Come Meet Olivia Terrell of Willow Tree Planning!

Come meet Olivia Terrell of Willow Tree Planning here in Cleveland, Tennessee! She is a wedding planner helping brides plan their perfect day!

If you follow my social media, you know that I’m a big supporter of community over competition. I believe in uplifting others, especially in the wedding industry because we can all work together to succeed in this business! Plus, if you form relationships with other wedding pros, they will refer you to their clients and vice versa. It’s a win-win!!

I was super excited to interview Olivia and learn all about what she does in the wedding industry! She helps brides plan their weddings on a budget and loves being their “hype girl.” She has great attention to detail and makes sure your special day goes smoothly! She has become a friend of mine not just in the wedding industry, but as a mom friend as well (since both of our kids are friends, too).

We sat down together to talk about how she works with couples, her favorite part of being a wedding planner, and why your guest list is the first thing you need to nail down!

Tell me a little bit about your process when couples inquire?

I like to send out an inquiry sheet and my calendar. The inquiry sheet is just a few questions about their wedding ideas. All brides come to me at different stages in their engagement. So, getting a meeting scheduled and having them fill out the inquiry sheet is the most important thing to me so that I can find the best way to help them. During the consultation call, it’s typically very clear what their bridal needs are, and I talk with the bride, or whoever is in the meeting, about ways to move forward. 

What are some thing to keep on mind when hiring a planner?

All the planning that goes into a wedding! Some bridal couples think they can just get their mom, sister, or best friend to help coordinate their wedding, and that takes away from that person. That means their mom or whoever is not able to spend all those special moments with the bridal couple. As a planner, you are responsible for everything that pertains to the wedding day. If your caterer has a question, and the photographer can’t find a groomsman, and the venue toilet got clogged – the planner has to find solutions!! Then their mom or whoever is not able to spend all those special moments with the bridal couple.

What is one thing you want your couples to know?

I want my couples to know that I always have their back. I had one bride last summer who had a conflict with her venue. It was a miscommunication between staff, and I had to be the one to go to bat for my bride and talk to the supervisor of the venue to get things worked out. It was a long process, but it was definitely worth it when I saw how happy the bride was!

What is your favorite part about working with couples on their wedding day?

I love it when a plan comes together and the fruits of my labor. As an enneagram two, I am always looking to be loved. LOLZ. But for real. When I see the plan come together and the bridal couple are so grateful for all my work, it really is a good feeling. There are multiple parts throughout the wedding day when the couple looks at each other for whatever reason, but the look… it is sooo full of love. It’s in their eyes. They don’t even have to kiss – it’s just a look of “this is enough.” That is one of my absolute favorite parts of a wedding day.

With everything going on right now and Covid still very much in the spotlight, what are some ways couples can save money even if they don’t hire a planner?

With us being in season three of Covid, I think that it has really highlighted intimate ceremonies. Your guest list is always going to directly affect your budget. If you have a $5,000 budget but want to invite 300 people, that is just not feasible. More people means more tables and chairs, more linens, more food, a bigger venue. So take your guest list into consideration first.

Where can couples find you?

You can find my website at www.willowtree-planning.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/willowtreeplanning, and Instagram at @willowtreeplanning

If you’re looking for an organized and fun wedding planner who will make your special day one to remember, get in touch with Olivia to start chatting about your ideas!!