Not Just A Bit of Magic..Wedding Planners and Coordinators are an Investment

As an officiant, I’ve seen many couples try DIY planning a fairly large wedding on their own. This can cause headaches or angry words. It might lead to depending on the (not qualified for planning) officiant to direct the rehearsal or help untangle fairy lights or it may lead to the bride leaving the dress at home two hours away. Oh - or someone might forget the ring  - please don’t forget the ring.

The planners and coordinators to whom I spoke for this blog feel that because each couple is completely unique there is a perfect planner for everyone.

Janna Fowler at All About Weddings
allaboutweddingstn.net

Janna’s journey as a wedding coordinator began during her teaching years when a friend asked her to help plan her daughter’s destination wedding. Janna’s wedding business bloomed from there as she found a new calling.

19 years and a coordinating certification later, Janna says her goal is to make sure her couples "enjoy the planning process and especially enjoy their wedding day."

“Having a coordinator is the biggest gift you can give yourself on your wedding day,” she says. “It allows the space for you and your family to take in the day and just be present.”

Janna offers packages for full coordinating, partial coordinating, and month of coordinating.  The month of coordinating package is for the couple that has all of their planning completed and needs help pulling it altogether. As every wedding and couple are unique, Janna customizes all wedding coordinating packages and offers complimentary consultations.

Janna says her couples’ budgets range from DIY-friendly to more luxurious weddings, but “your coordinator should always work within your budget.”  Part of this unique and budget-conscious sensibility for couples is choosing the right wedding professionals for a couple - venue, caterer, bar provider, DJ, florist, photographer, officiant, and content creator to match each couple’s style and wishes.

I asked Janna, as well as the other coordinators, what changes she’s seen in current weddings, and she mentioned options such as adding a content creator to the team and family-style dinner service at receptions.  She also says couples find the need to be more creative within their budgets in order to fit everything they want into the wedding day. Thankfully, more options are available now, and it continues to evolve.

Coordinators offer a wealth of information for couples on how to hack creative ideas of how to make your day perfect, and Janna certainly has that experience and knowledge.

Lindsey Collins at BearCat Events
bearcatevents.com

When you open the link to Lindsey’s website, you’ll find that a “bearcat” is a lively, spirited woman, possibly with a fiery streak. This lively, spirited planner has been planning and coordinating events since she was in her early 20s. Not just events -  big events.
Lindsey started her career in the wedding planning business as an intern with a local wedding planning company, learning all facets of the event business - consultation, design, organization and execution.  She then continued her event planning education volunteering during big Knoxville city events such as the Dogwood Arts Festival and Rhythm and Blooms. To round out her event and public relations training, Lindsey was offered a coveted internship with prestigious Knoxville public relations firm, Moxley Carmichael. Lindsey started Bearcat Events six years ago specializing in luxury weddings, taking only 10 weddings a year.
“I feel like the right couples find me,” Lindsey says.
Lindsey is also a lead event planner with Bridgewater catering and event sales for the many venues they serve including, among others, the Magnolia, the Neyland, Regas Square Events, On Broadway Event Center, the Terrace as well as Bridgewater.

Lindsey says her work at Bridgewater translates to her wedding planning work, helping her see the overall picture for her couples. It allows her to better consult knowledgeably on food, alcohol and wine pairings, tablescapes and service.

Bearcat Events offers month-of, partial and full planning packages.

Lindsey is a single planner and wants each individual couple to feel they are her sole focus. Her goal is to connect with the couple, to earn their trust and make sure their their decisions are their own, not hers.” I want them to feel heard.” she says.

Lindsey’s view of her job is to usher her couples from planning through the ceremony to the end of the party.

“ I want them to feel ‘at the end of the day - I don’t have to take care of this.’”

Callie and John Mike’s Wedding at the Standard Knoxville
Photo by Camille Caroline Photography

Jackie Carter at Elease Productions
eleaseproductions.com

Jackie started Elease Productions 15 years ago in May. Like Maura, her wedding planning business grew from the love in her own wedding. She wanted to pass that joy to other brides and grooms.

Jackie sees her business as a ministry. She says “this is how Elease can be there for our couples with a heart of service - this is for the rest of their lives.”

Elease Productions offers full, partial and day-of planning with 10 full time staff planning and coordinating around 55 weddings each year. Most of the weddings take place in our local area although Elease also plans weddings in Athens, Cleveland and Chattanooga.

Jackie says about 75% of the company’s clients are from out-of-state, so destination weddings such as those at Nichols Heir, the Magnolia, the Trillium and Faith Farms represent a healthy percentage of their couples. This year, Elease Productions will also take over management of Colley Hills Farm so the company plans even more expansion.

Jackie says she’s always raising the bar for herself and never feels like she’s completed what she wants to complete. With Jackie’s enthusiasm and energy and the team’s hard work, the company’s growth continues to the level Jackie says she feels comfortable to allow herself and staff so that they can keep work- life balance.

Photo by Amanda May Photography

Behind all this success is Jackie’s philosophy: ”what is the point of all of our blessings if we’re not going to share them?  We’re here to show each other love, show each other kindness and grace. We have to give our best by being intentional - it’s our heart calling to show our couples that we love them.”

Clara Ruth and Tammy West at Tandem Events South Carolina Wedding Coordinators
Find them on instagram @tandemeventssc

Tandem Events South Carolina Wedding Coordinators are based in Spartanburg, South Carolina. A mother-daughter team, Tammy and Clara Ruth West also happen to be my sister and my niece.

Clara Ruth says Tandem Events got its start because “Mom was coordinating weddings when I was in college, and I helped her. I loved it. I love meeting the bride with her vision. I want to provide open support so she feels like she can ask questions. I also want to let my brides feel like my suggestions and recomendations fit their journey.”

Both Tammy and Clara Ruth work other jobs in addition to coordination. Clara Ruth is Marketing Coordinator for Colliers South Carolina, and Tammy works for South Carolina BabyNet ChildFind. Tandem Events takes about 15 weddings a years and offers only full service coordination usually planned 9 to 18 months out from the event.

Tandem Events is a preferred coordinator for Heyward Manor Weddings and Events, a premier South Carolina wedding location. Clara Ruth says about 50% of Tandem Event’s yearly weddings take place at Heyward Manor.

Clara Ruth says the brides and couples in her South Carolina weddings tend to be traditional. “They choose light, bright, airy, neutrals with gold votives, and simple baby’s breath. But, I love when the couples choose bright colors, florals and fun tones for the day.”

Clara Ruth says the Heyward Manor coordinators and other coordinators in her area work well together, helping build community. She mentions sharing resources for weddings on the same weekend like re-using draping, tents and lighting on a weekend when possible, saving money for the couples.

Trends she sees include using more wedding painters, dogs as flower or ring bearers, and unique favors such as a ball from the dog that say “thanks for celebrating my mom and dad.”

“I had a couple send an invitation stating the wedding started 30 minutes early for cocktail hour so the guests could drink their cocktails throughout the wedding.”

“A lot of brides don’t think they need a coordinator,” she says. “ But the value is that your family can enjoy the wedding. Coordinators know the ins and outs of weddings that your family isn’t supposed to know.  A coordinator allows your family to enjoy the day. You and your family don’t need to work on this day.”

The second most important part of being a coordinator is that you need to do a lot of education with brides about the difference between coordinators and planners. Coordinators aren’t planners, but planners are coordinators. You will have a cost savings if you want to do the planning , but it’s not the same. Do you see yourself with a coordinator or a planner? What do you need?”