If you have recently found yourself engaged and planning a wedding, but you do not know where to start, White Oak Plantation has you covered with our new blog. You can tune in to our website as I discuss pros and cons of wedding decisions, new trends, and important things you do not want to forget.
I figured this first post should be a “stand up and introduce yourself to the class” thing.
Because I know what you’re thinking…
Who is giving me this information? What makes them qualified? Why should I trust them? What do they look like?
Maybe I am alone in wondering the last one. I like to put a name to a face.
So here I am…
My name is Madison. I am a Baton Rouge native, event planner and dog mom (his name’s Odin, and I’m obsessed. Ask me about him, and I will talk your head off). I love all things coffee, food and romance. I spend my free time binge-watching Netflix with my roommate (shout-out to Jewel Elizabeth!), eating my weight in Cheez-It’s and playing a never-ending game of fetch with Odin.
I figured this first post should be a “stand up and introduce yourself to the class” thing.
Because I know what you’re thinking…
Who is giving me this information? What makes them qualified? Why should I trust them? What do they look like?
Maybe I am alone in wondering the last one. I like to put a name to a face.
So here I am…
My name is Madison. I am a Baton Rouge native, event planner and dog mom (his name’s Odin, and I’m obsessed. Ask me about him, and I will talk your head off). I love all things coffee, food and romance. I spend my free time binge-watching Netflix with my roommate (shout-out to Jewel Elizabeth!), eating my weight in Cheez-It’s and playing a never-ending game of fetch with Odin.
I graduated in December of 2015 with a degree in TV Broadcasting from Southeastern Louisiana University.
Strange right? Journalism major, and here I am up to my neck in weddings and events.
Let us rewind a little bit. After I graduated from college, I thought to myself, “Wow, I don’t really want to be a tv reporter anymore.”
As God would have it, I was currently reading a book series called “The Bride Quartet” by Nora Roberts given to me by my friend, Missy. The series is about four sisters and their wedding planning business.
I remember thinking, “I bet planning weddings is so much fun.”
Next thing I know, I bumped into my friend Deborah who was a wedding coordinator at White Oak, and I was able to pick her brain.
Instead of just helpful tips, she responded with, “White Oak is actually looking for another coordinator, you should come apply!”
I mean…what?! It just fell right into my lap. So I went in for an interview with our wedding sales manager, Jordan (shout out to the best office pal ever!), and after admitting to having zero wedding experience, I GOT THE JOB! I fell in love with it immediately. Thus, I began the rest of my life, even if I did not know it at the time.
Now, our wedding coordinators are technically only part-time employees so I was not really sure what my future held with this company. Lucky for me, four months into this job, I was offered a full-time position as the Community Relations Manager. I began planning and coordinating all of Chef Folse’s personal and non-profit events during the week and still coordinating weddings on the weekend. It brought me incredible opportunities.
Two years into it, I had a serious lapse in judgement and thought I was being called to something else. On my last day at White Oak, I was in complete tears. I sat in the parking lot and cried because I could not bring myself to drive off. Then I went and bought Popeyes to ease the pain. For the next eight months, I waited tables again and found a job in advertising sales.
Woah Madison, you are all over the place with jobs. Yeah, I know. See, I never got that “calling” that I think a lot of people have in college.
But I realized REAL QUICK that advertising sales was NOT my calling. I found myself back at White Oak, asking for my full-time job back. Sadly, it was not available anymore, and all Jordan could offer me was my part-time wedding coordinator job back. I took it immediately, not sure what that meant for the future, but I did not care. I just wanted to be back at the place I loved.
Chef Folse was so excited to hear that I was coming back that he allowed me to create my own position so that I could be full-time again! #blessed
Fast-forward to right now; I’m the lead wedding coordinator, a sales coordinator in the office and in charge of all things social media.
So thank you Nora Roberts, Missy, Jordan, Deborah and Chef Folse for being a part in my journey to my dream career. And thank you to God, for allowing it to all play out so perfectly.
Long story long, that is how I got to where I am today.
I may have started with no wedding experience, but now I am loaded with it. I have done COUNTLESS weddings (thank you to all my perfect past brides). I have created boutonnieres out of centerpieces. I have used gardening tools to bustle dresses. I have made garters that were too big, fit perfectly at the last minute. You name it; I have been there.
The numerous weddings, rehearsal dinners, and vow renewals I have coordinated and helped planned are the source of my experience and knowledge, from within the White Oak walls to my personal family and friends.
I know what you’re thinking now, “What about your own wedding?”
And no, I am not married, engaged or even a little bit close. I am one of the ones that has been planning her wedding since birth but has not found the perfect man that I am willing to commit myself to forever.
But, when I do meet him… please pray for me that I can let go of the reigns and let someone else handle the coordinating on my wedding day.
Seriously, I’m worried about my need to control.
Which is good news for you! If you are having your wedding at White Oak, you can trust that I, or any of the coordinators I have trained, will not allow your wedding to be anything BUT perfect while you sit back and have all the fun!
So here I am… coffee in hand, hair pulled back, Cheez-Its nearby and ready to help make your dream wedding become a reality. XO.
Have a wedding topic that you'd like for me to discuss or have a personal experience with your wedding planning you'd like to share?
Leave it in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you!
Strange right? Journalism major, and here I am up to my neck in weddings and events.
Let us rewind a little bit. After I graduated from college, I thought to myself, “Wow, I don’t really want to be a tv reporter anymore.”
As God would have it, I was currently reading a book series called “The Bride Quartet” by Nora Roberts given to me by my friend, Missy. The series is about four sisters and their wedding planning business.
I remember thinking, “I bet planning weddings is so much fun.”
Next thing I know, I bumped into my friend Deborah who was a wedding coordinator at White Oak, and I was able to pick her brain.
Instead of just helpful tips, she responded with, “White Oak is actually looking for another coordinator, you should come apply!”
I mean…what?! It just fell right into my lap. So I went in for an interview with our wedding sales manager, Jordan (shout out to the best office pal ever!), and after admitting to having zero wedding experience, I GOT THE JOB! I fell in love with it immediately. Thus, I began the rest of my life, even if I did not know it at the time.
Now, our wedding coordinators are technically only part-time employees so I was not really sure what my future held with this company. Lucky for me, four months into this job, I was offered a full-time position as the Community Relations Manager. I began planning and coordinating all of Chef Folse’s personal and non-profit events during the week and still coordinating weddings on the weekend. It brought me incredible opportunities.
Two years into it, I had a serious lapse in judgement and thought I was being called to something else. On my last day at White Oak, I was in complete tears. I sat in the parking lot and cried because I could not bring myself to drive off. Then I went and bought Popeyes to ease the pain. For the next eight months, I waited tables again and found a job in advertising sales.
Woah Madison, you are all over the place with jobs. Yeah, I know. See, I never got that “calling” that I think a lot of people have in college.
But I realized REAL QUICK that advertising sales was NOT my calling. I found myself back at White Oak, asking for my full-time job back. Sadly, it was not available anymore, and all Jordan could offer me was my part-time wedding coordinator job back. I took it immediately, not sure what that meant for the future, but I did not care. I just wanted to be back at the place I loved.
Chef Folse was so excited to hear that I was coming back that he allowed me to create my own position so that I could be full-time again! #blessed
Fast-forward to right now; I’m the lead wedding coordinator, a sales coordinator in the office and in charge of all things social media.
So thank you Nora Roberts, Missy, Jordan, Deborah and Chef Folse for being a part in my journey to my dream career. And thank you to God, for allowing it to all play out so perfectly.
Long story long, that is how I got to where I am today.
I may have started with no wedding experience, but now I am loaded with it. I have done COUNTLESS weddings (thank you to all my perfect past brides). I have created boutonnieres out of centerpieces. I have used gardening tools to bustle dresses. I have made garters that were too big, fit perfectly at the last minute. You name it; I have been there.
The numerous weddings, rehearsal dinners, and vow renewals I have coordinated and helped planned are the source of my experience and knowledge, from within the White Oak walls to my personal family and friends.
I know what you’re thinking now, “What about your own wedding?”
And no, I am not married, engaged or even a little bit close. I am one of the ones that has been planning her wedding since birth but has not found the perfect man that I am willing to commit myself to forever.
But, when I do meet him… please pray for me that I can let go of the reigns and let someone else handle the coordinating on my wedding day.
Seriously, I’m worried about my need to control.
Which is good news for you! If you are having your wedding at White Oak, you can trust that I, or any of the coordinators I have trained, will not allow your wedding to be anything BUT perfect while you sit back and have all the fun!
So here I am… coffee in hand, hair pulled back, Cheez-Its nearby and ready to help make your dream wedding become a reality. XO.
Have a wedding topic that you'd like for me to discuss or have a personal experience with your wedding planning you'd like to share?
Leave it in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you!
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