Sunshine on a rainy day

        Will and Rachel were married at Merry Hill Farm, surrounded by family, friends and a surprising number of peacocks. Merry Hill is a beautiful venue that is comprised of a large pole barn, an outdoor restroom with a men and women’s stall, a small building that is just a single room- used for the men’s changing area; and a two-story house with two bedrooms, several bathrooms, kitchen, living room, and dining room. The house was used for the women to prepare for the day in, and at the end of the night the couple stayed in the house.

      

  The weekend was forecasted to have showers throughout, and the couple added an extra tent over the ceremony area, and the reception area had a tent placed already. These came very much in handy as it began raining shortly after the start of the reception and continued to rain for the rest of the evening with short periods of time between showers.

       

After a beautiful ceremony and while the bridal party took photos their guests enjoyed cocktail hour with appetizers and drinks, the couple was introduced to their guests. As they entered and found their way to their seats an announcement was made that tables would be released individually to the buffet. As the tables were released our team helped older adults and small children make their plates, and we collected chargers from the tables. For the remainder of the night, among the rest of our normal responsibilities, we moved tables. A LOT. Almost every fifteen minutes to be exact the four tables that were just outside of the reception tent in the area, where lawn games and

the photo book were set up, were moved from their lawn placement to under the edge of the covered barn to keep them from being soaked.

        As guests enjoyed a unique menu that included four meats, five vegetables, four salads, apple cider doughnuts for desert, and for “loco hour” a taco truck to keep fueling the dancing guests! The tent was decorated with creams and blues and the lighting of the area could be brought up or down as they needed to be, making it easy to control the room’s feeling during toasts, dances, and garter and bouquet tosses.

Guests were given the opportunity to be chauffeured to and from the wedding and reception and the busses came in trips, so guests had multiple opportunities. After keeping a close eye on the weather, we saw a storm coming, and decided to do the sparkler exit early to prevent it from being rained out. It was not until the Taco truck was getting ready to leave, and last call for alcohol was made that the bottom finally dropped out of the sky; we couldn’t move quickly enough to save all the tables and guests left in a hurry. Guests were rushing to cars and busses; and catering and KYAE staff were rushing around to get the tables that weren’t under a tent in, and to save at least table cloths off the tables that were flooding near the edges of the tents they were under. We began to clean up the party and made sure the newlyweds were tucked in snug to their home for the night before heading out from a most eventful evening. 

*written by one of our summer interns

Let's Dance the Night Away!

A few weeks ago we were doing what we do best…entertaining and creating a guest experience of rocking the dance floor when a videographer pulled me to the side and literally yelled at me for being “a part of the party.”  At first I thought he was kidding, but then I realized he was wasn’t being “smart” he was really upset that a planner and her team would be on the dance floor having fun instead of working…

WELL… WE DO THINGS 110% differently than most planners and teams!  For us jumping on the dance floor when some of the guests do not know how to do the latest participation dance is work!  We totally understand that this is a wedding reception but our

main mission is to make sure everyone is having a great time…and if one of your guests feels left out from a dance we are quick to surround them and make them feel like they’re the life of the party guiding them through every step of the way.

And our couples EAT IT UP!!! We’re told week after week, this was the BEST PARTY ever!  And it’s because of the guest experience we create from the moment your first guest arrives until we are packing up the final decorations for your parents and wedding party. 

I’m still not sure who’s my “most fun” to teach the wobble to… the cute little flower girl or the 80-year grandma that’s now holding #lifegoals for me.  We love cornering the sides of the dance floor and make sure everyone is staying on beat and having fun.  We’ve had several brides that tell us during their planning consultations that they have no clue how to do any of the participation dances but that they really want to learn or at least don’t wanna look like a fool and we promise them to be right by them every step of the way just as we had been throughout the planning process. 

We want our couples and our guests to dance the night away, keep the dance floor

rocking all night long and feel like they are the Rockstar of the night… with us quietly telling them step forward, wobble, back…etc… they look like they are having a blast because they are!

So if you are looking to have “FUN” at your wedding and create magical memories than we are definitely the team for you.  Let’s go kill another dance floor and create memories that will last a lifetime!

*Thank you to Elizabeth Larson, Parton Shots and Andrea Anderson for this awesome action shots of us!

when trust is broken...

Did you know Disney has an entire department that has one job... to watch social media and every post that has Disney & Disney “Like” Characters in it? How do I know that because a dear friend and baker found out the hard way.   She was incredibly talented at creating Disney cake pops, cupcakes and amazing cake designs.  What does one do but to showcase their talents on Facebook & Instagram…right?  WRONG!!! Disney reached out to her and fined her for every photo/font on each social media outlet, fined her for every like, comment & share also (and for how long they had been actively published).  Fortunately for her, she reached out to Disney very quickly after already removing everything from all platforms, they worked out a deal for a much lesser fine for her quick actions and openness of not knowing. 

Now what they explained to her was because Disney pours lots of time, energy and money into creating their characters and image of their brand. They don't want a bad version of their characters out there and those to be associated with their brand.  Plus the biggest no-no was that she was making a profit/money off of their characters.  Now if you are a parent baking a cake in your home and you give your kid a birthday party…YOU can do that…but the minute you make $$ that’s the #1 can’t do! Your Baker can create a plain cake and you/parent can even purchase the Disney Characters to place on top…but the Baker can’t unless they own a licenses with Disney (that’s why your local grocery store can).

Remember back in the day when you would ask your Dj or you/couple would make a fun “mix” CD of all of the songs from the wedding and give them out to guests as party favors… this was a great idea because you’d relive all of those special moments every time you heard one of those songs…. THAT’s ILLEGAL TOO!  You do not own those songs and can’t republish them without the song writer’s permission.  It’s like you stole their hard work and gave it away for free.

So why do I share these stories…

I never thought in a million years that my trust with a vendor/venue would be broken.  I’m an open book.  I will share my knowledge and expertise to assist anyone coming up in this industry to better themselves and allow them to grow throughout their journey of finding who they want to be.  But that trust was recently broken when it was brought to my attention that another local vendor had taken our KYAE branded schedules and passed them as their own.  Literally they just took off our KYAE logo and replaced theirs… now they changed a few items that related to that particular event…but it was our exact font, layout, & flow of the night (which there are multiple options for schedules throughout the world). 

Now I totally get it…almost every wedding has the same traditions and basic facts… but A TIMELINE is the showcase of a planner/coordinator.  It’s how we explain to our potential and current clients how we execute an event.  Ours being a unique flare and combination of several places around the world due to our network and relationships from attending worldwide conferences and experiences different cultures.

It’s amazing how some planners/coordinator’s schedules are like ghosts, you never see them & their schedules never see the light of day.  Their vendors are so close to them they wouldn’t dare share their wisdom and how their flow even works.  I remember my dear friend Leigh telling me how she would send everything in a PDF and made it very clear that those schedules were property of her brand and style. They would remain confidential between vendors, clients and her… that’s why I started writing at the bottom of all my emails when I sent out schedules that:

Please note these schedules are property of KYAE

and shall only be used on ___date of wedding/event with a KYAE lead coordinator onsite.

~Thank You~

I think what hurts me most is I trusted this vendor and we liked working with them but now that trust is broken and I feel as if I have to update our schedules a bit because I don’t know if this is the first time they have passed our work on to their client/vendors or if they have been doing this since all of our weddings together over the past few years…

I’m sure the few vendors that cross paths with both of us will quickly notice our style/brand along with our 18 years of experience & expertise verses the poorly cut & paste, not correctly spaced version of our schedules. 

Why and I sharing my story…for several reasons:

·         BE HONEST!!! If you are just starting out whether you are a planner, building a venue, DJ, Photographer…any other vendor be up front if you are “stalking” another vendor in your field… I promise “you will get a lot more bees with honey than vinegar.”  Tell the person you’d love to sit down and chat with them about how they got started, tips/tricks, things to look out for.  Ask for advice… become friends!  There is PLENTY of weddings & events for all of us! Who knows, one day they might be booked and refer you (I recommend you doing the same.)

·         PAY YOUR DUES!!! Join Associations and the local Chamber to create your own network.  Those Associations have members willing to help you grow in your career.

·         GET EDUCATED!!! Take classes at a local community college or get a degree at a University.  Get certified in your skillset. 

·         Attend local, national and international conferences to stay up to date on your skills and this ever changing industry.

·         IF a vendor shares their documents, contracts, schedules, ways of doing business… DO NOT COPY THEM!!! It’s okay to use these as a guide/inspiration to create YOUR OWN BRAND and style.  Remember no matter how large you think this industry is…it’s TINY and people talk!  Couples are going to inquire to several vendors in the exact same skill/service (shocking right?!?!?).  So don’t allow your files to look just like someone else’s paperwork because then they are going to question both of those vendors:

o   Whose file is this really?

o   Did they copy from someone else?

o   Who’s been doing this longer? 

o   Who has more experience?

o   Who is educated?

o   Who has associations and networks to back them up?

The carbon copy will never be as “perfect” as the original and the carbon copy will never do it like the original…that’s why I always say:

I personally DO NOT HAVE ANY COMPETITION…  Because NO ONE is going to do it exactly how I would do….

We each should have our own way of doing things not carbon copy what’s been done before or how someone else is doing it. Plus there are enough couples for all of us in this industry.

#communityofcompetition

I thought long and hard about posting this blog because this betrayal of trust really got to me over the last few days…I just want new up and coming planners/vendors to be mindful and learn from this mistake… mistake of that vendor copying me & me trusting them with my thoughts and intellectual property… now everything will go out in PDF’s and our couples will no longer be allowed to share our documents via googledoc with other vendors.  My preferred list is going to become more narrow and we will be very weary of whom we share our full schedules with.  FYI I’ve failed students on projects before due to plagiarizing… this is no different.  So if you have copied information on your website or in your paperwork I would highly suggest to take the time this weekend and update everything to an original piece of work and give credit where it’s due.  I know I personally work hard in making sure to give credit to vendors and where I’ve gained my knowledge of inspiration.  I just hope others will follow in doing the same…

As for us and KYAE...now we just take a step back and upgrade what we're already doing.... Question is are you ready to step up the game with us?!??! 

#KYAE2.0comingsoon

#theBESTisYETtoCome

Seized Opportunities

I’m a firm believer everything happens for a reason and that you should take advantage of any opportunities that may cross your path.  Now, I’m not saying go into debt to create this journey…but if it means putting a plane ticket on a credit card to put you in a place that will impact your life and career…SWIPE!  That’s exactly what’ve done a few times in my career and every time it’s paid off ten times fold.   I wanted to share a few of my “WOW, this is really my life” moments with you and how they’ve changed my life…

I remember getting this email in my inbox about the Wedding MBA in Vegas probably 13+ years ago.  I had never heard of the conference, but it was right up my ally full of educational seminars and the chance of meeting some of the biggest names in the wedding industry.  I was very early in my career and to my knowledge not many people from NC was going to this conference back then.  I literally traveled out there not knowing anyone after convincing my boss to purchase my conference ticket.  WOW! I was hooked!  That was the first time I met Peter Merry & Sonny the founder of WeddingWire, heard Alan Berg and many others upon that stage.  It was also the very first time I heard Susan Southerland speak…she was an inspiration and after hearing her story I knew what I wanted my path to look like.  Without her knowing, she became an inspiration and mentor.  That year I was so broke I couldn’t afford her book, so she signed a color wheel for me.  Now to have her as a colleague and now mentoring me as a friend still blows my mind! 

That year I won a free ticket to come back the next year, so I invited Tricia & Gene with Culinary Visions to join me and every other year since then I’ve attended.  Each year I bring or invite others to experience where it all started for me.  Every year I meet more and more unique people in the industry, build deeper relationships with other vendors across the world and take our brand to another level.  A few years ago, I happened to be sitting next to Martha Stewart’s right hand assistant.  She asked me what I would be doing in a few weeks and then handed me her card along with a private invite to Martha Stewart’s Bridal Fashion Week in New York. I can’t tell you how fast I texted my Best Friend Tina, whom just happened to move to NYC.  I am a firm believer everything happens for a reason.  We had a blast touring NYC and going behind the scenes at Martha Stewart’s office.

There has been a few other amazing moments in my career but joining the Association of Bridal Consultants has to be the BEST.  The places this association has taken me around the world and I’ve met some of the most incredible genuine people in the wedding and event industry.  I remember attending the first conference in Denver right after joining… I was sitting in the Sandals certified training class and for the first time in my life I was about to use every level & title of my UNCG degree.  I knew how important it was to see and touch the product that you were selling…so I went on several FAM trips the following year.  I wasn’t 100% ready and confident with my knowledge, so I made sure one was the certified weddingmoon specialist programs with Sandals, quickly followed up with a MEGA FAM trip which allowed me to see three resorts in just a few days.  Since that trip I’ve quickly become known for my expertise and hands on knowledge of the Sandals and Beaches brand.  Seeing Grenada two weeks prior to it’s grand opening was pretty spectacular, but my favorite FAM trip has to be last year when I was able to spend a week with the entire weddingmoon’s department.  I got to meet them on a personal level and see how weddings are handled first hand on resort.  This is extra special to me because I am a past Sandals bride so to see both sides really was something I will never forget.

Last year I was given the opportunity to join 17 other amazing planners and share our

stories of how we got to where we are today through co-authoring The Planners Unplugged book.  We were able to travel to DC for an incredible book launch and the sisterhood that has grown from this project will forever be grateful.  When you have an opportunity to combine your talents with other…the world is who truly benefits!

Since becoming one of 80 Master Wedding Planners in the World, I’ve been asked to speak in other countries, states and cities to share my knowledge and experiences.  I am currently heading back to UNCG for my master’s degree and hoping to create more courses for the private event industry. Who knows maybe I’ll write a textbook, create a degree and go on to get my PhD in it too! 

Sometimes things just happen without your knowledge and sometimes the stars just seem to line up just right to make magical opportunities happen.  My current opportunity started last year… I received an inquiry from the sweetest couple really just looking for a day of coordinator.  However, after speaking with them I quickly realized they needed a lot more assistance in the logistics and design aspects.  It took them a little while to decide if they wanted to go up to our next level of services but once they did, the knew they had made the right decision.  I remember early in the planning Rachael mentioned she was getting her dress from Kleinfeld… that’s cool (I think was comment).  I try to never let big names scare me or impress me because deep down I’m a firm believer we all put our pants on one leg at a time…right? 

Fast forward a few months into the planning…actually January 3^rd to be exact… why do I remember that date so well?  Because the first three days of 2018 had me wanting to run back to 2017 (it had been amazing) and thus far I had frozen on the beach watching the New Year’s Day sunrise after working a 12+ NYE wedding in a different city, my pipes at my house had frozen once I got home, a wedding was canceled due to a break-up, one of my upcoming speaking engagements had been canceled… and this was all in just the first few days of the new year…. Then I got a call from NYC; I don’t really “know” people from there that would be calling me, so I ignored it...yep I ignored NYC (FYI don’t ignore NYC…lol).  I was on the phone with Flowers by Gary talking about a few weddings and I get this call again… so I took the call… LIFE CHANGING!

“Hi, this is Ronnie with Kleinfeld and we are dressing for Rachael for her wedding in May.  FYI all I heard was Kleinfeld, so I thought it was just a staff member, oh ok is there something I can assist you with? “Then Ronnie spoke to me as a dear friend and quickly I realized about third the way through this conversation that I was speaking with the owner himself… WOW.  We probably chatted for over an hour, just learning about one another and quickly became friends.  For the next few months we would speak every few weeks about the wedding and just how life was going… I still pinch myself, saying is this really happening.  The wedding day came, I had the honor of assisting Rachael in her dress and we couldn’t have asked for a more magical day.  Really, did I just plan and coordinate one of the sons of Kleinfeld?  Will’s dad was Ronnie’s Best Friend and Will was practically Ronnie’s Godson… You just never know who your client is or who they are friends or family with.  Something tells me this was all part of God’s plan. 

 

Throughout this whole planning process Ronnie and I spoke often, Ronnie has asked how often do I come to NYC and that I should come see the store…well today’s the day!  My roommate (and assistant who was there the night I got the first call and worked the wedding) jumped on a plane yesterday and are in NYC to see Ronnie, meet his team and see the behind the scenes of one of the most iconic bridal shops in the world. Stay tuned…

So the question I have for you is:

“Are you seizing all of the opportunities in front of you?”

#theBESTisYESTtoCOME

Something about Daddy's Little Girl

There’s just something about the bond between a daughter and her daddy.  So this weekend we wanted to celebrate all of the fathers of the brides we’ve had the pleasure of meeting over the past years… We love our dads of the grooms too…but there is just a little something extra protective and tender-hearted about a daddy’s little girl.

Some father’s totally get that a bride’s wedding day is her dream…a vision and will do almost anything to make sure she gets “almost” everything she desires.  I love getting the secret texts from brides that says… “We just got the GO… daddy added a little to the budget.”  Or when the Dad, himself calls to let you know he wants to surprise everyone with…”  Oh how I LOVE what we get to do!

Some of my favorite “Dad Moments” (no particular order, and please comment if it’s your dad):

·         I had one Dad with several daughters that were performers…mostly in dance but I will NEVER forget him… “teach me how to douggie” on the dance floor

·         One of ultimate favorite moments is right before the door opens and he gets to walk his little girl down the aisle to get married… he’s usually choking back tears and then I tell him my little secret of how to hold it together….but shhhhh that part’s a secret but gets them every time!

·         I love listening to the words of wisdom they have for their kids; no this is especially for fathers and sons…his wisdom always comes a little more educational while fathers of daughters are usually a mix between “she’s all yours now, enjoy less closet space, sharing all of your food…or protecting wisdom of his little girl…

·         Those daddy daughter dances…yep they get us!   

I’m good until a man cries…and when dad starts tearing up during this dance… I’m done! Bring on the waterworks and tissue

·         I can still see one of our dads & brides dancing to wooly-bullie…way too cute

·         Watching a bride and dad arrive in a horse and carriage gives me chills EVERY TIME…it’s like 

seeing it for the first time each time it happens… so 

do this!

·         During the rehearsal, dads are always characters… from the things I’m not ready for them to say…to ready to run to their seats once they’ve given their daughter away…. It’s never a dull moment 

·         Or watching a Groom dance with his daughter…warms the heart

With some dads there is an instant connection others it takes a while for them to warm up to us.   I did a wedding several years ago for a family and the entire time leading up to the wedding the dad just couldn’t wrap his head around my position, why I was there, and WHY he was paying for me and my team just for the day of the wedding… However, once he saw us in action and realized we had taken everything off of his and his family’s plate that day he came up to me and said “I wish I knew what I know now months ago because you would have been the FIRST check I wrote not the last… you are worth every penny.  FYI we have two more daughters to go “wink wink.”  Fast forward to last year, I get a message saying that him and his wife were coming to meet with me (without his daughter who was getting married) to see what dates I had open the following year…because whatever I had open was what they would have to choose from because this time he was writing the FIRST check to KYAE… oh and they’ve already said I’m doing the third daughter too but she’s still in high school so we’ve got a little while before that one happens… (photo cred Courtney Saul Photography)

Now remember how I said some there’s an instant connection?  One of my dads a few weeks ago was just that!  I remember the first time meeting him... it was an open house about a year ago and he by-passed the check-in, flew by every vendor on his way to our booth and it was as if our eyes had locked and he was focused.  He walked right up to me and said “I heard you’re THE person I need to plan my little girl’s big day!” Of course I responded… “Why YES I am!”  Originally we had another possible wedding on that same date and I wasn’t able to be there, but then faith stepped him and made a way.  I was able to surprise them half-way through our planning process that I would be there in person for his little girl’s dream day.  The best feeling was countless times he came to me, put his arm around me and said “Thank You for doing all of this.”  I’ve never felt more appreciated in all of my career and that is exactly why I give up my weekends with my family to create magic with yours… 

I wouldn’t change these magical moments for the world.  I am the blessed one that so many dads TRUST me with their little girl’s dream.  It truly is an honor to do what we get to do…

So, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to all of the DADS out there…

~JB & all of the KYAE family

Welcome Summer Intern

My name is Alex Barnett I am 22 years old, in August I will graduate with a bachelor's degree in recreation and parks management with a minor in communication studies and a concentration in event planning; despite having walked on May 4th and celebrating with family already. As a child I was raised in the kitchen and any event with my family was a major event. I am the youngest of a split family, my parents divorced when I was about eleven and both remarried. 

When I was around thirteen I was no longer the only child but rather the youngest of ten. This has instilled the concept of love and acceptance in me and has assisted in my love of planning. Before being the youngest child my grandmothers both included me in the planning of big holiday and birthday parties. 

As a senior in high school I was part of the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America during this time I planned my first large event. This was a masquerade ball for 65 assisted living and memory care residents at Currituck House, in Moyock North Carolina. Despite the negative opinions of the event all of the residents attended and had a great time. This was nearly six years ago now and residents still reminisce about the dance. This was the first dance the facility had, and after the fact I received a lot of positive feedback, that pushed me to want to continue using events to put smiles on people’s faces. 

Today I am excited to say I am beginning my internship with a world class planner, a UNCG professor, and a personal inspiration; Jennifer Ball. As soon as I walked into her classroom on the first day of her special events and planning class I knew that I wanted to be just like Jenn, as her class progressed I decided it had been easily my favorite in my college career. This still stands, and I hope to learn so much more throughout my internship, I look forward to learning about keeping an active internet presence, writing good blog posts, understand the breakdown of an event budget, how to find my own worth and how to use that to price my own services later, how I can start my own company in the future, and as much else as Jennifer can pour into me in a short few months. 

Welcome Summer Practicum

Hi, my name is Alyson Kelly. I am from Snow Camp, NC. It is right outside of Burlington. I really enjoy doing outside things. I love going to Cedarock Park that is right down the road from my house. I love hiking on the trails that the park has to offer. I had just recently hiked up Hanging Rock and it was amazing. I have been to Hanging Rock but I have never hiked up the Hanging Rock Trail. I go camping a few times a year, in the fall and early spring and summer. After that it gets too hot to camp. Me and my family want to camp all the state parks. I also have hanging with my family and friends. Me and my friends are always doing something. It either going shopping being all girly or were going fishing in the middle of a cow pasture. There is no between. Finally, I love to travel.  The furthest I have been so far has been South Dakota for a mission trip. But this summer me and my best friend are going to the Bahamas, this will both our first time out of the country. I love going to the beach. Me and my family try to go to a different every year.

For my personality, I can be outgoing. When you first meet you may seem I am shy and

not outgoing. Once you get to know I can be that outgoing self and sometimes I may event talk too much. I am the most outgoing person in my family and friends. One time I went to a family gathering and my aunt had told me that I am the life of the party. I am always making somebody life. I am always laughing at something. When I am with my friends there is never a dull moment. I am always doing something crazy or I am saying something.

I am a senior at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. I am studying Community Recreation and Special Event Planning with a minor in Communication Studies. I had picked this career because I love seeing event come together and love seeing the clients face when we are finishing setting up for their event. Another thing I like doing something different, so by working in the event industry this normally changes every six months.

The reason I picked Knot Your Average Events for my internship is because they allow you to do hands on stuff. I am allowed to set up on the day of the event, talk to the bride, etc. When I knew I was able to do hands on stuff I was like I must take this. I did not want to just walk around and watch to gain experience. What I want to get out of this internship is gain hands on experience. I want to meet different vendors so I can already know some people when I get out on my own. Also, I want to know how to create a layout for an event.