Asha Mars is a unique service provider. Three years ago she took the step of faith and plunged headlong into an industry which many of her friends and associates thought was risky, unpredictable and not worth getting into, but she possesses the self-confidence, wisdom and foresight to know the difference between recklessness and entrepreneurship.
She is the daughter of the industrious Castara-born Linda Eastman and Lennox Mars. Wedding planning in Tobago is a relatively new but challenging area of activity. Asha had her sights set on becoming an Accountant after graduating from Signal Hill Secondary School and went to the United States to pursue studies.
The idea of being involved in event planning dawned upon her when she attended a baby shower event on the invitation of a friend. Eventually, at church she volunteered as part of her ministry to organize baby showers, bridal showers, anniversary celebrations, renewal of vows for the church membership.
She studied at Hillsborough Community College in New York and graduated as a wedding and event planner.
On her return home in 2008 she began working at the Division of Education as many of her schoolmates would have done.
After work however, she capitalized on her limited experience in the field and began to network with prospective clients.
The first job which she did was a wedding for a friend who came from the US to Tobago to get married and she did not charge for her services. In 2009 she registered the business – Perfect Weddings and Events providing services such as wedding planning (platinum and gold levels), baby showers, homecoming, birthday parties, gala events, etc.
She is now a full-time certified professional weddings and event planner. She has provided services for corporate business entities, state enterprises, local, regional and international clients. In fact, more than 70 % of her clients are from outside of the island.
She admits that Tobago Weddings have a special charm and that some locals living abroad choose to come home to get married as it could be quite expensive to do so in the States. She is prepared to take all the guesswork, confusion and last minute embarrassment which frequently occur at weddings and other social events.
A wedding is much more than a party of groomsmen, bridesmaids, photographs, food, drink and loud music; it is supposed to be a lifelong experience. Gone are the days when the preparation for the wedding ceremony and reception meant sleepless nights, quarrelling among relatives, scrambling for food and forgetting the things that matter most.
Asha lives by her convictions. She has set her standards and there are some requests for service that challenge her values so she graciously declines the offer. She would say: ‘No, I am a Christian and I have morals and I have values. I am not going to compromise ………… money is not all; I have a reputation to uphold.’ We wish to salute Asha as she is among the chosen few who have refused to bury their talent and remain in an environment where they derive little job satisfaction and realize less than ten percent of their true potential over their lifetime. Her advice to fellow youths is:’ Seek God first; don’t allow the fear of the ‘unknown’ to prevent you from being who God has created you to be. Always remember all things are possible with God. In order to see the best of something you have to give it your all.’