Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Teves.
Kelly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It all began when I was just 14 when I volunteered to decorate my cousin’s wedding shower. The excitement of decorating coupled with the pressure of a 6-hour deadline as well as my perfectionism and love of dressing up was all I needed to spark my desire to chase the rush and fun I felt that day. It was clear Event Planning & Design came naturally, haha!
Due to my introverted Self, at 16 I bashfully joined the prom committee. Then at 17, while working at an office in a small town in Massachusetts, I planned her first event which was an open-house filled with local celebrities, pony rides, raffles, vintage cars, and more! It was the first time I had 100% control of planning and design.
So when the opportunity and challenge of planning my first wedding at 22 came along, I was ready for it, and it was a success! It was at that point when people began approaching me to plan and design their events that the path unfolded and the manifestation of my future business began.
All I needed to succeed was the courage, dedication, patience, and strength required to turn it into a career. And after years of hard work, gaining experience, and fine-tuning I officially started her first business — ANGELIC AFFAIRS: Wedding & Event Planning | Floral Design — in Beverly Hills, CA in 2011. On the side, I modeled which added to her sense of style and design, and helped fund the marketing for Angelic Affairs. With my first wedding with Angelic Affairs being published, we were quickly noticed by clients desiring Custom-Designed Events.
In addition, we began booking clients from afar (including from other countries and states), and we began planning Destination Weddings & Events in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, California, Texas, the Azores, and Portugal.
Today, I live in both the US (in Rhode Island and Massachusetts) as well as in the Azores. My friendly and experienced team of assistants in New England, California, and the Azores in addition to the wonderful World Wide Web have allowed us to book events in these areas. My team also assists me on event days; as well as with decor, logistics, and meetings while I’m abroad. Like a perfectly well-oiled machine 🙂
Despite booking events in places so spread out, we continue to maintain a boutique company approach with Angelic Affairs by ONLY booking events every other weekend. Quality over Quantity is our motto in order to continue the high-level of service we’re known for. As a result, we possess and maintain excellent relationships with vendors and venues as well as with past clients who often become lifelong friends.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road, especially when we were first starting out professionally. And as in most experience in life, it’s those struggles that shape who we are and why we do what we do. For example, prior to starting Angelic Affairs, I had planned numerous traditional weddings for friends and family.
Unfortunately, I was met with a lack of support from those whom I had assisted. Few sent me photos to use in my portfolio. But in seeing those photos, I realized something — they all lacked my creativity. I merely planned those events versus designing. That, in turn, shaped the design aspect Angelic Affairs is now so well known for.
Another bump in the road was while I was searching for work as a wedding planning assistant in Los Angeles. Only one wedding planner gave me a chance and I saw firsthand the type of wedding planner I didn’t want to be! She sat at the bar while myself and her other assistants worked hard to create the couples’ vision. I noticed there were price stickers underneath the centerpieces and candles.
To me, that was unacceptable. When I presented it to the wedding planner her response was, “Guess we’re not working with that florist again!” and she continued with her drink. Astonished and thinking to myself — “If this was my wedding would I want my guests to see this? Absolutely not!” So I insisted we go around to every table removing them.
Between this and seeing how another wedding planner merely shows up with a notepad and pen during client meetings, I saw exactly how we were to structure our quality of service. And like that, I spent the next 3 months creating our infamous Detailed Event Questionnaire and Floral Questionnaire that potential clients would complete prior to our consultations so I was prepared with a Custom Package featuring a Budget Analysis, Preliminary Design Board, and Customized Contract of Services tailored to them and their budget.
While there are several bumps in the road, I would like to share just one more…
During our first wedding in Los Angeles, we almost didn’t have food! The couple had hired a celebrity chef from Top Chef to cater their wedding. We had met with the chef at the couple’s chosen venue twice prior to the wedding. And it was only on the wedding day wherein the manager of the venue said, “The caterer never sent me her proof of insurance specifically for this event so she can use our kitchen to cook in.”
Mind you, this was just two hours before the reception! With the wedding taking place at a unique venue (an old theater) this was something that other venues didn’t typically require. It certainly threw me off especially when she said, “She’d better find someplace else to cook or this wedding isn’t having any food!”
Long story short, upon speaking with the caterer and having her threaten to call her lawyer, the venue conceded and the wedding plans proceeded. So one of the many perks of having a wedding planner like us who specializes in unique, offbeat weddings and venues is that we now know the legalities in places such as these, haha!
Angelic Affairs – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
ANGELIC AFFAIRS is a Wedding & Event Planning | Floral Design company. We specialize in getting to know our clients and custom-designing their events around who they are. In being a past bride who, despite loving her first wedding, felt a little uncomfortable with certain traditional aspects of it, I realized the importance of creating an ambiance and appearance of comfort for our clients and their guests.
No two people are the same. So the art of designing around a couple became something I realized I was good at. With a background of planning traditional weddings as well as the stark contrast of planning offbeat weddings featuring sideshow performers, crazy party hats, and so on –it was apparent we could create anything for anyone!
Prior to consulting with potential clients, I send them our Detailed Event Questionnaire and/or Floral Questionnaire depending on the services they’re requesting of us. It asks every question we need answered regarding their upcoming event.
At the end of the questionnaires, I ask about our client’s personal background. For wedding-related clients I ask about their first date, the moment they fell in love or knew the other was the one, their proposal story, as well as their individual interests and favorite activities as a couple. And from there, the magic begins!
Our clients are our inspiration! And now, rather than seeing a portfolio wherein every wedding looks the same but with different people and different colors, every wedding looks completely different! Every wedding we plan has a unique ambiance custom structured around what their desire is for their special day. One couple may not want a lot of dancing and would prefer longer dining times.
Others would prefer entertainment. Others may want a very traditional wedding. While many of our recent clients want a combination. Regardless of what they want, we’re that Wedding Planning company that says, “Why not?!” rather than — no, that can’t be done! Whatever they’re envisioning physically as well as emotionally and spiritually, we can create it and connect them with the right venues and vendors who can make it happen as well.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me, especially in the industry we’re in, is when our clients are happy. The best feeling to me is on the wedding day when I stand back and see what months or sometimes years of hard work has manifested into.
What’s even better is seeing the joy on our clients’ faces when they see it all come to life! It’s not easy handling the pressures of creating the most important day in a couples’ life. And as much as I’m confident in presenting them with that special day as they had envisioned it, there’s always that little twinge of uneasiness in the fear that perhaps something unexpected may come up that throws it off.
But fortunately for us, whenever we’ve experienced those moments, it seems as if angels intervene to smooth things over. Hence another validation of our company name, Angelic Affairs.
Pricing:
- Day-Of Coordination & Rehearsal starts at $1500
- Wedding Planning starts at $3500. Non-wedding-related events are 18% of their budget
- Floral Design varies greatly as it depends on quantities, styles, selections, and sizes. For weddings, our clients average $3000.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Angelic-Affairs.com
- Phone: 310.431.9211
- Email: Kelly@Angelic-Affairs.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram/AngelicAffairs
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/AngelicAffairs
- Other: www.WeddingWire.com/biz/angelic-affairs/542ef110ed3e74fa.html
Image Credit:
Selene Pozzer, Mike York from Art of York, Frame & Anchor, Allenbach Photography, Jessica Shilling Photography
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