Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Collins.
Hi Rachel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey to becoming a wedding and event planner is very interesting, to say the least! Growing up in Atlanta, GA, along with having a creative/performing arts family background, I always knew that I would excel in a profession that allowed me to be creative and make people happy. After elementary school, I was transferred out of the Clayton County school system to a new form of virtual homeschooling from middle school to high school. As much as I loved music and events, I was not comfortable putting myself out there.
I decided to attend Albany State University to study Management Information Systems & Technology, which was completely left field from what I wanted in life, but I knew I had to go to college or work full-time. During my time there, I experienced life-changing moments from starring in my first theater production, offering to speak at student events, coordinating pageants, and more. After graduating in 2019 and with the unfortunate passing of my mother two weeks later, I knew I had to start building a career.
I was fortunate to be offered a position as an HR Administrative Assistant with a local non-profit and that began my 2.5 year Human Resources journey. After gaining inspiration from candidates at the time, I decided to career transition in the middle of COVID-19 as a project or event coordinator as I planned my events and assisted others through the years. Meanwhile, I accepted a position as a bridal stylist, which ended up completing the missing piece of my puzzle.
After 2 years of styling, along with my administrative/human resources background, I decided to mesh the two skills together and launched For Her Weddings & Events LLC, leaving my bridal styling position behind. Now, I own and operate my new business while providing my services as a Sales Lead Generator for a retail furniture liquidation company, and love it!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been easy! Career transitioning is tough! I graduated 9 months before our nationwide pandemic shutdown. I was laid off from my first professional HR position and had to start over finding another company that fit me. I felt that while I have learned so much, and even received better offers to promote myself in my professional career journey, companies can look at my resume and create a narrative that I love to “job hop”.
On top of that, as a creative, it can be more challenging to maintain longevity in one position if the job is not fulfilling that creative space and giving a reason to come to work. I truly believe that whatever I do or whichever position I decide to take in life, the people I work for or around have the same values as I do. When things are not working and morale becomes increasingly low, that is always a sign that it is time to move on. I struggled with that as my career transitioned, and it further pushed me to move into a more entrepreneurial career.
We’ve been impressed with For Her Weddings & Events LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At For Her Weddings & Events LLC, my mission is to provide stress-free, organized wedding and event planning services “for her” and him! Through previous bridal experience, I have been able to cultivate a perfect blend of transparent communication, attention to detail, active listening, patience, and drive. From venue selection/coordination to budget management and timeline creation, For Her Weddings & Events LLC handles it all while sourcing high-quality services that make the most of every budget!
I believe that every event should have high-quality decorations so the bank account won’t have to scream at you at the end! While there is a pricing minimum for each standard package tier, I can offer a custom proposal and investment quote based on your scope of event including but not limited to service type, venue space/location, budget, guest count, hours needed on the day, special accommodations, etc.
This allows me to cater to all budgets from smaller events to large, luxury weddings! No matter how much time we spend together, my promise to you is full support and advocacy from me while ensuring a smooth, collaborative yet fun wedding and event planning journey!
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
It’s so hard to choose just one! I love reminiscing back in my past to think of the “good times” while growing up. Though my family was considered average middle-poor class, my younger sister and I never felt like we lived without or could not experience certain things because we did not have proper financing.
One of my favorite childhood memories would simply be all of the traveling experiences! From traveling to Washington, D.C. to Chicago to Colorado Springs! As I stated before, we did not have a lot of money growing up, so by the time I was in my adolescent years, my father would stay behind to work (most times), while my mother and uncle would take my sister, cousins, and myself on family trips.
We understood that while my father could not take time off every trip, it was to make sure we could go on vacations and maintain those experiences that we would cherish forever. I am forever grateful for my parents and their sacrifice.
Pricing:
- New Pricing Minimums as of 03/01/2024
- *NEW* Month of Wedding Management Minimum: $1,300
- Partial Planning + Management Minimum: $1950
- Full-Service Planning + Management Minimum: $2,600
- Current Pricing Will Be Acknowledged If Booked Before 03/01/2023
Contact Info:
- Website: www.forherweddingsandevents.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/forherweddingsandevents
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091774248309
- Other: https://www.zola.com/wedding-vendors/wedding-planners/for-her-weddings-events
Image Credits
B-Jai Avenue Photography, Jordan Yvonne Photos, and Gray Filmz
