We recently connected with Rhonda Favor and have shared our conversation below.

Rhonda, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My name is Rhonda Favor! I am a wedding photographer and I’ve been in the industry for 17 years. I own Rhonda Favor Studios, which specializes in wedding photography. I believe that every couple is unique and each story deserves to be captured in a beautiful and creative way. Years down the road we want our couples to come back to their photos, relive their wedding day and share their amazing journey with generations of loved ones.

This year I took over a Wedding Show & Magazine company, formally known as The Pink Bride (before that it was the Saint Louis Bride & Groom). These wedding shows have been around for many years. Since the ownership transfer, it has been renamed The One Wedding Show and Magazine.

I am so excited to continue to be a part of this amazing wedding and event community in STL. The One Wedding Show and Magazine strives to help connect couples and vendors to make wedding dreams come true. Just like with Rhonda Favor Studios, we want to help St. Louis couples plan a wedding that they can’t wait to talk about with future generations and loved ones..

I love being in the wedding industry and could not do this without my amazing husband, Brad, and my talented assistant, Tara! Brad is our COO and Business Development Director. Tara is our Managing Director, Event Coordinator and Virtual Assistant. We make a Great Trio!

Our mission with The One Wedding Show & Magazine is to produce quality wedding shows and marketing opportunities with both vendors and couples in mind. We create opportunities for connections to make wedding planning easy.

Our goal is to make wedding planning as easy as possible, so we focus on helping couples find the vendors that will make their big day special. We are hosting our first Wedding Show January 7th & 8th at The Saint Charles Convention Center. This is a one stop shop to find the perfect wedding day team! Our website is not just a place to find inspiration, but also to connect directly with the top vendors in St. Louis and surrounding areas. Visit www.theoneweddingshow.com or www.the1ws.com.

Rhonda, 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 have always had a passion for photography! I went to college right after high school to study digital photography. But I fell in love with fashion and commercial photography. Little did I know – I would shift my career and find an even deeper love… wedding photography! From the first wedding I shot up until today, I love the craziness and the chaos of it all. But most of all, I LOVE all the emotions that come with weddings. That first look still brings tears to my eyes.

As most wedding professionals know, weddings have a lot of challenges. I have worked hard to overcome obstacles. From lighting challenges to no wedding day timelines where the whole day was behind and people were thrown off. Even to this day, I still work to overcome obstacles and better craft my skill. I’m always learning how to do things better and how to be more efficient. There will always be new things to learn and I continue to challenge myself daily so that I can adapt faster on my clients’ wedding day, when there is no time to mess around.

I love capturing raw emotions. From family and friends (that may probably haven’t seen each other in years) to getting the perfect shot of grandma with her grandchild(ren), because you never know if it will be the last time they get to see them. A photograph is worth more than a thousand words. It is my job to make these core memories come to life even when someone is no longer around.

I am a full service photographer which means, I don’t just take photos and hand them to our couples to store on their computer or in a box in the closet. Wedding photos are meant to be seen by family, friends and possible children down the road. I specialize in creating beautiful wedding albums and epic wall art so that our couples can relive the memories for many generations. When a married couple has these memories displayed, it can help create a happy home. Children look around and they can see their parents or themselves all over their home making them feel loved and happy.

I am so proud of the brand I have built. I get to see our couples and their families thrilled with not just their final product, but also with our service long before and long after the wedding. Most of my clients come back for family photos. A lot of our couples have become part of our own family and friend group (even though they know I work crazy hours… haha).

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

Honestly, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is knowing I have created long-lasting memories for my clients. We have created memories for them to share for many generations. I used to be a shoot and burn photographer. I was scared and hesitated to move forward. I didn’t think anyone would pay for prints. But then I looked around one of my client’s home and saw empty walls and drawers filled with my CD’s from their photoshoot (yeah, I said “CD’s”… this was before switching to USBs). So I asked my client why they didn’t print any of their photos or if they were still on the CD. They said they had been meaning to but just never had the time or they would just forget. That’s when I made the switch. Yes, I lost clients because my prices increased but I gained so much more when I shifted things. Now I see my client’s photos hanging in their happy homes. I see their kids proudly pointing out the photos on the walls, asking when they can do it again. I see my client’s faces when they open their wall portraits and albums. They are so eager to show their family and friends. This is what photography was always meant to be.

With the new business, The One Wedding Show and Magazine, I am beyond excited to connect these incredible couples with talented vendors! As I sit here today, I am almost done creating my very first wedding magazine. This tool is for couples to turn to for inspiration and to find the perfect vendors to help make their wedding dreams come true. It’s the best feeling ever!!!! Our first show is coming up fast and I am beyond excited.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

When I first started out in wedding photography, it was all word-of-mouth (which of course is the best reference!!!). But I had wished that I knew more about wedding shows and marketing to help get us in front of potential clients. I have been doing wedding shows for over 10 years now, and I feel that wedding shows are crucial for both vendors and couples. Whether you have been in the wedding business for years or you are just starting out, wedding shows provide the face to face interaction that couples need and want. It gives business owners an opportunity to show their passion and personality, which is hard to do when someone is just browsing online. Clients want to truly know you and understand what your business offers. They hire you as a person first, and as a professional second. Wedding Shows are the best way to get ahead of your competition and in front of your potential clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rhondafavor.com www.theoneweddingshow.com
• Instagram: @rhondafavorstudios @theoneweddingshow
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rfavorstudios https://www.facebook.com/theoneweddingshow/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RhondaFavor
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/theoneweddingshowandmagazine/

Image Credits
Photography: Rhonda Favor Studios All of these have separate vendors If you want more vendor credits please let me know