Newest Badge: Blue Ribbon Vendor!

We've been a little MIA over here for the past few weeks, but for good reason! Yesterday we submitted our entry for the 2012 ISES Trinity awards in the Best Weddings category! Now that we're done with that, we'll be setting our sights on the 2012 ISES Esprit awards. Things haven't slowed down one bit in the meantime, though, and we have some very exciting news to share!

Does this look familiar to anyone?
 

I know this does!

That's right! Your Special Day Weddings & Special Events is now a Blue Ribbon Vendor with Southern Weddings! We are so honored to be given a warm welcome into such a sweet and friendly community of wedding professionals. Check out our Blue Ribbon Vendor listing and portfolio here!

Part of the reason this listing is such an honor is that obtaining this pretty little badge is no easy task! First we answered a few questions about how we fit the needs of Southern Weddings brides. Next we answered in-depth questions about our services, philosophy, background and strengths and weaknesses. Once accepted, we filled out our portfolio on SW's site to give brides some insight into our style and personality!

We thought that sharing some of our answers here might be a great way to let you all learn a little more about us! So, read on for answers to some of our preliminary questions:

How long have you been in business? It this a full-time business for you?

I [Shawn] have been in the business for 11 years. After working for another planner for six years, I felt like it was time for me to step out with my own approach to weddings. I started Your Special Day Weddings and Special Events in 2005. It is absolutely a full-time business (and more)!

Tell us about your relationship with your clients:

It’s very important to us to meet our clients right where they are. We can give advice, be mediators, be a support system, do the event design, be the event producers, etc. – but what we really want to do is be what each individual client needs. If our client wants us to be a task master and focus on making sure she gets everything checked off her list, we can be a task master. If our bride needs us to be a mother or sister figure, we can be that. We have found that when working with our brides, being just what they need us to be is the best approach because not every bride needs the same direction. 

What are your greatest strengths as a business?

My [Shawn's] 11 years of experience in this industry and my involvement with ISES are two of my greatest strengths as an event planner. This is my third year on the board of directors and second year as vice president for the local ISES chapter. Through ISES, I have formed relationships with outstanding vendors nationally as well as locally. This allows me to bring any type of service or product to my clients, no matter where they are located.  It also helps me find the best vendor matches for my clients, which is always a top priority. Our extremely high standards in customer service is another strength we bring to the table. My clients benefit greatly from the fact that we surround ourselves with vendors who share the same high expectations for customer service. We know we can’t do every single aspect of the day ourselves – the flowers, the lighting, the food, etc. – so we have formed relationships with vendors in whom we are completely confident to do an outstanding job in all of these areas.

If you haven't checked out our Blue Ribbon Vendor portfolio yet, it looks a little like this...

Here is a little peek into some of the fun questions Shawn answered!

Favorite thing about weddings in the South?

The southern hospitality! I work with so many vendors who really do understand the meaning of hospitality. They are warm and welcoming, they listen to their clients, truly care about them, and go above and beyond for them.

Best piece of advice you can give to brides and grooms?

Relax and focus on each other! Let your professionals handle the details, and you guys focus on what’s really important, which is the commitment you’re making in marriage. The day will go by so fast, so you have to be free from thinking about the small stuff. 

Dream travel destination? 

Italy. I’m going there before I die!

Favorite Southern city? 

Atlanta. Can you say GWTW??

Pie bar or red velvet cake? 

Pie bar. My favorites are pecan and lemon meringue!

Succulents or peonies? 

Peonies, hands-down. I’m looking forward to the peonies coming to my garden soon, transplanted from my great-uncle’s yard!