Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Cochran James Boyd.
Hi Rachel Cochran, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The Bridal and Business Fair started from a genuine desire to create opportunities for our local community. We noticed that so many talented small business owners, artisans, and event professionals had incredible products and services to offer, but struggled to afford larger expos or marketing outlets. At the same time, local brides were searching for unique, high-quality vendors without having to travel far or overspend. The fair became a bridge between the two — an affordable, welcoming space where creativity meets opportunity, and where both businesses and brides can come together to celebrate what our community has to offer.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Vendor Recruitment & Diversity
Attracting a good mix of quality vendors can be challenging — especially in the early years. Some businesses hesitate to commit without knowing the expected turnout, while others have limited budgets or overlapping schedules with other events.
Budget Constraints
Hosting a fair that’s affordable for both vendors and attendees, while still covering venue, marketing, décor, and staffing costs, can be a delicate balance. Every decision — from booth pricing to advertising — has to stretch every dollar.
Marketing & Attendance
Reaching both brides and businesses takes strategic marketing. It’s a challenge to reach newly engaged couples beyond social media and into their hands, as they may not yet be following local pages or community groups.
Venue Logistics
Finding a location that’s affordable, attractive, and large enough for vendors and guests is no small feat. Coordinating electricity, Wi-Fi, setup times, parking, and accessibility can be complex — especially with multiple moving parts and vendors.
Day-of Coordination
The day of the event can feel like organized chaos — managing load-in schedules, booth placements, signage, audio setups, and ensuring both vendors and guests have a great experience.
Weather & Timing
For seasonal fairs or partially outdoor events, weather can impact attendance. Timing also plays a huge role — planning around holidays, wedding seasons, and other community events is key to turnout.
Community Engagement
Encouraging local brides to “shop local” rather than going to larger regional expos or online options can be an ongoing challenge, requiring education and relationship-building over time.
Balancing Expectations
Managing expectations between vendors (who want strong sales and leads) and guests (who want a fun, valuable experience) takes careful planning, clear communication, and follow-up.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
James Boyd and Rachel Cochran are serial entrepreneurs with a passion for hospitality, entrepreneurship, and giving back. James is a classically trained executive chef who began his career 21 years ago at the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu. Rachel brings a wide range of corporate experience and has also owned and operated restaurants herself.
Together, we own and operate Garnish Event Services, a mission-driven, for-profit business that helps fund our nonprofit, Blue Sky Outreach. Garnish began as a mobile bartending company and has since expanded into full-scale event planning, catering coordination, and business coaching. They now serve clients across Georgia and North Florida and have been operating both ventures for two years.
Blue Sky Outreach is the heartbeat of their mission. It’s a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families in need through food assistance, community outreach, and empowerment programs. They operate a local food pantry and are expanding efforts to provide workforce development, job placement support, and small business mentorship. Their work ensures that every event, every client, and every partnership through Garnish also fuels something bigger — lasting impact in the lives of people who need it most.
Learn more about their nonprofit at www.blueskyoutreach.org.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Honestly, we’ve never put much stock in luck. From our experience, success comes from hard work, consistency, and doing the right thing even when nobody’s watching. We believe that when you stay focused on serving people well and putting in the effort day after day, what some call “luck” tends to show up later as the result of all that groundwork. Sure, there have been moments that felt lucky — a great vendor connection, the perfect event opportunity — but those things only came because we were already prepared and showing up. So in our view, luck isn’t what builds a business. It’s what finds you once you’ve done the hard work to deserve it.
Pricing:
- VIP Vendor 500.00
- Reg Vendor 300.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebridalandbusinessfair.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576392646730
Image Credits
Rachel Cochran
James Boyd
Mel Carter
