Meet Desiree Beimler | Founder | Planner | Stylist

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

Hi Desiree, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always sort of known that I wanted to own my own business one day. I grew up with parents who owned an auto repair shop, so I saw first hand all of the ups and downs that come with being a business owner. As I entered the workforce myself, at first I thought that the stress wasn’t worth it, but all of that changed once I found something that I was passionate about. Suddenly, all the stress was worth it to be able to do things my way and help clients in a way that feels authentic to who I am.

I saw a need for someone like me at nearly every wedding I attended; someone who could keep logistics and project management at the front of their tasks without losing the design, the heart, of the wedding. So often I would see planners who cared more about the timeline than the overall feeling, or would put so much emphasis on the design that the logistics fell flat. I saw a space where I could use all of my talents at once in a way that would truly help couples to have their dream wedding without the stress that so often comes with it. And so, Serenity Weddings was born.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My professional path has had so many twists and turns, but every single one of those twists gave me a new set of skills that I use every day in my business.

Graduating with my bachelor’s it was so hard to find a job at the time, especially in LA. I ended up finding a job running a collision repair shop, even though I had promised myself I would never work in the auto industry, and moved up to Seattle to start my new challenge. That position taught me so much, from how to manage multiple projects at once to cost management to being assertive in a male dominated industry. I was lucky enough to have a mentor in my boss there, he was a transformational leader who truly helped every one of his employees to be the best that they could be for themselves, with the belief that bettering our personal lives would also improve morale and work performance. He taught me what it looks like to lead, rather than manage. Because of him, I went back to school and got a Master’s in Management and Leadership.

While I loved my job there and the family I had with my colleagues, I was missing out on some feminine energy in my life, so I picked up a part time job at David’s Bridal on the weekends. It didn’t take me long to realize that I loved helping brides to find that one dress that made them feel like the best version of themselves. I approached sales differently than my coworkers did, like it was more of a puzzle that needed a solution rather than a sale to push through, and my sales manager there recognized that the brides liked that approach, so a few weeks in I was offered a full time position, and as much as it hurt to say goodbye to my family at the shop, I took the job.

Within a few months I was ready for a new challenge and looking towards my future. I realized that in Seattle there aren’t very many bridal stores, and none that would let you work directly with the designers, which is where I originally thought I wanted to go in my career. Looking at the landscape, it was either going to take a move to New York, or to LA, to be able to work at flagship boutiques and learn more of the design and wholesale side of the business. I chose LA, mostly because my sister is here, but also because I like sunshine and hate snow, so the decision was made. Six months into finding a new career, I was moving back to the city that wouldn’t have me the first time around to chase my dreams.

Shortly after transferring stores and moving back to SoCal, the boutique manager for a major brand’s new flagship store reached out to me on LinkedIn, and February of 2020 I took the new position which also came with a promotion. I stayed there for about a year when another opportunity came up to be the assistant manager for a huge couture designer at their boutique, so I was moving companies again. About six months in, I became the boutique manager for that designer and got to work directly with the team in Tel Aviv, finally putting that International Business degree to use. It was also during my time here that I completed my Master’s program and took on my first job as a wedding coordinator, which led to me starting my business.

All of this is to say, you never really know what lies on the road ahead. Sometimes those big U turns are the ones that lead you to exactly where you’re supposed to be. I never thought I would end up living in LA, much less owning my own business. Those experiences that look so varied and different are what let me approach weddings in the way that I do. I only got here because I was able to trust my gut when new opportunities arrived, and sometimes take leaps into things I didn’t think I was ready for. At the end of the day, if you wait until you’re ready, you’ll never actually start. As long as you’re being true to you and following your intuition, it’s ok to do the scary thing that everyone tells you will fail. People are drawn to authenticity, so be you, and do what you are uniquely good at, even if it’s in an oversaturated industry. You’ll find your people, your clients, and your community.

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?
A whole week in LA! Let’s admit it, you need it here if you want to see even a piece of the city!

I’m lucky enough to live in WeHo, which has everything you could possibly want all in one place, but also doesn’t have the full heart of LA. While it will make a convenient home base, we won’t just be staying in my little neighborhood, so here is my week long itinerary for when my best friend does finally come out to visit.

Day One: Rest from the flight, get late breakfast at Breakfast Republic in WeHo once the line dies down and have some of the best Bloody Mary’s in the city. We’d walk back home along Santa Monica, stopping into the thrift stores along the way and window shopping all the home design stores. We’d head down to Pan Pacific Park for sunset and then get tacos at La Escuela for dinner.

Day Two: Time to go to the beach! We can drive through Santa Monica and see the pier, but to be honest, it’s too touristy so unless they insist, I’m heading down to Venice where I used to spend every Sunday afternoon with my friends. We’re going for a nice walk through the canal with an iced coffee or an ice cream cone, walking down the boardwalk and buying cheap trashy sweatshirts. We’re tidepooling in the tiny tide pools during low tide and watching the skate boarders at the skate park while we eat corn dogs. We’ll have dinner somewhere along Abbot Kinney and maybe see a Don’t Tell Comedy show if one is happening that night.

Day Three: Time to go for a horseback ride, LA Style! We’re having breakfast at Homestate in Los Feliz and then walking around a bit to see the neighborhood before we head up to Sunset Ranch to go on a horseback riding trail through Griffith Park. This will let us see more of the park than if we were hiking, and learn about it from our guide at the same time. We’d likely spend the afternoon at the zoo, feeding the giraffes. Afterwards we’d head back down to Echo Park for a late night swan ride with views of the city lights.

Day Four: We’re probably pretty tired from everything we’ve been doing, so today is a rest day how we do in LA. We’re starting the day with breakfast at WeHo Bistro while traffic dies down before we head down to Palos Verdes for lunch and a spa session at Terranea. Afterwards we take the long way home to stop in Redondo for dinner at Captain Kidd’s for some of the best fish in the city, and hang out in the harbor afterwards for some ice cream.

Day Five: We’re back at it with a museum day! Depending on what friend is visiting the museum may change, but my favorite museums in the city are the Science Center and the Natural History Museum. Ideally this day lands on the First Friday so that we can do the History Museum after hours in a way that most people don’t get to see it. Between the two we’ll have lunch in Exposition Park and just people watch. If art, cars, or movies are more their thing than science and history, we’ll have the same day but exploring LACMA, the Petersen, and the Academy Museum, and our Friday night would be spent at the free Jazz night at LACMA.

Day Six: Saturday mornings are for brunch, and we haven’t been to DTLA at all yet, so it’s time to head out. We’re grabbing brunch at Joyce and walking around the different neighborhoods in downtown, but especially the garment district and the jewelry district. There is a must-stop destination at the Last Bookstore where we’ll likely spend the afternoon browsing all the books. This is our fancy dinner night at a rooftop restaurant, followed by drinks at Clifton’s, because you can’t not.

Day Seven: Our last day together in the city, we’re actually going to get outside of the city. Before we head out we’ll get breakfast burritos from Go Get Em Tiger to fuel our journey. It’s time for a hike up in the Santa Monica Mountains, and we’re most likely going to Escondido Falls for a nice morning hike. After the hike we have lunch at the Pier Cafe and spend the afternoon on the Malibu Beach. We head back to WeHo that night for dinner at Hamburger Mary’s along with a drag show, and then have a nightcap at OR Bar on our way back home.

LA is so different between every neighborhood, and my hope is that this itinerary allows for learning, fun, people watching, and just catching all the different vibes that this city has to offer. Of course, there’s still so much that’s not included in here, so they’ll just have to come back out for another trip to see more of it.

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?
The person that deserves the absolute most credit in my story is my good friend, Maria Jose. When we met we were both working as bridal stylists, but she was starting her own wedding floral business, Lovelia. We spent so much time talking through her business plans, and every single time we did she would tell me that I should start my own business coordinating weddings; she saw my talents and was the first one to tell me that I bring something to the table that other planners and coordinators don’t. Because of that, I started paying more attention to the professionals running the weddings that I attended, and I realized she was right. Shortly after that, she reached out and told me that she was working with a couple that needed a coordinator and that she had already recommended me and told them that I would handle everything, basically giving me no choice but to jump into the deep end. And it worked! That first wedding had it’s problems, they all do, but I was able to find a solution to every single one of them and at the end of the night, I told her I was going to start my own business officially the next day. If it wasn’t for her, I never would have found this passion or been able to help all the couples that I have helped since.

Website: https://serenityweddingsla.com

Instagram: @serenityweddingsla

Image Credits
Image 1 – @juanmattey
Image 2 – @juliaschweissphoto
Image 3 – @erinshimazuphotography
Image 4 – @theindicollective
Image 5 – @kenziekatephoto
Images 6&7 – @millayandyoung