Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amye Brunette. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Amye, thanks for joining us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you as a business owner?
I learned this from both of my parents as well as with a prior boss: Every client matters. Growing up with two entrepreneur parents, work ethic was instilled in me at a young age. As I got older and into various jobs/careers with lots of bosses (good and bad), I learned a lot about serving clients and taking care of their needs. My job prior to buying this company from my mom was a mortgage loan processor in Manhattan Beach, CA. My boss was a super laid back beachy guy – very easy to work for. No matter the commission he was making on each client, all were treated equally. I gave my everything to every person I served there. I took this into becoming a business owner and serving clients of different levels. The lesson I learned is: gratification, on a personal level.
Amye, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Our company is Richmond Weddings, the premier wedding media company serving engaged couples and wedding professionals throughout Central Virginia. Since 1989, we’ve built a trusted, locally-rooted brand that connects soon-to-be-weds with the region’s best wedding vendors through our robust online directory, a biannual print magazine and wedding expo, dynamic social media presence, and engaging in-person events.
We’re more than just a wedding resource — we’re a supportive, relationship-driven community. We are dedicated to helping local wedding businesses grow through meaningful exposure, valuable networking opportunities, and expert marketing support.
My husband, Scott, and I took over this business from my mom in 2005. This summer marks 20 years—time flies!
I met Scott while living in Los Angeles. I had moved there in the late ’90s from Richmond, VA. In 2001, we both happened to be at a Christmas party in Manhattan Beach. We hit it off immediately and went on our first date just a week later (for his birthday—with a group of friends, no less!). We’ve been inseparable ever since.
Fast forward to January 2005: Scott proposed, and by March, our friends threw us and engagement party. When my mom was there to celebrate with us, she mentioned she was thinking of selling her business and casually threw out the idea of us buying it. Before we knew it, we decided to go for it. That summer, we packed up everything and made the cross-country move to Virginia. Scott had never lived anywhere besides Southern California so this was a big move for him!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Overcoming the pandemic. This was an extremely difficult time in the hospitality space for everyone. Not everyone made it through. I still can’t believe we did. Not having a steady income stream for a few years was challenging. We were not able to host in person events for almost 2 years and after 5 years (post the start of the pandemic) we still haven’t fully recovered. However, we hung in there and somehow the business survived. There were a lot of tears shed, sleepless nights – we are a husband and wife team. The rug was pulled out from under both of us as the only income source for our household. It was a strain on us in all senses. We leaned on each other for support. Our solid base as a couple helped get us through. Whew, tough times…hard to talk about.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I think being a 2nd generation owner was helpful in the early years of building our reputation. While that has its own challenges, being that my mom already had a good reputation was helpful. However, maintaining that is important, and valuable for new business. Staying active within the community – hosting events, keeping face time with everyone – being everywhere you can be in the industry space. We bought the business before kids so it was a lot easier during those times. After kids, making sure you stay out there while maintaining balance is key. Nurturing existing relationships was always the easy part for me. It’s my favorite part of the business – I love connecting with people. It gives me life/feeds my soul. I think that part of my personality has been helpful for maintaining the reputation. Of course there are always obstacles, roadblocks, setbacks – not everything or everyone is perfect. But keeping my chin up and always looking forward is something I strive for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://richmondweddings.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/rvaweddings
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/rvaweddings
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rvaweddings/
- Other: tiktok: https://tiktok.com@rvaweddings
