Meet Allie Calzada | Wedding Officiant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Allie Calzada and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Allie, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
The prospect of my business came from the passion and love that I have for weddings. I’ve been obsessed with weddings since childhood (I was the officiant at numerous recess weddings). Something about celebrating a lifelong commitment is very endearing to me.

Even though I love the wedding industry, I had a dilemma to solve- what service or product could I provide? Unfortunately, I don’t possess the skill or patience to learn how to sew, and my baking skills… well,l let’s just say I’m no Christina Tosi.

As an extroverted, hopeless romantic, I knew that there was bound to be a role for me in this industry. Similar to the origins of many love stories, the conception for my business arose when I was least expecting it. In 2020, I started entertaining the idea of officiating weddings for my friends and family. In contrast to my other daydreams, this idea was considerably persistent. The idea progressed into a business plan, and before I knew it, I took the plunge and established my small business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
When you think of a wedding officiant, what are your initial thoughts? Did you associate the so-called officiant with words like modern, inclusive, or even fun?

Probably not.

That’s where I come in. As a wedding officiant, I don’t want to give my couples an experience they felt came from Craigslist. Instead, I want to form a relationship with the couple from the initial inquiry to walking down the aisle. By creating a friendship, the ceremony is going to feel more intimate and unique to the couple. Also, I don’t want the ceremony to be stale with old verbiage. Uh, yawn! Instead, I prefer the wedding to be memorable by writing a ceremony script that genuinely encompasses the couple and their love for each other.

Lately, I’ve been excited about helping couples write their vows. Exchanging of vows is my absolute favorite part about weddings. I feel privileged to be able to hear the promises that the individuals are vowing to one another. So helping couples solidify their promises is such a fun, special time! I also like being able to get to know the couples by our meetups at coffee shops to write their vows.

Running a business is not for the faint-hearted. However, I genuinely believe anyone can start a business as long as you identified an issue and have a unique solution to solve it. Also, you must have the courage to know that your idea may fail or not be well received. It’s important to know that failing is not a reflection of you and have the stamina and self-assurance to pick yourself back up again.

Starting a business consumes time and energy. So be sure that you are genuinely ready to dive into the challenge of creating and running a business. No one is going to hold your hand and put fire underneath you. Instead, the success of your business and what it becomes is entirely dependent on you.

I’ve also learned that many doubters might try to distract you from your vision. Ignore them. Instead, surround yourself with people who bring you up and not the other way around. To put it plain and simple, running a business without the support of my family and friends would be near impossible. Of course, there will be times where a solution to an issue is not prevalent. However, by having a solid support system in place, I’m inspired never to give up. Their words of encouragement are often impactful, and it gives me the confidence to work through the not-so-glamorous sides and challenges of the business.

In the end, I want my business to be known for more than just its officiating services. But instead, I want my services to be a fun and easy experience for all my couples. Also, I want them to have the confidence to know that their officiant is not going to deliver just any speech but rather a modern, tailored approach to their love story.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a friend or someone from my family were to come to visit me, I would show them this list for them to pick 1-2 activities every day:

1. Morning activities (pick 1-2 activities):

Brunch at the Rustic, Pie Tap, Halcyon, Paradiso, or Cane Rosso.
Donuts from The Salty Donut
Coffee from La, La, Land, or Halcyon
Farmer’s market!!
Morning walks around White Rock Lake.

2. Afternoon activities(pick 1-2 activities):

Lunch at Kylde Warren Park from the food trucks, Truckyard, Katy Trail Ice House, or Royal China
Katy Trail & grab a drink at Katy Trail Ice House
Exercise at either Grit or Black Swan Yoga
Six Flags in Arlington, TX
Visit Dallas Museum of Art, Perot museum, or the JFK museum
Walk around the shops in Lower Greenville, Deep Ellum, or Bishop Arts
Visit ArtPark in Trinity Groves
Visit Mutt’s Cantina
Play sand volleyball at Sandbar
Ride the trolley to Klyde Warren Park
Emporium Pies tasting

3. Late-night activities (pick 1-2 activities):

Dinner at Pecan Lodge, Loro, City Hall Bistro in the Adolphus Hotel, Uchi sushi, or Taqueria El Si Hay
Barcadia
Go to the Manhattan Project or Pegasus breweries
Drinks in Lower Greenville or Deep Ellum

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First, I would like to thank my father & mother. They have mentored me my whole life on what it takes to be an independent woman and entrepreneur. If it weren’t for my parents, I don’t believe I would have had the confidence to go after my dreams.

I would also like to recognize my little sister, who constantly hypes me up! No matter how crazy my ideas are, I know she will always be my biggest cheerleader. And of course, I can’t forget my little brother, who always has my back.

My friends also have been the best support group I could ever have. If it weren’t for them, I truly don’t believe my business would be as successful.

Lastly, I want to thank my partner, Mark, for always encouraging and believing in me. He has always supported my successes and often tells me how proud he is of me.

Website: www.alliewed.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allie_wed/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allieweddingofficiant/

Image Credits
SC Photography; shot by Sarah C. Pierce