4 Questions with Erin of Erin Victoria Design Collective

I love working with talented creatives and Erin is certainly one of those, in addition to being a dear friend. We have collaborated on weddings and celebrations and Erin designed my 40th birthday! It is my joy to see that she has collaborated with Tori to bring EV Design to life – what they are designing is creative and intentional and just spectacular; just like the two of them! Erin took a moment to answer a few questions and we are sharing those today. 🤩

How did you get started in weddings & events?

My love for events originates with my grandmother and the magic she would craft in her home for the holidays. I loved how it felt to sit at a beautiful table with so many thoughtful details (like presents at every seat!) – I always knew that I wanted to recreate that magic for my friends and family in my own home, but hoped that someday someone would let me do it for them in their home as well.

Every professional “choice” I’ve made has been to get me closer to my dream of owning an event company — from what I studied in school, to side hustles that simply helped me gain experience, to running divisions for other notable companies, to now (almost 20 years of hustle later!) – proudly running my own boutique firm.

So far, your most significant or favorite memory – a favorite location or client? Something you felt was a moment for you professionally.

At the end of every install, I make sure to pause and take everything in one last time because I know I’ll never get to see what we created with my own eyes again. We crafted a magnificent dinner for the team at Crate and Barrel in the very early days of EV, and I took the time to really take in what we had done and it was so much more than just beautiful flowers on a table — we had finally, after many many years of hard work, put ourselves out there under our own company name and it was one of the most beautiful tables I had ever seen. I’m not sure I’ve ever been more proud.

Why is what you do so important to weddings?

We joke that we have PhDs in bridal psychology – but it is so true that through the process of designing a wedding, you really grow close to these people and form unlikely friendships that I personally think makes the experience of crafting their decor that much more fun and that much more personal.

Tori will scrub the internet looking for the perfect container because “this is the perfect piece for Miranda ” — I’ll text a bride pictures of their flowers as they’re coming in the studio for processing because she simply has to see how incredible the dahlias came in. It’s a layer of personal touch that is cornerstone to our business, but deeply important to both Tori and me.

I often have the incredible honor of delivering the bridal bouquet, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve hugged and cried with my brides because their big day is finally here and their flowers are just perfect. It’s a responsibility I do not take lightly but is often my most favorite part of a wedding day.

Based on your experience, what’s one thing you’d tell all couples everywhere?

Be authentic to who you are through the planning process. Plan things for your guests that make you happy and are a representation of who you are as a couple. Don’t just do it because it’s “trendy” or “pinterest says so” — the most incredible events we’ve designed have been truly authentic to who the couple is at heart.

Always come to the table with ideas! But don’t be afraid to lean on your vendors to help guide you towards the most spectacular experience for both you and your guests — sometimes the best ideas are ones you haven’t thought of yet 🙂