Today we’d like to introduce you to Cavin Elizabeth.
Hi Cavin, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
After moving to San Diego in 2014, I launched my wedding photography business, Cavin Elizabeth Photography, full-time. It wasn’t until 5 years later that I was presented with the opportunity to become the new owner of The White Flower Bridal Boutique. I had always loved bridal fashion – I wore a colorful Marchesa gown for my own wedding dress which got me published on Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, USA Today, and more.
It simply made sense to expand into the wedding dress industry and so my husband and I decided to partner together on the new venture. I continued to photograph a small handful of weddings per year all the while maintaining a YouTube channel “Cavin Elizabeth” on which I publish wedding advice and inspiration content for couples. My life is very much involved in weddings!
Fast forward to 2023 and I spend most of my time at my bridal boutique. It’s a high-volume, luxury business with a significant amount of moving pieces so it needs a great deal of attention. Thankfully we have a wonderful team of stylists, seamstresses, and office staff to support The White Flower that our brides adore! We have a top-rated stylist and alterations team in San Diego, and we are so proud!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Learning how to adapt from a lower-volume photography business to a higher-volume dress business (and managing employees) was quite the change. Most of my struggles came internally – learning to be ok with the fact that not everyone would do a task like I would and that’s ok! It doesn’t have to be as perfect as I might do it and I had to be ok with that. Now I am much more relaxed too.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I sometimes have brides, or their friends come into the boutique and recognize me from my YouTube channel. Although it’s not a “huge” channel, it’s still so cute that they’re one of my subscribers and appreciate my content. I have about 200 videos that cover bridal fashion tips, posing tips, décor (ceremony, reception, etc.), timelines, and more topics to educate and inspire engaged couples for their wedding. It’s something I’m very proud of and is years in the making.
Additionally, in 2018 I published a book to help couples make their wedding photos the best they could possibly be, essentially giving their photographer the best canvas to work with. It’s titled “A Bride’s Guide to a Picture-Perfect Wedding.” For those who love to read, it’s a great 60–90-minute book that covers pre and post wedding topics that are no or low-cost actions that will truly elevate their wedding photos. The book is available on Amazon and Etsy.
Pricing:
- Made-to-order gowns: $3000-$6000
- Off-the-rack gowns: $1000-$4000
- Alterations: Averaging $800-$1000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thewhiteflower.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhiteflower/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cavinelizabeth
- Book: https://www.etsy.com/listing/721599113/a-brides-guide-to-a-picture-perfect
Image Credits
Tanya Menoni
Cavin Elizabeth Photography
