SIMPLY STUNNING EVENTS ◦ Nashville Wedding Planner

Since the moment I met Kristin Kaplan of Simply Stunning Events I have loved her! She is funny, sweet and completely real. I know that when she says something she means it and I just simply enjoy being around her! I actually met her husband, Brian Kaplan, a great Nashville photographer back in 2008. I immediately thought Brian was really cool and he told me his fiance was a wedding planner. It wasn’t until a year later that I got the chance to meet Kristin and I have to say that Brian failed to tell me that his fiance (now wife) was a ROCKIN wedding planner! Kristin is also a part of StudioWed and I am so happy to be working with such amazing people like her! So, without further adieu, blog readers, your chance to get to know a bit more about the one and only Kristin with an “i” :)

Why did you become a wedding planner?

I became a wedding planner because I truly love weddings (obviously!) and because it’s really the perfect job for my skill set and personality. I’m very type A, organized, love working with other people (both couples and vendors), like to manage and coordinate things, enjoy making budgets and to-do lists, and of course coming up with creative ways to make things pretty and unique!

How would you describe your wedding planning style?

I like to think my planning style is a mix of keeping it fun and keeping it real. I like to help couples navigate the wedding planning process by having a good time and keeping the stress level low. But at the same time it’s important to be very organized, on top of everything, and know when to get down to business. I’ve always been the type of person that tells it like it is, whether you want to hear it or not, and the couples I work with appreciate that honesty.

What was your favorite thing about growing up in the 80’s? :)

Ha great question! Let’s see, snap bracelets, Goonies, neon clothing and jelly shoes, reading The Babysitters Club, and of course playing Oregon Trail.

If you could plan anyone’s wedding in the past, present or future, who would it be?

Jeez these are getting tough! Well, this choice is purely because I want to meet this person. I would totally want to go back in time and plan Bruce Springsteen’s wedding, can you imagine how awesome the music would be? I’m a huge fan of his! (can you tell?).

If you could contribute one thing to a wedding day emergency kit, what would it be?

Double-sided tape and/or fabric glue. It’s amazing how many bridesmaid dresses don’t fit right and have to be adjusted and articles of clothing that break or rip on wedding days. I also have a mini sewing kit but sometimes there’s just no time and a little bit of glue can fix something fast!

What is your favorite wedding tradition?

I love the first dance between a husband and wife. It’s such an intimate moment between two people but witnessed by all the wedding guests. No matter what I’m doing on wedding day, I always drop everything and stop to just watch the first dance. And then I usually cry.

What is your favorite non-traditional wedding element?

Besides weddings, music is my other passion and I love it when couples choose ceremony music that reflects them as a couple rather than just what is traditionally used. I think it’s a great way to personalize the ceremony and create a special moment.

What is your favorite vacation spot?

Without a doubt my family’s lakeside cabin in upstate NY. I’ve spent time there every summer of my life and not only is it peaceful and relaxing, but it has a lot of personal meaning to me. It’s also the spot that Brian proposed!

In the next 10 years what would you like to accomplish?

I hope in the next 10 years I can develop my business to be a leader in the wedding planning industry, and to be planning weddings beyond just Nashville. On a personal level I’d like to have a family and I’m hoping to find some way that I can contribute and give back. While I love assisting couples on one of the most meaningful days in their lives, I want to find a way to really use my gifts and talents to help people in a BIG way.

What is one thing every bride should know?

It’s just one day, and man does it fly by! I’m sure everyone says to soak it all in, but I really advise every couple to take a few moments to yourself every now and then throughout the day and look around at all the people that are there for you, loving you, supporting you, and celebrating with you. Slow down and take it all in. And remember why you’re there in the first place, to marry the person you love most.

Nashville wedding photographer, Kristyn Hogan, documents the beauty, the life and the story of weddings in Nashville and destinations worldwide.