Conversations with Amber Martinez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Martinez. 

Hi Amber, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The light that ignited my fire for wedding planning started after I’d planned my own back in August 2020. Once the wedding had come and gone, there was a void I felt like I needed to fill. My full-time job at the time hit a major lag when planning in-person events across the country came to a halt due to COVID and I needed something to keep me motivated. I loved everything about planning my own wedding and had been planning events in the higher education industry for five years prior. It felt like my skillset was easily transferable and there was truly no better time to get my feet wet in a different industry and see where it might take me. 

I met with a local planner in the area and picked her brain, then took her advice and went for it! I hired Nicole Renee Coaching to walk me through the processes of starting my own business, and here we are today! I set a goal at the beginning of the year to plan 5 weddings in 2021 “just to get my feet wet” and am now sitting with 15 weddings under my belt for the year – tripling my goals and with soaking wet feet, ha! 

The past year has been incredible. I’ve found work that I feel passionate about and love showing up for every day, I’ve connected with so many creative people in the industry, and I have grown so much as a person and a professional. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Nothing about starting your own business is going to be easy, ever. There’s so much to learn along the way and I am still doing a lot of that. The biggest challenge for me has been finding some balance in my life. I am still working a full-time job while running my own business and it’s A LOT of work! Quite honestly, it doesn’t lend much room for hiccups that occur naturally in life. I’ve had to learn how to say no when I need a break, how to be more intentional with my time (lots more learning left to do here), and how to roll with the punches when I need to. Ironically, 2021 has been the most difficult year I’ve experienced probably ever on a personal level. I have been faced with a lot of loss and heartbreak this year – and keeping this business afloat amidst it all has been challenging. I really had to learn quickly that grief might last for days, weeks, or months, but life still continues to move on regardless. Lucky for me, dealing with grief means staying busy and focusing on the things that bring me happiness, and this business just happens to be one of those things! 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Out West Events is a full wedding planning and design studio specializing in western-boho styles. We are best known for providing a planning experience for clients that is tailored to their style and needs. We know that every single couple who crosses our path has different expectations and needs they’d like to focus on for their wedding day: for example, some couples really want to manage the details but need more assistance with design or style while others are the complete opposite. Although our packages include just about everything that a couple might need to be successful in planning their wedding, they are also flexible in nature and none are a “one size fits all” kind of structure. 

I am so proud of how far this business has grown over the past year. I started Out West Events as a side hustle to keep me motivated through the pandemic and to allow for a fun creative outlet in my life. What I didn’t expect was for it to take off quite like it did, for it to mean SO MUCH to me, or for this to become the career of my dreams. After a full year of weddings and another busy season ahead of me in 2022, I can’t wait to see what year two has in store for Out West Events! 

What’s next?
Right now, Out West Events operates as a one-woman show. One of the biggest things I’d like to do for my business (and myself) in 2022 is to hire at least one additional staff member – if not two – to the team to help manage day-of details. While doing it all myself right now is working, I know everything would function so much better if I had extras hands. Setting up décor, managing vendor arrivals, and keeping the timeline on track on the day of a wedding as one person is so exhausting. Not to mention, I wish I could give a lot more TLC to my couples on the day of than I am able to now! So, short term, we are looking for staff to help make the day of process more seamless, less hectic, and more customer-focused. 

Long term, Out West Events has big goals! One of the main goals is to open a wedding venue on a bunch of land and making sorts of wedding venue dreams come to life… but that will have to wait a while! 

Pricing:

• Full Planning + Design: $3750
• Partial Planning: $2500
• Premium Month of Coordination: $1375
• Standard Month of Coordination: $1000

Contact Info:

• Email: outwestevents2@gmail.com
• Website: www.outwesteventsco.com
• Instagram: @outwestevents
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OutWestEvents

Image Credits:
Kate + Calder Photography
Brenna Skattebo Photo
Vintage Violets Photography