I gladly accepted and met with the bride, Leslie, at a nearby Starbucks. I had just finished making some program fans for one of my sister Amy's friends (can't find pictures for those anywhere...sorry, Katie! Send them to me and I'll post them here...your wedding was beautiful!) and I brought it along with the other programs I had done to show the bride as well. I was so glad I did, because it opened some crazy-awesome doors that would eventually launch La Belle Fete officially!
Leslie ended up having me do the calligraphy not only for her invitations, but also for Asian-style paper-fan favors, and my favorite project: place card favor boxes of handmade chocolate pralines with calligraphed name tags! Leslie's wedding was held at the Hazlehurst House in McDonough, Georgia, where I had just been a bridesmaid in my dear friend Nicole's wedding the previous March. When I delivered the completed chocolates and paper fans on my way to a family vacation in Hilton Head, the coordinator recognized me and commented on the calligraphy...and asked about my rates! She had a working relationship with a calligrapher already, but they were always busy and she happened to have a stack of invitations that needed addressing ASAP and wondered if I would be interested in doing them for her.
I left with boxes full of gorgeous kraft-paper invitations waiting to be addressed and the wheels started turning...what if I could really do this? Make this more than just a hobby...I had also just lined up another calligraphy job with one of Leslie's co-workers Janna (which also turned into a monogram, programs, a reception decorating job and the launch of my first rental items catalog as well)...it was all happening so fast! James and I talked and I dreamed the entire drive to Hilton Head. Why not give it a try? I came back from the beach refreshed and full of plans...I later confided in a co-worker, Thomas, who encouraged me to "pull the trigger" on creating a website (I'll never forget those words). Now I needed a name!I have always been somewhat of a Francophile, and I loved my friend Catherine's wedding favors of little etched "Bonne Fete" shotglasses...so I wrote my high school French teacher to see if "La Jolie Fete" made sense (translation: The Pretty Party).
Madame Carlson suggested that the French might be more likely to say "La Belle Fete" ...and Voila! It was born! I bought up the domain name (again proof that I was doing the right thing...looking back now I can't believe it was available so easily) and built my first website.
When it came time for Leslie's friend Janna to pay for her calligraphy and she wrote the check out to "La Belle Fete", I was too embarrassed to ask her to re-write it out to me personally...so it was off to the county Licensing and Revenue Office for a small business license, then to the bank to open a business account. No turning back now!
Before I knew it, brides were posting positive comments on online wedding message boards like The Knot and Martha Stewart Weddings. I still remember just about falling out of my chair when I got a call at work on my cell phone from a bride in Chicago who wanted me to design a monogram for her. Reeling, I tried as casually as I could to ask her how she had heard of me, and she replied, "the Martha Stewart website". WHAT?!? I quickly figured out she meant the message board, but it still made my heart race...this was getting out of control!
Soon calls were coming in all the way from New York and California wanting to rent my chair covers, the Hazlehurst House was constantly sending boxes full of invitations to be addressed, and I had also started coordinating wedding ceremonies on weekends...I barely slept! My full time design position was grueling with a huge curriculum program development to promote healthy eating in schools, and the senior designer had just left to start his own business with some friends...it's just crazy to look back and see the path that God had created for me. Some days I stumbled into work on just one or two hours of sleep, with a smile on my face, an ever-expanding client list, and hopes that someday I could also leave to take La Belle Fete full time.
But there were still a few more years before that would happen, and a lot more to learn along the way! I am so glad I stayed as long as I did at my full time position, because it ended up providing leadership positions, much-needed professional experience and the opportunity to meet, work with, and learn from some truly amazing people!
So I'll continue to post projects and pictures in chronological order as best I can...and I thank God above and each and every one of my clients from the bottom of my heart for making this possible!
