May 13, 2020 • 39 mins
Kelly talks to Nashville’s go to guy for epic wedding planning, Hugh Howser of H Three Events. Hugh gives advice on any bride dealing with wedding planning during the coronavirus pandemic. He also educates any bride on the best ways to throw the wedding you want. As a little bonus, he also gives his tips for the best at home tan.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Kelly Henderson and you are listening to the
Velvet Edge podcast. My guest this week is Hugh Houser
of Aged three Events. Hugh is Nashville's go to guy
for weddings, and since the wedding industry has been one
of the main industries to crash overnight during this pandemic,
I wanted to get the details of what that specifically
looks like. He also gave some tips for brides to
(00:21):
survive this time, and even just general tips for planning
the best wedding possible, no matter what your budget. He
even gave me his secret for the best at Hometan,
which is something I think we all need. Right now,
here's our conversation, you Houser. Can I like, this is
so weird that I have never met you. I feel
like I know you because we have so many mutual friends.
(00:41):
But it's one of those Nashville things where I've actually
never met you. Greens together for something. You know that's
true before coronavirus, of course, before everyone bought the toilet paper.
I know, and if I club, if I ran into
you today, we've I wouldn't recognize each other because half
(01:01):
of our faces would be covered. It's such a weird
world we're living in so weird, but you would know
mine because my mask would be covered in spray tan. Oh,
that's a good point. You also said you did a
blowout today for this podcast, which I really appreciate. I did.
I didn't have a hair dresser come over here, and
I did it all on my own. And I've got
carpal tunnel hanging in there. I'm hanging in there. I'm
(01:24):
so glad you're ready for you. Because Bill, it's itch,
which sounds like a lifetime movie tout. I don't know
how to take that. Where there's like a designer in
New York that's killed someone. I could see that because
a little yeah, it's like, what is that Delta Berg
that whole Designing Women meets a murder mystery. I like
(01:46):
that my favorite Wow new content ideas every night. That's weird.
I know, well, she always figures it out. She didn't
never travel with her because someone that is true, I
would not want her in my life. Well, let's let's
talk about um, your career, because you own h three
(02:09):
events and we were talking before. Obviously there's a lot
of changes happening in the event planning world as there
is in the entire world. But your event planning company
is huge. I mean you plan events for celebrities. You've
worked with such people as Nicole Kidman, Why Nona Reeba,
Jake Owen, George Straight, Martina McBride, Kenny Rogers, r I P.
(02:30):
Even Nathan Followell from Kings of Leon. So you're all
over the place with all of these events, all over
the place, big hair, big dreams, and then like real
chic you know, h yeah, I mean all over So
what um, we were talking a little bit about just
the wedding world because that is one of the main
things in Nashville that you're known for. What are the
(02:52):
main changes that you've seen that have happened since coronavirus hit? Well,
most people, well, it's horrible, let's just be honest. That's
horrible because most people have invested so much money and
it's it's all about money when it comes down to it.
And that's all I mean. Right now, brides are asking
me to see about getting discounts, you know, on various
(03:12):
things that they've already paid for, such as calligraphy and invitations,
and and while you want to, you can't. The people
have to do the same amount of work all over again.
And then and we're trying to find a happy medium
where you know, like if you if you do a
little bit more business with them, of course they'll cut
you a deal. And it's it's just a horrible time
because the vendors are out all the money as well
(03:34):
that they was coming in. But yet the good news
about me, the good news for me and for Kate.
Kate Steals my business partner. She's all the brainians I'm
just the fluff. She handles all things logistics and things
that are important. And I make sure everybody's happy and
mother's you know, swing their cross body purses over their
(03:57):
heads when I talk to them. But really, it's it's
so horrible, but and and we have to be honest
about it. But you know, there's nothing we can do
about it, so we can just find the date. What
people don't realize is that it's such a headache for
so many factors, for vendors, for the bride, every single
(04:18):
person in the world that has to change their date
because like I don't, I can't. I feel so sorry
for the people that run Genus. Now they love me,
but I know they're getting bombarded with dates, and then
I had to move some bar mitzvahs because we do
all kinds of other things besides weddings. I had to
move some bar mitzvahs, and I had to move big,
big nonprofit galas um. And those things are huge and
(04:42):
lots of investment and so many people working on them. Um.
But what people don't understand is that there's so many
more factors into just oh we're gonna change our date. Well,
that new date might not be available because everybody in
the world wants it. I mean, this is just one
of the main industries. I feel like just event planning
in general, that's just completely just vanished overnight. Yes. That
(05:04):
in concerts, yeah, I mean that's any kind of large,
large gatherings. Um. And you know, some people don't are
not are not comfortable and and don't want to do
it this year. They want to wait till and I
totally get it, because there they are all these rumors
that there's going to be another flu in fall. So
a lot of people are cramming everything into September because
(05:27):
they're thinking, oh, well that'll be far enough away, but
not into fall, right. I was gonna ask that so
are you just moving things around mostly? Are you completely
canceling everything to the fall then? And then that obviously
we'll have to go to um if that, if the
same thing happens again, see you'll reschedule again if we
(05:48):
get again. Oh God, but a lot of things I
went on and uh and postponed just to avoid that.
The bar mitzvahs. You know, it's gonna be sad because
they're really going to be fourteen, right. They can kind
of miss the point, but they don't really care. They
just want their friends to come, so they don't want
it to be, you know, in the middle of a pandemic. True,
I mean, weddings are so stressful anyway. I feel like
(06:11):
I'm noticing now a lot more. Everybody's just dealing with
so much pressure. The brides get crazy. So I'm just right,
So I cannot imagine adding a pandemic to the amount
of stress that brides and grooms are feeling. Right now,
I have to say, Kate and I make it so
much fun. They don't even realize they're planning a wedding really,
(06:31):
So yeah, well, we're so much more relaxed than most
of the most planners in people's mind. Are old women
with big hairdooes and a brooch and a clipboard, and
they tell you where to stand and you're scared to death,
and it's usually like a spinster. I haven't heard the
word of broached and quiet sometimes, but they're usually like
a mean old spinster, never been married, and mean, it's
(06:54):
a snake and scary, and you think you're gonna die.
And there, you know, it's like going to see and
you know, like a doctor. It's like it's like your
high school principle, planning your way. And that's what literally
the that's what people think. And it's actually more humorous.
There's lots of lovely planners, of course, but you know
what I'm saying, we try to make it fun and
(07:15):
and and and we're not we're not, you know, performing
brain surgery, so let's just make sure that everyone else
enjoys it as well. I'm really good at um. I'm
really good at UM. I guess I'm the mother whisper.
I'm really good at mom with moms. But I love
a mom. I love a mother abroad and usually I
have them. We usually hang out for the rest of
(07:36):
my life. I mean, I'm friends with all of them.
For years. So I'm we try to make it fun.
I mean, Kate's got to be really serious. And then
there's it's a lot of money. It's a big investment.
But I try to make it as fun as possible
and keep them laughing. Yeah, keep them laughing. And because
we're not you know, and we can do so much now,
we really can do a lot virtually. You know, I've
(07:56):
a wedding right now that I've done. I talked to
them more than my mother. I talked to them so much.
We basically planned the whole thing and they're is laid back,
is convene now I have, but I have plenty of time. Um,
her schedule is nuts, so she's you know that when
you get a when you get a bride, you don't
know what they're what all their job, their own career.
(08:18):
So she's really super busy. So I have to get
a lot done early based on her her studies and
her schooling. And it's nuts. But our fault and our
fall weddings are are right, you know, are pretty much done.
They're right. Well, you mentioned earlier that a lot of
the vendors are not really able to refund the money completely.
(08:39):
I had heard that. Um. I have a friend who
had to postpone. I guess it wasn't maybe a June wedding,
and she's had to completely postpone everything. And she said
a lot of the vendors weren't giving refunds because, as
you said, they're also out the money. But talk about
a big slam because weddings are so expensive. So are
you doing that a lot? Yes, So dealing with that
(09:01):
a lot and trying to get them to credit the
money towards the event. So as far as giving their
money back, they're probably not, but they're going to honor it.
For the weather change your day, they'll honor it. Yeah.
But I mean, if you're just wanting your money back,
you've already you know, in your in your wedding was
last weekend. They've had that on the books for forever.
They've you know, it's really hard to cancel and take
(09:26):
someone you know, take someone's and that would be like,
you know, you pay a deposit. It's not all of
your money. It's just a deposit. You know, it's not
the whole kit and caboodle. It's just a deposit. And
you know, one of my planner friends was so funny
that she called me and was like, you know, so
funny about you know, people wanting their deposits back and
wanting money back. It's not like we're out buying jaguars, right,
(09:47):
you know, you know it's you We're trying to survive, right,
I mean most of those vendors are probably small businesses,
which is just a hard world to live in right now,
exactly exactly have you seen a lot of just complete cancelations,
And I've heard a big fear about any sort of
gathering over fifty. People are starting to be like, I
don't know, I'm not sure when I'm gonna feel comfortable
doing that, And like you mentioned concerts earlier, which I
(10:10):
feel like it might be a year before that kind
of stuff comes back. So they're saying July for concerts.
But I think they're just trying to keep the hope
a lot. I think that's probably right. I don't know
that that's gonna happen because that is a lot of people,
sweaty people sweating on each other and fanny packs, right,
the fannie pack, right, I mean, I think about how
(10:30):
much coronavirus that could carry. I mean, there's not in
the world for arena and if they're filthy anyway, right,
filthy filthy? Right? So I don't. I mean, I don't
know how Corona just started, you know, just was born.
I mean, how is it not? There's no talent what's
been in in Arenas? So I don't even want to
think about it. Filthy, But I mean July probably, you know.
(10:56):
I mean I can't. I can't, um you know, I
can't predict. It's like a million dollar question if somebody
has had a dollar for coming. Everybody asking me, like
you know, and people really ask me the same question
every day. They're like, now, is everything canceled? It's your business?
Is it done? I'm like, no, we just we just postponed. Right,
you have a heart attack, right, we just had to postpone,
(11:19):
just like you had to postpone everything that you're the
whole world has stopped. I mean, there's not really that
many things actually happening anyway. It's like that's why your
roots or two your ears exactly. I don't want to
talk about my hair extensions right now. They're truly I'll
lose one every day. Um. So, is there any brides
(11:40):
listening who do have weddings planned? Maybe this summer there
s fall and they don't have a wedding planner. What
do you recommend, Like, does there one tip that you're
just like, maybe just postponed just to be safe for
I think that they need to look at their calendar
and they need to think of a date that would work. Okay.
I think they need to have their change of you know,
like save the date to go out, change that, change
the day. Yeah, yeah, I think they need to have
(12:01):
that ready to go. Um. I don't think they need
to worry about mailing things if they're if they're super panic,
this is this is the time in your life. We
don't need to worry. I mean, I'm the king of
calligraphy and paper and I'm a huge snob when it
comes to all that. But I do think getting the
message out faster, I'm happy. I'm happy for them to
send a beautiful email quickly, just to get it done
(12:22):
fast enough, because they've got enough stress on, you know,
on them. They need to let the people know. But
I do think they need to mind. Tip for them
is to go on and have a date reserved in
the future, possibly but at least far out enough so
that but they don't have to tell anybody. Yet, they
just need to be able to, you know, talk with
their venue, make sure those dates work, and be ready
(12:42):
to jump on it if they have to. Okay, so
that's the that's the easiest thing, you know. Then they
can send their send their change the date out. So yeah,
I was gonna say, do they communicate a guest before
just like or is it a hey we might be
thinking about this. Well, probably they're close friends. I mean
it has to. I mean, it's gonna be the way
of the world. So they're gonna change. They're gonna have
(13:03):
to postpone no matter what. So it doesn't matter who
they tell or who they don't tell, they're gonna have
to send up They're gonna to send out a notice
any lights. Yeah, but to avoid panic, you just need
to talk with your mom or whoever you're working with
it if you don't have a planner and come up
with an alternative day. We've done that for our fall
weddings just in case because none of them want to
(13:25):
move there, I'm hail bitten, fired up. We're gonna have
our wedding no matter what. You know, nobody wants to
cance because they've they've been engaged forever of course, yeah,
you know they don't want to do. Now. What's really
that is the people that were just in April, those weddings,
those are the ones that really what do you mean, Well,
they all got canceled no matter what. Yeah, and they
(13:48):
were probably right in the middle of it, you know,
right when the pandemic is struck and they can't even
have a wedding. Yeah, so all those people have to postpone.
So that's really I mean, that would be like the
week out Oh my god, think you know not, I
mean thought about that, yeah, but in my industry, I
had to hear about it, and so I got pushed
back with all the vendors and everybody because nobody wanted
(14:08):
to talk about future stuff because they were trying to
deal with all the madness, you know. So I didn't
really hear back from vendors for two or three weeks
because they, of course it were shut down and they
were dealing with alternative dates, which is it was just
it's madness. Yeah, it's kind of like everything else in
the world. I feel like we have no answers right now,
so it's really hard to plan ahead, you know, like
(14:29):
none of us That's why you have to kind of
have that secret date in your mind that worked for
you so you can just jump on. That's it. That's
the only advice I can give you. Um. And you know,
people getting, you know, it's getting. It's a really touchy
subjects people like so sure you're said about a wedding.
There's people do of course, of course, very careful about it,
you know, but it's it is a lot of it's
(14:51):
a lot of labor. I know, planning a wedding is
a huge thing. I know, canceling a wedding. I've had
to cancel a wedding before, which is not something a
lot of people can say. But it is too terrible.
It's terrible. I mean it's very difficult, and there's so
much that you've already done and you've put into it
energy wise that it's a pretty rough process. We had
to cancel a wedding a hundred years ago. I've been
(15:13):
doing this for so long, yeah, a hundred years wedding.
I've done this so long. I mean I'm not like
my brides are now like four or five children now.
I mean it's like my brides are the Dugger family.
The um the um, I forgot what I was saying.
What you were saying? You had to cancel a wedding.
(15:35):
Oh yeah, we had to cancel wedding. Like a hundred
years ago. We had to cancel a wedding. And and
it was the weirdest thing. That's the only thing. People
ask me this question all the time. And uh, I
got a text from the photographer. I was at dinner.
I got a text theher photographer saying that the wedding
had been canceled. Well, don't you think the planner would
know that? And and I thought it was so strange
(15:57):
that the photographer evennew because why why is it start
for even talking the bride unless they were doing engagement photos,
you know whatever, And they they were trying to set
up a meeting or you know, talk about something whatever,
and the persons at the weddings off And I said,
oh no, that couldn't possibly right. So I called the
groom because I couldn't get the bride on the phone.
And I me at dinner and the groom had no idea, no,
(16:19):
he said. The groom came home and there was no bride. Wow,
that's awkward. Bride had moved out and was already across
the country on an airplane, just told the photographer and said,
peace outwig figure it out. Wow, he didn't even know.
And then I did his second wedding years later, and
what not? That did we even he's on a second wedding,
(16:39):
is his first wedding years ago, and then years after
years ago, and then happily ever, if he's got five kids,
well good for him. God, yeah, you go through crazy things,
but it all works, it all works out. Well, I
want to get a little more expert advice from you,
because obviously these are times and we don't know what
(16:59):
to do, and so it's hard to even give advice.
But let's pretend like things we're back to normal or
quote unquote normal I guess whatever that looks like now.
But what are some tips? You know, not everyone can
afford a wedding planner? So what are some essentials that
people should think about when they're planning a great wedding? Well,
(17:20):
you have to be they have to be very realistic,
whether you whether you have a planner or not. It's expensive, yes,
So it's a it doesn't matter what demographic, doesn't matter
what what your budget is, it's always it's expensive. Ask
a question about that. Do vendors just jack up the
cost because they can or is that the actual price
(17:41):
you think things should be. Did you say that the
vendors yea? Or is it just like because of this
wedding industry, can they just jack up prices? Um? No,
it's all, it's all they're all competitive. Yeah. I mean
you can spend all day calling each vendor and trying
to compare chair prices, and then you prices. They're all
(18:01):
neck and neck. That's what's the beauty of having a
planner is you don't have to deal with all them,
and you don't have to deal with you know, you know, comparisons.
You can already tell you exactly what your wedding is
gonna cost. And then but you can't imagine. I sit
in meetings and they show me pictures of the most
(18:22):
elaborate weddings you've ever seen your life. Their budgets don't
mash up. But nobody says it's like a wish list,
it's with any it's with anything. And then you show
them that the sticker shock and it's just like buying
a car. Really everything, everything is relative. But the most
of the best advice is to be realistic and to
understand that no, people are not out to get you.
(18:45):
That's what things cost. If you're going downtown in a
metropolitan area, it's gonna be so much more expensive than
if you're going somewhere outside the you know, outside the
city limits. Um, you know there are there's always a
cheaper option of things. There's a cheaper chair, there's a
cheaper linen, there's a cheaper flower arrangement. And it all
depends on what is most important to you, and that's
(19:06):
where you should spend your money. So like, if you
really care about a good band, put all your money
in the band, right, okay, If you really care about photography,
put all your money in the photography. And you know
what I used to say, And Kate was like, you
can't say that anymore. He used to say, who cares
about the photography? There's nothing for you to take a picture.
But I was not meaning the client wasn't attractive. I
(19:33):
know what you meant. I used to say that in
a funny way, you know, not to be I used
to say that all the time back in the day.
And Kate was like, yeah, you really shouldn't say that,
and I was like, well, I don't mean it. You know.
I just mean, what's the point in spending all that money?
You know, there's nothing really a photograph. I used to
say that, but I don't say that. Change your tune,
(19:54):
I see, because it got insulting, really insulting, and um
but I didn't know one ever got mad about it.
I just, you know, a little apprehensive afterwards now that
I thought about it. But but to answer your question,
they you have to be realistic and you have to
understand that it is one of the biggest investments of
(20:16):
your life. And it's like a house, you know, and
it's on and it's ongoing. I mean, we pride ourselves
in spending a lot of time showing you your budget.
And I hate those meetings because I mean, basically, Kate
just chases thing all over town trying to find invoices
for me, and then you know, and then we put it,
(20:38):
compile it all together, then we share it with them
so they know where they are budget wise. And now
there's all these portals and amazing programs online where they
can see a flow chart of where they are and
their planning process. And it's all very technical now and
I just fall on the floor when I look at
it because it's really compliment to me, but Kate loves
it because she's very techy on top of things. Is
(21:00):
the key realism and pick the thing that is the
most important to you. If you when you hear guests say, oh,
I just went to the best wedding, or what are
they talking about most of the time? Is it that
they had so much fun? Is it that the food
was so great? Is it that the venue was beautiful?
It's usually yeah, or it flows yeah, a lot of
(21:24):
waiting around. As we get a bride and groom and
they go to a wedding, they call us immediately, tell
us all the problems at the wedding they just went to.
And typically those the weddings they went to don't have planners.
That's usually the first thing they'll say, Well, they didn't
have a planner, that's the first thing to say, which
is not the end of the world, but that's usually
how they lead off with. But there's usually chaos and
there's a lot of people waiting. A lot of people
don't like to wait for cocktails. They don't like to wait.
(21:47):
Do you remember that life Like I feel like my
life is waiting right now. But the urgency we used
to live in. Wow. Interesting that is that You're exactly right,
And that's the key. When I was thinking that today,
there were some traffic today and I couldn't believe it.
I haven't had any traffic in a while. Yeah, And
I was thinking, this is my old life right here. Yes,
(22:07):
getting irritated with traffic. I had that moment yesterday. But
nobody likes to wait, and that's a huge that's a
huge issue at weddings. Yes, that is so true. I
feel like weddings these days before a coronavirus um had
just become these elaborate events, which is so amazing and beautiful.
Do you feel like there's a lot of people that
(22:29):
just are overstressing and they're not able to just stay
calm and enjoy the wedding and maybe like even the
whole purpose of celebrating the love, Like, are they getting
so wrapped up in just the planning process? Not really.
We kind of keep it at bay, so like we
we really break it up. And since we're two minds,
you know, they're only talking to me about decor and
(22:51):
creative side of it. They're talking to her about catering,
bay and photography, logistics, transportation. Um, you know the actual ceremony. Um,
we kind of break it down in the very very
first meeting. So in the very first meeting, they already
know the plan. And then they every time we have
a meeting, they usually say, oh, thank God for you guys.
(23:12):
I mean, I don't even know where I begin. And
then some people are very a time and love all
of it and love every detail of it, and they
get in my car and follow me all around. And then, um,
some people really love all the budgeting stuff and our
accounts themselves, and they are sitting at Kate's desk with
her all day and you know, figuring, figuring all that out.
You know, I couldn't hear anything worse. Oh, I just
(23:35):
I mean, as long as they tell me where to stay,
I stay. And then it usually always goes over. And
then we have a tweak and nobody ever wants to tweak.
And you know, and here's another some other advice budget
wise for for brides. So you have a meeting. Let's
say you don't have a planner. You go have a meeting.
Let's just say you start with your invitations and nothing
in your price range you like, Which is the story
(23:57):
of all of our lives. Which is shoes, whether it's jackets,
whether it's anything. We always like the best thing. That's
called having having excellent taste. Well you have to pay
for that. So you say to yourself, Okay, well it's
just thirteen dollars over my budget, you know. So, for instance,
(24:17):
Q and Kate tell the vendor, will they have to
this person needs to stay in this price range, and
so we show them things that are totally in their
price range. So they don't We don't even have to
worry about it. They can pick out of out of
hundreds of things they can pick out. But if they
don't like any of it, because all the really pretty
ones are up on this shelf behind me, and they
let's say they want all that, then that takes them
(24:39):
over budget. Let's just say that's twenty dollars. Well, in
their head they're thinking, well, that's just twenty dollars over budget,
you know. No, that's where it begins. Everything flowers and outrageous.
This is really what you can afford. Well I don't
like that, I want that one. We have to take that,
you know. That's sort of that's sort of that's how
it all begins and where it where it should stop.
(25:02):
So in the very beginning, you should say, is it
really worth it? Or would I rather save my money
and put some more money towards the band or to
the bar, or towards the core my dance floor. Really
figuring that out, Yeah, so that's really that's that's where
you get catchy. So then I'll call Kate and say,
oh my gosh, they went over budget, because I'm like,
we're like two old church ladies who call each other
(25:23):
and paddle him and I would like, they want ever
budget on it, and she's like okay. So then she'll
contact the mother and say, just so you know, you're
over budget on this, and she's like, oh yeah, I
proved it, no problem, no big deal, I don't care
or whatever. And as long as they approve it, you know,
we're good. And we spend I mean, she spends hours
on that stuff. You know, it's just constant. Well, you
(25:44):
know you're over on this. And then she'll call me
and say, okay, we can't be over on this. You've
gotta cut You've got to cut back, So cut back
and show them where they'll be. So then I'll have
to go back and redo all the decor show them
where they'll be. If they say yes, we're good, we
move on. If they say no, they pay the higher
price and we move on. Man, quite a balancing act.
It is a balancing act and then we get it
(26:05):
all the way down and see what happens. Is an
event planning and which brides will know with or without planners.
The decor area, My area is so variable. I get
stomped on every time because I don't have You can
cut me, you can cut a photographer, you can cut me,
because you don't have to have everything right. But it's
(26:27):
gonna be gorgeous. Well, that's what I was just about
to say. I spent some time on your website, which
is H three events dot com for anyone who wants
to go check it out. But your weddings, oh, you
know it. Your weddings are beautiful. I mean, it's just
that's what I said earlier. Their epic and so it
would be very hard for me, knowing your style, to
(26:48):
want to cut that right. And then so I'll have
and and listen, I have hysterical clients that will call
me and be like, okay, we gotta cut all this.
In fact, I had great, what a great lesson. So
she called me and she said, let's cut all this.
I don't need that. I don't need this, I don't
need that. She had dissected all down because I had
Kate had center all the decor, you know, line items,
(27:09):
so we could cut it all, you know, where she
could see what what was she was meant what she
was gonna lose if she went with a lower budget. Okay,
She's like, okay, that's perfect, I want to go with
all that. Well, she went to a wedding and she
hated it. So then she called me and she was like,
bring it all back. And I told you in the
very beginning, I've used this. I've used this so many times.
This is years ago. And she said, I told you
in the very beginning, I'm not scared to spend it,
(27:32):
but I won't waste it. Oh. I love that. I
love the two. She goes, I'll spend I'm not scared
to spend it, but I won't waste it. So if
it's worth it, it's worth it. It's worth it. Yeah. Yeah,
I kind of think it is at this point, especially
that is the you know, the big celebration for you
and the way that you pictured it. You know, if
you're one of those girls who's dreamed about this day
(27:52):
for your whole entire life. You want it to be
as beautiful as possible, right, and you've gone and we've
worked together for so long. That's the best part of this.
The only reason I even do it, and and I
got into it in such a weird way, but the
only reason I do it is because it's so fun
to see all these vendors, all these people I have
all these meetings but I talked to on the phone,
and you know, I drive them crazy, you know that's
(28:14):
but at the very end, how it all just comes
to life right in front of my face is the
best feeling in the whole world, whether the whether the
client knows it or not, like it all happened, because
they sometimes they can't even picture it, you know, they
don't really realize. They see everything on a board and
they see their design decks that I, you know, present
to them that they don't really grasp the whole room,
(28:36):
you know, and then when they walk in, and that's
the best feeling in the history of the world. Yeah,
Just people don't really understand that. How because even when
we're not talking to the brides, you know, they panic.
You know, they have a cake so funny, they have
like a you know, they have a six month panic,
they have a three months It's all we can even
(28:57):
predict it. Like I should just put them in there.
Are probably call them the day before and be like,
you're gonna you're gonna black out tomorrow. But but today,
remember everything's okay. Because when you're not talking to your planner,
that's our only job. You have to be working on
you constantly. Otherwise nothing would happen. Right, I've been on
the phone with the Gun Club of Tennessee trying to
(29:17):
reserve the entire gun club for a bunch of guys
to shoot. You know that. Actually I would love to
see that. I can't want you to have a meeting.
I hope to have like a hot instructor who's like, oh,
Coulton and then here's my gun. But I don't even know.
I don't even know anything about a gun and here,
(29:39):
you know, then you're planning an event the Gun Club
of Tennessee. Young lord. Oh my gosh. Well, like I said,
you guys can check out Hughes Events at Age three
events dot com. I have some other very important questions
to ask you though, because I was. I was on
your Instagram earlier and your Instagram by a describes you
(30:00):
as an event planner, a comedian, and it says that
you're usually tan. So I need you to give myself
and all the listeners your tips for staying tan and quarantine.
I feel like I've never been more pale in my life. Okay,
now I am. I make fun of influencers all the
time Instagram. I do not I do not understand why
(30:21):
anybody needs I mean, I think it's great to promote
something like yeah, of course you're buying it, but I
have people want to give me three so whole time
and tell me to promote it. Well, I'm happy to
buy it if I like it, if you like Yeah.
It's like when you go to a skincare place and
they're like, this is the best lotion and hit your
eyeballs will recess back into your head and you'll become
(30:42):
an embryo. I mean you're going, I'm like, well, give
me a sample of it and I'll exactly how it works, right,
you know That's kind of my philosophy and all that, ok.
Because it drives me crazy, hoodie, I don't want to
buy hoodies from you. If I did want to buy it,
I just don't order it online. We all have the internet, okay,
So why do I have to give you a percent
of the sales? Okay? And people are worried about people
(31:04):
worried about returning there their money that they invested for
their most gorgeous wedding. We're paying people eight percent for
a hoodie, okay. Okay. So I have this girl who
comes to my house and spray tans me in my
dining room. They have a tent, so my dine room
is not terra cotta like my like my kneecaps. But
(31:27):
but I used this product. Well, now that I'm home quarantining,
I used. She shipped me the lotion and it's called
Sunless Bloom and it's i'm less Bloom. Okay. It's the
best ever. And I've never even heard of it. Well,
it's kinda new. She was just doing it was her
own formula, but she was spraying me with it, you
know here, and it's great because you put it on
(31:48):
and it dries. And I've had I have air listen.
I am George Hamilton, I am Katokalin, I mean, I'm
tan I am I haven't even seen my epidermis since nine. Okay,
so I'm telling you I know about Tanning. I trust,
and I've been tail sort of during this quarantine to
give myself a break. But when I say pale, I
(32:10):
mean like you yeah, I'm still putting. You're like yeah, medium,
And I just thought this. I bought this overall over
the shoulder thing that you can apply to your back.
It's like what it's like a paddle and you can
do put it on your back. I see this is
I needed to influence on this. I would swipe up
on this ship so fast. Yes, now I would swipe
(32:32):
up on that. I would swipe up on that. But
but I would also google, like how do you tang
your back? Right? Right? Okay? So I got this like
wand thing from Loving Tank is a great product too.
I'm sure I've never used their their their lotions, but
everybody loves it. Okay. So I got their big wand
to put on my back. So blim is what it
(32:54):
used because it drives really fast, so you can put
it on and go out like you you know, some
of you're sticky and smell bad. I feel like you've
been like in a in mayonnaise and a sleeping bags
hate that. I can't stand it, and there some are
so sticky, and then I'm freckly too. I look like
I look like I don't know Andy what's his name,
(33:16):
Andy Griffith's opie. I mean, yeah, yeah, Howard. Yeah, I'm
frankly too. So when I put some of the other
creams on, they make my freckles like I look like
a Dalmatian. They make them. Oh yeah, hers just evens
you out and makes you tan. So this is the
sun Less Bloom, Sunless Bloom, and she's on Instagram. It's amazing.
(33:37):
I'm literally gonna go by this when we finished. And
I get the dark one because I like everything dark,
so I think I think she has light, you know, fair,
medium and dark. I get the dark one because I'm
not an animal. I really really really like to be tanned.
And Sunless Bloom is it. And I pay for it,
so this is not some sort of endorsement deal. I
pay for and I bought four of it. Do you
(34:01):
spray this? Well, it's like a foam, so you okay?
Oh yeah? The mits good and the mid its great
because your hands aren't nasty. Okay, some mits are not
good as others ternament. It's really good, good thick, kind
of thin and your your hands look like your a mechanic.
Oh that's no good. No, So we like the Sunless
(34:23):
Bloom brand mit as well. Yeah, well yes, there isn't.
It's a it's a thick black mit that's amazing and
you can use either side and you can wash it
and all that. Wow. Droping knowledge about the tan on
the podcast. But disclaimer, I did pay for that, right right, right,
right right. You're not being paid that you You actually
(34:44):
are a customer, which I appreciate. Um, everybody's gonna stay
in business. Everybody's gonna stay in business. And I'm telling
you because Nashville has been so rainy and cold it's May.
I'm so confused about this weather situation. But I just
keep saying to myself, I've really got a dial in
my tanning program because spray to hands are not happening.
I need a little self tanner situation. It's really hard
(35:07):
to spray tan in a mask, and there's a lot
happening right exactly. There's all kinds of phases with opening
nash I think they're not I don't think any of
that will happen until Phase four, which is way on
down the road. I don't know how they don't think
anything beauty related is essential, because I just need it
to for survival. I felt like that's exactly right. It's
(35:29):
just like when the weather is better, I think any
depressant sales are down. I agree, we've had bad weather
and we've been quarantined in our homes. The least they
could do is give us our beauty products. I totally agree.
Everyone wears masks and just throws on their hair color
and runs up that they don't have to blow out.
That's what we need to blow out, exactly right. Well,
(35:49):
tell everyone else where they can find you. What your
Instagram handle is at Hugh Houser. It's at Hugh Hanser
h O W S as in Sam e Er. Okay,
and you talk a little bit about your comedy career.
And I've found a lot of funny videos that I
think everyone needs a good laugh right now. Oh you're sweet, Um,
that's really that's really what I've learned in quarantine. And uh,
(36:13):
I was I've always done. I've always been funny, and
I've always tried always been funny, and so I and
I started doing comedy well in the last few years.
My really good friend who everybody needs to look up,
Lean Morrigan on Lean Morgan Comedy on on Instagram. She
hired her for an event years ago. Didn't know her
(36:35):
at all. She's from Knoxville, Tennessee, and I've met her
and she's his country as buttermilk and hysterical and she's
all about family humor. She's not nasty, she's she's amazing.
I'm a little racier than she is, but you know,
but I'm not just I'm not nasty nasty. Can we
just find this stuff on Instagram or where's the best
(36:56):
place to find any She's gone, She's gone worldwide. And
so she let me open for her three times at
Zanty's and we've had a ball and my first one
was great. My second one one night said great and
was all right, Okay, it's really hard to do. I
can't imagine doing stand up comedy. That seems like the
(37:16):
hardest job to me. Well it is, and and I've
got it down now much. You know, with practice comes everything.
But it was great and I have to give myself
props for even doing it, because people vomit and want
to die but I knew. I knew that I was
funnier than some people there, so I knew I'd be
all right. That totally. Does it gave you that little
(37:37):
extra boost? Yeah, I knew I could. I knew I
could get a laugh. So anyway, we had met. She
and I had met years ago. I hired her for
an event and I fell in love with her. We can,
she tells everybody. She introduces me, and she's like, lord,
y'alln't know what it's like having him backstage. It's like
having Diane Ross here. I've given him evy on and
I'm barely I can barely get my shoes tied. And
(37:58):
he's got three game in one springing him. One's blowing
his bang tail. Oh my god, lorn him into bill bottoms.
And anyway, we have a ball. And she introduced me
and it's it's great. And when when we first met,
I was at the end of a long, long driveway
and she was pulling down the driveway in her Honda
Pilot and she was coming at me and she rolled
(38:20):
her window down and she said, I thought, for a minute,
you were David Cassidy. Wow. I didn't know what was
going on, And then we just locked eyes, as she says, yeah,
that's how it all began. Well, I can't wait to
come check you out at comedy clubs and they finally
open again. That sounds like a blast. Yes, I'll get
you a ticket. Thank you swipe up for that. Um,
(38:46):
thank you so much for being here. Tell people where
they can find you one more time. You can find
me at Hugh Houser on Instagram and then all the others.
It's all at all the other socials and it's aged
three events dot com for when events do come back.
You guys should check out their beautiful work. It's pretty epic.
As I said before, thank you guys so much for listening.
(39:07):
And Hugh, thank you again for being here. I'm so
excited to talk to you, saying okay, bye,
This is Kelly Henderson and you are listening to the
Velvet Edge podcast. My guest this week is Hugh Houser
of Aged three Events. Hugh is Nashville's go to guy
for weddings, and since the wedding industry has been one
of the main industries to crash overnight during this pandemic,
I wanted to get the details of what that specifically
looks like. He also gave some tips for brides to
(00:21):
survive this time, and even just general tips for planning
the best wedding possible, no matter what your budget. He
even gave me his secret for the best at Hometan,
which is something I think we all need. Right now,
here's our conversation, you Houser. Can I like, this is
so weird that I have never met you. I feel
like I know you because we have so many mutual friends.
(00:41):
But it's one of those Nashville things where I've actually
never met you. Greens together for something. You know that's
true before coronavirus, of course, before everyone bought the toilet paper.
I know, and if I club, if I ran into
you today, we've I wouldn't recognize each other because half
(01:01):
of our faces would be covered. It's such a weird
world we're living in so weird, but you would know
mine because my mask would be covered in spray tan. Oh,
that's a good point. You also said you did a
blowout today for this podcast, which I really appreciate. I did.
I didn't have a hair dresser come over here, and
I did it all on my own. And I've got
carpal tunnel hanging in there. I'm hanging in there. I'm
(01:24):
so glad you're ready for you. Because Bill, it's itch,
which sounds like a lifetime movie tout. I don't know
how to take that. Where there's like a designer in
New York that's killed someone. I could see that because
a little yeah, it's like, what is that Delta Berg
that whole Designing Women meets a murder mystery. I like
(01:46):
that my favorite Wow new content ideas every night. That's weird.
I know, well, she always figures it out. She didn't
never travel with her because someone that is true, I
would not want her in my life. Well, let's let's
talk about um, your career, because you own h three
(02:09):
events and we were talking before. Obviously there's a lot
of changes happening in the event planning world as there
is in the entire world. But your event planning company
is huge. I mean you plan events for celebrities. You've
worked with such people as Nicole Kidman, Why Nona Reeba,
Jake Owen, George Straight, Martina McBride, Kenny Rogers, r I P.
(02:30):
Even Nathan Followell from Kings of Leon. So you're all
over the place with all of these events, all over
the place, big hair, big dreams, and then like real
chic you know, h yeah, I mean all over So
what um, we were talking a little bit about just
the wedding world because that is one of the main
things in Nashville that you're known for. What are the
(02:52):
main changes that you've seen that have happened since coronavirus hit? Well,
most people, well, it's horrible, let's just be honest. That's
horrible because most people have invested so much money and
it's it's all about money when it comes down to it.
And that's all I mean. Right now, brides are asking
me to see about getting discounts, you know, on various
(03:12):
things that they've already paid for, such as calligraphy and invitations,
and and while you want to, you can't. The people
have to do the same amount of work all over again.
And then and we're trying to find a happy medium
where you know, like if you if you do a
little bit more business with them, of course they'll cut
you a deal. And it's it's just a horrible time
because the vendors are out all the money as well
(03:34):
that they was coming in. But yet the good news
about me, the good news for me and for Kate.
Kate Steals my business partner. She's all the brainians I'm
just the fluff. She handles all things logistics and things
that are important. And I make sure everybody's happy and
mother's you know, swing their cross body purses over their
(03:57):
heads when I talk to them. But really, it's it's
so horrible, but and and we have to be honest
about it. But you know, there's nothing we can do
about it, so we can just find the date. What
people don't realize is that it's such a headache for
so many factors, for vendors, for the bride, every single
(04:18):
person in the world that has to change their date
because like I don't, I can't. I feel so sorry
for the people that run Genus. Now they love me,
but I know they're getting bombarded with dates, and then
I had to move some bar mitzvahs because we do
all kinds of other things besides weddings. I had to
move some bar mitzvahs, and I had to move big,
big nonprofit galas um. And those things are huge and
(04:42):
lots of investment and so many people working on them. Um.
But what people don't understand is that there's so many
more factors into just oh we're gonna change our date. Well,
that new date might not be available because everybody in
the world wants it. I mean, this is just one
of the main industries. I feel like just event planning
in general, that's just completely just vanished overnight. Yes. That
(05:04):
in concerts, yeah, I mean that's any kind of large,
large gatherings. Um. And you know, some people don't are
not are not comfortable and and don't want to do
it this year. They want to wait till and I
totally get it, because there they are all these rumors
that there's going to be another flu in fall. So
a lot of people are cramming everything into September because
(05:27):
they're thinking, oh, well that'll be far enough away, but
not into fall, right. I was gonna ask that so
are you just moving things around mostly? Are you completely
canceling everything to the fall then? And then that obviously
we'll have to go to um if that, if the
same thing happens again, see you'll reschedule again if we
(05:48):
get again. Oh God, but a lot of things I
went on and uh and postponed just to avoid that.
The bar mitzvahs. You know, it's gonna be sad because
they're really going to be fourteen, right. They can kind
of miss the point, but they don't really care. They
just want their friends to come, so they don't want
it to be, you know, in the middle of a pandemic. True,
I mean, weddings are so stressful anyway. I feel like
(06:11):
I'm noticing now a lot more. Everybody's just dealing with
so much pressure. The brides get crazy. So I'm just right,
So I cannot imagine adding a pandemic to the amount
of stress that brides and grooms are feeling. Right now,
I have to say, Kate and I make it so
much fun. They don't even realize they're planning a wedding really,
(06:31):
So yeah, well, we're so much more relaxed than most
of the most planners in people's mind. Are old women
with big hairdooes and a brooch and a clipboard, and
they tell you where to stand and you're scared to death,
and it's usually like a spinster. I haven't heard the
word of broached and quiet sometimes, but they're usually like
a mean old spinster, never been married, and mean, it's
(06:54):
a snake and scary, and you think you're gonna die.
And there, you know, it's like going to see and
you know, like a doctor. It's like it's like your
high school principle, planning your way. And that's what literally
the that's what people think. And it's actually more humorous.
There's lots of lovely planners, of course, but you know
what I'm saying, we try to make it fun and
(07:15):
and and and we're not we're not, you know, performing
brain surgery, so let's just make sure that everyone else
enjoys it as well. I'm really good at um. I'm
really good at UM. I guess I'm the mother whisper.
I'm really good at mom with moms. But I love
a mom. I love a mother abroad and usually I
have them. We usually hang out for the rest of
(07:36):
my life. I mean, I'm friends with all of them.
For years. So I'm we try to make it fun.
I mean, Kate's got to be really serious. And then
there's it's a lot of money. It's a big investment.
But I try to make it as fun as possible
and keep them laughing. Yeah, keep them laughing. And because
we're not you know, and we can do so much now,
we really can do a lot virtually. You know, I've
(07:56):
a wedding right now that I've done. I talked to
them more than my mother. I talked to them so much.
We basically planned the whole thing and they're is laid back,
is convene now I have, but I have plenty of time. Um,
her schedule is nuts, so she's you know that when
you get a when you get a bride, you don't
know what they're what all their job, their own career.
(08:18):
So she's really super busy. So I have to get
a lot done early based on her her studies and
her schooling. And it's nuts. But our fault and our
fall weddings are are right, you know, are pretty much done.
They're right. Well, you mentioned earlier that a lot of
the vendors are not really able to refund the money completely.
(08:39):
I had heard that. Um. I have a friend who
had to postpone. I guess it wasn't maybe a June wedding,
and she's had to completely postpone everything. And she said
a lot of the vendors weren't giving refunds because, as
you said, they're also out the money. But talk about
a big slam because weddings are so expensive. So are
you doing that a lot? Yes, So dealing with that
(09:01):
a lot and trying to get them to credit the
money towards the event. So as far as giving their
money back, they're probably not, but they're going to honor it.
For the weather change your day, they'll honor it. Yeah.
But I mean, if you're just wanting your money back,
you've already you know, in your in your wedding was
last weekend. They've had that on the books for forever.
They've you know, it's really hard to cancel and take
(09:26):
someone you know, take someone's and that would be like,
you know, you pay a deposit. It's not all of
your money. It's just a deposit. You know, it's not
the whole kit and caboodle. It's just a deposit. And
you know, one of my planner friends was so funny
that she called me and was like, you know, so
funny about you know, people wanting their deposits back and
wanting money back. It's not like we're out buying jaguars, right,
(09:47):
you know, you know it's you We're trying to survive, right,
I mean most of those vendors are probably small businesses,
which is just a hard world to live in right now,
exactly exactly have you seen a lot of just complete cancelations,
And I've heard a big fear about any sort of
gathering over fifty. People are starting to be like, I
don't know, I'm not sure when I'm gonna feel comfortable
doing that, And like you mentioned concerts earlier, which I
(10:10):
feel like it might be a year before that kind
of stuff comes back. So they're saying July for concerts.
But I think they're just trying to keep the hope
a lot. I think that's probably right. I don't know
that that's gonna happen because that is a lot of people,
sweaty people sweating on each other and fanny packs, right,
the fannie pack, right, I mean, I think about how
(10:30):
much coronavirus that could carry. I mean, there's not in
the world for arena and if they're filthy anyway, right,
filthy filthy? Right? So I don't. I mean, I don't
know how Corona just started, you know, just was born.
I mean, how is it not? There's no talent what's
been in in Arenas? So I don't even want to
think about it. Filthy, But I mean July probably, you know.
(10:56):
I mean I can't. I can't, um you know, I
can't predict. It's like a million dollar question if somebody
has had a dollar for coming. Everybody asking me, like
you know, and people really ask me the same question
every day. They're like, now, is everything canceled? It's your business?
Is it done? I'm like, no, we just we just postponed. Right,
you have a heart attack, right, we just had to postpone,
(11:19):
just like you had to postpone everything that you're the
whole world has stopped. I mean, there's not really that
many things actually happening anyway. It's like that's why your
roots or two your ears exactly. I don't want to
talk about my hair extensions right now. They're truly I'll
lose one every day. Um. So, is there any brides
(11:40):
listening who do have weddings planned? Maybe this summer there
s fall and they don't have a wedding planner. What
do you recommend, Like, does there one tip that you're
just like, maybe just postponed just to be safe for
I think that they need to look at their calendar
and they need to think of a date that would work. Okay.
I think they need to have their change of you know,
like save the date to go out, change that, change
the day. Yeah, yeah, I think they need to have
(12:01):
that ready to go. Um. I don't think they need
to worry about mailing things if they're if they're super panic,
this is this is the time in your life. We
don't need to worry. I mean, I'm the king of
calligraphy and paper and I'm a huge snob when it
comes to all that. But I do think getting the
message out faster, I'm happy. I'm happy for them to
send a beautiful email quickly, just to get it done
(12:22):
fast enough, because they've got enough stress on, you know,
on them. They need to let the people know. But
I do think they need to mind. Tip for them
is to go on and have a date reserved in
the future, possibly but at least far out enough so
that but they don't have to tell anybody. Yet, they
just need to be able to, you know, talk with
their venue, make sure those dates work, and be ready
(12:42):
to jump on it if they have to. Okay, so
that's the that's the easiest thing, you know. Then they
can send their send their change the date out. So yeah,
I was gonna say, do they communicate a guest before
just like or is it a hey we might be
thinking about this. Well, probably they're close friends. I mean
it has to. I mean, it's gonna be the way
of the world. So they're gonna change. They're gonna have
(13:03):
to postpone no matter what. So it doesn't matter who
they tell or who they don't tell, they're gonna have
to send up They're gonna to send out a notice
any lights. Yeah, but to avoid panic, you just need
to talk with your mom or whoever you're working with
it if you don't have a planner and come up
with an alternative day. We've done that for our fall
weddings just in case because none of them want to
(13:25):
move there, I'm hail bitten, fired up. We're gonna have
our wedding no matter what. You know, nobody wants to
cance because they've they've been engaged forever of course, yeah,
you know they don't want to do. Now. What's really
that is the people that were just in April, those weddings,
those are the ones that really what do you mean, Well,
they all got canceled no matter what. Yeah, and they
(13:48):
were probably right in the middle of it, you know,
right when the pandemic is struck and they can't even
have a wedding. Yeah, so all those people have to postpone.
So that's really I mean, that would be like the
week out Oh my god, think you know not, I
mean thought about that, yeah, but in my industry, I
had to hear about it, and so I got pushed
back with all the vendors and everybody because nobody wanted
(14:08):
to talk about future stuff because they were trying to
deal with all the madness, you know. So I didn't
really hear back from vendors for two or three weeks
because they, of course it were shut down and they
were dealing with alternative dates, which is it was just
it's madness. Yeah, it's kind of like everything else in
the world. I feel like we have no answers right now,
so it's really hard to plan ahead, you know, like
(14:29):
none of us That's why you have to kind of
have that secret date in your mind that worked for
you so you can just jump on. That's it. That's
the only advice I can give you. Um. And you know,
people getting, you know, it's getting. It's a really touchy
subjects people like so sure you're said about a wedding.
There's people do of course, of course, very careful about it,
you know, but it's it is a lot of it's
(14:51):
a lot of labor. I know, planning a wedding is
a huge thing. I know, canceling a wedding. I've had
to cancel a wedding before, which is not something a
lot of people can say. But it is too terrible.
It's terrible. I mean it's very difficult, and there's so
much that you've already done and you've put into it
energy wise that it's a pretty rough process. We had
to cancel a wedding a hundred years ago. I've been
(15:13):
doing this for so long, yeah, a hundred years wedding.
I've done this so long. I mean I'm not like
my brides are now like four or five children now.
I mean it's like my brides are the Dugger family.
The um the um, I forgot what I was saying.
What you were saying? You had to cancel a wedding.
(15:35):
Oh yeah, we had to cancel wedding. Like a hundred
years ago. We had to cancel a wedding. And and
it was the weirdest thing. That's the only thing. People
ask me this question all the time. And uh, I
got a text from the photographer. I was at dinner.
I got a text theher photographer saying that the wedding
had been canceled. Well, don't you think the planner would
know that? And and I thought it was so strange
(15:57):
that the photographer evennew because why why is it start
for even talking the bride unless they were doing engagement photos,
you know whatever, And they they were trying to set
up a meeting or you know, talk about something whatever,
and the persons at the weddings off And I said,
oh no, that couldn't possibly right. So I called the
groom because I couldn't get the bride on the phone.
And I me at dinner and the groom had no idea, no,
(16:19):
he said. The groom came home and there was no bride. Wow,
that's awkward. Bride had moved out and was already across
the country on an airplane, just told the photographer and said,
peace outwig figure it out. Wow, he didn't even know.
And then I did his second wedding years later, and
what not? That did we even he's on a second wedding,
(16:39):
is his first wedding years ago, and then years after
years ago, and then happily ever, if he's got five kids,
well good for him. God, yeah, you go through crazy things,
but it all works, it all works out. Well, I
want to get a little more expert advice from you,
because obviously these are times and we don't know what
(16:59):
to do, and so it's hard to even give advice.
But let's pretend like things we're back to normal or
quote unquote normal I guess whatever that looks like now.
But what are some tips? You know, not everyone can
afford a wedding planner? So what are some essentials that
people should think about when they're planning a great wedding? Well,
(17:20):
you have to be they have to be very realistic,
whether you whether you have a planner or not. It's expensive, yes,
So it's a it doesn't matter what demographic, doesn't matter
what what your budget is, it's always it's expensive. Ask
a question about that. Do vendors just jack up the
cost because they can or is that the actual price
(17:41):
you think things should be. Did you say that the
vendors yea? Or is it just like because of this
wedding industry, can they just jack up prices? Um? No,
it's all, it's all they're all competitive. Yeah. I mean
you can spend all day calling each vendor and trying
to compare chair prices, and then you prices. They're all
(18:01):
neck and neck. That's what's the beauty of having a
planner is you don't have to deal with all them,
and you don't have to deal with you know, you know, comparisons.
You can already tell you exactly what your wedding is
gonna cost. And then but you can't imagine. I sit
in meetings and they show me pictures of the most
(18:22):
elaborate weddings you've ever seen your life. Their budgets don't
mash up. But nobody says it's like a wish list,
it's with any it's with anything. And then you show
them that the sticker shock and it's just like buying
a car. Really everything, everything is relative. But the most
of the best advice is to be realistic and to
understand that no, people are not out to get you.
(18:45):
That's what things cost. If you're going downtown in a
metropolitan area, it's gonna be so much more expensive than
if you're going somewhere outside the you know, outside the
city limits. Um, you know there are there's always a
cheaper option of things. There's a cheaper chair, there's a
cheaper linen, there's a cheaper flower arrangement. And it all
depends on what is most important to you, and that's
(19:06):
where you should spend your money. So like, if you
really care about a good band, put all your money
in the band, right, okay, If you really care about photography,
put all your money in the photography. And you know
what I used to say, And Kate was like, you
can't say that anymore. He used to say, who cares
about the photography? There's nothing for you to take a picture.
But I was not meaning the client wasn't attractive. I
(19:33):
know what you meant. I used to say that in
a funny way, you know, not to be I used
to say that all the time back in the day.
And Kate was like, yeah, you really shouldn't say that,
and I was like, well, I don't mean it. You know.
I just mean, what's the point in spending all that money?
You know, there's nothing really a photograph. I used to
say that, but I don't say that. Change your tune,
(19:54):
I see, because it got insulting, really insulting, and um
but I didn't know one ever got mad about it.
I just, you know, a little apprehensive afterwards now that
I thought about it. But but to answer your question,
they you have to be realistic and you have to
understand that it is one of the biggest investments of
(20:16):
your life. And it's like a house, you know, and
it's on and it's ongoing. I mean, we pride ourselves
in spending a lot of time showing you your budget.
And I hate those meetings because I mean, basically, Kate
just chases thing all over town trying to find invoices
for me, and then you know, and then we put it,
(20:38):
compile it all together, then we share it with them
so they know where they are budget wise. And now
there's all these portals and amazing programs online where they
can see a flow chart of where they are and
their planning process. And it's all very technical now and
I just fall on the floor when I look at
it because it's really compliment to me, but Kate loves
it because she's very techy on top of things. Is
(21:00):
the key realism and pick the thing that is the
most important to you. If you when you hear guests say, oh,
I just went to the best wedding, or what are
they talking about most of the time? Is it that
they had so much fun? Is it that the food
was so great? Is it that the venue was beautiful?
It's usually yeah, or it flows yeah, a lot of
(21:24):
waiting around. As we get a bride and groom and
they go to a wedding, they call us immediately, tell
us all the problems at the wedding they just went to.
And typically those the weddings they went to don't have planners.
That's usually the first thing they'll say, Well, they didn't
have a planner, that's the first thing to say, which
is not the end of the world, but that's usually
how they lead off with. But there's usually chaos and
there's a lot of people waiting. A lot of people
don't like to wait for cocktails. They don't like to wait.
(21:47):
Do you remember that life Like I feel like my
life is waiting right now. But the urgency we used
to live in. Wow. Interesting that is that You're exactly right,
And that's the key. When I was thinking that today,
there were some traffic today and I couldn't believe it.
I haven't had any traffic in a while. Yeah, And
I was thinking, this is my old life right here. Yes,
(22:07):
getting irritated with traffic. I had that moment yesterday. But
nobody likes to wait, and that's a huge that's a
huge issue at weddings. Yes, that is so true. I
feel like weddings these days before a coronavirus um had
just become these elaborate events, which is so amazing and beautiful.
Do you feel like there's a lot of people that
(22:29):
just are overstressing and they're not able to just stay
calm and enjoy the wedding and maybe like even the
whole purpose of celebrating the love, Like, are they getting
so wrapped up in just the planning process? Not really.
We kind of keep it at bay, so like we
we really break it up. And since we're two minds,
you know, they're only talking to me about decor and
(22:51):
creative side of it. They're talking to her about catering,
bay and photography, logistics, transportation. Um, you know the actual ceremony. Um,
we kind of break it down in the very very
first meeting. So in the very first meeting, they already
know the plan. And then they every time we have
a meeting, they usually say, oh, thank God for you guys.
(23:12):
I mean, I don't even know where I begin. And
then some people are very a time and love all
of it and love every detail of it, and they
get in my car and follow me all around. And then, um,
some people really love all the budgeting stuff and our
accounts themselves, and they are sitting at Kate's desk with
her all day and you know, figuring, figuring all that out.
You know, I couldn't hear anything worse. Oh, I just
(23:35):
I mean, as long as they tell me where to stay,
I stay. And then it usually always goes over. And
then we have a tweak and nobody ever wants to tweak.
And you know, and here's another some other advice budget
wise for for brides. So you have a meeting. Let's
say you don't have a planner. You go have a meeting.
Let's just say you start with your invitations and nothing
in your price range you like, Which is the story
(23:57):
of all of our lives. Which is shoes, whether it's jackets,
whether it's anything. We always like the best thing. That's
called having having excellent taste. Well you have to pay
for that. So you say to yourself, Okay, well it's
just thirteen dollars over my budget, you know. So, for instance,
(24:17):
Q and Kate tell the vendor, will they have to
this person needs to stay in this price range, and
so we show them things that are totally in their
price range. So they don't We don't even have to
worry about it. They can pick out of out of
hundreds of things they can pick out. But if they
don't like any of it, because all the really pretty
ones are up on this shelf behind me, and they
let's say they want all that, then that takes them
(24:39):
over budget. Let's just say that's twenty dollars. Well, in
their head they're thinking, well, that's just twenty dollars over budget,
you know. No, that's where it begins. Everything flowers and outrageous.
This is really what you can afford. Well I don't
like that, I want that one. We have to take that,
you know. That's sort of that's sort of that's how
it all begins and where it where it should stop.
(25:02):
So in the very beginning, you should say, is it
really worth it? Or would I rather save my money
and put some more money towards the band or to
the bar, or towards the core my dance floor. Really
figuring that out, Yeah, so that's really that's that's where
you get catchy. So then I'll call Kate and say,
oh my gosh, they went over budget, because I'm like,
we're like two old church ladies who call each other
(25:23):
and paddle him and I would like, they want ever
budget on it, and she's like okay. So then she'll
contact the mother and say, just so you know, you're
over budget on this, and she's like, oh yeah, I
proved it, no problem, no big deal, I don't care
or whatever. And as long as they approve it, you know,
we're good. And we spend I mean, she spends hours
on that stuff. You know, it's just constant. Well, you
(25:44):
know you're over on this. And then she'll call me
and say, okay, we can't be over on this. You've
gotta cut You've got to cut back, So cut back
and show them where they'll be. So then I'll have
to go back and redo all the decor show them
where they'll be. If they say yes, we're good, we
move on. If they say no, they pay the higher
price and we move on. Man, quite a balancing act.
It is a balancing act and then we get it
(26:05):
all the way down and see what happens. Is an
event planning and which brides will know with or without planners.
The decor area, My area is so variable. I get
stomped on every time because I don't have You can
cut me, you can cut a photographer, you can cut me,
because you don't have to have everything right. But it's
(26:27):
gonna be gorgeous. Well, that's what I was just about
to say. I spent some time on your website, which
is H three events dot com for anyone who wants
to go check it out. But your weddings, oh, you
know it. Your weddings are beautiful. I mean, it's just
that's what I said earlier. Their epic and so it
would be very hard for me, knowing your style, to
(26:48):
want to cut that right. And then so I'll have
and and listen, I have hysterical clients that will call
me and be like, okay, we gotta cut all this.
In fact, I had great, what a great lesson. So
she called me and she said, let's cut all this.
I don't need that. I don't need this, I don't
need that. She had dissected all down because I had
Kate had center all the decor, you know, line items,
(27:09):
so we could cut it all, you know, where she
could see what what was she was meant what she
was gonna lose if she went with a lower budget. Okay,
She's like, okay, that's perfect, I want to go with
all that. Well, she went to a wedding and she
hated it. So then she called me and she was like,
bring it all back. And I told you in the
very beginning, I've used this. I've used this so many times.
This is years ago. And she said, I told you
in the very beginning, I'm not scared to spend it,
(27:32):
but I won't waste it. Oh. I love that. I
love the two. She goes, I'll spend I'm not scared
to spend it, but I won't waste it. So if
it's worth it, it's worth it. It's worth it. Yeah. Yeah,
I kind of think it is at this point, especially
that is the you know, the big celebration for you
and the way that you pictured it. You know, if
you're one of those girls who's dreamed about this day
(27:52):
for your whole entire life. You want it to be
as beautiful as possible, right, and you've gone and we've
worked together for so long. That's the best part of this.
The only reason I even do it, and and I
got into it in such a weird way, but the
only reason I do it is because it's so fun
to see all these vendors, all these people I have
all these meetings but I talked to on the phone,
and you know, I drive them crazy, you know that's
(28:14):
but at the very end, how it all just comes
to life right in front of my face is the
best feeling in the whole world, whether the whether the
client knows it or not, like it all happened, because
they sometimes they can't even picture it, you know, they
don't really realize. They see everything on a board and
they see their design decks that I, you know, present
to them that they don't really grasp the whole room,
(28:36):
you know, and then when they walk in, and that's
the best feeling in the history of the world. Yeah,
Just people don't really understand that. How because even when
we're not talking to the brides, you know, they panic.
You know, they have a cake so funny, they have
like a you know, they have a six month panic,
they have a three months It's all we can even
(28:57):
predict it. Like I should just put them in there.
Are probably call them the day before and be like,
you're gonna you're gonna black out tomorrow. But but today,
remember everything's okay. Because when you're not talking to your planner,
that's our only job. You have to be working on
you constantly. Otherwise nothing would happen. Right, I've been on
the phone with the Gun Club of Tennessee trying to
(29:17):
reserve the entire gun club for a bunch of guys
to shoot. You know that. Actually I would love to
see that. I can't want you to have a meeting.
I hope to have like a hot instructor who's like, oh,
Coulton and then here's my gun. But I don't even know.
I don't even know anything about a gun and here,
(29:39):
you know, then you're planning an event the Gun Club
of Tennessee. Young lord. Oh my gosh. Well, like I said,
you guys can check out Hughes Events at Age three
events dot com. I have some other very important questions
to ask you though, because I was. I was on
your Instagram earlier and your Instagram by a describes you
(30:00):
as an event planner, a comedian, and it says that
you're usually tan. So I need you to give myself
and all the listeners your tips for staying tan and quarantine.
I feel like I've never been more pale in my life. Okay,
now I am. I make fun of influencers all the
time Instagram. I do not I do not understand why
(30:21):
anybody needs I mean, I think it's great to promote
something like yeah, of course you're buying it, but I
have people want to give me three so whole time
and tell me to promote it. Well, I'm happy to
buy it if I like it, if you like Yeah.
It's like when you go to a skincare place and
they're like, this is the best lotion and hit your
eyeballs will recess back into your head and you'll become
(30:42):
an embryo. I mean you're going, I'm like, well, give
me a sample of it and I'll exactly how it works, right,
you know That's kind of my philosophy and all that, ok.
Because it drives me crazy, hoodie, I don't want to
buy hoodies from you. If I did want to buy it,
I just don't order it online. We all have the internet, okay,
So why do I have to give you a percent
of the sales? Okay? And people are worried about people
(31:04):
worried about returning there their money that they invested for
their most gorgeous wedding. We're paying people eight percent for
a hoodie, okay. Okay. So I have this girl who
comes to my house and spray tans me in my
dining room. They have a tent, so my dine room
is not terra cotta like my like my kneecaps. But
(31:27):
but I used this product. Well, now that I'm home quarantining,
I used. She shipped me the lotion and it's called
Sunless Bloom and it's i'm less Bloom. Okay. It's the
best ever. And I've never even heard of it. Well,
it's kinda new. She was just doing it was her
own formula, but she was spraying me with it, you
know here, and it's great because you put it on
(31:48):
and it dries. And I've had I have air listen.
I am George Hamilton, I am Katokalin, I mean, I'm
tan I am I haven't even seen my epidermis since nine. Okay,
so I'm telling you I know about Tanning. I trust,
and I've been tail sort of during this quarantine to
give myself a break. But when I say pale, I
(32:10):
mean like you yeah, I'm still putting. You're like yeah, medium,
And I just thought this. I bought this overall over
the shoulder thing that you can apply to your back.
It's like what it's like a paddle and you can
do put it on your back. I see this is
I needed to influence on this. I would swipe up
on this ship so fast. Yes, now I would swipe
(32:32):
up on that. I would swipe up on that. But
but I would also google, like how do you tang
your back? Right? Right? Okay? So I got this like
wand thing from Loving Tank is a great product too.
I'm sure I've never used their their their lotions, but
everybody loves it. Okay. So I got their big wand
to put on my back. So blim is what it
(32:54):
used because it drives really fast, so you can put
it on and go out like you you know, some
of you're sticky and smell bad. I feel like you've
been like in a in mayonnaise and a sleeping bags
hate that. I can't stand it, and there some are
so sticky, and then I'm freckly too. I look like
I look like I don't know Andy what's his name,
(33:16):
Andy Griffith's opie. I mean, yeah, yeah, Howard. Yeah, I'm
frankly too. So when I put some of the other
creams on, they make my freckles like I look like
a Dalmatian. They make them. Oh yeah, hers just evens
you out and makes you tan. So this is the
sun Less Bloom, Sunless Bloom, and she's on Instagram. It's amazing.
(33:37):
I'm literally gonna go by this when we finished. And
I get the dark one because I like everything dark,
so I think I think she has light, you know, fair,
medium and dark. I get the dark one because I'm
not an animal. I really really really like to be tanned.
And Sunless Bloom is it. And I pay for it,
so this is not some sort of endorsement deal. I
pay for and I bought four of it. Do you
(34:01):
spray this? Well, it's like a foam, so you okay?
Oh yeah? The mits good and the mid its great
because your hands aren't nasty. Okay, some mits are not
good as others ternament. It's really good, good thick, kind
of thin and your your hands look like your a mechanic.
Oh that's no good. No, So we like the Sunless
(34:23):
Bloom brand mit as well. Yeah, well yes, there isn't.
It's a it's a thick black mit that's amazing and
you can use either side and you can wash it
and all that. Wow. Droping knowledge about the tan on
the podcast. But disclaimer, I did pay for that, right right, right,
right right. You're not being paid that you You actually
(34:44):
are a customer, which I appreciate. Um, everybody's gonna stay
in business. Everybody's gonna stay in business. And I'm telling
you because Nashville has been so rainy and cold it's May.
I'm so confused about this weather situation. But I just
keep saying to myself, I've really got a dial in
my tanning program because spray to hands are not happening.
I need a little self tanner situation. It's really hard
(35:07):
to spray tan in a mask, and there's a lot
happening right exactly. There's all kinds of phases with opening
nash I think they're not I don't think any of
that will happen until Phase four, which is way on
down the road. I don't know how they don't think
anything beauty related is essential, because I just need it
to for survival. I felt like that's exactly right. It's
(35:29):
just like when the weather is better, I think any
depressant sales are down. I agree, we've had bad weather
and we've been quarantined in our homes. The least they
could do is give us our beauty products. I totally agree.
Everyone wears masks and just throws on their hair color
and runs up that they don't have to blow out.
That's what we need to blow out, exactly right. Well,
(35:49):
tell everyone else where they can find you. What your
Instagram handle is at Hugh Houser. It's at Hugh Hanser
h O W S as in Sam e Er. Okay,
and you talk a little bit about your comedy career.
And I've found a lot of funny videos that I
think everyone needs a good laugh right now. Oh you're sweet, Um,
that's really that's really what I've learned in quarantine. And uh,
(36:13):
I was I've always done. I've always been funny, and
I've always tried always been funny, and so I and
I started doing comedy well in the last few years.
My really good friend who everybody needs to look up,
Lean Morrigan on Lean Morgan Comedy on on Instagram. She
hired her for an event years ago. Didn't know her
(36:35):
at all. She's from Knoxville, Tennessee, and I've met her
and she's his country as buttermilk and hysterical and she's
all about family humor. She's not nasty, she's she's amazing.
I'm a little racier than she is, but you know,
but I'm not just I'm not nasty nasty. Can we
just find this stuff on Instagram or where's the best
(36:56):
place to find any She's gone, She's gone worldwide. And
so she let me open for her three times at
Zanty's and we've had a ball and my first one
was great. My second one one night said great and
was all right, Okay, it's really hard to do. I
can't imagine doing stand up comedy. That seems like the
(37:16):
hardest job to me. Well it is, and and I've
got it down now much. You know, with practice comes everything.
But it was great and I have to give myself
props for even doing it, because people vomit and want
to die but I knew. I knew that I was
funnier than some people there, so I knew I'd be
all right. That totally. Does it gave you that little
(37:37):
extra boost? Yeah, I knew I could. I knew I
could get a laugh. So anyway, we had met. She
and I had met years ago. I hired her for
an event and I fell in love with her. We can,
she tells everybody. She introduces me, and she's like, lord,
y'alln't know what it's like having him backstage. It's like
having Diane Ross here. I've given him evy on and
I'm barely I can barely get my shoes tied. And
(37:58):
he's got three game in one springing him. One's blowing
his bang tail. Oh my god, lorn him into bill bottoms.
And anyway, we have a ball. And she introduced me
and it's it's great. And when when we first met,
I was at the end of a long, long driveway
and she was pulling down the driveway in her Honda
Pilot and she was coming at me and she rolled
(38:20):
her window down and she said, I thought, for a minute,
you were David Cassidy. Wow. I didn't know what was
going on, And then we just locked eyes, as she says, yeah,
that's how it all began. Well, I can't wait to
come check you out at comedy clubs and they finally
open again. That sounds like a blast. Yes, I'll get
you a ticket. Thank you swipe up for that. Um,
(38:46):
thank you so much for being here. Tell people where
they can find you one more time. You can find
me at Hugh Houser on Instagram and then all the others.
It's all at all the other socials and it's aged
three events dot com for when events do come back.
You guys should check out their beautiful work. It's pretty epic.
As I said before, thank you guys so much for listening.
(39:07):
And Hugh, thank you again for being here. I'm so
excited to talk to you, saying okay, bye,
Host
Kelly Henderson
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The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
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