Having this blog allows me to meet some of the most talented people in the industry, and seriously, that is the number one perk in my eyes. When I'm grumbling trying to figure out what I'm going to post, or I feel like I'm at a creative roadblock, I think about all the amazing people I've met & have gotten the opportunity to deal with, and all the frustration is out the window. That is case in point with this lovely lady, Kelly Lee Gin! I cannot put into words how phenomenally talented she is. You know when you meet someone whom you just click with? Well, that's the feeling I got when I first met her. After short introductions, we delved into a conversation as if we knew each other for years! I love that!
Kelly is the talent & rock behind
Picture Perfect Events, a full service event design & coordination company in Los Angeles, CA. She was nice enough to answer my questions below. Hurry up & follow
Kelly on Twitter. Like her twitter bio says, she is "a bad ass event planner!"
What is your background? What led you to wedding/event planning? As a young child, I would visit my neighbors' homes and suggest ideas on how to redesign their homes and where furniture should be placed. I wanted to become an interior designer or a film editor. In conjunction with my after-school job (consulting neighbors), I spent countless hours crafting my birthday parties. I never knew this, but my mom always told her friends that I began the planning and design process for my next birthday on January 9th, which is the day after my birthday. I guess you can say I spent 364 days dreaming about the next party.
Fast forward to January 2003, when my mom received a phone call from her best friend who said that her daughter (Julie) needed help with her wedding. My mom volunteered my services without my consent. For two months, I assisted Julie with her wedding and loved every moment. Julie's service provider team consisted of professionals who have been in the event industry for many years. When they (photographer and videographer) heard she hired a "friend" they became skeptical. To make a long story short, the wedding and reception went off without a hitch, and Julie's photographer and videographer praised me for a job well done.
Ja Tecson Photography
What is the story behind the name "Picture Perfect Event"? One night I was sitting in my brother's room talking about my future business. We started to discuss potential company names, and Darren came up with Picture Perfect Events. I named my brother, and my brother named my business.
What do you love about your job? The number one thing I love about my job is not having to drive through LA traffic! I am pretty disciplined when it comes to my job, but I can create my own schedule which allows me to maneuver around traffic.
Ja Tecson Photography
What is the biggest misconception about being a wedding planner? The glitz and glamour! Everyone I come across has the notion that my job is glamourous. There is a lot of hard work involved, such as keeping track of budgets, negotiating service providers, designing the wedding, scheduling my assistants, and the list goes on. Most people will only see the finished product, which is the event.
What wedding trend are you tired of or would love to see go? I am a firm believer in expressing yourself whether something is trendy or not. But I do feel there is one trend that needs to be modernized. The DVD montage has been an integral part of a reception, but can often be classified as dull and repetitive. My suggestion to couples who want to include a dvd montage is to have it produced by a professional. An alternative to a dvd montage is a concept video or movie trailer.
What advice would you give a couple before hiring a wedding coordinator? Why hire a wedding coordinator? When seeking a wedding planner, my advice is to research the planner's personality and style. You can do this by reading their blog and reviews on wedding sites.
There are so many reasons why couples should hire a wedding planner. Many couples do not realize that wedding planning is full time job. That is where we step in to assist with the research, designing, negotiating, and planning. It just isn't about the pretty flowers or the awesome band, but what about the little details? Who is going to assist you to the restroom when your entire bridal party is dancing the night away? Who will remember that "Angela Swine" on table 11 is allergic to nuts? Who will ensure a fire permit is pulled from the city? If you answered the Wedding Planner, you are correct! A few weeks ago, my family and I embarked on a trip to Boston for my cousin's wedding. My role was to be a guest and enjoy some time off. My cousin pulled me aside the night prior to the rehearsal and asked if I can conduct the rehearsal since the church coordinator and priest had prior obligations. On the day of the wedding, the church coordinator was no show and the venue coordinator did not provide much guidance.
I recently read an article regarding how signature cocktails at a wedding are almost a necessity these days. What, in your opinion, is a wedding necessity that people may not realize or often overlook? A wedding necessity that is often overlooked is lighting. I noticed many couples do not feel lighting is important or only request minimal lighting. I always work with a lighting specialist because they provide suggestions to enhance the overall style of the wedding.
What is one subtle way, or two, to personalize a wedding? Which is your favorite?
One way to personalize a wedding is for the officiant or a friend to provide insight on how the bride and groom met. I've attended so many weddings where no one knew how the couple met. My favorite idea is a hand written note that is given to each guest as they depart.
Your favorites:
-- signature drink?
My favorite signature drinks are a peach bellini, madegascar soy latte with a hint of bailey's (after dinner drink), and a really good Pinot Grigio.
-- color palette? My closet is filled with jewel tones, deep purples, and slate. On the flip side, I love white. My furniture, car, and computer are white.
---- venue? The Vibiana, Marvimon, Smog Shoppe, Shutters on the Beach, Casa del Mar, The Parker Palm Springs, and any private location or home with a blank slate.
-- wedding tradition? The cake cutting because I LOVE cake.
-- Style/Favorite Designers My style can be described as eclectic, clean, modern, sleek, and chic. I am a huge fan of Jonathan Adler Jeff Leatham, and Philippe Starck.
Describe your own ideal wedding. This is a tough question! I get asked all the time how I would design my wedding. My ideal wedding is to elope to Las Vegas and fly my family and friends to a day after party. The party will take place at a Presidential Suite over looking Las Vegas Blvd. The Gin family is known to invite 700+ guests at a wedding. I really want a small and intimate wedding.
What could someone expect you doing when you're not planning weddings? Any other projects that you have your hands in? When I am not working, one will find me in my lounge attire watching Bravo TV or the Food Network. It is pretty funny how much Food Network I watch considering I do not cook.=) I travel quite a bit to different cities throughout the United States and other countries. This year has been very exciting and eventful for
Picture Perfect Events. We moved into a new studio at Mid-Wilshire (Los Angeles) and the first annual
Make A Mark event was produced. In 2010,
Picture Perfect Events will include two Sr. Event Planners and our services will expand. We have a lot brewing, but I can't give away the details.
What inspired you to start Make A Mark? The
Make A Mark campaign was launched as a result of my own struggles as a tween. My passion to inspire young girls stems from my own awkward and insecure experiences, the positive guidance received from my parents, and the valuable lessons I learned from 12 years of being a Girl Scouts. Make A Mark is essentially an expression and narrative of my own challenges as a tween. My hope is to help tween girls overcome their insecurities, they will be able to reach their full potential, and gain self confidence.
