We had the good fortune of connecting with Cheryl / Delano Stepp / Scroggins-Stepp and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cheryl / Delano, what do you attribute your success to?
Just being who we are. To be in the wedding industry, or any service industry, you have to like all people. Weddings are high stress and high dollar. It takes a special person to be able to look at someone on a day that is supposed to be one of the biggest days of their lives and tell them when something is not going to work, and for them to still love you afterwards. We can spend sometimes 24 months planning with our brides and grooms, and at the end of it they trust us fully. It helps that we are a mother son duo, so they always feel like part of the family at the end of the day.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The wedding industry is immortalized in pictures and videos. When your primary function as a vendor is a service you sell, instead of something tangible, it’s difficult. Even the photographs we use to show brides our design work are the product of another vendor. So we take all the ideas that are in our heads and get to work. We start by creating backdrops and photo walls for brides to see at wedding shows. By doing this, we are able to strike up a conversation with clients about the thought and planning that goes into designing and building the piece. From there it is a pretty natural segue into our wedding planning services. Being able to show them “Hey look at what we can create. Imagine what we can do for you” really helps to develop trust in us and our brand.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Where to begin! We start the week with a little R&R in The Woodlands. Just enjoying the waterway and all it has to offer. So much yummy food, entertaining concerts, fun dancing, and great cocktails. From there we would have make our way over to the museum district and start our day at one of our favorite brunch spots, The Raven Grill. Then of course stroll through whatever exciting visiting exhibit was at the Museum of Natural Science or Museum of Fine Art. The next day, we would have to go to The Heights and eat at Coltivare which has some amazing food. We could then spend the evening at the theatre, or enjoying an Astros game. But the week would not be complete without a trip to Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar, or any of the amazing bars and clubs on Washington. We would of course plan ahead and make reservations for Hamburger Marys for after a night on the town. There is just so much to see and do in Houston, its hard to fit it into a week!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We could not do this with out our family! From the moment we (Cheryl and Delano) decided partner up and begin this adventure, our family has given us countless hours and unconditional support every step of the way. To our husbands Delano Sr and Andrew, thanks for all the heavy lifting and not complaining when our dining tables are covered in wedding crafts. To Sami and Marie, who are always willing to step in and step up when we need it most. And to Jeanette who does our books and accounting. We could not have done any of this without you all!

Website: https://www.thenextsteppevents.com/

Instagram: @nextsteppevents

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenextsteppevents

Other: https://www.weddingwire.com/biz/the-next-stepp-event-planners/e5d2dbe61d860bc5.html

Image Credits
Rachel Driskell Photography Tinymum Photography The Wedding Show Alicia Yarish Photography Tiffany Harston Photography

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