The post Employee Spotlight: Kelly Vick appeared first on Infinity Hospitality.
]]>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
The post Employee Spotlight: Kelly Vick appeared first on Infinity Hospitality.
]]>The post Employee Spotlight: Alli Casebeer appeared first on Infinity Hospitality.
]]>A Q&A WITH ALLI CASEBEER
Alli is originally from Louisville, Kentucky, and graduated from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green! Before joining the Infinity team in August 2021, she worked in retail management and sales at both Impeccable Pig and K. McCarthy here in Nashville.
Alli became a dog mom during quarantine to an adorable Bichon-Poodle mix named Daisy Mae. She loves walking Daisy around Centennial Park and finding the best margarita in Nashville.
We’re so happy to have Alli as a part of our team!
How did you get into sales?
My first job when I was 16 was working at Party City, so I always wanted to be around events. I've had a lot of family and some of my biggest role models are in sales. [I] majored in marketing and sales in college, and it was the best decision for me!
What is one of your favorite events Infinity has done?
New Year's Eve wedding at The Bell Tower! But I'm looking forward to Music City Grand Prix.
Do you have any advice for clients who are shopping for a venue?
Cheesy and cliche, but follow your heart!
What's one of the most commonly asked questions?
“Can our dog be here for the big day?” The answer is always yes for the ceremony!
What's one of the weirdest questions you've been asked on a venue tour?
Not the weirdest question but the best question— “Can we have a cooler at the end of every aisle for the ceremony?” Um, absolutely
What’s your favorite part about your job and why?
My favorite part of my job is working with clients and making them feel comfortable to book their big day with us.
What's the most challenging part of your job and how do you overcome it?
The most challenging part is when there are multiple different opinions in the decision process. It can be hard wanting to make everyone happy! To overcome it, I always step back and talk to them like a friend to help them see the middle ground.
The post Employee Spotlight: Alli Casebeer appeared first on Infinity Hospitality.
]]>The post Employee Spotlight: Bubba appeared first on Infinity Hospitality.
]]>A Q&A WITH BUBBA PLUNK
Born and raised in Humboldt, Tenn., home of the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, Bubba always knew he would end up in Nashville.
"Since I grew up only two hours away, we would visit Nashville often," Bubba told us.
"In college, I stopped by frequently to see family and friends who lived here while going back and forth from my hometown to Knoxville. This city has felt like home to me from the day I moved here, and it's only getting better!"
Bubba joined Infinity, coincidentally on his birthday, in 2015. Originally hired as an event specialist, he knew after a few short hours that he belonged in sales. We caught up with Bubba to find out a little more about our favorite fun-loving Sales Director!
How long have you been with Infinity?
I have been apart of the team for almost 3 years now. I previously worked at the Nashville Scene where I became familiar with Infinity Hospitality Group and also had a colleague there that knew the owners personally. She thought I would enjoy this industry and recommended I send them my resume. When the time came for me to make a career change, Infinity was my first call!
Do you have any advice for clients who are shopping for a venue?
Choose the venue that appeals to you the most, and that your guests will remember long after the event is over. We will help you handle the rest! If you're not a client of ours yet, you should be. Call me!
What's one of the most commonly asked questions on a venue tour?
A lot of our clients ask me what they can do to make their event unique. That, in so many ways, is our specialty! Every event with Infinity is a custom creation built from the ground up. These events are produced by our team through a personalized planning process. Everything from the catering menu, lighting, entertainment and decor, can be tailored to provide a unique experience for every attendee!
What's one of the weirdest questions you've been asked?
"Can our pot-bellied pig, Jimmy Dean, be a part of our wedding ceremony?"
Of course he can, we just ask that he not stay for the reception!
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Meeting different people from all over the country, and in some cases, the world. Helping clients find the perfect venue for their special event here in Nashville is always a pleasure.
But the best part about my job is getting the opportunity to work with my amazing colleagues at Infinity every day. This company is made up of a wonderful group of professionals that all share the same passion for creating unique events that "wow" our clients and their honored guests. It is an honor to work alongside a team with such leadership and talent, and it's something that I never take for granted.
Oh -- and the tastings! Our team is incredible! Any time there is a catering tasting I am never too far away from the kitchen!
What's the most challenging part of your job?
Not being able to physically show clients how amazing the actual process of creating an event with our team really is during a short venue walkthrough.
Infinity has beautiful spaces with atmospheres, locations and history that make them so unique to Nashville, which can be admired in person during a tour or in photos on our websites and social media.
It's the "Infinity Experience" of planning and executing every detail with one point of contact that sets us apart as a full-service events company. You can't truly appreciate this until you experience it for yourself firsthand.
What is one of your favorite events we've done?
Each year, we host the CMA Awards After Party at The Bell Tower, and that is definitely a favorite! It's such a big night for Nashville and that makes it even more special to play a part in its success. Watching the theme and overall design take shape from beginning to end is so fun to see. Seeing the biggest names in country music celebrating and enjoying themselves in a space that is more like a second home to me is awesome!
What's one thing some people might not know about you?
As a rule, Bubba doesn't cook, but I can make a mean grilled cheese. Only in someone else's kitchen though! You see, I have lived in my apartment in Green Hills for five years and have never once turned on the stove. I use the oven for sweater storage.
Do you have a favorite go-to place in Nashville?
On a beautiful day, you can find me around town with friends, enjoying an iced coffee on the porch of Frothy Monkey or at Pinewood Social by the pool sipping a craft cocktail from the Airstream bar.
For a night out on the town, Midtown is my go-to spot, with the occasional visit to Printer's Alley and Nashville's famous Broadway Honky Tonks.
The post Employee Spotlight: Bubba appeared first on Infinity Hospitality.
]]>