What's Happening: March 4th, 2019 Updates!
Nicole here, howdy. Happy March y’all? Who enjoyed the thunderstorms last night?! I sure love some crackly stormy nights with loud booms and flashes across the sky. Maybe one of the many reasons I fell in love with the South. March is going to be one busy month around here. Well, I take that back. 2019 is going to be one busy year around here. I am so ready for it.
Insider secret that’s not so secret since I’m posting it on the internet for any and all to read: in the last year I guess I have really gotten huge into manifestation and visualization. On any given morning I can be found after my morning workout, walking Rex while listening to visualization meditations or podcasts such as Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday, Lori Harder’s Earn Your Happy, The Tony Robbins Podcast, Rise and Rise Together with Rachel Hollis and Suze Orman Women & Money. Call me optimistic, call me a dreamer, whatever you want I do not care because I will not say sorry for my huge vision, ambitions and dreams for Ivory & Beau and myself on a more personal level. I believe in my vision, I believe in my team, I believe in my dreams.
You may be wondering, what does this all have to do with this blog about what’s happening? Well… through everything that is happening it’s all part of a bigger plan. Can you tell I get distracted easily? Try being one of my employees who will be trying to ask me the same question for 5 minutes and I keep spouting out new ideas… Truly though, when you start your morning with intention and purpose, you can’t even try to stop the orbital thoughts from spinning through your brain. You stand no chance against the ideas popping up in your head like bright shiny bolts of lightning across the Southern night sky. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. I highly 10000% recommend any and all of those podcasts I talked about above -- they will transform the way you think and they will change your life. They will catapult you into action, making plans and making it happen.
2019 is going to one busy year around here.
I am setting the intention now, meaning I have added all adequate reminders into my never-ending reminders list on my iPhone to blog/mail chimp weekly what’s happening in I&B world. This goal may be a big one, not because I don’t love blogging because I truly love blogging, but more because I get distracted. But regardless, I am setting the intention now for me to get back into blogging by sharing what’s happening every week. Somebody, anybody out there who’s reading this, please nudge me kindly if I fall through.
March Madness
Huge congratulations to our brides who found their dresses last weekend! Last Saturday was a fully booked wild and crazy day at Ivory & Beau and I loved it!!! Despite being somewhat sick with a cough, it was one of those awesome days with so much energy in the shop. My dad said once he loves coming in to our shop because it’s like the positive energy is bouncing and ricocheting off the walls and he leaves feeling renewed. Call me biased but I’d have to agree. The I&B Team is a group of my favorite women who I love to be around. They breathe energy and life into me and are truly some of the most hard-working, kind and loving women I know.
So now to what’s happening and it’s a lot. I think this took me an hour and a half to write… so here we go!
1 - We are almost fully booked for this coming Saturday March 9th → as wedding season begins for us this means 1 of 3 of our bridal stylists will be stolen to help with wedding day setup so we will only have 2 consultants available for appointments on Saturday. If you want to shop on a Saturday especially I’d recommend snagging that appointment 2-3 weeks in advance just to be sure we can get you in!
>> New dress alert! I am obsessed with our newest Sottero & Midgley gown. It is what Southern dreams are made of. To stay up-to-date with new styles as we receive them be sure to follow us on Instagram and watch our Insta Stories where we are sharing all the time the new new!
2 - I have been head over heels in love with the Willowby by Watters collection for a few years now. The line is the perfect combination of romance, free-spirited love, a touch of boho chic and I just adore this collection so much. When the opportunity arose for Ivory & Beau to bring this collection to our boutique it was a no-brainer. We will be getting our store samples in this summer/fall but first… we have the Willowby Trunk Show March 5th-15th (we are closed March 16th because well… St. Patty’s.) We are so excited to have 6 of their best gowns in the shop and if you are interested in checking them out be sure to do so before they’re gone until later this year!
3 - It’s bridal market time! In 2 weeks I’ll be jet setting off to Chicago for National Bridal Market. This is when I get to preview all the Fall 2019 bridal styles and choose what I want to bring back to Ivory & Beau. This is one of my favorite adventures each market and be sure to follow along on Instagram so you can help me choose the best dresses that you want to see in our shop!!
4 - If you follow us on Instagram and watch our stories, I’m truly sorry that you have been subjected to watching my um interesting dance moves but it’s for a good cause! This year I am one of the Dancing Stars of Coastal Georgia for the Alzheimer’s Association. What does this mean? It means that I will be partnered with a professional dance instructor and taught a 90-second routine that I will be performing in front of 1000+ people at a formal night out Dancing With the Stars-esque event. There are 2 ways that I can win --
1: raising the most money. Each dancer is challenged to raise at least $20,000 but the winner last year raised $98k++.
2: be the best dancer and if you’ve watched our IG stories lately you know this may be a bit of a stretch for me. So what this means is… over the next few months in preparation for the June 8th event, we will be hosting and sponsoring several things that will help me to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association including...
5 - March 31st Blogger Closet Sale! We are partnering up with several of Savannah’s influencers/bloggers/fashionistas as they sell items from their closets. If you follow any of these women then you will undoubtedly have to make it to this because they are more stylish than I’ll ever be. In addition, we will be selling items from our closets and all of the proceeds with be donated directly to the Alzheimer’s Association. Items will all be mostly under $20 so it’s a great way to find some fashionable steals. Have gently used clothes and want to donate them to the cause? Feel free to drop off items at Ivory & Beau T-Sat 10am-6pm and if we make any $$ on your clothing items this will also be donated directly to the Alzheimer’s Association. Any clothing that is not purchased will be donated to Good Will.
6 - Pre-booking Mother’s Day Flowers! We have 4 sizes of Mother’s Day Flowers that can be purchased for that special mom or grandma or wife in your life and all proceeds will also be donated directly to the Alzheimer’s Association. Click here and download your order form then e-mail to ivoryandbeau@gmail.com! Delivery options available as well.
7 - I am offering 2 mentorship opportunities to additionally help us raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association --
1: if you are interested in learning more about business-related topics such as how to start a small business, how to run a boutique, growing your business organically through social media and advertising, how to become a wedding planner/florist, and/or you just want to pick my brain for an hour… I am offering 30 min for $50 or 1 hour of my time for $100. This is your chance to learn whatever you may want to know with a 1-on-1 mentorship where I will tell you all the ins and outs, the lessons learned and so on.
2: if you are a bride and want some honest answers and help planning your wedding from a professional wedding planner but don’t necessarily want to hire a planner for your wedding then let’s talk. 30 min for $50 or 1 hour of my time for $100. I will tell you whatever your heart desires to ask to help you on your way with planning your big day.
If you are interested in booking me for these 1-on-1 Alzheimer’s Association donation mentorships please contact me at ivoryandbeau@gmail.com!
8 - We were nominated for Best Wedding Planner and Best Bridal Shop in Savannah Morning News’ Best of the Best 2019 contest! Voting begins March 8th and goes through March 22nd so we will blowing up all the social media platforms asking for your help so that we can win! We have been nominated I believe every year since 2014 for Best Bridal Shop and never won so 2019, this is our year! Your help and support is much appreciated!
9 - Savannah has a new venue in town (actually a few!) We have a huge styled shoot we are planning at Victory North for March 25th! We are dying to book a wedding at this modern new venue so if you are looking for a planner for your wedding at this venue, mention this post and code VNorth19 for 10% off our wedding planning services!
If you didn’t know, I am a proud member of Savannah Influencers, a group of women who work together to positively impact and give back to the Savannah community! Some of the other incredible women in this group have some awesome events happening this month so I just wanted to highlight these and maybe I’ll see you there!!
March 12th > 530-8PM at Bar.Food: Paprika Southern is hosting their Spring Release of their magazine and the night out is also a fundraiser for Loop It Up! This is a Savannah non-profit organization that provides after school art programs for kids in the Savannah community.
March 14th > 6-8PM at Sea Salt & Sugar: Paris Laundry is hosting a pop-up shop at this local nail spa. Kelsey Bucci, founder of Paris Laundry, is an inspirational creative consultant power-woman who battled her way through breast cancer while also raising 4 kids. Paris Laundry is her company that donates 10% of all proceeds to breast cancer research and all products include only ingredients that are safe and clean -- read more here.
We have a YouTube channel! Shoutout to #iandbteam lady, Brisa, who has been getting started helping us make YouTube videos!! Be sure to head here to watch our newest video, a little behind-the-scenes setup of Samantha & Jeremy’s wedding at Cohen’s Retreat! We are now booking 2020 weddings and we do still have availability for 2019 weddings and floral orders -- click below to contact us for pricing and information!
Is your wedding dress still hanging in your closet? On May 11th & 12th -- bring your wedding dress to Ivory & Beau as we will be a drop-off site for Brides Against Breast Cancer. BABC collects used wedding dresses and then sells them at national events to help raise money for breast cancer research. In 1989, my mom, Sandy, died of breast cancer. I never got to know my mom. She never got to see me grow. She has no idea who I am or what I am doing with my life and I have no idea the kind of person she was. Breast cancer is a terrible disease that took my mom’s life at age 36. That is only 6 years older than I am now. I am passionate in the fight against breast cancer and your donations matter. If you have any questions contact us at ivoryandbeau@gmail.com!
Hello 2019, we are ready for you.
Want to read more of my ramblings!? I’ve started my own personal blog as well… as if I didn’t already have enough to do! When I first figured out I wanted to be in the wedding industry I spent hours of my time blogging and it quickly became something I was so passionate about. My husband has his hobbies -- drones & drums, so I figured it’s time I get back to mine. My blog will be all about a little of everything… it’s kind of like I’m a lifestyle non-expert. You know you see those people who’s sites say they are lifestyle experts and I just don’t really believe you can be an expert at living. Everybody has their own tastes and own likes and dislikes so who are you to tell me you’re an expert and I’m not? I’ll be blogging about all things from my big dreams to being a women entrepreneur to travel to wedding planning tips to whatever and anything I want. My 2nd blog post just went live and is all about Bangkok! This was the first stop on our Thailand honeymoon and an interesting one at that. Click here to read more!