Late at night, when I dare to dream of my fantasy-chef world, Paula Deen is my grandma, Alton Brown is my quirky uncle, and Rachael Ray is just some homely, husky broad who once asked me for cooking advice in the produce section of my local market.
In my real life, however, I am a displaced West-Michigander living with my husband in the Detroit suburbs, where he works for the auto industry and I am a wedding consultant for a small bridal boutique.
I went to college for business administration, and after that worked primarily in administrative, accounting and reception jobs. It was totally mind-numbing, redundant work which, even though it brought in a decent salary, was beginning to suck out my soul, leaving me an empty shell of an administrative professional.
Sirius Black and I should go out and have drinks sometime to commiserate; it was that bad.
I came upon the idea of working in the bridal industry by accident. I had lost my soul-sucking administrative job a month before my own wedding in what might be the best stroke of bad luck to ever have befallen a person, and while I was enjoying my life as a full-time newlywed, all of the cooking, redecorating, and watching soaps just wasn’t paying the bills. At the suggestion of a friend, I applied for a job with a large, corporate bridal fashion retailer, and when they offered me the position, I figured “Hey, at least I’m getting out of the house and making a little money, right?”
A little money was exactly right.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for doing something that makes you happy but pays peanuts rather than doing something that makes you miserably rich, but this experience took the cake. Pun intended.
After eight long months of working myself ragged for part-time pay and being constantly screwed out of commissions, I went out one day and decided to try my luck at a different type of bridal salon. I walked out of my first prospect with a full-time job five minutes from home, making almost double what my previous employer could offer! I’ve been happy there, and happy with myself ever since.
I have a new love for the bridal industry, and a new respect for my skills, which, in turn, makes me a better, more successful consultant, and—most importantly—a happier person.
at my wedding, where it all started...
One Saucy Dish 