We were lucky to catch up with Payton Winchester recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Payton, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

As a wedding planner, each client has a story that is incredibly meaningful + fun to unpack in their planning process. However, theres nothing like planning one of your best friend’s weddings from start to finish.

Hallie and I have been best friends since we met at the end of our Freshman year at Auburn. She is kind, considerate, honest, and never fails to be the biggest champion in the room for those she holds dear. When Hallie + Trevor had gotten engaged, I had gifted them my full-planning services for their wedding day.

Being so close with someone makes it easy to effortlessly integrate their personal flair with their design. Lucky for me, Hallie trusted me with complete creative license for her vision. It certainly helped that our taste is incredibly similar, but it also is a special thing when you have a client that steps back and allows you to wield your magic. At each turn, we were able to weave in different details that would have guests appreciate both the curation of the design as well as the nod to why it was important to their relationship as a couple (with some surprises along the way).

For some, planning a best friend’s wedding could certainly put a strain on their relationship. In truth, it is something that is expected. The partnership in this respect felt so natural and honestly encouraged our relationship to grow. I am so grateful for that experience and like to think we had an absolute ball going through it together.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

By profession, I am a Principal Planner with Pop + Fizz in Atlanta, Georgia. We are a wedding planning and design company that specializes in curating unique events that are authentic to our clients and their story as a couple. We travel far and wide to serve our clients.

I had gotten into this line of work after being the Special Events Director for my sorority at Auburn. I found that I loved planning large scale events that would form a lasting memory for those in attendance. Upon graduating, I truthfully had not attended many weddings. I had decided to reach out to professionals in the industry asking to grab coffee in order to gain a little more insight. One person that responded to me was Karen Landis. Upon meeting with me, she offered for me to assist her on a wedding day so I could see what coordinating is really like. After that first wedding, I never looked back. Karen + I have been working together now for almost 7 years and have worked hard to grow this brand to what it is today.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

We work really hard. Simple as that. In all aspects of this job.

We work hard for our clients. With so many moving parts that are being put together over such a long time, it is imperative to remain organized and proactive. Stamina is the name of the game here as “planning burnout” is certainly a real thing with couples going through this process for their wedding. While there is a time for breaks, educating and coaching our clients through this process is what helps us maintain that great relationship with them.

We work hard with our vendor teams. We make sure to utilize our logistical prowess and experience that we have gained over time to ensure our teams have the information that they need with enough time to execute. Not only do we want these events to be a success for our staff, but we also want them to be a win for everyone involved. For many, the “team mindset” can be lost during the planning process – even during the course of a wedding day. We believe it is important that everyone remains communicative and is treated with respect.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding thing is to see my clients enjoying themselves, and, quite frankly, forgetting I am there. A wedding day is supposed to be about the two people getting married. I certainly cherish the small moments like receiving a thank-you nod in a speech, or sending them off on their grand exit. However, seeing them without a care in the world is priceless. It means I have done my job.

If I had to choose a (very) close second, it would be seeing a design come together behind the scenes. Curating design is one of the most fun parts of the wedding planning process, and it is where I get to flex my creative muscle. When it all comes to life on the day-of, and I am waiting for my clients’ to walk in and see, its like waiting for your friend to open a birthday present you know they’re going to love.

Contact Info:

• Website: popandfizz.com
• Instagram: @popandfizz @payton_h_w

Image Credits
A Thomas Photography, Brandi Sisson Photography