From Now to Wow »

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Daria MacGregor of Circle of Weddings on several events now, and I can’t speak highly enough of her. So professional, so thoughtful, and so just downright good at what she does.  She was one of the first to get on board with From Now to Wow and has been instrumental on planning this fun and interesting afternoon for Atlanta Brides.  She always has a lot of depth in what she says, so I think she’s key in the ‘insider information’ we’re promising to the brides who join us on August 22nd!  She agreed to answer a few questions for the Sublime Blog, so here’s a little sneak peek into the mind of Daria and Circle of Love.

Lindsay: Hey Daria, it’s clear you’re pretty infatuated with what you do. Tell me a little bit about how you fell in love with wedding planning.
Daria: It’s very important to me to incorporate service to others in my life. When I was in the corporate world, one of the things that bothered me was that the work I was doing didn’t feel meaningful to me. It didn’t seem to make any lasting impact on the world or those around me. I’ve always loved weddings – the thrill of a new beginning, the joy that comes at the union of two people in love. What better way to serve than to help people to have one of the most special days of their lives go perfectly?

Lindsay: You talk a lot about authenticity and being genuine. How does that help brides out when planning their wedding?
Daria: Planning a wedding can be a challenge, not only with all the choices that need to be made and details that need to be handled, but because of the underlying emotions and expectations that surface, sometimes unexpectedly. The bride and groom are both faced with the prospect of creating an event that is not only meaningful to the two of them, but that meets the needs and traditions of their parents and sometimes even their culture as a whole. My focus on authenticity means that I help with this process of identifying and meeting these needs (and helping the couple decide which ones are truly important to them), by being supportive and acting as a neutral third party. I don’t make it more difficult by injecting my needs and ego into the mix. I think this has been a big part of the secret to my success.

Lindsay: So indulge me here, cause I’m sure you have lots of stories…what’s the biggest challenge you’ve had on the day of a wedding?
Daria: My biggest challenges come when a key member of the family is not being supportive of the bride and/or groom, and is trying to make the wedding about themselves and their needs, rather than about the couple. My tactic for dealing with this situation is to shield the bride and/or groom from that person as much as possible, both during the planning and on the wedding day. I also make it a point to try to hear that person, to figure out if there is some need that can be immediately met to help diffuse the situation. My priority is always for the couple to float through the day and feel as little stress as possible.

Lindsay:  What do you wish more brides knew about wedding planning?
Daria: I really wish I could fast-forward brides in time to the few weeks right before the wedding, when all the little details and tasks come to a head and they begin to feel overwhelmed. This is one of the major reasons to hire a wedding planner, in my opinion. Ideally, these tasks wouldn’t be overwhelming during those last few weeks, because we would have planned ahead and handled things one at a time. And since it’s a fact that there will be something unexpected to deal with during those last weeks, having your planner there to help you so you can focus on your family, friends and your husband-to-be becomes vitally important.

Lindsay:  Just for fun, now: It’s your day off. Where would I find you and what would you be doing?
Daria: You’d find me sleeping late and enjoying a leisurely breakfast. In the spring or fall, I’d be gardening or walking my precious pup, Sylvie. My husband and I might eat dinner out or have a cooking date at home (he’s a fabulous chef!), watch a movie, or visit a museum. If it were a long weekend, we’d probably take a trip to another city where we could walk around soaking up the culture and enjoying different food and sights. And reading is something I’ll always be ready to do, although it’s a toss-up whether I prefer historical fiction or wedding magazines.

Lindsay:  Thanks for taking some time for me, Daria… I’m looking forward to From Now to Wow!

Want to join us for From Now to Wow?  Go here… and get ready for a great afternoon!