VIP WEDDING VENUE
STORY BY LIESEL SCHMIDT PHOTOGRAPHY BY M HARRIS STUDIOS
Despite having no previous experience in event or wedding planning, Amanda Smith took a leap and utilized her background in design to make something other than the “cold and warm mail” that she had been creating for 10 years as part of her work for non-profits. Instead, she turned her creative force to weddings, launching White Pumpkin in 2009. “I didn't really know where to start,” she recalls. “As I was finding my way, I worked in a busy flower shop in Springfield, Virginia. The four years I spent there taught me a great deal about flowers as well as all of the work that goes into designing and coordinating the logistics, delivery and setup of an event.”
still in place. “Regardless of what it looks like, all the same parts are there,” she notes. “Two people that love each other, the families, the ceremony, the reception. Of course, we go through different trends of flowers and decor. And I do feel that the planning time frame is getting shorter. But I stay on top of things by looking to my vendors to educate me on what is new in their specialty. I’m also part of an industry networking group, AWP, where they hold meetings with educational components.”
More than a decade later, White Pumpkin has become a successful event consultancy and Smith has realized her passion. “I love working with couples and their families. They're so excited and nervous and that kind of energy is infectious and wonderful to be around,” she says. “With so much going on and so much to do, it can be incredibly challenging, but this is something that I've built and that makes me very proud.” As much as the wedding industry—and weddings themselves—have changed, Smith sees the fundamentals W W W.W H I T E P U M P K I N W E D . C O M 34 • VIP ALEXANDRIA MAGAZINE
