Michele Renée · The Studio
Proposal
One home for the whole studio.
A new website and a private back office, Studio HQ, that together handle everything from a bride’s first inquiry to the thank-you note after her wedding. It replaces the patchwork of tools the team juggles today, one phase at a time, without interrupting a single booking.
- Prepared for
- Michele Renee Zerda, Michele Renée The Studio
- Prepared by
- Van Trasmil
- Date
- 22 September 2026
Where things stand
Six tools, and the team is the glue between them.
Each tool does its job. The trouble is the gaps between them, where information gets re-typed and brides get missed.
What the gaps cost today, from the September review of both systems:
- About 140 Knot inquiries were never moved into a pipeline or sent a follow-up.
- Expired proposals show as overdue invoices, so the real money owed is hard to see.
- Prices live in three places, and they don’t agree.
- Every booking is re-typed between the inquiry, the timeline sheet, and the proposal.
The proposal
Everything flows into Studio HQ.
Inquiries come in from anywhere, the team works in one place, and brides, artists, and the accountant each see what they need.
Inquiries come from
The new website
The Knot and WeddingWire
Texts and missed calls to the studio number
Instagram and walk-ins, added from a phone
One login for the team
Studio HQ
Lead inbox and follow-ups
Clients, events, and bridal parties
Quotes and getting-ready timelines
Contracts, invoices, and payments
Calendar and artist bookings
And reaches
Brides, through their own login
Artists, on their phones
Xero or QuickBooks
Google Calendar
Nothing is typed twice. A bride’s details follow her from inquiry to invoice.
Part one
The website
A fresh design for every page, with the features the current site can’t offer.
Every page, redesigned
All 16 pages and the full menu, at the same web addresses, so Google rankings and old links keep working.
Live “Check your date”
A bride enters her date and sees at once whether you’re free, straight from the real calendar, with a short soft hold.
A smarter inquiry form
Events, party size, services, and venue in one go. The bride lands in the pipeline with her first reply ready to send.
Online booking
Consults, trials, and classes booked against your real availability, replacing Calendly.
A portfolio you run
Upload from your phone, tag by event or city, and photos appear in the right gallery with the studio look applied.
Edit it yourself
Text, photos, prices, FAQs, and reviews, changed from Studio HQ. Prices live in one place, so the site and proposals always agree.
Found on Google
Proper page titles, business details for Google, and pages for Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota, and South Asian weddings.
Fast and low-maintenance
Quick on phones, and no WordPress plugins to update or patch. Your email stays exactly where it is.
Part two
Studio HQ, the back office
A private workspace for you, Reynarose, and the team, built around how the studio actually works.
One lead inbox
Website, Knot, text, and call inquiries in one list, tagged by source, with nothing left unanswered.
Clients and events
One record per bride, holding every event from mehndi to reception, her party’s head counts, venues, and notes.
Follow-ups that run themselves
The three-touch follow-up, trial reminders, and thank-you emails go out on time. The team gets a daily list and an alert when something stalls.
Quote and timeline builder
Pick the package and senior stylist or rising star, and the fees are added. The getting-ready timeline is drafted to your 4 to 5 hour rule.
Contracts and payments
E-signature, the 25% retainer and installments, card and bank payments, and reminders, synced to your accountant’s software.
Calendar and artists
Trials, weddings, and artist assignments in one calendar that syncs with Google. Artists see their day sheets on their phones.
A bride’s own login
Her proposal, contract, invoices, timeline, and inspiration photos in one branded place.
A clear dashboard
Where leads come from, how fast they’re answered, how many book, what’s been paid, and what’s truly owed.
Phases and investment
Built in four steps, each one useful on its own.
Every phase goes live before the next begins, and the tool it replaces keeps running until then. Nothing changes for your brides mid-booking.
| Phase | What goes live | What it replaces | Time | Estimate |
|---|
| 1 | The new website, the lead inbox, clients and events, follow-up automations by email and text | WordPress, 17hats lead handling | 5–6 wks | $3,000–3,800 |
| 2 | Quote and timeline builder, calendar and booking, live date check, the bride’s login | 17hats, Calendly, timeline sheets | 5–7 wks | $3,400–4,400 |
| 3 | Contracts with e-signature, invoices, online payments, reminders, accounting sync | Rock Paper Coin | 5–7 wks | $3,400–4,400 |
| 4 | The artists’ app, reporting, instant estimates on the site, Instagram messages | — | 2–4 wks | $1,200–2,000 |
| All four phases | | 4–6 months | $11,000–14,600 |
Estimates are ranges until each phase is scoped in detail. Payment is by phase, with nothing due for a phase that hasn’t started.
Or start smaller
The website on its own, $1,400–1,800
The redesigned site as a custom build, with its own simple editor for your text, photos and prices, and the new inquiry form. It goes live in about three weeks, and the form feeds your current 17hats until you decide on Studio HQ. To start even smaller, launch the site first for $1,000–1,200 and add your own editor afterwards for $400–600. Nothing is rebuilt if you continue later.
Compare the options
Today, the website alone, or the full Studio HQ.
The same list in each column: ✓ included, ◐ partly or through another tool, — not included.
Current site
No build cost
What you use today: WordPress, 17hats, Rock Paper Coin and Calendly, each paid for separately.
The website
- ◐New designLaw-firm theme, dated
- —Same web addresses, rankings kept
- —Fast on phonesSlow
- ◐Edit text, photos and prices yourselfPrices are images
- —Prices in one place
- ◐Search basics and business details for GooglePartly, via a plugin
- —Pages for Tampa, Orlando and other markets
- —No plugins to update
Leads and follow-up
- —Website inquiries reach the system on their own
- ◐Knot inquiries followed up automaticallyStarted by hand in 17hats
- —Texts and calls capturedTyped in by hand
- ◐Timed follow-up emailsManual
Booking and planning
- —Live “Check your date”
- ◐Online booking for consults and trialsCalendly
- ◐Quote and timeline builderGoogle Sheets
- ◐Calendar and artist assignments17hats
Contracts, money and team
- ◐Proposals, contracts, invoicesRock Paper Coin
- ◐Accounting syncThrough Rock Paper Coin
- —Bride’s own login
- —Artists’ bookings on their phones
- —One dashboard for leads and money
Ongoing
Web hosting, 17hats, Rock Paper Coin, Calendly
The website
- ✓New design
- ✓Same web addresses, rankings kept
- ✓Fast on phones
- ✓Edit text, photos and prices yourselfSimple editor
- ✓Prices in one place
- ✓Search basics and business details for Google
- ◐Pages for Tampa, Orlando and other marketsOptional extra
- ✓No plugins to update
Leads and follow-up
- ✓Website inquiries reach the system on their ownInto 17hats
- ◐Knot inquiries followed up automaticallySame as today
- —Texts and calls capturedTyped in by hand
- ◐Timed follow-up emailsIn 17hats, once set up
Booking and planning
- —Live “Check your date”
- ◐Online booking for consults and trialsCalendly
- ◐Quote and timeline builderGoogle Sheets
- ◐Calendar and artist assignments17hats
Contracts, money and team
- ◐Proposals, contracts, invoicesRock Paper Coin
- ◐Accounting syncThrough Rock Paper Coin
- —Bride’s own login
- —Artists’ bookings on their phones
- —One dashboard for leads and money
Ongoing
17hats, Rock Paper Coin, Calendly
Full Studio HQ
$11,000–14,600 in total
Paid phase by phase over 4 to 6 months, starting with $3,000–3,800 for phase 1. Replaces WordPress, 17hats, Rock Paper Coin and Calendly.
The website
- ✓New design
- ✓Same web addresses, rankings kept
- ✓Fast on phones
- ✓Edit text, photos and prices yourselfInside Studio HQ
- ✓Prices in one placeShared with quotes
- ✓Search basics and business details for Google
- ✓Pages for Tampa, Orlando and other markets
- ✓No plugins to update
Leads and follow-up
- ✓Website inquiries reach the system on their ownInto Studio HQ
- ✓Knot inquiries followed up automatically
- ✓Texts and calls capturedStudio number
- ✓Timed follow-up emails
Booking and planning
- ✓Live “Check your date”
- ✓Online booking for consults and trials
- ✓Quote and timeline builder
- ✓Calendar and artist assignmentsSyncs with Google
Contracts, money and team
- ✓Proposals, contracts, invoicesOr keep Rock Paper Coin
- ✓Accounting syncXero or QuickBooks
- ✓Bride’s own login
- ✓Artists’ bookings on their phones
- ✓One dashboard for leads and money
Ongoing
About $80–150 a month in running costs
Two roadmaps
Start small, or build it all. You can switch at any point.
Both routes lead to the same place for the same total. The starter route breaks the work into small milestones you take one at a time. The full route gets there sooner.
Starter route
One small milestone at a time
$1,000–1,200to begin, then most steps $400–1,300. Take about one a month, or pause whenever you like.
Stage 1
Your new website
Replaces WordPress
- Website liveAll 16 pages, the new inquiry form feeding 17hats, search basics and redirects.$1,000–1,200
- Your own editorChange text, photos, prices and reviews yourself.$400–600
Stage total $1,400–1,800
Stage 2
Leads and follow-up
Finishes phase 1
- Lead inboxWebsite and Knot inquiries in one list, plus quick-add from your phone.$700–900
- Follow-ups that run themselvesEmail templates, timed follow-ups, and a daily list for the team.$500–600
- Texts and callsA studio number that captures texts and missed calls as leads.$400–500
Stage total $1,600–2,000
Stage 3
Booking and planning
Retires 17hats and Calendly
- Calendar and artistsTrials, weddings and artist assignments, synced with Google.$1,000–1,300
- Online booking and date checkConsults and trials booked online, live “Check your date” on the site.$800–1,000
- Quote and timeline builderPackages, fees and the getting-ready timeline in a few clicks.$1,000–1,300
- Bride’s own loginHer proposal, timeline and photos in one branded place.$600–800
Stage total $3,400–4,400
Stage 4
Only if and when it makes sense
Can retire Rock Paper Coin
- Contracts and e-signatureContracts signed online and stored on each client.$1,200–1,500
- Invoices and paymentsRetainers, installments and online payments.$1,600–2,200
- Reminders and accountingPayment reminders and Xero or QuickBooks sync.$600–700
- Artists’ appBookings and day sheets on the artists’ phones.$600–1,000
- Reports and growthDashboard, instant estimates and location pages.$600–1,000
Stage total $4,600–6,400
Full route
Studio HQ in one run
$11,000–14,600over 4 to 6 months, paid phase by phase.
- Months 1–1½Phase 1Website and lead inbox$3,000–3,800
- Months 2–3Phase 2Booking, quotes, calendar$3,400–4,400
- Months 4–5Phase 3Contracts and payments$3,400–4,400
- Month 6Phase 4Team and growth$1,200–2,000
Built-in flexibility
- Nothing is paid for twice. Every milestone builds on the last, and nothing is rebuilt if you move from the starter route to the full one.
- Pause between milestones. Each one goes live and works on its own, so you can stop, use it for a season, and pick up when it suits you.
- Change the order. If booking and the calendar matter more than follow-ups, they can come first.
- Keep what works. Rock Paper Coin can stay for contracts and payments, linked to Studio HQ, for as long as you like.
- Pay as you go. Each milestone is priced and paid on its own, with nothing due for work that hasn’t started.
Running costs
About $80–150 a month, offset by what you stop paying for.
That covers hosting, the database, email sending, the studio text number, and e-signatures. Card payments carry the usual processor fees, as they do today.
Against that, the studio can drop 17hats ($600 a year), Rock Paper Coin’s subscription after phase 3, Calendly, and the current web hosting. A monthly care plan for updates, backups, and support would be quoted separately.
Worth knowing
What we’d plan for.
- Payments and contracts come last on purpose. They carry the most risk, so Rock Paper Coin keeps doing that job until phase 3 is proven.
- Moving your records takes care. Clients and open balances are imported. Older contracts and invoices are kept as PDFs on each client’s record.
- The team is trained at every step. Each phase ends with a short handover for you, Reynarose, and Ellyn.
- You own it. The system, your data, and your domain are yours, with nothing locked to one provider.
Decisions for you
Three things that shape the plan.
- Replace Rock Paper Coin, or keep it? Studio HQ can take over proposals, contracts, and payments in phase 3, or link to Rock Paper Coin and leave that part as it is.
- Which number for texts? A new studio business number that everyone shares, or texts kept on your current phone.
- How much pricing to show online? “From” prices as now, or an instant estimate as brides choose their party.