Allison Taylor, of WNC Weddings and Events, was one of the very first wedding vendors that helped AnaRie come into existence! I remember having coffee at a local cafe and talking about weddings, goals, and what we love about being a part of such special events. That was over 5 years ago! I am so proud to call Allison a friend and see where her beautiful wedding work has taken her. We work together often and here is a blog post with a very special wedding day featured.
Gorgeous photography by: Almond Leaf Studio Beautiful Venue: Lonesome Valley Weddings Incredible Florals by Floressence Flowers.
Allison from WNC Weddings and Events: Smaller and intimate weddings will likely start making a more regular appearance as we deal with this pandemic, and Kelly & Jordan’s wedding was a shining example of how lovely it can be to share your special day with your select and most cherished family and friends. Kelly, Jordan, and their families were some of the most genuinely kind and caring people. One thing in particular stands out to me – Kelly’s dad kissing me on the forehead (in a totally patronly way) as he thanked me at the end of the night. The entire feel of this wedding was laid back while elegant, and Kelly’s beauty not only shined from her glowing appearance, but just as much from her positive and relaxed personality.
How would you describe your vibe as a wedding planner? Do you prefer coordination for the month of full-service planning?
That’s a great question! I actually don’t believe in month of coordination, as I feel that I can’t do my job properly on the wedding day if I haven’t been involved in more of the planning process. And, if there is a question that a client has that could easily be answered 6 months out, it might be super challenging to address if they are required to wait until 1 month out to ask it. So, I definitely feel that more of a full service approach works best for everyone. With that being said, I have a very detailed questionnaire that I go over as I work out a proposal, and all of our packages and prices are completely customized to meet each client’s specific needs. My vibe as a wedding planner is very detail oriented, pro-active, extremely prompt communication, realistic, and calming. As an active volunteer firefighter/search and rescuer (I serve as a Lieutenant), I like to think I especially excel at calming chaos.
What is your favorite way to match your couples with vendors? Do you have a favorite question you ask the couple?
I definitely want to match my clients with vendors that will best fulfill their needs. I do that through discussions and through a questionnaire that helps me gain insights into their personality and likes/dislikes. I prefer to initially narrow down vendors in each category to just a few options, with varying styles and price points, and then we can expand on any particular category based on the client’s feedback from that initial list. I share information regarding the vendor’s style, pricing, personality, and any pros or cons that I’ve experienced. I try and only refer to vendors that I’ve personally worked with, so that I can be sure that they will communicate efficiently, show up when they say they’re going to, and that there isn’t anything weird in their contracts. As far as any specific questions I like to ask, that is a little different based on each category, such as whether we’re discussing catering, photography, hair & makeup, etc.
What is your absolute favorite drink to have while working on a wedding day?
Water! That may not be the most exciting answer, but wedding days are ofter 15+ hours and physically demanding, so staying properly hydrated with good old water is my absolutely favorite. I always travel with a double wall, stainless steel water bottle to keep my water cold – and I always try and avoid any disposable plastic bottles in the interest of protecting our environment. After a long wedding day, I may be inclined to relax with either a glass of Prosecco, or a shot of moonshine…depending on how the day went 🙂
What was the best surprise of your career?
The best surprise of my career was that I even chose this career! I never would have guessed that I would become a wedding planner, but this is a prime example of being open to whatever the universe might put in our path. This May I will celebrate 9 years in business, and I couldn’t be happier!
If each client could know one thing before reaching out to you, what would it be?
We would like our clients to know that each planner offers different services, for different pricing, and with a different style and personality. As with all vendors, it’s not an “apples to apples” comparison when it comes to different proposals. And, sometimes you truly get what you pay for. We feel that a wedding is a reflection of each client’s unique vision, and we want to support each client in seeing that vision come to life.
What is your favorite way for clients to find you?
I always like for clients to check out my work on my website, Instagram, Facebook, and to read reviews from former clients on WeddingWire and The Knot. Then, I prefer that they reach out via email to schedule a time to chat so that I can get an idea of what their vision is and share more details on what we offer and how our process works. We want to be a good fit for our clients, as that makes the experience more successful for everyone!