Post-COVID wedding season has been fast and furious, and many brides are having fun going WAY over the top to make up for the lost time. We’re talking extravagant bachelorette parties, weekend wedding festivities at destination hotspots, and larger-than-life florals and reception spaces. Additionally, curating an elevated “bridal experience” is a wedding trend that’s taking center stage, emphasizing personalized details and sophisticated bachelorette parties. Enter Ami à Vie, an upscale Birmingham-based event planning company specializing in curated bridal services and luxury gifts.
Ami à Vie specializes in “elevated bachelorette fêtes,” providing services such as tablescape design.
Worried about the fate of the wedding industry during the COVID pandemic, Neillie Butler of Mariée Ami, a premier, full-service wedding planning company in Birmingham, Alabama, decided to start a rentable party goods service: Ami à Vie, or “friend for life.” That way, she could help plan and provide decor for other parties and celebrations if weddings were put on hold. Clients could purchase “party in a box” packages, where they could rent out glassware, napkins, tablecloths, decorations, etc., from the items Neillie owned as a wedding planner.
At the same time, recent Auburn University graduate Maggie Hightower was trying to figure out her next steps during the uncertainty of the COVID pandemic. A creative at heart, she decided to start her own company, Happyy Hats, for which she designed customized trucker hats. “I began customizing large orders of hats for people, specifically brides-to-be, and soon I was being asked if I could produce other customized products such as cups, koozies, and decorations,” Maggie tells us. “As a recent bride myself, I had an epiphany. I could build a business where I focused on customizing the bridal experience. I realized I had identified a gap in the wedding industry — specifically for elevated bachelorette offerings and custom gifts.”
Meet Maggie, owner of Ami à Vie.
Maggie had worked with Neillie on her own wedding and decided to approach her with a business plan. “Neillie is so well respected in the wedding industry, and I knew she would be the best mentor for me when it came to growing and expanding my business,” Maggie says.
Because the wedding industry did not come to a standstill during the pandemic, Neillie couldn’t give Ami à Vie the time and attention it needed to flourish. She asked Maggie if she would like to purchase the business. Maggie agreed, and Ami à Vie rebranded in June of this year with Maggie at the helm.
With the rebrand, Ami à Vie is now exclusively focused on providing sophisticated, luxury services for bachelorettes, bridal showers, and bridesmaid celebrations. So, what can a blushing bride-to-be expect when they become an Ami à Vie client?
Brides start by filling out a detailed questionnaire listing the services they are interested in as well as the specific details of their bachelorette event. After that, an initial call is scheduled, and Maggie gets to work on personalizing a plan tailored specifically to the bride and her vision.
Ami à Vie’s primary goal is to help alleviate the anxiety that often comes with organizing pre-wedding festivities. “I know a lot of the pressure often falls on the bride and her maid of honor. Ami à Vie is here to help take some of that stress away,” Maggie explains. “I believe the most meaningful celebrations are when you are surrounded by your closest friends. This mindset drives my creative process to provide sophisticated yet fun bachelorette and bridesmaid celebrations. Ami à Vie’s services enable you to relax and enjoy being celebrated throughout your engagement.”
Don’t know where to stay in 30A when booking a bachelorette trip? Need help making dinner reservations for a large bridal party? Want to create a gorgeous tablescape for a dreamy dinner party honoring the bride? Trying to source meaningful yet chic items to gift to your bridesmaids? This is where Maggie takes charge.
Available Ami à Vie services include curating gifts and party accents for bachelorettes, an itinerary planning service for a bachelorette weekend, and luxe, customized bridal gifts. Three packages are available: the “Bachelorette Fête” package, fête add-ons, and bridal services and gifts.
The “Bachelorette Fête” package includes a mood board, decor sourcing, dining reservations, activity scheduling, and itinerary creation. Available add-ons include custom welcome bags, trucker hats, cups, koozies, and a paper suite. Bridal services and gifting options include “will you be my bridesmaid?” gifts, thank you gifts for both bridesmaids and groomsmen, hostess gifts, and a curated bridesmaid lookbook.
A camp-themed bridesmaid’s welcome bag sets the scene for a fun-filled bachelorette weekend.
Signature cocktails aren’t just for the wedding. A cocktail customized for the bride during her bachelorette incorporates a meaningful touch.
Gorgeous “will you be my bridesmaid” boxes incorporate the bride’s favorite items.
One of Maggie’s services is the curation of carefully crafted “thank you” gifts for honoring bridal shower hostesses.
Maggie also prioritizes partnering with other women-owned businesses, such as Paper Eliza and CC. Boone. In the future, she shares that she would like to expand her services beyond the luxury bridal experience. “I would love to focus on more than just the wedding industry. Dinner parties, birthdays, anniversaries, and more are all things I am interested in providing services for. Everyone deserves to feel celebrated, no matter the occasion!”
Thank you, Maggie, for this fabulous look into your beautiful business. All photos courtesy of Maddie Sullivan. Find out more about Ami à Vie on their website.
**********
Give your inbox the Southern makeover it deserves! Subscribe to our daily emails HERE!
