Rollin' With The COVID-19 Wedding Planning Punches: A Candid Interview With Blythe Hill, Founder of Hill & Co. Creative
Today we’re featuring Blythe Hill — founder and lead designer of Hill & Co. Creative. Blythe is one part sweet, one part firecracker. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed harder than sitting at the dinner table with Blythe and her team during Taylor and Alyssa’s wedding listening to Blythe tell tales of the chronic balancing act between her roles as a mama, wife, and planner. She’s a favorite of ours!
“You have to be positive. I’m a big believer in putting it out there. You got to make your fate, you’ve got to say, “You know, we’re going to make it through and do it.””
About Hill & Co. Creative
Hill & Co. Creative is a full service event design and planning studio with years of experience in the art of entertaining. More than just wedding planning, the crew at Hill & Co. Creative focus on developing lasting relationships with their clients so that they can design a classic and timeless celebration unique to them.
Without further ado — let’s dive in.
Shelby Ring:
What would you say are some of the biggest things you learned as a business owner going through COVID-19 last year?
Blythe Hill:
To be positive. Probably my biggest struggle is we have three girls who work with me, and they don't know what's going on, and then we're going into that week in March. And I remember where we were sitting at the table, we get a call, we're watching the news, and it's like, "Okay, we're shutting down," and we had two weddings that weekend. People were already in town, and it's just kind of like, how can you be freaking out inside, but really strong on the outside and, staying positive and saying, "You know what, we're going to make it through." And I mean, I said it the whole time, I kept telling them, I'm like, "Y'all... we're going to be fine, we're going to be fine."
“Now when a bride interviews us and asks the infamous, “Well, what do we do about COVID-19?” My answer is “You leave that worry to us. You let us figure out what those next steps are. You don’t need to be worrying about that. That’s going to take away from your enjoyment of planning — it’s our job to worry — we take that off of you.”
Blythe Hill:
You have to be positive. I'm a big believer in putting it out there. You got to make your fate, you've got to say, "You know, we're going to make it through and do it." That's one of the biggest things I feel like I got even personally out of 2020 and really figuring out where are we going next? You know, what does next year look like? And also, how can we make our clients feel comfortable? I can't imagine; I cried on the phone with so many and also being a leader for them saying, "We got this," and any time now when a bride interviews us, it's like, "Well, what do we do about COVID?" And I was like, "You know, you leave that worry to us. You let us figure out what those next steps are. You don't need to be worrying about that. That's going to take away from any bride's enjoyment of planning — it’s our job to worry — That's why you hire a planner. We take that off of you.
Blythe Hill:
Try to navigate, how can we do that, and then work with my team and make sure we're all feeling the same way, and they're feeling comfortable too. Because it's a big selling point for us, and it was so important when I started Hill & Co. was, we have a team, we lean on each other. We all have our strengths, and we all have our weaknesses. And one person is really good at logistics, and the other's really great at design. And you have your lead planner, but you really have the whole Hill & Co. Fam, and we're all kind of in it together.
Shelby Ring:
I love that. Okay, practically, from the perspective of what you just said, you have to choose... You're being a leader, and people are looking at how you are holding yourself through the discomfort.
As a wedding planner, what were some practical things like rituals, routines, stuff you did in the morning, whatever? What were practical things you did to stay sane through last year, through the reschedules?
Blythe Hill:
Just personally?
Shelby Ring:
Yes, yes.
Blythe Hill:
I prayed a lot more and really got into reading, which I feel like I never had time to do before. I read some business development books around what it means to be a stronger woman and a better business owner and better leader and seeing what else we can do for our clients and making them comfortable. And so I said, a lot more praying, a lot more thinking, a lot more time to myself. And just really making time for family too, because I believe in our industry, we get so wrapped up, and then you forget about having a little bit of life balance, too.
Blythe Hill:
And I think a client needs to have a planner who also has a life. This is not just our life; we have another life outside of our work, which we love so much. But I think just waking up and having coffee with my husband and spending time with my little one. When you feel refreshed, I'm a better planner and person to my clients if I have peace within myself. So I mean, I didn't change a lot, really, just focusing more on myself. That kind of sounds selfish, but- I needed that time for me.
Shelby Ring:
Yeah! That's so on the money! When you get so zeroed in on the details- you lose sight of the big picture. I know if I'm editing a project and I get so obsessed with the minutia of it, I can't see the forest for the trees. I'll just wile out on nothing that matters versus taking some time, go take an afternoon, go do something that feels like wasting time. And then I can come back and then, in three seconds, go through something I just was spinning in and find a straight forward answer.
Blythe Hill:
You look at something for so long, and we have to do that a lot too for design. It's just like, you're so focused on this, and sometimes I'm just like, I just got to come back to this next week because we've got to rework it.
Shelby Ring:
Yeah. I want you to speak a little bit about the community of planners that you have. And did they play a role of moral support or encouragement through last year?
Blythe Hill:
Oh my gosh, I think we all leaned on each other a lot with our "squad," what's what we call it.
Shelby Ring:
Yeah, tell me a little about your "squad" you referred to before we started recording!
Blythe Hill:
It's a group of us. We're all obviously small business owners, mamas, women leaders, and we started getting together by just helping each other and sharing contracts. It was more of like, how we do business. But then we all got really close, and we get together a lot, and COVID kind of made it weird, but we checked up on each other a lot, especially last year and figuring out, okay, now we have these movements and people postponing and what are y'all doing, and what are you doing? Really trying to be consistent too within our community. Because I think when you have one vendor who's doing this and then you have another doing something different and then we're doing this. And then your clients saying, well, they're doing that, so why can't you? Trying to really just be consistent with our planners and making sure we're all on the same page and just really being a support to one another.
“We all made a pact that if somebody got COVID-19, we would step in and work their weddings and vice versa. It also makes you feel good because it’s a panic. That’s one of my favorite things about my little planner community because you can really count on somebody stepping in and helping.”
Blythe Hill:
And it's funny that we all made a pact that if somebody got COVID, we would step in and work their weddings and vice versa. It also makes you feel good because it's a panic. I think a lot of people, some of them are on their own. They don't have a team like me. I would panic like, Oh my gosh, what if you do then you can't work your wedding? And what do you do? And I think that is one of my favorite things about my little planner community because you can really count on somebody stepping in and helping. That is what's been tough— the unexpected.
Shelby Ring:
I love that.
And y'all have to think through five million freaking details, and I can, I cannot fathom what it must be like to be in your brain—the days leading up to a wedding, the wedding day, and then the aftermath. I'm sure I can only imagine your mind is probably reeling and reflecting. And so I think that's so cool that you have a community of women who know what it's like to be in that brain space and carry that to execute.
Blythe Hill:
And somebody that you trust, like Lord, if shit hits the fan, they got this. And have been to this venue, know how to read a timeline, learn how to read a rental order. It's awesome. It's all, I'm super thankful for that.
Shelby Ring:
I love that.
Blythe Hill:
Yeah.
Shelby Ring:
So what are you bringing into this spring and summer and fall 2021 wedding season that you didn't have coming into 2020 last year?
Blythe Hill:
Our priorities are different. And I think really focusing on... We have many clients who are so stuck on a particular detail or this and that, and going in it and reminding them, listen, the important day of your life is truly about the two of you all getting married. It is not about, we can't have the silverware and the cups and all this on the table. Yes, it's great for photos, but your guests will not know that it was missing. They're not going to know these details that you're having to change for your wedding. So I think just going in and saying, listen, let's focus on what this day really is about. And you enjoy that. And us trying to figure out what makes our clients tick with that? Because I think so many brides get excited about the design (just like we do!) and all these little details that go in it. But at the end of the day, you're getting married.
“We’re going to celebrate the couple and celebrate what it means for them to be there on that day and make sure that they feel loved. If we have to move a wedding, we have to move a wedding. We’re pros now, right? Our #1 is we want our clients to feel comfortable.”
Blythe Hill:
And so it's just going into this year and, you know what, we're going to celebrate the couple and celebrate what it means for them to be there on that day and make sure that they feel loved. And that's kind of how I'm looking at 2021. If we have to move a wedding, we have to move a wedding. We're pros now, right? And we're seeing it more and more, and we want our clients to feel comfortable.
Blythe Hill:
I had a client call me beginning of this year, like 30 days out. Any other time, no, you've got to keep it going. And I said to him on the phone, I said, y'all, I don't want you to get to the wedding day, and 60% of your guests aren't there or people you love, and you're regretting moving forward.
Blythe Hill:
Don't worry about anybody. You got to focus on this being the perfect day for y'all and whatever that may look like. And us as wedding planners being content with the changes. We're going into 2021 like, you know what? I don't know what tomorrow brings, so we're just going to roll with it. You know? So I think just being a little bit more relaxed and staying positive, I think that's probably the toughest thing -- not knowing. You have a client saying, well, what is it going to be like in 30 days? I have no clue. I don't. And we're going to continue and not worry about it. And if we have to make a change, we'll make a change. But you've got to enjoy planning, which I think easily slips away and dies.
“We’re going into 2021 like, you know what? I don’t know what tomorrow brings, so we’re just going to roll with it.”
Shelby Ring:
Yeah. Well, and I think that when you are setting that expectation— it sounds like a very heart-centered approach where you're like, “Guys, if you're going to be sliding into home base of your wedding day and frantic, what are we doing?” So I love that—just that angle for people to remember that it still is a celebration. Maybe the circumstance is a little tricky, and there are some modifications.
Blythe Hill:
It might look a little different, but you've also got to be happy with what you have. So whether that be tweaking and changing details a little bit, or you move down the road— we're here to make sure that decision runs smoothly, and no matter what it is.
“It might look a little different, but you’ve also got to be happy with what you have. So whether that be tweaking and changing details a little bit, or you move down the road— we’re here to make sure that decision runs smoothly, and no matter what it is.”
Thank you SO much, Blythe, for sharing your expertise and insight with our Ruby Riot Creatives fam and our wedding planning community! To see Blythe’s work, or grab some inspiration for your Pandemic-Chic wedding, visit their website and blog over at https://www.hillandcocreative.com/
About Blythe Hill, Founder & Lead Designer, Hill & Co. Creative
A South Carolina native and Charleston Girl at heart, Blythe has worked and excelled in the hospitality and events industry for over a decade. As a graduate of the Culinary Institute of Charleston, she began her career in events at the Kiawah Island Resort as well as Marketing Director for Holy City Hospitality. Blythe was recruited by King Street Hospitality Group as the Director of Hospitality + Events to launch its inaugural venue Upstairs at Midtown, on to opening the awarded Gadsden House, Maybank Catering and King Street Beverage Company.
Blythe decided it was time to get back to her design roots and knew event planning & design is where she always wanted to end up. From the planning stages to execution, Blythe will provide each and every client with individualized service to ensure success. Her personalized planning experience creates events that guest will be swooning over for years to come.
Blythe resides on Johns Island with her husband Martin and sweet baby girl Millie.