Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michelle Prieto. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Michelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

I’m in the wedding industry so I’m not sure if this is too much of a trend but definitely a change in the definition of an elopement. Elopements are no longer the couple running away to Vegas or the courthouse & secretly getting married. They’ve evolved into a mini, typically 10-20 guests max, ceremony & a celebration such as a party or even dinner at a restaurant. I’ve had a couple that married with only their parents & best friends on each side. After their ceremony, they went to the movies. They are short, sweet & intimate. Another is Micro Weddings. Just a little bigger than an Elopement with 50 guests max, couples include more elements to their ceremony then guests continue on to a big celebration. Lastly, lots of couples are pushing traditions to the side. They are instead opting for more creative aspects bringing their own vision to life.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Rev. Michelle Prieto, the owner of The Ceremony Place – SoCal Weddings & Small Events. My professional background includes almost 25 years in the Customer Service industry working in various departments with a variety of companies. When I was laid off in 2017 after 14 years in the plastics industry, I started my 1st business, Ideal Customer Service Consulting. I work with companies to help improve their customer service experience for their clients.

In 2021, I was ordained as a minister after attending a wedding expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center with a few friends. The wedding industry is very competitive & I noticed the majority of vendors have forgotten that weddings are the union of love & not just to collect compensation. Most services are individual & standard which is why I decided to reach out to vendors for collaborations to create event packages together. Offering couples more services & vendors for budget friendly prices. Growing up Catholic & having a strong faith has been a consistent guiding force which helps a lot when connecting with couples. Once I got going, I continued my education & became a certified Relationship Coach after 2 friends had divorced in the same year & another was on the brink. Most couples don’t prepare for joining 2 different personalities for what we like to think would be the rest of our lives. Communication is the major hurdle. I provide a strong listening ear, allowing both side’s voices to be heard respectfully, & then by way of guidance I help the couple back on a healthy relationship path.

Most recently, I added Certified Event Planner to my portfolio focusing on small events. My mission is to continue helping couples bring their vision of their special day to life. I really enjoy what I do and meeting so many great people, some who have kept in touch, that it makes my job so much more fun. So far, I’ve been blessed with great clients & amazing vendors.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

2017. I was laid off after 14 years at the same company in the plastics industry. I started in my mid-20s as a receptionist & worked my way up to joining the Customer Service dept. Even though as the receptionist, I was wearing a lot of hats daily as it was, my title unfortunately didn’t reflect my hard work. I spent almost an hour & half in traffic both ways every single day. My whole professional working career had been on a schedule & with lots of orders. When I was laid off something clicked inside of me. I took a year to go back to school to learn a couple new trades, but I still didn’t feel right. I’ve been a people person my whole life and my skills were not being put to good use. I started my 1st business jumping in head first helping companies improve their customer service experience with their clients. Then in 2021, I made the bold move of starting a 2nd business in the wedding industry. An industry where I had little experience. Once again, I was back on the educating myself train with the clear goal of becoming an expert in the field. Since then, both businesses have been successful and finally I’m doing what I was meant to do. Educating myself will never end as I crave learning either new skills, information or even to update myself on new tricks of the trade. Now I work for myself, setting my own standards comfortably from my own office.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Business is business. Period. After being laid off from my long-time job, I felt very betrayed that I gave so much time to a company that so easily let me go. I got too comfortable. I snapped myself out of that type of thinking real quick learning that we are all replaceable. I took a step back, accessed my skills & experience. Then I quickly learned that I could most definitely do this for myself.

It was such a strange concept because I was so dependent on the umbrella of a company. Company benefits, company security, etc. With a few financial tweaks and I was able to figure it all out.

Self-employed. Remote. Contractor. No longer strange or foreign concepts. They became my new reality, and I fully embraced everything amazing that has come from it all.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theceremonyplace.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rev.michelle.prieto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theceremonyplace.smallevents/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle.prieto

Image Credits
Michelle Greene, owner of Michelle Renee Greene Photography