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

Hi Carlie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I guess you could say it started as a “side hustle.” People were getting married all around me and I naturally stepped into roles to help people stay organized and relieve stress on the wedding day. Over time, people started hiring me to help coordinate their weddings. One day as I was reflecting, I had the realization, “I’m being paid to plan weddings. I’m a wedding planner.” This was very different than my career that I spent years going to school for, it felt more organic.

I connected with people in the wedding community, built a website and developed packages with time. I loved the connections that were made with couples, vendors and business owners. The relationships built and the feeling of accomplishment after a wedding day were reasons enough to keep me building my business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Riding Tandem is a wedding planning team who provides services ranging from day-of coordination to full service planning. This can look like creating a wedding day timeline, setting up items such as table place settings, and helping couples find their unique wedding style and vision. We work at a varity of venues in Arizona ranging from resorts like Royal Palms, backyard weddings, and even in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. Many businesses are started with a clear end goal and direction. I’ve been intentional to give myself permission to let the business grow and change with time. As humans, we are constantly evolving and a business should do the same. I try to balance my goals with self check-ins and re-examine what I want in each season of life. I want Riding Tandem to be less about the numbers and more about how I feel doing the work. This is challenging because it means that I often have to acknowledge what I don’t like in the space and work to improve that. Over the years, I’ve learned the power of delegating. It’s essential to grow. But just as delegating takes work off your plate, it also forces you to relinquish control and to trust others. Inviting others in as been a huge part of my business journey.

I get incredibly excited as I watch people I have mentored grow confidence in their skin and their skills. Riding Tandem has a college internship program where students can learn about wedding planning and starting a business. This was developed as I reflected on what I wish I had as a young adult. Through this program, I have met incredible individuals who I’ve trained and many have become wedding planners on my team.

It’s important to do the work to know what skills come naturally to you, hire people to help with the rest. Then be intentional to share what you’ve learned with others. People are hungry to learn and will be inspired to do the same!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love Phoenix and sharing it with others! Here’s my plan for the weekend!

Stay: Rise Uptown Hotel

Day One:
Breakfast at Lux Coffee
Lunch at Noble Bread
Dinner at Taco Guild
Hang/Shop at The Pemberton
Ride Scooters around Downtown
Mini Bowling at ChamPang Lanes
Late Night Drinks at Rough Rider

Day Two:
Hike Camelback
Brunch at La Grande Orange
Float on the lazy river at The Point
Dinner at Glai Baan
Drinks on Platform 18 at Century Grand

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Allison, owner of Array Design, is without a doubt an influential part of my journey. Allison and I met in the same chapter of realizing we wanted more from our jobs than a pay check and were both navigating what it looked like to start a business for ourselves. Allison is incredibly talented as a florist and is equally as kind of a human. Together we listened to business podcasts, took online courses, hosted styled shoots and cheered each other on along the way. It’s so encouraging to know you aren’t alone in chasing your dreams!

Website: www.ridingtandem.com

Instagram: @riding_tandem and @mscarliejo_

Linkedin: Carlie Rouse

Facebook: Riding Tandem

Image Credits
Team Photo (in Fall outfits) by Kailey Beth Photography Laptop shots & sunglasses photos by Alexandra Loraine Photography Bride and Groom shots by Lea Bremicker

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