Interviewed by: Tracey Manailescu
WPIC Planner of the Month: Bernadette Sousa of Serendipity & Co. Inc.
Photo: jcpimentel.com
We are so proud and happy to share Bernadette Sousa’s story with you. Bernadette is a WPIC graduate and has some incredibly exciting news to share. She is celebrating her 100th wedding with her company, Serendipity & Co. Inc.
A huge and heartfelt congratulations to you and your team, Bernadette 🙂
Most challenging aspect of starting your business?
The most challenging aspect I had to overcome in starting up my business was the fact that I had been suffering from fibromyalgia for quite some time and was unsure on the toll this business would take on me. I had been a stay at home mom for about 18 years and starting this hobby business, balancing out family and clients was definitely going to be a new challenge for me. Thankfully with the help of my awesome assistants and having the flexibility with the hours and days that I work, I have found the way to balance it all.
When was your moment when you truly felt you made your company successful?
I measure ” success” by my client base and not by profit margin, after all I was about to launch into this business for the passion of it. I also realize that success can come and go, some years you may have many weddings on the books yet the following year not so much. I live by the motto of ” you’re only as good as your last wedding” However, with that being said, there’s been a few key moments where it sinks in that Serendipity & Co really has become a recognizable wedding planning company. First in January 2013 when two of my weddings were featured in Elegant Wedding Magazine! Last November when I realized that 2014 would be the year I would celebrate 100 weddings and launched my ” Who will be our 100th Bride” contest. Most recently during a wedding show, while standing at my booth, several Brides-to-be approaching me and asking me if I was Bernadette of Serendipity, followed by the ” oh my god! I have to have you at my wedding!”
How many staff do you currently have?
I now have 8 girls on staff. 6 fully trained, 2 interns and 4 out of the 8 are WPIC certified. Ideally I will be working towards having all my assistants become WPICC!
Best moments/memories from one or more wedding(s)?
I have truly been blessed with so many wonderful memories over the course of the past 7 years. But a few that stand out. The wedding of Sarah and Victor in August 2012. Portuguese Songstress ( as I like to call her) with California boy! Sarah very well known in the Portuguese community with a wedding that would be covered by the Portuguese media The whole day was pretty much a dream. Despite how many weddings I had already planned or coordinated, I was wowed by the hour. Her special Tribute to her deceased Father. Standing in the middle of the dance floor, holding her mother’s hand while listening to a song she recorded as a little girl with her mother and looking over at each of the 4 projection screens where images of her Father looped. Then dancing with 4 key male figures in her life. That moment was spectacular!
Another moment where I just felt so proud to be a part of it was when another one of my Bride’s who is a performer, wrote and performed a song to her ailing father as he sat is his wheelchair. The amount of love felt in that room, not a dry eye to be found.
As a whole, every one of my weddings has had an ” unforgettable moment” be it with their vows, their first dance as the Groom serenades his Bride…Speeches…All I can say is I love my job and wouldn’t change anything!
Photo: JulianMoniz.com
Please tell us some things you have learned over the years that have helped you grow?
Although my tag line says ” Close your eyes, tell us what you see” I can never say ” I can do a wedding with my eyes closed”! Each and every wedding is a blank canvas. No matter how much experience you have, I look at every wedding as my first. I learn that you can never be too cocky and that you are certainly as good as your team, not only with your assistants but with the vendors you network with.
I try very hard to make conferences but with my busy schedule, it is very hard. I look to my ” wedding bibles” , professionals that have been in the business longer than I have to keep me grounded and informed of trends. I also have my mentors within the WPIC alumni and thank God for them as sometimes I send them a ” help” message or email and they are always there to help me out with advise or referrals!
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
My new 5 year plan is to celebrate my 200th wedding sometime before 2019 while still rocking my stilettos!
On a serious note, having to deal with a major life crisis last year and suddenly becoming a single Mother, life took quite the turn. The business suffered tremendously and the fate of Serendipity & Co Inc was uncertain. However, Serendipity is like my child. I gave birth to it 7 years ago, I have nurtured it and just like any Mom, you don’t abandon your children. When in crisis, you just pull up your socks and work harder. Once again, realizing that we were on the brink of coordinating our 100th wedding, I knew that Serendipity & Co’s fate was to continue well into the future, to grow and be stronger than ever before! With a fresh attitude, lots of ambition , a passion for weddings and a fabulous group of assistants, Serendipity & Co looks forward to a fabulous 2014 season and to our 100th wedding on June 28, 2014!
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