We were lucky to catch up with Niela Callanan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Niela, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I currently earn a full-time income from my creative, but it hasn’t always been like that. During college I worked three jobs, one in a restaurant, one has an event planner for my apartment, and the other was a server at Pear Tree Estate a venue that hosts events, has in house catering and planning. I also had an internship at Pear Tree Estate worked their full time my senior year of college while I had enough credits to be a part time student. During this time I would also come home on the weekends and assist Clover Events in Chicago, a wedding planning company. Prior to graduation I got a job at Urban Allure Events. When joining the team I was a part time assistant, but I quickly moved up to a full time planner 2 months after joining the company. From that point forward, I got more and more lead weddings and still do to this day!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I went into college thinking that I was going to be a biology major hoping to become an orthodontist. That quickly changed when I realized how expense school was and how long I would be a student. I had to reflect on other interest and passions I had, and I recognized my longstanding enthusiasm for planning and design. I definitely have a creative eye, when entering a room I often envision multiple layouts, event setups, and decor options. Also, there is nothing I love more in this world besides planning! I am a very logistic person wanting to know what happens next and taking control of times and timelines so I know that everything/everyone is suppose to be exactly where they are! I take great satisfaction in managing timelines and ensuring that all elements are precisely coordinated. Due this I changed my major quickly halfway through my sophomore year of college. With my type A personality of getting things done I took 21-22 credits a semester and took about 12 credits a summer which is why I was only a part time student my senior year of college and I could focus on my career. I switched my major to Hospitality Management with a minor in business at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

I have now been a wedding planner for 3 years. I have been an assistant and apart of 160 weddings and I have planned 42 weddings myself to date. The services that I now give are partial planning and full planning. I love being with my clients from the start to the end of their wedding journey and referring vendors that I know would work best with them and for their budget. I find that this way tends to solve a ton of problems or bumps in the road later on.

My biggest strength is my personal approach; I genuinely care about my clients wants, needs, and expectations. I strive to cultivate trusting relationships that extend beyond the wedding day. As a younger planner, I bring a fresh perspective that resonates well with my clients, particularly regarding contemporary ideas and designs that reflect current trends in the wedding industry.

I am so excited that this is my third year of wedding planning, I am thrilled by the progress I have made and the knowledge I have gained. I look forward to envisioning my future as a wedding planner, considering where I will be in this career five to ten years. I am motivated by goals and challenges and possess a proactive, energetic attitude towards new ideas. Those around me will say that I have a ton of ideas and creativity, I can’t wait to see them come to life within the next few years!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

The most effective way for society to support artists and creatives in fostering a thriving creative ecosystem is through active referrals. An individual’s network is their most valuable resource, and one can never know when someone may be seeking a specific service, such as a painting or artistic collaboration. There is nothing I love more than planning a wedding and the couple wants something a little more out of the box or being open to bringing in new ideas that haven’t been done before. I love the idea of using local artists, creatives, and more as much as we can throughout these processes to bring in that extra personal touch. Doing these things really helps these artists create an even bigger network, meet new people, get referrals, and more business. I see this first hand with live painters at my weddings, not only were they a perfect add on to the celebration, but also enhanced their visibility within the community.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

believe there are two particularly rewarding aspects of being an artist or creative. The first is witnessing and hearing the reactions of clients when they first see the design or at the conclusion of their special day. In those moments, it becomes evident how crucial my role has been in their lives up to that point. Knowing that I have alleviated their stress, ensured their satisfaction with every detail, facilitated a positive experience for the vendors, and fulfilled their vision is profoundly gratifying. My primary goal is to create a stress-free environment so that they can fully enjoy their day with their loved ones.

The second rewarding aspect is the personal realization of my accomplishments. It brings me immense satisfaction to know that I have achieved everything I set out to do, that their day exceeded their expectations, and that the plan I developed was executed smoothly. I am consistently amazed by how beautiful the wedding appears in reality, reinforcing my passion for this work.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @nielaweddings @urbanallureevents
• Facebook: @nielacallanan
• Linkedin: @nielacallanan

Image Credits

Katy Carl, Madi Ellis, and Social Bride Collective.