We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amelia Waalkes. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amelia below.
Hi Amelia, thanks for joining us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.
Ever since I was little, I was always coming up with business ideas! My parents encouraged them, even going so far as to connect me with people who could hire my business for citywide festivals. They taught me helpful money management skills and have always had my back when I need help. When my first son was born, my mom helped me wash dishes for my events so that I could rest. I’m so thankful for their support throughout the years!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I got into the wedding industry as I was planning my own wedding in 2019! I’ve always loved color and I knew that I didn’t want my wedding to be a typical wedding. Like many brides, I was trying to DIY as much as I could so that we could stay within a certain budget. This lead to me thrifting hundreds of china sets and vintage colored glassware to decorate the tables with. After my wedding in the spring of 2020, I decided to rent out what I had gathered to other brides that wanted to add some vintage charm to their wedding decor. Five weddings lead to 30 weddings and now I average around 50 events per year! In addition to vintage dinnerware, we’ve also added on vintage lounge pieces and design services for brides who need some direction regarding their decor. I am so proud of how I’ve grown this business alongside growing my family. It is so sweet when my son tries to pick out his favorite rental items (he loves our brass bud vases) and bring them to me when I’m packing up an order.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I am currently in the middle of a business pivot right now! After the birth of our first son and running a business in the midst of late-night feedings and baby-wearing, I realized that the way that I was running my business would not be sustainable for me in the long run. Right now, this business functions as a side source of income. With all of the work I was putting in and time I was sacrificing away from family, I realized that it was not worth it for me as long as it remained only a side source of income. I love what I do, but I love being a mother more, so I am currently pivoting away from bigger events and growing my inventory. This wedding season I am focusing on weddings with less than 150 guests and have changed my pricing to better reflect the amount of work it takes to run a rental business. Next year I will be starting nursing school full time, which will be an even bigger pivot. In 2025 I will only be taking wedding inquiries that inspire me creatively! I’m excited to take a step back and see where this change takes me.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
My best source of new clients has been vendor referrals and Instagram! I am not someone who puts hours and hours into social media marketing each week. Instead, I show up authentically when I can. I’m sure the algorithm hates it, but by being myself and sharing my quirks and creative inspirations, I have attracted clients who have a similar vision to mine! Vendor referrals have also been a great source of clients. When I was starting out, I attended several styled shoots for two years and worked hard to build vendor relationships with people who I enjoy being around as a vendor and as a friend. These people know my creative vision well and refer clients that I tend to work really well with!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pairadocsrentals.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pairadocs_rentals/
Image Credits
Olivia Anderson Photography, Alyssa Grace Photography, Kat Sherman Photo