Do the names Kat Schmoyer or Dear Sweetheart Events ring a bell to you? I wouldn't be surprised! This pretty wedding planner has been doing big things ever since she started her business in the fall. (You also may have seen her in Tuesday's post or in my roundup of encouraging ladies a couple months ago!) It's no surprise that her business has taken off; Kat's love for others and her joy of wedding planning is obvious. I find myself smiling when I read her blog posts and her captions on Instagram because she has this great way of staying cheerful and positive.
What better way to celebrate Kat's new brand and website launch this past week than to feature her on the blog this morning? Grab your coffee cup, get comfy, and enjoy some time getting to know Kat.
What's in your coffee mug this morning?
Now that the weather is beautiful, I've been enjoying iced coffee... with way more hazelnut creamer than actual coffee.
Give us a glimpse into a "day in the life" of Kat.
On my... well I work full time & run my business on the side, so 8 hours of my weekday always look the same; the others vary depending on my DSE to-dos! Here's a pretty average day, though:
- Get to my day-job around 7:45am
- Send/answer DSE emails, blog/pre-blog and work on timelines when I can throughout the day
- Spend my lunch break at Michaels or TJ Maxx scoring amazing finds for shoots & weddings or chatting on the phone with a bride/vendor about planning to-dos
- Get home from work around 4:45pm
- On a "work night," I will have 2 or 3 video chats scheduled with potential brides, current brides, or vendors I'm working with. (Mon-Thurs: I try to schedule 2 nights a week as "work nights" for DSE, 1 night a week for a "date night" with Matt - no emails or DSE work - and 1 night to prep for the Fri-Sat events! I'm still learning the best way(s) to balance everything, but I like to think I'm getting better at it!)
- I go to bed around 10 and watch an episode of House Hunters with Matt before falling asleep (one of my favorite parts of the day!)
Being a small business owner can be busy and stressful. How do you keep it all together?
Jesus. No really, I'm serious! :) I have to remember that my business is not my own & never was my own. The Lord is blessing me SO MUCH right now and I always want to remember that it comes from Him & Him alone. He's in control over the good AND bad, and that's humbling to remember. I have to remind myself to not get anxious or stressed, and to keep the right perspective. Practically, though, what helps keep me sane? My husband. For being my assistant on wedding days, for listening to me talk "wedding" all.the.time. and for making me laugh when I want to cry. Oh, and my planner. My planner is pretty much my best friend, too. :)
Your new site launched last week and it looks absolutely gorgeous! What insight would you give other small business owners about the importance of good design?
My website is the home for my business; so I wanted it to reflect that in every way possible. Just like when you open your front door & invite guests into your home, I wanted every single thing about my website to invite readers & brides in. Every detail has a purpose and emphasizes my brand. And, not only does it fit my brand aesthetically, but it's also functional and easy to navigate. There are some websites/blogs I don't read just because the format is confusing to me. I wanted to make sure mine was clean & refreshing, yet still bright & cheerful!
Another tip? Hire a designer you completely trust! I knew that the design process was NOT my talent... while I like to think I'm good at creative shoot design & reception design, I'm not good at technological design! I knew I couldn't design my own logo or collateral materials or website on my own. I'd go crazy! I hired an amazing designer (Ashlee Proffitt) and she completely understood me and my vision for DSE! Just like a bride needs to love & trust her wedding planner, a branding client needs to feel the same way about their designer. It's okay to contact several designers to find the right fit for your personality & vision. I reached out to a few and while they were all amazing, I felt a connection with Ashlee and I'm glad I followed that "gut instinct!" I am so excited my new site is live & I get to show off my brand to the world :)
It must be so exciting to plan weddings, especially after being a newlywed yourself! What is your favorite thing about marriage?
The ordinary things. We didn't live together before we were married, so it's this feeling of "playing house" and I LOVE it! I love coming home & finding him sitting on the couch (since he's always home before me); I love laying in bed watching HGTV together; I love that he cooks really amazing meals for me; and I love that he's always there to say something silly or break into a dance move in the kitchen (yes, it happens a lot & yes, he's probably mad I'm telling you this!)
Just for fun, which celebrity wedding would be the most fun to plan and why?
Britney & Justin. They need to get back together :)
Jake is jumping in on our Coffee Date this morning, so brace yourself. Here's his question: On a scale of 1 to 10, how good is your hog call?
HAHAHA! I grew up on a hog farm, and I showed hogs all over the state of Virginia... while I never entered a hog calling competition, I'd give myself a solid 7 in that category. Nice question, Jake :)
Hop on over to Kat's new website and be sure to enter the awesome giveaways that she's throwing this week (one is to win a Daybook Planner with all the bells and whistles!) Be sure to follow along with her on Instagram and Facebook, too - with wedding season in full-force, I have a feeling she has some fun things in store.
