We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Salome Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Salome below.

Salome, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you in your professional career?

Prior to starting my own business, I worked through my teens years with a well established, professional photographer. Her studio had a great name in the local community, and beyond as well as being very successful financially. The reason being, I believe— & this is where the greatest lesson comes from, was ‘CLIENT EXPERIENCE’!

She would even use that word, ‘experience’ in the names of her photo packages. Never did you book a session without also gaining an experience. By the time you left you felt like the most important & special person in all the land! That came through studio decor and atmosphere, clothing options that went beyond your average closet, refreshments while you waited, a hair and makeup team, and the list goes on.

While today I am not in the photography business myself, I am in the client business, & every time I interact with one, whether for the first time, or after many. Whether in an email, a phone call, or I am welcoming them to my studio, I think to myself ‘I hope they feel THAT feeling. That they feel as though they are experiencing something beyond ‘just a service’!! That they know how valued they are, and that they leave feeling special, seen, & appreciated!

Salome, 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?

My name is Salome Smith and I am the owner of Pleasant Peace Creative Studio— what does that entail you may wonder! Through the years we have offered many services, but today, we have niched down to focusing on weddings in the aspects of floral design, planning / coordination and decor! We aim to make your day beautiful in all aspects, and keep it running smoothly until we send you off!

The business name stems from my personal name— Salome (middle), meaning Peace. As well as my first name, Naomi meaning Pleasant! It is the ultimate goal with every service that we provide to invoke a pleasant and peaceful experience + environment! Weddings can often times get a bad wrap for being stressful or hectic, but it doesn’t have to be that way— not if you have the right team, with the right heart & the right attitude!

Our studio is located in the heart of small town Scottsboro, AL (sandwiched between Huntsville & Chattanooga) and is where you will come if you ever have an in person meeting to discuss floral, design, or planning, as well as where all florals and decor are prepared prior to wedding days.

We feel so honored to be a part of this industry, and moving forward we hope to continue to improve and expand. Making our services more valuable to each client that we have the opportunity to serve.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Hands down— WORD OF MOUTH! I could look back in my books from the last few years and draw a line from one wedding to the next, one client to another. I am still bookings clients today that are a result of clients / bookings that I had in my first year of business. And that has come with changes in my style, my methods, my pricing, etc. I am a true believer, because I have seen it and experienced it, that happy clients make happy clients. I am forever grateful for those that took a chance on me in my early days, as well to those that continue to show support and sing my praises. It truly is a difference maker when you’re in the small business world!!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Creating is always rewarding! Just to see something come to life. It never gets old!! However, the MOST rewarding times are when you create for someone that could not make that happen themselves. For me, it is hearing a bride’s vision for the day she has dreamed of for so long, and then finally seeing that come life. Knowing that I got to be a part of making, creating— in some cases, life long dreams come to true, that is the most rewarding for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.instagram.com/salomedsmith?igsh=Y3I4aThubmVrdWdu&utm_source=qr
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salomedsmith?igsh=Y3I4aThubmVrdWdu&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naomi.s.devries?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Other: Pinterest : https://pin.it/FCM4eeMJr

Image Credits
Brittany Calden Photography Lauren Makenna Photography Lindsey Marie Photos India Penrod Photography Carla Lawerence Photography Paden Allen Photo Mayme Castile Grace Made Photography Lauren Prevatte