Kate M. Thompson

The Power of Building Authentic Relationships with your Customers

One of the most rewarding experiences as a designer is watching your customer’s face light up when they see their commissioned piece for the first time. I believe the journey to arrive at that final reveal can be just as inspiring.

When I started my small bridal accessory business, I looked forward to the pressure and challenge of bringing life to each customer’s unique vision. People came to me with ideas and (if I was lucky) an inspiration board for guidance, and I was left with the task of translating those thoughts into a physical form. Clear communication was imperative, and it was important to listen to more than their words. To better understand their desires and expectations, I would ask each bride to tell me their love story.

I found that most brides who went the custom crown route did indeed have captivating, swoon-worthy tales… and were often more than excited to share them. They came to me with the hope that I would weave their personal love stories into the headpiece being created. It was common for customers to come in with sentimental trinkets—family heirlooms, their grandmother’s veil, vintage gemstones. To be trusted with such cherished items, especially with the expectation to disassemble and reuse them, never ceased to amaze me. It only reinforced the importance of forming a connection with each customer, ensuring one felt seen, heard, and respected. Listening to their stories and asking intentional questions helped form that bond of trust. The more we trusted each other, the easier it was to work together to bring their vision to life.

I cherish the connections I form with each customer; however, one woman changed the way I view customer service forever. Justine reached out to me in 2018, inquiring about a crown for her wedding. Instead of talking about her color palette and love story, she asked if she could share some aspects of her culture with me. Justine is a proud Filipino and wanted to incorporate nuances of her culture into her wedding attire, but couldn’t find anything that felt “feminine” while honoring the warrior spirit of the indigenous people. She spoke with passion, told me stories, and sent me links to investigate as homework. I devoured every article — captivated by the history, and inspired by its folklore. She wanted her headpiece to tell the story of a famous warrior named Lapu-Lapu from Cebu, an island in the Visayan region where she was born. After a week of research and planning together, it was time for my hands to get to work. I had never felt more inspired.

The crown itself was crafted of tarnished gold, imitating metal commonly seen in ancient, pre-colonial Philippine society. We incorporated indigenous brown seed beads and shells from the island. I was even able to source snake vertebrae beads that legend claimed would ward off lightning strikes! Finally, I cast custom filigree in the shape of traditional symbols used in Visayan tattoo culture. When Justine saw the crown in person, it brought her to tears. She sent me her entire wedding album with a heartfelt letter a few months later, and it was my turn to cry.

Justine’s vision was not easy. In fact, it was one of the most time-consuming custom orders I have done to this day. However, seeing how confident and beautiful she looked on her wedding day was priceless. It filled me with gratitude. My interaction with this amazing, inspiring customer helped me grow as a person. I helped her feel represented on her wedding day, and in return she opened my eyes to a culture I previously knew little about. The customer experience is the human experience. It isn’t a job; it is an opportunity to connect with another human being to solve a problem and create something beautiful. When done right, both people walk away feeling fulfilled.