Today we’d like to introduce you to Mitzi Villalobos
Hi Mitzi, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Oh my gosh, people ask me ALL the time…”how did you get into this?”. Everyone’s always so curious because it’s not like you can find this job on LinkedIn. With that said, I feel like I disappoint them every time because I don’t entertain them with a magical, dreamy, glitter-filled story of how I planned my own wedding, and it was the BEST DAY EVER and then told myself I could do this for a living. My story is a little more practical and honestly, unconventional.
I’ve always been a pretty big nerd, and surprise! I ended up majoring in BIOMEDIAL ENGINEERING at University of Texas at Austin as a pre-med. I genuinely thought I was going to go to medical school one day, but after my freshman year, I realized that I hated all my classes (and my life!) and needed to pursue something else. So, I majored in Business & Merchandising. I grew up in the Southside of San Antonio and my parents tried to support me as best they could, but I still had to work a part-time job while attending school full time, so I bounced around with jobs at CVS and then a pretty cool startup. But the thought always lingered of what I was going to do after graduation, so I decided to look for a job that could maybe introduce me to something more “lifelong”.
I have always been a pretty skilled communicator, however efficiency, organization, and task-mastering are where I thrive. I can get anything done. Literally anything. One of my idols is Bethenny Frankel (former star of Real Housewives of New York & owner and founder of global brand, Skinnygirl), and she always said that there was a lot of smart people with great ideas in the world, but very few could actually EXECUTE. I wanted a career where my job was to execute. One night while scrolling on my computer in my dorm I randomly came across a post on Facebook from a fellow UT student. She was graduating and looking for her replacement at her job at an Austin wedding planning company. I immediately applied, interviewed, and got the job. This was my start in the wedding industry -from intern, to assistant, to associate planner.
After graduation in 2016 I moved back to San Antonio and tried to look for jobs in my degree field. I was quickly disheartened because $13 per hour max pay was just…no. So I started thinking about starting my own business. But it was very scary because people in my neighborhood that own businesses mow lawns and install roofs. They don’t plan weddings. We don’t live in a Jennifer Lopez (“The Wedding Planner”) world. Starting something new and launching on your own is always a risk, but I put my wedding industry skills to the test and quickly signed up for the Bridal Extravaganza. I booked over 30 weddings that night, and after that I realized that there was a market for what I had to offer, and that I had a future in this industry.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE what I do. But this wasn’t Plan A. Probably not even Plan B. But life has a way of showing you the path you are destined for. I came up with my business name in the shower in 2016, and worked part-time as I grew the company. I worked on my business after clocking out from my day job. I took my own calls, designed my own website, ran my own social media, set up at my own bridal shows. My idea was to provide the most amazing, high-quality, top level service to everyone, regardless of their budget. I didn’t want us to be another snobby planner on the market. I wanted to be the wedding planner I would want to hire. After I got married, my husband provided the support for me to take the business full time in 2019. Bride on a Budget Events has exploded since, and I am eternally grateful. I love what I do, and as my team has grown and our services have expanded to include floral and decor, I reflect on my journey here and appreciate that I get to wake up every day and work with amazing Couples, great vendors, and enjoy my work. It doesn’t even really feel like “work”, you know?
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not. From the time I started the business in 2016 the industry has gone through multiple shifts, the most notable being the 2020 pandemic. Many industry people like to focus on the shutdowns and lockdowns. To me, that was temporary, what has been long-lasting has been the economic and societal shake up that continues to affect us. Many Couples lost their jobs or had to change career fields, leading to some putting their marriage plans on hold. Other Couples felt that the pandemic put their lives into a new perspective, and now believed that spending tens of thousands of dollars on a single day was not a priority anymore, so they downsized their wedding plans or eloped. Many other Couples decided to move forward with their plans after everything was open again, however their budgets were no longer in alignment with post-pandemic pricing. All of this led to a shrinking of the client pool at a time where our pricing was going up due to the rising cost of everything. In addition to all of this, the economic difficulties in the past few years have led to many people deciding to enter the wedding industry as “wedding vendors” to make extra income. This has led to an over-saturation of the market. I could throw a rock and hit multiple wedding planners, DJs, photographers, etc. Right now, it’s very competitive, and every few months we are adjusting and keeping our antennas up on how we can continue to thrive in this crazy environment.
We’ve been impressed with Bride on a Budget Events, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Bride on a Budget Events specializes in creating luxe weddings at an affordable price. We love working with Couples with great ideas and creative visions, and helping them achieve the most special day at a price they can afford. We plan, coordinate, execute and decorate for all types of weddings and events. In 2024 we added floral services as well, so many of our Couples bundle their wedding planning with their floral and decor. I’m very proud of the experienced, top-level service we provide to all Couples at our rates. Many wedding planners only work luxury events, and that is ok. But I take pride in servicing all the other (MANY) couples that are not planning a six-figure event.
Over the years many people have told me “oh, you work with Brides that have no money”. That is not correct. We work with ALL brides. We’ve planned small, backyard weddings, as well as huge, six-figure events with NBA basketball players in attendance or complete hotel buyouts with celebrity performances. Everyone has a budget, big and small, and Bride on a Budget Events is here to provide a quality service without discrimination.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We appreciate the support on social media, so we ask everyone to follow us on Instagram @brideonabudgetevents and Facebook, Bride on a Budget Events. We love to collaborate with new vendors, so send us an email at brideonabudgetsa@gmail.com. For our former couples, write us an amazing review! We love hearing from you.
Pricing:
- Services starting at $800
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bbsanantonioweddingplanners.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brideonabudgetevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrideOnABudgetSanAntonio/
