We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Wells recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

In 2010 I found myself in the midst of a divorce. I was a young mom with two little kids. I hadn’t finished college and really wasn’t qualified for anything more than McDonalds. Somehow I found a job working in an insurance office. I was able to support myself and my two little kids. While this job afforded me money to survive did not afford me time off to take care of sick kids, take sick days for myself, and meant that my kids were cared for by another instead of me. My heart nearly beat out of my chest each day I dropped them off with a babysitter. They were all I had to love and hug on. I would work tirelessly during the day, I was eating less so I could make sure their growing bodies had what they needed.

I moved a few times and finally settled in Utah. I met my current husband and we got married and had a little girl and two and a half years later we rounded out our family with a little boy. I had been working very part time after the birth of my little girl and then after my little boy was born I stopped working. After 4 months I was feeling restless. I was missing having something that was mine. So I started my blog. It slowly evolved to taking a class on hosting parties. I had always been a firm believer in traditions and fun around a holiday. So this was a natural progression. Time evolved my craft and I was soon asked to do a wedding. And that turned into another and another. My penchant for organization and time management meant that I was getting weddings running on a great timeline. In 2022 I set a goal and exceeded it!

This idea was born out of the need to keep myself relevant in the world so that I could prove to myself that I will always be worth more than I felt I was at the end of my first marriage.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into the wedding and events industry very organically and naturally. I have always been organized, had incredible time management, and like order. I also love to serve others.

When I was moving more in to the wedding and event industry I read everything I could get my hands on. I learned what kind of packages most other planners had and tried to emulate them. It was a long process of pricing myself properly, of creating content to share with future clients and keeping up on current trends!

For my clients I only recommend other vendors I have worked with before and trust them to do their job well. I want to match styles and vibes between the client and the vendors so I love when my clients have a full Pinterest board to give me ideas.

I pride myself on my organizational skills. I can create a great flowing timeline, communicate with vendors and my couple what is coming next so that photos can be caught, memories captured and happiness can abound.

I have had my share of failed vendors. I have had clients blame me for things beyond my control and out of my scope. I have learned from mistakes I have made and I am now better than ever!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I feel that when you are kind to others and support them they will do the same in kind. I wish vendors could hear the way I talk about them to a client. I believe that my words have impact and I will fully talk my vendors up on a pedestal before I will ever say something negative. I don’t ever say anything in bad light about a vendor if they have been hired without me.

When I am recommending someone it is because I have worked with them and believe in their product or service.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I have had to work very hard and not allowing what people say about me to put me in a tailspin. As a natural people pleaser and people person I have a very hard time when someone says hurtful and untrue things about me to others. I keep having to remind myself that other’s opinions of me are theirs and not true. People will see the true colors when they work with me. I have to remind myself that people have an idea on what they believe my job to be and what they signed in a contract and paid for.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cultivatewithsarah.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultivatewithsarah/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-wells-0a78608b/

Image Credits
Britanee Jean Photography Coley Cook Photography