Company Name: Bliss Event Planning (Dylan List member)
Name: Marcie Gaukrodger
Location: We’re based out of Whistler, Canada, but we work anywhere a couple asks us to.
Tell us a little about what you do.
Bliss Event Planning is a boutique full service event and design company that creates highly unique events. Planning events is what we get out of bed for. Quite simply, we love it. It’s our job to remove all pressures, stresses and worries that may be a burden to our clients. When we accomplish this while executing their vision of a perfect event, we feel we have succeeded.
How long have you been in business?
3 years, with many more to come!
What inspired you to start your business/studio?
Two reasons. First, I was working in the industry for another company and got laid off when the company shut down. I had a choice of working for someone else or going at it on my own. I come from a family of entrepreneurs and I guess you can say it’s in my blood. Secondly, I had learned a lot from that company, both good and bad. There were things I would have changed, but I couldn’t because it wasn’t mine. I hated that feeling. So my choice was made and that year, Bliss opened its doors. It’s an incredible feeling building your own company based on your vision and I’m very proud of what we’ve done so far.
What is your favorite thing about your business/studio?
This is a difficult question because I truly love all aspects of planning from meeting each couple to bringing their vision to life. I guess if I had to boil it down to one thing, it would be getting to be a part of such a remarkably intimate moment in each couple’s life. Designing and planning the pieces of a day that they will remember for the rest of their lives; it’s an honor that is too big for words.
Was there a defining moment when you knew you picked the right career path?
I knew I was on the right path when I started going on-site for the event company I last worked for. I had started off behind the scenes and enjoyed it, but the real thrill came from seeing all the planned pieces meld into one another creating this fantastic synergy. I was hooked!
When you built your business what style would you say you built it around? (i.e. classic, modern, vintage)
My business has been built around the couple, not my specific style. My background is diverse; I studied interior and industrial design and have designed many events ranging from edgy to contemporary, vintage to classic, the predictable and the unpredictable. Regardless of the couple’s chosen style, the applied fundamentals of design are always the same. We approach each couple with a very open mind.
When working with people how do you help bring the vision for the event to life?
Our underlying process is the same, but our approach varies with each couple because every couple is unique. But generally, I ask a lot (and I mean a lot) of questions. And then I listen to what’s in their answers as well as what isn’t. I’ve found you can learn a lot that way. Some couple’s know exactly what they want from the start and others only know what they don’t want.
Where do you go for inspiration? (i.e. blogs, magazines)
There isn’t really just one source. I have my favorite blogs, magazines, authors and artists but I believe that design and beauty surrounds us in everything we see each day. Often the inspiration for something comes from the most unexpected places. That’s one of the reasons why I fell in love with design many years ago.
Is there anything else you want people to know about you and your business/studio?
There’s no shortage of personality at Bliss. We love what we do and even the long days of planning, pre-production and set-up haven’t ever really felt like work. Getting married should be one of the best experiences of your life from the “Yes, I will marry you!” to the “I do.”
At Bliss we have fun. We smile. We laugh.
Photos courtesy of Anastasia Photography.
If you missed it yesterday make sure you check out Dejane and Erik’s Real South African Wedding! 🙂
