Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mary Ellen Baker. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mary Ellen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Something as simple as responding within 24 hours has set us apart from the norm. The vast majority of our initial inquiries thank us for getting back to them so quickly and express genuine surprise that our responses are personalized instead of being a programmed reply. Our goal is to respond in a manner that shows our clients that we value them, and we value their time. Additionally, we do not set perimeters on how often our clients can reach out to us. We offer unlimited calls, texts, and emails which allows us to create a deeper connection with our brides, grooms, and their families.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have been the proud owner of Georgia Grace Weddings for 10 years now, but I have over 20 years of experience with weddings. Helping couples plan their dream wedding is more than a career for me; it is my passion. I lead with a servant’s heart and give 110% of myself to each wedding because I know my clients are trusting me with one of the most important days of their lives.
My team consists of 4 lead planners. We realize how crucial having a professional planner is in order for couples to have a stress-free, organized, and seamless wedding day. Our goal is to make the planning process smooth and allow the couple to have a wedding day full of love and fun. We not only focus on the big picture, but also on each tiny detail that helps create the overall vision.
I believe something that sets us apart is our desire and ability to not only focus on you, our clients, but also your wedding party, family, vendors, and guests. As a team, we seek out opportunities to help and prioritize hard work. You’ll see my team not only directing all the events on the wedding day such as the introductions, cake cutting and toasts, but also fixing food for elderly guests, clearing glasses if tables begin to look cluttered, and/or fanning a bride if she becomes too hot on the dance floor. We take pride in our impeccable reputation with not only our clients but other wedding vendors and venues. Above all, we are honored to be chosen to be a part of a wedding day, and we treasure the relationships we create with our brides, grooms, and their families.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I started Georgia Grace Weddings, my goal was to be the most affordable coordinator around so that I could help the most brides and grooms possible. Right away business took off and almost every inquiry booked. Having a full calendar of clients was everything I had hoped for in the beginning, but eventually I realized it wasn’t sustainable. I knew if I continued at the current pace, my clients would begin to suffer. I needed to focus on less clients and book more intentionally to ensure each couple received the highest level of service possible.
As a team, we identified our ideal client, and purposely reduced the number of weddings we were booking. This shift ensured we had adequate time to devote to each couple and perform the highest level of service at every wedding.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Our reputation revolves around hard work and dependability. In the beginning, and even more in the present, our team is determined to show every client, vendor, and venue that we are efficient, communicative and extremely helpful. By going above and beyond at each event, venues and other vendors took notice and soon we were placed on vendor referral lists. To maintain our reputation, we have a goal for everyone at the event to see our team as essential to the day’s success. Additionally, we have great respect for each vendor so we show them that we value their time and their work. Finally, we believe that kindness can go a long way on a wedding day when emotions can run high and the pressure is on. We not only want to be great at our jobs, but we want others to enjoy working with us so building connections is crucial. Our reputation is vital to our success, and we don’t take it for granted.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://georgiagraceweddings.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgiagraceweddings
• Facebook: https://georgiagraceweddings.com/facebook.com/georgiagraceweddings
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-ellen-baker-0a0a366/
• Other: https://tiktok.com/@gagraceweddings

Image Credits

Hillary Leah Photography, Anastasiia Photography, Erin Deal Photography, Hannah Miller Photography, Ashlyn Cathey Photography, Emily Mathewson Photo