There’s something so special about meeting a fellow creative who has a love for detail and design. Taylor Doehrman, of Taylor Dawn, has a sweet and calming presence that is truly a joy to be around! As a wedding photographer, being able to work with an individual with these traits is always such a breath of fresh air, since it truly is about teamwork between the planner and photographer on a bride’s wedding day. 

Taylor currently resides in Athens, GA with her sweet husband and primarily serves her brides on their wedding days in Atlanta. She and I connected in late 2015 and ended up meeting and working together throughout 2016 on a various styling and wedding editorial collaborations, and to date, they are still some of my favorite images. Her eye for detail is absolutely incredible, in addition to the fact that she is not only calm, but bubbly, fun, and kind, something so wonderful to have in a wedding vendor, but also a friend. One thing I love about Taylor is her dedication and desire to love on her brides well by being deliberate and organized, but also a listening ear. Her faith is also such a huge encouragement to me, and I could not feel more glad that our paths have crossed. I couldn’t help but feel like I should introducer her to you! Stay tuned, because, in the next post, she’ll be sharing more tips about what to do when hiring a planner, common misconceptions, and how having a planner there to serve you on your day-of is one of the best investments you’ll ever make. So without further ado, meet Taylor!

 

 

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us, Taylor! I’d love for readers to get an idea of how it all began. Then, we can go from there. 

Thanks so much for having me, Hannah! I love this! And I love you, friend! So! How it began! I met Molly McKinley while I was still in college and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. When we met, I began working with her and I felt like this whole world was opened up that I had no idea about! I could have a job where I could be creative, love on people, and also complete tasks in a timely, efficient manner. I always joke that I use the left and right brain equally, and I really think that’s true! I need a balance of fun creative and logical assurance. 

During my time working with Molly, I just fell more in love with the design process and how I was able to serve and love on brides during such an exciting time in their lives. It is so great to take that time and help them not be stressed or overwhelmed, but to truly enjoy it. While Molly and I both grew and evolved into our style, she encouraged me when I brought up going off on my own. We have a wonderful relationship to this day, and I am forever thankful for her support and encouragement. A huge influence in beginning my own business was the desire to just be more engrained and develop the design process with my brides. Also, personally, it is so important to me to be involved in my husband’s role as a high school football coach! The flexibility of my job allows me to be involved in his school and our community, which is so, so important to us as a family. I could not do this without him or the Lord’s provision over this little business!

 

What’s it like to have a one-woman show? 

*laughs* Always an adventure! I wouldn’t actually call myself a one-woman show, just because I have the best support team in the world! My husband and my family are ALWAYS pitching in to help. My sister has put “wedding planning assistant” on her professional resume because she has assisted with so many weddings! I am forever grateful for them and for their encouragement of pursuing my passion. Also, I could not do this job without the help of my other sweet girls on wedding day. I am always needing to be in three places at once and the only solution to that is to have some all-star assistants.

The day-to-day looks different every single day, and that’s one thing I love most about my job! Most frequently, it consists of answering emails, chatting with brides, meeting them in person, and of course, and pulling together pieces to comprise a seamless wedding day. I’m an extrovert, so sometimes, this is also a struggle. I love to get together with other creatives, even if we are just answering emails, I love doing it together!

Of course, we are not without struggle at Taylor Dawn. As per most entrepreneurs, taxes, blogging, and content creation are always needing some attention and are not the most-loved. However, we are constantly learning and growing in this with new ways to work through them. You always have to learn to change if you want your business to grow and evolve with you!

 

How did you come up with the name “Taylor Dawn”, and what should we know about your business?

Dawn was my middle name before I got married and also my mom’s name, which I love! I wanted my business name to be a little different than most other planners who have “event” or “design” in their names (while they’re all so great, I just didn’t feel like it was a great fit for me)! The thing that sets me apart, I believe is my attention to detail and my desire to truly serve my brides the best way possible. My faith plays a big role in this, and I sincerely enjoy having the opportunity to serve these women.

 

Who is a Taylor Dawn Bride, and what about your brand stands out in their minds? (ie your customer service, special aspects of each of the vendors you work with, the types of things a bride looks for, a smaller staff, etc)

Upon going through my re-brand last year, this was a really fun aspect I dreamt up with Mattie Tiegreen of GreenTie Studio. Here are the two statements we came up with for Taylor Dawn’s ideal client and what helps us stand out from other planners:

“Our ideal client is someone who values honesty, beauty and professionalism…They appreciate classic and feminine aesthetics as well as working someone they can trust to execute their day smoothly. We make them feel reassured, treasured and inspired from the start and are honored to call our clients friends.”

 

What are 3 things that you strive to do for every single bride you serve? How do you know that you’ve been successful in doing these things?

I always measure success by my bride’s words and the words of their friends and family. Nothing is a bigger compliment than a bride leaving a review or their mom giving me the biggest hug at the end of the night. I really just love the relationship with these ladies. There’s nothing better! I strive to have my brides feel known and loved. I also love to send them a little welcome gift upon signing their contract with me. I really like this personal touch and it lets them know they are special, not just another paying client.

 

What can we expect to see from Taylor Dawn over the next year? How are you evolving? Any fun projects?

Ah! All the fun projects! I’m aiming this year to have a few more specialized, intimate, detailed wedding days focusing on the details. These are always so fun for me and for the couple! We are still settling into our first home, so I would really love to explore the elements that come with making a house a home this year.

 

What is the best part of owning your own business in this wedding industry, and serving women in this stage of life? Why do you continue to do what you do?

The best part of owning my business IS being able to serve women in this stage of life! This truly sets my soul on fire. I feel like I am drawn closer to the heart of the Lord each time I have a client I can serve wholeheartedly. This industry is so unique in that we have an opportunity to make a potentially stressful time in a woman’s life such an enjoyable experience; that way, she can focus on her marriage, the most important part.

 

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Taylor has the most beautiful heart behind her brand, and I’m so glad to have shared this with you. We’ll be back in the coming weeks with some advice from Taylor about the wedding process, which you won’t want to miss. In the meantime, make sure you go and say hello!

Website: www.taylor-dawn.com
Facebook: Taylor Dawn
Instagram: @taydoehrman