We were lucky to catch up with Jennifer Emens recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer , thanks for joining us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

Micro-weddings and elopements have become increasingly popular, offering an intimate and meaningful alternative to larger gatherings – they are some of my favorite weddings. The rise of technology is evident, with live-streamed ceremonies allowing loved ones from around the world to participate virtually. Couples are also opting for bold and diverse color palettes, moving away from traditional whites and pastels – I love all the color. Ultimately, personalization remains at the forefront, with couples embracing their backgrounds, hobbies, and shared experiences to curate weddings that are a true reflection of their love story. I love the trents where couples can truly be themselves and not feel the pressure of having to stay within a box of tradition, but be creative.

Jennifer , 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?

I am Jennifer Emens, owner of A True Love Story Wedding and Event Planning. My love of weddings started when I was a little girl. I loved everything about weddings (and still do), from the wedding dress, to the beautiful reception space, and the love the couple shares. It is so exciting, and I knew I wanted to be a part of such a special day for a couple and help them make their dreams come true. Before starting my wedding planning business, I was in Parks and Recreation for 5 years. I organized and implemented hundreds of special events, and I learned a lot. Having my Parks and Recreation background really helped me to be able to handle all the logistics of a wedding especially if the wedding is held at a family residents or rental house. You have to think about parking, power, bathrooms, and the list goes on. I enjoy being able to help my clients work through all the logistics, so they can truly be present and enjoy their days leading up to their wedding and wedding day. It truly makes my heart so happy when I hear a client say, “I couldn’t have done this without you, thank you so much”. No matter how many moving pieces a wedding has, if I know the couple is happy, it makes my heart so full of joy!

Any advice for managing a team?

I have two contract workers that work for me, and they are amazing! They both are mom’s and I know that family is very important to them and to me. If anything comes up with their family and they need to do something, I let them. I really value them and I never want them to feel bad for taking care of their sick child or going to a birthday party, etc. Before I had my own business, and worked in Parks and Recreation I had some good bosses and horrible bosses. I strive to never be like the horrible bosses I had and learn from their failures. Keeping high morale is all about caring about each team member like they are your family.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Having your own business is not for the faint at heart. It is a lot of hard work. I wear so many different hats, planner, social media manager, bookkeeper, website designer, and the list keeps going. That alone illustrates resilience because you are juggling so many things at the same time and still manage to get everything done and make the client happy. I will say one of the biggest challenges I have faced and grown from is how to react when something goes wrong. Communication is key, but sometimes the client won’t fully tell me the whole picture, so I get surprised by something day of I had no idea about. It is hard keeping your cool, when you don’t know what is going on, but people are relying on you. In that moment, I don’t try to blame anyone, and I just get the job done the best I can and ask multiple people to see if they know anything, and try to piece together what needs to happen. I stay calm, smile, and make the most of the situation that is presented to make the best day possible for the couple.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.atruelovestoryweddingeventplanningllc.com/
• Instagram: @atruelovestoryeventplanning
• Facebook: A True Love Story LLC

Image Credits
Emily Saunders Photography, Ellen Leroy Photography, Maddy Harwell Photography, Pink Penguin Studios, The Family Film Photography