We had the good fortune of connecting with Ayanda Whiting and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ayanda, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Growing up in a house full of creative minds in Durban, South Africa, I’ve always had a strong desire to start and run a successful business. Back then, I didn’t know what my business would eventually look like, but I had an idea that it would involve being creatively inspired somehow.

When my Dad passed away, my Mom decided to expand her creative side by starting her own small family business. She would provide and set up wedding decor for local weddings & events. She did this part-time, while still working as a school teacher. Initially, my sisters and I would help out in the business on weekends or whenever we didn’t work or didn’t have school. We all had something different and unique to contribute to the business, but it was mostly a hobby or something we enjoyed doing together.

After college, I worked in the Chemical Engineering field. The more I worked, the more I realized that I did not enjoy it as much as I’d hoped. The money was good, yes, but I needed something more fulfilling. So, the more weddings we had to prep for, spending days discussing different ideas, matching up different textures and designs, and then eventually seeing all the ideas and inspirations come together, the more alive I felt! I discovered where my true passion lay. I wanted that feeling to last. I just needed to find a way to make it more than a hobby, but into a successful business. I knew it was going to take some grit and then some. So I told myself what I tell my kids today: “You can do hard things!”

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
When I got married in 2015 and then immigrated to the United States (Utah), I decided to branch out on my own from the family business. I was aware that it would not be a walk in the park being in a completely different market with a completely different culture and outlook on wedding celebrations. I had no network, no recent work (of my own), and no team to help out, I had to start from scratch. But I wasn’t afraid of hard work and persistent patience.

My husband was a full-time pre-med student at Brigham Young University, so I worked part-time to help support our little family 0f 4. During that period, I used my experience to offer my Wedding Coordination services to friends & neighbors, mostly for free, to build up my portfolio and improve my skills. I also started signing up for several Wedding Planning & Design courses, I started working on building my brand, and planned styled shoots in order to expand my network and exposure in the Utah wedding industry. We established that we would focus on producing luxury, fine-art weddings and events. We are still far from our long-term goal but we are a lot closer than we were when we started. Since then, we have gotten to work with so many beloved couples and families as they’ve celebrated special events. We are also proud to have been featured in several local wedding publications such as Utah Valley Bride, Rocky Mountain Bride, and Utah Bride & Groom.

Looking forward, since we’ve moved to Los Angeles, the goal is to continue to keep learning, keep bettering our skills, and keep building authentic relationships with vendors within the wedding industry. I truly believe in the African proverb that says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend (my younger sister) came to visit for a week, this is definitely what we’d get up to: (assuming she arrived Sunday evening)

Monday:
7:00 am – Yoga class
10:00 am – Disneyland
2:00 pm – Lunch at the French Market Restaurant
3:00 pm – Disney rides
7:00 pm – Dinner at Napa Rose
8:00 pm – Rides until the fireworks

Tuesday:
10:00 am – Beach Day at Santa Monica
1:00 pm – Lunch at Bruno’s Italian Restaurant
2:30 pm – Swimming/ Volleyball
6:00 pm – Santa Monica Pier

Wednesday:
7:00 am – Spin Class
11:00 am – Brunch at French Crêpe Company
12:30 pm – LA Museum of Arts
4:00 pm – Go see the Hollywood Sign
7:00 pm – Dinner & Drinks at Beachwood Cafe

Thursday:
11:00 am – Yacht Cruise
1:00 pm – Lunch on the yacht
6:00 pm – Catch-up night
6:30 pm – Order dinner in

Friday:
7:00 am – Spin Class
11:00 am – Brunch at The Cheesecake Factory
1:00 pm – Shopping for souvenirs & Enjoying Rodeo Dr.
6:00 pm – Live Music & Dinner at the Rodeo Restaurant

Saturday:
9:00 am – Drive to Yosemite National Park
12:00 pm – Stop for lunch at The Elderberry House
5:00 pm – Drive home from Yosemite

Sunday:
9:00 am – Breakfast at Cava Restaurant
10:00 am – Spa Day at Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie
12:00 pm – Manis & Pedis at the Spa
1:00 pm – Lunch at Cava Restaurant
6:00 pm – Home-made Sunday Dinner
7:00 pm – Movie Night

Monday:
1:00 pm – Drive my sister to the airport 🙁

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

My heart is full to the brim with gratitude to be surrounded by such a supportive community of family and friends who have cheered me on from conception day and have helped me grow my business to where it is today. My husband, my family, and my Dream Team members have been my pillars and I have them to thank for all the hard work and many, many hours they have offered to help me ensure things were taken care of and that all the events looked as beautiful as ever!

I also would like to extend a shoutout of gratitude to the amazing wedding community of vendors that I’ve been able to meet & work with along the way! Whether we’ve worked together on a real wedding or a styled shoot, thank you for the support and for allowing smaller businesses to grow & flourish!

Website: ayandawhitingevents.com

Instagram: @ayandawhitingevents

Facebook: @ayandawhitingevents

Other: Trust Pilot Reviews: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/ayandawhitingevents.com

Image Credits
Savanna Richardson Photography Shannon Volmar Photo Love Brittny Photo.Video Elisha Braithwaite Iann Ivy

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