You deserve a little ME Time… haven’t you heard?  Well, if not, we’re going to make sure that you know all about it by the time you finish reading our latest Q&A with Travis and Tara Loring of MonthlyExpress!  All it took was a chance encounter with MonthlyExpress in a Departures magazine, and I was totally hooked.  As a purveyor of luxe and in desperate need of some quality downtime, I took MonthlyExpress’s campaign to heart and decided that a little ME would do me good.

And if these luxe products and incredible, posh brands were beckoning me, then certainly my brides could use a little pampering as well.  Travis and Tara have some wonerful ideas and recommendations for brides at any stage of the planning (or gifting!) process.  We here at The Bridal Circle are extrememly excited to have had the chance to catch up with these two industrious entrpreneurs in order to get a glimpse into how they birthed, developed and continue to define this exquisite gem of a company.

MonthlyExpress, while is is about pampering, the delight of perfectly selected details and the exceptionality of the experience, is also very clearly about the heartfelt care and compassion their clients receive.  From handwritten notes to the type of personal attention and communication one expects from a couture organization, Travis and Tara have nailed not only the luxe products, but also the luxe process that develops truly time-tested and lasting relationships with their exclusive clients.

Read on for a full taste of the company that insists on giving you some much-needed ME Time!

TBC:  We love the concept behind MonthlyExpress!  What initially birthed your vision for this service?

TRAVIS: It is so simple really…. Time. There was just never enough time for ourselves, and when there was, it was about sitting somewhere beautiful, eating something decadent, smelling something magical- just really indulging.  With MonthlyExpress we want to give the gift of ME Time and remind our members to take time to indulge.  Don’t we deserve that ‘I’m special’ feeling all the time?

TBC:  What were you up to before MonthlyExpress launched?

TARA:MonthlyExpress launched to the public at the end of November, 2013. MonthlyExpress launched for us about 3 years ago. Travis and I worked together and immediately there was a professional connection.

TRAVIS: We both come from unique backgrounds that make this partnership work. Tara comes from traditional marketing and I come from online, with a past life in the interior design industry in New York.  We fell in love with each other and the idea of running our own company.  Three years of planning, marriage, and several moves later we launched MonthlyExpress.  It was a thrilling launch!

TBC:  Have you always had a taste for luxury products?

TRAVIS: I have always liked the finer things in life, though I am truly a creature of comfort. Luxury to me means refinement and to some degree, ascendance.  Cooking with the best ingredients, wearing the best clothes, or vacationing in Capri with my beautiful bride are my luxurious tastes in a nutshell. Oh, and perhaps driving our vintage Porsche.

TARA: There’s something so tactile about luxury products. They direct your senses to something truly fulfilling. By that I mean the touch, the scent, the visual experience- all combine to make you feel something. It may be different for different people, but it makes you feel and if you let go … experience. Like when you smell a fragrance that takes you back in time, putting on the dress that fits you perfectly, or laying by the pool with a signature cocktail in your had.

TBC:  Is there a product that MonthlyExpress carries that you simply can’t get enough of?

TARA: That’s tough! Of course we all have our favorites, but for ME it’s about bringing our favorites together and giving our members a gift.  They always say giving a gift is better than receiving a gift.  Every month we get to give our members a gift.  That is addicting!  We literally travel the world looking for presents!  How fun!

TRAVIS: When our team tests products, there’s a whole lot of ‘no thank you’s’ before YES PLEASE! There’s always one product in each collection that we have a special love affair with, though!

TBC:  How does the MonthlyExpress service work?

TARA: We try to make it as simple as possible. Sign up, and then receive your ME time towards the end of every month. It’s just as simple to gift. There’s the option for a one time gift, 3 month membership, 6 month membership, or year membership. A special gift note is always included- and hand written, of course.

TBC:  Who is an ideal candidate for ‘a little ME time’?

TRAVIS: How wonderful would it be to provide a little ME Time to an entire bridal party? Or give your wife or mother the gift of ME Time for an entire year, reminding her that she is special and deserving of some designated ME Time every month.

TBC:  What should our brides know about this incredible service?

TARA: It is the most unique and thoughtful gift a bride could give her bridal party.  A monthly reminder to her dear friends that they deserve to have much deserved ME Time.  Our final push to start this company was when we were in Capri, Italy on the tale end of our honeymoon.  It was at that moment that we knew we had to give ME Time to every other deserving woman. You deserve it, your maid of honor deserves it, and your mom deserves it.

TBC:  Do you have any offerings that are particular to brides?  What would you recommend for the discerning bride-to-be?

TRAVIS: Planning a wedding is tough.  A bride has a million tasks to work through, from her dress to assuaging family members’ requests!  From a gifting perspective, though, we offer a unique way to say ‘thank you’ or ‘I am thinking about you.’  We suggest a year membership for a bride, and perhaps a six-month or a one-year gift to mothers of the bride and groom and anyone in the bridal party. As the gift giver, you get to make that wonderful person in your life smile and think of you. That is a truly heartfelt gift to all of those who helped make your day so special.

TBC:  What specific standards does a product have to meet in order to be considered for MonthlyExpress?

TARA: It has to be a cut above the rest.  We test products from around the world, but if it does not evoke a feeling, have an experience, or feel luxurious, then it’s out.  Commercialization is also a factor; you will not find our products in drug stores!

TBC:  What is the most satisfying moment you’ve experienced during your development of MonthlyExpress?

TARA: We had a member write us about why she signed up for MonthlyExpress. She had just found out she had Breast Cancer, and felt like she wanted to do something for herself. The products we sent her (not knowing about this) had resonated so closely with her she was shocked at how in tune we were. We sent her some extra goodies for after her surgery, and check in on her every now and then. When we write the note for her MonthlyExpress collection every month, we know why we are in this business.

TBC:  If your clients were able to describe your service in one word, what do you think that word would be, and why?

TRAVIS: Personal. If someone is unhappy, we pick up the phone, and if someone is happy, we pick up the phone and talk it out.

TBC:  Do you make custom recommendations for your clientele?

TARA: Not at the moment. For us, it’s about the entire experience as a collection, and not just about each individual product you receive.

TBC:  What are a few of the most notable brands you carry?

TARA: Some you may have heard of, and some you haven’t! We’ve included products from Oscar de la Renta, NEST Fragrances, ERBE….

TBC:  How often do you introduce new items to the MonthlyExpress offering?

TRAVIS: Every month is something new. We may repeat a brand or two every few months, but that’s only because you can’t just have one of their products, or they work in tandem with one another.

TBC:  What is the heartbeat behind MonthlyExpress that keeps it going?

TARA:  It’s ME time— we won’t stop until everyone is taking the time to say that. And then, we’ll make sure you never forget.

TBC:  What’s the one thing MonthlyExpress couldn’t operate without?

TRAVIS:  Tara.  This company simply could not exist without my wife running the show.

TARA: [blushing] And of course, our amazing Brand Partners!

TBC:  When you need to relax and rejuvenate, where do you turn?

TARA: We hand eachother that months’ collection! When we can hide out for a quick, refreshing weekend, we like the Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada.  They have bathtubs on the balcony with ocean views that are to die for.  We bring along our favorite products and just relax!

TBC:  From what do you draw your greatest inspiration?

TRAVIS: From eachother.  There is nothing like working to build a company based on the foundation of love.  When we wrap a box, or put together a collection, we want you to feel the love that we put into it.

TBC:  Do you have any up and coming projects in the works that you would like to share with us?

TARA: We have some wonderful brand partnerships coming up this year! All I can say is, have you tried NATUROPATHICA? If not, the East Hampton Spa is to die for, and obviously so are the skin care products!

TBC:  What makes the ME experience absolutely unforgettable?

TRAVIS: The element of surprise and our signature white linen box!