Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Rios.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The first events I ever hosted were tea parties with my Grandmother. I learned a lot about hosting from her (and my Mom) and my love for setting the table, beautiful dishware, and creating a hospitable environment stems from them. I was always intrigued by the idea of being an “event planner” but never knew it was a tangible career option.
I knew I wanted to do something in the creative field and in high school, I fell in love with an interior design elective and was hooked. In 2003, I headed to Texas Christian University (Go Frogs!) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design in 2007.
My first job out of school was merchandising (or what I came to know later as styling) model homes. I fell in love with the idea of creating and styling a space that reflects the client’s personalities and interests. While this was a really difficult and challenging job for a number of reasons, I took a lot away from it in my short time there (thanks, economy!). Here, I learned the importance of problem-solving and thinking on my feet, working and getting creative with tight budgets, pleasing difficult personality types, and creating for styles that weren’t necessarily my own.
In 2008, I found myself on a new career path in kitchen and bath design. I originally took the job because, well they were hiring and not many people were at that time, but I quickly fell in love with the field. It was completely different because while I was still utilizing my creativity I was working with higher budgets, more discerning clientele and it was more of a technical challenge than model homes were. We had to be very precise, organized and more logistically minded than in the model home position. I honestly thought I would be at this job forever. I loved the design process involved with design/build, I loved my co-workers and the company as a whole. At the time, I never imagined that I would ever leave.
In 2011 I got married to my husband, Michael. We had a very modest wedding in Fort Worth that we planned and paid for on our own. I didn’t have the budget for a wedding planner and I honestly adored the planning process and couldn’t have imagined having someone helping me at the time. In hindsight, I know that if I had had the guidance and knowledge of a professional I would have done a few things differently and now I find that at the core of my business, impressing knowledge upon my clients and making sure they have no regrets.
During the planning process, I was unsettled in my job but chalked it up to being distracted by wedding planning. After the wedding, my boss sat me down and told me she thought that I was no longer a fit for this career and I should consider planning weddings full time. WHAT?! I was so taken aback by this! I literally thought this was the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. So, I went home to tell my Husband this crazy idea my boss had and he AGREED WITH HER! I couldn’t believe it. So, finally, after my Dad was the third person to encourage me to go out on my own as a wedding planner, I decided to go for it.
One week before Christmas in 2011, I quit my salaried job with benefits that I had held for 3.5 years and started Jen Rios Weddings on not much more than a dream and a prayer. I hosted at a restaurant for about 9 months until things started to take off. I grew fairly quickly, made some lifelong friendships, cultivated my style, and here we are – 6 years old in December 2017.
I never imagined I would be a business owner when I was having tea parties with my Grandma or working on my interior design degree in college but God had a plan, for sure, and I know I’m living it today!
Has it been a smooth road?
There is no such thing as a smooth road as a business owner!
My biggest struggle is the “business” part of being a business owner. I’m a creative at heart so the core of my business as a wedding planner and designer comes naturally. But, the part where I actually have to do business has been a learning curve – time management, hiring/firing employees, TAXES, money management, etc. are all things that did not come as naturally. I love being my own boss but I definitely had to develop my “Type A” side and make sure that I wasn’t just “having fun planning weddings” but also taking things seriously as a business owner.
Another thing I struggle with is comparison. Social media makes it so hard to live an authentic life. As a business owner in a creative field, you are surrounded by so many pretty things and talented people and you are constantly comparing your best to theirs. It can be so exhausting to try and be the same as everyone else so I try really hard to live my best life, do my best work, and be my best me.
Finally, the emotional roller coaster is no joke! Even after 6 years when things are quiet on the lead front I ask my Husband, “Will I still be in business in a year?” and he laughs and says, “You ask me this at least twice a year, and every time I say yes, and every time, I’m right”. Sometimes it’s literally feast or famine and you just have to keep up the hustle and have faith that God will provide (and he always does).
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Jen Rios Weddings story. Tell us more about the business.
Jen Rios Weddings is a boutique wedding planning & design company. We put as much value in the design and overall aesthetic of the wedding as the logistic details which makes us unique in comparison to other “traditional” wedding planners. We take pride in curating a wedding design that infuses the couple’s personality into the details the guests will see when they walk into the event.
Our couples are fun, love for their personalities to shine in their weddings, have impeccable taste, appreciate design detail, want to throw an incredible party and most importantly value marriage and put their relationship first in their planning.
We plan for couples in Dallas, Fort Worth and throughout the Metroplex. We have also worked in the Austin / Hill Country area, as well as Houston. We are always up for a challenge to travel and explore weddings in new areas! We plan about 20 weddings a year. I personally take on 15 and my Associate Planners manage the other 5. We are thoughtful about filling our calendar, considering quality over quantity so that all of our couples feel like they are our priority.
I have a very “hands-on” approach to planning. I love to get to know my couples on a very personal level and be inspired by them as I help them design their day. I have worked hard to cultivate my brand as approachable, authentic, timeless and fun. I absolutely love everything about the planning and design process and truly consider it an honor to serve my couples in this way.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Weddings are such a traditional event that while trends may come and go a core of the wedding remains the same. Design wise I think weddings are going back to a more simple cohesive look. I think brides are less about being trendy now and more about reflecting their personalities in a classic way. Couples are starting to be a little more practical in investing their money and thoughtful in how they want to execute their day.
They keep tradition in mind but still want it to be about them. There will always be the over the top, glamorous weddings and there will always be the more simple, intimate ones. I think that’s the beauty of the industry is it’s adaptable to so many different styles and personalities.
Pricing:
- Full Planning & Design starts at $6,500
- Partial Planning & Design starts at $4,500
- Wedding Design & Coordination starts at $3,500
- Wedding Management starts at $2,500
Contact Info:
- Address: 6517 E. Lancaster, Suite A
Fort Worth, Texas 76112 - Website:www.jenriosweddings.com
- Phone:8303773970
- Email:jen@jenriosweddings.com
- Instagram:@jenriosweddings
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/jenriosweddings
- Twitter:@jenriosdesign
Image Credit:
Shannon Skloss Photography, Charla Storey Photography, Jillian Zamora Photograph, AR Photography
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