Meet The Sisters Behind The Brand

0:30

I'm Paige, Oh, I thought you were gonna do full name. Hi. Oh. I'm Chelsea. We are sisters, and our company is called Milk Honey Events, and we are wedding planners, so we serve couples and everyone in the wedding industry. Super exciting. Can you guys take us back through your journey and what inspired you to start your business? Yeah. So I got married back in 2022. Chelsea got married in 2024, and we both planned our own weddings. I think at least for me, like as soon as I finished my wedding, I was like, "I love this," and none of my friends did. So I was like, "Maybe I'm the weird one here." "Like, I really wanna get into this." And I think pretty similar for you. I helped you plan your wedding, you helped me plan mine. And then, yeah, kinda broke into the industry with someone who took a chance on both of us. Um, really grateful for that opportunity and a lot of other opportunities that just kind of blossomed from there. And then eventually doors just opened up for us, um, about a year ago, and we got a couple clients, and we're like, "Let's just go for it." We launched our business in October of last year- Yeah 2025, um, and we are coming up on our one-year anniversary now. Exciting.

Why Weddings Became Their Specialty

1:45

Yeah. Do you guys do, um, different types of events or is it mainly weddings? So, we have events in our name so that we're open to other opportunities, but I'd say weddings are definitely our specialty. Mm-hmm. We know a lot of vendors, and a lot of them can do crossover, but specifically I would say like our bread and butter is weddings. Mm-hmm. So, that's kind of the, the niche avenue that we're in. We're open to others, but I'd say we definitely enjoy living in the space of weddings. Mm-hmm. Awesome.

Planning From Bride To Guest View

2:08

And so you guys said that you've experienced weddings from different perspectives, from brides to bridesmaids- Yeah. to guests, and now planners and business owners. How has seeing all of those different sides shaped the way that you guys approach planning a wedding today? I think there's so much that goes into planning a wedding. Um, and so for us, like being able to say that we've been the bride, so we've had that perspective and point of view is so important because we know what matters most on that day, you know. You wanna be able to fully let go, fully disengage, and just be able to engage in your day. So having- Mm-hmm already had that perspective, I think that we're very in tune with like what our couples want and what we can do ahead of time to set us our, set us up for that success. Um, having been bridesmaids, which- um, it's always a running joke that I have 27 dresses. I've been a bridesmaid more times than I can count. There's so many dresses in my parents' closet. Shout out to them for housing them. It does. But being a bridesmaid, like there are so many things that you want to do to make sure that your, your best friend is having the best day of their life, and there are just so many small things, like even cleaning up the room before the day gets started. So seeing that side of it, we've been able to remind couples and help them kind of get all of those pieces ahead of time. So just, I think from like a logistics standpoint, because we've really seen every side of it, we really know how to- Mm-hmm kinda penetrate the space from every way. Like we, we have so many different angles and perspectives, and can ensure that anything that people might not even think, it's like the whole you don't know what you don't know type of situation. Yeah. Yeah. Because we've seen it from all angles, we really do know how to kind of hit on everything so that once the day starts, people can just enjoy and not have to think. Yeah. Yeah. And it's not just about the couple. Obviously, it's their day, but also like guest experience is so huge for people, and making sure that the people that are most important to them, their friends and their family that are involved in the wedding day, are getting to enjoy it- Mm-hmm just as much as they are. Um, so we kind of take on that burden, which doesn't even feel like a burden- No. because it's so fun to serve people. It's a joy. Mm-hmm. But just kind of letting them free up their times that they can also enjoy the wedding the way that the couple wants them to- Mm-hmm and they're not like doing everything for the couple.

Small Details Couples Often Miss

4:18

Right. Yeah, and then what are some things that people might miss or they might look over when it comes to planning a wedding? Oh my gosh. I feel like there's a lot of things. And it's a lot of small details that people don't think about. Like- Just those small moments of making sure that there's even, like, a vendor space that your vendors can sit down and put their stuff- Mm-hmm or a table to hide things under. Timelines are crazy. I feel like that is an area that people, again, you don't know what you don't know. Mm-hmm. And so people will assume 30 minutes is more than enough time to accomplish something, and you're like, "Absolutely not. You need 90 minutes guaranteed," or, "You need buffer time." Because you always hear people say that- Mm-hmm things are falling behind, and so building in that buffer time and making sure that you have that, and then also having the couples trust you, that it's like, "Don't follow this timeline to a T. Like, we're gonna make sure the day runs, but you need to trust that we have put in that buffer time-" Mm-hmm. so that, you know, if at 8:05 we're not exactly where we need to be, it's because we're five minutes ahead of or five minutes behind, but we're gonna catch up here." Um, so I think for me, timelines are always an area that I feel like people just don't know. Um- Yeah and they assume that, like, everything is gonna map out the way it needs to, but that's where kind of having someone that has that knowledge- Mm and understanding- Mm-hmm and prior experience is really gonna help. Yeah. I think I see it a lot, too, with, like, tiny little details. Uh-huh. Like, we make our couples fill out a supplies list so that we're clear on everything, and, like, a music list to make sure all of their songs are selected, and we frequently see them being like, "I didn't even think about a song-" for cutting my cake." For cutting the cake. "I didn't think about pens for a guest book." Yep. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Um, and just, like, little things that they kind of just see at a wedding, but you're not thinking about what color pens are you gonna put on the table. Yeah. Or, like, how it gets there. Yeah. A lot of the time people will be like, "Oh," and then like, "We'll reuse this sign, and it will go from here to there," and you're like, "Yes, and how's it gonna get there?" Right. So, like, when you have planners, you know, that's kind of one of our many responsibilities and hats, but a lot of time people just don't think about the logistics. Mm-hmm. They think like, "I did... I got this part," like, "I did A," but don't really think about how it gets from A to B. Right. Um, which is fine, because until you've really been in that space and had that lens, you're just not aware of how much goes on behind the scenes- Mm-hmm to have everything seamlessly kind of shift from one to the next. Yeah. It sounds like there's so many just, like, small things. Do- did learning how to manage, like, all the little details come with experience? I think so. I think being a bride first, that was like my first introduction into the industry. That's where I got like the zoomed in lens of like, "Oh my goodness, there's all these things to do." Mm-hmm. And then from the planner side, it was like, "Oh my gosh, there's even- more than I thought." Um, and just getting to learn from other experienced people in the industry, um, like planners and even photographers- Mm-hmm and caterers. There are so many little pieces that I didn't realize came from here or there. And so getting to actually go to so many weddings, now I think this year we'll probably hit about 100 weddings that- Wow I've worked or attended. And so seeing it so many times, the repetition has helped a lot to like make everything just feel like second nature. Mm-hmm. We don't have to think so much. Right. I always say like the timelines for our weddings are now just like ingrained in my head. Um, like I don't need to reference anything because I feel like I put as much energy as like the bride might into helping them plan everything that like it's gonna go off and we know exactly where everything needs to be. We don't have to think about it. Right. It's just gonna happen. Yeah. But that's the fun of it too, is that like getting to have such a, a hand in the whole planning process- Mm-hmm that by the time the day gets there it's second nature. Yeah. And it's not a matter of it being like a rinse and repeat, like we did the same thing with every wedding. It's more like we've touch pointed every single piece of this and feel so confident in how it's supposed to be executed that it's gonna happen- yeah you know, without having to like review the notes or anything. Right.

Making Each Wedding Feel Like Them

8:22

Yeah. And then after doing or planning so many weddings, how do you keep- each couple's wedding unique and kinda not do like the rinse and repeat. I think what's so important is, um, you know, when we- when we're meeting with couples when we're doing inquiries, getting to know them matters. You know, asking things like, "What are priorities for you?" But also just like, "Tell me about yourself." And hearing them like gush over each other, like, "This is what I love, and this is how we met." Finding those little unique pieces to them, and finding ways to take that and just go with it, kinda run with it and grow with it, really helps to make the weddings unique. So it's not just a color palette that kind of separates- one wedding from the other. It's more of like, what matters to you? And- Yeah you know, we've had couples that are like, "I just want my guests to have a fun time." And so for them, fun meant like as many vendors as possible- Mm that had really unique, um... Like, we had a couple that did, they loved poetry and like words matter to them, so like they did their own beautiful vows, and they had- Wow poets at their wedding. Wow. And so guests got to walk away with a poem. And like, I'd never seen that at a wedding before. Yeah. Yeah. And that was so fun, so unique. Yeah. So like being able to find those things that matter to the couples, and kind of taking that and running with it- Yeah is how you keep every wedding unique. Like at the end of the day, there's a lot of people that are gonna have similar or same color palettes because- Mm-hmm people like the same things. But then it's how do you take the colors and use other things that they've shared about them to make- Mm this a special day that really embodies them and their love and what matters to them. Yeah. Yeah. One of my favorite parts of planning that we have our couples do for our full impartial packages is they fill out we call it a style worksheet. But it goes so much beyond just like, what colors do you want your wedding to be? And we're planning one of my friend's weddings, and afterwards- she was like, "I never would've thought you needed those questions- to like plan our wedding." But getting like a full idea of like, where do you like to shop for clothes? Wow. What's your home style? Yeah. It feels like we really get to know them as a well-rounded person and not just- Yeah like, "What did you find on Pinterest that you want us- Mm-hmm to like copy?" Like how can we- Yeah. Right really dig into like what's important to you beyond just the wedding? What do you naturally draw towards, and how can we pull those personal elements- Right into your wedding so it's not just a wedding, but it's really like a special day that reflects you guys as a couple. Right. Yeah. It sounds like you guys have like a really comprehensive getting to know them stage. I think that's what matters so much. Being sisters, I feel like we know everything about each other. Um, and we've always said that we want our couples to feel like they're family, too. And so to us it's, you know, a wedding day is so much more than just- a day to celebrate you. Mm-hmm. It's supposed to be a full huge celebration encompassing, like, your lives and two lives coming together. Right. And oftentimes there are people at your wedding that may have known you for years, but don't know your partner as well, so letting them kind of get that, like, vision into your life- Yeah through the day. So for us, we want to know everything about them. We wanna know what matters, you know, what gives them the ick so we can- Yeah. stray away from that. Yeah. Or what, like, you know, sets their hearts on fire so that we can be like, "How can we incorporate this into your day so that now everybody else can know that this is the most important to you?" Mm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, and kind of how you said too, like, we want our couples to feel like family. Like, we care so much about the relational piece. I feel like every time we meet with someone I'm like, "I'm obsessed with them. I wanna be their best friend." Um, but like, we really do care about building that relationship with them, and we want to care about their wedding as much as they do. They're not just like another client to us. Mm. They do feel like our family, and we want to, like, stay in touch afterwards, and- Yeah we have couples who reach out and say that they've just had babies after- I know like, we've worked with them. Aww, that's so neat. Or like when tragedy happens- Mm like, we want to, like, care for them- Yeah as if they're still our friends and family. Like, it's not just one day. And I think you have to care about people- Yeah to be in this industry. Yeah. It's so much more than just like, "I love weddings and pretty things," but like, "I really love people- Yeah and I wanna serve them." And the best way to do that is, like, getting to know them and being able to actually do what they want us to do. Yeah. Mm, yeah. I think it's so special to be able to build those long-lasting relationships as well, and then celebrate each milestone after the wedding is- Yeah. Yeah Exactly. Exactly. Yeah, so fun. And we want it to be more that almost like if you have that, like, favorite teacher from school- Yeah. that like you go back to, and you still visit them and check in on them and talk to them. It's like the same type of thing, that we want our couples to come back to us and not just be like, "Oh yeah, those girls that helped with my wedding." Mm. You know? They wanna be like, "My friends that- Yeah were a part of my wedding day, and were a part of the process." Yeah. It's those little things that, that matter, I think, the most to us. And at the end of the day, like, yes, we have a job to do, and we're aware of that, but there's so much more than just the execution of a wedding day. Like, it's so much- Right deeper than that. Yeah. And so you work with couples that might have a very clear vision and couples that might not sure what they want yet. How do you help someone find that vision without making the wedding feel like it came from someone else? I think it's a lot of trial and error. Um- Mm-hmm people are gonna have an opinion eventually. So even just things, we were just talking about this on our way over, is music. You know, some people are very passionate about DJs, some are very passionate about bands, and some want both. So first of all, it's kind of like trying to figure out what their vibe is with music. Mm-hmm. Like, do you enjoy going to see live music, or do you enjoy going to a club situation where there's a DJ? Trying to figure out those things that matter to them and what they enjoy more, and then presenting vendors or people in the industry that can kind of touch on that. You know, we love suggesting- Mm-hmm like, "This is a great live band. Like, go check 'em out this weekend and tell us your thoughts." So I think there's just a lot of, of trial and error. Um, and people will give you their opinions. Like, even if they have no idea what they want for their day, you could be like, "Hey, based on this, I think this could be something that you might love," and they'll be like, "Wow, you fully pulled that out our brain." Or they'll be like, "This is the absolute opposite." And you're like, "Heard." "Let's try again." Mm-hmm. Um, and I think that so much of that comes with, like, not not allowing yourself to feel like you've made a mistake. There are no mistakes in this. It's all... You know, it's not you personally being attacked or somebody being like, "I don't like what you did." It's more of we're trying to best serve them. So, like- Mm-hmm it's gonna be trial and error, that we try different packages, different colors, different scenarios, ideas, and then they'll share, like, "Is that what I wanted or does that not feel like me?" And I think that's one of the big questions we ask is like, "Does this feel like you guys?" Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Um, and so by trying to, like, put it into that lens, like, even if it came from our brains, oftentimes, like, we are trying to view it from their perspective, so it's not just, like Paige said, it's not like we're like, "I love weddings. I love colors. I love this." Uh-huh. Um, and I think that's really important, is trying to make sure that we're not just, like, pushing something on them. We're really taking what they've said and trying to run with it. Yeah. It makes me think too of, like, when we're designing for weddings like, we'll create several different mood board options. And so a lot of times they come in with some idea of what they want, and so we kind of show them, like, this is what that could look like. And then the next variation is, like, here's a small twist on that. Mm-hmm. And then on, like, the third or fourth one, I like to just, like, go kinda crazy and be like- here's something you probably didn't think of. Like, here's a random shade of green to pull into your pink wedding. Did you consider that? Like, let's just look at what that could be like. Mm-hmm. And presenting options of, like- I didn't think of this immediately, and you probably didn't either. You're seeing this, let's just jump out of the box and see- Yeah what it could look like. And sometimes people are like, "Absolutely, let's do something completely different," and sometimes they're like, "No, I really like just, like, the simplicity of something," and so we dive in there and- Mm-hmm find other elements that make it more personal. Mm-hmm. So it's not just, like, copying and pasting the- Right Pinterest wedding. But kind of just showing them, like, what could it look like if we tried something different- Yeah if you didn't just follow what you're seeing, and we just went in a completely different direction. Yeah. And it's fun for them to trust us with that, too. I think part of it goes back to, like, how we said we've had so many angles of being at weddings. Like, when you're a bride, I feel like you search dresses and you're like, "I know exactly what dress I want." And then you go dress shopping, and all of a sudden you like the exact opposite. Yeah. And it's one of those things where it's like, trust the process, trust the people that know what they're doing and have heard what you've said, and see where you land. Mm-hmm. And so I think, like, for both of us- Mm-hmm having been through that process, we understand the same type of visionary, that it's like you might come in saying you want this- but you also said that earlier. So, like, what if we try to rope that in, weave it in, and now look at what we've presented you? Yeah. And I think we see a lot of that, that, like Paige said, they'll be like, "I never thought of that. Like, that's so cool. Let's go with it." Yeah. Mm-hmm. Awesome how do you guys build and keep that trust throughout the process with your couples?

Building Trust With Honest Check Ins

17:27

I mean, we do a lot of check-ins. Right now Paige and I share an email, so we always joke with our couples that we're like, "You don't know who's emailing you." It might be Chelsea, it might be Paige. We're like, "Could be the milk, could be the honey, you don't know." Um, so I think because of that, like we're constantly in communication, and we let them know that like we're an open book, we're here, we give the, we give them our phone numbers. We give them whatever they need. And so staying in constant contact I think is really important. Of course, you know, setting those boundaries that it's like, "Hey, don't call me at 3:00 in the morning." Yeah. Um, no one has ever done that, don't worry. But really just showing them that like we have their best interest in mind. I think that, I'd say like is the most important piece, is because we've spent so much time getting to know them, it's not like we're just this random person that is trying to make a quick buck or anything like that. Mm-hmm. Like we've invested so much into who they are that I feel like there's that genuine trust that's built. We also, when we have couples that are local, we love to get together with people. Mm-hmm. Like it's, again, we, we want it to be more relationally built, not just you're the client and we're the, the vendor. We really try to execute what has been asked of us, but also in the process create this strong relationship of trust and friendship- Mm-hmm so that they do feel you know, we have their best interest in mind. Mm-hmm. And of course, we also care about them, so we're going to do what they want and make sure that we get there. Yeah. Yeah. And just like following through with what we say. Like I think we try to be really honest with our couples. Mm-hmm. And if they bring something to us, being honest of like, "That's not in your budget. Here's a way that we could twist it to be in your budget." Or if they like bring a problem to us, kind of going into our conversation with solutions and showing like, "We want to not have this be stressful for you." Yeah. "We're gonna work really hard behind the scenes to make sure that you're taken care of and that what you actually need is happening." Um, and I think kind of just the same way that like friendships build trust, like continually showing up for them and- just proving that like we care about you guys and- Yeah we want your day to be successful and not stressful- Yeah and here's what we're gonna do about it. Yeah. I think going above and beyond for people matters too. Mm-hmm. They don't always... Like Paige said, we're very solution-oriented, so we often will come to you with the final result, but you don't see what all went into getting there. Yeah. And so I think that that's really important too, is making sure that we have the end goal and that's what we present with them, so that they can trust that along the way we figured out how to get there. Exactly.

Fixing Problems With Calm Leadership

19:57

And then when things do happen to not go to plan, especially on the day of the wedding- Yeah what are some things you guys do to kind of smooth that out and make sure that the couple doesn't have to worry about, you know, anything- I think first and foremost, approaching it with like a calm and kind attitude. Like every person on a wedding day is like a piece of the puzzle, and if something falls through the cracks, it is on us to pick it up, but not like blaming people, not yelling at them. Like always approaching people with respect and kind of just making sure that like while we come to you with a problem as a vendor, we're also offering to like help. Mm-hmm. Um, like even at one of our weddings, I told a caterer to put tablecloths on the wrong table. And they were frustrated and upset, and like Chelsea knew that the bride wanted it a different way, and so we had to ask them to correct it, and they had to take probably 20 minutes to redo that. But even just like taking ownership of that, being like, "That's my mistake. Let me help make this better," and solve this problem so that it's not just on somebody else, but like really jumping in, like doing the dirty work, Getting your hands dirty mode. Yeah. Like being willing to actually like help in the solution and not just be an overseer or like a, someone just telling everyone what to do. Yeah I think also just having that people first mentality. Like Paige said, um, every person that's there for a wedding day is part of a puzzle, and we've all worked so hard behind the scenes to make stuff happen. So of course, accidents are gonna happen, mistakes are gonna happen. Mm-hmm. Like, it's human, and human nature is to panic, but trying to keep that calm demeanor and just remind everyone that, like, we're all on the same team. Mm-hmm. We have the same vision and goal in mind, so let's find a way to get through it. Um, I think in terms of, like, the couples and the brides, it's one of those things where unless it's a super massive tragedy, we're not even gonna let them know something's going on. It's like, you trust us to handle this- Mm-hmm so we're gonna handle it. So we always laugh that one of the things we say we manage, um, in our contract is people. So, like, people management, and I think that you don't realize what a huge skill, but also a huge requirement that is- Yeah on a wedding day. You know, there are so many people that feel so personally and emotionally, but also financially- Mm-hmm invested in the day. So just making sure that, like, we've managed expectations throughout, and then when something does go awry, take a second, figure out how we can solve it, work together. But approaching it with kindness and that calm demeanor is gonna always help people want to work with you. And at the end of the day, like Paige said, you know, when people have to do something a second time, if you've been kind about it, they're like, "Oh my gosh, let's fix it. No problem." Mm-hmm. And it is one of those, like, all hands on deck because we all have that same end goal in mind. Right. Mm-hmm. And it's so important to have those people skills too, especially- Yeah when you're working with so many different types of people. Mm-hmm. Especially on a stressful day like a wedding. Right. Yeah. Yeah. And, like, keeping ego out of it I think matters too, because it's easy, you know, if someone, like, panics and is escalated, like, you naturally might want to engage. Yeah. And it's like, walk away, take a sec, take a breath- Yeah and then let's come back to it. Exactly. I think that's huge, is just having those people skills. Mm-hmm.

Local Vendor Network And Best Fits

23:16

So you guys are Northern Virginia natives, which gives you access to a lot of the smaller businesses and hidden gems that couples might not find on their own. What are some of the advantages of having that kind of local connection? I mean, I just think it's so fun that we can share some of our favorite places with people. Mm-hmm. Um, everyone has, their own favorites of everything. Like, if you ask someone's favorite restaurant, the likelihood that we name the same one is unlikely. But now you've shared something new with me, and I can try somewhere else. So I think it's just been a lot of we get to share places that either have history or nostalgia or memories or just, like, an incredible ambiance or experience. So being locals, there is a lot that we've gotten to experience, and I think we also are always trying to, like, build our palates, try new places, experience new things. Mm-hmm. So we love the opportunity to try something new and to be able to suggest that to someone. Um, I think that makes it fun, especially being in Leesburg since this is where we grew up. Yeah. Yeah. And also, like, we're a small business, and we want to support other small businesses. Mm-hmm. Um, I think with our roots extending so far back, our network is just insane. It's, like, such a blessing that- Mm-hmm we have so many people that we still keep in contact with, and even people that we've fallen out of contact with that open up businesses- Yeah and reach out, talking about how can we work together. Um, a lot of artists, bakers, um- Photographers. We have so many- photographers photographer friends. Yeah, and it's really fun too that it's like, we wanna support you guys, and they wanna support us. Um, and so being able to kind of pull from these smaller businesses, but we've built those relationships over time. Maybe we've worked with them in the past or went to school with them. Yeah. And so kind of all coming back and being like, "Wow, what a full circle moment that now we can recommend you to a couple or help repost your stuff on social media- Mm-hmm to get you more visibility." It's just really special to, like, reconnect with so many people from our past. Yeah. That's awesome, and I think it goes back to building those relationships and having those people skills. Right. Yes. And you've also made a point of recommending a different venue or different vendor when you believe they're a better fit, even if it means you don't get to work with- a vendor you already know and love. Why is that important to you guys? I think so much of it goes back to the we're anti-rinse and repeat. Like, there are great vendors and there are millions of vendors. The wedding industry is huge. There are so many vendors, there are so many amazing vendors, that it's like, why not try to expand? Why not suggest someone that fits budget? You know, budget matters, um, vision matters what you wanna take away from the day. There are so many small pieces that kind of determine who would be a good fit and why. So I think there's j- there's a lot of reasons that go into it, but a lot of it really does stem back to the fact that, like, we want everyone's day to be unique. So if you're asking for something that this vendor might do great, but we know another one that we've never worked with, but we've heard great things about, and we know- Mm-hmm that this is their bread and butter, like, we want to give you that option. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Even personality. Like, I think a lot of our couples like to meet with their vendors before booking, specifically with photographers- Yeah 'cause they're such a huge part of it. You spend the whole day with them. Yeah. Yeah. And so, like- we know lots of light and airy photographers that might be great, but do they actually fit that couple's personality? Do, does that couple feel comfortable with them- Mm spending so much of the biggest day of their life- Yeah with that person? And that's so true, too- Yeah is that, like, someone's work might speak for themselves, but, like, you also need to make sure that you guys have good vibes- Mm-hmm and that you guys mesh, because that does matter so much. Yeah. It's just who you're working with and how much of the day you're spending and investing together. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's another thing that people don't think about often. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. That it's like, "I love this person's work," but then you guys just might not vibe, and- Exactly that's totally fine. There's nothing wrong with either of you, but, like- Mm-hmm that isn't- Yeah something that you thought to think about. Right.

Why Day Of Coordination Is A Myth

27:24

Mm-hmm. That's sad. Um, so coordination is also something you're passionate about, and you've talked about the misconception that day of coordination means showing up on- the wedding day. What do you wish more couples- Never understood about what a coordinator actually does? We do not believe that day of coordination is a thing. I definitely think that lots of couples need... I think every couple needs a coordinator. Um, but like some couples, they can plan their own wedding, and they're super successful in that, and they do just need somebody to come and make sure it runs. And what I hope they understand in that is that, um, like it's truly not just day of. We view it as starting two months out at the very least, and even then we give them access to our online planning system as soon as they book with us so that they're constantly like adding in information. We can review those contracts as they come in and- Gives us the chance to have eyes on things- Yeah even before the two months out, so that if we catch something- Mm or notice that something is missing or- Yeah looks off, we can address it ahead of time- Yeah. rather than just walking in and- Yeah having to problem solve. And even creating, like, their timeline and their floor plan, like, sometimes you have this idea of what might work, and from our end we're like, "That's not possible." Your vendors need this amount of time here. They need their vendor meal or a time to take a break. Yeah. Your band has to stop, and- Yeah they in their contract have a break. When are you gonna build that in? Um, so kind of working with them throughout the planning process, and then we always say, like, our start date is the full handover, um, where we really start to meet with our couple very frequently because we want to have a full transfer of knowledge. Our goal in those two months leading up to their wedding is, like, we want to know your wedding as well as you do. You've spent so much time planning it, and we can't execute it if we don't know everything. Yeah. So, like, being communicative, um, responding quickly, and just making sure that, like, their intention is transferring all knowledge to us. Mm-hmm. That really does take a lot of time. Mm-hmm. Like, you can't walk into a day and be an expert on it. Like, you have to spend the time in the weeds, and so you need more time than just a day or a week- Yeah or even a month really to get in the- Yeah weeds and establish that we are gonna be the person to talk to on the day of. Like, if they need something, don't go to the couple. Let them have their day. It is just it's something that people just don't think about. They think that it's like, well, you're just making sure the day runs, and it's yes, and- Mm-hmm there's so much more that goes into it, that if you're just looking for a body to run a timeline, then that's really not what a coordinator's gonna do. A coordinator is supposed to be the one that fully makes sure that every element of the day makes sense. Mm-hmm. Like, even one of the silly things that we've run into is sometimes caterers won't mention, like, if you're doing a plated salad, you need salad plates. So making sure that there's enough salad plates that are in your contract for all of your, your guests. Mm-hmm. And because we have access to those contracts ahead of time, we're able to say like, "Hey, this, this doesn't look right. Did you know that this is missing in your contract?" And if you don't have that transfer of knowledge and that time and, like, the deeper investment to fully get in the weeds, those things won't get caught. Mm-hmm. And then that's when you suddenly have the issues on the day of that people are trying to problem solve how they are. Yeah. So I think there is a huge misconception with what coordination is. To us, we're just as passionate about it as we are with the other elements of planning. Mm-hmm. Of course, it's, it can be fun to get to help design, but I also think that there's so much that goes into just making sure the day runs properly. And that's just physically impossible, in our opinion. You know? Mm-hmm. I'm sure other people can make it work, but- Yeah um, Paige said it best. You said being an expert on the day, and I just think that if you look at any field, anyone, anywhere, nobody walks in day one and is an expert, and I just think that it's impossible to do so or to have that expectation- with that limited time. Mm-hmm. So to us, that's where we really do wanna invest as much time as possible so that we can be experts to make sure that your perfect day is in fact perfect. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Absolutely.

Learning Couple Dynamics Before The Day

31:46

And so in those final two months leading up to the wedding, with that transfer of knowledge, what are some things that you're learning about a couple during that time to make the day run smoothly? I think we learn a lot about their personalities. Um, like most of the time we're not meeting with them all that much before those two months other than like our consultation when we get- Yeah to know them. And so as we start meeting with them, we see their personalities, we see what stresses them out, and kind of take note of these things of like how can we avoid that or make sure that those things don't happen on the wedding day, because that might stress them out. Yeah. That might bring out something that they don't want. Or like if somebody just has like a really bubbly personality, like how can we cater specifically to that on the wedding day? So I think it's fun, like over these virtual meetings that we have with people, we learn so much about them that helps us best serve that couple- Mm-hmm and respond to their emotions and how they're feeling going into the wedding day. Like beyond all of the wedding details. Right. Like every couple is different. Yeah. How do we cater to them? And I think that you see a lot of those dynamics that matter. Like you see who has parents involved in the meetings with us, meaning that like family is a huge piece to them, so making sure that the parents feel just as involved and invested throughout the day. Or sometimes it'll be the full couple, sometimes it'll just be the bride. And so kind of getting to see all of those so that it really does help you figure out how to manage throughout the day. Mm. And like Paige said, understanding the dynamics. There's so much unspoken. Um, we give people the opportunity to share, you know, like is there anything that we should know, but at the end of the day, people aren't going to say X, Y, Z. It's, it's kind of something that you learn from being around them. So there's so much that we just- Mm get to learn about the couples- Yeah when we have those chances to chat with them, which is really fun. And it is just so much of, again, like being people-oriented and having the time to talk about this, goal that we have together, which is their wedding. Yeah. But also it's kind of just like FaceTime, hanging out with your friends- Exactly and casually also talking about a floor plan. Yeah. There you go.

Content Creation Without Stealing Focus

33:57

The wedding industry has become very content-driven, with vendors sometimes bringing their own cameras and content creators to capture themselves. How do you think the industry can balance creating content while still keeping the focus on the couple? I think some vendors are really good at this, that they make sure that it's a short thing. You know, at the end of the day, everyone wants to show off their work, and I think that's important and that matters. It's, we have, you know, we have a content creator on our team as well, and the purpose of having her there is so that she can show off all of the details, and that's something that we love is being able to really share that with people. But at the end of the day, the wedding is not about us. It's not about any of us vendors that are there. So, rather than showing the ways that we're doing things, we wanna show, like, here is this couple's day. Here's their life in 30 seconds of their wedding day. And I think that as long as vendors kind of have that same scope, that, you know, they're, at the end of the day, like, yes, their work, but also for the good of the group and for the good of this couple and- Mm-hmm and serving this couple, then I think that's a way that we can still make it so that you're showing off what you've done- Mm-hmm but it's for this purpose. Yeah. Yeah. And, like, there's a time and a place, um, to capture the content of us versus the couple. Yeah. And I think finding that balance of, like, we are not getting in their way. If vendors are capturing their own content and it's of them, like, having that be in a way that's not distracting the couple or taking away any attention that should be on them. Mm-hmm. Uh, 'cause it is their day. Like, obviously- Yeah. we are serving them, and yes, we want to show our work and how things happen behind the scenes, but never in a way that is distracting the couple or the guests from the main point of the day- Mm-hmm which is always going to be the couple and, like, their friends and family and celebrating them. Yeah. Right. So really keeping the couple on the, on the forefront of everything. Well, 'cause none of us would be here without them. Exactly. Like, truly, it's, it's we're there to serve them- Mm-hmm to honor them, to love on them. Yeah. Yeah.

Spending On What Actually Matters

36:06

So we've noticed a shift away from the more is more mentality toward couples investing more intentionally into things that matter most to them. Why do you think that shift is happening? I mean, I think that a lot of things and a lot of people are just kinda getting back to the roots of marriage. Your wedding day is special, but it's one day. It's one day of the rest of your life, and it's supposed to be- Mm-hmm the start, and the true core of a wedding day is a couple, and the unity, and the union, and your marriage. And sometimes people... I think for a while people were kind of forgetting that there's a difference between a wedding and a marriage. It was kind of just, we're here to celebrate this wedding, and then people, you know, are a month out and they're like, "Oh, wow, here we are." Yeah. And so I think that there's just a lot more investment and, like, recognition of, like, this is the reason we're here, and here's how we can make the day special for all of our guests, but also here's what is going to be the most important to us. And that's why they're like, "Let's invest in this piece because this speaks to us, this matters to us, and it's something that we'll look back on and not be like, 'Why did we have this there?'" Mm-hmm. "That, that was unimportant." Yeah, and I think especially since COVID, the industry has exploded. We're seeing it everywhere that, like, things are just insanely expensive, and it's gotten to a point where they can't have everything. Yeah. So finding ways to, like, best use their money, and that's part of why we always encourage a planner is, like, we have an idea of what things cost, so you're not gonna go and spend 40% of your budget on your flowers and now you have nothing left- Right because you didn't view the whole scope or you didn't know. But, like, really narrowing down, one of our favorite questions to ask is, like, "What are your priorities?" If it's food- Mm-hmm then let's splurge on food and let's cut back in other places, and you can still have a beautiful day and every detail can be intentional without spending so much money on every single piece of it. Yeah. Like, how do we best allocate that money to really show what's important- and leave out what's not? Right. Yeah. And is it different for every couple, like whether they choose to- Oh, yeah invest more money into one thing versus other? Absolutely. Definitely. Well, 'cause some people, we try to say, you know, top three priorities, but sometimes people can't narrow it down to three. They have so much that matters to them. Or like we often hear guest experience. Yeah. Mm. And that can be hard because sometimes to guest experience, that's, you know, have 10 different things happening at cocktail hour so there's no chance someone could get bored, and other times it's just make sure that there's something to engage them. So that's where it really does matter learning about the couple and what matters to them and figuring out that priority. Yeah. Mm. But like Paige said, like vendors are getting more expensive, and that's just the nature of the world- um, and the year that we're in, and that's fine. We never want people to feel like, you know, you're asking them for a discount or you're trying to devalue their work, because that's definitely not what anyone wants. It's more just like, okay, well, now you've seen what we can work with and how we can make this happen, so where can we really deeply invest so that you feel like this was a worthwhile investment, you're happy with it, you love it, it, it shows what you guys wanted to do, but it's also not the big song and dance. It still really points to the reason you guys are here, which is- Yeah your two lives coming together and joining as one. Mm-hmm. Right. Yeah. And like as a couple, like if you walked into a wedding, what would be something that like takes your breath away- Yeah that you think is super cool? And to some people, that's like $20,000 of flowers would take my breath away. And for some people it would be having an oyster bar- Yeah. or a station. Like it could be food, it could be flowers, it could be a unique vendor, and so like what does that mean to them, and how can we invest there to get them what would blow them away? 'Cause- Right they should be blown away. Even if they know- Yeah it's coming, it's their wedding. Right. Like what is special to you? Awesome.

Working Full Time While Booking Weddings

40:15

So you both have full-time jobs while building Milk Honey, and you booked, was it 20, 20 weddings in your first year? Yes. That's awesome. What have you learned about managing your time and energy that you didn't expect when you first started your business? We really have to put in the work. Yeah. We've never been ones to sit down, like- I don't know. I don't remember a time where my parents were like, "Go get a job," but from the age of 15, I had one job, maybe two or three at a time. Wow. Just because of, like, I think we both like to be busy. Yeah. Chelsea has, like, 10 jobs right now. Just because she loves doing everything. And so, like, sometimes that does mean that we're working beyond 9:00 to 5:00. Oh. Almost always. Yeah. Like, we're working our weekends. We're taking meetings after hours. Nights. Um- Multitasking. Yeah. Like, really being okay with inconveniencing ourselves for the sake of caring for our couples, for growing our business, for caring for our team even. Mm-hmm. Like, what works with them. They all have- Yeah jobs too. How can we still communicate with them and also, like, not take up all their weekends? Right. I mean, Paige said it best. I think we've always been busybodies. We've always been on the go. Mm-hmm. It kinda just, like, runs in our blood. Mm. Uh, we get that from our dad, for sure. Is that he's constantly- Good genes on the go. And so I think because of that, we've always had a lot of drive and passion for a lot of things. And I think something that our parents really instilled in us is you don't just have to be an expert at one thing. Mm. And it's never too late to start over. Mm. And so I think for us, whether that's a career change or trying new things or trying and failing, like, in high school, Paige played, like, every sport you could play. Everything. Wow. Did it all. Um, did it all, exactly. And I feel like I worked every job that one could possibly work. Like, if you were to throw something at, I'm- probably I've done it or s- am still doing it. But I think because of that, we're- we have a lot of skills, and I think that oftentimes people will associate who they are with their personality with one job. Mm. And for us, there's so much of, like, I am so much more than my job title. Mm-hmm. And so because of that, I think that we're- we have so many passions, and one of them is, being in the wedding industry. And so with that, we recognize that it means we're gonna have to work beyond a nine-to-five, but that doesn't scare us. Mm you know, we're not doing this just for the money, and we still know how to organize our time and manage things, and spend time with our families, and do the things we love. And I think that to us, like Paige said, like, it never was meant to be a nine-to-five. Um- Mm-hmm and we're fine with that. And I think that if it gets to a point where we're not fine with that, that's when you need to reevaluate things. But right now, we just are both really good at managing our time. And there's two of us. Yeah. I cannot imagine how people that are doing this single-handedly on the side as well- It's amazing on top of a nine-to-five, like, y'all are heroes. Um- Yeah. we're definitely a hive mind, for sure. Mm-hmm. And so that has been super valuable is that, you know, if there's a week that I'm like I need a break"- Mm "I'm exhausted," Paige can pick up the slack and vice versa. Mm. Mm-hmm. And so that's super helpful, too is by being a team- Yeah and not having to single-handedly do it- I think we're really good at making sure that nothing falls through the cracks. Mm-hmm. But because this is something we're so passionate about and- one of our passion projects it doesn't really feel like work. Like, this is fun. Yeah. And that's sometimes hard, too, is that people will be like, "Well, it's another job," and I'm like but I love what I'm doing." It's what it... Yeah. Right. Yeah. It feels kind of like a break. Like, I work- Really in technology, and I work at home all day on my computer. And so then, like, getting to come and do things like this or, like, later today we have a rehearsal, um, and, like, getting to go and be around people is so different. Like, on my feet- Yeah working with my hands versus, like, sitting at a desk all day. Right. So they're both kind of a break. When I'm tired of people, I h- can sit down at my computer and- work on my work. And when I'm ready to be around people, there's always people to be around- Mm meetings to have, conversations- Right that need to happen. It's also just such a creative outlet too, and I think- Yeah besides taking meetings, you know, when we're doing design boards and things, there's so much that can be done when you're taking a break from your full-time job or when you're- Mm on a lunch break that, like, scratches the itch and you're like, "Okay, I got this really good idea. Let me just- let me write about it or let me start to design it a little bit," and then you can step away. Yeah. And I think that's what's really helpful too, is it's, it feels like a break even though it's still doing work and doing the job. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, when you do what you love, it doesn't feel like work. Right, exactly. Yeah. There you go.

Growth Goals And What Comes Next

44:54

What are some things you are most excited about for the future? Gosh, I think growth Yeah Uh, this year has been beyond our wildest dreams. Mm-hmm. We truly thought that we were going to start the company in October and kind of sit and twiddle our thumbs and- and put in the work and not see a lot come out of it. You know, I think in everything, people always try to show you the negative, and they try to, like, steer you away, and, and I don't know if they're trying to give you a warning and like, "Hey, heed my advice. It's gonna be hard. It's gonna be this," and, and it is. But we've had such a fruitful year, and we- are besides ourselves just how blessed we've been and how many goals we set that we've accomplished. Um- Mm-hmm we did this cute little thing that we sat down and had a little day in January. And we bought bottles of prosecco for each of our goals, and so we put, like, a little goal tag on each of them, and we have already accomplished so many of them. We haven't- Mm been able to drink because I am pregnant. Um, so we're holding- When the baby comes, we're celebrating big. When the baby comes, we have a lot of bottles to pop, so we've been holding off on those. But it's just been amazing seeing all of these, like, small dreams because we didn't want to... We didn't wanna set goals and dreams that were so big that we couldn't accomplish them, so we tried to be really level-headed. And seeing the fact that now we have accomplished so many of them- Mm-hmm has just-- I mean, it's both parts an honor and just, like, a testament to how much work has gone into this. Mm-hmm. We knew it wouldn't be easy. People warned us it wouldn't be easy, but they also tried to maybe scare us away. Mm. And I think that we were kind of like, "Hey, we feel this calling. Let's see what happens." Mm-hmm. Yeah. And it's just been such a wonderful year- Yeah um, with more than we could have ever expected or asked for. Mm-hmm. That's amazing. I'm really excited for next year. We have a lot more partial and full planning weddings. Mm-hmm. Like, I love our coordination- Mm-hmm but some of these couples, we booked them early this year, even, like, end of last year, and their weddings are next year, so working with them for that full, like, year and a half, two years. Yeah. I'm just really excited for, like, the designs that we're working with them to create. Mm-hmm. Um, really, like, curating the full vendor team, not just, like, jumping in as another piece of the puzzle, but, like, giving them those recommendations. A lot of familiar faces, a lot of new faces on our vendor teams coming up. And yeah, I just... I know we both love, like, the design aspect, and so seeing something that we've had a hand in creating from the beginning is really exciting. Just to... I'm looking forward to seeing those, some new venues that we're gonna be at. Yeah. Yeah. It'll just be a really good year. Yeah. Busy, but good. Super exciting stuff coming

Where To Find Milk Honey Events

47:41

up. Yeah. For couples who are beginning the wedding planning process and want to learn more about Milk and Honey Events, where can they find and connect with you? Great question. Instagram is a great one. It's a good starting point. Um, we are both very active on our Instagram page, um, so that's @milkandhoneyevents_dmv. Our website is another great one. Just milkandhoney.com... Milk- Milkandhoneyevents.com milkandhoneyevents.com. Um, that's where they can submit an inquiry, and we try to get back to them very quickly. Um- We usually we always get really excited. Pretty top of it. Yeah. Um, and we just wanna meet them. So that's a great place to read more about us, about our story, um, see some of the work that we've gotten to do this year. Yeah. And then reach out. Our social media page, though, you can follow along. Like Paige said, we have a rehearsal tonight, so, like, we're gonna be posting some little behind-the-scenes footage- Mm-hmm of what that looks like. So you can always follow along with stories or on the actual grid. That's where we put a lot of our work, and you can kind of see a little bit about us, but also about what we do. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, we like to be authentic there, so it's fun. Yeah. You'll see a little bit more of, like, our personalities- Yeah. than you might see on our website. Um- Uh-huh I love stories. I- make Instagram less serious. There we go. That's my goal. Yeah. We need a lot more of that. Yeah. Awesome, and as we wrap up, is there anything you'd like to add that we haven't touched on today?

Final Advice For Newly Engaged Couples

49:13

We are celebrating our one year of being open at the end of October, so that's really exciting. Man. Yeah, our books for 2028 are open. We are ready to start booking weddings beyond next year. Um, so yeah, excited to see what couples come. Um, excited to just celebrate with people. Yeah. Awesome. And I think I would just remind couples, you know, once you get engaged, enjoy it. It matters. It's, it goes so quickly. Mm-hmm. But also take time to really care about who you're investing in. Mm. Um, you know, reach out to people, get to know them, and then build that team as early on as you can. Reach out to us. We're excited- Yeah. to chat with you. But yeah, mostly just we hope that whether people get to inquire with us or go elsewhere, that they just enjoy their wedding process, 'cause we know that's what, at the root of all of this, matters the most. Yeah. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Paige and Chelsea, for joining me on The Alimond Show. I wish you the very best in everything that comes your way in the future. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks for having us. Of course.