We had the good fortune of connecting with Maeghan Freijo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maeghan, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
It started out as this fun thing that I could do on the weekends outside of my full time job, and I wasn’t prepared for how rapidly it grew. Friends started recommending me to venues, and then I started putting together a website and marketing, and it just took off from there. I’ve always loved love, and weddings are the ultimate display of that. I wanted to be an event planner when I was a little girl, so it just made sense to follow that passion when I started to learn more about wedding planning.

What should our readers know about your business?
Ivory + Sage, formerly known as Simply Chic Events, has been my dream for the past three years. It started out with backyard weddings, birthday parties, and putting together corporate events and retreats. I never imagined I’d be able to say I worked at venues as stunning as The Olana, or Humble Hall, or Brake + Clutch Warehouse. These are places I would see inspiration pictures of and just wish that one day I could be planning a wedding with such a stunning venue as my base. It definitely wasn’t easy, it was extremely hard at the start. There were 12-14 hour days, and as soon as I’d get off my full time job, I’d get right into working on timelines and calling vendors. It was a 7 day a week job for over 2 years, and I put so much sweat and hard work into creating something that I could call my own. I’ve definitely learned that you never stop learning, and not everyone wants to see you succeed, but as long as you love what you do, it’ll never be work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
One of my favorite things to do in Dallas is hitting the food trucks at Klyde Warren Park, or catching a Rangers game at Globe Life. Music and food are mine and my husbands favorite things to do, so anytime we can take in a concert and try a new restaurant, we take advantage of it. Fort Worth also has some of the best BBQ I’ve ever had in my life.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When I was first starting out, I was gifted a book called “How To Be A Wedding Coordinator” and it was honestly one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten. It gave me such a foundation to start from, and it thrust me into learning more about the wedding industry and made me never want to stop learning.

Website: ivoryandsageweddings.com

Instagram: ivoryandsageweddings

Facebook: facebook.com/ivoryandsageweddings

Image Credits
Table w/ grey vases: WNW Photography Table setting: J. Songy Photography Couple: Monica Cassell Photography Elephant Mural: Abbie Road Photography Sweetheart table: WNW Photography Headshots (both): Cameryn Wilkins Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.