My Biggest Fan

Who is your biggest fan?  If you asked me…

I’d have the easiest answer: MY MOM! 

Although I had a dad in my life, my mom pretty much raised me as a single mother and she never missed a beat.  She was at every soccer game, cheerleading opportunity, dance class or recital and awards banquet (which was a lot and constant).  She was the first one to fix a scrapped knee from falling trying to keep up with playing with my brother and all of his friends in the neighborhood or she was the first to wipe the tears from a broken heart… 

When I decided to start my own business she encouraged

me to follow my dreams.  She was the first one to get a copy of my book I wrote.  When I got the crazy idea to go back to college for my Masters and graduate when I would be 40 to start a new chapter in my life, she said I can’t wait to cheer you from the stands again and see what you do with this knowledge.  No matter what the future holds, I’m sure she’ll always have a front row seat, cheering the loudest and clapping…

If you asked me WHY I started planning weddings I’d have the 2^nd easiest answer: My MOM!

When I got married right out of college (pre-wedding education & experience) we attempted to do it all (see our blog post sharing this full story).  We survived is the best way to describe it… but unfortunately, she didn’t get to fully enjoy it.  Her, our family and friends busted their tails all day cooking food, setting up and cleaning they didn’t get to be guests.  The worst was that my mother missed our first dance, toasts, and cake cutting because she was the busy one behind the scenes…

Several years later I got the calling to become a wedding planner (who knew), and from that moment on I never wanted a mother to miss those important moments again.  We understand most see planners, coordinators and designers as an additional cost but realistically we tend to save lots of money, time planning and stress throughout the process and the day in general.

I remember starting to plan my second wedding (see that blog too) and she was so quick to ask “what can I do?”  My response…”nothing, just enjoy the moment and be by my side as a guest.”  I was blessed to have her there to walk me down my Caribbean aisle and love being able to see mothers relax and enjoy every magical moment that happens on wedding day.

Now, our couples and anyone that surrounds me knows my mom and I go on weekly

daughter momma date nights… usually to the movies and dinner.  I know wedding planning and life gets busy, but take one day out of the week if you can to go to dinner or see a movie with your mom.  You only get one, so take advantage of the time you do have because one day it will only be a distant memory.

Happy Mother’s Day not only to my BIGGEST FAN but to all of the mothers we’ve allowed to enjoy every magical moment and for those we’ve yet to meet….

Never Stop Needing Your Mom

All my life I’ve looked up to my mother. As a child, she was comfort, 24/7 caregiver, snack warden, maker of breakfast…lunch…dinner and dessert, helper with homework, CEO of transportation and related activities, and on{rare}occasion, disciplinarian. My hero.

As a teenager, mom was consistent embarrassment, never-understanding, the fashion police, harshest disciplinarian in the world, yet a shoulder on which to happy or sad cry, a picture of strength and grace, pusher to achieve and solidly my greatest supporter. Still {secretly} my hero. As an adult, I have come to realize that at times mom was exhausted but never gave in, worried and never lost hope, a problem solver extraordinaire, truly wonderful in the chaos we call life, and a true best friend. Not-so-secretly my hero.

 

The reality is, I’ll never stop needing mom and she will never stop putting her needs aside to help her family. So, when it came to our wedding, mom’s definition of “relax and enjoy” matched the dictionary definition of “do everything and stress”, which takes on a whole new meaning with your Italian mother.

Then we met Jenn. From our first interaction with Jenn, she told us that one of her goals as a planner was for mom to be able to truly relax and enjoy the wedding. Disbelief – mom will still stress, but we will pretend she is calm. Nevertheless, we decided to put our trust in Jenn and I could not be more thankful that we did.

Jenn was true to her word and absolutely delivered a fantastic wedding that allowed mom to simply sit back, relax (really relax), eat, drink, DANCE and deliver a pre-composed essay length toast. I would be remiss if I fail to mention that Jenn made this possible even with the last-minute wrench of Hurricane Florence crashing our wedding!

Being able to share one of the most special moments in life with my mother on a stress free day is a priceless gift and for that, we thank Jenn and the wonderful Knot Your Average Event staff, wholeheartedly and forever.

Kristen (past bride)

(photo cred: Liz Grogan Photography)

Right By My Side

Ever since the day I was born, my mom has been there for me. I turn to her for advice, guidance, support, and so much more. Of course she is always willing to give her input, whether I want to hear it or not. We have had our ups and downs over the years, but one thing always remains constant is our strong relationship with one another.

Our relationship is so special and I knew there was no one else I wanted to have help me plan my big day than her! Just like when asking my bridesmaids to stand by my side, I sent my mom through inter-company mail at work a card asking if she would help me plan my wedding. Of course she said YES! To me it was so important to have her by my side not only through the planning process, but also on the day I was going to marry my forever guy.

My mom was with me every step of the way during the wedding planning from meeting with Jennifer Ball our wedding planner to picking out flowers and to discussing music with the DJ. I found relief in that I could rely on my mom to help me when I needed it most because as most of us know wedding planning can get overwhelming at times! 

I was so thankful and appreciative that we chose Jennifer Ball as our wedding planner. She went above and beyond on my wedding day (as did all the vendors) and I did not stress about anything… even with all the rain we had! I am also thankful that my mom knew she needed a wedding planner to keep us both organized and am glad that person turned out to be Jenn.

The bond that my mom and I built with Jenn during wedding planning is still strong today. I am truly blessed to call Jenn a friend and am thankful that I can still reach out to her when I need it even to bust a move with the wedding guests!

Heather Long (past bride)

(photos cred: CSaul Photography)

Growing Pains Hurt...but TOTALLY Worth It!

They say growing pains are the hardest… honestly they are the SCAREST!!! I knew stepping out of my comfort zone and “safe” more budget friendly pricing would hurt at first but “pain is beauty” right?  Beauty rises from Ashes… Right?  As I fully commit to my decision to stand behind our value and our team’s worth, I trust GOD will provide not only the couples that are an incredible fit for our brand, style and vision as we “grow” into the new year… but will allow me to educate others while doing so.  It’s scary stepping down from 40+ weddings a year to twenty…. And in two years we’ll only be doing 5 or 10 events a year… while we focus on education, guest speaking and developing a program for event planners… but there’s enough business for us all and I feel in my heart it’s time that I charge my value of all of my education and credentials I bring to the table (because technically we bring the table too if needed)… 

here’s why I stand out as a leading expert in the wedding & event industry:

·         Recreation Parks & Tourism Degree from UNCG (currently UNCG Graduate Student)

·         Currently working with UNCG to create a program for private event planners (ultimate goal is to write a textbook and teach up and coming planners around the world)

·         Accredited & Certified Professional Planner w/ the Associated Bridal Consultants

·         1 of 57 MASTER Wedding Planners in the World

·         2013-2016 Co-Director of the Local NC Triad ABC Chapter & 2017-2019 ABC NC State Coordinator

·         Certified Beverly Clark Event Planner

·         Certified Wedding Planner with The Bridal Society          

·         Certified Silver Level Sandals Wedding & Honeymoon Travel Specialist

·         Certified Trainer & Professional Bartender with Brinker International (retiring after 14 years)

·         Executive Board Member of the Triad Bridal Association

·         Exclusive Triad Luncheon Coordinator for the Perfect Wedding Guide of NC 2010-14

·         Award Winning and Published Event Planner

·         Co-Author of Planners Unplugged Book

·         Part-Time Professor at UNCG & ACC

·         Mixologist from the Professional Bartending Institute

·         TIPS & Safe Serve Alcohol Certified

·         CPR Certified

·         Guest Speaker at local seminars, national & international conferences worldwide

·         FOX8 has named me the “Wedding Whisper” as a part of Roy’s Folks after rocking two amazing hurricane weddings back to back years on the very same weekend

We bring something unique to each and every one of our events… no matter what type of event or size of guest count… some will be ready, some will fully understand our value and others may not be there yet… and that’s okay too.  Everyone deserves a beautiful wedding day or a fabulous event to celebrate a big milestone… And we can still work with $10,000 budgets… but it may be us getting creative or less guests… and if not, we can recommend one of our fellow association members.

Not going to lie it ONCE was scary every time I sent out the new pricing although EVERY ONE of our surveys last year stated that they received MORE than they paid for… as I open response after response…we’ve decided to go a different direction or we found someone that will do it for less… but I just tell myself, that was never our couple and GOD is just setting us up for greatness... so if you've worked with us in the past or are scheduled to work with us this year...it's because you are a part of greatness...

I hear this voice in the back of my head reminding myself THIS is WHY you are going into semi-retirement on the event side in a few years… THIS is WHY you are back in school getting your Masters… THIS is WHY you are applying to speak all over the world… YOU’VE got to educate more planners and vendors about their VALUE and stop undercutting one another. 

A couple spends the MOST time with their planner, their

planner is the ONE vendor that starts their day super early packing and prepping, arrives to the venue FIRST (besides the venue site manager which is usually traded out for a second shift person in the day), they are typically the ONE vendor onsite the entire day…and then after returning home they are unpacking and then following up with vendors after the event… YET most couples want to pay that planner the LEAST on the day….  The ONE VENDOR who is responsible for the timeline, the flow, the details, the LOOK…and the ONE who gets blamed for everything if anything goes wrong…even if we had nothing to do with that portion of the planning or the day…. No wonder OUR job is the 5^th MOST stressful job out there…

So yes these next few months are gonna hurt, funds are going to get tighter until OUR couple discovers they WANT the BEST on their wedding day and that I’m worth more than $25 an hour…and that planners have to include all of their travel hours, planning hours, communication, office overhead, uniforms, radios, emergency kits, insurance, education, marketing, networking, association dues… sooooo many more things go into our services than just those few hours of the event…

OUR couple will realize I am the expert in this area and they want to take me all over the world for their day and that they trust us to create those magical moments… because at the end of the day…

THAT ONE day will be the ONLY day EVER that each and every one of those guests & vendors are in ONE place for that ONE time alive… ALL TOGETHER… we don’t just “direct or coordinate” WE create an experience & a memory…. Now ask yourself what is THAT memory worth?

Who am I?

Hmmmmm…who am I? I’ve been called the wedding whisper, coordinating ninja, a magician just to name a few of my nicknames but the reality is I’m just a down to Earth girl raised in a small town that has big dreams.  Although they say “I clean up nicely” I’m most comfortable in a pair of holey jeans, a t-shirt and flip flops.  I love planning local events but if you give me a few extra days off you can find me on the beach in the Caribbean somewhere.  While I’m the proud momma of two adorable pups, it’s our 6lb office

manager (aka Bailey) has stolen my heart.  She will greet you at the door and climb up in your lap to take a nap during our consultations.  We truly say you become family once your event becomes a part of our planning line up. 

          When it comes to our event designs, we think outside of the box.  I personally prefer booking a venue that speaks our couples first looking at the elements that it offers and go from there.  We love mixing textures and layers when it comes to linens (FYI, all white linens are for all white parties… if you are planning on wearing a “white” dress…you become a rental; shouldn’t you stand out?).  Your centerpieces do not have to be flowers (although we love a beautiful floral design) but let’s get creative with layout and details).  Let’s think outside of the box.  Design, Entertainment and Food & Beverage is what sets the tone for your event.  Linens and Lighting will set the mood, entertainment will keep your guests attention while you’re making your rounds and/or just enjoying being a guest… and the happiest guests have food and beverage options throughout the entire day…. Not just at meal time.  Let’s create an experience not an event…

        

  How do I create an experience?  It’s through my nearly 20 years of events and education.  I am one of 57 Master Wedding Planners in the World.  I am partnered with Sandals so we assist with honeymoons, destination weddings, anniversary trips, and/or Caribbean getaways. 

I can assist you in creating signature drinks because I’ve been a professional mixologist for nearly two decades and bartended from the coast to my hometown.  I am multi-certified through the Association of Bridal Consultants, The Bridal Society, Beverly Clark Hospitality, and Sandals. 

I have a degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism and currently teaching Event Management & Planning at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  I am now enrolled in the Grad program at UNCG to assist them in creating and developing a private event planning program and hopefully degree.  I’ve taught multiple classes at the Alamance Community College.

 We use our network through being members of the local chapter of the Alamance Chamber Association, executive board member of the Triad Bridal Society, NC state manager of the Association of Bridal Consultants, The North Carolina Wedding Society, being a member of Triad Weddings and a co-author of the Planners Unplugged book project to create the best line up of vendors to create the best line up of vendors not only locally but worldwide.

          When I’m not mentoring, teaching or creating magic for our couples you can usually find me taking my mom to the movies, hanging out with my amazing boyfriend, cheering on the Panthers or UNC and/or grabbing lunch with a friend.  I’m a true believer that you CAN have it all but you have to find a work-life-balance that fits your style and active lifestyle. 

That’s one of the many reasons why we limit the number of couples and clients we take on per year.  We love that our couples get to know us and that they feel they are still our one and only because in our eyes they are.  We treat each of our couples as if it’s our BFF getting married and their moms become ours (we’ll call

grandmas nanny & grandpas papa if that’s what they call them).  We’ve been invited to lots of family reunions, celebrations and baby showers following their wedding day…because for us it’s not just “one day” it’s a lifetime of memories we help create.  We love being that “Remember when” moment…so allow us to be THAT moment for you… we look forward to getting to know you and creating a special moment in time for you and your loved ones.

#theBESTisYETtoCOME 

 

Give of as theme...and we'll  rock it!!!

Picking a honeymoon is hard...

First can you tell the difference from these palm trees?

~Me neither….

          But they all these photos were taken at different resorts.  So what I’m getting at is a palm tree is a palm tree… I know you might WANT to go to a certain location, island, and resort…but is THAT one island best for your adventure and budget?  There are so many factors to take into consideration when you are booking your destination for your honeymoon…

·         First do you have a passport and/or planning on getting one?

·         Are you okay in flying and/or getting on a boat?

·         Check out average flight cost, times, layouts, best airports to fly to and from when booking flights.

·         Don’t forget to book travel protection for your trip including flights …

·         How fast do you want to get to your destination?

·         With back said… don’t forgot to check your departure flights too… how far away is your resort from the airport?  Remember most international flights require your arrival 3 hours prior to boarding… which means if you have an 8am

flight, you have to be at the airport around 5am and if your resort is 2 hours away…hello 2am shuttle pick up time….

·         Do your research about the resort you are looking at staying at… is it all inclusive? Do you have some meals included?  Depending on your room does it limit your level of services?  Do you have room service all day or limited? 

·         Does your resort include any activities or amenities?

·         What types of off resort adventures can you plan ahead of time or do you have to wait to do everything on property?

·         Does it have a spa?  Can you pre-plan treatments and appointments or wait upon arrival?

·         How many restaurants are on property?  Are they all included?  How many

require dinner reservations or can you just walk up and get a seat?  Are their dining options close by the resort to embrace the local culture?  And how safe is it to walk there?

·         Are there ways to add special surprises and celebrations…can you add a candlelight dinner at sunset on the beach?  Add decorations for a birthday celebration?

·         Are cabanas first come first serve, reserved or rented for the day? 

·         How many pools and hot tubs are available?

·         Ask about if there is evening entertainment every night, games by the pool during the day or themes each evening?

A professional travel agent or a certified specialist like myself can answer all of those questions about Sandals & Beaches Resorts…and if you are looking to travel somewhere else, I have several amazing travel agent friends that can assist with other destinations and locations.  So take a look at the budget you want to spend but be reasonable… does it include flights?  Are you looking for a full week?  Remember you are paying for a once in a lifetime luxury trip….splurge and enjoy creating magical memories on your next adventure….

Oh and never travel the very next day after your wedding… you’ll THANK me when you don’t feel like a zombie.  If you are getting married on a Saturday, book a local hotel room for the night of the wedding and then enjoy a brunch or send-off party with family and friends the day after the wedding.  Then book a hotel room in the city you are flying out from, get a good night’s rest and early Monday morning take the shuttle to the airport, board the first flight out to your destination and enjoy more time on the beach feeling fully relaxed and ready to create memories! 

FYI We plan honeymoons and anniversary trips for free!!! (no fees to plan them) contact us today: www.KnotYourAverageEvents.com