We had such a great year we didn’t want to forget it!
Our creative team members took 2017 by storm, winning awards and accolades, growing their businesses, and appearing in several prestigious publications…and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With so much to celebrate in 2017, we’re already busting at the seams to see what new heights we can reach in the new year.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we’d love to share the highlights of all the blessings 2017 brought to many of our Creative Team members!
Salon Zhenya
Zhenya Lazarchuk
Zhenya won second place in an international hair-coloring competition sponsored by professional hair care and hair product brand Pravana. Our minds are still boggled over how Zhenya created such a vibrant, innovative look…and apparently the experts at Pravana were equally impressed! Congrats Zhenya!
Catrina Earls Photography
Catrina Earls
Powder Me Pretty
Joanna Ferree
The Powder Me Pretty team grew quite a bit in 2017! Their group of amazing ladies now includes four hair stylists and four makeup artists in addition to Joanna.
Farm Burger Catering
Their most memorable event this year has to have been the amazing family-style dinner for the Ball in the Barn at Honeysuckle Hill. Farm Burger provided the food, Erick Baker provided the amazing live music, Sugarlands Distilling Company provided the libations, and the wonderful Mingle Events decked the halls – it was truly one to remember!
“A big thanks to everyone at Engaged Asheville for creating such a cooperative, creative environment for every facet of the wedding world. We’re happy to play a role in such a wonderful organization, and look forward to the work to come!” ~ Farm Burger Catering
Bella Solé Studio
Leah Laws
This year Bella Solé is celebrating four years of ownership and seven years in business! Two thousand seventeen was their most successful year to date, and they grew their team by two new airbrush tanning artists, Kristine Barringer & Kailee Couch.
Michael DeSerio
Wedding Officiant
One of our newest team members, we are so excited to welcome Michael (Mike) DeSerio to our family! Mike became ordained in 2000 when he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Portland Bible College. Since then, he has pastored youth and young adults, curated art shows, emceed at conferences, conducted corporate trainings, served the homeless, and officiated and coordinated weddings.
Mike genuinely enjoys meeting engaged couples, hearing their stories, and guiding them through the biggest commitment of their lives. His aim is for every ceremony to be unique to each couple’s wishes – from formal and conventional to casual and relaxed, and everything in between. Mike is a strong advocate and believer in marriage equality. He approaches every wedding ceremony with grace, practicality, and joy.
While Mike is just getting started with us here at Engaged, we have no doubt that 2018 will bring wonderful things for him and the happy couples he is honored to work with. Learn more about Mike and how to contact him on his Creative Team profile.
Kathy Beaver Photography
Kathy Beaver
Kathy’s fantastic 2017 all began with a pencil and some paper — literally! With her trusty planner and monthly goal evaluations, Kathy enjoyed some major accomplishments this past year including these amazing achievements:
- Reached her goal for number of wedding booked — and then some!!
- Joined Engaged and began collaborating with amazing creatives.
- Published in print in Southern Celebration Magazine along with fellow Engaged creatives Joy Unscripted, Catering by Corey, Mingle Events, Poppy Popcorn, and Southern Chic. WNC magazine will be featuring a spring wedding of Kathy’s, too!
- Launched her First Annual Christmas Mini Sessions for charity — this one is perhaps what Kathy is most proud to have done all year! Thanks to her amazing clients supporting her throughout the year, Kathy was able to give back by donating 100% of the profits from these sessions to charity. She provided Christmas for seven children that were part of the Salvation Army Angel Tree alongside donations from fellow Engaged creatives Dogwood Design, Joy Unscripted, and Mingle.
Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn
Ginger Frank & Lori Blankenship
Our favorite purveyors of popcorn (or any snack, really) celebrated the opening of their second store front! This shop, located in Black Mountain at 139 Cherry Street, is every bit as delightful as you’d expect from the makers of Cotton Candy and Reindeer Crunch popcorn. We’re also super excited about their forthcoming Popcorn of the Month Club — stay tuned to the Poppy and Engaged social media for the official announcement.
Joy Unscripted
Bethany Thames
Between her beautiful calligraphy and amazing workshops, Bethany’s hand-lettering business exploded in 2017! A small sampling of her accomplishments include:
- Hosting 5+workshops on 3 topics: brush lettering, pointed pen and chalkboard lettering.
- Creating new chalkboard signage for three local businesses.
- Becoming the preferred calligrapher for two major wedding and event venues, Honeysuckle Hill and Chestnut Ridge.
- Lettering items for over 25 weddings over the summer and fall, with couples already booking for 2018 & 2019!
- Acting web administrator and social media savant for Engaged Asheville! (We’re ever so grateful, Bethany!)
Cakes by Gray & Wildflower Bridal
Melissa Gray & Margaux Weinstock
Hold the phone — two of our creative team members were vendors in a wedding so beautiful that it was featured in the New York Times! We’re still swooning over this beautiful military ceremony and gorgeous reception held in the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Biltmore Village. Cheers to Melissa and Margaux for this incredible honor!
Asheville Couture
Angela Kim
Angela has also been featured in several local magazines, sharing her personal story and inspirations, advice on wedding planning, and even some style tips to boot! Her designs are proudly offered for sale at prestigious local boutiques, including Boutique LP, Scout Boutique and Wedding Inspirations, where she is enjoying a steady increase in sales and brand recognition.
AKD Fashion Shows:
- AKD SS17 collection x Scout Boutique and J Smith Boutique (Benefitting Boys and Girls Club of Buncombe County)
- AKD Party dress collection at the Asheville Life Style Fall Fashion Show (Benefitting Children First Communities in Buncombe County schools)
AKD In Print:
- “Angela Kim Sews Love In Every Stitch“, Sophie Magazine, February 2017
- “Personal Style: Meet 5 Local Fashion Designers, Each With A Passion For Individual Expression In The Clothes We Wear“, WNC Magazine, September/October 2017
- “Finding the Perfect Fit“, Sophie Magazine, May 201
Collective Music Solutions
Erica Berg Cook & Victor Berg
- Opening their first office space in the heart of lovely Downtown Greenville, SC.
- Booking the most events they ever have in one year — 121!
- Winning WeddingWire Couple’s Choice Award for the first time.
The Tony Townie / Brooke Williams Wardrobe
Brooke Williams
Sugar and Snow
Amy Pickett
Mingle Events
Candace Hightower
- Celebrated Engaged’s one-year anniversary in July with 30 creative members!
- Acquired The Barn at Honeysuckle Hill, a historic equestrian estate and wedding venue.
- Added two new planners to her wedding planning and vintage rentals company, Mingle Events, and now has a team of four!
- Planned, executed, and rocked out 50 weddings with the Mingle team in 2017!
- Featured in the upcoming Asheville edition of The Scout Guide.
- Caroline Bride Magazine, featuring a Secret Garden wedding Candace helped plan and design.
- WNC magazine, for wedding planning and design at The 1927 Lake Lure Inn and Spa.
- Southern Celebration Magazine, for “All Things Southern” baby shower designed and planned by Candace.
Floral design by Blossoms at Biltmore Park
“This year was good…but you ain’t seen nothing yet!”
A HUMONGOUS thank you to everyone who supported Engaged and our creative team throughout the year! We’re more thankful than you know! We can’t wait to continue collaborating and creating with our wonderful community, and to serve our beautiful couples as they prepare for the best day of their lives!
Keep an eye on us, y’all! We’ve got our eyes on you, 2018, and we’re coming for you!
With love and gratitude,
The Engaged Team
Good morning-
I was following through your year in review email, and it looks like it’s been an AMAZING year for you guys. You have a rediculously well designed facility and fun, beautiful people on your team. As a young(-ish) entrepreneur, that really appears to a culture that I would like to connect with.
I’m curious if there’s a fit and what that process would look like. Perhaps hosting a few events or joining your creative team I’m a financial advisor who specializes in young families. I lead workshops like: “Me to We: a transition together”. It illustrates ways to talk to your future (or current) spouse about finances and spending habits; almost like pre-marital counseling, but MUCH MORE FUN!
My workshops and individual advice could be at no charge if it would be a value add to your marketing / client relationship focus. I’m fully registered and licensed in several states. My average clients age is 34; however I can help at any level.
Please reach out to me at 918-629-4746 or respond back via e-mail.
Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much for comment Mark, we definitely had a fun year! We are looking to have some workshops for our Creative Team in 2018, and will be in touch about potentially having you as a guest speaker! Best wishes.