Hidden Gems: Meet Molly Gaston of Wild Rose Planning & Events

Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Gaston. 

Hi Molly, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
When I was 16, I started working at a locally owned boutique and instantly fell in love with the environment, clientele, and confidence I helped people find. After my first week, I went home and told my parents I wanted to go to school for entrepreneurship and open a business called “Wild Rose.” I didn’t know exactly what that business would be but knew that would be the name. My childhood home that holds all my favorite memories is on Wild Rose Ct. 

Fast forward to college, I was looking for a job in the fashion/design industries. I applied at multiple places and ultimately became an assistant wedding planner…and a bridal stylist (I like to keep myself busy). Some situations arose with the planner I was working for, which led to me coordinating a 250+ person wedding on my own during the end of junior/start of senior year. Shout out to the couple who knew it was my first and trusted me wholeheartedly!! 

Fast forward another year or so, and I’m working as a bridal stylist full-time. I was working with a bride, Brenna, who had just moved to KC to be with her fiancé. She did a custom dress with me which included multiple appointments to perfect every detail. Throughout that process, we became close friends. A couple months after her wedding, we got together, and she looks at me and says 

“I’m starting an event planning company. I’ve always wanted to, and now even more after my wedding, and I would prefer you do it with me. Otherwise, we are going to be competitors in a few years”. 

And that was it. She pulled out the paperwork from her bag, we signed it, and we were on the phone with our lawyer the next day. While deciding our name, I throw out the idea of “Wild Rose” but also wanted a name that reflects us both, not just my childhood home. I asked Brenna what her middle name was… Rose. 

And that’s how Wild Rose Planning & Events, LLC began 🙂 

We coordinated our first wedding together 3 days later. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think any business owner could say they had a completely smooth road. There’s been a lot of learning points and adjustments that we’re constantly making. We’ve definitely been fortunate throughout our first (almost) 2 years. Working as a bridal stylist provided us with a great client base instantly. The first handful of couples that booked with us had all purchased their wedding gown with me, so that rapport and relationship was already there! 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When Wild Rose began, Brenna and I made it one of our missions to be genuinely excited and in love with our couples. The start of our process begins before a couple even books with us. We schedule an initial meeting with both partners to learn about their relationship and just genuinely understand their love. Hiring a wedding planner means investing your time and money; we want to ensure everyone feels like it’s the right relationship! We build a strong rapport with all our couples and keep the process very relaxed. We want to be approachable and a shoulder to lean on at all hours of the day. We’re not uptight or overly professional in any regard. We will get to know family and friends before the wedding day, we will feel like a BFF who is just weirdly knowledgeable about weddings. And we will be on the dance floor 🙂 We are known for being very involved, hands-on, and creative. My favorite compliment was from a videographer who told us most planners are reactive to problems, but we are proactive, not reactive. We have a problem fixed before it even happens and before anyone knows it could’ve happened. 

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Finding and creating beauty where most don’t see it. This started when I was young and working in boutiques but escalated while selling wedding dresses. I find that a lot of couples and brides often have a vision but struggle to express it and put it into words. Nothing makes me happier than hearing how beautiful my bride felt or how beautiful the wedding was. My motto is “It will never be ugly,” and I absolutely love when my clients get to experience that and can fully put their trust in me to execute! 

Pricing:

• Premier Planning $8,000
• Full Planning $6,500
• Partial Planning $5,000

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wildroseplanningandevents.com
• Instagram: @wildroseplanningandevents

Image Credits
Mallorie McBride Photography
Maddie Stringfellow Photography
Ashley Ice Photography
Aaron Phelps Photography