April 3, 2017

Meet Veronica Carr of Type A Soirée in Los Angeles

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Carr.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have been producing events, starting in Santa Barbara County, since I was in my teens. I moved to San Diego to pursue an education and career in teaching, while continuing event planning on the side. After earning my degree and credentials, I found myself in a tough spot. The economy was in a massive downturn, and first year teachers in California were not getting jobs, or if we could, it was very temporary. After being laid off a couple opportunities in the education field; I focused my efforts on event planning. I had been doing it for so long, and as much as I loved it, I never truly thought it could be my full time career.

As I threw myself, full time into working with local Southern California planners, and venues; I had a realization. Everything I had ever done in my life, up to this point, had prepared me for this passion. It didn’t take long for the planners I had been working with to encourage me to start my own business. This is where Type A Soiree was born! When I started my business, I was also consulting for an event rental company, so I could build my business while still making money, but after only 10 months, Type A Soiree had become too busy to maintain both. I left the rental company and had my sole focus on Type A Soiree. In our first year of business, we were nominated for San Diego A List’s Best Wedding Planner category. Taking home the second place spot, out of over 100 Southern California planners was a great honor. We have continued to make a name for ourselves, being featured in over a dozen magazines and blogs, and maintaining a top three spot in a number of different “Best Event/Wedding Planner” titles.

As Type A Soiree grew, we began expanding north, first into Orange County, and then into LA! I absolutely love the diversity So-Cal brings to the wedding industry. No two weddings or event, and no two brides or client are exactly alike. Every day is a challenge, and an honor to get to be a part of people’s milestone events. We are grateful for all of our relationships we have built and continue to build, as we maintain steady growth.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Anyone who says, starting your own business is easy, is lying. Of course building a business is difficult and inevitably there will be challenges and difficulties along the way; but I feel that we have been exceedingly blessed. Someone once told me, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”, and so we continue to prepare and never let an opportunity pass by.

I did not come from money, and when I began Type A Soiree, I was investing in a dream. It was something that is a test for any small business owner. When you first venture down such a path, you become the CEO, CFO, COO, Media Marketing Manager, and everything in between; so learning to balance life with work was one of my greatest struggles. I got married right before started Type A Soiree, and having my husband’s support was amazing! But also being torn between being a wife, and a successful entrepreneur made it tough. I am a Type A personality (if you couldn’t guess based on the name of the company) and I am also a Taurus. With these, I am very driven, and most would call me a perfectionist. This is something you want in a wedding or event planner! Someone who doesn’t skip a single detail, who can manage many tasks, people and schedules at once, all while smiling and having a backup plan. However, it made the struggle of balance my biggest hurdle of all.

Please tell us about Type A Soirée.
Type A Soiree is a full service Wedding and Event Planning company. We specialize in custom events, executed with expert precision. Although weddings are the bread and butter of my company, we create corporate events, as well as specialty celebrations.

We are known for our attention to detail, and great relationship with other vendors. It is important to us, to help our clients build an event dream team; that fits not only their style and aesthetic, but also their budget. We truly love the logistics and specifics that go into a well planned and executed event.

We are proud of the reputation we have built thus far! We have perfect 5 star reviews on every site we are featured, and we push our staff to uphold this high standard we have set for ourselves.

I think as the owner, my background in catering, restaurants, rentals, venue management, as well as my teaching education sets my company apart from other event planning companies. We truly understand all aspects of our business, and know how important each vendor is to an event. We can easily explain things to clients, that other planners don’t understand; and we can give you a true vision within your budget, rather than building unrealistic expectations that end up costing the client in the end.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I don’t know if I would do anything differently, if I had to start over. My journey, thus far, has taught me so much. I am thankful for the path I was sent on because it allowed me a perspective few planners have. I suppose I would have been more diligent about pestering venues. (Haha) There are just so many, and it can be tough to meet with everyone.

Pricing:

Full Service (Wedding) – starting at 12% of your total budget, no less than $4300/Full Service (Corporate)- 20%
Partial Service (Wedding)- Starting at $3500
Month Of (Wedding)- Starting at $1800

Contact Info: