I pose some questions to Amanda Hudes of Smiling Through Chaos. She has a magnetic and bright personality which fits her style of planning. Check her out at www.smilingthroughchaos.com.

What's the story behind the name, "Smiling Through Chaos"?
I kept hearing how so many people found planning their big events so stressful, and I wanted to
help people ENJOY the process rather than just get through it. I wanted people to know that
working with me would be an experience that would make them smile even bigger and allow
them to focus on their moment. So I knew it would be, “Smiling Through” something. Then I
thought about what it COULD be like working with the wrong business or no business at all and
I thought, “Chaos.” And that was it! After looking at my list of possible names I knew it was the
right choice.

How did you get into event and wedding planning and how many years have you been
planning?
I started out planning events in the corporate world, and planning weddings on the side, about
10 years ago. I am an emotional person in that I love seeing people in love, seeing people so
excited, and seeing people during the most important times of their lives. That made me want
to focus more on those types of events, such as weddings, showers and anniversary parties
more than corporate events. Being able to help people in this way while having the opportunity
to have my own business and run full steam ahead is something that I am so grateful for.

What are the most important aspects of planning a party or event in general?
I think of everything as “branding.” Keeping that mindset allows me to “stay on brand” when
creating events for clients. For example, if a client wants a castle as a venue with pastel colors
but then also wants an “under the sea” theme, I might discuss this with them to see if we can
focus on one element rather than try to make the theme fit the rest of the idea.
If you can always go back to the main focus / idea, you’ll be able to rule out certain options that
come up because they either will or will not make sense for your original idea.

Besides planning, are you involved in any other projects? Is there anything else on the
horizon?
Smiling Through Chaos is a unique business in that it focuses on planning major lifetime events
with the additional services offered to help clients look and feel their best FOR the event. That
includes nutrition, exercise guidance, fashion styling and relaxation techniques – one call to
have everything you need for a successful and enjoyable experience. So that keeps me busy!
I also recently launched a bestselling book, “Smiling Through The Chaos Of Wedding Planning,”
sold on Amazon.com.
And this week I’m launching videos on You Tube featuring guidance and tips on event and
wedding planning!