Threefold Events | Q+A with Birmingham Wedding Coordinator

I have had the absolute pleasure of working some beautiful weddings with Jenny Dansby, of Threefold events. Each time I am humbled and encouraged by the way she and her team wholeheartedly serve brides and vendors alike on wedding days.  Jenny Leaves me inspired time and time again. I was honored that she was willing to answer these 17 questions for me, and I pray that it is helpful to you as a bride planning your wedding!

 

 

17 QUESTIONS WITH THREEFOLD EVENTS:

 

1. WHAT CAUSED YOU TO WANT TO WORK IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY?

I have always loved weddings. As a little girl, I’d play for hours setting up Barbie & Ken’s
wedding, figuring out all the best places for the teddy bears in attendance to sit. In high
school & college, I learned more & more about how much the Bible speaks about
weddings & marriage. I loved knowing that as a Christian, I am the bride of Christ. I
love knowing that through Christ-centered marriage that the gospel is declared boldly.
But I didn’t major in wedding planning or take any special classes or intern with anyone.
I simply offered to serve my friends for their weddings as they came up. If I wasn’t a
bridesmaid (or even a few times that I was), I would simply offer to help with logistics to
make sure they felt loved & taken care of.
In February 2017, I was doing just that at the Barn at Shady Lane. The owner, Linda
Adler, asked me for my card at the end of the night. I replied with a sincere smile, “Oh, I
don’t do this!” I’ll never forget her look or her words, “Oh honey, I think you do! I’ll
expect some cards next week.” So, I went home & sat on the couch in disbelief. After all
this time & several jobs, God literally put into my lap what I am supposed to do! Not that
my degree or other jobs were a waste! I learned valuable lessons in each one that better
prepared me to love & serve my brides well.

 

 

2. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT HELPING BRIDES
COORDINATE THEIR WEDDING?

That they can just have joy & peace! Their wedding day is a precious gift from God &
from those who so generously provided resources. I want them to feel cared for, loved, &
encouraged. So much about a wedding is magical but it really does boil down to serving
well!

 

3. WHAT IS SOMETHING BRIDES SHOULD CONSIDER WHEN THEY ARE
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING PLANNER/COORDINATOR?

Shared values, strong communication, & willingness to be for the bride. The day is not
about us. It is about what the bride has dreamed about. They should exude confidence
tempered with humility.

 

4. WHAT IS SOMETHING BRIDES SHOULD THINK ABOUT WHEN THEY
BOOK OTHER MAJOR VENDORS, SUCH AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, FLORIST,
VENUE, ETC?

Really the same answer as above (shared values, strong communication, & willingness to
be for the bride), but each vendor has unique questions that need to be asked.

 

5. WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU THINK IS UNDERRATED WHEN IT COMES TO
PLANNING A WEDDING?

How important it is to choose a venue that has all weather plans built in! It may be
beautiful, but what happens if it rains? Many venues in the Birmingham & surrounding
areas would require installing a tent if weather was poor and/or you were over a certain
number of guests. When choosing your venue, you have to think about how your
expectations could be affected should it not your dream weather!

 

 

6. WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU THINK IS OVERRATED?

I think anything that spends more budget than you have is overrated! We serve brides
with a huge range of budgets so this fluctuates, but the principle is the same: spend
wisely. Though we don’t currently manage budget, we can suggest ways to save money &
ways to spend money for the biggest effect without taking funds away from something
more important.

 

7. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS ABOUT WEDDINGS THAT YOU WISH MORE
PEOPLE DID, AND WHY?

Receptions are incredibly important as you are putting on an event to celebrate your new
marriage & honor your guests who have all played important roles in your life. However,
ceremonies are where the marriage begins. We strongly encourage our brides to think
through what they want to convey in their ceremony. From music choices, the order of
events, & unity & family traditions to the message given by the officiant & the vows
shared, the couple gets to put together a beautiful reflection of what God has done in
their lives. All that to say, pray & think through your ceremony!

 

8. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL BRIDE? (PERSONALITY,
AESTHETIC, ETC)

We serve so many types of brides. They have different tastes, styles, budgets, &
personalities. It doesn’t matter to us if they want glam, classic, boho, or rustic or
something we’ve never seen before! We guide them & provide options but ultimately
don’t have an aesthetic we push. We do love someone who trusts us with the process &
execution.

 

 

9. HOW INVOLVED IS THREEFOLD EVENTS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS
WITH BRIDES?

From the time onboarding is complete, we are there for our brides to answer questions,
give expertise to choices being made (think linens, colors, etc.), & direct to vendors we believe do excellent work. We are available by the hour as needed to attend venue & vendor meetings. Maybe fifty percent of our brides use this add-on in some capacity.
However, it is not necessary for us to run the day smoothly. About 10-12 weeks out, we
email our wedding plan template, a comprehensive, guided document that helps us
collect from our brides all the information need to organize & execute their wedding.
Then about 4-6 weeks out we have a three-hour, in-person details meeting where we walk
through every single aspect. We also do venue layouts if the venue coordinator doesn’t
provide them. Once that wedding plan is finalized, it is emailed to every vendor so
everyone operates on the same page day of. We direct ceremony rehearsals & serve
approximately 12 hours day of. Currently, we do not offer full-service but will in the
future!

 

10. WHAT VENDORS DO YOU BELIEVE ARE WORTH SPENDING THE EXTRA
CASH ON WHEN IT COMES TO THE WEDDING BUDGET?

[Definitely] photographer, videographer, catering, & entertainment.

 

11. DO YOU OFFER WEDDING SERVICES ON NON-WEEKEND DAYS, FOR
THOSE WHO HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING A DATE?

What a fun question! The answer is yes. One of our favorite weddings was on a
Thursday in the bride’s backyard!

 

12. WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER WHEN IT COMES
TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT VENUE FOR YOUR WEDDING?

Do they truly love weddings? That may sound odd, but not all venue owners seem to
enjoy what they do. If they love what they do, then they will care for their facility,
provide appropriate staff, communicate well, & be genuinely thankful for their couples.
Other things to consider: what do they provide rental wise (tables, chairs, linens,
lighting, etc.), do additional rentals have to funnel through them, do they require certain
vendors, do alcoholic beverages have to be provided through them, who will be present
day-of from the venue, what timing rules do they have, etc.

 

13. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE INVESTMENT OF MOST BRIDES WHEN THEY
HIRE THREEFOLD EVENTS?

Currently, our complete day-of package is $825. There are additional add-ons available
to best meet the needs of our brides.

 

14. WHAT IS THE HEART BEHIND THREEFOLD EVENTS?

Threefold Events is founded on three principles: that God is glorified, that the couple’s
covenant is made, & that the guests are honored. We are trustworthy, thorough, & a

whole lot of fun. We see needs & meet needs. We are there to serve with excellence in
love.

 

15. WHAT MAKES THREEFOLD EVENTS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER
PLANNERS OR COORDINATORS?

I haven’t spent enough time with other planners to know what differences there may be,
though I have appreciated learning from a few wonderful mentors. At Threefold Events
though, we are laser focused on continuing to do what we do to the very best of our
ability for the good of our brides & for the glory of God. I truly believe God has called
me & my wonderful team to this career. Comparison can be a big thief of joy. We’d
rather champion those around us, knowing that God will provide the brides we
specifically need to serve.

 

 

16. HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM THE THREEFOLD EVENTS TEAM WILL BE
THERE ON ANY GIVEN WEDDING DAY?

There are usually two of us: a lead & an assistant. For larger weddings, weddings with
multiple locations, or weddings with specific needs, we may have up to 5 people on site.

 

17. DOES THREEFOLD EVENTS PROVIDE A PREFERRED VENDORS LIST TO
HELP BRIDES WHO MIGHT NEED HELP FINDING OTHER VENDORS?

We absolutely do! We recommend vendors with whom we’ve worked that have
consistently shown joy in what they do, produce excellent results, & serve well.

 

 

I hope and pray that this Q+A with Jenny serves you in some way as you plan your wedding! You can click here to visit Threefold Events website and contact them for your own wedding!

 

And while you are here, I am sure you are searching for a wedding photographer to make all of your wedding dreams come to life in forever memories, so click this link to reach out! Chat with you soon.