You still have time!

picture by photo elan

Its April 3rd, your wedding is weeks or months from now. You're feeling nervous about the invitations, the program layout, the caterer is not behaving, stress is building, its like too many things on your plate and all you can do is dream about when it will all be over! The good news is: you still have time! Meet the bubbly and beautiful Keri Cooper .

Keri Cooper founded Bliss Events, a blissfully chic wedding planning and design company based in Seattle. Keri has great taste in linens and is articulate in her vision and professionalism. I requested a brief overview for my blog readers and she was more than happy to shed some light on her profession, the wedding industry and a few other odds and ends. Check out her interview~

Keri, tell me about yourself and how you were introduced to weddings!

Let’s just say I’ve always been attracted to the art of fine living. I'm fortunate to have turned my passion(s) into a career! I'm simply a local girl with a passion for fashion, food, fun, and friends. With a degree in Public Relations I set out to make my mark on the event world and began planning tours across Alaska to lavish fund-raising dinners for local non-profit organizations. Only, in the corporate world, most of my clients were companies only concerned about the bottom dollar . . . not creativity or originality. It was time for some serious soul searching . . . what made me happiest, what were my talents, where could I be the most help to those seeking the perfect party? Ah ha, weddings!

photo by John & Joseph Photography

Let's hear about Bliss Events, what is it and how did it come to be? Bliss Events came to life after months of interrogating professionals in the wedding industry. I believe in doing things the right way. . . so I prepared. I met with florists, wedding coordinators, caterers, brides- to-be, and interviewed the heck out of them. Then, I had them ‘review’ me after I planned/designed their event. HUGE thank yous to my mentors – who know who you are J! I’ll say it again and again, it’s all in the details people!!

photo by barbie hull

Aside from your corporate experience and PR background, what do you bring to the table? First and foremost weddings are my passion! I always want the best for my clients. I continually educate myself in the latest and greatest wedding trends and seeking out strategies that make planning just a little bit easier (and a lot more blissful!).

What do you LOVE about your job? Share an experience! My favorite story is about a groom I worked with last summer. He was skeptical of me (wedding planners in general). He was one of the nicest, funniest grooms I had ever worked with, but he was a businessman and voiced his disbelief, often, in hiring a wedding planner. On the big day, the same skeptical groom surprised me with a bear hug and said, “Thank you, I’m officially converted!" Following the honeymoon I receive the most thoughtful note from the newlyweds. They were in awe of the wedding. Not only did every aspect of the wedding express this couple’s great, fun-loving personalities, but they were able to enjoy the day without having to lift a finger it was flawless! Being able to give that gift to my clients . . . that’s what I love about my job!

Name a few common mistakes made by couples without an experienced planner.I hear stories about hiring vendors that couples do not connect with and hoping to squeeze $1,000 out of a one dollar bill! Also, delegating a friend or family member to play ‘wedding coordinator’ is a popular issue that can go awry.

picture by photo elan

Sum it up for us: Remember, events that are sophisticated, chic, and yes, even a little bit magical aren’t a coincidence . . . they are a result of the delicate art of planning!

Check out Keri Cooper's services, personally, I can't wait to work with her and experience the design myself!!! We're excited to work with her & the fabulous couple to be in early October! The wedding photographs shown in this post have photo credits of other wedding photographers that Keri's worked with previously.