May 8, 2017

Meet Brandy Kerley of Tie The Knot California in Lancaster

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandy Kerley.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I wanted to start a business of my own for a few years but I never found or made the time to research it and could not decide on my niche. It took a medical emergency to get me started! In 2016, I had a medical emergency that required me to be on extended bed rest. This left me with hours of free time to research starting a business and to contemplate my passion. I always have loved weddings and feel that they bring so much joy to the couple and to those who attend the wedding. I mean if you think about it, next to the birth/adoption of a child, this is the happiest day of most people’s lives. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that experience? I can’t think of a better way to bring joy to others than to officiate the ceremony. So, I became an ordained minister and started working with the Small Business Development Center in Santa Clarita to come up with a business plan and decide on the best way to move forward. I started officiating as a hobby to see if it was something that I really wanted to do and luckily, I found my niche! It has grown into more than I could have hoped for in a very short time. Not only do I get personal fulfillment from what I do, but it is a constant reminder of the joys of my own marriage. The best reward for me is the smiles on the faces of the brides and grooms. There are always the what-ifs right before the ceremony. I remind my couples that no matter what happens it will be a great story when it’s all over and that they will be married – which is what it’s all about!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Many struggles have existed along the path and I’m sure there will be plenty more to come. The biggest struggle was trying to determine how to start a business legally. I didn’t know where to begin so my advisor at the Small Business Development Center was a big help. I also attended a Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE) program. This program is available to women veterans who are starting a business or planning to start a business. It helped me really understand the legalities of business and challenged me to complete my business plan including market research which was an eye opener.

Another big struggle was and still is advertising. As a small business start-up, my advertising budget was non-existent so I had to figure out how to do all of the advertising and website on my own. The internet was a huge help with this. I bought my website and the company I used offered free templates for do-it-yourselfers so I took advantage of that. I spent countless hours designing my pages and making them the way I wanted them. I also had to figure out how to register my business for free with sites like Google, Yelp, Bing, Yahoo and the Yellow Pages. This process is time-consuming but it is necessary to get your name out there.

So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Tie The Knot California story. Tell us more about the business.
Tie The Knot California provides personalized wedding ceremonies and services to couples preparing for marriage. I established the business to help all couples create a wedding celebration that is truly one of a kind. I am an ordained minister as well as the wedding officiant and I work directly with the couple to make sure that their ceremony reflects their values as a couple, their vision for their ceremony and can even help them plan their own intimate wedding. This is a special day and it is very important to me to make it as stress-free as possible. I want them to remember the ceremony and the friends and family gathered to support them, not be worried about anything to do with the ceremony. We are also proud to offer a competitive alternative to a non-personal courthouse wedding for couples on a budget by traveling to their location of choice. Of special note, we’ve recently expanded services to include Baby Blessings.

We can help create a fantastic ceremony for any type of wedding including:

Intimate Weddings
Traditional Weddings
Theme Weddings
Civil Ceremonies
Elopements
Second Marriages
Non-traditional Ceremonies
Commitment Ceremonies
Vow Renewals
Non-denominational Wedding Ceremonies
Non-religious Wedding Ceremonies

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Bad luck, as I mentioned earlier with the medical issue, is what finally helped me get my business started. I was at my wit’s end with trying to figure out what to do with all of the time I had on my hands. Once I found my mission – to start a business – I started researching everything I could find. In this case, I would definitely say that my bad luck was a blessing.

I think a bit of good luck has helped me propel the business forward as well. Early in my start-up, I had a bride contact me to officiate for her and her husband-to-be and she was having trouble finding a photographer within her budget. I called a local photographer who was referred to me by my SBDC Advisor, but his pricing was well beyond her budget. I decided that I wanted to try find another local photographer who is a veteran since my husband and I are both veterans as well. When I found Les Teal of The Teal Studio, he was willing to work with my bride’s budget and after we shared a few military stories, he offered his own services to help me get some professional photos for my website as a thank you for contacting him. I thought that was the nicest gesture and it has taught me so much about the value of networking – especially as a small business owner.

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