The fact that event organizers, creators of the creative association Ants Metropole and television face Gundeg Skudrinis is characterized by inexhaustible energy and bright colors is no longer a secret to anyone. But perhaps not everyone knows that her favorite flowers are roses, femininity was instilled in her almost in the cradle, and once she was a matron in almost 10 weddings. Ligavam.lv invited Gundeg to talk about herself, her more than 20 years of marriage and the rapidly approaching wedding season.
Gundega Skudriņa has already become a sign of equality with eternal energy. Where can such amounts of energy be drawn from?
True, people who meet me always call energy as the first thing. I myself don't think about it everyday and I don't know why it is so - maybe it was given to me by some higher forces, maybe it was also influenced by the time I was born - on a beautiful and sunny summer Friday morning. My mom used to say that's why I'm positive and festive.
On a daily basis, my energy comes from many things that bring joy to people - family, children, friends, a job well done, inspiration, art, beautiful films and good music.
As soon as you have this well-being, you are able to give something to the world.
You and your family spend part of your time in your home on the Cēsis side and part in Riga. Does a house in the countryside serve as a place to find peace?
I wouldn't say that, because I never needed peace. Of course, I need time with myself, but not in large doses.
A moment a day is enough for me to renew myself - drink coffee alone, listen to birdsong or talk to a friend - that's enough for me, because I restart quickly.
I can recover quickly and then I want to go again and do and accomplish something significant. This applies not only to work, but also to everyday life at home. I don't have a moment when I just sit on the sofa and do nothing, I will always be busy - I will bake a cake, go to visit or explore nature with my children.
Your energy is also characterized by daily variety, working simultaneously in several workplaces and projects, the field of organizing events will never be monotonous either...
Ever since I started my professional career, I have never had just one job - I have always done several jobs at the same time. This is very characteristic of me - probably because I am a twin by nature and such versatility gives me a certain sense of comfort. In addition, working in several workplaces or even fields is also practical - I used to say that one job provides the bread, and another - the layer of butter. At the moment, there are two important things in my professional life - television and the creative association Ant Metropole , which includes both corporate and various, as we call them, experimental or our own heart projects. Because of all this volume, I've never considered that I have a work life and some other life - it's all my life and
I am one of those lucky people whose work is also a hobby that brings great joy. That's how a person is very lucky - to do what really excites you.
Is wedding planning also one of the areas that you are passionate about?
I don't know if I would call myself a wedding planner. I have always pointed out that Ant Metropole does not specialize only in organizing weddings, but in the last two years we have been increasingly active in this industry. I would explain it by the fact that weddings have changed - they are becoming as big events as, for example, corporate events.
More and more couples want something original for their wedding - an unusual dinner, concert, festival or party in the forest
and therefore, for us as an agency, these boundaries between a wedding and, for example, a large corporate event of a bank, disappear. Back then, when the wedding was still a very intimate process, I did not want to organize it professionally, so as not to waste my time and energy, being the psychologist of a bride. I've been a bridesmaid in my friends' weddings almost 10 times, so I know what that means. Brides usually have a lot of dreams for their wedding day and I can't guess the dream of a stranger's life and I wouldn't want to spoil it in any way with my vision or pulling the deck to my side. There are no right or wrong weddings - for some it will be appropriate that there are traditions from the time of grandmothers, and for others a wedding celebration in a corn field. There are no good and bad, or right and wrong - there is only the wedding of the particular couple.
At the moment, couples are realizing their undreamt-of dreams in weddings and this game is becoming more open to everyone, so it's becoming more interesting for me to get involved.
I didn't hear you - have you really been a bridesmaid almost 10 times?
Yes, at one time, when all my friends were getting married, my husband and I were guides for many couples. At that time it was very popular for ushers to organize weddings - they did everything. This is happening less and less now. Compared to today's view of things and events, I can say that the first few times were pretty terrible. (laughs) . It is actually hard work and a lot of responsibility. At the moment, some of the responsibilities of ushers are definitely taken over by the wedding planners.
What are the things and trends that young couples choose now?
People are becoming more open and looking for new forms. These forms are very different, different for each couple - starting with rocker weddings on the tops of rocks and ending with absolute romance on the seashore. I'd say the Pinterest period and barn weddings are already out of date. It doesn't seem original to me anyway, because it feels like all brides want to be the same.
I am for brave couples and I think the most important thing is to understand what the couple wants. To understand this, the couple must be very honest and sincere, and I say from experience - not many can do that.
Some want the wedding to be like everyone else's, others want to show their status in society, some to please moms and dads, and some to save money. Every couple has their own motivation, but if they do not honestly tell the wedding planner, then the correct result cannot be achieved. Speaking of new forms -
people are tired of classic party type weddings with a host, food and musicians. They have already lived through it and are now looking for new forms – beautiful afternoons, unusual dinners, night concerts, breakfast at sunrise – I call them sensory events.
Young couples in turn may prefer a festival-style wedding, inviting hundreds of their friends, acquaintances and fellow students, holding concerts and presenting the wedding as the central event of the festival.
Are there any weddings that are most vividly remembered?
Own. (laughs) . But if we talk about other people's weddings, there won't be one to highlight. I associate every wedding with my own feelings - some with dramatic events, when life does not rule out the possibility that the bride will end up in the hospital, or that I have given my husband to read poems and realized that it was not necessary. Up to extremely gorgeous and emotional weddings, when everyone is crying for happiness. I have never been to two weddings the same in my life.
There is some divine presence in weddings, so no matter what the bride looks like, she is the most beautiful on her wedding day - if a man loves her so much, then there is something magical about it that is felt by every person who is there.
I always feel like I'm a meter above the ground at a wedding - intuitive people always feel that.
However, you remember your wedding best - what are the things or feelings that are most vividly imprinted in your memory?
Although we were very young - we were both 21 years old, we wanted to do everything ourselves - without anyone helping us. The wedding was on the edge of Gauja in a pavilion where there were countless mosquitoes - we were completely bitten. They are among my most vivid memories. (laughs) . If I had to organize my wedding again, right now I can't even imagine what it would be. During these years, I have understood only one thing: there are no borders. There are so many colors and feelings, but
the most important thing is to answer the question whether we would like this day just for ourselves or to be with friends and family.
This is always an essential question that I also ask those couples who approach me as a professional.
You have your own company, a television career and a relentless work-life energy. At the same time, you are a wife, a mother of three children and a woman sitting across from me in a flowery dress. Where do you find femininity in yourself?
I think that in my case it is completely natural. In any case, I haven't specifically trained for it, and I have a bit of a sneer at things like femininity courses. I find it funny that there are women who have to find femininity in a special way. I will always want to wear dresses and high heels.
The nature of a woman is to take care of the world, to make it beautiful - it is given to me by nature.
I will always want to take care of my family, bake them a cake and pet them after a long day. I want to create and make the world more beautiful. A woman should be the one who will put a tablecloth on the table during the holidays, bring flowers home every day and make sure that the backyard garden is tidy.
Is this also the secret of your long marriage - caring for each other?
I think that in the case of our marriage, the key to success, so to speak, is the energy of both of us.
We are both people who enjoy life itself and living, not just the work-home scenario.
The second thing - my husband has never painted my wings. Already when we got married, he told me that he needed a woman, not a dishwasher.
Therein lies the secret – marriage is not a trap, you have to let the other person improve and live their own life as well.
I can't help but ask - I read that your favorite flowers are roses, what attracts you so much to them?
The rose as a favorite flower could really be unpopular nowadays. Now is trendy if you like peonies, meadow flowers, succulents. But I have a special story with roses - I used to grow them and I have come to know, if you can say so, their essence. I have never been ashamed that white roses are my everything. Just as there are different women in the world, there are different flowers, and
a woman should never be ashamed of her favorite flowers, nor of the man she loves, nor of the way she dresses.
I will be who I am, because only then I am a happy, energetic and giving woman, but if I put on makeup, then I will not be me anymore. And who would want to be someone else?
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