Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristine Cooke.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kristine. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m originally from New York City but grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta. I attended UGA (Go Dawgs!) and ended up finding my passion in events by majoring in Fashion Merchandising. After graduation, I moved straight to Manhattan where I worked in several facets of the fashion industry. By chance, I had the opportunity to help coordinate the last several months of a wedding and I fell head over heels in love with it all. After four years in the city, I moved back to Atlanta and dove headfirst into the wedding and social event industry: networking, shadowing, assisting, and business plan-writing on a mission to start a planning company… and Simply Charming Socials was born! You can read our full story here.
With several years of experience under my belt, strong relationships with the most inspiring creatives and vendors, and the drive to continue to produce beautiful, magical events, I have proudly continued to grow my brand. As we embark on a new decade, I’m also coming up on my tenth year of weddings. As a mother now, I have a new sense of my whole self and what I want my future and the future of the Simply Charming Socials brand to look like. As my two-year-old daughter says, “mama makes parties” but I know in my heart, I do so much more than that. The roster of past events is now in the hundreds, and I can proudly say that the referrals and press keep rolling in, a true testament to our hard work.
2020 and beyond holds so many promises and adventures for Simply Charming Socials. We (yes, the team and I) are taking the next chapter of this company head on, with more weddings and socials than ever before. We’re expanding our brand to include Charm School, an entertaining and etiquette based platform that strives to educate and inspire the modern host. As we are growing on a grander scale, we continue forward always with our mission in mind: cleverly crafting and curating celebrations for all.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Starting a business and growing a brand brings challenges, and of course, there are always ups and downs. Adding life’s peaks and valleys does its duty of strengthening and breaking you, all so you can continue to reshape yourself and sense of purpose. My brand is an extension of my self. I have grown with it and it with me through moves and money and marriage and motherhood. Some separation is always good, but my best advice is to give yourself time and grace to find YOUR balance, whatever that means. Adaptability and kindness are the two most valuable traits – having these things for yourself, your business, your colleagues, and your clients is the key.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Simply Charming Socials story. Tell us more about the business.
I think our motto captures it all: we believe that a well-planned event, beginning with a foundation of carefully orchestrated logistics, executed by a curated team of artists & professionals, and designed to capture the aesthetics & personalized nuances unique to our clientele results in a beautiful symphony of memorable moments.
Simply Charming Socials plans weddings and social events all over the Southeast and beyond. From entire wedding weekends with all of the festivities that come along with them, we perfectly tie all of the events together to create a full experience. The socials we produce runs the celebratory gamut from first birthdays to 5th to 30th, silver anniversaries and vow renewals, showers of all kinds, and every picnic, fete, and party in between.
We ultra tune in to our clients’ wants and needs. We incorporate their story, their style, and the reason for the event, to wholly capture a complete vision. Our relationships with clients are so important to me. There is nothing more thrilling than planning not one, but several events for a client and their loved ones. We’ve done both sister’s weddings, besties who swap the Maid of Honor title, and years of parties for a treasured client – almost an extension of her hostessing. We have the honor and ability to connect with our clients to bring these moments to life.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
Be kind, curious, open-minded, and open enough to share. Always be willing to learn and listen. Every nuance and tidbit can be stored away and processed for future situations. Though you may not always agree or follow the same path as a mentor or peer, their experiences each come with a lesson of their own.
Collaborations are key. They are the best way to get to know another business person or creative, and the perfect opportunity to hone your craft and shine. Even in the most niche of markets, there is room for everyone. Carve out your spot, but be a champion for others as well.
Mentorship is a gift for both the teacher and the student. Jump at the right opportunity to shadow a seasoned mentor. And repay the honor by investing your time and energy into a budding professional one day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.simplycharmingsocials.com
- Email: hello@simplycharmingsocials.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/simplycharmingsocials
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SimplyCharmingSocials/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/scsocials/
Image Credit:
Kelly Berry Photography, Jessica Gold Photography, Sawyer Baird Photography, Davy Whitener Photography, Four Corners Photography
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