Meet Kim Moody, Owner, Lead Planner, and Event Designer with Kim Moody Design and their store, trend. The team at Kim Moody Design will do whatever it takes to make sure you’re happy and your event is absolutely perfect on the day of!

Sean DeWitt Photography

What makes you or your business stand out and why should a couple hire you?
The team at Kim Moody Design focuses on total event design. We manage the logistics, schedules, vendors, communication, and all of that just like any great wedding planner should! BUT, what sets us apart is our background in the arts and our focus on an event as a design experience for your guests! Our team is extremely collaborative and we are always reinventing the artistic beauty of a wedding and reception.

What’s a weird/unusual tip you tell your couples?
Drink plenty of water the week prior to the wedding.

I know it sounds cliché, but it’s SO important. Water is an easy thing to disregard when you are busy, but it’s crucial to feel and look your best on your wedding day. Hydration is key! We like to tote our adorable monogrammed water bottles from our retail store “trend.” to keep us hydrated.

Jessica Maida Photography

What’s your favorite thing about what you do?
My favorite thing about my job is the creativity, and creating event magic for my clients. I like to find out the direction they want us to go when planning their wedding, and then my goal is to always blow their minds by enhancing what they hope to achieve and taking it up a few notches. I love the look on their faces when they walk into their reception space once it’s setup. The gift of watching them experience the enchantment their guests will see is so rewarding to me.

How did you get to where you are now?
We’ve come a long way baby.

14 years being self-employed as a wedding planner has shown me some experiences that are almost unimaginable. I’ve worked in the wedding industry since I was 15 years old, and there have been an incredible set of changes in the wedding industry since then. The past 20 years have revolutionized how we’ve done business as an entire industry. Great customer service, commitment to our clients, and finding a balance between creativity and budgets is how we’ve grown into the business we’ve become today!

Alex C. Tenser Photography

What’s something every couple should know before getting married?
You don’t have to have all of the answers! Lean on the professionals you hire to guide you through the process. Make sure you are compatible with your vendors because you spend some intimate moments together. Don’t get so caught up in trying to learn the types of flowers you like, the names of the linens, or the sauces you want on your food – a talented wedding planner should help you translate your likes and dislikes into guest experiences and make the process fairly seamless for you

What’s your go-to spot to eat in RVA?
Greek on Cary is my “go to” lunch pick-up spot when I’m working at our office because we are next door.

For a business lunch it’s Can Can or The Daily – all “locally owned” businesses of course!

Alex C. Tenser Photography

What did you want to be when you were little?
An artist! Every year in school from Pre-K on up I always wanted to be an artist. I guess, in a way I’m living a modified version on that little girl’s dream.

[Sorry Dad, I know you wanted me to be the Commonwealth’s Attorney!]

What was your first job?
I had 2 jobs in high school – both of which probably lead me to the career I’m in now!

From age 15-24 I sold wedding gowns at two different bridal shops. I learned so much about the psychology of what a bride experiences by doing this for so long. Since that work was so seasonal, I also worked in a restaurant and did catering. Of course weddings were my favorite events. I continued part-time jobs in both of those aspects of the industry until I was in Architecture School, so I must have known I was tooling up for the next phase of my life!

Jessica Maida Photography

What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
Who the heck has time for breakfast!?

Where is your happy place?

I LOVE to spend time at Lake Gaston. We have a little place down there, and over the years have enjoyed many weekend adventures at the LKG. Our little place is nothing fancy, but it’s only about 50 minutes from our home and it feels like a world away!

What’s the coolest thing you’re working on now?
A top secret project that I am SO excited about. Something unusual and fun. My favorite part of my job is the event styling. I would do that 5 days a week if I could!!

What would be in your dream sandwich?
Well the KMD team LOVES to eat, so we are not a stranger to amazing sandwiches. I would design a sandwich on grilled garlic naan bread stacked high with sliced turkey, slivers of crispy strips of grilled gryo meat, endive, avocado slices, pesto mayo, sun dried tomatoes, with a balsamic reduction drizzled on top. Served with a side of homemade potato chips and blood oranges!

Is it time for lunch yet???

Nachos. What would you put on yours?
Oh my gosh you guys are making me wish I’d eaten breakfast!

Quinoa tortilla chips sprinkled with lime and then a layer of melted cheese would be the base of my custom nacho plate. I would then add a layer of taco meat, white beans, homemade salsa, a layer of cilantro, a few black olives, romaine, and a drizzled of cilantro cream sauce on top.

Jessica Maida Photography

What’s your go-to dance move?
Dancing is my thing. I’ve been asked if couples could “rent me to get their wedding reception started” before I was a planner… this is a career option I’m going to purse if my DJ friends ever let me know there is a niche market for it. I’ve always wanted the job title “party starter!”

I don’t have a specific “move” but crank up the hip hop, grab a cocktail, and watch me go. 🙂

Learn more about Kim Moody and the rest of her team at KMD and trend. on their websites, kimmoodydesign.com  and trendva.com