Inspiring Conversations with Natalie Remington of Your Magical Day

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Remington.

Hi Natalie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I had homeschooled my daughters and been a stay home mom for two decades, so I had been out of the job market this entire time and my marriage ended. I had a college degree in Marketing but found that no one was interested in hiring a 47 years old woman, even for temp work. Along the way, I met a new love, who came from New York to be with me. Neither one of us could find a decent job but we did want to get married. Unfortunately, there was no place affordable in Kansas City to do so. We drove to a different state where we could get married in a chapel that day, but it was not very pretty and the minister seemed bored with her job. I told my new husband how the chapel “should” have been decorated and how the ceremony “should” have been performed. I dwelled on that for over two years and then one day, I just blurted out that Kansas City needed a Vegas type of walk in chapel and I was going to be the one to provide it! My family thought I was crazy and they laughed, but I felt strongly about this. The chapel I had been envisioning in my head deserved to be a reality for other people darn it! So I looked into the process of getting ordained as a minister. I saw that I could do it quickly online, but I wanted something more legitimate, so I found online classes and took a bunch until I was able to get my Diploma of Ministry.

Once I had that, I started my business, Your Magical Day. I decorated the patio door in my townhome with lace curtains, white flowers, fairy lights and wedding bells and began by advertising in Craigslist. It took a while but soon I got my first wedding. Turns out I was scared to DEATH doing the ceremony – I had terrible stage fright! So scared I wasn’t sure I could ever do another, but I had put so much effort into starting this business that I forced myself to keep going. I got more calls and more little elopements. The stage fright did not disappear and I have no idea how I got through the ceremonies except for sheer determination to make this WORK. My prices, at $50 an elopement, attracted a lot of couples, and my set up was very beautiful. The business grew rapidly, my confidence picked up a bit, and within two years I had to rent a commercial location and started a walk-in business because I had so many couples finding me online. Your Magical Day soon became one of the top wedding chapels in Kansas City and today, it is the number one wedding service in the area. We offer three adorable chapels in our Northland venue – a traditional white wedding room, a sunflower chapel and a rose garden room. We have expanded to the Kansas side in Olathe where we have a Cinderella Starlight chapel. We average 100 weddings a month and I think we have become so successful because unlike all the other wedding businesses who charge a lot, we market for people who, like ourselves when we were getting married, don’t have a lot of money to spend on a wedding or would rather put the money on a honeymoon or reception.

I am now 58 years old and started this business seven years ago. I am exactly where I had hoped to be one day. It took me this long to achieve “success” and if I hadn’t gambled on a crazy idea, I probably never would have been able to get anything more than a minimum wage job. I was very lucky and very blessed by God that my idea worked out and I thank Him every day for giving me a business that I love with all my heart. If you asked me to offer advise to others, I would say first that you are never too old to come up with your idea. You may go through decades of low paying and unsatisfying jobs and then one day you will think about something that really bothers you – something that makes you think to yourself: “that could be done so much better” or “they should have done it this way” and that might spark a whole new business in your head. If that ever happens, GO FOR IT. Make a Google My Business listing, advertise on Craigslist and start small. Offer excellent customer service, answer your phone as much as you possibly can, and you will make your dream a reality.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No. Not at all. I was trolled intensely by competitors, I had terrible stage fright, I had no mentors and no idea how to do anything in the field, no idea about the legality and had to learn every single thing the hard way. I made many mistakes along the way, made a fool of myself frequently in the beginning and had panic attacks more than I care to share. Somehow, though, I got through it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Your Magical Day?
I am a wedding officiant and the first and only walk-in wedding chapel in Missouri. I trademarked my name, Your Magical Day before I even started my business because I felt from the start that I was going to be a huge success. I am known for low prices, super friendly and professional service and being kind and non-judgmental to everyone regardless of their circumstance. Our chapels are absolutely beautiful because we believe that low-income people deserve a fairytale wedding. Our most popular service is our walk-in elopement for $75. Couples can come alone or bring two witnesses. We give them a short & sweet ceremony, get their marriage license filed and let them take photos in all of our chapels. We also have wedding packages where they can bring up to 25 guests for weekend ceremonies. We are proud of our many 5 star reviews and have more than most wedding services in the Greater Kansas City area – even venues that have been around for decades.

How do you think about happiness?
Being with my family, holding my cats, relaxing while watching television or reading, and when I do weddings, it makes me happy to watch my couples as they look at each other with such intense love.

Pricing:

• $75 Elopement for Two
• $125 Wedding with 10 Guests Weekday
• $150 Saturday Elopement with 4 Guests
• $400 Saturday Wedding with 25 Guests
• $500 Sunday Wedding with 25 Guests

Contact Info:

• Email: yourmagicalday@outlook.com
• Website: www.yourmagicalday.net