Y’all, meet Maggie:

If you don’t already know her, you’re not living life to the fullest. We adore Maggie and are constantly blown away by her resourcefulness and creativity. She is such a beautiful person inside and out, and inspires us! We asked Maggie to give us some great information and resources that we could share with all our readers! Read along!

Hey y’all! Maggie here, owner of Maggie’s Misc Events, a wedding planning + design boutique based in Richmond, VA. Today, I am here to share a little of my heart with you and let you in on how my passions influence all aspects of my business. The mission of Maggie’s Misc is to be a business that is mindful of the greater story as we strive to give back, provide exceptional customer service, and cultivate authentic, meaningful relationships with clients and vendors.

I have been passionate about service for about as long as I can remember. As I child I used to tell my dad that I wanted a “fix-it finger” to be able to travel the world and fix all its problems. In college this desire grew stronger and I volunteered with many non-profit organizations serving in various roles. It must just be in my DNA to see the world through a larger lens and want to make a positive impact on those around me. Not only am I passionate about service, but I also have a deep love for design + creativity. Nothing makes me feel quite so alive as when I am creating something new with my own hands.

I had the idea for Maggie’s Misc toward the end of a long season of adversity. I went through many trials during that period and was able to develop even greater compassion and empathy for those in need. I came out of this season stronger and even more determined to leave my mark on the world.

Shortly after moving to Richmond, I worked in corporate event planning from 2011-2013 (my childhood home is East Tennessee where I was born, raised, and went to college). I also created an Etsy account last May selling vintage handmade decor, mostly to brides. In November, after a series of events, I decided to combine my experience in event planning with my passion for design, and thus, Maggie’s Misc was born. I have known from the beginning that I wanted to be a business that’s about more than just making money. Below are five ways that Maggie’s Misc strives to be a business that’s mindful of others:

Exceptional Customer Service

As a client, one of the things you can expect from Maggie’s Misc Events is exceptional customer service. It is one of the pillars on which I built this business and in every customer interaction I strive to: respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly and thoughtfully, admit mistakes, look for solutions, offer encouragement, and be respectful and courteous. Further, I like to make the wedding planning process fun and joyful. Brides are often stressed during wedding planning and part of my job is to help them enjoy the process, relax, and not stress the small stuff.

Emphasis on Marriage

Like I said before, design is a huge passion. However, to me, the marriage is the ultimate goal; not the wedding. Newly engaged brides-to-be can get sucked into the Pinterest vortex (as I like to call it), and then feel stressed and overwhelmed when they can’t get the wedding decor they see online to fit into their budget. This is when I come in, try to find alternatives, and then point them back to remembering why they are doing this: it’s all about marrying your best friend. Strong marriages are important to me, and as a wedding planner I get to play a small role in building those marriages.

Giving Back

My husband and I volunteer with Youth Life Foundation of Richmond, a local non-profit that provides tutoring, mentoring, and activities to inner city youth. Don, my husband, even serves on their board. 10% of all sales go to benefit Youth Life. In addition, Maggie’s Misc Events will help plan one event a year pro bono for a local non-profit. As the business continues to grow, we will continue to look for ways to be creative and thoughtful with our giving.

Blogging

Blogging is a way for us to share our heart with others. In blogging our aim is to: inspire hope, speak life, and instill positive thinking in young men and women.

Building Genuine, Authentic Relationships

One of the biggest passions of mine is to build authentic relationships with our clients. We treat our clients better than we would hope to be treated and our desire is to develop not only a working relationship with them, but a friendship as well. If we can help a client that is also a friend on one of the biggest days of their lives, then my heart is so full and content.

Thank you so much for reading along. Congratulations to all you newly engaged folks out there! Enjoy this season of your life and take some time to soak it all in! Happy planning!

To contact Maggie, please email her at: weddings@maggiesmisc.com, or visit her website at: www.maggiesmisc.com. Follow along on Instagram @maggiesmisc or Facebook at: Maggie’s Misc Events.