Event Planners are probably the most passionate professionals in the world. Even before breaking into event planning, they do what they love and they love what they do. We brought specialist Srishti Viyulie to tell us everything about the set of skills one needs to start in the industry and to carry on with continuous development.
Events By Srishti
Events By Sristhi was founded in 2017 by Srishti Viyulie. Srishti is a certified Wedding Planner/ Coordinator. She has started this company which specializes in a variety of Personal and Professional Events. She has curated a very specific list of vendors to cater to all clients’ needs and bring their vision to life. Events By Srishti offers services from Month of Coordination to Full Planning/ Execution including, but not limited to, Vendor/Venue Budgeting, Site Visits, Creative Design, and Itinerary Formation.
In your own words, what do you do?
I am a wedding planner, basically a bridge between the client and the vendors. Our company helps organize events (whether it be Weddings or other events) from start to finish. This includes all of the research going into finding the perfect venue along with booking all the other vendors for your big day! We do our best to keep the client’s requirements and budget in mind when booking all the vendors. Beyond planning, we also do offer day of coordination. From start to finish of our clients’ events we are there to make sure all the set up is happening as per our instructions along with making sure we are on schedule (following the itinerary) throughout the event.
What does it take to be a good event manager?
A good event manager is someone who can provide expert advice to their clients, but also listen to the client’s needs. Being an event manager comes with a lot of responsibility. You have to have good people skills and maintain positive relationships with all vendors as well. Its important to coordinate with vendors but not micromanage them – remember, they are the experts in their respective areas. A good event manger also needs to be very organized and have a good sense of time management as well.
What time was a difficult time during your career? How did you overcome that and what advice would you give others in your situation?
I would say the most difficult time in my career so far has been during covid. The wedding and events industry, just like many others has been heavily impacted due to the pandemic. Once rules and regulations were created around how to go about restarting events/weddings, we were able to cater to the “new norm.” Which meant smaller/ intimate weddings with lots of restrictions. This definitely allowed for us to get creative and find new ways to make our clients’ events special.
Who are your customers?
Most of our customers are brides and grooms as Events By Srishti mainly focuses on Weddings at this time. However, we do provide services for other personal and corporate events as well. Currently, a lot of our clientle is also South Asian, however we are not limited to just South Asian weddings. Our services are available for all events.
As an entrepreneur, what is it that motivates and drives you?
The biggest motivation to continue growing and expanding for Events by Srishti are the clients themselves. Our clients put so much faith in us to make their event a success that their happiness is the biggest reward we get.
What activities do you enjoy outside of work?
Outside of work I enjoy dancing, something I have been doing for as long as I can remember. I also enjoy reading and writing poetry!
What are your current areas of focus?
I think the next area of focus for Events By Srishti is to move into Destination Weddings. This opens up a whole new market for us and something we are now ready to dedicate time to.
What is one piece of advice that has impacted you the most?
I would say this quote has been the best advice I have received: “Work hard in silence, let your success be your noise.” I am not one who goes out of their way to interact and try to be extremely known in the wedding industry, I just work and let my work define me. Wedding and Event Management is an industry that spreads through word of mouth, and the amount of referrals I have been getting through past brides/ clients has been amazing and something I am truly so thankful for.
How do you think modern women can be more fulfilled in their lives?
I think modern women will succeed and feel more fulfilled with life if they understand the work life balance concept. Most women are stuck in social constructs such as working a full time job and being a homemaker as well. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, and all other house work equate to a second full time job. Modern women will feel more fulfilled when they also find time for themselves, whether it be activities they enjoy, travelling or simply picking up a book and relaxing, giving yourself a little time every day creates for a happier self.
Tell us about your proudest achievement?
I would say my proudest achievement has been that I have been given a contract to plan a 1400 people wedding. It definitely has been a journey from starting off by just planning smaller events such as Sweet 16s and Graduation parties to finally achieving bigger weddings but this wedding will always be extremely special to me.
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
I could not agree more. As an event planner myself, it has been a difficult yet fulfilling journey especially during this pandemic. Thank you for sharing these tips.