Today we’d like to introduce you to Vi TranLe.
Vi, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It started out as a joke; I had nothing better to do during a marching band rehearsal weekend without my instrument available, and my instructor had just gotten engaged. Someone in my section joked that I should just start planning the wedding. The more research I did on what went into planning a wedding: lists, lists, and more lists, that’s when I realized, I might actually have fun with this.
I was at the age where friends and coworkers were getting engaged. It was as easy as offering help with the planning throughout, and offering to be there the day of the event to handle logistics, details, and stress, so they could enjoy the big day. The offer would go out on any Facebook life event of, “Got Engaged”, and eventually, friends were responding and taking me up on my offer.
Many of my friends are from the marching activity, whether it’s marching band, indoor drumline, or Drum Corps, so they see and know me as someone that was always organized, on the ball, and have a “get it done” attitude. With what my friends have experienced with me in that setting, many were very trusting of their big day in my hands.
Events have always been someone I enjoyed, whether it was a big wedding, a band banquet for the group I was with, or a business etiquette dinner for my school club, I treat each event as my baby project. The most important part is making sure everyone in attendance, and especially the couple the big day of a wedding has a good time, is stress-free, and doesn’t realize anything bad happened has happened.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest struggle has been finding time to work for myself. Between my undergrad classes, homework, grading for the classes I TA for, being President of a campus organization, interning full time, and teaching drumline on weekend, there wasn’t enough free time to work on Weddings By Vi as a brand.
Making time for each event was never an issue. Working with each client to make time for Skype chats, venue walkthroughs, and the actual big day has been manageable, It’s finding the time to work on my website, or reaching out to new clients, or expanding my network of vendors I struggled to make time for, as it isn’t always on top of my to-do list.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Weddings By Vi – what should we know?
Weddings By Vi is currently a one-woman operation assisting in wedding planning and event coordinating. The bread and butter are the Day Of Execution, where a couple will do a majority of their planning, but I will handle the big day of details, schedules, and problem-solving, so the couple can simply enjoy the day the spent so long putting together, without stressing about anything that may come up.
Many clients are from the marching band and drum corps world, so weddings are located all over the country, and I don’t mind traveling. I’ve done Newport Beach, Phoenix, Mesa, San Diego, Bakersfield, Eau Claire, West Covina, and looking forward to Phoenix, Mission Beach, Tuscon, and another Wisconsin wedding.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Essential Qualities:
Staying organized, with different clients, vendors, and timelines. Communication between all parties involved, whether it be vendors, the couple, or bridal party. A genuine enjoyment of the job, because if you don’t love what you, or have a motivation to why you’re doing it, it’s going to be a long day and not a fun day.
Contact Info:
- Website: weddingsbyvi.com
- Phone: 858-568-8044
- Email: weddingsbyvi@gmail.com
- Instagram: @Weddingsbyvi
- Facebook: facebook.com/weddingsbyvi
Image Credit:
Suzy Goodrick, Pedro Rodriguez, John Matter, Greg Mizak
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