perfecting the art of celebration
It’s nice to meet you! i am a wife to my college sweetheart, mother to a redheaded little boy, former opera singer, wine lover, and new orleans native, who has called charlotte, nc home for more than 7 years. i’m a natural-born leader that takes pride in serving others, creating memorable celebrations, and maintaining poise while under pressure.
a love of creativity has always been a driving force in my life. i believe there is inspiration + beauty always surrounding us – we just have to look! my favorite part of our process is getting to know my couples on a deeper level so that i can help them create an experience that is truly unique + inspired by them. to see our design go from illustrations + concepts to physical form in real life is magical! so few are able to excel at both planning + design – and my skill set, developed since a young age, affords me great aptitude in both the creative + logistic aspects of event production. working with couples to plan +design their dream weddings makes every day feel like an adventure, and i am honored to be able to witness the love + pure joy that my couples (and their guests!) share. i am truly thrilled to get to know you so i can bring to life everything that makes you special as a couple. it is my mission to ensure your guests really feel your love, and experience your joy through + through!
XO, Ashley
Who We Are let the graceful host create a one-of-a-kind experience for you to enjoy for years to come! our process involves a combination of coordination +logistics, with a customized design process. we are more than just a "wedding planner" for our couples: we are also a wedding designer; a skilled producer of events; a creative director; a trusted guide; a seasoned advisor; and knowledgeable expert. the graceful host has over 6 years of experience creating wedding celebrations throughout the carolinas, welcoming guests to well over 70 weddings. with the graceful host by your side, you can feel confident that every last detail will be handled with the utmost care throughout each stage of planning. my experienced team will ensure that everything runs smoothly on one of the most important days of your life - so you can be the graceful host.
personal attention
stress-free planning
when you choose the graceful host to plan your wedding, ashley will work closely with you to ensure that your wedding is more than an event. this will be an experience that you and your guests will cherish for years to come. ashley believes that the secret to designing and planning gorgeous weddings lies in getting to know her couples. a wedding is a celebration of a couple’s love, and the design and execution of a wedding should reflect just that! by working closely with you, ashley will help you define your style and infuse your love story into the design of your wedding day. ashley takes a limited number of weddings each year to preserve our high quality client experience,
one of the most overwhelming aspects of planning a wedding are the logistics. from creating the perfect floor plan to reserving hotel blocks for your guests, every wedding comes with a lengthy to-do list—especially if your guest list is a mile long. the graceful host makes the wedding planning experience enjoyable by taking that to-do list off of your hands. ashley will guide you through the fun, exciting aspects of wedding planning, like choosing the cake and picking the right bridesmaid dresses. the tedious details, like how many table cloths to order? you won’t have to give them a second thought.
The Full Service Approach i believe a full service approach to wedding planning is the perfect recipe for an enjoyable experience + for creating a cohesive design with our client’s unique story in mind. and because of my desire to give attention to the little details, from the very start until the very end, the graceful host only accepts a limited number of weddings each calendar year. my process involves a combination of coordination + logistics with a highly customized design process. i see my role in your wedding as your guide + support through the process of wedding planning. all the tools + education you need for a stress-free + enjoyable planning experience will be provided for you so that you can focus on what matters most. from recommending vendors to managing budgets + timelines, the graceful host will be with you to handle all the little nuances of wedding planning to ensure that nothing is overlooked. through a comprehensive design process, i will help you create the wedding of your dreams by bringing all your pintrest pins + wedding inspiration into reality, in a way that makes sense for your style + your budget. i want to help tell your story through a customized design, created just for you + your fiancÊ. couples may have an idea in mind + want help being able to translate that into reality. or you may want to start from scratch. whatever the case may be, after our design meeting i will provide you with a personalized and cohesive design plan that covers everything from inspiration + themes, color palettes, linens, rentals, proposed floor plans, + design concepts from centerpieces to invitations to cakes. on your wedding day, our team will be there to oversee all details + manage vendors from set-up to strike + everything in between. i love working with couples to create a one-of-a-kind event design that is a perfect reflection of you and your fiancÊ, telling your story for all your guests to experience + enjoy!
Our Process how does this all work? in addition to giving my couples access to my extended network of amazing wedding vendors, i like to take advantage of technology to help you plan for your big day. here are a few of the tools that we’ll use to streamline the planning process: • • • • • •
a dedicated google drive account where we will store copies of all your files so that you can access them on demand at any time a personalized check-list that is tailored around your schedule with deadlines for an easier planning experience a planning notebook so that you can keep all your notes in one easy to access place and can personalize however you like a production budget that fits your unique vision for your wedding day a dedicated pintrest account full of wedding inspiration that will compliment your customized design plan a detailed wedding day timeline for vendors + family members
Our Process part one: planning + design phase as soon as we receive a signed agreement + retainer from you, we begin planning + designing your event right away. ashley leads every single event + will work closely with each couple. to kick off the planning process, ashley will send you an official welcome letter complete with access to your google drive folder and a client survey, so that we can fully understand your event goals + challenges, as well as your design ideas, which will help initiate the design process. ashley will guide you through each step of the planning process, making sure each task is checked off our list, as well as creating recommendations for your creative team that are tailored to your unique needs + budget. each couple approves the proposed budget + timeline that ashley will create at the start of the planning process. when it is time to begin the design process, ashley will meet with the couple for a comprehensive design consultation where we’ll collaborate to create your wedding vision, making sure each design element is cohesive. following this consultation, ashley will provide the couple with a 20-30 page presentation, outlining the design direction, complete with visuals and design concepts that support your event goals + overall vision. transparency is paramount to our relationship with you. you will review + sign every invoice + contract, and pay each vendor directly.
Our Process part two: production phase as production is underway, ashley will place orders + finalize proposals with your selections made following the design consultation. this is where your ideas + details come to life! 30 to 45 days prior to the wedding, ashley will meet with the couple to have a production meeting. here we’ll discuss the wedding weekend details, such as what to expect, the timeline for the wedding, + tie up any loose ends with regards to planning + design. ashley will create a detailed, by the minute production schedule timeline for the couple, their guests, + their vendor team. this timeline will also include details such as load-in/strike schedules for vendors. thirty days prior to the wedding, ashley will send an updated final expenses spreadsheet outlining all remaining vendor payments. once headcount has been finalized, ashley will make any updates to the invoices + floor plans, as needed. ashley will also contact all vendors confirming services + sharing a detailed wedding day timeline.
The Deliverables • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
unlimited hours of phone, email and/or in-person consultations checklists, timelines, + expense management tailored vendor + decor recommendations negotiate vendor contracts + obtain discounts wherever possible. as well as, passing on discounts when able communication with all vendors on behalf of the couple set up any vendor appointments on behalf of the couple attend key vendor consults with the couple assist in menu creation + dining experience create a personalized design plan for the couple assist in floor plan creation + flow of the celebrations manage any necessary wedding day transportation source, coordinate + deliver welcome boxes/letters for guests coordinate hotel room blocks for guests mail all invitations, including save the dates, on behalf of the couple, if desired
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rsvp tracking, if desired creation of a complimentary wedding website with custom url, if desired coordinate wedding day-of paper goods (i.e. menus, signs, programs, etc.) delivery of wedding gifts + personal items to the location designated by the couple following the reception develop a wedding day itinerary for the couple + vendors oversee + orchestrate the set up + strike of ceremony + reception locations on the day of wedding management of the wedding day itinerary, vendors and wedding party 1 principal planner (ashley), 1 lead event producer and 1 assistant on the day of the wedding attend + direct the rehearsal on the evening prior to the wedding direct the wedding ceremony on the day of the wedding
The Graceful Host client is • • • • • •
professional devoted to his/her career, with little time to devote to planning an avid traveler with well-rounded life experiences who is often in the air + always on the go lover of creativity + meaningful details decisive + analytical thinker that is a good decision maker when presented with tailored options + thoughtful solutions priorities for the event include an impeccable design aesthetic, gorgeous photography, spectacular food, craft cocktails, high-level entertainment value, + high-touch details throughout every aspect of an elevated guest experience light-hearted individual who is looking for a personalized experience while making preparations for a special milestone
The Graceful Host client looks for • • • •
an established planner + designer possessing innovative ideas + resources to meet the requirements of a high-level, extraordinary experience a seasoned + stylish designer pulling from an exclusive network of suppliers for an event design that is beautiful + cohesive solutions-oriented strategic producers + forward-thinking logistics experts adept at resolving challenges in high-pressure situations a decisive leader throughout the production + management phases, capable of optimizing logistics + run-of-show
thank you so much for taking the time to inquire about our services! it would be such an honor to serve you and your families during this special time in your lives! i can’t wait to get to know you better! if i can answer any additional questions about our planning + design services, please don’t hesitate to ask. following a complimentary consultation, i will provide for you a proposal for planning + design services that is tailored to your events unique needs. thank you so much, again, for considering the graceful host to be a part of your celebration! i look forward to meeting you soon and to hearing all about your wedding plans! XO, Ashley
website: www.gracefulhost.com facebook: facebook.com/thegracefulhost instagram: @thegracefulhost pinterest: pinterest.com/thegracefulhost