Today we’d like to introduce you to Jan Hill.
Jan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always loved weddings and events since I was a little girl. I was a flower girl in a few weddings when I was 4 and 5 years old and just fell in love. My parents liked to entertain when I was growing up so I was given little tasks to help them.
As a young adult, I quickly became that “go-to” person for advice and design for my friends and family when they were planning and events. And after planning my sister’s wedding I decided to get a certification as a Professional Wedding and Event Planner as a foundation came up with a business plan and started marketing my services. My first official wedding as company La Fete Weddings and Events turned into three others weddings and the rest is history!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I was in the corporate world for many years before going full-time with my business in 2011. It was exciting and scary at the same time. Challenges will always present themselves especially when you’re an entrepreneur, but it’s how you take them on that makes the difference. One of them is finding time for yourself. I have always been one to give lots of my time and energy to others to the point where sometimes I was taken advantage of and rarely take time for myself.
When you work for yourself it feels like there is no stopping point. And because I love what I do, it doesn’t feel like work. I have learned that if I don’t schedule self-care time on my calendar, I run the risk of burn out and I want to be the best I can be for my family, friends, and clients. With that said, I’m looking forward to my vacation this summer!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about La Fête Weddings and Events – what should we know?
La Fête Weddings and Events is a wedding and event planning company based in Atlanta, Georgia but I’m available to travel all over the world. I named my company La Fête Weddings and Events as an homage to my mother who speaks fluent French. She inspires me every day and I learned a lot about grace and etiquette from her. I love planning various types of celebrations whether it’s a fabulous wedding or a fun corporate event.
My personal style is transitional which is a blend of classic elegance and modern style that works together cohesively. I have found that most the clients I work with have a similar aesthetic. They typically like to keep some traditional elements, but we work together to come up with ways to incorporate unique elements to make their event different and personal to them.
I’m very proud of how my company has grown since starting in 2006. I’ve had opportunities to plan weddings and events all over the East coast, Midwest, the Caribbean and Mexico. And I look forward to planning destination weddings in Europe soon!
I’ve been told that it’s my personality that sets me apart from others. I do my best to get to know my clients so I know which vendors are a good fit for them in terms of personality, style, and budget. I also like having a good relationship with my clients so if I need to make an executive decision on their behalf the day of the event, we will all be comfortable moving forward.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
There are many qualities that are important to success, but the one that important to me is passion. I truly have a passion for what I do and it drives me to continue and strive to grow and be better.
Contact Info:
- Website: lafete-weddings.com
- Phone: 404-317-3191
- Email: jan@lafete-weddings.com
- Instagram: @lafeteatl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaFeteWeddings/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lafeteatl
www.AndreBrown.com
Image Credit:
Knight Photography, Andre Brown Photography, Bamber Photography, Munoz Photography
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