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

Hi Thomas, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry

The current trends in weddings is all about the experience. We are seeing more destination events, smaller guest count, multi-day celebrations.

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

Thomas Bui Lifestyle is a full service wedding and event design company based in San Diego, CA. With 23 years of experience we have designed and produced weddings across The United States, Mexico and Europe. Thomas works closely with every couple, and produces 12-15 events per year.

Every design, vision starts with an extensive description, photos, lay-out and the right vendors for us to execute everything event successfully. Our design deck is between 20-30 pages as we start the lay out process in order for the clients to understand everything we conceptualize.

Once they are able to understand everything, make changes to the vision another team puts everything in perspective via computer renderings. These renderings are the closest visuals for them to see all the details and texture.

The week of the event, we will generally start the execution process starting Thursday for a Saturday event, each day consist of 14-16 hours production schedule and a team of 20-30 vendors. If we are working at a private estate, the process will generally start 7-10 days.

Start to finish, we work with our clients/couples a minimum of 12-14 months, some longer depends on the length of the project.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My initial career in the pharmaceutical industry was intellectually stimulating but not necessarily personally gratifying. As productive as I was, I realized that my work lacked passion and creativity–qualities that I aspired to integrate in my profession. I began to brainstorm ways in which I could explore my artistic ambitions. At the time, the event planning business in San Diego was in its infancy. I thought that a career as an event designer could effectively marry my customer service and organizational abilities with the creativity I longed to express. With an entrepreneurial mindset, I completed an MBA and began the hard work of building my business from scratch.

The early days of Thomas Bui Lifestyle, Inc., were characterized by cold calls, informational interviews, and a ground campaign that included posting fliers in the breakrooms of area hospitals. It was a one-person operation before the age of cell phones, the internet, and social-media. I started to build my network by connecting with vendors and potential clients, cultivating relationships with focus and intention. Consequently, my business grew one event at a time and evolved steadily through referrals. The success that we enjoy today is based on what has been true from the very beginning….At its core, Thomas Bui Lifestyle is about design, service, and relationships.

Thomas Bui Lifestyle (TBL) is a full-scale event production company based in San Diego with a satellite office in San Francisco, California. We work closely with clients to create unforgettable events that embody personal style, refined taste, and a discerning eye for luxury. Whether planning a multiple-day wedding celebration, intimate dinner party, or large-scale corporate event, our personalized approach begins with a focused effort to understand our client’s needs and desires. We are passionate about design and service. Our team of multifaceted, experienced professionals work together to research venues, source vendors, and coordinate the services necessary to bring our client’s vision to life. In doing so, TBL has earned a reputation for an impeccable eye for design and attention to detail, making our brand synonymous with excellence on the event planning stage.

Moreover, our longevity in this industry can be attributed to our continuous desire to learn and grow. We constantly strive to innovate and reach new production standards with each project. In the process, we nurture partnerships with venues and vendors that foster collaboration and spark creativity. The final result is an artfully curated experience that exceeds our client’s expectations in design, service, and execution. The lasting impacts of our efforts are client relationships based on trust, professionalism, and generosity, which ultimately yield repeat and referral business.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Often times, our work generates interest from guests who attend the events that we are privileged to design. We also cultivate genuine relationships with clients who refer us to family and friends, even before their special occasions have taken place. Thus, our ability to execute memorable events and the personalized attention we give our clients from the start are key factors in developing sources of new business. 85% of our business come from referrals from past and current clients, preferred lists and a lot of referrals from venues and vendors.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.thomasbuilifestyle.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thomasbuilifestyle
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/thomasbuilifestyle
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/thomasbuilifestyle
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/thomasbuilifestyle
• Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/thomasbuilfestyle

Image Credits
Stetten Wilson Photography John & Joseph Photography Katie Beverly Photography Gianni Di Natale Photography