Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Byars.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
About 20 years ago, I began printing wedding stationery for family & friends. I planned weddings and parties for them as well. Planning a 2000 attendees yearly conference was one of the responsibilities of my corporate role. It took a year to plan and I loved every minute of the 12-14 hour planning & execution days. I also have a love for weddings. My cousin Stacy and I are from a small hometown, Gaffney, SC where everyone knows everyone. One Saturday we went to 3 weddings (all without invites, before RSVP’ing was cool) Needless to say we would critique every aspect of the weddings & discuss what we would have done.
Stacy & I have discussed for years having a wedding planning business. During Covid, we began to talk about it even more.
I was at a barbecue last summer and a young lady asked me if I could plan her wedding. When she asked how much I would charge her, I had butterflies in my stomach!! I agreed and quickly realized that I needed to be “legit” to be taken seriously by her vendors. Stacy actually encouraged the young lady to ask me to plan her wedding.
Affluent Affairs was born!
I created the website & social media pages. We were asked by a local vendor who had seen our social media, the following month to participate in an open house. There were approximately 40 brides in attendance and we booked 3 weddings from the event. A couple of months later, we participated in a wedding show and booked 4 more weddings. We were fully booked for the year by June through referrals, social media, and Google.
We offer full planning, partial planning, a month of coordination & various ala carte items.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Our greatest obstacle has been finding our work-life balance. It’s hard not to respond to a client regardless of when they contact you. We have learned that although we don’t have a physical office, we must have office hours. If we burn out, we are of no use to our clients.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a wedding planning firm specializing in luxury weddings. We will also plan any celebration. We offer full & partial planning packages. It is our objective to eliminate the stress & overwhelming feeling that most couples experience during the wedding planning journey. We can assist with every aspect from finding a venue to assembling your guests for your farewell exit. We are proud that we have had a wedding published in The Planner Wedding Magazine & one published in Brides & Weddings.
It is important for us to connect with our clients & be more than just wedding planners. We are involved with some clients for a year or so assisting with one of the most important & intimate moments in their life. We listen to their stories, their fears & sometimes their drama. We want them to trust us & feel like we are family. The relationship doesn’t end at the end of the wedding night. The Affluent family continues to grow.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
We are currently booking clients for 2023 & 2024. We, also are always looking for great vendor partners or “friendors” to help bring visions to life.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://affluentaffairs4you.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/affluentaffairs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/affluentaffairs
Image Credits
Alexis Chester Media
Lily Faith Photography
Smithalee Studios
