Jessica has been recognized as a preferred vendor to work with by her industry peers, earned TheKnot.com’s Best of Weddings award 9 times, and been inducted into TheKnot.com Hall of Fame. Jessica is a multi-award-winning photographer, a leader in her industry, and an educator to up-and-coming photographers through her Embark Retreat.
I am so excited to showcase local Austin wedding planner, coordinator and stylist Ashley O’Bryan! I had the pleasure of working a wedding with her on Valentine’s Day at the beautiful Camp Lucy for Ryann & James’ wedding and we had so much fun working together! Ashley was always on top of things during our planning process and took care of everyone so well the day of the wedding I just knew I had to get to know her better! I’m so thankful she let me interview her and do a fun portrait session this week out at Camp Lucy’s vineyards and glamping area! Grab a coffee, relax and enjoy some great answers for those of you planning your wedding or events!
Much Ado Austin
Business website: www.muchadoaustin.com
Business email: ashley@muchadoaustin.com
Instagram: @muchadoaustin
What’s your favorite part about helping plan/coordinate a couple’s wedding day?
A: I love seeing the vision for the day really come together. From a color palette to a surprise encore song, getting to be a part of the biggest day in a family’s life is really an honor.
Do you have any fun/memorable wedding concepts you’ve helped create?
A: This past spring, I helped a bride & close friend with her wedding and we came up with the theme of “Forest Gully” as she really wanted to pull in lush textures & rich colors of the Pacific Northwest (where she is originally from) and blend them with rustic, luxe touches. The final looks was amazing, and it was also pretty special to see one of my friends marry her best friend.
How many weddings have you coordinated/planned and/or how many weddings/couples do you work with in a year?
A: Oh my! That’s a good question. It’s probably somewhere around 300 events. When I managed wedding venues, I’d normally have 2-6 weddings per weekend. Now that I own my business, I prefer to have 1-2 weddings per month, depending on the size & scope of each. I like having the ability to know clients on a more personal level, and I feel like I’m able to provide a better experience as well.
What are a few things all brides should know when hiring a wedding planner?
A:
What are things that couples can do to make sure their wedding goes smoothly?
About how many hours do you typically spend planning a wedding?
A: This really depends on what type of package a couple books. If I’ve been hired as a Month-Of Coordinator, I normally spend about 30 hours throughout the month leading up to the wedding day & then about 12-14 hours onsite for the wedding itself. Full-Service Planning require hundreds of hours throughout the months/year leading up to the wedding.
What is the difference between a coordinator and a planner?
A: I’m not 100% sure if the industry defines them in different ways (I know I’m bad about using the two terms interchangeably), but I’ve always thought of a coordinator as someone who pulls the plans/details together closer to the wedding date (i.e. Month-Of Coordinator, Day-Of Coordinator) and executes from there while a planner actually helps to create the plans/details of the wedding (i.e. Full Service Planner) and is also in charge of executing on the wedding day.
How did you get started with weddings?
A: I was always interested in weddings as a girl (all my Barbie dolls had wedding dresses), and while I was in college, my school added an event planning program. I really liked the program and found an internship after my junior year, which led to my 1st job after graduation. From there, I landed a job working under a wedding planner who had over 30 years of experience and learned a TON about the industry.
After moving to Austin, I got a job working with a venue management & planning company and managed 2 of the wedding venues they partnered with.
Last spring I decided to start my own planning & styling company, Much Ado Austin! It was a scary leap, but it’s been a fantastic learning & growing experience.
What’s your favorite activity to do in your free time?
A: taking long walks around Town Lake with my pups.
Pick one…
-Wine or Beer?
A: Really sweet wine (like dessert wine) or hard apple ciders.
-Target or Home Goods?
A: Target. What doesn’t Target have?!
-Coffee or Tea?
A: Tea . . . with a lots of sweetener.
– Dogs or Cats?
A: I’m mildly obsessed with my pup, Giovanni {he has a Twitter handle}, and we just adopted a new dog named Walter. But one of my best friends has a cat named Dixie, and she’s pretty cool, too. 😉
-Italian food or Mexican Food?
A: Mexican! Specifically Torchy Taco’s . . . not sure if that counts as real Mexican though.
-Summer or Winter weather?
A: SUMMER all the way!! If it could be summer January-October and then cool off (just a bit) in November & December, I’d be happy.
-Ice Cream or Cookies?
A: ice cream sandwich ;)-
-Lake or Ocean?
A: Ocean. I’ve never lived near one, so beaches remind me of vacation.
Thank you Ashley!! Make sure to contact her via email for more information or visit the website:
Much Ado Austin
Business website: www.muchadoaustin.com
Business email: ashley@muchadoaustin.com
Instagram: @muchadoaustin
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Now Booking Austin/Texas/Destination Weddings for 2016!
Email for availability & investment information: Jessica@JessicaFreyPhotography.com
Jessica Frey is an award-winning, Texas Hill Country-based international wedding and event photographer committed to delivering a high-quality experience complete with stunning and joyful images.