Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Cardiel.
Hi Laura, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My pathway to becoming a wedding planner was an unexpected journey. I went to college with the goal of becoming a lawyer, but I realized that world was not for me. I shifted to what would be almost a decade-long career as an administrator of higher education, going so far as to earn a doctoral degree in the field and working my way up to being an Executive Director at the fourth largest community college in the nation. Throughout that chapter of my life, I was also a caregiver for my father, who was diabetic and lost his vision in 2014. Working an 8-5 job was becoming more and more difficult with my father’s transportation needs during the week and supervision he needed after he had a couple of scary falls. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that I’d need to do something different.
My husband has worked in the wedding industry as a photographer and videographer–shameless plug for Justin Ruiz Media– for over 9 years. One day I was discussing my challenges with him and told him that if only I had a schedule like his, I could be more present for my father during the week. He suggested I learn the ropes of photo and/or video… but I couldn’t shake the visions of myself dropping a camera that costs thousands of dollars or delivering a gallery full of blurry photos to a client. Then he suggested I consider wedding coordination because he knew I had experience with events, loved working with people, and am very strategic and organized. He hit the mark. I went with him to weddings with and without a coordinator to see the importance of the role and whether I would want to do it myself.
I FELL IN LOVE. I started Cardi Elegant Weddings in January 2023, working weddings part-time while still in my position at the college. Fortunately, I was able to attract many more clients than I expected very quickly and by June 2023, I left my job at the college to focus solely on wedding planning. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
I remember my dad was worried because he was unfamiliar with what it was to be a small business owner, and much less the owner of a wedding planning business. He believed in me and trusted that it would be a better fit for me and for him. He recently passed, but he always told me how proud he was of me for being brave and making bold decisions. I dedicate my business and all my accomplishments I’ve had in it to him.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Uff… No journey is without challenge, and I faced a few. I’ll say that the industry was a culture shock. I come from a career where mentorship and education were shared freely. I remember reaching out to a few prominent wedding planners in search of mentorship or just to hear their success stories for inspiration and was not warmly welcomed. Luckily, there are lots of wedding planning workbooks and tools available through other mediums that I was able to use as a basis, and then I built everything to flow the way that made the most sense to me. I’ve since found collaborative planners, but in the beginning, it was a lonely journey.
The bigger challenge was the actual business management piece. I knew I needed to establish processes because I had dreams of building a team, and I wanted to be able to train everyone easily…. but everything was manual and tedious. I also had no idea how to market my business. My husband has been paramount to my success in that he shot my first commercial for my business, explained SEO strategies, and showed me all the places I could advertise. Thankfully, I now have an online platform that has enabled me to facilitate training for my team and improve our communications between the team.
Speaking of my team, that was the SMOOTHEST part–finding team members. Kenia, Kathleen, Scott, and Aleyda are INCREDIBLE. I really needed team members who were passionate, meticulous, and eager to learn and grow in their roles, but it was also important to me that they be able to always stay kind when faced with challenges. Each of them bring unique insight into how to improve how we create the best experience for our clients. I am so grateful for them. We are looking forward to adding a couple more in the next few months! Woo!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Cardi Elegant Weddings is a Houston-based wedding planning company that focuses on creating weddings that feel intentional, personal, and actually enjoyable to plan. We offer wedding planning and wedding day management services, and we work with couples from all kinds of backgrounds, cultures, and identities — including LGBTQ+ couples. A lot of the weddings we support involve multiple moving pieces, strong family dynamics, or multi-day events, so we’ve become especially known for helping couples navigate all of that in a way that still feels calm and meaningful.
I think one thing that really sets us apart is that we care just as much about the planning experience as we do the wedding day itself. Of course we want the wedding to be beautiful and well-executed, but we also want our couples to actually enjoy the process of getting there. Our philosophy has always been that when couples look back on this season of their life, we want them to remember more than just the wedding day. We want them to remember feeling supported, cared for, informed, and able to be present throughout the journey.
Clients often tell us that we bring a sense of calm into situations that could otherwise feel overwhelming, and honestly, that’s one of the things I’m most proud of. Weddings can come with a lot of opinions, emotions, logistics, and pressure, and our team is really good at creating structure without making the experience feel cold or transactional. We’re very detail-oriented behind the scenes, but still warm and approachable throughout the process.
A huge part of what we do involves logistics and communication. Timelines, vendor coordination, guest flow, family dynamics, setup management — all of those details matter because they directly affect how the day feels for our couples and their guests. We believe people enjoy weddings more when things feel smooth, thoughtful, and well cared for.
Something else I’m really proud of is how organically the company has grown. Cardi Elegant Weddings started with just me, and over time it has grown into a team that now supports dozens of weddings each year. Most of our growth has come through referrals and relationships, which means a lot to me because trust is such a huge part of this industry.
Before weddings, I worked in higher education leadership for many years, and I honestly think that background shaped the way I run this business. A lot of those roles involved building programs, supporting people through major life moments, managing high-pressure situations, and creating structure where there wasn’t any yet. I still bring a lot of that into the way I lead my team and care for clients today. At the end of the day, we want couples to feel like they had someone in their corner throughout this entire experience — not just someone who showed up with a clipboard on the wedding day.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think one of the biggest things that has contributed to my success is my ability to stay calm and adaptable in high-pressure situations. Weddings are emotional, fast-moving, and deeply personal, and no two clients or families are exactly alike. Being able to navigate all of those moving pieces while still making people feel heard and supported is something I really value.
I’ve also always been very people-oriented. At the core of this business, I genuinely care about the experience people are having — not just whether an event looks beautiful at the end. I think clients can feel when someone is truly invested in them versus just completing a service, and that has played a huge role in how Cardi Elegant Weddings has grown through referrals and relationships over the years.
Another thing that’s been important is being willing to evolve. As I previously mentioned, I didn’t come from a wedding industry background originally, so I’ve had to learn, build, adjust, and problem-solve constantly as the business has grown. We’re always looking for ways to better support our clients and improve their experience. Recently, we expanded our wedding day support structure and adopted an online planning portal that helps make communication, planning, and organization much more seamless for our couples. Little improvements like that make a big difference in helping clients feel supported throughout the process.
I think being open to growth while still staying grounded in the kind of experience I want clients to have has helped shape both me and the company in a really positive way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cardielegant.com
- Instagram: @cardielegantweddings
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cardielegantweddings
- Other: TikTok: @cardielegantweddings
