Friday, March 13, 2015

Meet the Team: Ashley Carpenter - Event Architect

 

 About you:

·        Any Nicknames:

o   Ash, Carp, ACarps (My Friends are Very Creative) J

·        Favorite color:

o   Purple

·        Favorite Television Show:

o   The Real Housewives (Any City) & Vanderpump Rules (Reality Television is a guilty pleasure of mine)

o   Parks & Recreation

o   Nashville

o   All of my favorite shows sadly do not air anymore: One Tree Hill, The Office, & Friday Night Lights

·        What you like to do in your spare time:

o   Spend time with my family, boyfriend, friends & my puppy!

o   I belong to the UFC Gym where I box & kickbox (overall love to be active)

o   Snowboard

o   Concerts & sporting events

o   I am constantly dancing (Have been since I was 3)

Why did you become a Wedding Planner?

·        When I first attended Illinois State University, I went in as a Nursing Major… which I figured out very quickly that it was not for me.  Looking for advice from my friends & family on what to do next, 100% of them said that I should be an Event Planner of some sort.  From a very early age, I have constantly planned everything from Family Vacations, to Birthday Parties, to even hanging out with my friends.  So I switched majors, and actually did an Internship with Oliveaire, an internship at The Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, SC, & one with Paulette Wolf Events in Chicago, & fell in love with this industry!  Everything from utilizing my skills and working with people, to creating a dream day for my clients & the rush I get on the day-of the event, is something that has totally captured me and assures me that I am in the right line of work!  I absolutely love what I do, and it comes across in my work & my events! 

What is your favorite part of planning a wedding?

·        There are so many reasons why I love planning Weddings!  First off, I love getting to know the couple’s story, getting to know them personally, & creating a bond with them that grows throughout our Planning process.  I believe it is so important to really get to know your clients & to form a trusting relationship!  I am planning the biggest day of their lives, and I want them to trust me 110% and to know that I am there for them no matter what!

·        I also love the feeling that I get on-site & when I get into “Planner mode”.  Making sure everything is absolutely perfect & seeing all of my hard work come together to create the couple’s Dream Wedding, is such a great feeling! 

·        But I have to say the best feeling is seeing how grateful & happy the client is, & knowing that they will remember this day for the rest of their lives, and that I was such a big part of that!  I love making people happy, and there truly is no better feeling!

How would you describe your style as a planner?

·        As I have mentioned many times, organization is one of my greatest skills, and is something I use on a day-to-day basis as a planner.  As organized & serious as I can be about my job, I am a very kind & emotionally invested planner, especially when meeting/chatting with my clients! On-site I am very serious, constantly running around and checking to make sure that everything is perfect!  It is my goal to stay on-time, and that all the details are exactly how the client wanted it!  Once everything falls into place, I start to relax & really enjoy being there & directing/assisting where needed.  I make sure the client is constantly happy, fed & enjoying their day. 

What one piece of advice would you give to a newly engaged couple?

·        Advice that I would give a newly engaged couple is do your research, start planning right away, give yourself enough time to plan all of your details, and most importantly, enjoy the planning process & especially enjoy your wedding day!  This only happens once, and you do not want to look back on these months, years, and on your special day as a negative & stressful time!  This is exactly why we recommend hiring a planner, it is the Wedding Gift to yourself that keeps on giving.  Allow an expert to guide & assist you with details that you may not have thought of before, or do not want to stress about!  On the day-of your event, be the Bride & Groom, and allow your family & friends to be the family & friends, and allow your planner to be the one setting up inventory, checking in vendors & confirming their and the venue’s set-up, and making sure everything is going according to plan.  Like I said before, it’s your Wedding Day, enjoy it to the fullest & focus on the perfect moments & the ones you love the most!  

Do you have a favorite wedding moment or event?

·        My favorite event was a beautiful wedding this past December, & the Bride, the Groom & their families could not have been more kind & loving!  The whole planning process was an amazing experience & the client was constantly available, always so generous & appreciative, and I not only got to know the Bride as a client, but as a friend as well!  The event went perfectly, and they deserved every perfect moment of it!  Not only was I thanked many times on-site, I received a letter from the Bride, telling me how appreciative she was and how happy she was about the entire planning process & especially how her event went!  When I still read her letter, it gives me so much happiness & gives me the confidence that this is what I am supposed to do!

How would you describe what you do every day?

·        Another reason why I love my job, is that my days are NEVER the same! From meetings with clients, venues & vendors, to completing necessary paperwork, and constantly on my email & phone calls answering questions that my clients or vendors may have.  I also assisted in creating our Global Event Resource Certification Conferences, and have our first ever conference in April, so I have been very busy with this as well!

What advice would you give someone who wants to start working in the event industry?

·        Make sure that you are EXTREMELY organized, are able to multi-task, and love working with people.  If you can’t say that you are able to do all of these three things, than this business may not be for you. 

·        Also, be prepared to work weekends & nights!  99.9% of weddings happen during the weekend, and most clients cannot meet or take a call until after they are done with work, so make sure you are 100% okay with this before joining this industry.

·        You are about to go into a career that may be very overwhelming at times, but I promise, if you really have a passion for planning & providing the services capable of producing a couple’s dream day, than it will also bring you so much happiness!  Passion is the most important thing to have for this business, and if you have that, it will shine through your work & your events!