Check Out Rosemary Kocher’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosemary Kocher. 

Hi Rosemary, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in a small farming community of northeastern Missouri where antique and vintage pieces were in abundance. My mother and grandmother both were collectors, and my mother in particular had an eye for design in general. She knew which pieces and items would make a room more aesthetically appealing, and had a knack for choosing items with high resale value. I’ve definitely inherited the ‘collector’s gene’ and began collecting right before my kids were born… and to this day have not stopped. My collecting began with antique McCoy cookie jars and has grown into goblets, stemware, furniture, and everything you can see in my studio. 

My husband and I love to entertain at our house and would use any occasion to decorate and design a beautiful space. At one point during my collecting, friends, and family started asking to borrow items and to help design and decorate for their events, 

I started my business about 4 years ago, working out of the house, with a small selection of specific items that I wanted to rent out. However, as I started to meet more and more brides, I realized that there was a market for my eye for design and my selection of items. My budget-friendly prices and design/decorating services were really appreciated by those who rented from me. From there, I started to grow my collection and began to work with event spaces and wedding planners to help my customers. My first client even called me her ‘Wedding Angel” for helping her put her decorations together and bring her vision to life. I knew I was on to something! My next step was to create my own business plan, processes, and agreements, and advertise. I began collaborating with other event vendors and have luckily been able to reach out to many brides. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
With a growing company, things move so fast and I had to get a good system in place to make sure I was able to reach out and communicate effectively with each client. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The goal of my company is to take the stress away from the bride. The majority of my clients have a vision but they don’t know where to start. We spend the appointment creating their vision on the spot and experimenting with different styles and designs, and at the end of each appointment, they leave with a curated design using the rental items they selected. 

I often ask the clients to bring in a picture for inspiration and numerous times, they’ve brought pictures of my own inventory from previous events. They ask me if I can create something similar without even realizing they had come to the perfect place! 

Concerning my rental items, I have curated a collection of unique and eclectic styles, with individual pieces that are hard to find at other rental companies. I have a lot of clients who find their passions and hobbies in my items and create very unique and personal decorations for their events. 

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
I wish I would have made the jump to opening my own studio/storefront sooner. After I took that leap, the business was able to grow. It was really important to separate my home space from my workspace. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.rusticeleganceeventrental.com
• Instagram: @rusticeleganceeventrental
• Facebook: @rustic53

Image Credits
Juliana Jumper
THINE Magazine