The “Stuffy” About Us:
Debbie Orwat is the Owner and Creative Director of Save the Date Events. Save the Date Events is a multi-award winning event planning and design company based in Denver, Colorado. Save the Date Events has won numerous awards in the past five years including the Knot Best of Weddings Award in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Save the Date Events has been in the top five wedding planners list on the Denver 7 A-List for 2009 and 2010. They were an ICON award finalist in 2010 and in 2011 and won a prestigious ICON award in 2012. The company has also been published in more than 20 wedding and lifestyle magazines. Debbie is also the owner of StudioWed, a boutique showroom, design studio and concierge service in Denver. StudioWed opened in February 2010 and has established itself as the “go to” place for brides and grooms planning a Colorado wedding.
The Real Story:
When I started my planning business just over six years ago, I knew that I would love planning weddings and events. I had already worked in corporate planning and did some business consulting in the tech field. I couldn’t wait to work on weddings, design events and have my own clients. Little did I know that I would love running a business as much as I love planning weddings.
When I started, I was desperate to find any and all information on how to be a wedding planner. This was before social media really happened and there was not much information online about how to get started. After planning more than 150+ events and having met so many of my business goals, I was still craving a community and resource to learn more and to share my hard-earned knowledge. There are so many people interested in breaking into the wedding industry and looking to grow their business. I wanted to create a place to share my experience and share the experiences of other professional planners. Maybe I can’t contribute as much as someone like Preston Bailey, but surely I can give a leg up to someone who is just starting out. I am incredibly inspired by hearing how people have transitioned from other careers into the wedding industry. I could talk business for hours with fellow entrepreneurs and it’s often my favorite part of the week. At the Planner’s Lounge, I share practical information, design basics and business tips written by me and other professionals in the industry. Planner’s Lounge also features news about upcoming wedding industry conferences, business resources, workshops and speakers.
I love being a part of an industry where our clients are always usually happy. I love the relationships I have built with other professionals in the industry. I feel incredibly lucky every single day that I created a career and business that I love. The Planner’s Lounge is a natural progression for me and I’m thrilled that I can finally give back to the industry that has given me so much. Feel free to read all about the 15 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started.
Before I finish, I’d like to kindly invite you to subscribe to our newsletter, which is full of exclusive content along with the latest articles from Planner’s Lounge. You can unsubscribe at any time with one click. As a thank you, you will get instant access to our free guide of 20 Free and Low Cost Marketing Ideas for Event Planners. The guide has tried and true ideas you can easily implement today for your business. Just enter your name and email on the top of the sidebar and you will receive a copy in your email.
Thank you for taking time to read and participate. I appreciate your support!
Debbie Orwat
Founder & Editor, Planner’s Lounge
Photo Credit: Kelli Hunt Photography
