Today we’d like to introduce you to Racheal Payne.
Hi Racheal, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am a Wedding/Event Planner in Houston, TX. I am the CEO of Inspired Weddings & Events Co. and Producer of Afro Wedding Expo. I started my wedding planning business five years ago but I have been in the wedding & events industry for almost ten years. I started as a catering manager for my family’s catering business. I’ve worked at hotels and as a coordinator for wedding venues in the Houston area. I’m also the former lead event planner at Houston’s Bridal Extravaganza.
I studied Business Marketing at Sam Houston State University. I chose business because I always wanted to be an entrepreneur and own my own events company. The plan was to gain as much experience as possible and start my business later on in my career. Five years ago, I unexpectedly had an opportunity to plan my first wedding and the rest is history. Last year when the pandemic hit, I and many other wedding businesses were affected. I wanted to create an event that promoted small black-owned businesses like myself. That’s how I came up with Afro Wedding Expo. A wedding planning event to connect wedding professionals with engaged couples.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a somewhat challenging journey breaking into the events industry. A lot of what I know, I learned on my own. I didn’t have someone to guide me in running a wedding planning business. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to learn from my mistakes and make my business stronger. Although there are many businesses like mine, people often see you as a threat, especially in the black community. I wished we had a community that supported each other instead of bringing each other down. I believe there’s enough pie to go around. That’s why I created Afro Wedding Expo to create a platform to market black-owned products and services.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Afro Wedding Expo?
Afro Wedding Expo is an event for engaged couples planning their wedding. The event showcases the products and services of wedding professionals in the Houston, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio areas. It is a black-owned company created to promote black-owned businesses and celebrate African American heritage. During the event, attendees will be able to see beautiful displays, meet face to face with wedding vendors, participate in giveaways, and attend a live fashion show. The fashion show event includes top designers and local bridal boutiques.
On December 20, 2020, we were set to have our first event. Unfortunately, COVID-19 cases were increasing at the time. The safety of our vendors and attendees were most important to us, so we decided to do a virtual event. The virtual event consisted of a two-day wedding planning experience. It featured live panel discussions and a virtual fashion show. You can view the replays on our YouTube channel. Our next event will be in-person Sunday, June 13, 2021, at the Bayou City Event Center. Tickets are on sale now. Afro Wedding Expo is the ultimate wedding planning experience for the bride hoping to plan her dream wedding. The moment the bride enters the venue she’ll be mesmerized by lavish décor and breathtaking displays. The bride will leave inspired and be prepared to go into the next phase of planning her wedding. In addition to the in-person experience, Afro Wedding Expo serves as a source to brides through our website and social media platforms. Brides can get inspiration and ideas for planning their wedding as well as acquire wedding planning tools. Our vendor directory serves as a resource for finding vendors. Ultimately, Afro Wedding Expo aims to assist engaged couples through the wedding planning process with unlimited resources.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was always a go-getter. My mother was a single parent and she instilled the meaning of hard work and being independent. I carried these principles with me which are the reasons for my success today. A fun fact is I was fond of weddings from a very early age. I collected bridal magazines and loved attending weddings. I would practically beg to be in people’s weddings. That’s why it was imperative I had a career in wedding planning.
Pricing:
- General Admission – $20
- VIP – $35
Contact Info:
- Email: afroweddingexpo@gmail.com
- Website: www.afroweddingexpo.com
- Instagram: instragram.com/afroweddingexpo
- Facebook: facebook.com/afroweddingexpo
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSCBGM_0dtjWvlYJWvqbRFg
- Other: For my wedding planning page follow @inspiredwedevents on Instagram & Facebook
Image Credits
OJFPhoto Photos, IMGartistry
