Should you spend any time on my website, blog or social media accounts you’ll find numerous dreamy destination wedding stories, expert wedding planning advice and insights into the values and approaches which can be integral to Elegante by Michelle J as a business and brand. But behind all of the decadent chuppahs, magnificent wedding ceremony backdrops and warm, nurtured relationships with couples is me, Michelle – a subject I don’t discuss much on a private level! Now I would like to take you behind the scenes of this Jewish destination wedding planner…
I used to be recently invited to hitch James Lord on the RSVP in Conversation podcast, a casual platform for conversational content that goes beyond the shiny exteriors of our wedding businesses. I would like to share just a little of what we spoke about with you and offer you a glance into who I’m, where I got here from, and the way I got up to now. Because I’m such an enormous believer that great weddings come from great relationships, it’s time we got to know one another just a little higher.
James and I first spent a while chatting about one thing we have now in common – our attendance at the identical private prep school in Bury, Manchester throughout the 60s and 70s! Although our paths never crossed during that point, we each have fond memories of living within the North. Growing up within the 60s makes me one among the ‘elders’ of the marriage and events industry, and I’m still very grateful for the close knit Jewish family I grew up in and the importance placed on a superb education by my parents.
It surprises a whole lot of people to listen to but I used to be a really shy ‘goody two shoes’ once I was young, and I rebelled against my school’s wishes for me to go to medical school and as a substitute studied Psychology at university. My life in London throughout the 80s was a fun and formative experience and, within the era of working and playing long and hard boozy lunches, I got here into my very own and my confidence as an individual grew. It was during this time that I met my husband Freddie, and we’ve now been happily married for 36 years.
My family is the very best priority in my life despite the quantity of overseas travel I do with my business, and when James asked me to call my dream feast guests I truthfully couldn’t consider anyone I’d fairly invite than my husband, three children and best friends. As much as I really like my work during wedding season I do miss the closeness I actually have with them while I’m working away!
Foraying into the events industry got here within the 90s and early 00s when my kids became more independent, and I started by working with a caterer as a part of their in-house events team. To this present day I still say this was the very best grounding for what I do now, teaching me every thing I needed to know concerning the ‘back-end’ of weddings – the parts my couples don’t must worry about, but are so vital to make sure a seamless day. My first destination wedding was 10 years ago (!) and I’ve never looked back, and I’ll perpetually be grateful to that couple who insisted they desired to marry overseas despite me having no idea where to begin on the time! My profession as a Jewish destination wedding planner was born.
One among my biggest sources of pride is the indisputable fact that my business was arrange ‘later in life’, and I fiercely champion women of their 50s and older running businesses (each out and in of the marriage industry). We’ve come a great distance since typewriters and fax machines, and I still have so many plans, projects and goals to proceed constructing my business – I’m not anywhere near ‘done’ with the marriage industry!
I consider myself extremely fortunate to find a way to call this work. I might never claim that it’s easy, but the extent of passion I actually have for it makes it so rewarding. Working in the luxurious wedding destination market combines so most of the things I hold dear; 50-60% of my weddings at the moment are Jewish and Jew-ish interfaith marriages (what I don’t find out about Jewish weddings might be written on the back of a postage stamp!), we travel to a few of my favourite European countries frequently, and my team and I proudly set ourselves apart by providing a luxury experience.
On the podcast James and I talked just a little about what ‘luxury’ really means in addition to covering my creative influences (interior design and fashion, mostly), favourite foods and drinks (Chinese or Italian, with a fuss-free G&T please!), and my bucket list of things I still wish to do in life. We even covered the ‘naughtiest’ thing I got as much as once I was younger, and if you must discover what it’s you’ll must go and give the podcast a listen! You possibly can explore more about my wedding planning business on the remainder of my blog.
