knew suggested I decorate an event, telling me, 'With your background, you must know how to decorate.' I decorated a post-wedding celebration and loved it so much that I decided to explore the field further. That is when I discovered you could become a wedding designer and that training programs existed, because I did not see myself starting without proper training. Otherwise, I would have felt like an impostor.
My background before getting started
I followed the International Wedding Institute program, during which I discovered all aspects of the wedding designer profession: graphic design, decor, draping, lighting and more, and I loved it. Having a global view of the profession allowed me to understand what I wanted to master in my future activity. In fact, I launched right away. I did styled shoots, attended wedding fairs, met vendors such as wedding planners, florists, vintage rental suppliers and venues. I built up my contact book so that I could best respond to future clients and, of course, make myself known.
My biggest day-to-day challenge
I would say the challenge lies in being able to answer couples when you need to know where to find rental items that match their ideas. When you are starting out, you do not know where to begin. I am based in Brittany and we do not always have everything we want here. You have to appear professional and in control even when you are not one hundred percent sure. But the biggest challenge for me, and still an area where I do not always feel comfortable, is preparing quotes and understanding the value of your work. At the beginning, you tend to undervalue yourself.
My agency
My agency, Event is, offers decor services for family events based on my clients’ wishes. I do not work with ready-made packages. I like searching and finding, and creating things so that my clients are happy. I have recently added balloon decor services. Little by little, I have built up a stock of decor elements, and I am going to train to become a ceremony officiant because I want to go further in the wedding world.
What I love about my job
Without a doubt, what I love most is the moment we install the decor at the venue on the wedding day, and above all the look on my clients’ faces when they discover it.
I do not regret choosing this profession at all. It brings fantasy, adventure, people, encounters and much more into my daily life, constantly pushing me to go beyond myself and step out of my comfort zone.
My best memories
I have many beautiful memories, but one wedding decor project comes to mind: a Grimm fairy-tale theme. I recreated an enchanted forest in a manor house and spent an enormous amount of time finding every single element. I did not know the couple and only met them the day after the event. The bride threw herself into my arms, thanking me with tears in her eyes. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.
And of course there was my first wedding after training. The couple invited me to the wedding dinner, congratulated me during the dance, and I met a florist who became a wonderful friend and with whom I now work regularly. The cherry on top: the couple called me again last year to decorate their son’s christening.
What IWI brought me
A LOT. I met professionals from all areas, and I love having a global view of things. I still use the binder we put together at the time. I even discovered a special taste for everything related to draping.