Today we’d like to introduce you to April Kemper and Lakeisha Williams.
April and Lakeisha, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
LaKeisha and I went to high school together and reconnected years later in my search for a new home. She was my realtor. After several conversations, it was discovered that we shared a common bond in the creative elements of event planning, and that’s where the journey began. We formed a partnership, and Imperial Luxe was established in September 2018.
In the beginning, we both knew we wanted to break into the industry but were unsure how. We considered venue rental, event planning, party rentals, linen rental; you name it. It took us several months of discussion and research to decide that we wanted to hone in on venue rental. From that point, the search began. We spent countless hours searching online and contacting realtors to find Imperial Luxe’s new home, only to come up short. It was difficult to get realtors to return our calls and most of what we were seeing was either out of budget or required extensive renovations, neither of which we wanted to take on. The search became exhausting, but we kept faith believing that “the one” would someday present itself.
During our search, life was still happening for us both. Family and careers were just a few of the competing priorities, and I became newly engaged. I wanted an affordable yet intimate wedding without sacrificing style and elegance. I contacted several venues, and the majority did not cater to the small one to two hour ceremonies. The few I did find did not have the luxury elements that I desired. Ultimately, I married at the courthouse due to my frustrations of not being able to find a venue that fit my needs, but out of that frustration, our niche was birthed. After sharing my experience with Lakeisha, we both decided to change course and alter our search from the traditional wedding venue that seated 50 to 100 to a small intimate setting that was focused on intimate elopements and vow renewals. In November 2019, over a year after our journey began, we found Imperial Luxe’s new home and opened our doors on January 25, 2020.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road to where we now have definitely had its challenges. The decision to start a new business always brings uncertainty about the future, questions about how to find our customer base, or what avenues to use to build our brand. It takes a lot of time and patience. In an era where social media highlights brands that seem to surface out of nowhere, we have to constantly remind ourselves that no one sees the trial and error, sleepless nights, failures, and the number of rejections that happen behind the scenes.
Self-doubt can also creep in. When things don’t go as planned or if there is a setback, it’s easy to get discouraged. One of the things we do to help combat that is by setting monthly goals of tasks and strategies we seek to complete/execute and then checking in on those items throughout the month. This allows for easy comparison on where we were, where we are now, versus where we want to be.
Work-life balance and time management are also significant struggles. Managing our families and current careers in addition to the new responsibilities becoming an entrepreneur brings can become taxing. It oftentimes becomes difficult to manage competing priorities. The key for us has been to stay organized and allow the room for life to happen without allowing us to lose focus on our goals. The great thing about the partnership is that responsibilities are shared, and in the times one isn’t available, the other can keep the vision moving. Despite the struggles, the passion for what we do supersedes the obstacles and challenges we have faced. Anything worth having is worth fighting for, and as entrepreneurs, we seek not only to ensure that our business thrives but also to share our experiences and help pave the way for others.
Tell us more about the business.
Imperial Luxe is a boutique style wedding venue that specializes in elopements and vow renewals. Our venue accommodates up to 20 guests in an intimate setting. We provide an elegant courthouse alternative that allows our couples to escape the stresses of a traditional wedding. We are most proud to be able to provide our services to the population that may get overlooked. Many of the larger venues aren’t willing to staff for smaller 1 to 2-hour ceremonies. Some couples simply want an inexpensive non-courthouse alternative that provides an elegant backdrop for their most important day. At Imperial Luxe, we are committed to excellence both as a stunning boutique style venue and the services we provide, offering everything our couples can dream of to ensure a memorable experience for them and their guests.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
For many eloping is becoming the new lavish wedding. It’s cost efficient and allows the ease and flexibility a couple needs to have a stress free ceremony. In the next 5-10 years, we foresee a shift in traditional elopements that is typically viewed as a spontaneous rendezvous in Vegas. Elopements are evolving into the most unique and inexpensive way to celebrate the joining of two. Offering this experience in the city of Houston is just the beginning of Imperial Luxe. We hope to grow and expand our brand to other major cities in the near future.
Contact Info:
- Address: 11621 Spring Cypress Rd Ste E
Tomball, TX 77377 - Website: www.imperialluxe.com
- Phone: 866-260-5893
- Email: info@imperialluxe.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/imperialluxeelopements?igshid=15uldk3g5tl93
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Imperial-Luxe-101119044760108/
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LuxeImperial?s=09
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/imperial-luxe-tomball
Image Credit:
Team Image – Sophia Wanjiku Hinga
Venue Images – DeAngela Satchell-Washington & Sophia Wanjiku Hinga
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