Trista Croce and her wedding business in timeless elegance
We got to know Trista Croce better, owner of BTS Event Management and we can tell you that this woman is truly a marvel. She has created an incredible wedding planning company from scratch; she made it grow and become synonymous with timeless elegance. Let’s find out together how Trista manages to create unforgettable events, and how she has built her career by also managing to combine it with being a mother.
Your love of creating events started in college. What made you realize that was your future?
I started as an intern because It was the quickest response I got from the companies. I realized I had a great skill set to manage organization and logistics, creativity, and design. This job uses left and right brain strengths. Once I realized I was good at doing It, I fell in love with it.
Since then, you have become like an unstoppable avalanche! When did you decide you wanted your own event company?
When I graduated college, I got an office job. I was at this job for a few weeks, and my daughter’s daycare called. I had to rush out and pick her up because she had a horrible fever. She was around four years old at the time. When I returned to work the next day, my boss told me it was a day of leave; I wouldn’t get paid. I copped an attitude and quickly realized a corporate setting didn’t align with my single-mother lifestyle. I knew then I needed to be my boss, so I turned to what I had experience in; and what I loved and started BTS.
We know you’re an incredible mother, and we have seen that you have a sweet one-year-old daughter, congratulations! How difficult is it conform to a complex job like yours and a new life? We know the answer very well: it’s hard! Do you have any tricks to share?
It’s challenging to balance work and home life. I have a full-time live-in nanny that helps with my kids. It honestly takes a village to raise kids in general, then pair that with a mom who has a very demanding career. It makes it even harder. I stay organized and block my time for family time and meaningful events. I just don’t stress because if I put too much energy into perfecting the balance between home and work, I will drive myself crazy.
How is the process the basis of your work?
The process of things is so crucial. It’s something I’ve developed and mastered over several years. I firmly believe; if you lay the foundation correctly, you can build a masterpiece.
How important are the personal characteristics of your clients in planning?
So important, this is where I draw all of my inspiration for design from! Everything we create for our partner’s weddings is from their personalities and relationships.
How do you decide what’s the best style for each of them?
Paying attention to what they like, what they don’t like, and who they are. After a few months of meetings and conversations, it’s easy to learn about the couple and build a design based on this interaction.
As event enthusiasts, the wedding photos we see on your Instagram are incredible! Elegant without being over the top, truly a dream. How much of your taste do you put into the decorations? For example, do you have taste limits you don’t go beyond, even if clients ask you?
I strive to keep everything very timeless and elegant. So if a couple is a huge fan of Disney, I will figure out very subtle ways to incorporate this. I will not give them a Disney-themed wedding. I want my weddings to all fit the BTS brand and have a level of elegance that is all cohesive, but I still like each one to be unique!
Traveling to particular locations is a dream come true, combined with work. How much can you enjoy those places while you are organizing an event?
Zero! When I travel for work, I am in back-to-back meetings for hours and hours or in event set-ups or actual events, which is the majority of the day. When completed, I have to be diligent in catching up with emails and text messages that have come in throughout the day. No matter where I am or what I am doing, I always want to make sure my brides feel special and prioritized; when I travel for work, the days are SOOOO long.
Coming to fashion: what do you like? What’s your style?
I love simply stated basics. I love loose-fitting, flow fabrics. I love black, neutral, and olive green. I love to wear heels!
