A Q&A WITH KELLY VICK
Kelly, originally from New England, grew up in south Florida before moving to Nashville 8 years ago! “I was working for a Nashville-based financial tech company and spending a week or so here every month, but the food, music, and energy of the city all drew me in, and I moved here full time in fall of 2014,” she explained.
Kelly returned to the events industry 6 years ago. She grew up around catering and private events with her mother, who worked for Martha Stewart when she was young. Her mom always jokes that she started training Kelly for the event industry from day one!
“Growing up, my sisters and I spent many late nights in the kitchen with my mom before events, and as a teenager I started working in restaurants and with catering companies,” Kelly told us. “Before working with Infinity, I was handling private events for a Nashville-based restaurant group for several years.”
In her free time, Kelly Ioves being creative; home decor projects and collage art are two of her favorite artistic outlets. She started taking figure skating lessons a few years ago and is still trying to convince her husband it would be fun to start a pairs team! They reside in The Nations with their cat Lucy and love being able to walk in some of their favorite spots, including Percy Warner and Radnor.
How long have you been with Infinity and the Estate at Cherokee Dock?
I have been with Infinity since the beginning of 2022 and am finishing my first year at The Estate at Cherokee Dock.
How did you get into sales?
I was offered my first opportunity in sales after approaching an executive in my former company with a list of reasons he should participate in a blood drive I was organizing. He asked if I had ever considered a career in sales and whether I liked to travel. The next five years saw me in and out of airports across the country, and I have been in sales ever since!
What is one of your favorite events the Estate at Cherokee Dock has done?
My favorite event at Cherokee Dock is probably the first couple that I booked [there]! Watching the details we discussed during our first meeting go from just an idea to real life was incredibly special, and I cherished Michael and Meredith's happy smiles on wedding day.
The most memorable details I've seen would be a tie between acrobats and synchronized swimmers as cocktail hour entertainment. Both definitely got the guests (and the staff) talking!
Do you have any advice for clients who are shopping for a venue?
My advice for clients who are shopping for a venue is that the most important thing about your wedding day is the moment you walk out of your venue as a married couple and begin your lives together! Beyond that, knowing what key details are most important to you (having your pets involved, lots of room for a big guest list, great music, beautiful scenery, etc.) and sharing those with your venue/planner will help make sure it is the right fit and give you the confidence to say “I do” to a venue.
Photos by John Myers Photography
What's one of the most commonly asked questions?
One question I get asked all the time is "what will the weather be like?" I can't predict it, but I've gotten pretty familiar with the average highs and lows and precipitation throughout the year. Cherokee Dock offers multiple event spaces, indoors and outdoors, so I help my couples understand how we would use the spaces year-round and in any type of weather!
What's one of the weirdest questions you've been asked on a venue tour?
One of the most unusual questions I've received is probably "can we do our wedding exit on jet skis?" The answer was yes!
Photos by John Myers Photography
What’s your favorite part about your job and why?
My favorite part of my job is that I get to meet couples at such a happy time in their lives and be a part of the exciting moment when they decide when and where they will say "I do!" Creatively, seeing our venues transformed week after week for each of our couples brings me so much joy and inspiration. I never get tired of watching florists work their magic.
What's the most challenging part of your job and how do you overcome it?
The most challenging part of my job is when I have multiple couples interested in the same date! I hate for anyone to be disappointed, so try to understand early on how much flexibility they have with their date and do everything I can to help them make their decision before anyone else snaps up their date.
Photos by Sabrina Englehart
