My Best Friend's Wedding!

Someone once said, "A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.  It's someone who understands you a little bit more than you understand yourself."

I can honestly say this is a perfect description of my best friend and me.  We have grown into the women we are today together and are the people we are today because of one another.  Jessica Faye Sweets is what I have known her as for the past 14 years of my life.  Now she has a new name and wears it proudly, Jessica Faye Appleby.  Although it is hard for all of us ladies to give up our family name, this is just a small step in the next chapter of our lives.

I couldn't ask for a better man for my best friend.  Her husband (still strange to say), Zak Appleby, is an amazing, supportive and loving man.  These two have so much passion and love for one another, which made their day even more special for all that were involved.

I can't tell you how many people came up to me and complemented me on my work, telling me how beautiful everything was.  I said it then and I am saying it now, Jess did the majority of this herself....so SHE did an AMAZING job!  I am so proud of her :-)  I do have to give some major love to my sister, Sheri!  She helped Jess' dream come true!  Everything she worked so hard on and envisioned for their special day, Sheri made it happen!

Also, we can't say enough about those centerpieces!  My oh my, Mrs. Whitney Wyatt from Madison, Indiana did a PHENOMENAL job.

Below are some pictures that I took, my sister took and some that guests took.  I hope you enjoy a glimpse into my best friends' best day!  (and yes I mean both Mr. & Mrs. Appleby!!)

SSLC Visits with Kentucky Bride Magazine

Simply Southern recently visited with Kentucky Bride Magazine for their Bridal Panel luncheon in Lexington, Kentucky.  We were very excited for the opportunity to visit with them, meet vendors in our region and get some insight into this industry from previous brides! 
We arrived and immediately felt welcome.  The tables were set and ready for a plated lunch, which let's be honest, we love food!  Some of you may know, but I am a vegetarian.  You should have seen the chicken they brought out for lunch.....it honestly made me want to start eating it again!  It looked and smelled delicious.  I definitely enjoyed the cute dessert they had set up for us, so yummy!  We were actually at a table with two of our favorite venues, Keeneland and Talon Winery.  It was so nice to sit down and chat with those ladies.  They were full of information and had great takeaways. 
Once we wrapped up lunch, we were introduced to the two brides that were generous enough to allow us to pick their brains.  I am not going to mention names, but will give you a high-level description of their weddings and what we took away from their experiences.  I have also included some pictures of our day!

Bride #1
This couple had recently moved to the Lexington area and didn't know a ton of information about the town or what it had to offer, especially when it came to a wedding.  The bride relied heavily on web searches and bridal shows.  Which we all know can be a blessing or a curse, depends on how we process them.  Their budget was between $25,000 and $50,000.  They did not start out with a planner but did acquire one with the venue they chose, which turned out to be a huge life saver in the end. 
With the majority of their guest list living out of town, they wanted  to make sure that their wedding was not just one day, but an actual event/get away that included their guests just as much as the bride and groom.  As I mentioned before, she relied on bridal shows as a resource for finding and booking vendors.  She actually went to 6 bridal shows! 
Some advice she provided SSLC specifically was that she needed to touch and feel her invitations before she bought them.  She actually booked her invitation vendor after visiting one of the bridal shows.  We will definitely put that into our marketing plan for 2015!  Something that was very important to this bride was building relationships with her vendors.  She felt she needed to completely trust them, ensuring their big day would be a success and everything would be as they had planned.
Our suggested take-away from this bride would be to create a new email address just for your wedding.  If you are attending bridal shows or events, it helps to keep everything in one place and eliminates confusion from work or personal email.  Great tip!

Bride #2
This couple was from the area and had a vision of their big day almost immediately.  One of the struggles the bride encountered, which if you have been the bride you will understand, was setting the budget with her parents.  No one could really say how much they could or wanted to spend.  It is so important to have some idea or estimation when you start talking to vendors.  Otherwise, you could get taken to the cleaners.  They did have a coordinator to tie up loose ends and for the day of the wedding.  There wasn't much need for a full blown planner, as this bride had everything selected and pretty much booked.  Another struggle this couple had was their guest list.  They really had to cut it down, but didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings in the process.  This is something that I think all couples struggle with and can relate. 
The wedding was set to be completely outdoors, however there was rain in the forecast.  Her coordinator kept asking what is Plan B if it rains.  The bride just kept thinking, I don't need one because it isn't going to rain.  Sure enough the day came and it rained, still no Plan B.  The coordinator had to take the event in her own hands, while reassuring the bride and groom that everything will be just as beautiful as they imagined, if not better.  She asked her to trust her and she said ok and it turned out perfect!  Ladies, you should always have a plan B.  No matter what!  Especially if your event is outdoors, you just never know in the Ohio Valley or really anywhere. 
Something that this couple took away from their planning was the projects they got to do with one another.  It really helped them grow as a couple and immerse themselves in the day, outside of just being the bride and groom. 

A Best Friend's Shower!

As an event planner, I get the opportunity to create many special days for couples.  But there is something extremely gratifying when it is for someone that is close to you.  My best friend is getting married this August and I couldn't be more happy for her and the groom to be!  Hosting her shower was something I was proud and honored to do.  With the help of Rebecca (best friend/Maid of Honor), we were able to shower our beautiful bride with all of the love and attention she deserves.  Jessica is a classic yet modern bride with fantastic taste and style.  I wouldn't want anything less for her bridal shower.  From the entry way of my home, to all of the fun and fancy details on the inside, the day was just perfect.  Seeing my best friend grinning from ear to ear with all of her close friends, was just icing on the cake.  Here are a few pictures from the day!

Setting a Budget!

The dreaded word that all brides hate to hear.....BUDGET!  At least it was for me.  My husband and I were not only trying to save for our wedding, but also buy a home months before.  Crazy - I know! But you would be surprised of how many couples have been in that exact same situation.

We started off with getting quotes on the most important vendors, such as venue and caterer, then built around those.  With me being the creative DIY girl that I am, I had TONS of ideas that I wanted at our wedding.  Yes I was saving money by doing those myself, but were they necessary?  Probably not, but they were things that I wanted.  And that is something that should always be in the forefront of your planning.

What do you WANT and what can you live without?  Start with picking the things that mean the most.  If you have always dreamed of an outdoor wedding, do it.  If you couldn't imagine having your reception without a plated dinner, do it.  Even if that means flying your photographer in from a different state because they are that awesome!  This is not me telling you to go crazy and spend all kinds of money, because it can be easily done, trust me.  Picking the things you love most, doesn't mean you can pick everything you love most (unless of course you have a large budget).

A suggestion that I would give to any client is pick the costly things first (tweaking along the way if needed), then build from there.  If you have a certain dollar amount to stay under for the entire event, keep that in mind at ALL times!  It is very easy to get carried away with this table cloth, that centerpiece and those intricate lights that only the most expensive store has.  This is where a coordinator/planner, like myself, could come in handy.  Someone to constantly say, is that really in your budget or let's see if we can get it at a better rate. 

I think a lot of brides aren't aware of the financial responsibility a wedding can have.  There are definitely ways around it, but sticker shock will happen one way or another.  Be sure to explore your options and compare them all before making any decisions.  At the end of the day, you are marrying your best friend, soul mate and forever love - that is all that should matter. 

~Keeping it Simply Southern~
                  Heidi

Meet Heidi - Owner of Simply Southern LLC

I am proud to announce my official ownership of Simply Southern LLC!  We take your vision of an event and turn it into something you thought was only possible in your dreams.  We specialize in weddings, however are open to birthdays, showers and other small social events.  A special addition to Simply Southern LLC is custom invitation options for your event.  Have an idea, but not sure how to put it on paper?  Let us help you get there!  It can be as simple as text on a sheet or something as elaborate as a 4-5 piece set up that will absolutely wow your guests.

To tell you a little bit about me, I am a newlywed myself.  My husband and I married June 29, 2013 on a beautiful summer evening at an outdoor venue in Louisville, Kentucky.  I have always had a passion for planning events and knew that I wanted to have my own business some day.  We recently decided, what is stopping us?  We are young and no children (yet), with little responsibility outside of our day-to-day jobs.  With the full support of our friends and family, we have plunged in to our small business!

My first full event coordination of course was my own wedding, and let's face it, we as women are the biggest critic when it comes to our BIG day!  It all started with colors, pictures and small ideas here and there, that I finally realized this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.  I know the feeling that I got when I saw my dream come to life, and the thrill of seeing it on a bride and groom's face is just breath taking.  It doesn't matter how much work or how many hours I have to put in to an event, at the end of the day all that matters to me is the pure satisfaction of my clients.

I graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor's in Marketing.  I have spent the past 6 years of my life in a Human Resources role for a local company.  They are a great company to work for and have also been very supportive whether it be with my business or furthering my education.  My husband works for UPS, which is usually when I spend most of my time working on Simply Southern.  We have been together for over 7 years and are thoroughly enjoying our new marriage!  He backs me 100% in every decision I make and has no doubt that Simply Southern can be a success, even if it means helping me cut paper.  I always say that I couldn't be luckier to have him, but it is true and I will continue to say it every day of my life. 

I am currently planning a wedding in October, including custom invitations.  I am also designing custom invitations for my best-friend's wedding in August,  I will post pictures as soon as those are delivered to their guests.  If you are interested in the services we can offer please contact me via email at simplysoutherneventsky@gmail.com and be sure to like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/simplysouthernky.

~Keeping it Simply Southern~
Heidi