Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Chambers
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After being a teacher for 12 years and feeling as though I wasn’t being fulfilled. I felt as though I needed a creative outlet and had a calling to help people. It was at this time I decided that God had a 2nd calling for my life. I decided I wanted to own my own business. I thought through my passions, what I liked, what I desired in a career, and concluded an event planner was the correct route for me. With no knowledge, marketing, and/or business background I just figured it out along the way. I networked and found couples that took a chance on me. I believe that my hard work and dedication to my business has gotten me to where I am today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Owning a business is never easy. There are ups and downs not only in the industry, but in general. Covid was also a terrible time for everyone! I was not sure if my business would survive, much like many other business owners. Instead, I thrived after Covid! Charleston is a vibrant market, a true destination. Learning to navigate market shifts, changing economies, mitigating trends, it is a true balancing act. Additionally, as a business owner, everything will always come back to being your fault. Everyone always wants someone to blame, but this has fueled my fire and passions. I have learned you must take the good and the bad. Hiring and firing employees, making sure you pair the couples with the right planner, making the tough decisions. All in all, I would not change it for anything!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I could go on and on with this question! In short, I own 3 businesses one of which is a wedding planning business, a mobile bar company, and a draping company. I started the company 7.5 years ago from the ground up. We specialize in wedding planning for all budgets. I feel that my team of 7 and our expertise in the industry really help us stand out. We have amazing vendor connections, and we all love what we do! Building a vision and watching it come together from the beginning to end, is magical. Getting to know our clients, their personalities, and diverse backgrounds, forming lifelong relationships is the cherry on top! I am most proud of what our brands stand for! We stand for integrity, love, community, and compassion. We offer packages to fit all budgets and needs including month of coordination, partial and full planning and design services, a customized bar service and beautiful draping.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Although Charleston is full of so many beautiful things, my least favorite aspect of the city is 100% the traffic. A mile drive can take an hour, but as a planner I have learned to navigate building extra time in my schedule and plan around it!
My few of my favorite things about Charleston are the old oak trees and Spanish moss, something about it blowing in the wind is captivating. I also love all the historic, charming buildings that have such a story to tell! I am so lucky I get to work in a city that offers all these aspects in almost every venue!
Pricing:
- Princess starts at $2700- 6 week out
- Royal starts at $5500- 30 hours of work
- Cinderella starts at $6500- full service
- Bar Packages are customized
- Draping are customized
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.directmydaycharleston.com
- Instagram: @directmydaycharleston
- Facebook: Directmydaycharleston2017
