let's cultivate
When I decided to open my own business back in 2018 this word - Cultivate - just kept reappearing in things I was reading, watching, and listening to so I finally dove in and looked up the definition.
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To Cultivate means to prepare, to foster the growth of, to improve by labor, to further and encourage. A verb that so perfectly aligned with the 'labor of love' that is event planning.
This moment felt like a God wink! All the intentionality that I put into my planning and design work was so perfectly captured by one word and thus Cultivate Event Planning was born!
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Preparing for your day requires extreme preparation. It may sound crazy, but we have planned the planning! It is also going to take time to see it all grow together. There are a million moving parts that need to complement each other and that takes time. We will expend a lot of energy (so you don't have to) to ultimately improve your day through our earned expertise. We all know that the best things in life take hard work, but that is another element of this whole Cultivating thing, we are here to encourage you through the hard parts.
Whether you are choosing between color pallets, or navigating family dynamics, the Cultivate Event Planning team is here to help you find Your Yes!
So again I say Let's Cultivate, Together
did you know?
Weddings are an experiential story.
My earliest memories are on a stage as a dancer and through my journey of becoming a professional event planner I learned just how similar these two world are. From meticulously mapping the flow of a room with hundreds of people to estimating how long one particular task may take in a progression of details, it feels like a choreographed dance. As a stage manager behind the curtain I feel compelled to tell you of the magic happening on a wedding day that only occurs from practice and earned experience. When you dream of the wedding video you show your future grandkids do you want to be reminded of how many people were calling out your name with questions or do you want to remember how entranced you were with your love that nothing could pull your attention from the meaning of the day.
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You are the main character, so don't be the one pulling the curtain and adjusting the spotlight - making sure the right song is about to play, or that the food servers are ready, or the candles are lit for your entrance. We know how to put on a show where you can take centerstage, and we will be chanting 'encore' as you dance the night away!
luxury
Having a luxury wedding isn't about your floral budget or having a clever name for your signature cocktails. A true luxury experience is being taken care of from the beginning and getting to enjoy such a special time of life without the questioning.
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We will save you time, money, energy, and your sanity! We do the countless jobs that get forgotten about like unwrapping 300 candles from the protective sleeve they shipped in, or filling three foot vases with water so they can withstand the Oklahoma wind, or running to the store for communion bread because someone left it behind, or helping keep a certain someone out of the bridal suite. A wedding planner that goes unseen and unheard during your wedding day is making decisions on your behalf, taking the phone calls while you're in hair and makeup, and tying bows down your aisle so all you need to do is tie the knot!
ground your wedding
One of the most popular grounding techniques is also a huge tool to utilize in your wedding planning journey! Start with Sight... What are 5 things you want to see at your wedding? This could be a specific color or flower, it could also be a certain style of venue like a field or a stained glass church, it could even be the light of candles flickering in a moody reception.
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Next, what are 4 things you want to feel? What are your favorite textures? Do you like satin, velvet, fur? Maybe you want your guests to feel the warmth of a fireplace or coffee mug in hand. Find 4 ways to enhance your guests experience through touch and you will have an experiential event, but just one the looks good in photos.
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You may be on to me, but what are 3 things you want heard? For me this is a live cellist, I dreamed of this for years and it was one of the first things I booked. Are you a strings girl too or do you want a piano? Maybe there is a particular song you have been holding onto. Maybe you love the ambiance of a jazz club or you want to hear the voices a kids in the reception. Whatever those sounds are, bring them in and let them set the tone!
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You may be noticing some overlap and that's okay, but what are 2 things you want to smell? Maybe you need the salty ocean breeze, or the scent of rainfall? Maybe you want your favorite perfume or candle to be lingering throughout the day? Maybe it's the flower in your bouquet or the coffee brewing to pair with dessert? Smells are a powerful thing, let them transport you back for years to come because of your intentionality in the planning process.
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​Okay now you have to know what's next, what is 1 thing you want to taste? And no, there won't be Just One thing you taste all day, but let's be real, what do you want to consume that day? Is it Champagne, Barbecue sauce, Chantilly cake, COFFEE??? Okay, Okay, I'll stop with the caffeine. But really, focus on one must-have flavor and let it be the foundation of your menu selection.
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Now here's the thing, you may think that all of these things just created the most magical experience of your guests that tell them all about your favorite parts of life, and although that is true, it is also a way of ensuring that your day helps create a grounded and safe space for you emotionally.
Allowing these micro moments to be woven into the fabric of your wedding day will be like a hug to your nervous system as you move through them and recognize them. Be kind to yourself, weddings are hard!
