WPIC Planners of the Month:

 Kelly Spinelli & Laura Atendido

By: Kim Choy

Fast Talk with Laura Kelly Wedding Design:

Favourite Celebrity Planner: Preston Bailey

Celebrity Wedding They’d Love to Plan: That’s easy! Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphris

Mentors in the Industry: Danielle & Tracey from WPIC & the entire WPIC Association

Other Jobs: Kelly – Sales & Advertising, Laura – elementary school teacher

Best Part of Being a Planner: Giving couples an amazing wedding planning experience and wedding day

Favourite Part of the Wedding Planning Process: Seeing all the details, planning, hard work, ups and downs all come together in completely perfect vision

Worst Part of Being on a Taped Reality Show: People always asking us how “real” the show is… its reality TV!

Future Goals for Laura Kelly Wedding Design: Continue to grow the company while still keeping an intimate and personable feel to who we are and what we do

 Photo by: Memories by Marie

Laura Atendido and Kelly Spinelli have been friends for many years, after meeting each other through their husbands, who are good friends.   They developed a strong friendship and then decided that they would take the WPIC Course together.  They were already helping friends and family members coordinate and plan major events and weddings and they wanted the guidance and support of a credible Wedding Planning Course/Association.  Laura and Kelly decided to take the course in 2005 and entered into the Wedding Planning Business.

In 2007 Laura and Kelly joined in a partnership and formally created “Laura Kelly Wedding Design“.  They decided to go against the odds of creating a partnership in the wedding industry.  Having the support from each other gave them both the confidence to move forward.

Photo by: Studio 2000

They named their company “Laura Kelly Wedding Design” because they liked the sound of “Grace Kelly” name and it incorporated both of their names into their business. They also wanted to establish their company as not only a logistical event coordination company, but a design company that would help couples with the overall vision of their day.

“Spending the time and investments on professional and custom print material and a very detailed website were very important to us.  We wanted to create a visual brand that didn’t make us seem homemade.”
                            – Laura Atendido and Kelly Spinelli

Although Laura and Kelly remain part-time in the wedding industry, they have come a long way since starting out in 2007.

When they first began they used word of mouth advertising to create interest and generate potential clients.  To this day, much of their business still stems from referrals and word of mouth advertising.

Photo by: John Bauld Photography

In 2008, Laura and Kelly participated in the Breakfast Television Live Wedding of Mandy and Harry.

“There is such a personal connection when you are a part of a couple’s wedding.  We feel honoured to share in the journey and success of the day“
– Laura Atendido and Kelly Spinelli

Laura and Kelly were submitted to Rich Bride, Poor Bride by friends, without knowing.  They were casting for Season 5 of the show, which airs on Slice Network.  They later received emails and phone calls from the show.  Being big fans of the show, they decided not to turn down the opportunity.  After their audition, they were added to the cast of Rich Bride, Poor Bride for Season 5 & 6.

Laura and Kelly offered some advice to new WPIC Alumni entering into the industry: Invest time, money and energy into a really good website and gain experience in the industry to give you the confidence and knowledge to be your own company.

One of the most memorable weddings Laura Kelly Wedding Design spoke about was the first wedding of this season (2011) in Muskoka, Ontario.  The bride rented a vintage boat and arrived at her ceremony on the dock by boat.  The last bridesmaid made her way to her spot on the dock, the entire bridal party pivoted towards the water and on cue, the bride and her father, sitting in the back seat of the boat, veil blowing in the wind, came out from around the bend and drove onto the dock!  “Kelly and I were literally in tears and the guests were out of their seats in awe!” says Laura.