We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sarah Brehant a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sarah, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
I am constantly inspired by so much, my atmosphere, people’s energy, things going on around me. Creativity in my business is derived from getting to know each one of my clients, finding out what they like to do, their favorite hotel lobby’s, their favorite restaurants, what their dream home would look like. Creativity is the forefront of a designers business and I keep it alive through my couples and through each event I plan and design.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Although I am both an event planner and a designer, it technically could be broken up into two different careers with two very different skill sets. My path started when I was planning my own backyard, tented wedding. Building a “venue” from the ground up was one of the most exciting things I had ever done. A fire was ignited. Being able to create an event that was solely directed as the personalization of my fiancé and I that would be different from any other wedding that had ever been done was so much fun for me. While most brides can’t stand it and get overwhelmed, I was inspired by the creativity of it. I had so much fun picking out centerpieces, sourcing lounges, designing custom bars while also considering the guest experience, tying that in to the entire design so the guests had a blast too.
Now, I work with discerning couples, just like myself who prioritize being present on their wedding day, a thoughtful and memorable guest experience, and an amazing design that reflects them as a couple. Our goal is for the guests of any event to walk away feeling like they are even closer to the couple, and perhaps even learned something new about them through the thoughtful design of the day.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Experience is everything. If you are first starting out, hire a mentor that has a business that you hope to have one day. Having a mentor that does exactly what you want is so invaluable and will accelerate your business so quickly.
Shadowing other industry creatives for a day to understand all of the different aspects of an event is also incredibly helpful. As a planner, you have to understand how everyone works and what they want and need on an event day in order to produce it professionally. Understanding what your caterer, band, photographer, videographer, officiant, florist, venue, rentals etc all want and need is pivotal. It’s almost as if you have to be experienced in 20 different careers in order to produce a seamless event.
Putting yourself out there, reaching out and networking with different vendors, networking with other planners and designers is everything. Being a small business owner can be very lonely, so building these connections where you not only understand the other facets of the industry but also build relationships is crucial to the wellness of your business.
Editorials were also crucial to my business. Being able to “experiment” with different details of the design from the metals, to fabrics, to different styles of centerpieces and chairs was also helpful for me to learn what looks best together and helped prevent me from making mistakes with my clients designs.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Boundaries and Saying “No” are two obstacles and very important lessons to learn that took me years to learn and I am still working on both of them. Boundaries for a business owner is learning when to stop working, picking business hours and sticking with them, saying no when the offer isn’t a good fit for your business model. As a business owner, it’s incredibly hard to stick within your business hours and allow time for yourself and a personal life, especially when you’re incredibly passionate about your work like me. It’s one of the biggest blessings to love my business, but it is definitely also a curse because I truly could work every second that I am awake because of the constant puzzle a wedding is to put together. I have to check myself and remind myself that life will pass by and I will miss out if I am always working.
As a business owner, I am also constantly asked to be a part of events and collaborate, partner, plan etc. and over the years I’ve learned to try to say no and try not to overcommit. Ultimately, if I say yes to everything, I will be burned out and not able to give my all to my clients. I also have learned the max capacity I should take on each season. As the scale of our events changes and gets bigger every year, it’s always a learning curve. At the beginning of the year, I pick a financial goal to hit and once I hit that, I stop taking clients on. This allows me to be present in my life with my family and carve out time for personal care,
Being a busy work-addicted professional, I also find that scheduling everything in my life out is essential in order to remember my needs. I always schedule the following ahead of time so I can work in into my schedule: massages, nail appointments, therapy, dates with my husband, dinner with friends. All of these would fall through the cracks and be forgotten about, so I find that scheduling them ahead of time is key for me to show up and actually do them.
Contact Info:
- Website: sarahbrehantevents.com.com
- Instagram: @sarahbrehantevents.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/sarahbrehantevents.com
- Linkedin: @sarahbrehantevents
- Other: Co-founder of New England Event Pros IG @newenglandeventpros
Image Credits
Planning & Design @sarahbrehantevents Host @styledshootsbysarahbrehant Coordinators @lovelacedesignevents @bridesoncloud9 Venue @harknesspark I know this is a ton of crediting, but these people all worked tirelessly to make the designs in the second group of photos happen so I would love to be able to include all of their names. In the first photo only @abbijiu can be credited. Photographer @joanna_fisher BTS Coverage @c10ike Primary Video @forfearlesshearts Floral Design @floraldesignsbyjustine @floraldesignsbymelissa Lighting & Drapery @ryandesignsri Beauty @upstyle.co Stylist @thebostonbridalstylist Linen @stradleydavidson @nuagedesigns @snassycrafter Stationery @maxandmaidenink @somethingborrowedeventdecor Seating Chart @twoprintinggirls Calligraphy @bl_calligraphy Content Creator @theluckyshare Rentals @rentpearl @petalsplates Gown Designer @bremelia @jesuspeiroofficial Bridal Salon @yourdreambridal @bremelia Accessories @jenniferbehr @annmariedesignskc Shoes @stuartweitzman @andreawazenofficial Veil @leaaanbelterbridal @parisbydebr Ring boxes @thestylingreserve Jewelry @michaelsjewelers @hannahflorman Baker @storeybookcakes Modeling Agency @maggieagency Models @amandamckim @britlively @kylin_carnie @thecody_smith Groom Attire @daswaniclothiers Photo Mats @chasingstone Strings @ariana_strings
