Meet Taylor Paige Fluharty

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Paige Fluharty.

Hi Taylor Paige, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Like any good story, let’s start with a good ole celebrity name drop–JLo. No, no, I don’t know her. But I did want to be her. I was seven years old when I first watched “The Wedding Planner.” And like many little girls (and heck, probably some adults too), I was captivated by her character’s life and career. A total boss. She was professional, calm, in control, agile. She was adored by her clients, saving the day one “Best Day” at a time.

But that was just a 2001 dream–a life I thought was just meant for Hollywood. Eleven years later, I graduated high school and left my small farm town for college in a “big city.” The plan was to be a math teacher and to eventually open my own ACT Prep company. But one semester of student teaching Freshman Algebra taught me the job was NOT for me. I quickly rerouted from Math Education to straight Mathematics, with a Business Major. I had no idea what was in my future at that point.

Luckily, slinging Coors Light and being friendly with my regulars at my night job as a server landed me with a data trending internship with a veterinary pharmaceutical company. But there was just one problem…I knew I was getting a math degree, but I had zero desire to crunch numbers all day long. Was this really the right move? I was extremely blessed that the company hired me full-time, pre-graduation, and for the next six years allowed me to stretch my wings and in a roundabout way allowed me to create my own role that matched my wide passions and skills. Along the way, I acquired a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma (unless you’re an absolute nerd, you probably have no idea what this is), allowing me to lead projects, become a process expert, coach, train, and still do a bit of data.

Even though the corporate world treated me so well, I was still missing something. The creativity, the ownership of something, the mix of right and left brain. And that 7-year-old Taylor Paige just kept nagging me, “Remember JLo?”

So I started off slow. Decorating for birthday parties and bridal showers. Then coordinating a coworker’s wedding. Then I moved to decorating weddings, joining styled shoots, helping friends plan their weddings, planning my own international wedding. But none of that scratched the itch.

And then in February 2019, I unexpectedly had a major surgery that landed me on bedrest for ten weeks. Ten whole weeks of reruns and Candy Crush…and thinking about that dream.

The majority of that year was spent healing from surgery and preparing for what is known now as The Perfect Touch KC, LLC–officially launching just days before the New Year.

And MAN has it been a whirlwind since. 20 months later and I have supported over 80 couples, been voted “Best of KC” twice in a row, had to move my home and studio to be closer to clients, and have also made 7-year-old Taylor Paige so proud.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t think any entrepreneur would ever say it has been a smooth road. Because if it was…I don’t think many would be as successful as they are today. Bumps and roadblocks create opportunities for growth.

As far as my struggles….phew, so many (not to even count launching a new business months before a global pandemic)! Most that only know the surface level of my story may think, “she just blew up so fast!” and would probably think an easy road was how I did it. When in honesty, the exponential growth created SO MANY struggles. I don’t say that to sound ungrateful (I’M SO GRATEFUL)–but I literally jumped off a cliff with this business and had to learn to build my plane mid-air to be able to keep going. I fantasized about this business a lot during my surgery recovery…but actual business plan building…HA! I had to learn and implement quickly.

I have also had to navigate the world of business ownership with a chronic pain condition that often impacts the mobility and strength of my neck, arms, and hands. In the beginning of my business, I tried to hide this from the new people in my circle. My husband would often assist me with carrying decor or I would slyly ask a groomsmen or father of the bride walking around if they would help me. There is also no PTO for my bad days…which would often come after wedding days where I inevitably pushed myself more than I should’ve instead of simply asking for help.

Eventually, I had to learn that my business required me to be open and vulnerable about my condition. I couldn’t hide it anymore because I genuinely needed help. I started small–slowly telling vendors that I often worked with so that they could help me on wedding days without me having to feel like a burden. And eventually, I also started being open about it on my social media too–which honestly changed the entire game for me. I don’t even know why I was nervous about letting people know? Not a single person has made me feel less than or not hire me because I may not be able to carry their heavy boxes of china.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a wedding planner and designer–specializing in being a couple’s best friend, confidant, and calm.

Yes, I’m a good wedding planner–but we have A LOT of those in Kansas City. And yes, I have been voted “Best of KC” twice in a row now (The Pitch, 2020 and Kansas City Magazine, 2021)…but in all honesty, I know I’m not “the best” and I’m not here to convince anyone of that.

What sets me apart is how I’ve learned to merge my personal life with my business and share both sides. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I don’t just show the pretty photos with cliché captions. I share the ins and outs of entrepreneurship…including the messy and the chaotic and the fun. I’m not afraid to sing a Kesha song on my IG stories, share a photo of me crying at 2am when business ownership is hard as hell, or obsessively talk about my love of all things cheetah print hot pink, and sparkle.

Being real and genuine with my clients helps them be real and genuine with me–I wipe their tears, celebrate their wins, text them when I see something that reminds me of them. Planning a wedding is HARD and so very personal. The most common review I get from clients is that they felt like I was a true friend through the process…and it’s because I am. I shine when a client comes into a meeting in tears but leaves in a sigh of relief, feeling heard and loved–not when I send the prettiest design proposal or create the perfect timeline. That’s what I’m proud of most.

Pricing:

• Full Planning: Starting at $5000
• Partial Planning: Starting at $3500
• Month of Coordination: Starting at $1500

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.theperfecttouchkc.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/theperfecttouchkc
• Facebook: facebook.com/theperfecttouchkc
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@theperfecttouchkc

Image Credits
Elizabeth Ladean Photography Megan Flick Photography Ashley Rose Photography Minhee Photography Sara Rieth Photography Tristen Coy Photography