I can not believe we are going into our 8th wedding season! I wanted to start the new wedding season by giving you a little introduction of who I am, who we are, and share with you a little bit more about this "little" company that started in my home dining room!
I started with a small vision in 2009. I wanted to create a work from home space and leave my day job as a Physical Therapist. I had a passion for doing makeup and hair after spending 10 years in the pageant industry competing and learning makeup techniques. I used Craigslist to help advertise makeup services for weddings and fashion jobs. It was not long before I had a willing bride and my first paid job. This is a picture of my home space-where for two years brides came to see me in my home, with my 3 dogs, two kids and hubby- all trying to stay very quiet! :)
In the next two years I grew what started as Faces by Joy into a well known, well respected Bridal Hair and Makeup on location service provider. In 2011, I won Best Makeup Artist by Richmond Magazine. It was an amazing honor and dream come true!
As a company, Faces by Joy has been featured in print as Bridal "A" lister by Richmond Weddings Magazine. We have also won awards from Wedding Wire including Couples Choice and Brides choice awards multiple years, including 2016. As an individual and as a growing team our makeup and hair styling work as been featured on countless magazine covers and bridal specific web sites/blogs around the country. We have worked with numerous photographers, venues, and wedding planners throughout the state of Virginia.
So where did Studio FBJ come from? I get asked this question all the time....
Over the next 4 years, I made a move out of my home space into various spaces that would accommodate my growing business and growing contractor base. In all to date we have made 3 moves. My DAD has been there at every move and we did all the moving together with his truck! I also want to give a shout to my friends Jessica and Jennifer, they both have been with me since my move out of my house and continue to be a part of my business today. Love you girls.
This space we used for 6 months. We grew out of this space quickly at around 600 square feet and moved around the corner to 1200 square feet.
Our next space at 1200 square feet, we occupied for about 1 year and 4 months. We had outgrown again. I loved the windows and the space, but we had no more room to grow out and we HAD to move again.
I began adding beauty contractors to Faces by Joy in 2012, hand selecting each lady and teaching them my techniques as I started moving into photography. I had a love for photography since High School and College, and I wanted to start exploring that hobby further. So, I launched my photography business and named it Studio FBJ (Faces by Joy) also in 2012. I focused my photography on High School Seniors, Pageant Headshots, and Glamour, Boudoir. Studio FBJ became the base brand for my photography and in just a few years and we would grow all brands from this one base. My Senior business began to grow at an overwhelming pace along with the Wedding business (FBJ). It caused a challenge in my business work space big time.
This last space is the most recent. 2200 square feet with double the make-up room space and a private bridal makeup room. We moved into this last space, where you will come see us today, last Thanksgiving 2014.
My kids hard at work.
In 2013, the work load became too much for just me. The business was dragging me along and I was holding up its growth. I laugh sometimes, that my business has become its very own little monster. It has its own style, brand, and attitude, it's like a teenager. It always needs STUFF and costs me LOTS of money, time, patience and focus. But I love it, and it makes my heart burst to see it growing and succeeding. I look back through all these pictures and I find myself in tears. It is totally unbelievable to have created something from just a thought, a dream, a hobby. So we added full time help!
2017 outlook:
Wow... 2017 already. Looking out over a beautiful sea of possibilities, we have been working on studio goals for the past week. In planning for weddings, photoshoots. I am blessed beyond measure to still be in business, none the less a growing business.
I can not predict what 2017 hold, but I can share this:
Our teams meet multiple times a year for training and sharing. We love what we do. Many of our contractors have been with the studio for 4+ years. We handle each client with as much care as we would our own family. We have a fantastic record of 5 stars outcomes with our bridal parties and WE CARE. Each member of our team truly cares about your experience from start to finish when you book with us. We are professional, we have done this before (so you are getting ladies that can HELP you with your questions) and we will be there for you as we go above and beyond.
I invite you to check out our wedding wire reviews and contact the studio @ 804.869.7763 to speak with ME!. I LOVE to chat by PHONE, not JUST email. As a matter of fact, we added STELLA (our STUDIO phone) 2 years ago in August so we could better connect in a personal manor with you.
I hope you enjoyed a walk through time with me. I hope we can connect with you soon and see you in our private Bridal Room at STUDIO FBJ!
Joy
