We recently connected with Dana Watts and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Thyme & Details is a sustainable event planing company. As I have grown as a professional and been involved in the wedding industry for over a decade, I’ve noticed how much room for improvement we have when it comes to sustainability. Our top priority is waste reduction and diversion – particularly reducing the use of single-use products, donating and/or composting food leftovers and “waste”, and donating and/or composting of flowers and floral design byproducts. There are many other more sustainable ways to plan a wedding, however this is our primary focus.

Dana, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have always been a natural party planner. As I started working with wedding planners, venues, caterers, florists, etc. over a decade ago, I grew to love the work and also saw how much opportunity there is to do better as an industry. I got my Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainability & Business (EEDS) from the Ohio State University, got married myself, and then went off on my own, launching Thyme & Details Sustainable Event Planning.

Thyme & Details offers event planning and coordination services. We primarily coordinate and plan weddings, however we plan other events and help with wedding budget planning as well.

What sets Thyme & Details apart is our commitment to sustainability. We consider sustainability every step of the way when our clients are interested in a more sustainable wedding, and throughout the operations of our business.
-We drive an EV and charge with 100% renewable energy.
-Our office is powered by 100% renewable energy.
-We strive to operate zero waste and help our clients do the same by recycling, composting, and donating materials that would otherwise go to landfill.
-We donate and physically plant trees in areas of need for each of our clients through Green Columbus.
-We educate the industry on sustainable practices and encourage fellow vendors to operate more sustainably and help them brainstorm ways to improve.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

I started working for other wedding industry vendors over a decade ago to understand the job and jobs of fellow vendors. I wanted to be sure it was the right path for my career and I wanted to understand different jobs/perspectives – especially since I manage vendors in other parts of the industry.

After a few years of subcontracting for different vendors, I started a small dessert catering business thinking I may prefer the bakery route over planning. Looking back, this was not the permanent path forward for me but this step ultimately helped me learn how to operate a business and be a successful entrepreneur. I decided I wanted to get my Bachelor’s Degree in something more science based – as opposed to hospitality – so I earned my degree in Sustainability & Business (EEDS) from the Ohio State University.

I had a random, “aha” moment that I could bring wedding planning and sustainability together with a niche wedding planning business. Before launching Thyme & Details Sustainable Event Planning, I wanted to experience being the Bride. My long term boyfriend and I got married and then I launched Thyme & Details in early 2020, just before the world shutdown. It was a slow start, for obvious reasons, but I was able to work full time for the first year and a half of the business.

I took Thyme & Details full time and left the security of a “9-5 role” in September 2021, and have been making strides forward ever since. I officially hired an Associate Coordinator in July 2023 and have since had the honor of promoting her to a Lead Planner.

I have many more dreams and look forward to seeing how the next milestones unfold!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth and referrals by other vendors. Providing excellent service to clients, obtaining reviews from these clients, and co-working well with other vendors and planners in the industry has certainly been the best source of new clients!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thymeanddetails.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thymeanddetails/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thymeanddetails/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thymeanddetails
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thymeanddetails/