Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Holder.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’m the owner and lead designer of Amanda Holder Events. Prior to starting my wedding and event planning business seven years ago, I spent almost 15 years as a corporate event planner for organizations such as the PGA TOUR, IMG Worldwide, NBC television, CBS television and REC Solar. The first wedding I ever planned was for NBC on live television at five o’clock in the morning. And, I’ve been hooked ever since.
Now in our 7th year of business, with more than 100 weddings under our belt, our team has grown to 10, with each person taking on a variety of roles in the business. We absolutely LOVE what we do!
In 2014, three of my industry friends and I founded The Wedding Space in San Luis Obispo, CA, a collaborative workspace for wedding professionals.
In 2016, five fellow wedding planners and I founded SLO Wedding Planners, a cooperative networking group designed to help raise the standard of service in the industry.
We are members of Central Coast Wedding Professionals, The Wedding Standard, and are active in various other industry organizations.
In 2018, we were honored with the award for Best Wedding Planner in San Luis Obispo County by the folks at California Wedding Day and were nominated again in 2019 and 2020.
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?
Oh, gosh…not at all. When I first left the corporate world to start my own business, I was also working part-time as a marketing consultant for other local small businesses. I was also picking up catering and bartending gigs to make ends meet. After an almost 10-year marriage, we began the very painful process of divorce. Going through a divorce…as a wedding planner…ugh. There were a ton of struggles and so many ups and downs. But, I survived and then thrived, doubling my business year-over-year. A few years later, enter 2020. The move to an LLC, ten part-time employees, and 34 weddings and events scheduled. All was well until I was rear-ended in December of 2019 and a CT showed a benign tumor in my spine.
On January 27th, I underwent a more than 6-hour surgery to remove the tumor at T5-6 from my spine and spent a week in the hospital recovering. I’ve been recovering at home ever since, and it’s slow going. Enter COVID-19. Ugh. I managed to execute on four events prior to the shutdown, thanks to my amazing team. Four down, 30 events to go in 2020…which was supposed to be our best year yet. And now, COVID-19 and no weddings or events for the foreseeable future. Most of our clients are hanging on for the second half of the year and we are hoping for the best. And, I continue to recover at home from my spinal tumor surgery.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Amanda Holder Events – what should we know?
Our team specializes in wedding design, planning and coordination on the Central Coast of California, from Paso Robles to San Luis Obispo, to Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara. Our team can plan an entire wedding from start to finish, consult with a client as they do the planning, and/or coordinate the big day. In addition to weddings, we can handle literally any type and size of event.
Most of our business is referral-based, and we have the most amazing love letters (reviews) from both clients and vendors. We are known for being present and attentive to every little detail, for being calm, cool and collected under pressure, and for treating everyone with love and respect.
I am most proud of the 100+ weddings and events we’ve executed over the last six years, and of my amazing team.
What really sets us apart is that we are a team of planners and coordinators, so our clients and our vendor teams feel fully supported.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think just the level of kindness with which we treat our clients and vendors, as well as each other. We really feel privileged and honored to do what we do.
Pricing:
- Full Service Design, Planning & Management starting at $8,000
- Design & Management starting at $5,000
- Management starting at $3,000
Contact Info:
- Website: http://amandaholderevents.com/
- Phone: 5593205927
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandaholderevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandaholderevents/
Image Credit:
https://www.instagram.com/yvonnegollphotography/
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