Sam and I (Callie) divided our business launch down to 3 key steps. First, we hired a brand and website designer to create our logo, font colors, brand personality, and website. Then, we planned and executed a styled shoot to show off our skills and our favorite wedding aesthetics. Lastly, we felt called to treat some of our favorite vendors to a Vendor Brunch.

The Process

The plans for our Vendor Brunch began in May of 2022. What started as a list of our top 20 vendors, eventually grew into a list of our top 88 vendors by the end of July. While we wish we could have continued adding to the list, we couldn’t keep adding to our event budget! Finally, the guest list was set and we reached out to our incredible vendor friends to collect their addresses, so we could send them a fun snail-mail invite! We certainly didn’t want to cheapen the morning by sending out Evites. There’s just something about a nice, high-quality paper invitation that elevates the event experience from the very first moment.

The Day Of

When the day finally came for our Vendor Brunch, we were equally as excited as we were nervous. We were about to present our company and ourselves to so many esteemed vendors in our community. The Toujours Events brand was new to everyone, even though we had worked with some vendors over the years. We were making ourselves vulnerable to some of the people whose opinions matter the most in the Upstate SC wedding industry.

Nonetheless, when the first vendor arrived that morning, all the worry faded away. As we greeted and caught up with our guests, we were reminded of the reasons why we wanted to host this event in the first place – because we love our vendor community and they believe in us, just as much as we believe in them.

Halfway through the brunch, we took a moment to gather everyone and talk about who we are, how we started Toujours Events, the services we offer, and the heart behind what we do. We were overwhelmed by how receptive, encouraging, and kind each guest was after our presentation. Starting a business is hard, no matter how you look at it, but it was clear the vendors who joined us this morning were here to cheer us on, not to challenge us or tear us down.

A good community is vital for survival – in life and in the business world. We are immensely honored to call the Upstate of South Carolina our home and to share space in the Upstate wedding industry with so many genuine and talented vendors. Our heart is that, as wedding planners, we would continually be able to act as gracious guides, connecting vendors of all kinds with each other and with our couples. The morning of September 29, 2022 will always be one of our most cherished memories.

The Vendors

planning & design

TOUJOURS EVENTS

photography

JENNY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY

florals

LA LUNE FLORAL CO.

venue

THE LOFT AT SOBY’S

rentals

PPR

catering

TABLE301

callie’s hmu

COTTON ROUGE & CO. 

callie’s dress

MONKEE’S OF THE WEST END