Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghan Farrar.

Hi Meghan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?

I’d say my interest in events started at my first job out of college in 2011 when I was working on yachts at the Wharf in D.C. (before the Wharf was anything like what it is now). My job was to sell private and public event rentals for four yachts. At our Christmas party, we had hired a catering company and the boat looked so gorgeous! It really piqued my interest in events and creating memorable moments, but I wouldn’t join the industry until much later.

I took a detour in 2013 to follow my childhood dream of becoming a dolphin trainer. I was lucky enough to do that in the Florida Keys until the end of 2017, when life goals changed (and Hurricane Irma happened) I ended up back home in Northern Virginia. I took the holidays to regroup and when reflecting on what I wanted to do next, I remembered that feeling I had on the boat I also realized I liked logistical planning. I originally wanted to pursue make-a-wish, or guide dogs for the blind, but there really weren’t those opportunities here. So, I thought – what is something beautiful that takes a lot of emailing – Weddings! (Seriously that was my very simple and naive train of thought haha)

In January 2018, I was hired by a local events venue as an in-house coordinator. I had no business being there with my background, but I had passion and a hunger to learn, so I went all in – trial by fire. My first year I did 70 weddings, and realized hey I’m pretty good at this stuff. By September 2019, I launched my own wedding coordination company – Farrever After Events! Once you taste the freedom of being a business owner, you can’t imagine life being any other way.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

I don’t know many people that have had a smooth road. My most life-changing moments have happened randomly and from traumatic incidents honestly. My mom died so I pursued my childhood dream. My workplace became horrifically toxic and crushed my dream, so I changed industries. I found a new dream and industry and was so disheartened to find another, equally toxic environment that resulted in being let go due to a one-sided personal vendetta. Each time these things happened, it was a punch to the gut. The rug had been pulled completely out from under me, and it can send you reeling. It didn’t feel like it at the time, but that last one was the best thing to happen to me. Within a week, I had built my brand, multiple websites, social media, and started sending out emails to venues wanting to introduce myself and make connections. I had NO idea what I was doing and I taught myself everything, but revenge can make you work hard. Six years later, my foot is still on the gas but working for myself is everything.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?

Farrever After Events is a wedding coordination and management company based in Alexandria, VA that also offers elopements and marriage license signing services.

I am hired only after a couple has chosen their wedding date and venue. I like to say I give clients all the tools they need to successfully and confidently plan their own wedding – and then I’m there for all the anxieties. I’m always available for questions, advice, guidance, talking off a ledge, tracking down ghosting vendors, and logistical planning. Clients can talk to me as much or as little as they want through the planning process (sometimes up to two years!), but I really come into play the last 60 days before the wedding. That’s when I take over all of the logistics and details and making a plan that makes sense to the vendor teams while incorporating all the important moments and details the client wants!

Then on wedding day – I’m the one tasked with making their vision come to life by managing all the vendors, decor, details and then the flow of the event itself and clean up!

I think my rate of response and honest personality really sets me apart from many vendors. I respond quickly, consistently and honestly to any inquiry and that is really not the norm in this industry. You usually get a bounce back message, and have to follow up multiple times to get a response sometimes. I would hate to have someone do that to me, so I don’t do it to others. There should always be a reliable captain of the team and I strive to be that person for my clients. I take pride in my slogan being “no-bullshit”. I will not fluff up expectations but go above and beyond to deliver and I think having a realistic voice of reason is so necessary in high-stakes scenarios like weddings. I play nice until it’s time to lay down the law – whether it’s with a vendor or family member that’s stressing my clients out, I will always have their back.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?

I’m personally seeing more of are wedding weekends are becoming more popular. Venues that have lodging on property maximizes face-time with guests that are traveling in for the wedding, and I feel like the older we get, the less quality time we get to spend with those we love – so a weekend is a worthy investment.

I’ve seen more statement pieces lately. Between seating displays, patterned or textured linens, there’s a bit more design investment going into planning. Focusing on a few floral installments from ceremony to be reused at the reception VS every table having the same look is also gaining momentum.

I feel like so much of wedding planning is saturated with The Knot, Instagram and Pinterest’s unrealistic expectations for an amount of money that most people can’t afford or would want to spend on an 8-hour event. There’s been a big uprising of vendors lately that are calling out websites and publications like Brides, The Knot, Vogue etc that only feature astronomical weddings and still say the average wedding spends about $30k. It’s gotten out of hand and the real boots-on-the-ground industry vendors are trying to rip down the veil and say that it’s not realistic. Weddings are a luxury in general, but only the most luxurious are spotlighted and highlighted and that feels disingenuous. I’m a millennial, I like working for a normal person, with a normal budget. You can still have a beautiful wedding and it doesn’t need to look like or cost $200k. As long as my clients are choosing things for THEM that are personal and that are authentic to who they are and what they like, that’s really all I care about.

As for bigger changes, I think with the unfortunate new presidential administration, it’s becoming more challenging. Especially as I service the DC area, couples have been getting laid off which understandably makes them financially insecure. Sometimes they even have to relocate. They’re already knee deep in expensive contracts that they may need to pull out of, or are skimming off whatever they can which effects their wedding vision and ultimately wedding vendors services aka our livelihoods too. Tariffs are causing certain vendor costs to skyrocket and I think it’s also intimidating couples in even getting started on wedding planning, and they may even choose to elope. It’s just a weird time in the wedding industry is all I can say. But I’m holding true to the hope that Love always wins and we’ll get through this together.

Pricing:

• $3500.00

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.farreverafterevents.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farreverafterevents
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FarreverAfterEvents
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/farreverafterevents/

Image Credits

EZ Reel Productions
Barbora Jones Photography
April Hoffman
Jeanine Finch Photography
D Corzo Photography
Jess Nichols Photography
Jessie Smith Photography