READING TIME: 2 min 27 sec
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/04/2024
UPDATED: 09/04/2024
The wedding world has its share of prim and proper planners, flitting about in pastels with clipboards tucked under their toned arms. Not Wendy Kay of Birds of a Feather Events. This maverick of matrimonial magic marches to her own avant-garde beat, unafraid to shatter expectations with bold color combos and daring designs.
"I started my business in 2010 after my own wedding. I was working in television at the time and was becoming bored and creatively unfulfilled," Wendy explains. "I realized after planning my own wedding that it checked all of the boxes for me. It allowed me to flex my creative muscles while also staying true to my sometimes Type A personality."
A former TV pro who traded the small screen for the aisle's grand stage, Wendy doesn't just plan weddings - she conceives them as eccentric personal expressions, tailored indelibly to each couple's quirks and whims.
"Currently I am planning 4 weddings a less each year - I value having the time to be ultra detail-oriented with each of my clients as well as put in the amount of time needed to design something unique for them," she insists. "I lean into interesting color combos and prefer to work with clients who trust me to take the reigns and allow me to do what they hired me for. I am focused on planning tented and destination weddings at the moment."
"We do not offer packages, everything is full-service planning and design and completely custom." A steadfast refusal of templates or conformity, each Wendy Kay creation is a bespoke labor of love. Even the most memorable event is but a fleeting muse. "My best friend's wedding was the most memorable because I love her."
Wendy handpicks her couples as meticulously as they do their guests. "I am most drawn to clients who are open and honest about what they want and are direct in their delivery." Her velvet-roped approach eschews indecision. " I like to take on the bulk of the work and just let them be involved in the fun stuff. I don't tie my clients up in a bunch of unnecessary meetings or present them with a million choices. I listen to them really well so that I know what they want and do not have to guess or make them do a lot of work that should fall on my plate."
"I am primarily focused on private estates or venues that have outdoor space for tenting." Wendy's canvas is one of lush, expansive grounds and elegant manors - weddings step above the purely formulaic ballroom affairs.
“It took years to figure out who my ideal client was and to be ok with letting the rest go. Working with a client who is not a good fit will make your life and theirs miserable,” she adds.
While never scrimping on opulence, Wendy minds the matrimonial budget wisely. "You just have to make sure your budget is in alignment with your expectations - if not, one of those things has to flex. Also, know that your expectations will likely grow throughout the planning and design process and you should have some buffer built in for that."
"Do some hardcore research about what things cost before you sign on the dotted line for a single thing," she cautions those enthralled by Instagram envy. "Those beautiful weddings you are seeing on social media are likely a lot more expensive than you realize."
All in all, for Wendy, the grandest celebration is forever on the horizon, waiting to be unearthed and crafted into existence. "Wherever my next client is getting married ;)"
