Planner Profile // Grit & Grace

Image Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

Checking social media on New Years Day, you expect to see New Years Resolutions and a whole lot of hangovers. But this year, think again. I saw my well-established and highly sought-after wedding planner friends announcing a rebrand! And not just a new look. A new NAME too!? It was shocking. In a good way. After all, I would expect nothing less from the ladies of Grit & Grace, formerly Events in the City. This bold change, brilliantly executed, is yet another example of the passion and creativity these ladies offer up for each and every project they take on.

Without further adieu, let's hear from the ladies themselves!

Please tell us a little about yourself and how you ended up as a wedding planner?

We have varied background in fashion, film, hotels and catering. Megan and Laura met while working at a catering company and sitting across from one another. Brainstorming and bouncing ideas off of each other because a constant thing and after one big collaboration, three bottles of wine and an epiphany we decided that we had to work together. We jumped in with both feet, quit our day jobs and here we are seven years later!

Image Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

What sets you apart from other planners in the industry?

We are very lucky to be in a market where there is so much talent and genuine friendship between the planners. To set us apart we strive to design completely unique events each and every time. We have coined a term called “Reflective Event Design” where we truly try to dive deep into the heart of our clients and make their events a reflection of their personalities and the relationship between them. Beyond that though, we go above and beyond for our clients, stretching our reach and exhausting all outlets to ensure an enjoyable planning process for everyone involved as well as a seamless event day itself. Lastly we proudly feel as though we are a 'vendor's vendor'….we have been on that side of the event before so we know how to keep our vendors happy and wanting to be a great participant in our events not only for us, but for our clients too.

Please describe your ideal client.

Everyone and anyone. Honestly we love different, unique and unlike the last client. However, I can say that clients that want help, are open to our expertise, and genuinely are ready to work collaboratively on their big event are our favorites.

Please describe your signature style.

Thoughtful Details. Descriptive and Entrancing Layers. Creative ways to reflect the clients throughout the event. We want the guests to feel, see, taste, smell the event from all angles. When entering the event space we want them to see the full scope, absorb the lighting and let their eyes dance around the room. However as they move into the room we want the details to be the parts that sing….a special napkin fold, a quirky floorplan, a song played at just the right moment…it seems silly but its all those little nuances that make the whole big story memorable and not just another “pink wedding”.

Image Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

What’s your favorite way to enhance the guest experience?

We like to enhance the guest experience by keeping them engaged at the event through our design. We constantly want to remind our clients about how the guests will experience each of the vendors we choose. For example we prefer not to waste money on things that are overlooked and wasteful, on the flip side we find that guests always comment on the quality of their creative menu cards because they are actual handling that item for an hour while held captive at dinner.

We have also done a few amazing moments at events that really stand out to us. We had a surprise a capella group sing during a processional. They had been posing as guests prior to the bride coming down and then as she made her descent, groups of them stood up in duos and trios. It really got people talking!

We also have made it snow inside as a surprise for all the guests who we sat looking on as the bride and groom were in the midst of their first dance. As soon as the snow started to fall, at just the right moment during the song of course, the tears started flowing and cheers from the hundreds of guests was so powerful that I don't think anyone will ever forget it!

What’s the best advice you have for brides and grooms to be?

Headcount Headcount Headcount. Get your headcount tight and right from the beginning. It's the key to your whole budget, to which venue will hold you, and ultimately how we can help you design your wedding.

Best part of being a planner?

Turning clients into dear friends for life. The planning process is a 12-18 months out of our lives too. We dream about your big day, we worry about your budget and we genuinely care about the success of your event. Its not just a job for us, we know this is special and we are honored to be apart of this big day.

Image Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

Most challenging part of being a planner?

Breaking bad news to clients. We often have to be the voice of reason and we are not just “yes” (wo)men. You have hired us for our expertise and to be a third set of eyes on what the plans are. If it's not worth it, we are going to tell you. If you can’t afford it, we are the ones to put a halt to it. If it's a terrible idea, we are going to be waiving the white flag.

Biggest wedding disaster and how you overcame it?

Weather. Damn you weather and your East Coast unpredictability. Its the one thing we can’t control and the biggest factor that affects weddings around here. We have done weddings in torrential rain storms, tornados, snowmageddon, 110 degree heat and two during the dorecho. We always have to plan for the worst case scenario and remind clients that you need to love Plan B and C almost more than Plan A just so they can shake it off.

Fave celebrity wedding?

Whitney Port. Her custom dress, the vibe and creative noticeable details totally spoke to us. I also love Matthew Robbins wedding. He used all greens for his centerpieces and just something that I've always remembered and it was so on-trend but timeless too.

Fave color palette?

I like weddings like really commit to a color scheme that might be a little bit unpredictable, but can be so memorable.…Reds and Pinks, Blues and Burgundy, Green and Rose.

Fave spot for a destination wedding?

The highlands of North Carolina. If you haven’t been, go! It's a hidden gem and a tiny town that totally caterers to destination events. The Old Edwards Inn was just a magical place to plan and execute one of our all-time favorite weddings.

Image Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

Fave ‘something blue’?

Heirloom jewelry in aquamarine or blue topaz. Also love a secret sewn-in message inside the dress.

Fave floral?

We really love all flowers this is such a hard question! I think all time favorites include cafe au lait dahlias, and peachy garden roses. And of course we also love flowers that are nightmares for our floral event designer friends because of their unpredictability and unhandiness like poppys and anemones. Also love love love the use of greens. It can really enhance a design just beyond a mountain of flowers and adds personality.

Image Credit: Adam Barnes Photography

Fave Insta feed these days?

@amberiteriors

@kellywearstler

@calicowallpaper

@theperfectpalatte

@nateberkus

@matthewrobbins

@mattcrump

@jwsinteriors

@theschoolofstyling

Why the rebrand? Where did the name "Grit & Grace" came from?

We rebranded from Events In The City to Grit & Grace on January 1st 2016. After almost seven years as EITC, we just felt that it was time to shed that skin and come into a new name that we felt reflected us better. The phrase was something Laura’s late mother has penned in her diary in reference to how she wanted to live her days with “Grit & Grace”. We read it a couple of years ago and it always stuck with us. Over the summer we felt the timing was right and so we took the big leap! We think it paid off big time and though it was scary, it is so rewarding to feel at home in this new brand.

Image Credit: Abby Jiu Photography

Thank you Laura & Megan for taking the time to answer so many of our questions. I'm sure our readers loved getting to know you better!