I have always talked about the connections that you make with people when you work with them on such an important event like a wedding. Sometimes, you have clients whose connection happens so easily it surprises you. That’s what happened with Kaitlynne Grice, former bride and newest wedding director for Atlanta.
After Kaitlynne’s amazing spring wedding, she began asking us (and by us, I mean our Birmingham director Courtney) a lot of questions. Basically, you could say that her interest was piqued. At that point, an Atlanta expansion was more of an in-the-future type of thing. I honestly wasn’t sure if we could take it on at the time. But, Courtney convinced me to talk with her. Kaitlynne came to me with so much determination and true business strategy that it just made sense. From there, things flowed naturally. Once we got her and Morgan in the same room, it was obvious that this was going to happen.
So here we are, excited to bring Kaitlynne’s solid ambition and true investment in her clients, her community and this industry to our team and to Atlanta. And just to let you get to know her a little more, we thought we’d interview her for you. Enjoy!
How did you get involved with weddings? I became involved with weddings after having such a good time planning my own. I have always enjoyed planning parties and get-togethers for my friends and family, and wedding planning felt beyond natural.
How would you describe yourself? I am loud, loyal, caring, passionate, organized/borderline type-A, motivated, ambitious, loving and impatient.
What did you think you were going to be when you grew up, and did you ever imagine this is what you would be doing with your life? I never had a set career “path” in mind that I dreamed of doing as a child, however, I knew that I wanted to have a career that I was passionate about, and that in someway contributed to helping someone, something, or society. A year ago, I thought I would be in law school, so it is excitingly frightening to be a wedding planner. No, I do not think I saw myself as a wedding planner, but interestingly, it is a perfect fit. I feel like I actually do help my brides on one of the most monumental days of their lives, and it is the best feeling in the world.
What lessons has your work life taught you? Flexibility. Failing to plan is planning to fail. You must be able to work well with all types of people. Hoping for the best in people, but preparing for the worst. Learning how to function and prosper as a team and delegate responsibilities.
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful in wedding planning? Detail awareness, organizational skill, people skills (this is key!)
What motivates you? goals, helping people, changing the world, money, success
How do you generate new ideas? reading, reading, reading. Magazines, people, art. Ideas are everywhere, you just have to be willing to see them.
What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear? My greatest fear is failure, but in order to succeed you must fail, learn and grow from experiences. I try to view all of my mistakes as learning experiences.
What is your guilty pleasure? chocolate, bad reality television, sleeping far later than appropriate.
What has been the happiest moment in your life? my husband proposing
Who has been your greatest inspiration? My husband, because he always encourages me, even when I want to quit. In terms of people I do not know, I love Jackie Kennedy’s grace in the face of adversity and often find myself asking “what would Jackie do?” 🙂
What is your favorite aspect of wedding planning? The feeling of it all coming together, especially right after the bride walks down the aisle. You know you have significantly contributed to making this day one of the happiest of her life, and it is an amazing feeling.
What are you proudest of? I am most proud of my ability to never quit.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business? As someone who worked various clothing retail jobs all through high school and college, it feels unbelievably satisfying to work together as a team to reach a common goal. Beyond that, I hope my most satisfying moment in business is yet to come! (wink wink Julie!)
What does your office or workspace look like? It is currently being constructed, so back to that later!
How would you like to be remembered? As a caring, loyal, loving person who in some small way made the world a better place for even just one person.
Who is your role model and why? My mother, because she takes chances, says what she thinks, and she has never been afraid to dream big.
Who is your spirit animal? Lion, without a doubt.
Who would play you in a movie? Emma Stone, because she is goofy and amazing.
What is your pet peeve? Laziness. Gum outside of one’s mouth.
One thing you never leave the house without. Chapstick, inhaler.
Early bird or night owl? Night owl.
What is your greatest adventure? As I write this, I am sitting in South Africa, and to date this has been my greatest adventure. It has been full of family, friends, food, love and new things.
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