COMMUNITY OVER COMPETITION:LONG BEACH WEDDING VENDORS SUPPORT EACH OTHER THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND BEYOND

By Jennifer Newton

Photo by Monique Kuhlman

As the saying goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” But what happens when suddenly, you can’t be together? When your industry is shut down and you have to stay six-feet apart? Long Beach wedding vendors found that having a strong support group of industry colleagues could get them through the worst of times, even a global pandemic. 

f/8 Studios

For over a decade, Michael Farmer, owner of f/8 Studios and Wedding Collective in Long Beach, has organically formed a collective of highly-rated wedding vendors that work together like a well-oiled machine.

“If someone comes to us for a wedding, we could throw it together tomorrow. They could walk in the front door, meet with us and be married by the time they go out the back door,” Farmer jokes.

f/8 Collective started with Farmer and his wife, Marni, of So Smitten Events. They knew they could trust each other to do the best job and have each other’s back in a fast-moving wedding environment. As they met more vendors they trusted, the collective grew. Tempoe Entertainment DJs were next to join. Then came Ginger Snap Floral, Draped by Lala and Lofty Dream Salon.

“We noticed when we worked with our favorite vendors, the [wedding] goes easier,” said Farmer. “There’s just something about walking into a [wedding] where you know your ‘frendors.’ It amps you up. It makes everyone feel more confident.”

During the pandemic, Farmer’s goal was protecting the collective and their clients. The collective switched their focus from creating the perfect wedding to defending their client’s investments. They acted as a mediator, helping clients negotiate refunds from vendors, and updated the collective’s contracts with new clauses to protect both the vendors and couples. 

“As a collective, we have more power. Everyone is working for a common goal. We’re each other’s hype squad, each other’s back bones,” Farmer said. “The more I can be there for other small businesses in Long Beach, I will do that.” 

Being a part of a collective isn’t just good for business, it’s good for the soul. 

Special Offers from the f/8 Collective:

Book more than one of our vendors, and receive $100 off each service.

Book f/8 Studios Weddings, So Smitten Events, Tempoe Entertainment DJs, and Gingersnap Florals, and receive $200 off each vendor ($800 total savings).

f/8 Studios | www.fatestudioslongbeach.com | 

(562) 247-4662

Rising Tide Society Long Beach

Prior to 2020, Miranda Hayek, owner of Blossom Blue Studios, was always out and about in Long Beach creating, connecting and collaborating. She is the leader of the Long Beach Chapter of the Rising Tide Society, a non-profit organization that started out as a way for wedding vendors to connect, but now encompasses all types of creative entrepreneurs. Their motto is “community over competition.” 

“With a wedding, there’s all kinds of new dynamics. If you don’t have that collective of professionals working together in a unified way, it makes it disjointed, costly and stressful,” Hayek said. “I love the team approach. I like to end the [Rising Tide] meeting by asking members ‘How can we support you?’”

As the world shut down in 2020, that support became essential and helping the decimated small businesses became Hayek’s “reason to push through.” She started working pro bono to keep essential businesses going, coaching owners, building websites and, as always, connecting people. 

“It was so rewarding and beautiful to connect with the community of Long Beach that way,” Hayek said. “I’ve become the person people call for everything from a wedding venue to an auto mechanic.” 

Throughout the losses the pandemic caused, the chapter’s connection never waivered. During lock-down the group gathered on “party line” calls. Once people could meet outside again, the group started gardening together. Eventually they gathered for meals outside and are now back meeting (mostly) once a month.

“Life looks very different post-pandemic and it’s been interesting how the group has hung in there,” Hayek said. “The community piece throughout the pandemic was a saving grace and that’s still just as true today. [Community] is the thing we all need to plug into because if we don’t, we’re not going to make it.”

Contact Rising Tide Society Long Beach

www.facebook.com/groups/risingtidelb  

Miranda Hayek, Blossom Blue Photography | (562) 706-0032