Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Massey.
Hi Amber , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Our story is lengthy, but the short version: My husband and I got married in 2019. We had been together for 10 years, and when we decided to get married from our date, was 2 months. I was Director of Operations for a boutique resort at the time and planning a wedding was not something I wanted to do. I wanted to show up, get married and have a beautiful day with our closest family.
We booked a place and from the moment we paid the deposit, everything was a nightmare. There was a huge lack of communication on the venues part and details were non-existent. The day before we left to stay at the venue for our wedding weekend we got a message that our minister passed away, unexpectedly. Through that communication we learned that the owner of the establishment left the country with a scab staff at the BnB we were getting married at, the wedding coordinator and the chef has also quit due to lack of good business practices by the owner, which they had multiple open lawsuits for, that included scamming couples on their wedding day by “fluffing” the bill with items they never received.
At the end of our stressful wedding weekend, I thought holy cow, If this is what the wedding industry has to offer and it’s the level of service people are giving, I could blow this thing out of the water.
As someone who comes from a food and beverage & hospitality background, I knew that I would be able to offer couples a service that I was looking for as a bride, and be able to wildly exceed their expectations with a level of service that I found non-existent through my personal experience.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Starting my own business has been a fairly smooth ride. I spent a long time working for other people in other businesses and learning what worked and what didn’t. I watched how others ran their businesses, internal and external and was able to apply the best practices to my own business.
I won’t say that there has never been struggle, but with every new challenge is an opportunity, so I really don’t spend a lot of time focusing on what has become an obstacle. I just say, “well, that didn’t work. What else can we try?”
I’m only five years into my business, so we are starting to become established but are still fairly new. We set new guidelines with every wedding of what didn’t work, what I should do differently, or things that we see and learn from others and say, “Damn, that’s a good idea”. Change is the only constant.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I never like calling myself a “wedding planner.” I feel that the term is so generic and really isn’t a good fit for what we do. Our business operates differently than other ‘wedding planners.’ We tell couples ‘we do it all’ and when we have our initial call, I don’t think they really grasp what that means, If you’ve never been through the wedding planning process, I guess you really don’t understand the undertaking it requires.
We plan your entire wedding and give you an upfront cost for the whole event before you commit to booking with us. We believe that couples should have a financial understanding of the total investment so they can make an educated decision. We do not take a dime until they are satisfied with all vendors, what’s provided by vendors, and they have a total cost.
Once they decide to move forward, we get to work. We sign all contracts, pay all vendors, we organize and plan the entire day, we arrive and set up the event, I am an officiant and often will provide the ceremony, we coordinate the entire day, then when it’s all done we pack it up and clean up. Our couples are as hands off as they’d like to be. They let us jump in and handle all the details so that they can show up, look beautiful, and enjoy their day.
Other than that, I would say the only other thing that sets us apart, or helps us stand out at least, as that we understand that this isn’t just a day to throw a bunch of money at. It’s a day that is not only a financial investment but a huge emotional investment and we are willing to work with our couples to coach them through family issues, logistical issues and keeping things stress free. We really try to work our business as a hospitality driven experience. We aren’t just a vendor. We are here to be a guide through the entire experience. I think that our couples can feel that through our experience and are grateful for it.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Right now, small weddings are popular. I think we will seem them increase in popularity over the next few years. I know we will see a change eventually but I feel that we are moving back towards a family driven experience. For years weddings have become overblown events with all types of unique experiences. Couples were going all out to provide their guests with more than just a wedding. I think the desire to host those events are still there but couples can’t afford it.
What we see are couples whose hearts are not in the “wedding day” but in the marriage. They aren’t focused on a big budget or decor. They only want a day that is right for them. I think back in the 80’s and in previous years, weddings were focused on family and celebration and not “wowing” people for the Instagramable post. I think we are going to see people refocus their energies and budgets back to the basics.
Pricing:
- Elopement package with flowers and photography: $1595
- Day of Coordination: $2500
- Microwedding average $13k
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.epicallyelope.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epic.elopements/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpicElopementsOhio
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambersironen/
