Meet Ashley Grady | Wedding Planner & Event Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashley Grady and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started A Plus after I experienced a very difficult storm in my life. My husband was battling cancer and we had to cancel our plans of having a wedding. Before we decided to cancel, I did what every woman does once they are engaged. You grab your Mom and hit the town planning! I realized during my planning process, that the wedding industry and planning really sparked my interest. I really enjoyed planning my own wedding. I also realized that pricing just didn’t make sense to me and I had no one to really discuss with. My mom was instantly like, that’s too high, go with the cheaper person. lol. However, that’s not what I wanted to do. I needed to know why the numbers were so different. We would get quoted 1,000 for one service and then 3,500 for the same service. My Mom and I were thinking, what is that all about. So, I started doing my research and realized there were alot of different variables as to why people charge what they charge. However, does the Bride understand that? I’d already had a bartending company, so I thought, hmm, why don’t I look into being a planner. I wanted to be that person that could advocate for the Bride and make sure she understands exactly what she is investing her money into, with planning a wedding, After tons of research and a few classes. I launched my business.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am Ashley, owner of A Plus Events & Consulting. A+ was designed with the client in mind. I am very passionate about making sure people receive the quality in which they are spending their hard earned money. We bring fresh creative ideas to the table. No event or idea is too small for us to execute. My goal is to show people that through proper planning and saving, anyone can plan the wedding or event of their dreams. While weddings are my specialty, I also host, as well as help plan other events for our clients. Bring us the vision and we will execute. I also created a class called Event Planning 101 to help other event planners and business owners understand the industry. When I joined the industry, I had little to no help, so it is important to me to help those that are serious about this industry. In this season of my business, I am proud to say that I am servicing my ideal clientele. The people that I am working with are amazing and they trust me. Building trust with your clients, is very important.

Becoming an Event Planner wasn’t an easy road for me. In the beginning, I did a lot of research and even took online classes. Once you’re done obtaining the knowledge- It’s like, what are the next steps to launch an actual business. What do you charge, how do you find clientele, or what should I call my business? Those are just a few of the many concerns I had. I reached out to a few Event Planners in the industry and offered to intern. I had one Event Planner tell me, just because I’m married doesn’t mean I’ll make a good planner. She proceeded to tell me that everyone tries to be one after they have a wedding. She wasn’t aware that I was married in my living room, I didn’t get a chance to have a ceremony and reception at the time. My love for planning was natural. After all, I was a travel agent at the time, and was planning vacations everyday. In the beginning, I had potential clients that would express wanting to see my work. My first year, was extremely difficult because of this question. As a Planner, there isn’t always work to see per se. Some Event Planners decorate as well, so as a client they would look for pictures of events I decorated vs reviews from clients from the events I actually planned and coordinated. However, those challenges molded me into the Planner I am today. If there was one thing I’d like the world to know about me, it would be- I truly believe that it takes a village. I give the same love and help, that I also require.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Okay, so listen. I recently went to Phoenix, Az for my best friend’s birthday weekend. I would have to re live that weekend again. The people were so nice, the food and drinks were bomb, the bars were fun. Day 1- we would check in and hangout downtown. A little bit of bar hopping. Because, who wants to sit still on Day 1? Not me!
Day 2- We would have to go to the winery and get our bougie on! After the winery, we can experience a little shopping. Lets end the night with an upscale dinner at Ocean Prime or Steak 44.
Day 3 (It’s Sunday) Phoenix has a real Sunday Funday and everyone is out. All the bars have happy hour, music, swim ups, etc. It’s a PARTY all day. We’ll end the night, eating tacos with our eyes closed. 😉

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a shout out to my cousin /mentor Camilla LeRoy. Camilla is the gentle angel, yet stern voice that you always need in your corner. She is very intelligent and wise beyond her years. Ever since I was a little girl, she poured into my life. She taught me that choosing your own path in life is very important. At a young age, she motivated me to be a leader. She created a safe space for me to talk and be myself. Camilla allowed me to express myself to her in such a judgement free zone, that I always strive to be that for others. Even in times, where it may have been hard for her to know what to say, she gave me a scripture or a prayer. She encouraged me and was able to reach me in times when no one else could. The faith she had in me after I dropped out of college, motivated me in such a tremendous way. Being a young black girl and having a big cousin to look up to; that in my eyes was the most successful and fashionably person I knew, you couldn’t tell me I didn’t have a rich cousin. lol. But, she was the only black woman in many boardrooms, and our young generation needs to see that. She gave me hope. Her guidance in the last 10 years has definitely helped me become a more focused, dedicated, and resilient person. I learned and continue to learn so much from this lady. She definitely deserves her flowers while she is living.

Website: https://apluseventsandconsulting.info/

Instagram: Apluseventsandconsulting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APlusEventsandConsulting

Image Credits
Photographer- David G Studios and A Lever Studios