Today's Expert: Ashley Ebert from The Simply Elegant Group
Ashley Ebert from the Simply Elegant Group treats us to insights on her business
Wedding expert, Ashley Ebert from Simply Elegant Group, has taken a totally different approach to wedding planning. Her strong values and morals in the way she handles her couples and her warmth and passion for what she does has been part of the driving force that has allowed this award-winning, wedding planning business to expand in just a short span of time. I am very excited to be sharing her story and her beautiful business with you all today.
Ashley found herself attracted to the wedding industry in a rather unlikely way. Having taken care of her ill grandmother in the last year of her life and having quite a bit of spare time on her hands while her grandmother rested, she immersed herself in the things that truly made her happy. At the time she learned that being around family was a calling and that she found joy in simply being present in the moment. Weddings seemed like a natural element and extension of family life. Ashley’s gift for solving problems on the fly stood out to her and in combining her top strength with her passion, wedding planning as a career was born.
Strong personal core values have led to a favorite business model which is somewhat unique in the industry. For Ashley, as for all wedding planners, her couples are her passion. Creating an experience of a lifetime is her number one priority. However, Ashley believes that anyone on any budget can enjoy the experience of hiring a wedding planner to take care of all their wedding needs. She does this through a unique cost savings model that relies on strong vendor relationships and pre-negotiated vendor incentives.
“We take care of all the small details and we even work to save you money during your wedding planning process”
Ashley also has another passion, and that is her wedding planners. She is proud of her now 30-strong team of planners, a team that has grown over the last 3 years to that number. It’s a joy for Ashley to be able to provide a platform for women to work within the industry they love. Simply Elegant works as a way to get planners into the industry, which can sometimes be difficult to crack into. She is proud of her team, and enjoys the spirit of love and passion that they infuse their work with.
“Being at the actual weddings and events will always be my first love- but watching my team grow to over 30 planners in the last 3 years truly makes my heart explode with joy.”
As a company, the Simply Elegant Group has a combined 25 years of experience, a huge number of weddings managed in their list of achievements, and a number of locations including Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. As mentioned, the company’s focus is on providing the absolute best experience and this is a value that is reflected not only in terms of creating a stunning event that leaves guests and couple in awe but it’s reflected in the way Ashley and her team treat every moment leading up to the event.
Simply Elegant takes care of the small details, working to bring each couple’s dream to life, no matter what the budget. They will even go one step further and negotiate to save you money every step of the way. Expanding into Chicago, their second location is a highlight for the business. Within their first year of being in this location, they had 40 weddings on the books with 15 already done and dusted in Chicago.
Her company’s core values as outlined on their website are as follows:
- Being approachable and transparent
- Having an attitude of Abundance
- Being intentionally collaborative
- Adding value to everyone they meet.
Each core value has a full description of how they go about enacting and ensuring that their values are shaping their business. Find them here.
As always, I asked Ashley what her favorite trend for the year is. She stated that neutrals are her go to and definitely a great choice for couples who want a timeless wedding. Muted palettes with a fantastic set of textures are without a doubt the way to go.
There are so many amazing styled shoots and real weddings to check out on their website. I felt spoilt for choice when choosing out a few to showcase in the post.
Take a look at the Simply Elegant Group Portfolio Images
Credits: Woodland Elegance Styled Wedding Shoot; Photography by Jaimiee Morse Photography.
Credits: Connie and Kent Real Wedding; Photography by Adam Kennedy Photography
Credits: Lena and Ben Real Wedding; Photography By Jeff Loves Jessica
Credits: Love in Bloom Styled Wedding Shoot: Styling and Concept: Maddy Hague of Splendid Supply Co.; Photography by Paper Antler;
GET IN TOUCH WITH THE SIMPLY ELEGANT GROUP
You can contact the Simply Elegant Group by navigating to their website and leaving your details in their contact form on the contact page. You can also connect with them on the official social media accounts. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
