We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa Carpenter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.

Hi Melissa, thanks for joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

One of the primary motivations for starting Weddings by MLC was to forge unforgettable personal experiences with a deep level of care and consideration. I value building complete trust with my clients, providing peace and comfort both prior to and day-of the wedding, and establishing strong, personal connections. Larger businesses possess considerably more resources and take on a larger bandwidth of customers, but this has the potential to not allow for a more individualized relationship with the wedding planner due to event scheduling and the widespread needs of the company. In my small business, I aspire to give couples access to both industry expertise and a highly personalized experience.

My goal is to make wedding planning fun and stress free. One of the unique aspects of collaborating with me is my commitment to easing a client’s stress in every possible manner. By the time the wedding day rolls around, I want couples to feel completely assured that they’re in capable and caring hands.

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

Definitely! I’m Melissa and I’ve always loved the idea of making dreams come true. Before entering the weddings industry, I worked in various hospitality roles that ultimately unveiled my passion for events. Since then, I have been fortunate to work as a wedding coordinator for one of the largest entertainment companies in the world. I additionally supplemented this experience by planning and orchestrating weddings for couples throughout Central Florida. Since the start of my wedding journey, I have successfully executed over 300 weddings!

I’m grateful to have been involved in many weddings, which has given me the opportunity to draw from my extensive past experience. When couples are torn between Option A and Option B, I like to present Option C as a new possibility. I find fulfillment in providing couples with a fresh perspective. Every wedding holds a unique charm and significance, offering endless opportunities for creativity while still remaining rooted in tradition. It’s rewarding to know that I’ve contributed to a couple’s decision-making process in a meaningful way.

Through my three different package tiers, I’m proud to offer my expert services to couples and their families. Organizing details, communicating with clients and partners, and creatively making dreams come to fruition allows me to use my skill sets of:
*Attentively listening to their thoughts and ideas, providing suggestions when needed, and establishing manageable deadlines.
*Methodically break down tasks into smaller steps and organize logistics to ensure optimal efficiency and effectiveness.
*Prioritize details by confirming all relevant information and promptly addressing client concerns to uphold a professional standard of service.

Overall, I love wedding planning because it’s an opportunity to make people feel special on a day that really matters. I hold the meaning of love and family close to my heart which directly translates into my work. I’m passionate about serving the community while leading with positivity and joy. I’m grateful Weddings by MLC allows me to do that.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Teamwork is critical to the success of events! Here are a few pieces of advice that I would argue are crucial for fostering teamwork and maintaining high morale:

*Support team members in decisions and problem solve in private. It’s best to directly offer solutions to couples rather than subject them to uncertainty.

*Refrain from making any promises to clients before first consulting with all relevant parties. For example, don’t agree to start reception early without first verifying it’s something all the vendors can accommodate.

*Openly and clearly communicate. Do not assume anything. Every wedding is different, so it’s best to trust and verify. For example, “I know you met with the couple a few weeks ago, you also have A Thousand Years by Christina Perri listed for the first dance song, correct?”

*One specific guideline I emphasize for my team members is to communicate professionally, steering clear of complaints and gossip. It’s not just detrimental to our company’s image, but also a negative habit to develop, as it tends to weaken morale. Not to mention, you never know who could be listening!

*Lastly, learn names and call people by their name! Personal interactions should not just be limited to clients but extended to vendors and team members! I make a point to write down names at the beginning of the wedding day – florists, photographers, venue staff, servers, bartenders, everyone! Additionally I will make a conscious effort to introduce my assistant to everyone as another resource/familiar face, assuring they also feel personally acknowledged and valued.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Coordinating weddings requires managing numerous components and collaborating with multiple partners. When I began planning weddings, the importance of my specific role weighed heavily on me. I so badly wanted the wedding day to unfold flawlessly, that I felt responsible for the outcome even when circumstances were out of my control. Over time, I learned to detach myself from certain situations by acknowledging, “it’s beyond my responsibilities,” or more bluntly put, “that’s not my job.” However, this approach didn’t align with my values or the type of service I wanted to provide.

The uneasiness I felt was confirmed when I was met with some difficult feedback. A couple felt I had fallen short. It was difficult to hear and I was hard on myself. I was left questioning myself, wondering if I had indeed failed to meet the mark. My boss at the time imparted wisdom, reassuring me that both realities can coexist: I can be an excellent wedding planner AND still make mistakes. I knew after that moment that it was time for me to discover a new approach.

It was time I became more confident in the service I was providing so that at the end of the day I could be satisfied with my performance and the manner in which I conducted myself. This meant being ready to surpass expectations by going the extra mile. If it made the day better, I was going to do it. Photographer needs water? I’ll go grab it for her. Tables can’t be set until the ballroom is swept? Hand me a broom! Catering is behind on serving cake? I will deliver plates to tables. Limo driver is lost? I will get on the phone with him to give directions. I might be extra ready for bed at the end of the night, but I can reflect positively knowing I did everything I could to contribute to the overall success of the event.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.weddingsbymlc.com
• Instagram: @weddingsbymlc
• Linkedin: Weddings by MLC
• Other: Tik Tok: @weddingsbymlc

Image Credits
Jake Lawrence Photography Meli & Chris Photo