Meet Anne Woychak | Owner of aLouise Bridal

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anne Woychak and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anne, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I feel like my whole life story has laid the groundwork for my own business. My upbringing has been far from conventional and I have always felt an itch to try new things. I am German, but growing up, I’ve lived in quite a few countries, explored numerous educational and career paths and I particularly loved doing things just for the sake of being different. From working in a book store, living in New Zealand for 6 months at the age of 14, to assembling pistons at a Ford engine plant as the only female or working in the beauty buying department at Harrods in London, arguably the most exquisite department store in the world, I tried out a lot. And although I thoroughly enjoyed particular aspects of each endeavour, nothing ever felt quite right, as trite as that may sound. Anyone who knows me, and knew me growing up, would describe me as a strong headed person. I like to push buttons, particularly of those people who in my eyes, have ‘unfounded’ authority. I once was awarded the ‘wooden spoon award’ for stirring up the class and arguing with my teacher. Naturally, this doesn’t bode well in many workplaces. Coming to the US as an immigrant shortly before the pandemic hit, I was faced not only with a long gap in my resume after waiting for my work permit, but with an odd labour market in general. Then I had just gone through the whole wedding dress shopping process myself, and to say that I loved it would be the understatement of the year. However, I also felt like the process itself often felt forced and was lacking authenticity. Much of my adolescent life, I learned a lot about the luxury space thanks to my father’s position as CEO of Aston Martin. I soaked up all of his knowledge like a sponge and I knew I could use this basis in the bridal industry. In essence, I believe everything happens for a reason and that all of these circumstances then led me to realising that my own business would be the ideal solution for me. As a woman, being an employee is difficult. In my home country Germany, women are awarded far more equal opportunities. So what else is left than to take matters into my own hands? I learned this from my dad. In German we have a saying, ‘selbst ist die Frau’*. loosely meaning a woman cane take matters into her own hands. The need for independence and autonomy, essentially the freedom to forge a path for myself and my family, were key to making this decision. I want to know that I am in control of my future, that I can work as hard as I can, so that I can take liberties later in life when I choose to have a family, My parents supported me every step of the way, as they always have. They also known better than to not do that. All jokes aside, they always ask me the hard questions that need to be asked, and they help me to formulate successful life strategies.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have tested many waters and dipped my toes into all sorts of things. Thanks to moving around a lot, I never really had a job more than a year. And this is probably a good thing, because I never really felt fulfilled at any place I have worked at. I always learned a lot and enjoyed aspects of it, but I was always felt a sense of relief when I could move on to the next thing. I get bored easily, I never felt 100% challenged or that I had more to give. I think the only way to learn and to grow is to be thrown into an uncomfortable situation that is way outside your comfort zone. That definitely was the case when I worked at Harrods in London. I started as an intern in the buying department, where I got a taste of the real world. But when I started my position as a buying clerk, I was definitely in way over my head. I started this position right when my immediate superior left on vacation for weeks, and I was drowning. Even though I had just completed my degree in economics, most of my colleagues had degrees in mathematics. And where I had an average grade, they had excelled. I don’t like to ask for help, I prefer to figure things out myself and to work on a solution for as long as it takes. And so I worked, long hours, longer days than the others, to fight for my place in the team and to show that I was dedicated to proving my worth. I thrive when confronted with hard work and challenging situations. My head goes into problem solving mode. I struggle when I get bored. Another big thing I have learned is how often I still get underestimated by people who do not know me. I suppose people get a certain first impression of me, I am loud, and bubbly and I get very easily excited about things, People mistake me as being naive. But my personality is such a huge part of my brand and my story, and is a key component of aLouise. I want to be me around my brides, I think it is vital that brides come in and feel that I am there for them, that I am their best friend and will be their fangirl. That also means that I will tell a bride when something isn’t right, because I don’t like bs.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This question is right up my alley, since I always get to plan these fun trips when my family comes to visit! I myself was a stranger to San Diego before I met my husband, and he was always so happy to show me around. I love to be able to do this for my visitors now! My perhaps favourite spot in San Diego is the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. I celebrated my wedding there with all of my family and my husband’s family and it was the most perfect week. This is definitely on the list for brunch, what’s not to love about the calm, serene vibes and the delicious food? My go-to-drink the is the Kiwi in a Pear Tree. Another great spot for delicious food and a cozy, cool ambiance is The Bellows in San Marcos. They make the best whiskey sours. This used to be our old stomping grounds, my husband lived a stones throw away and we we would eat there weekly. As you can tell, most of my favourite places revolve around food and drinks. I had also never had a fish taco before I met my husband Brett, but now I love them! Some of my favourites are at Cenote Grill in Escondido and at Point Loma Seafoods. When we aren’t eating or drinking, we are probably at the Del Mar dog beach, riding our bikes along the boardwalk in San Diego and taking the ferry to Coronado, or we are hiking up in Idllywild. I love San Diego because you can get beach and mountains in the same day. I love the smell of the salty beach air as much as I love the smell of the pine trees on a hot day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
All I am today is thanks to my parents. My parents never said we couldn’t do anything, they never asked us why we were doing something, rather, they would question us if we didn’t try something new. They nurtured my strong will, my independence and planted the seed that I can always do more. At the same time, they taught me to appreciate the little things in life and to stay grounded. Something really valuable that my dad taught me is that you can never rely on anyone else. This may sound harsh, but other people don’t owe us anything. From there, you start to learn to hold yourself accountable for your actions. That’s not to say that other people don’t help and support, they definitely do. But we shouldn’t expect it or rely on it. I also don’t know what I would do without my sister, who endures my endless FaceTime calls when it gets lonely here by myself and always knows that a funny video will cheer me up. Then of course my husband, Brett. We have had a complicated story, having lived through 17 months of a long distance relationship, him being in San Diego and me being in Germany. He never questioned our relationship, he stuck with me through thick and thin. Most importantly, he values my quirks. When I am loud and fiery, thanks to my red hair, he is calm and patient. It is almost too much of a cliche that I am who I am and he is a firefighter. The universe works in mysterious ways. And a special shoutout to a fierce women who left a lasting impression. Mia Collins at Harrods was intimidating when I first started working there, she expected nothing short of perfection and made that known. But she was never ever unfair or mean, she just meant business and wanted her department and her team to succeed. She had a goal and she fought for it. Harrods has thrived with her.

Website: www.alouisebridal.com

Instagram: @alouisebridal

Linkedin: @annewoychak