Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Freedman.
Heather, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii but raised in Jacksonville, North Carolina, I relocated to Los Angeles in 2003 after getting my B.A. at East Carolina University and landed a job at the prestigious Beverly Hills Hotel, a place I still hold very dear to my heart. Even though I enjoyed working for the hotel and with all the amazing staff, something was missing.
It wasn’t until I offered to coordinate a friend’s baby shower that the light bulb turned “on” so-to-speak. One of the guests asked if I did this for a living and asked for my card. I told them I was just helping out my friend, and they told me that I should really consider doing this for a living. It was at that moment the clouds parted and the angels began singing – haha. I don’t know why it took me so long to figure it out, but my Type a personality, people-pleasing personality, and problem-solving skills apparently make a great recipe for an event planner. 🙂
So, after approximately twelve successful years at the hotel, I decided to venture out on my own to start a wedding and event planning company based in West Hollywood, CA called Delmar Events named after my grandmother, Vivian Delmar.
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?
Fortunately for me, I think I took the “right” business path, so the road has been relatively smooth. I read A LOT of business blogs and books to try and learn from the mistakes and successes of other business owners. In addition to that, I started an internship with a well-known event planner, Tobey Dodge, for a good year and a half before I left my previous job. She taught me everything I didn’t know about the event/wedding planning business. That woman is a wealth of knowledge. On top of that, I had a good nest egg saved to help me during the first couple years of my business since those typically are the most challenging. I definitely made some mistakes along the way, but nothing that I couldn’t bounce back from. All in all, I feel pretty fortunate that things have been pretty smooth thus far (knock on wood).
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Bespoke, five-star service. While working with the Dorchester Collection, I learned not only what it meant to embody a five-star mentality, but quickly gained a reputation for being one of the top employees at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Not only was I featured in their annual calendar, but I was also selected to assist with a cross-promotion at The Dorchester in London. I note all of this because I am who I am today in part because of the Beverly Hills Hotel. I’m able to confidently serve a particular high-end niche because of my time spent meticulously learning what it meant to truly give bespoke service, a luxury that a certain demographic has come to expect.
What were you like growing up?
I was a very outgoing kid with a lot of friends. Shy was NOT a part of my vocabulary-haha. I was the kid who was friends with everyone and who knew how to tear up the dance floor!
Pricing:
- My planning/coordination services start at $3,000.
Contact Info:
- Address: West Hollywood, CA
- Website: http://www.DelmarEvents.com
- Phone: 310-936-5478
- Email: delmareventscompany@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delmarevents/
Image Credit:
Photos from “Hotel Bel-Air”
Photographer: Aurelia D’Amore Photography
Venue: Hotel Bel-Air
Florals: Elegant Thorn
Lighting: Peterson Event Lighting
Music: De Bois Entertainment
Rentals: Town and Country
Linens: La Tavola
Photos from “The Ebell”
Photographer: Aurelia D’Amore Photography
Venue: Ebell of Los Angeles
Florals: Elizabeth Bailey Designs
Photos from the “Beverly Hills Hotel”
Photographer: Katrina Jayne Photography
Florals: Hidden Garden
