Hi! I am Britney Ratto, owner and creator of RSVP, Ridiculously Swanky, Very Pretty Event Design. 

Where should I begin? I should start by saying that I THOUGHT I was born a fashion maven, but it has taken years to hone my craft… Once, during a pursuit of fabulosity, I accidentally super glued my eye shut channeling the great singer Gwen Stefani when gluing rhinestones to my temples…But, I have grown up since then and realized that I don’t have to go such dangerous lengths to be swanky…

I hold a Bachelors Degree in Fashion, during college worked retail; coordinated outfits, dressed mannequins, and made the store environment unique to drive sales. However, I always found myself in dressing rooms with stressed out shoppers in need of outfits for a wedding or party! That is when I knew I wanted to pursue a career in helping those around me.

While I wanted to rush straight out of college classrooms; fresh with understanding of couture and  merchandising in pursuit of my personal styling prowess, I realized that having more validity might help. So, I worked for a Fortune 500 retailer in multiple roles to understand the business.

Fast forward to 2010 after my wedding in May, and 5 years in a corporate environment, I learned two things:

1. Corporate might not be the path for me 

2. Fashion isn't just about what you are wearing... it also plays a huge role in the wedding and event business.

Lets face it, all brides like cookies, but not cookie cutter styles. Unfortunately, that is what I found when planning and designing my own wedding. Nothing was original, inventive or unique to the couple. Most times, I would speak to someone who would order generic items from a mass retailer. So, that is when I decided to start RSVP, (Ridiculously Swanky Very Pretty) Event Design. Pairing my experience and knowledge of the fashion business with my love of people and event design to bring you the best of both worlds. I will customize your event to you, your budget, and personal style with elements found especially for you, with one of a kind centerpieces and ingenious place settings, no matter the theme.

I guess you could say its the perfect marriage of my passion with my expertise...

So, my blog will focus on the weddings and parties I am working on, as well as some fabulous ideas I will share with you along the way, all while incorporating style and fashion! I cant wait to meet you and design your next event unique to you -  NOT mass produced... we'll leave that to the cookies...

xoxo

Britney