Meet Jamie Ihms of Copper+Cotton Wedding Planning in Copper+Cotton in Gilbert

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Ihms.

Jamie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I originally started wedding planning, as most planners do, because it looked glamorous; I would get to create beautiful designs and watch each couple enjoy the happiest day of their lives together. Now, after 5 years of just getting by as an independent planner, 3 years of learning as an associate planner a seasoned planner, and 2 years of thriving as CEO of my own planning company, I have a very different perspective.

When I began planning weddings in 2008, I was more interested in the art of weddings. I quickly learned how to make all the pieces of an event become a cohesive, intentional masterpiece. However, I was inexperienced, shy, and unsure of myself. It took quite some time and experience to learn how to run a business and how to gain the confidence needed for the job. I did, though, because I was determined to plan and to serve my clients in the best way possible.

One of my hardest, and best, weddings was for the daughter of a very driven CEO father. This couple was my spirit animal. They were fun, in-the-know, and had great ideas for their wedding. But the bride’s father tested me every step of the way. Every idea, suggestion and recommendation I had was greeted by Dad with questions and arguments, all wrapped up in short, blunt bursts of assertive vocals. I answered every question, explained every argument and proved my credibility. The entire planning process was a struggle and I never felt good enough, so I was forever trying to be better. On the morning of the wedding at the venue, Dad was there beaming with pride and joy for his daughter and almost-son-in-law. It was a joy and a peace I hadn’t seen from him the whole engagement. As he saw me, he came toward me with a grin slapped across his face and exclaimed, “I don’t even remember ordering all this stuff! What would we do without you?!”

I walked away from that wedding a significantly better planner. And I strive to learn like that at every wedding I plan. I cringe to think of the work I did when I started, but I use that as a reminder of how far I have come in the last 10 years and I know that I’m working toward what I will be in another 10 years.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Learning how to work with different kinds of people is just one of the challenges I’ve overcome. There are a lot of details in weddings, and every couple is different. There’s almost always one party (the groom, mother-in-law, a sister) who thinks planning a wedding is no different from planning any other celebration. By the end of the wedding, they always have a new understanding of why this has become a full-time job for many. Well, this was a lesson I had to learn over and over again before I found a system and processes that helped me stay organized enough to get it right and not forget anything. Planning is much more complicated than it first seems, so I had to adjust my expectations of myself and put systems in place to make each wedding a seamless process.

I’ve also had to decide on my style. I’ve discovered that I love planning and designing many styles of weddings. Some planners have one style and color family that they love to work within, which looks great on Instagram and helps that planner attract the style of couple that they want to serve. However, there are so many different kinds of couples with great ideas and beautifully unique styles and I just don’t like limiting myself in that way. But, it does make it easier to plan and to attract your target client if you have a more defined client. So, I’ve learned how to make art out of each design rather than copying what you see in all the bridal magazines. And now you’re starting to see my designs in bridal magazines. It turns out, thinking outside the box is “in” right now.

Copper+Cotton Wedding Planning – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Copper+Cotton is a planning company specializing in weddings hosted at non-traditional venues. We love resorts just as much as the next planner (after all, they make our job easier and they have some of the most beautiful properties), but we really get to shine when we’re working in a setting where everything isn’t laid out for us. Each couple has different dreams, hopes, and desires, so we treat each design and plan as a unique work of art.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment? I could choose the first time my work was published or the moment I realized my business had finally become profitable. And maybe those are units of measurement in the success of my business, but what really makes me proud is the moment that happens over and over again.

Usually, at the end of the wedding or sometimes a few days later, the couple or the parents or sometimes the other vendors say the words that let me know I’m fulfilling my purpose in this industry: “We couldn’t have done this without you”. They could have thrown a big party without me, of course. But I think they’re referring to the difference in experience. Because we were there, the couple was able to be present and enjoy every moment without wondering whether the favors were being put out the way they wanted. Because we had gone through our 15-page timeline a few weeks before, the mother of the bride knew that dinner would be served on time and the best man knew exactly when he was expected to give his speech. The toasts weren’t announced while the brother of the groom was out of the room because we worked with the DJ and photographers to adjust the timeline to the circumstances. The father of the bride didn’t have to worry about gratuity because we had already determined the appropriate amounts together and prepared the envelopes for each vendor. Every time I hear a heartfelt “thank you” from a client, it’s my new proudest moment, because I know that my work was a contributing factor to their joy that day.

Pricing:

• Full Service Planning: $5000
• Month-of Coordination: $1800

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.copperandcottonaz.com/
• Email: jamie@copperandcottonaz.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/copperandcotton/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/copperandcotton/

Image Credit:
Danielle Applebach Photography, Melissa Jill Associates, Dan and Erin Photocinema, Ryann Lindsey Photography, Melissa Jill Photography, Rachel Solomon Photography

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