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Owning a wedding and event venue can be a rewarding experience - but are you safe when it comes to lawsuits and other potential legal issues?Justin Sutton of Nuptial joined me to talk about venues and how he helps them ensure they are doing things right when it comes to contracts, agreements, and legal entities.I think his elevator speech says it all: "We help wedding and event destinationsovercome hugechallenges." Three Takeaways:1. Prepare for the worst, because anything can happen when an open bar is involved (or not in one case...listen in to hear about a dry wedding gone wrong).2. Legal structures can be complicated and having a team of professionals can help you untangle the web of owning a wedding venue, as Justin says.3. Your contracts might need an update - it's always good to make sure you are protecting yourself and your business properly if you want to be in it for the long haul.Reach out to Justin and his team using this link if you are interested in working with him: https://nuptialrisk.com/

Food is much more than a substance. It's a vehicle for an experience, for memories, and for engagement. Christian Albrecht owns and operates Braised and Confit, a private chef service here in Asheville and the surrounding areas.The combination of local produce and a heartfelt passion for food, Christian serves up intimate dinners for small weddings, elopements, and private parties. Not only does he create great dining experiences for elopements and small weddings, but dinner parties as well. Check him out using the link below:https://www.braisedandconfit.com/

We've all heard the chant from local evangelists to buy local but sometimes we wonder why - isn't it just more expensive and less convenient? Well, when it comes to flowers it can help you create a more beautiful expression of your aesthetic. Meet Abby and Emily who are partners in their Asheville-based floral business, Wander Floral Design. Local flowers are fresh and "pop" more compared to flowers flown in from around the world. And of course, local flower farmers grow with the seasons so this will help you decide on which flowers to get - just see what they are usually growing during the time of year when you'll get married!Listen in to hear about how they make their partnership work - and why local flowers might be a good choice for your WNC wedding.https://wanderfloraldesign.com/ 

Nicole curates experiences for folks - creating mini retreats during their stay in Asheville.1. They can curate a range of experiences, everything from sunset hikes to group massages - or maybe a walking tour of Asheville!2. Looking for lodging? They can point you in the right direction for places that work well with their services.3. Their services are a great alternative to making a member of your party plan everything. https://ashevillewellnesstours.com/

The officiant plays more than just a legal role on the day of your wedding. They can set the mood by offering you a personalized ceremony - as opposed to just following a template found online.The best officiants I know are those that tailor the ceremony to the couple. This may or may not include intimate details on when and where they met - that's the beauty of a great wedding officiant - they truly want to get to know the couple and how much they want to share with their guests.Amanda Jones is the owner/officiant of Happily Ever Asheville. Although she mostly focuses on elopements and small weddings, Amanda can perform the officiating services at your wedding regardless of size.https://www.happilyeverasheville.com/https://www.weddingwire.com/biz/happily-ever-asheville/770cdf7cccfc124e.html

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Curious about when to send out your stationary? There are some things to consider when planning your wedding. Personally, I love getting something hand written in the mail! A stationary designer can ensure that your invites coordinate with your personality and vibe of the wedding.Three Key Takeaways:1. If you are late to send Save the Dates, just skip it and focus on the wedding invitations.2. Choose your wedding vendors based on personality, because that will ensure you work well with them throughout the process.3. Plan ahead - some rural towns may not deliver as soon as you would like. Add a few days for those invitations to arrive!Whitney Poersch is a stationary designer who resides in Knoxville, Tennessee.See her work and get in touch with Whitney by clicking the link below:https://www.instagram.com/invitationsbywhitney/?hl=en

Amanda Greene is the co-founder of Black Orchid Events NC, a planning and staffing company here in Asheville.  After being in the wedding industry for years, she decided that she was ready go out on her own!Top 3 Takeaways:1. Staffing is so important when it comes to the guest experience, because it's the staff that interacts with the guests. Your flowers might look beautiful but they can't talk to the guests! (don't get me wrong, I love good florals).2. A good planner will take care of any hiccups without you even realizing it.3. When your guests are coming from all over the country - make sure that they dress for the weather and know how to drive in the mountains. Maybe get a shuttle!She reminds folks to be flexible and open to possibilities regarding the realities of your wedding.Visit them using the link below!https://blackorchideventsnc.com/

We love our flower farmers here in Asheville! Loretta was kind enough to take some time to speak with me about her business and how she got started.Top 3 Takeaways:1. Keep flowers cold! Once they are cut - it's time to get them in the fridge and give em some flower food.2. Sometimes we need to take a break - burnout is real in this industry given the intensity of the work (weddings are mostly on Saturdays between April and November here in WNC)3. They host a u-pick farm, which I love! Hopefully I can make it up there this year to pick some flowers.You can check them out using the link below:https://www.theneverendingflowerfarm.com/

If you are serving alcohol at your wedding, there's some things you should know. After all my experience, I've come up with 3 tips in order to help you throw a more successful party. Listen in to here the WHY.Three Tips for Couples Getting Married 1. Forget the mixed drink bar2. Stick with local beer3. Hire a full service mobile bar company If you want to check our availability - fill out this form and we will let you know which bars are available for your date.https://www.jacks47.com/contact-us-for-your-mobile-bar

Meagan Culkin owns Magnolia Collective - a team of wedding planners throughout the North Carolina and the Southeast. We have worked a wedding together - she's been to the tasting lounge - and we finally recording a podcast together!Three Key Takeaways:1. Trends change over time - 10 years ago it was rustic or ballroom - now we are seeing a shift towards integrating different styles to show their unique touch. What was hip last year might not be next year!2. The bar experience has very popular as of late - having different stations and areas can help provide a fun and different experience for your guests. 3. With an increasingly nomadic culture, your wedding is a chance to see your friends and family that you might not see for years to come. Make a whole weekend out of it.Meagan has a great team of wedding planners - and she makes sure to match folks who are a great fit for you.https://www.idomagnolia.com/This podcast episode was hosted by Bryce Bjornson, owner of Jack's 47 Mobile Bar Co. If you care about your guests' experience and your venue doesn't have on site bar services - we could be a good fit for you. Check availability and pricing at https://www.jacks47.com/

Ever heard of a grounding ceremony? It’s time to lay down and let go, says Gina Angel, as she guides her couples through the process of clearing chakras.  Three Key Takeaways: She truly loves what she does - her wife says she lights up afterward! Her focus is on the LGBTQ community Setting intentions is far more powerful that we realize - it changes everything! Gina Angel is a wedding officiant here in Asheville, North Carolina. She specializes in micro weddings and elopements.https://www.allthethingsceremonies.com/

This was my first in person podcast interview at our tasting lounge in West Asheville. Regina and I had a great time talking about why a photographer is more than just a photographer - they are with you during the day more than anyone else - even your fiance.Top 3 Takeaways: 1. Your photographer is with you during intimate moments - make sure they are a good fit not just in style, but in personality.2. Burnout is real: as wedding vendors we need to take care of ourselves so that we can take care of our clients. Regina is still stoked after every wedding, just ask her husband!3. Consider finding a mentor if you are new to the industry. You can learn from their mistakes and achieve success quicker than doing it on your own.https://www.loveincolorphotography.com/This podcast episode was hosted by Bryce Bjornson, owner of Jack's 47 Mobile Bar Co. If you care about your guests' experience and your venue doesn't have on site bar services - we could be a good fit for you. Check availability and pricing at https://www.jacks47.com/

Joey Waters has recently moved back to North Carolina after working his disc jockey magic for the wedding scene down in Austin, Texas. Based out of Hickory, he's close to wedding venues in the Asheville, Boone,  and Charlotte wedding markets. 3 Key Takeaways:1. Reading the room is something a good DJ does - they understand the crowd better than an iPod ever will.2. Hire a professional - but also we all have to start from somewhere - so maybe hire your friend if you have faith in them!3. Joey also doubles as a live musician - which runs smoothly due to his sound system expertise.Check out his availability for your 2021 or 2022 wedding: https://joeywatersmusic.com/This podcast episode was hosted by Bryce Bjornson, owner of Jack's 47 Mobile Bar Co. If you care about your guests' experience and your venue doesn't have on site bar services - we could be a good fit for you. Check availability and pricing at https://www.jacks47.com/

Asheville Luxury Elopements (ALE) is your one stop shop for elopements and micro weddings. Their all inclusive packages are great for folks looking to hand all the planning and coordination to someone else.If you are coming in from out of state and just want someone else to handle it all, ALE could be just what you are looking for.On the other hand - if you are obsessed with details and particular about every single vendor - they might not be a good fit for you.No matter what - check them out!https://www.ashevilleluxuryelopements.comThis podcast episode was hosted by Bryce Bjornson, owner of Jack's 47 Mobile Bar Co. If you care about your guests' experience and your venue doesn't have on site bar services - we could be a good fit for you. Check availability and pricing at https://www.jacks47.com/

It's an honor to be the bar service at Jeanne and Zac's wedding reception! Jeanne Davies works for me here at Jack's 47 HQ. Her official title is "assistant to the regional manager" and she does a dang good job. She is also one of our bartenders and sometimes hosts tastings. Key Takeaways:1. When going the DIY route, remember to hire professional vendors when needed. Jeanne and Zac are doing their own catering, but hired a professional photographer and florist.2. Please consider hiring a wedding planner/coordinator. Jeanne is a unique case since it's not wedding season so she has time to handle all of the responsibilities of planning AND she has extensive experience in the wedding industry and event planning.3. You can step outside of the norm when it comes to non-alcoholic beverages: Jeanne batched up a blackberry lemonade that will be served on tap.We will be bringing Jack, our midnight blue truck to her wedding on 2/20/21. Tune in next week to hear the recap on her wedding and if it went down as planned.

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Julia Alberston of Heartfelt Elopements.https://www.heartfeltelopements.com/

Talk about a comeback! I can't be more proud of someone than Erica Serrano - showing her power through her work, I am a big fan.I can't even break this down into three takeaways - please just listen in to our convo and I'm sure you'll glean a golden nugget (or two).https://www.ericaserranophotography.com/

Meet Sam with Irvin Music Studio - who manages two separate businesses:1. Music lessons2. Live music for weddings and private eventsHere in Asheville, live music is becoming more popular each year as a way to add a nice touch to your ceremony, reception, or both!Learn more about Sam and his story by listening in. His website is below if you want to book!https://irvinmusicstudio.com/

What kind of bartending service do you need for your big day? Some folks might need a mobile bar whereas others might only need bartending service.Key Takeaways:1. There are different levels of mobile bar services - what level of service do you need?2. Mobile bar rigs come in all shapes and sizes. Most commonly, you'll see vintage bar trucks, camper bars, and horse trailer bars. 3. Kegs come in a few different sizes, but mainly 1/2 barrels and 1/6 barrels. When it comes to ordering kegs of beer, 1/2 barrel = 165 servings, 1/6 barrel = 55 servings.We offer a variety of mobile bar service options - inquire through our website and we'll get back to you with what's available: https://www.jacks47.com/contact-us-for-your-mobile-bar