In my journey to get to know some  Cleveland Wedding vendors, I came across a very awesome team of wedding planners. Meet Amy and her fabulous team from Amy Nixon Events!

For your convenience, I gave Amy a short interview:

EM: So Amy, tell us a brief story of how you came across to the world of professional wedding planning, and why you love what you do.

AN: I started out arranging flowers and making homecoming mums back in high school when I joined the work program and got a job at a craft store. My favorite places to work there were the floral department and the party department. That led me into arranging real flowers and started me on my path to where I am today. It was when I moved from Texas to Ohio in 2005 that I decided to combine my floral background with planning services to create my own business. I love everything about this business I’ve created. I get to do what I enjoy, I put smiles on people’s faces, and I get to have a small part in one of the happiest days of their lives.

EM: Why would a bride-to-be choose to use a wedding planner instead of doing it themselves?

AN: A wedding planner can save time, stress and money. I work with a lot of out-of-state brides who can’t be here to handle the details and local brides who have full time jobs and don’t have the spare time to plan. A planner can be very valuable to those brides. There’s also the brides who just don’t know where to begin and need an experienced professional to guide them along the way. We offer different levels of packages, so we can offer a one hour consultation all the way up to a full planning package, depending on how much help is needed. Hiring a planner or coordinator means peace of mind that everything will go according to your wishes because it’s being handled by professionals.

EM: What inspires you when planning a wedding?

AN: I always look to the couple first for inspiration. Their hobbies, their personalities, their history together… I love to make their wedding as unique and personal as possible. I’m also inspired by all the fabulous wedding blogs out there today. I follow a ton of them and always see an idea that I can tweak to use for a client.

EM: Tell us about your team.

AN: Jamie, my husband and partner, has been on board since the beginning helping with event setup and coordinating. He has 20 years experience in team management, and that has transferred well into coordinating events. Whitney started with us as an intern last year and is now on staff as an event planner and coordinator. She has a degree from Bowling Green where she studied Political Science, and she is finishing up another degree in Journalism at Cleveland State. Shannon is our current intern and creative assistant, helping with floral and design projects. Last but not least, our newest team member is Maree, who is my personal assistant.

EM: Outside of wedding planning, tell us a little about yourself. What’s your favorite color, music, tv show, food… etc

AN: Outside of event planning (which isn’t much!) I love to cook and bake. I share recipes on a food blog and enjoy having dinner parties for people to try my cooking. I’m a reality TV junkie! Housewives, Kardashians…I love all the reality shows on TLC, Bravo and E! My other hobby is shopping! I love finding the sales and finding a good deal!

And here are some photos to proof how awesome Amy Nixon Events really is!

They put these details together just for me!

Top left you see Whitney, Amy and Shannon. Bottom left you see Amy and her husband Jamie.

Last year I had the pleasure of working with an awesome DJ. We kept in touch since then and I decided to ask Brandon Brooks a few questions to help future brides in the decision process.

EM- Tell us a little about yourself.

Brandon-I am young and energetic, and see myself as a really easy going guy. I have always had a love for muisc, but it wasn’t untill i started Dj’ing that i actually began to appreciate it! When I started Brooks Music, I wanted to offer quality entertainment at an affordable price! I too am engaged and know what my clients are going through. Weddings are expensive, and that is why i have decided to have my wedding on a beach far away! I have to hand it to anyone who plans a wedding, it is hard work!

EM- Why do you love being a DJ?

Brandon-I am constantly around happy people! Knowing that i am a part of the biggest day of a couples life makes it really rewarding! Because of my love for music, it makes my job fun, and although it can be hard work, i wouldnt want to do anything else.

EM- How long have you entertained at weddings?

Brandon-I have been a wedding Dj for about 4 years now. I previously worked at another company, but I have recently taken the skills and knowledge i aquired and started my own company!

EM- What makes you stand out from the competition?

Brandon-At first look, it would be our prices! We have significantly lower prices than many other companies out there plus we don’t charge for things like lighting! Once our price draws you in, you will find that we have excellent customer service! We will work with you unlimitedly and treat you as if we have known you for years! In addition, we have a wide variety of young DJ’s to meet the needs of any client.

EM- What is your all time favorite song and music artist?

Brandon- Its hard to say, I love all music, and my favorite songs are constantly changing! If I had to pick one song that was my favorite, I would say it was “could you be loved” by Bob Marley. It is so relaxing and takes me away to a better place! However my alltime favorite artist is the King, Elvis Presley!

EM- What’s on your ipod?

Brandon-I have a little bit of eveything on my IPOD. You can find anything form Elvis to Eminem, Toby Keith to Miley Cirus, and Britney Spears to Lil Wayne. I really love all music, except screamo and death metal.

EM- What are your hopes and plans for the future?

Brandon- I really hope to continue to offer “Quality service that won’t break the bank” to Northeast Ohio. I would love to expand to a larger area, and even now offer my services to people all over. We actually have a wedding scheduled in Toronto!

EM- Anything else you want to add?

Brandon-We offer many packages that are sure to suit the needs of any client. We are now proud to offer travel assistance for your honeymoon, or any vacation plans you might need, as I am now a certified travel consultant! We also offer a money back referral program!

For more information on Brooks Music visit http://www.brooksdjservice.com/default.html

And here’s the man in action;)