Q&A with Lead Planner and Owner Jenny Lynn
Planning a wedding can be exciting but also a bit stressful. To help understand more about what goes into making a wedding perfect, we talked to Jenny Lynn, the lead wedding planner and owner of Before the Vows. With lots of experience and a love for creating one-of-a-kind moments, Jenny is an expert in the wedding world. In this Q&A, we learn about her journey, favorite venues, current trends, and tips to help couples make their big day seamless and stress-free.
Q: How did you get into weddings?
A: I have always had a passion for the wedding and event industry, but I never thought I could make a career out of it. I went to college and pursued a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology. Throughout college, I was in a sorority and several other clubs/organizations and was always the one to plan events, fundraisers, mixers, and more. After graduation, I taught elementary school for several years, but my interest in the wedding and event industry never faded. My friends would ask me to plan their bachelorettes and bridal showers and the more I planned these pre-wedding events, the more I fell in love with all things weddings. I began coordinating weddings on the side and realized the wedding industry was where I was meant to be all along. Once I left teaching, I decided to take a leap of faith and start Before the Vows in 2022, and I am so glad I did! BTV has been such a blessing and I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else!
Q: What is your favorite venue we have worked with?
A: This is such a hard question! One of my favorite things about this job is all of the wonderful venues we get to plan weddings at. No wedding or venue is the same and that’s what makes this job so much fun! BTV plans weddings all over the Southeast, but some of my favorite venues we have worked at so far are the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, Common House Chattanooga, Blackberry Ridge in Northern GA, and Howe Farms in TN.
Q: What are your current favorite wedding trends?
A: Floral pocket boutonnieres and espresso martini towers! Floral pocket boutonnieres are so much more practical than the traditional boutonniere that you pin on. The traditional boutonniere often wilts and droops throughout the wedding day and has trouble staying in place whereas the floral pocket boutonniere stays in place and often looks more lush and elegant. Espresso martini towers are a unique twist on the traditional champagne tower and serve dual purposes- caffeinating you and your guests while allowing them to let loose and hit the dance floor!
Q: What has been your favorite experience with BTV?
A: It is difficult to pinpoint one exact moment in time that was my favorite. One thing that stands out about BTV is all of the meaningful connections we form with our team, our couples, and other vendors. Our team is a group of kindhearted, passionate, and hardworking girls who love and care for our couples so well. Without them, BTV would not be as successful as it is. Our vendor network is made up of super-talented individuals who we would trust to plan our own weddings. Our BTV couples are so much more than couples to us, but lifelong friends. All of these relationships are vital to the growth and success of our business and hands down our favorite part of our job.
Q: What is a wedding day tip everyone should know?
A: Make a pact with your partner to never leave each other’s sides after you first see each other! The wedding day goes by SO quickly and it is so easy to get caught up in the events of the day and lose track of your partner. Before your wedding day, both make an agreement that if one person goes somewhere, the other person follows, and vice versa. It will make your day much more enjoyable if you are able to soak in every moment with your person and share the same experiences!
Q: How do you stay updated with the latest trends in the wedding industry?
A: Being a lifelong learner is something that is so important to me. I often say that no one has ever “made it” and if they say they have then someone needs to knock some sense into them. The wedding industry is ever-changing, so it is super important to stay up to date with the latest. A few things I do to ensure I am being the best wedding planner and business owner I can be are listening to podcasts (Weddings For Real and the Pre-Nup), participating in webinars through the wedding planner membership program called The Planner’s Vault, and having monthly planning meetings with our business coach.
Q: What is your process for helping couples choose their wedding vendors?
A: Wedding vendors are not one-size-fits-all. There are several factors that come into play when choosing an all-star vendor team for our couples. Budget, style, and personality are a few of the factors we consider. We have very high expectations for the vendors in our network and are constantly updating our list of recommended vendors. Just because a vendor is on our list, doesn’t mean that they will stay on our list. As planners, we have a huge responsibility to steer our couples in the right direction and who we recommend is a direct reflection of us. Vendors not only have to provide an exceptional product or service, but they also have to be kind, collaborative, professional, and flexible. If one of these factors is missing, we will not recommend them to our couples.
Q: What advice would you give to couples just starting their wedding planning journey?
A: Sit down with your partner and whoever is financially contributing to the wedding and have an open and honest conversation about what the next 12 or so months will look like. If your parents are paying for the wedding, will you and your partner still be able to make choices that make you happy? Will you be able to plan a wedding that you want as opposed to what your parents want? Make sure you are all on the same page before you start the planning process and make important decisions. Setting these ground rules and expectations from the start will help avoid many bumps in the road that come with planning a wedding.
Q: How do you manage the stress and workload of planning multiple weddings?
A: Staying organized and having a supportive partner and team is my secret! This job is extremely demanding and time-consuming. Planning the most important day of someone's life is something I do not take lightly. If I didn’t have systems and procedures set in place and a supportive group of people around me, I wouldn’t be able to balance it all. Hiring people who are strong in areas you are weak in is one of the smartest choices I have made as a business owner. I am beyond grateful to my husband and my team who support and uplift me and work so incredibly hard for our couples.
Q: What are some common mistakes couples make during wedding planning?
A: I could write a novel about the “Most Common Wedding Mistakes” but I would say the most common mistake would be trying to incorporate too much into your day. Your wedding day is not a TV show or a highlight reel for social media. Oftentimes, couples want to do every idea under the sun because they “saw it on TikTok.” This can be a slippery slope because you lose sight of the real reason you are getting married in the first place. I would recommend choosing 2-3 things (i.e. choreographed first dance, champagne tower, late-night snack, etc.) that are important to you both as a couple and reflect your personality and stick to those things only. The rest of the day should be more open so you and your partner can truly be present in the moment and soak in the day with your loved ones. Every minute of the day doesn't need to be accounted for. It is important that you build in time to dance, mingle with guests, and spend some private one-on-one time with each other. The day goes by so quickly, so don't spend it all doing the latest thing you saw on TikTok.
Q: What do you think sets BTV apart from other wedding planners?
A: How much we truly care for each and every one of our couples. Yes, this is our job, but it is so much more than that. For me, it is a passion and a dream come true. At BTV, you are not just “another couple” to us, but a true friend. We want you to feel loved, heard and celebrated from the moment you sign the contract with us to your sparkler send-off at the end of your wedding reception and everything in between. The weight of your wedding day is not lost on us and there is nothing that makes us happier than seeing you with the biggest smile on your face, soaking in every moment of your wedding day stress-free.
From the importance of staying updated with wedding trends to common mistakes couples make during their wedding planning journey, Jenny has shared a lot of helpful advice. We hope this Q&A gave you useful ideas and inspiration for planning your own wedding. Remember, enjoying the process and celebrating your unique love story is the most important thing. Here's to making wonderful memories and starting your new journey as a married couple!
