Emily Campbell at Bella rocks my world every time I work with her! She creates beautiful events that are perfectly timed, run smoothly and where everyone is happy and having fun. She is a pleasure to work with not only for her “grace under pressure” but her lovely, down to earth personality. My favorite memory of working with Emily is the year we were both pregnant with our first baby -there were a couple of weddings where the coordinator and photographer were both very much with child! Here is a recent conversation I had with Emily -
How long have you been a wedding coordinator?
I started out doing international events in 1997, and I opened up my own wedding
planning business in 2002.
What got you started and what keeps you in the wedding biz?
My boss at the time asked me to be her “tour director” for her wedding. This was
in 1998 when people didn’t really have wedding planners. I thought it was a
wonderful experience and eventually branched out plan weddings full time.
I truly have the best job! There are certainly moments of stress with this job just
like with all others, but to spend my days doing something I am passionate about
and really love doing is a gift. I enjoy meeting each couple, getting a feel for their
own personal style, and working with them to make their day as unique and
personal as possible.
Is there one particular wedding that really stands out for you – good or bad?
One couple I worked with met on a chair lift and wanted to incorporate that into
their day in some way. They decided to take a run on their snowboards
immediately following their wedding ceremony on top of Keystone Mountain. The
bride had a special, custom bustle sewn into her silk ball gown to have it short
enough to not interfere with her boots and board. Her mother even took the time
to put white over all of the green stitching on her snowboard boots to make them
“bridal.” It was such an exciting moment to have them skiing off to the sounds of
their loved ones cheering them on. . . and I followed behind on my skis to tend to
the bride and groom. It was magical.
What do you like to do when you aren’t planning weddings?
I love spending time with my husband and two beautiful children. I also love
camping, trail running, back-country skiing and reading a good fashion magazine
or shopping all day with my girlfriends.
I know you are a huge asset at a wedding, how do you explain all that you do to a
new client?
Since every bride is so different, the approach with each one is just as unique –
some brides want total control of everything but need someone to execute the little
details and manage the vendors. In that case, a good vendor recommendation list,
thorough timeline and checklist are paramount to a successful wedding. Others
want help with everything so we have a resident stylist to go to dress fittings and
shoe shopping, inspiration boards to house all of the style elements for the
wedding, an in-house invitation studio for all of the paper products, and an interior
designer to render beautiful drawings of the bride’s vision for the space. We can
literally take every detail of a wedding from start to finish and make sure the
couple’s personality shines through on all levels.
What has been your biggest challenge at a wedding and how did you overcome it?
I do many mountain weddings, which presents unique challenges. Carrying the
guest book and escort cards up two gondolas across the snow, or trying to get a
wedding cake up to a mountain cabin via a bumpy snowcat ride can make for an
interesting set up.
Any new trends we should be aware of in weddings this year?
I think unique and fabulous invitations are at the top of my list. Classic, ecru
letterpress invitations are not the only option any more. One of the best designs
I’ve used is a piece of engraved aspen wood veneer with a custom metallic
envelope liner and opaque ink hand calligraphied address.
What is your best wedding planning advice?
Try not to take on too much during the wedding weekend. The time with your
family and friends will be so precious, you won’t want to spend it setting favors at
the reception venue. Also, take at least two or three moments during the day to
truly reflect on what is happening around you. The day will fly by in an instant so
take these moments to really appreciate the love you feel and how wonderful the
day is.
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