Go Zags!
When I received an email from an “Erin Bergmann” back in 2022, I immediately was reminded that we can reconnect with people we once knew in the most unexpected ways. Erin had reached out to the event coordinator (me) of a venue to inquire about a space for her wedding after-party. We quickly realized who the other was - we had gone to Gonzaga together, along with her finance, Reed. Reed played club soccer, Erin ran cross country, and I played for the women’s soccer team, so we often ran into each other around the athletic department or hanging out with similar groups of people. We did some catching up before I asked if they had found a wedding planner yet. Long story short, I ended up working with Erin and Reed for nearly a year to plan their DREAM wedding.
I hadn’t launched Karley Joan Weddings when I first began working with E+R. I knew I was good at wedding planning. I knew I loved it. But I had so much going on in my life that I didn’t have the capacity to even think about starting my own business. Fast forward to the universe hearing that complaint and making it so that I had no job and plenty of time to dive into wedding planning.
But it’s scary to dive into a new business venture. I was doing it alone, I had no experience, I just wasn’t sure where to begin. So cue Erin. I mentioned on the phone during one of our planning calls that I had lost my main job and was debating whether or not to focus more on weddings. She became my biggest cheerleader. She encouraged me to go for it, constantly telling me all the things she loved about working with me so far and why I was so good at wedding planning. She made me feel invincible - like I could be the best wedding planner in the world (seriously, that’s how amazing and encouraging she was). Within a few months, I had launched, and Erin and Reed’s wedding was the first wedding I planned and coordinated under the title of Karley Joan Weddings.
Erin and Reed are special. And that became so evident on their wedding day. They were more than a bride and groom to their guests… They were CELEBRITIES. Everyone was so eager to get photos not only with them, but OF them. Photos of them arriving at the reception in their grand entrance car, photos of them simply eating dinner, and especially photos of them dancing together (you could FEEL the love they had for each other on that dance floor). I had so much fun talking to guests and hearing stories about Erin and Reed. Everyone had a personal story of how this couple has made them feel special in the past, and how genuinely happy they were to see them tie the knot.
The week leading up to the wedding and even post-wedding, Erin and Reed continued to hype me up and made me feel so good about the work I was doing. Despite it being their wedding week, they never stopped giving compliments and offering support to not only me, but all of the other vendors, family, and friends that were in town. The texts and emails I received from both of them hold a special place in my heart, and will always be something I refer to if I need a pick-me-up.
So to come full circle, I just want to say, GO ZAGS.
A feel additional special pieces I LOVED about Erin and Reed’s wedding:
The biggest bridal party EVER! So much laughter and support surrounded Erin and Reed ALL DAY with 12 groomsmen and 14 bridesmaids.
Flower “sisters”! When the cutest little flower girl forgot to throw flower petals as she walked down the aisle, Erin and Reed’s sisters decided to walk down and throw flowers themselves. They fully embraced the roll.
The personal ceremony. Erin and Reed incorporated so many personal and beautiful parts in their wedding, including: a custom unity ritual, a fellow zag doing a reading, and each of their sisters being the officiants and officially marrying them.
A surprise CHOREOGRAPHED dance from the bride + bridesmaids to the groom.
No dance floor. Well not an official dance floor at least. In the entire lobby of the venue, there was dancing. It was a huge space where every person in every corner could dance and feel comfortable doing it, rather than squeezing onto a square in order to let loose.
Photographer: Alex Elise Photography
