Richmond Wedding Planner Spotlight: Make It Posh

Meet Sarah, the CEO and Principal Coordinator behind Make It Posh!

Tell us a little about your company!

We are a boutique planning company with a heavy emphasis on design. People ask us what it means to be a “boutique” planning company. Well, its all about your experience. We provide a boutique experience that is unparalleled in event coordination. I like to compare it to my favorite pastime: shopping. When you walk into a boutique to purchase something, you are greeted, engaged by someone genuinely happy to be there, and oftentimes, the owner of the store. You’re offered a beverage and a place to sit. It’s warm and hospitable. It’s comfortable and endearing. You won’t get the same level of service from a big box store, and you won’t get the same level of service or experience from other planning companies.

How did you get started in this business?

I have always been drawn to entertaining and party planning. From Sunday teas that I would help my Nana host to alumni and sorority events in college. It’s in my nature, but my love for weddings began when I got engaged and several other girls in my office got engaged. I planned my wedding and all of theirs at the same time and loved every minute of it! I had found my niche!

What’s your favorite wedding story??

I recently had a bride who is from Australia and she was living in NYC on a long term assignment from her employer. She wasn’t loving it and was really missing home. On Valentine’s day, right as her visa was getting ready to expire, she ran into an old friend from Australia who was also living in New York. She was added to a group text full of singles who were making Valentine’s plans. One gentleman was so interested to find out who the new girl on the group text was he spent the afternoon FB stalking and joined everyone for dinner.

They instantly fell in love, and he declared that he was going to marry her as soon as possible. She renewed her visa and eventually fell in love with NYC. She just had to find a reason to love the city. They just got married in October here in VA and will be having a 2nd “Aussie” Wedding in Melbourne this February.

Why do you like working with weddings?

I love the intimacy of weddings. It’s the coming together of two families, and it’s such a great celebration of life. I love the uniqueness of everyone’s story and their personalities. If you’ve ever been to a wedding, you know how joyous they are and how much fun they are to be a part of!

From a vendor’s perspective, what is the one best piece of advice you can offer to engaged couples?

I say it all the time, but try not to get bogged down in the details. Yes, details are important and special, but don’t lose sight of the big picture. Enjoy being engaged and the excitement of getting married. Don’t forget to plan for your marriage and not just your wedding, too.

How far in advance should couples book your services?

12+ months is ideal. The earlier you book, the easier the planning process will be, and we can help you with finding vendors that match your style.

What inspired you the most / where do you find inspiration?

I love creating my own inspiration actually. Sure, I look at Pinterest and Instagram like everyone else, but I have an affinity for design and make an effort to design vignettes and styled shoots to try new things and come up with new ideas. I just participated in a styled shoot in NYC for Aisle Society.  It was so fun to work with 5 other planners to create a really unique shoot and cocktail party during Bridal Fashion Week for other industry pros.

What do you like to do when you are away from work?

Travel! We have been bitten by the travel bug big time. I love any opportunity whether it’s traveling for business or pleasure (or both)! This year we’ve been to London, Paris, Nice, Monaco, San Remo, Hilton Head Island, Charleston, Savannah, NYC, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and we’ll be in Long Beach over the winter!

What would we be surprised to learn about you?

I love knowing things. I’m always Googling answers to questions I don’t know and reading whatever I can to learn something new. Useless knowledge is my favorite. If you see me out and have a fun fact, please share it with me!

Thank you, Sarah, for chatting with us!!  If you’d like to learn more about Make It Posh and how they can help you plan your dream wedding, please visit www.makeitposh.com or email sarah@makeitposh.com.