Dana first contacted us in August 2019 through The Knot when she saw our “amazing reviews and recommendations.” She was searching for a coordinator to help ease the process for one of the most popular wedding dates of 2020. (10-10-2020 to be exact!) Of course, at that time, neither of us planned the pandemic to be going on during the coming year.

Dana and her fiancé Victor stayed hopeful and did not change their wedding date like many other couples did all during the year. We were so happy they were able to stick to their plans and keep their original date! They were the sweetest couple and I loved being able to witness their love for each other!

They chose to get married on the side of a small mountain in Whitsett, NC at The Hideaway at Crooked Creek. Their ceremony options are beautiful overlooking the many trees they have all over their land.

While Dana and her bridesmaids got ready with Alex and Sam Wheeley from Hair Refinery doing Hair & Makeup inside the house onsite, my assistant Julia, and I set up the ceremony and reception space. Dana ordered white, floorlength linens from Something Borrowed and made most of the rest of her decorations, including her centerpieces, signs, and the cutest Bar Menu (together with her and Victor’s dogs!)

The venue set out the tables and chairs which was extremely helpful! We put some finishing touches on the space by lining the ceremony chairs up perfectly symmetrical and giving Dana and Victor their personalized sign made by the Exceptional Events team!

After our team lined up the attendants and sent them all down the aisle, the ceremony began. Jac Grimes of All Faith’s Wedding Officiants led the ceremony under the tent due to a forecast of bad rain. I love that Shana captured a picture of Jac sharing a tissue to wipe the groom's tears after seeing his beautiful bride. 

After the ceremony, luckily, Dana and Victor were at least allowed to take their formal pictures beside the arbor and waterfall, which is where they originally planned to have their ceremony. Shana Leigh Photography captured the day. Shana and her assistant were so kind and easy to work with! More of her beautiful pictures can be found here in Our Gallery.

Moorefield Florist assembled the bouquets and boutonnieres with the popular blue thistle and timeless red roses amongst other beautiful fall colored flowers. 

Our team was only contracted through the end of the ceremony. After we moved the chairs from the ceremony space to the reception space and confirmed times with the other vendors, we departed.
After cocktail hour, dinner was served in the reception tent by Everly’s Catering and music was played by DJ Brianna Gonzalas. The lovely two-tiered cake and two other separate cakes for guests were made by Jonathan Gonzolas. The newly weds ended the night with a sparkler sendoff outside the house.

Venue The Hideaway at Crooked Creek
Hair Stylist Alex Wheeley – Hair Refinery
Photography Shana Leigh Photography
Caterer Everly's Catering
Cake/Dessert Jonathan Gonzolas
Music Brianna Gonzalas DJ
Officiant All Faiths Wedding officiant
Florist Moorefield Florist
Coordinator Exceptional Events
Rentals I Something Borrowed Party Rentals
Bridal Dress Carolina Bridal World
Bridesmaids Dress Azazie
Tux/Suits Mens Wearhouse

In the summer of 2020, weddings were rare. With all the strict restrictions around Covid-19, many couples postponed or even cancelled their weddings rather than moving to a less than ten guest count. In July, Virginia actually had a larger guest count allowance than North Carolina, but most of the other restrictions were the same. 

Lindsey and Daniel selected the Cottontail Weddings and Events Venue before Covid began and it worked in their favor being that it was in another state with looser restrictions but only a few minutes across the border. Lindsey's mom, Ginger, contacted me about helping facilitate the evening and running the rehearsal the night before. Ginger has done many events in the past but wanted to be apart of her daughters day after decorating the venue that morning. I have to say, she did an outstanding job on the decorating and the reception space looked absolutely gorgeous!! She paired florals from Filo's Creations with Just Priceless and created a beautiful centerpiece on each table to complement the place settings. 

The Cottontail staff was extra helpful with plenty of setup space in their kitchen and storage space in their storage room and a hand to move furniture when needed. The bridal party was transported by Trolley from their hotel down the road. The guests sat down for a beautiful ceremony and then were escorted out to the outer patio for cocktail hour while we flipped the space inside the venue and Lindsey and Daniel took pictures around Downtown Danville on the cobblestone roads. Later, the guests enjoyed Tickle My Ribs catering for dinner, which will always be a favorite of mine! They are so easy going and professional and the food always tastes great! 

After dinner, a coffee bar, by The Perfect Blend, was offered with cupcakes by Sweet Dreams Shop. The party continued with music by Jason Britt and dancing. The night ended with a snack provided by the family of iced cookies and a ribbon send-off outside, 

Special moments were captured by Sarah Sekaly Photography. Her work is amazing and I'm in love with all the downtown photos of Lindsey and Daniel! More can be seen on our gallery page.

Exceptional Vendors:
Venue: The Cottontail Weddings & Events 
Photographer: Sarah Sekaly Photography 
Catering: Tickle My Ribs
Desserts: Sweet Dreams Shop
Florist: Filo's Creations
Florsit: Just Priceless
Decorator: Ginger Bradley 
Coffee Bar: Links Coffee
DJ: Jason Britt
Rentals: Exceptional Events 
Coordinators: Exceptional Events 

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We love word-of-mouth referrals! They are so genuine and it proves we really made a positive impression on a previous event! A past bridesmaid referred us to Laura in July 2019. We were originally booked for coordination of a May 2020 wedding but it later was postponed due to Covid-19 to July. After that, the bride said they were getting married on that date regardless of the location, guests, etc!

The bride, Laura, is one of the sweetest people I have had the pleasure of meeting in this profession! She was so gentle with her questions and patient with the restrictions and changes put upon her. Her groom, Will, was very involved in making decisions and we love to see that interest by both sides of the couple!

The original plan was for them to get married at The Chairman’s Retreat and have their partner company, The Cutting Board, cater the dinner. However, due to the current state restrictions at the time, their catering staff had to back out last minute. Luckily, the restaurant was still up and running and had a large banquet room for them to use. Of course, this was not ideal or what they envisioned all along but we did what we could to dress up the banquet room.  

Laura and Will were happy to still be allowed to get married at The Chairman’s Retreat and take their pictures outside the venue. This venue is gorgeous with the brick walls, pretty bridal room, cool groom’s suite and tons of photo locations! Plus, the owner Janna is so helpful and easy to work with!
 
The girls started the day with Kaitlyn Love from Kaitlyn Elizabeth Styling doing makeup and Melissa Williams doing hair and getting ready in the gorgeous onsite suite. Our staff decorated the sides of the aisle and set up the other ceremony details.

My assistant, Julia, and I headed to The Cutting Board mid-afternoon, after their Brunch Crowd left, to decorate the reception space, while one of our Lead Planners, Allie, stayed at the venue to keep up with the timeline.

Belvedere Floral delivered the amazing bouquets and boutonnieres and then attached greenery to the arbor. Later, they headed to The Cutting Board to deliver the floral for the centerpieces.

At The Cutting Board, our team and some of Laura and Will’s family members quickly decorated each table. The Exceptional Events’ Rental Staff delivered our set of big mirrored doors to accent the sweetheart table as Julia and I hung string lights. We all quickly rushed back to the venue for the ceremony.

Allie did an awesome job keeping the bride and groom separated, and the family and bridal party on time with pictures.

The ceremony was beautiful! My favorite part was the flower girl who slept right through her big part in her daddy’s arms. Also – the unexpected dip during “the kiss” by Will!

After the ceremony, the guests headed to The Cutting Board for cocktail hour. During pictures, my team disassembled the decorations around the venue and helped clean up everything, then we went to the restaurant.

Dinner was great! And the DJ, Darryl McMullen, kept the dance floor full! The Mother/Son dance was sweet and the Father/Daughter dance included a surprise mash-up dance-off between Laura and her dad. The cake was made by a family member and had rave reviews!

The party ended with a sparkler exit and a ride to the hotel in a limo! Our team directed and assisted with clean up.

Corey from Cor Photography captured all the beautiful pictures from the day! I love how clear they all are and how much the colors pop! You can see more from their day HERE!
 
Venue The Chairman’s Retreat
Hair Stylist Melissa Williams
Makeup Stylist Kaitlyn Elizabeth Styling
Photography Cor Photography
Caterer The Cutting Board
Officiant David Gordon
Music Darryl McMullen (DJ)
Florist Belvedere Floral
Coordinator : Exceptional Events
Hotel The Proximity Hotel 
Bridal Dress Simply Stunning by Diva’s
Bridesmaids Dress Azazie
Tux/Suits Jos. A. Bank

We were originally contacted by Joan. She told us her and her fiancé were both doctors and had little to no time to wedding plan and would soon be moving as well! She said they would need help with the wedding day and rehearsal dinner which would be held in another city. We told her we would love to help them!

We met one day at JOLO Vineyard, their venue. What a gorgeous view! The vineyard hills roll to Pilot Mountain in the distance. I was instantly excited to see this wedding take place is such a beautiful spot. Joan and Lauren later arrived and they were such a fun couple! They both have very laid back personalities but Joan assured us this day would be all about Lauren and what she wanted.

Allyson assisted me with this weekend’s events. First, we went to The Spring House Restaurant in Winston Salem to set up for the first night’s Welcome Party and Rehearsal Dinner. My staff and I hung our market lights and set out décor on tables provided by Hauser Rentals. We later headed to Pilot Mountain to meet the family and bridal party to rehearse for the wedding day. After the ceremony rehearsal, everyone came to Spring House for dinner. I don’t usually get to attend rehearsal dinners, so it was fun to hear all the funny stories and kind words in everyone’s toasts to the couple.

The next day, Allyson and I traveled to the venue to drop off our rentals then went to Lowes Food of Clemmons to pick up the flowers. I am so glad we dropped off rentals before going to get the flowers! My tahoe was filled to ceiling and walls in all available capacity! The arrangements were much larger than I understood them to be but they were stunning! We delivered the flowers to the venue and started decorating. The weather was warm but perfect for wedding day!

The couple got ready in separate spaces at the venue. Lauren and her girls got ready in the bridal cottage. Joan and her bridal party got ready in the distillery. Courtney, the photographer arrived and Lauren and Joan had a first look. This allowed them more time before the ceremony to get most of their family and bridal party pictures taken.

After the ceremony, the guests enjoyed a dinner provided by the vineyard and some delicious cakes by Sweet Josephine’s. One cake was tiered with gold frosting and roses. The other was a football cake with Lauren and Joan’s favorite team’s mascots.

During the reception, Ryan from Triad DJs kept the dancefloor full of dancing guests and the open air photobooth kept others occupied. They ended the night with a sparkler exit. Courtney Cooke Photography captured all the photographs from the weekend. You can check out more from the weekend in Our Gallery.

We had so much fun working with Lauren and Joan. Their love for each other was so genuine and they are such caring people.

Vendor Team:
Venue: Jolo Vineyards
Catering: Jolo Vineyards
Photography: Courtney Cooke Photography
DJ: Triad DJs
Photobooth: Triad DJs
Cake: Sweet Josephine’s
Florist: Lowes Foods of Clemmons
Coordination: Exceptional Events
Rentals: Hauser Rentals
Rentals: Exceptional Events
Rehearsal Venue: Spring House Restaurant

Rachel and Mason got married in September at their family Church in Burlington. The girls started the day by getting their hair and makeup done by Presley Davis at The Walker Farm. Rachel and her family decorated the venue the day before and her family friend, Angela, delivered the flowers from Harris Teeter and placed them on the tables.
 
Once it was time, everyone headed to the Church for the ceremony. Everything ran smoothly and the little flower girl and ring bearer did amazing for being so young! After sweet vows were shared between each other, the couple sealed the deal with a kiss and exited the Church.

Suddenly, a storm quickly rolled up and limited the time for family pictures. Guests rushed to the venue, Walker Farm, for the reception as vendors were working together to help move the bar, outdoor decorations, and Sunset Slush inside from the rain.  The teamwork from everyone made the process quick and simple. The process was speedy and efficient thanks to an awesome team of professional vendors!   
 
The DJ, Mike, introduced the bridal party and Mr. and Mrs. Mason Cobb.  Rachel and Mason shared their first dance together to “When It Comes to Loving You” by Jon Langston.  The father/daughter dance was up next and Rachel shared this special moment with her dad.  Mason’s mother had passed away, so he shared his dance with his Aunt Gee.  Molly, the officiant, blessed the meal and tables were dismissed to get food.  Everly’s Catering provided a buffet with salad, chicken, country fried steak, pork, potatoes, macaroni & cheese, and rolls!  Everything tasted amazing and was nice and warm for everyone.  Sunset Slush was provided as a fun dessert for everyone to go with the cake and cupcakes by Emily Holiday.
 
DJ Mike kept the dancefloor full and the rest of the night was full of crazy dancing and fun times. Rachel and Mason were even able to sneak away for some gorgeous sunset pictures after the rain subsided. The couple exited between their family and friends in a exciting sparkler exit. Megan Teague of MCTea Photography captured the beautiful photos from the day and Carolina Story Films captured the video! Megan has such an artistic vibe you can easily see in all her pictures. Jesse from Carolina Story Films is always so much fun to work with and can make anyone laugh with his sarcastic humor.
 
Kaitlyn was actually a part of the bridal party so Lauren and Emily took on the role as coordinators on this wedding day. They did an amazing job and we are excited to have them lead many more in the future!
 
Fabulous Team of Vendors
Venue: The Walker Farm
Photography: MCTea Photography
Videography: Carolina Story Films
Catering: Everly’s Catering
Bartending: Bryan Jones
Cake: Emily Holiday
Dessert: Sunset Slush
Florals: Harris Teeter of Burlington
Hair and Makeup: Presley Davis
Rentals: Party Reflections
DJ: Best Night Ever DJ & Events
Wedding Planners: Exceptional Events
Rentals: Exceptional Events  

~ Emily & Kaitlyn
 

I was originally contacted by Meredith’s mom, Lisa. She told me she had a daughter that was currently in school in England but would be getting married in August here in North Carolina and she would need help being that her daughter could not make it to many planning meetings (which is totally understandable considering that would involve several plane rides). I told her I was happy to help! Being in England, Meredith actually got her wedding dress there and they had their engagement pictures taken in Scotland! How many people can say that! Very unique!

On August 18, 2019, the girls got ready at The Addison Farm in their gorgeous Bridal Suite full of natural light and full length mirrors! The family did a lot of the decorating the day before, but we made some final touches before heading to the church. After taking some pictures, the bridal party headed to Shallowford Church in Burlington. The original plan was for Meredith, James, and their bridal party to walk around the outside of the church to enter into the ceremony. However, a torrential down pour started really close to ceremony start time. There was no other way around inside to get to the front of the church! My staff and I were ready with umbrellas to get soaked and help escort the bridal party to the front when suddenly Meredith’s sister provided the idea of walking up the side of the church and simply asking the guests to hide their eyes. I felt like this idea was so simple and a little silly that no one else thought of this either. However, Meredith and James both liked the idea and we went through with it! It was actually hilarious! We all walked around the outside of the pews and passed by hundreds of guests politely bowing their heads and shielding their eyes. This was very memorable for me and definitely a first! Once we all got to the front of the church, we began the ceremony as planned!

After the ceremony, the rain subsided and everyone headed back to The Addison Farm. It actually turned out to be beautiful weather and they were able to capture lots of photos with their families and friends. After Meredith and James took some alone time to enjoy the moment and take pictures alone, they were introduced into the reception. The huge ballroom was decorated with greenery by Just Priceless Florist and candles with mercury vases. Our gold charges met everyone’s seat with their personal place cards and the tables were covered with linens provided by Something Barrowed.

24 Blackbirds provided a delicious dinner. And A+A Disc Jockey kept the dancefloor full the duration of the reception! In lieu of favors, the family kindly gifted a monetary donation to Gifts of Love Nepal. The night ended with a sparkler exit outside the front of the venue. The light and airy photographs were taken by Merritt Chesson Photography. We have posted more in OurGallery!

We loved getting a chance to work with this sweet family! Lisa was super grateful of our help and was extremely easy to work with! She even left this sweet review “Kaitlyn was a tremendous help. As the mother of the bride, it was so nice to have someone in charge the day of the wedding. Kaitlyn insured that everything ran smoothly, and quickly addressed any problems that occurred so that I could just enjoy the day with my daughter. Her team was courteous and professional. This was certainly money well spent!”

Vendor Team:
Ceremony Venue: Shallowford Church
Reception Venue: The Addison Farm
Photographer: Merritt Chesson Photography
Catering: 24 Blackbirds
Florist: Just Priceless, High Point
DJ: A+A Disc Jockey
Rentals: Something Borrowed
Coordinators: Exceptional Events

Callie was referred to us by one of my planner friends, Chad, and we are thrilled he did! Callie and Christopher are an awesome, adventurous couple who are remarkably kind and thoughtful to all around them! They were so easy to work with and made decisions based on what would make things easier or more comfortable to their guests.

The first time I met Callie in person, we met at their venue, The Cookery in Durham, NC. I instantly loved the venue! It has an industrial look and is very functional for weddings and events. There are two indoor event spaces and a large outdoor patio space. The Cookery also has a very spacious bridal room with a unique entryway to the outdoor patio – a garage door! Callie told me their plans were to have the ceremony outside, dinner in one indoor space, and reception in the other. She planned to enter the ceremony through that garage door which I thought was such an awesome idea!

Being in August, the weather was fairly hot and humid. On the day of the rehearsal, Callie and Christopher made a decision to have the ceremony inside to prevent any of their guests feeling uncomfortable. This was not their “Plan A,” but I thought it was very thoughtful of them to think of others and change their setup without a second thought.

The Cookery Staff took care of a lot of planning for the venue logistics which was very helpful! They did not open until later in the afternoon on Wedding Day but with their staff, catering staff, and our staff, we completed everything needed in no time at all! Durham Catering helped us set up the tables beforehand and we set them aside to leave room for their ceremony service to take place in the same room. A family friend named Molly drew the family tree on the huge chalkboard located inside the dance room!  I picked up the flowers from Pine State Flowers, located right down the road from The Cookery. My assistant, Lauren, helped me place the greenery on all the tables and distribute the boutonnieres and bouquets to the bridal party.  

The girls looked so pretty! Bella Trio took care of the hair and makeup for the bride and bridesmaids. I think they all looked gorgeous! The guys rocked some floral ties and Christopher wore a blue jacket that popped next to rest of the men. It all made for a great looking group!

Once it was time to start preparing for the ceremony, we realized Callie would not have an easy entrance without having to go all the way around the building outside to enter so the guests would not see her before she wanted. I told her she could hide in the kitchen set-up room (which was not very glamorous), but it actually was very humorous and I am sure it is a memory her and her family laugh about today. She willingly accepted and hid away from Christopher and her guests as they entered.

 Callie and Christopher had a family friend play instrumental music for the ceremony and after Callie’s mom entered, she joined him! This was very special. Next, the bridal party entered. Instead of a flower girl or ring bearer, they asked two of their friends to take on the roles. Two grown men played as the “Flower and Ring Men.” This had the whole audience laughing! Then, Callie and her dad entered.  Christopher’s reaction to his beautiful bride was priceless. It is easy to see her truly adores her.

After the ceremony, we ushered guests to the other indoor space for cocktail hour. We set up the dinner space and prepared for guests to return. The food tasted awesome! Durham Catering did a great job. After dinner, toasts, and cake, the guests returned to the other space to dance the night away. I loved the separation of spaces! This allowed for us to clean up decorations and the catering staff was able to pick up the dirty dishes all without guests seeing or feeling rushed to leave. Ray from Steel Impressions kept the dance floor full the entire reception! We love working with Ray. He is very professional and can judge the perfect playlist for the crowd.

At the end of the night, Callie and Christopher exited through a crowd of their remaining guests waving some of our ribbon-send-off ribbons. Blest Studios captured the photography for the day. We loved getting to meet Cole and his assistant! Cole was so enthusiastic the whole event and was able to capture genuine smiles and fun. It was actually very hard to pick my favorites from their wedding album because there are so.many.good.ones!! We would love to work with Blest Studios again! Check out more photos from Callie and Christopher’s Day in Our Gallery.

Our Fabulous Team of Vendors:
Venue: The Cookery
Photographer: Blest Studios
Florist: Pine State Flowers
DJ: Steel Impressions
Cake: Costco
Catering: Durham Catering
Hair & Makeup: Bella Trio
Coordination: Exceptional Events

On Saturday, August 4, 2018, we the pleasure of directing Shannon and John’s Wedding at Summerfield Farms in Summerfield, NC. The Summerfield Farms’ staff has a rule that the couple must decide about an indoor or outdoor ceremony by 9AM on wedding day. It had been pouring rain, literally, all week long. We even had to rehearse under a shelter the night before because of the big storms flooding all of central North Carolina. Shannon had a good gut feeling, and the forecast for the afternoon was looking promising with a few scattered rain showers. She chose to go with the outside ceremony at the tree. I am so glad she did! It turned out to be gorgeous down there!! The sky was blue and the sun was out the whole time! Plus, Summerfield Farms is one of the most beautiful barn venues, I have had the pleasure to work at! Their staff is also very helpful with the planning process and execution the day of the wedding. This definitely makes my job easier and I can focus more on the couple and their needs instead of the venue needs.

The girls got ready in The Bungalow, on-site at Summerfield Farms. This small house is adorable and perfect for the bride and her ladies to get ready. Plus, the interior is very neutral and allows for a lot of natural light, which is perfect for photos! Make-up artist Kennedy Shae did a beautiful job on all the girls makeup and I noticed by the end of the night they all looked just as perfect! It had all stayed on through the sweating of the hot day, happy tears, and dancing.

The guys got ready in The Cabin, also on-site. The Cabin is the perfect man-lodge made with dark wood, tvs, a kitchen, porch, and nice lounge area. The guys were set to relax and enjoy each other’s company until pictures.

Julie, the mother of the groom and her close friends and family did most of the decorating. They picked up flowers from Ellington’s Florist in High Point on their way to the venue. The barn was decorated with lanterns of all different sizes, greenery, candles, and beautiful summer flower arrangements. My favorite decoration was handmade by Julie. She built a cupcake stand to represent things that are unique to both John and Shannon. The stand consisted of a running track (for Shannon since she ran track) and a golf course (since John enjoys golfing). This is something I have never seen before and an unique personal touch! They also dedicated a plaque and corner of the barn to Shannon’s late mother. I actually overheard Shannon’s father Patrick speaking about signs of her being with them during the ceremony. There were tons of dragonflies flying around the seats at the ceremony site. I had been to the site several times during the day to set out different items and typically only saw one or two dragon flies each time, but when the guests were being seated there were lots flying all around! That is so special to witness!

Southern Roots Catering provided the meal for the guests. Shannon and John chose to do the meal family-style, which was so neat! Waiters brought a bowl of each item on the menu to each table and the guests served themselves right at their seats! This was perfect! Everyone got their food relatively at the same time and no one had to wait in a long buffet line or carry a heavy plate of food around. Such a fun turn on the classic wedding meal. After the meal, Shannon’s cousin William of Silent Streetz Productions had a playlist to keep all the guests on the dance floor the rest of the night!

Party of Two Photography captured Shannon and John’s special day. Jess and Kim were super nice and so accommodating to the busy schedule and multiple shooting locations. We have attached a few of their photos to this post, as well as in our gallery. One Love Productions captured amazing video footage from the entire day. We have shared the video here. Justin and his team’s highlight videos are always so magical!

My assistants at this wedding were Emily and Lauren. They were, as always, a ton of help and make the day run so much more smoothly! I had Emily stay with the groom and groomsmen to prepare for pictures and pin on their boutonnieres. Lauren stayed with the bride and bridesmaids. I asked them both to write about their favorite part of Shannon and John’s Wedding Day:

“One of my favorite parts of any wedding is the time right before we line up the groomsmen, bridesmaids, and family members to walk down the aisle to make for a smooth start to the ceremony. Energy is always high as the butterflies begin to fly.
 
At Shannon and John's wedding, I was able to communicate with my fellow assistant, Emily, about when the groom and groomsmen to would be coming from The Cabin to right outside of The Bungalow where the bride was, just minutes before the ceremony. I told Shannon that her soon-to-be husband would be standing outside any minute and pointed her toward a window that he couldn't see in. She was able to have a special moment with her bridesmaids, sneaking a peek at her husband in his suit without him seeing her! The photographer snapped some adorable candid shots that perfectly captured how giddy she was when she saw him through the window.”
                                                           -Lauren F.







 Our Vendor Team
Venue: Summerfield Farms
Photography: Party of Two Photography
Videography: One Love Productions
Catering: Southern Roots Catering
Florist: Ellington's Florist
Cake: Krecek Kakes
Makeup Artist: Kennedy Shae
Coordination: Exceptional Events
Rentals: Exceptional Events
Signs: Exceptional Events

It was wedding week. The forecast said rain, rain, and more rain. All. Week. Long. That is always the biggest gabble when planning an outside wedding and we seemed to be losing the game. I met with Chris and Cheyenne two days before their wedding for a final venue walk-thru. It was raining and the forecast and weather apps all said it was supposed to rain on Sunday. I could tell they were disappointed but they were accepting and not upset. They both understood this was a possibility. We focused on our “Plan B” and thought about having the ceremony and reception all inside the barn. We decided to make a final decision at noon on Sunday.

On Sunday, May 20, 2018, I arrived at Starlight Meadow to start setting up the decorations. The florist, Kelly Odom, arrived and his team immediately got to work. They brought some gorgeous, large lanterns with greenery for the ceremony site and HUGE ferns to hang in the barn windows. They finished the tables with lavender and yellow roses which matched the other lavender and sage decorations Cheyenne and her mom made. I loved Kelly’s style and would love to have an opportunity to work with him and his team again! At noon, Cheyenne and her girls got to Starlight to start getting ready. The sun was out! It was a little cloudy but no rain in the forecast until later than afternoon. She decided to have it outside. I told her and Chris later that it made it more special to have the weather switch up on everyone. My assistant Emily and I finished decorating and met all the vendors as they arrived.

This was the first wedding I have done without having a ceremony rehearsal beforehand. With the bride and groom being from out of town and their family and friends coming from several different states, they decided it was more important to spend time with everyone than have everyone schedule rides and meet at the venue to rehearse. The ceremony went perfectly fine, because I was there to line everyone up and send them down the aisle in good time. It is possible to change things like this but it took more planning with the bride and groom at earlier meetings to set it all up. A ceremony coordinator is very important.

After the ceremony, Dara Blakeley started doing her thing! She has the BEST personality! I absolutely loved working with her! She kept the bridal party laughing for genuine smiles in pictures and quickly finished the family shots so they could enjoy the cocktail hour. After the cocktail hour, introductions, and first dances, dinner began. Cheyenne and Chris hired Napoli, a pizza food truck to come serve everyone for dinner. This can be a slower process but it is totally worth it! The food tastes great and its fresh being cooked right before it is passed through the window. The Napoli team was quick and very accommodating to special diets.

After dinner and some sweet toasts from friends of the couple, Cheyenne and Chris cut their Bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes. They had miniature bundt cakes called bundtinis for all the guests, made of vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, and white chocolate raspberry. Emily kept the dessert bar stocked full of the cutest little cakes! This was extremely helpful to the guests because we were able to keep the cakes cool and away from bugs until it was time for them to be served. This would be difficult without a planner, because one of the guests or family members would have to step away from the celebrations to tend to tedious tasks like this one.

DJ Gino kept the dancefloor full with fun remixes and activities. He provided a limbo bar and hula-hoops for “The Twist.” Cheyenne approached me towards the end of the night and said, “I don’t want to leave! I’m having so much fun dancing with everyone!” Unfortunately, the night had to come to an end. Cheyenne and Chris exited the barn surrounded by their family and friends, waving ribbons above their heads in celebration.

This wedding was Emily’s first day and she did awesome! I’m so happy to have her on our awesome team of Exceptional planners!

Check out more of Dara Blakeley Photography’s photos from the day In Our Gallery.



The Awesome Team of Vendors
Venue: Starlight Meadow
Photographer: Dara Blakeley Photography
Florist: Kelly Odom Florist
Music/Sound: DJ Gino
Catering: Napoli
Dessert: Nothing Bundt Cakes
Coordinator: Exceptional Events
Rentals: Exceptional Events

On May 26th, 2018 Colleen and Lee got married at the Elon Lodge in Elon, NC. The morning of, the girls got ready at Lauren Taylor Salon in Gibsonville, NC. I met the bride, Colleen there to pick up some final items. The weather forecast said rain all afternoon and we needed to make a final decision so my team and I could finish setting up the ceremony site. She was adamant on still having the ceremony outside. We decided we could move the ceremony time later if needed.

My exceptional team finished setting up the decorations at the ceremony and reception sites. Guests and vendors started to arrive. We had small short rain showers all day and the ceremony time was approaching. The rain stopped about ten minutes before the ceremony start time so we quickly wiped down the chairs with dry towels and the guests took their seats. I lined the bridal party up for the processional. The groom was very nervous, as he hated being the center of attention. The officiant, Seth Robertson, held a very quick ceremony and they were on to pictures! Everyone did great!  Just look at their faces after walking back up the isle! Pure bliss!

Lauren Croniser did an awesome job of quickly knocking out the family pictures so Colleen and Lee could join their friends and family for the party. Another rain storm appeared right as dinner began. It was a perfect slice of time for us to get everyone inside and stay on schedule. Sometimes, things just work out and it is awesome. Other times, we have to make arrangements that are not the couple’s first choice but it is totally worth hiring a planner to coordinate the alternative plan and act on it in a timely manner.

Hursey’s Catering provided the yummy BBQ, grilled chicken, sides, salads, and southern sweet tea. I saw several guests go back up to the buffet for more! After dinner and toasts, Colleen and Lee cut their cake made by Harris Teeter and the guests enjoyed cupcakes for their dessert. The DJ, Ryan Greene of Dow Oak Events, did an amazing job switching between three locations throughout the night. After dinner, he had the whole crowd dancing the rainy night away. My good friend Bryan Jones kept everyone’s drinks full at our custom pallet bar. Everyone was having so much fun it was hard to tell them their transportation had arrived. Empire Limousine provided the transportation back to the hotel for the guests. They arrived on time and quickly came back for more guests.

Colleen and Lee found me through several mutual friends and I am so happy they did! They are such a fun couple. I love all of my couples and wish them all the best, however sometimes I do not get to keep in touch with them all. I am excited to say I have earned some new friends that have a lot of the same interests! I cannot wait to see more of Colleen and Lee in the near future!

After we finished cleaning up and the bride and groom were able to head home, a huge storm came through Elon. My husband and I finished closing up the lodge and just sat, talked, and listened to the storm. We were exhausted. My whole team worked their butts off at this wedding between the set-up and clean-up and I am so proud to have them on my side! We were able to set up 100 chairs for the ceremony and 25 tables with chairs for the reception, as well as decorate with our rentals and clean it all up before midnight. I definitely could not have done it without them.  Thank you so much to David, Lauren, Sam, Jeremy, and Rachel for all your help during the weekend!

The second day started with a scrumptious breakfast.  After everyone arrived we went downstairs to learn about Floral Design with Rebecca Rose. After learning some helpful tips on making a floral arrangement, we were given our own vessel, pair of clippers, and choice at any flowers we wanted! I like seeing the really loose and horizontal type of floral arrangements that a lot more people are starting to do, versus the really tight circular arrangements that were the style not too many years ago. I am pretty happy with how mine turned out!

After our floral designing, we learned about copy writing by Ashlyn Carter. She taught us about different ways to approach a reader on our website or through other writing. She told us we needed to find our “onlyness factor” in our field and sell it. I feel that I will find my “onlyness factor” the more weddings and events I do.

After lunch, we came back to another gift of a book, pen, cute pineapple paper clips, and a pretty garment bag. First we discussed Three Essential Keys Every Project Needs with Emily Freeman. She talked to us about staying true to ourselves and not to apologize for thinking and doing the way we do. She told us every project needs frustration, passion, and hope and without all three we can be left with rote duty or boring optimism. She ended her class with giving us a coloring book!

Next we were given the opportunity to choose our next two courses in our Breakout Sessions.  For my first breakout session, I chose to learn about Building & Leading a Team by Nancy Ray of Nancy Ray Photography. I chose this session because I own and run my business and have been thinking of building my company and adding on additional planners. I felt like this was a perfect time for advice! Also, I have followed Nancy Ray on Instagram for some time and wanted to meet her! She gave some great pointers about hiring and training as well as leading your team. She talked about her personal experiences through her company and made her discussion very relatable. I feel more confident in growing my company now!

We were surprised with a small break that consisted of going outside to a fully stocked coffee truck! This was PERFECT! After several hours of class, a frozen coffee and a cookie was just what everyone needed. The staff of Wired Café Coffee was extra speedy too. This truck would be an awesome addition to an event in the future!

My other breakout session was with Emily Thomas who works for Southern Weddings Magazine. It was awesome to get first-hand insight into what they as a company look for when publishing a wedding. (For those of you who do not know, being published is an incredible honor and can be a rare occurrence since so many weddings and styled shoots are entered every season.)  Emily also told us about some special requirements of shoots that not many people know but that can immediately disqualify an entry. I’m so thankful to be given this perception of the publishing process!

We ended the afternoon with Tabletop Styling with Rebecca Rose. We were able to select linens, silverware, plates, glasses, and other décor to make a mock table-scape. This was one of my favorite parts of the course! It was an opportunity to style something using my own imagination instead of something the client chose and a chance to use some really nice place setting materials that are not always readily available. After Ally & Bobby got some snaps of our work, we were dismissed.

I was extra excited for this day! We started the morning with Makeup and Hair Styling by Tease & Blush and professional head-shots by Ally & Bobby! I had some head-shots made before but I was thankful for an opportunity to have access to more shots of myself for my website and social media.

After pictures, we were offered mimosas and breakfast. Kaitlin and her team made the cutest mimosa bar I have ever seen! All the essentials were on the bar top including berries, juice, champagne, and cute glasses. The cutest part of the bar was the acrylic signs made by Happy Tines, instructing you how to make a mimosa! I absolutely loved it! The "cheers" sign on the bar was also really pretty. During this time, I asked a fellow student Emily Bolt to take some pictures of me with my floral arrangement. She was so sweet to take a few great shots and she even sent them to me immediately after we were done so I could have something to post! I’m so appreciative of her kindness!

Later, we had Branding Course by Whitney Hawkins who is currently an art director for a book by Emily Ley called Simplified, who used to be a brand consultant. She spoke about details, colors, style, and fonts and how they all need to correlate together. This inspired me to go a little further with the floral theme I have on my business cards to having the same theme on all my printed marketing material.

This afternoon consisted of learning Modern Calligraphy with Caitlyn Baumberger of Happy Tines. This was another favorite of mine! I have always watched videos online of people doing calligraphy and wondered how to actually do it. I can fake the look with a marker and bigger strokes but I wanted to know how to do it with ink and the special utensil, and this was my chance! It  was a little hard to do at first but with my artistic background, I caught on fairly quick! It is actually A LOT of FUN! I have since practiced several times and hope to maybe add it as a service to my clients.
 
Class ended and we were all sent to our hotels or homes to get ready for our final dinner. We returned to a charming dinner set-up. Each place at the table had a word instead of a name place card. It was the word we started the week with! Mine was L I S T E N.  This was so personal and it just goes to show how much Kaitlin and her team pay attention to every.single.detail.

It turned out to be International Women’s Day and I couldn't think of a better way to spend the day than with a creative group of female entrepreneurs! This week was truly phenomenal and so inspiring! I was able to spend time with creatives from all over the country with different perspectives and styles and speak with each one of them about their successful businesses. All while learning from some of the best women in the industry! I'm so proud to say I am a #girlboss and have my OWN company that is quickly flourishing!

This experience was everything, between the great food, fun hands-on activities, new connections, knowledgeable speakers, professional photography of our work, lovely little details, and new friendships!   I enjoyed every minute of it and totally recommend it for anyone trying to run a creative business and anyone interested in taking that creative business to the next level. The courses give each individual plenty of ideas of new routes to take their business or even to add to an already well-established business. I believe every woman at the School walked away optimistic and motivated in multiple ways! I’m so thankful for the special people in my life who made it possible for me to attend!

Photographer: @allyandbobby
Workshop: @theschoolofstyling
Venue: @mcalisterleftwich
VintageRentals/TabletopStyling China/Glassware/Flatware: @the_prettiest_pieces
Floral Design: @rroseevents
Signage/Calligraphy: @happytines
Linens: @nuagedesignsince
Chairs/Tabletop Styling Linens/Final Dinner China/Glassware/Flatware: @partymakerseventrental
Wine: @speakwines
Desserts: @sugareuphoria
HMU: @teaseandblush
Catering: Holly Tate Catering

Day Two Gift: 
Book, pen, paperclips: @simplified
Garment bag: @plumprettysugar

I don’t even know where to begin! This is going to be a long blog post but there are just so many fabulous things to say about The School of Styling so I am writing them in separate parts. I attended The School of Styling (TSOS) at the beginning of March in Greensboro, NC at the McAlister Leftwich House. The course took place in a newly remodeled 1875 property. Kaitlin Holland is the owner and operator of this new venue coming to Greensboro. She also runs TSOS! It was such a pleasure to meet Kaitlin! She is one of the kindest people you will ever meet and her attention to every detail is flawless! The way she set up the course made so much sense and it was easy to see she had put lots of time and effort into making everything perfect.  Kaitlin picked specific speakers to come talk to us throughout the week (who I will talk about more later) and set up the timeline between speakers, activities, and meals in a particular order that no one would get bored or too tired. I, personally, hate sitting at a desk all day  just listening and after several hours, the topic I am being taught about just goes over my head because I am so drained. We had different objectives to complete during activities, and this got our brains out of classroom-mode and into field-mode. I loved the variation of lecture time to participatory time with delicious meals here and there.

The week was catered by Holly Tate Fine Catering. Each meal was different and so healthy! They also provided plenty of vegan options – which I was exceptionally happy about since I am lactose intolerant. My favorite food items they offered were black bean cakes and red pepper hummus in miniature cones! So Good! I would highly recommend them as a caterer for your next wedding or event!

The gorgeous photography was done by Ally & Bobby, who are local fine art wedding photographers. They do a mixture of digital and film photography. I am so excited to share their astounding work!

As we arrived to the McAlister Leftwich House, we were all given our calligraphic name tags made by Happy Tines and started mingling. After everyone got there, we sat down in our classroom. I loved the purple velvety table linens provided by Nuage Designs. At our place was a Welcome Box with an acrylic name tag. Inside was a notebook and pen to use during the course, facial steam, a trinket dish, and a candle! This was so thoughtful! I brought a notebook to jot things down in but it was nice to have something to devote just to TSOS! We were told to first write down anything that could distract us from the course this week and what is one thing we really want to focus on this week. The one thing I chose to focus on instead of my distractions was to LISTEN carefully to the instructors’ advice and learn what I can do to better my business. We all individually introduced ourselves to the rest of the class and come to find out most of the women there were moms who had to leave their babies at home too! This made me feel better that I was not the only one trying to run a business and be a mom as well, and I was not the only one missing someone at home. I was also surprised there were so many people from outside of NC!

The first speaker was Jeannie Sullivan. She is a business coach and talked about knowing your worth and later teaching your craft. I had never thought about being a teacher for event planning, other than to my staff, however this inspired me to consider teaching later down the road after I have more experience.

Next, Kaitlin Holland spoke about The Fundamentals of Design. She taught us how to pay attention to other people’s design work and why it flows well. We were then spread out throughout the house with some design elements to have a try at it ourselves. This task was a little hard since I had never done it myself. Usually, I leave this up to the photographer. And, with every student grabbing different pieces at the same time, it was difficult to find cohesive pieces. I ended up using an invitation suite with vintage stamps, and a wax seal. It was not my best, but at least I am thinking about the right components now and not just throwing stuff together.

We ended the night with a cocktail hour. We were offered wine from the cutest bar and had some yummy appetizers to go with it! After our snack, we had Speed Dating. We circled the two tables in the classroom and learned more about other students in the class.

The first day made me ambitious about the next two days! I was excited to see what else TSOS had to offer!

Photographer: @allyandbobby
Workshop: @theschoolofstyling
Venue: @mcalisterleftwich
VintageRentals/TabletopStyling China/Glassware/Flatware: @the_prettiest_pieces
Floral Design: @rroseevents
Signage/Calligraphy: @happytines
Linens: @nuagedesignsince
Chairs/Tabletop Styling Linens/Final Dinner China/Glassware/Flatware: @partymakerseventrental
Wine: @speakwines
Desserts: @sugareuphoria

Welcome Box:
Notebooks: @liv_raison
Facial Steam: @somecallmecrunchy
Trinket Dish: @marbelladish
Ribbon: @adorncompany
Candles: @southernfireflycandle

Styling Materials: 
Ribbon: @lapommeetlapipe
Styling-Boards&Blocks: @theromanticiststudios
Stamps: @verdestudio
Wax seals: @waxseals

Madi first contacted me at the end of 2017 about her wedding in July 2018. We decided to meet soon after the holidays were over. Madi called me one afternoon and said, “I am so sorry but what if we moved the wedding up to March instead?” She was worried it was only weeks away and she had not gotten much planning done but her father’s health was declining and she wanted him to be at her wedding. I told her that was not a problem! I actually like having a short amount of time to plan an event. It can prevent unnecessary add-ons and time restraints can answer certain questions for you! If one of your favorite photographers is not available, you know you have to go with the other! However, with a shorter time span, you might not have time to get every DIY item done or have time to really research every vendor. There are always pros and cons to every scenario.

I helped Madi complete her list of vendors with some recommendations and met with her at her venue to decide on final décor details. She was such an easy-going bride and that made the process seamless. At our final meeting, I met her fiancé Blake, and his mom. I knew instantly that I was working with a sweet family and became very excited to meet the rest of them!

Madi and Blake got married on March 3rd, 2018 at Harvest Baptist Church in Burlington, NC. Their family friend Ginger decorated the church. And some other family friends provided the large cross for the backdrop. Madi and her girls got ready at The Hair Refinery in Burlington. I loved how local every vendor was!

Before the ceremony started, some of the lights went out. This was strictly a technical problem no one could figure out! My staff and I quickly pulled all the lights from the tulle lining the aisle and traded out the strand for another one before any guests walked into the church. We also had to make some last minute arrangements to the ceremony processional so her dad could stay in his wheelchair. I did not mind changing a thing! These tasks kept me on my toes and challenged my decision making skills. This is what being a wedding planner is all about! I am there to make everyone comfortable, and solve problems as they arise, while making it look like it was planned all along.

Madi and Blake had several friends sing during the ceremony. They all had such beautiful voices and talents! After the ceremony, Jennifer Strange of Jennifer Strange Wedding Photography quickly took pictures of the bridal party and family before everyone headed to The Alamance Country Club in Burlington for the reception. I loved their venue staff! They cater on-site which made things a lot easier when it came time to set up and clean up. ACC provided the tables, beautiful gold chiavari chairs, linens, and candles. The Cake Obsession delivered the cake beautiful naked cake and Filo’s Florist provided the florals. Filo was very local and so easy to work with. She told us to just give her a call if anything happened or if they needed more flowers for the cake. It was nice to have that option in case we needed backup flowers.  Exceptional Events provided the gold chargers and candle décor!

DJ Big Boy Chris kept everyone on the dance floor all night long! He is very good at keeping the guests entertained during moments when the caterer needs more time to set up or the cake is still being cut. I totally recommend him as a DJ!

The best part of the night was when Blake went “fishing” for the garter on Madi’s leg. He pulled out a huge pair of granny panties instead! This had the whole crowd, and vendors dying laughing! I had no idea they had this planned.

Jennifer did an amazing job capturing the day! Check out some more pictures on Our Photo Gallery page.

Madi and Blake ended the night with a final dance, just the two of them before they left in a rose petal exit! (The original plan was to have sparklers but things happen and people forget things. We had no problem compromising!)

Moral of this story, life happens. And, when you hire a wedding planner problems can easily be fixed and no guest will even know the difference! Put your trust in your planner and let her know when a problem comes up. We have lots of tricks up our sleeves to fix an issue or a change of plans.

Church: Harvest Baptist Church
Reception Venue: Alamance Country Club
Photographer: Jennifer Strange Wedding Photography
DJ: Big Boy Productions
Florist: Filo’s Florist
Cake: The Cake Obsession
Caterer: Alamance Country Club
Hair: Hair Refinery
Planner: Exceptional Events
 
In Loving Memory of Kirk Vincent

 On November 18th, 2017, Holly and Danny got married at Starlight Meadow in Burlington, NC. Danny is actually a long-time friend of my husband; therefore, I was so happy for them to choose Exceptional Events as their coordinator! Holly, Danny, and their wedding party got most of the decorating done the night before after their rehearsal dinner. My husband, Jeremy and I set up the rentals the couple decided to use from our inventory that morning. As the wedding party arrived, I helped pin on the guys boutonnieres and passed out the bouquets made by Pat’s Flowers & Gifts.

The ceremony was held at the gazebo area. Pastor Zima was Holly and Danny’s officiant. He is currently their church pastor! He was very flexible and accommodating. After the ceremony, the cocktail hour was held in the barn while pictures were taken.  It was a gorgeous day; however, it was terribly windy! Sadly, not many of their outside decorations wanted to stay up even after all the tricks I tried! I even had some spare time before the wedding party got there to stop by Hobby Lobby and look for some heavier stands but not even the heaviest could withstand the wind. However, this made their pictures gorgeous! Her veil flew beautifully!

Above and Beyond Catering provided dinner. Their team is a regular at Starlight Meadow. It is always easy to have them cater there since they are so familiar with everything.

DJ Jeremy Shaw, of Sound Wave DJ, played music all night long while Complete Weddings & Events had a fun photobooth set up for guests to enjoy.  Courtney Saul of C-Saul Photography captured the day. Courtney and her assistant Nikki are always a blast to work with! Their pictures are gorgeous, as always, and attached to this post and in our Photo Gallery!

Holly and Danny’s wedding was our last for the year of 2017. I’m glad we got to end the wedding season with a fun group of people and great friends!

Venue: Starlight Meadow
Caterer: Above & Beyond
Photographer: CSaul Photography
Photobooth: Complete Weddings & Events
DJ: Sound Wave DJ
Rentals: Exceptional Events
Flowers: Pat's Flowers & Gifts
Videographer: Complete Weddings & Events