Join us in welcoming Marina Tompkins, Director of Vendor Relations & Office Administration with The Estate at River Run! Marina is giving us the scoop on her favorite wedding trends and answers her most frequently asked question. See a guest feature from Marina’s pup, Hobbes, at the end!
How many years have you been in the wedding industry? I’ve been in the wedding industry 3.5 years now! I have been with The Estate at River Run the whole time, & can’t think of a better introduction to the business!
What’s your specific role in the wedding process? Are you hands on with the couples or do you work behind the scenes? I am the Director of Vendor Relations and Office Administration at The Estate at River Run. I am mostly behind the scenes, but you can catch me at events sometimes! On the vendor side, I help vendors get onboarded at the property, track insurance, and answer questions they may have. As far as the Office Administration side, I handle the scheduling of site visits, whether it’s for photo sessions or 60-day walkthroughs or just a meeting with a vendor on their team! I’m also behind the email listed on our website, so all inquiries go through me!
When should couples book their services with you?
As the venue, you should absolutely be looking at us first as different venues have different requirements for the vendors that can work there. The only other vendor that might come ahead of us is your Planner–but again, your venue may have specific requirements that the Planner you pick ahead of contracting your venue may not meet, so the venue should usually always be the first stop!
What’s your most frequently asked question by engaged couples? I’m most often asked about insurance requirements. We require the couples to have their own “day-of” insurance policy, and everyone who comes on-site serving in a vendor capacity must also hold comparable insurance. The reason we hold these requirements is to protect the property for the enjoyment of future couples, and also to protect the clients from having to cover any incidents out-of-pocket. Should an incident occur that damages the property, we have to turn it around within a few days, so that we can offer the same quality facility to our next couples–so insurance is an important aspect of hosting an event in a property as massive as ours!
What are some trends you’ve seen in weddings recently that you’ve loved? I am a sucker for bistro lighting; whether it’s around the pool for cockt ail hour, or if you’re dining on the Bluestone Terrace al-fresco. I also love when couples use a bunch of colors in their florals! We had a couple do a unique seating chart where each person had a single flower attached to their table assignment, and then the guests got to arrange their centerpieces with those bud vases of flowers, and I just thought that was the coolest seating chart I’ve ever seen!
Do you have any unique tips for couples when choosing their vendors? Trust your venue and planning teams to help you select vendors that will not only be able to execute your vision for your event, but will have an excellent working relationship with your venue/planner which, as the saying goes, “teamwork makes the dream work!” Often times venues/planners will have preferred lists that will be able to help you find the most cohesive team.
When it comes to food, what’s your guilty pleasure? Bread! I love a good, crusty baguette! 😉
What’s a fun or unusual fact about yourself? I’m a total open book, if someone has the nerve to ask me a question, I’ll answer them honestly! My go-to “fun fact” about myself is more on the “medical side” and since it’s so unique it’s hard for anything else to come to mind. I have 2 uteruses & 1 son from each of them! It’s called Uterus Didelphys and although it’s rare and can lead to complications, it’s also really cool how the body works!
How do you de-stress? I enjoy listening to audiobooks & a good show to binge-watch when I get the chance.
What’s been your favorite ‘first-dance’ song recently? I haven’t heard it used as a first dance song yet, but my special first-dance pick would definitely be “Expensive” by Andy Grammar. My favorite line is, “I don’t need grand gestures, no bouquet of roses, private jet moments; Burberry or a Bentley, no–just sugar in my tea will do!” Nice things are nice, but I value quality of connection over a big price tag.
Do you have any pets? I have an AmStaff/Pittie mix named Hobbes. He’s about to turn 5 years old. He’s got such beautiful brindle striping, that’s why he got named after a tiger. Hobbes is one of THE most loving and affectionate dogs I have ever met. He even sleeps under the blankets with me every night!
What are you reading right now? Or what’s your favorite movie? I am working my way through the latest Outlander audiobook right now, and I definitely am a fan of the show! I’m very theatrically inclined & everything about that show is phenomenal even if some of the storylines can be difficult to get through.
Anything else you want our followers to know? One of the most important things when it comes to fulfilling your dream event, is to have a great relationship with the people involved in the production of it. We want to embrace all of our clients as extended members of our family and truly celebrate your union with you! We genuinely care about our clients and there is nothing better than an absolutely flawless wedding brought to fruition through a phenomenal team and the sense of joy and satisfaction it brings of the shared experience to the vendor team and the clients. 🙂
Contact Marina!
Email: admin@theestateatriverrun.com
Website: https://theestateatriverrun.com/
Instagram: @estateatriverrun