A new wedding planning and photography showroom is opening in St. Petersburg.
After several months of searching for the perfect location, Simple Weddings is opening a new two-story 1,200-square-foot space at 4336 4th St. N. in St Pete. The downstairs will include offices and a wedding showroom, while the upstairs will focus on photography, becoming a studio available for rent by other local photographers.
"To get our name out locally, we really needed a space that was highly visible," says Owner Jeff Copeland, who began the company with his wife, Claire, in 2007. "That's why we ultimately settled on 4th Street and 44th Avenue, one of the most highly trafficked areas in St. Pete. It's a really great location that suits our needs perfectly and we're very excited about what this will do for business."
With a staff of about 17, Copeland says the company outgrew it's home-based business model. Trying to manage everything under one roof was becoming too difficult and disorganized. Copeland found that there wasn't enough space for employees to work with the files, equipment and other materials necessary to succeed.
"We really want to focus more on local clients and can do that in our new location," says Copeland, who lives in the Shore Acres neighborhood in St. Pete. "When you work with someone for several months to plan their wedding, you establish a unique bond and our showroom is an extension of that. We finally get to have all of our stuff in one place -- and not our guest bedroom."
Funds for the new Simple Weddings showroom came from the Copelands' own operating capital, as well as a small business loan. A few renovations were done after the space was purchased; new floors were put in, shelves were removed and furniture was bought.
Simple Weddings is spending the month of June renovating and moving into their new space and will be hosting a grand opening of the new showroom on July 1 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Food, drinks and door prizes will be offered, as well as live music.
Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Jeff Copeland, Simple Weddings
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