TERRE HAUTE —
In an unassuming corner of one of Terre Haute’s oldest downtown historic buildings, far away, romantic journeys are being planned.
All About Honeymoons, a nationally franchised honeymoon and destination wedding planning company, now has an office in the White Building on North Fifth Street, just a few feet from the planned new Barnes and Noble bookstore/Indiana State University Foundation building.
The historic building makes an appropriate setting for the new business.
“I’m from Europe, and I need something that’s a little old,” said Stafanie Pichonnat, owner of the All About Honeymoons in Terre Haute. A section of the 111-year-old White Building has been renovated and modernized for Pichonnat’s business. But it still “has a European feel,” she said.
Colorado-based All About Honeymoons, which has offices in Indianapolis and other larger Hoosier cities, is a relatively new enterprise designed to help newlyweds enjoy their first days as a married couple in the best possible setting with no hassles.
Entrepreneur magazine rated it among the top 35 new franchises in 2006. And in 2007, All About Honeymoons was among the top 100 fastest growing franchise operations.
“It has been constantly busy,” Pichonnat said of her business, which she launched from her home more than three years ago. She decided earlier this year to move her business downtown to make meeting with clients more convenient and to offer a more professional office setting, she said.
Pichonnat, a native of Switzerland who has lived in New York City, Paris and Edinburgh, Scotland, moved to Terre Haute seven years ago after her husband, Christian, took a position here with Thyssen Krupp Presta. She received her training in the hospitality industry at the prestigious Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne in Switzerland, the world’s first school of hospitality management.
“It’s amazing how far that goes,” Pichonnat said of the connections she developed while studying at the Swiss school. Many of the managers of top-rated hotels around the world are fellow graduates of the program, she said. These connections can pay big dividends for her honeymoon and destination wedding clients, she noted. “It really helps.”
One couple using All About Honeymoons recently became stranded in Brussels after the eruption of a volcano in Iceland closed most air travel in Europe. The only way back home was through Portugal, and Pichonnat used her resources and connections to arrange train tickets, rental cars, hotel rooms and an eventual flight home for the couple, she said.
“If things happen, I’m there,” Pichonnat said.
All About Honeymoons is tapping into the multi-billion-dollar wedding industry with a specialized niche service for wedding and honeymoon travel. The goal of the business is help couples find the best possible locations for their special events and to provide hassle-free travel assistance at the same time.
Some couples are just too busy to make their own plans, Pichonnat said. Others want professional advice and “some people really just like the fact that they can talk to somebody,” Pichonnat said.
There are no fees for using All About Honeymoons. Company owners are paid commissions by travel suppliers. In some cases, All About Honeymoons can help travelers save money, although many customers are more concerned about ensuring their honeymoon is as good as possible within a specific budget, Pichonnat said.
All About Honeymoons in Terre Haute serves between 10 and 20 clients each month, Pichonnat said. Many of her local clients want to travel to tropical locations, such as Jamaica or Mexico. She also serves Internet-only clients, many of whom seek her help planning trips to Europe or other more distant destinations, she noted.
In the end, All About Honeymoons is all about helping people have the best experience possible within their budget. The minimum budget for a honeymoon or destination wedding is about $3,000, Pichonnat said.
“For me, it’s really important that my clients have a really good honeymoon,” Pichonnat said. “You get one chance. It’s not going to come back.”
Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
Business
Terre Haute woman opens All About Honeymoons planning business
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