Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
A few summers ago, I started working weddings. Some weekends, I worked for a venue, others I worked for a caterer. It was a perfect job for me at the time, as a stay-at-home-mom. It was a thrilling to get a break from my home-bound lifestyle, it earned me some pocket money, and it was fun to be a part of such a beautiful, positive celebration. All my experience in the service industry, coupled with years of coordinating logistics, came together - and I felt like weddings were my fortee. Except for one thing. One thing that put such distaste in my mouth that I would return home from a wedding, exhausted, but unable to sleep. The amount of waste I saw at the end of the night was sickening. The food, the flowers, the single-use cups, plates, utensils, napkins, all bagged up and thrown in the trash. Even the items that the hosts had so carefully planned, the vases, candle holders, centerpieces, linens, programs, party favors, and decorations became unimportant at the end of the night. They were tossed into boxes and left for the planner to figure out. It is an ugly side of the celebration that goes unseen, unless you’re cleaning up at the end of the night. I felt the need to do something, to figure out how to make weddings more sustainable. A light bulb flashed, and I realized what I wanted to pursue as a business. I started building an inventory of wedding supplies and decorations and a year later, opened BrightHeart Decor. We offer consultation and rentals for sustainable weddings and events.
Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way? Any advice for other women, particularly young women who are just starting their journey?
This journey has been rocky. I’ve felt unsure and insecure, I’ve been told no, many times, I’ve felt overwhelmed and in over-my-head. I’ve invested a lot of time, money and resources into this idea, unsure if it would ever take off and be successful. What’s kept me going is my mission of sustainable events. It drives me to be confident, to speak up, to go big and to be bold. The average wedding generates 500 pounds of trash It’s wasteful, and it’s unnecessary. We can plan better. We can host better. We can be more thoughtful, and make the effort that is necessary to create beautifully sustainable weddings and special events.
My advice for anyone who is starting off on their journey, is to find your mission. That mission will serve as your lighthouse when you are navigating your way through all the naysayers and negative thoughts that arise as you find your way.
We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a brand, organization or service provider? What sets you apart from others?
For folks getting married, or hosting a special event in the Lyons/Longmont/Boulder area, I offer a carefully curated supply of decorations and supplies for rent. This includes everything needed for your tables like linens, cloth napkins, vintage china and silverware, vases, candle holders, centerpieces, etc. I also supply props for the ceremony and reception, such as an archway, aisle runner, antlers, photo booth, guest book station, dessert and drink table. I help design the look and feel of the event as much or as little as the host would like. I deliver the items to the venue, and assist with the setup and cleanup…making sure everything goes as planned.
I also offer consulting services for folks who would like to make their event more sustainable, but are unsure where to start. The average cost of a wedding is 30k, which is a lot of purchasing power. There are decision points all along the planning process that can be made with an eco-conscience. I love to spread the word, and educate others, so they can make good, green choices. I share many ideas, tips and tricks on my blog, Instagram, and Facebook - but I am always happy to talk to folks, especially if they are early on in the planning process because that is where they can form a sustainability plan that will guide them through the planning process. It can inform the many decisions they will have to make.
While I love making things green, I also love to make things beautiful. I’ve had so much fun collecting an inventory that is stylish, romantic, rustic, vintage, artistic, and country. I enjoy the creativity behind curating a collection, and creating a look and feel that is simple, yet charming. I collect pieces that have a history, and tell a story. My collection of vintage china comes from many places. About half was collected by an engaged couple who drove around the state searching for dishes to use at their own wedding. Some pieces are family heirlooms, passed down to good friends, and family members, who would rather it be used for weddings, rather than sit collecting dust in their attic. The collection is full of different colors, and patterns, however when artfully combined at one table, it creates a unique, layered look that is rich with history and charm. I enjoy setting the tables and seeing how the pieces come together to create a familiar and warm space for friends and family to gather over food drink, and conversation. It gives me all the warm fuzzies inside.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
The past few months, our family has been in pursuit of a zero-waste household…it was our new year’s resolution. This refers to paying close attention to what we throw in the trash, and finding ways to tweak our lifestyle habits in order to minimize disposables, and even recyclables. It’s funny, because in many ways, I grew up in a zero-waste home, though we never had a name for it at that time - it was just how our parents raised us. I remember bringing plastic bottles and cans to the grocery store to be weighed and recycled - it was how I earned my allowance. We were instructed to always turn the light off after leaving a room to save energy. We strategized efficient errand running before using the car to save gas. Clothes and toys were handed down - so we were accustomed to re-using goods. If a shower went on too long, we would hear a knock on the door to let us know we better wrap it up quickly to save water.
While the main driver behind our lifestyle was economic vs. environmental - the practicality behind it was the same…we didn’t waste anything. As young adults, and to this day, my siblings and I tease and laugh about growing up this way, however I think we are all grateful for the the conservative habits it instilled in us. We were taught to use only what we need, a lesson that to this day, makes sense both economically, and environmentally. We are grounded with an appreciation for limited resources.
