Sandra Kelly is the founder of The Specialist, a wedding and event planning business providing a personalised coordination service from a base in County Wicklow.

Having gained a wealth of experience working for key personnel within the travel and tourism industry, progression to professional event planner was a seamless transition for Sandra.

Her natural flair for coordination and décor was developed during a versatile 8 year career spanning areas such as event coordination, interior design and project management.

The benefits of working abroad and in Ireland means that Sandra has a greater awareness and appreciation for continental styles thus paving the way to include an overseas service to clients also.

The Specialist website is at http://www.thespecialist.ie
Tel : +353-1-2010821
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1. A Brief History of The Specialist to Date…

From a very early age I wanted to be a Wedding Planner. To be honest, I am not too sure what initially sparked my interest in this as a career. Perhaps it was Jennifer Lopez in “The Wedding Planner”… who knows!?

On a more serious note, growing up there was always a great sense of occasion in my home. From Christmas to Birthdays, Halloween to dinner parties, each was hugely important in terms of décor and preparation, and this of course filtered through to me.

Another influence was my career within the travel industry. My role there focused considerably on coordination. I successfully organized corporate events, was involved in project management and even dabbled in interior design during this time!

So ultimately my exposure to precise planning, coupled with a keen eye for decorative detail, made the decision to become a Wedding Planner, the right one for me.

My company was christened “The Specialist” and has been successfully operating for almost 2 years now. My primary business is weddings but I deal with corporate events also. Given my background in Travel, clients are given the choice of hosting their event in Ireland or overseas, and I think that this service in particular sets The Specialist apart from other companies.

2. If you were to come up with a headline for a newspaper or magazine which (in a nutshell) explained what you do and why somebody needed your service, what would the headline be?

The Specialist, wishing all your event or wedding problems be little ones, but just to be certain, let them be mine!

3. You are probably very familiar with the RTE programme “It’s My Party”. Does the image portrayed of the 2 event planner on that programme help or hinder your own business?

To be honest I have only seen the programme “It’s my Party” once. From what I can gather, the planners appear to simply observe and pass remarks on the event as opposed to organise it. I think it’s very easy to find fault with an event after it has taken place … as they say, hindsight is a great thing!

With this in mind, I don’t think the show either hinders or helps my business as it does not appear to be a true reflection of an event planner.

That said I would never criticise anyone’s event, publicly or otherwise, as they do on this show. People’s different tastes and ideas are not something to be mocked, if anything they make my job all the more interesting!

4. Are most brides definite about what they want for their wedding or do you have to come up with all the ideas?

Every bride unites in the fact that they want something “different” for their wedding day. Some have ideas as to what this could be and some don’t. However, they are all quite definite on what they don’t want.

If a couple are looking for ideas then I will most certainly make suggestions and offer advice on what is feasible, but generally I expand on their ideas and make them the very best they can be.

5. In your experience, do bridegrooms get much of a say in the whole process?

The groom does of course have a say in the wedding, but it can be limited to certain areas such as, the honeymoon, the guest list and the budget. Thereafter, the wedding arrangements rest firmly on the brides shoulders.

But let’s be honest, I think most grooms are more than happy to leave the deliberations of colour schemes and floral arrangements to their future bride!

6. Wedding and event planning must get stressful at times (probably more so than most jobs). How do you cope with stress and are weddings or corporate events more challenging?

The honest answer is yes, the job can be stressful. But, at the end of the day, you have two choices, let it get the better of you or deal with it. Thankfully I choose the latter time and time again. I have a beautiful German Shepherd to thank for this, because when the going gets tough, we get walking!

In fact, not only has stress been offloaded, but many an idea has been generated whilst walking on Greystones beach. Somehow, the sea air seems to give clarity to a situation!

In terms of which is more stressful, corporate or weddings, I would have to say that weddings are possibly more stressful, whereas corporate events can be more challenging.

The reason being that a wedding is, for the most part, a once in a lifetime occasion. The time, energy and money invested by couples for this one day is phenomenal. You really don’t want anything to go wrong!

7. What is the most unusual request you have had for a wedding or event?

I have had a few “unusual” requests, but unfortunately I can’t divulge any information. Discretion is part and parcel of being a wedding and event planner, so if I told you, I’d have to kill you…

8. The 3 most important tools of my trade are …

i ) Fully charged mobile phone
You can make most things happen with a quick call

ii) Emergency Kit
Everything I need, for every eventuality, is in this treasure trove!

iii) Sense of Calm
If a situation does arise you need to be able to think quickly yet clearly.

9. How important is it to be a member of a group like the WICKLOW CEB Network of Entrepreneurial Women?

It is very import and hugely beneficial, in terms of support, information and exposure. I joined 2 years ago, and am still overwhelmed at the resources available to members.

With the exception of the summer holidays, meetings are held monthly, and members are given the opportunity to listen to high profile guest speakers impart their “pearls of wisdom”.

Afterwards, you can network with other members or discuss business issues over a cup of coffee! And the benefits don’t end here. Wicklow County Enterprise Board offer a comprehensive choice of business related courses, at exceptionally good prices to all of their members.

The annual membership is a mere 80 euros and in my opinion, most definitely worthwhile.

10. I know I have done a good job on a wedding or event when ….

I receive an enquiry from a guest at a former wedding or event.