When you think of having a destination wedding on Florida's Emerald Coast, you probably envision your venue on the beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. If that's the case, you need to check out Vue on 30A. With its floor to ceiling windows and how far it sits above the beach, this is a wedding to definitely consider.
This week, I got the chance to chat with Anna Parish, Vue's Private Event Director. I've had the pleasure of working with her several times but it was so nice to just chat with her about why couples LOVE Vue on 30A. From the view to the food to its amazing staff, it makes it a wedding venue to consider for your 30A wedding.
Make sure to click that subscribe button. And if you haven't left a review, I'd appreciate it! I might even read it on a future podcast!
The intro and outro for this Highlight Weddings & Events Podcast was edited and produced by DropHouse Voiceover Production Studio and Tony Tee Neto, Voiceover Artist & Audio Producer. For more info on branding elements, editing, and post-production services, visit http://drophouse.com.
The song used for the intro and outro for this episode is Crush by https://audiohub.com License: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
When you think of having a destination wedding on Florida's Emerald Coast, you probably envision your venue on the beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. If that's the case, you need to check out Vue on 30A. With its floor to ceiling windows and how far it sits above the beach, this is a wedding to definitely consider.
This week, I got the chance to chat with Anna Parish, Vue's Private Event Director. I've had the pleasure of working with her several times but it was so nice to just chat with her about why couples LOVE Vue on 30A. From the view to the food to its amazing staff, it makes it a wedding venue to consider for your 30A wedding.
Make sure to click that subscribe button. And if you haven't left a review, I'd appreciate it! I might even read it on a future podcast!
The intro and outro for this Highlight Weddings & Events Podcast was edited and produced by DropHouse Voiceover Production Studio and Tony Tee Neto, Voiceover Artist & Audio Producer. For more info on branding elements, editing, and post-production services, visit http://drophouse.com.
The song used for the intro and outro for this episode is Crush by https://audiohub.com License: CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:00:29] Well, hello everyone again. Thanks for checking out the podcast. My name is DJ Josh with Highlight Weddings and Events. And today I have an awesome guest with me. Her name is Anna Parish from The Vue on 30A. How are you doing today? Hey Anna.
Anna Parish: [00:00:41] I am doing great. How are you?
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:00:42] I'm doing awesome. It's a, what is it? Tuesday? Yeah, it's Tuesday. The weather is very weird, cause it's kind of getting warm again. I was really optimistic that we were going to have fall for the rest of the year, but as Florida is Florida likes to just do whatever. So, um, so how are you doing today? Everything going well?
Anna Parish: [00:01:03] We are doing good. Staying busy with weddings and events. And like you said, looking forward to hopefully fall weather, but you never know in Florida.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:01:11] This is true. Yes. And for those of you who do not know, October is one of the busiest months for weddings on the Emerald Coast in competition with May. I believe I have a wedding at least every weekend this month, and I know of several DJ companies who have like three a week. You would call it the high season for weddings.
So Anna, would you mind introducing yourself to the listeners telling them who you are and how did you get to The Vue on 30A?
Anna Parish: [00:01:45] So, I'm Anna Parish. I am from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I actually have been working in the club environment and hospitality since I was about 15 years old. So I've been around country clubs and events, working my way up and learning a lot about the industry.
And then I found myself looking to further my career and found Vue on 30A and decided to shoot my shot, move to Florida, and focus more on the wedding side of events. And that's how I ended up here.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:02:19] Okay. What about The Vue on 30A really stood out to you when you were in the process of applying?
Anna Parish: [00:02:23] I guess Vue on 30A is just a really spectacular spot here on 30A. It's quieter. And it's definitely a location that if you're going to have a destination wedding, Vue on 30A would be the perfect place to have it.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:02:38] Describe the different things that The Vue on 30A has to offer for couples?
Anna Parish: [00:02:44] I guess the thing that stands out the most is Vue is one of the places where you can have your beach ceremony and your reception all in one place. Also offer all the catering that goes with it. So we're really a one-stop kind of place for you to have a full package wedding.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:03:02] Since you have a lot of experience in the country club or club or event space, what excites you specifically about being a part of a wedding event team?
Anna Parish: [00:03:12] My favorite part would be, you know, typically we're planning these weddings pretty far out in advance at least a year and get to know the client, their families, what things are important to them throughout the planning process. I guess my favorite part is the actual wedding day and seeing all these things come together for the client. Seeing them enjoy their time with their family and everything kind of came together for them just the way they wanted it.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:03:36] One of the cool things about it from my perspective is kind of watching the journey. I'm not as involved in the planning process per se, but I do try to make sure that I touch base with the coordinator just to see where we are with everything, especially as we get closer. So, let's say for instance, I'm going to start talking about adding different elements into the reception. I always like to find out what kind of conversations the coordinator has had with the couple, so I don't bring up something that's not really going to fit with how the flow of the event that the coordinator has talked to the couple already about.
But it's really cool to be a part of that process and just watch it unfold. And then once the wedding starts, then that's when the celebration of, the couple and all the fun and the guests coming together and having a great time, so.
What have you found that attracts couples to having their wedding at The Vue other than it being essentially like a one stop shop or being able to do everything all in one location?
Anna Parish: [00:04:42] Well, I have to say, as soon as you walk through the doors of Vue on 30A, it's the immediate attention of The Gulf, the floor to ceiling windows. The view is truly breathtaking. Another thing that really attracts them is The culinary aspect of The Vue. We have an extremely talented chef, Chef Isley White, and he truly makes sure each guest has the best experience possible during dinner.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:05:06] Yeah. The food there is amazing. Another really cool feature about The Vue is you can have an indoor or an outdoor reception, which not all venues have the flexibility. How many guests can sit outside? What's the amount that can sit under the terrace?
Anna Parish: [00:05:24] The main terrace will sit up to 70 guests.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:05:27] Okay. What would be like a max capacity wedding for The Vue?
Anna Parish: [00:05:32] For a full club, it would be 230 people.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:05:35] And kind of the way it's set up, which is another cool thing, is it's almost modular. So when you walk into the, where the bar areas, that's a space that you could just make your own. And there are doors on the, or like a partitioning, system on the right side. If you go past the bar, correct?
Anna Parish: [00:05:53] Yeah, that's the west wing. And it also has a patio attached to it called the West Terrace.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:05:58] The last event that I was at The Vue, that's where the groom hid off by himself to collect his thoughts before the ceremony. So, it was a really cool, little hideaway spot where he could just, and as all grooms have experienced, he was starting to get a little nervous feeling the emotions. So it was kind of a cool place for him to just hide away. I ended up putting the lapel mic on him before the ceremony there. So, yeah, that's really cool.
Anna Parish: [00:06:25] It's an intimate spot over there too. Lots of people do first looks, it's a really pretty spot over there.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:06:31] How can couples, working with The Vue on 30A, make their wedding experience a highlight? What are some things that they can do to help set you and your staff up for success and really making their wedding the best it could possibly?
Anna Parish: [00:06:47] Well, I'll have to say, the biggest thing is when planning the wedding really having your wedding coordinator and all of your vendors in line, and everybody's on the same page as to what the bride truly wants the day of. Each bride's different. You know, some people want to have more of a casual night with their family. Some people want a more high-scale, plated-dinner formal. Really letting us know who the client is, making sure everybody that's involved is on the same page.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:07:16] Yeah. Communication is so critical and I actually probably over-communicate, but I never want the different wedding vendors, like myself, the coordinator or the photographer, I never want anyone to look like they're not on the same page with everyone else. Because then, the bride might feel less easy about the planning process and how everyone's working together. And it just helps to alleviate potential issues that could come later on. Communication is so critical to a wedding's success and having everybody relaxed and having a good time.
Anna Parish: [00:08:00] Yeah. Making sure the bride's enjoying her day. Because when they're having fun, we're having fun.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:08:05] Totally. I've found that it makes it more of a team atmosphere anyway, because then in addition to communicating with the couple, I'm also communicating with the other wedding event team members. And you're building that rapport. So it's not, and unfortunately, I've run into this situation where I show up and I've never met the photographer, I've never talked to the photographer, and I'm like, "Hey! I'm the DJ. It's going to be a great wedding." There's a little bit more familiarity. And you kind of get an idea of who they are, even if you've never worked with them before.
Anna Parish: [00:08:36] Right.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:08:37] So I found that if it's a situation where everybody has a general idea of who everybody is, it's just more of a fluid events and it's easier to run ideas by each other and just communicating with each other while you're in person. It just makes it for more seamless.
Anna Parish: [00:08:55] Definitely a team effort.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:08:56] What are some, the things that you feel couples need to keep in mind when going through the wedding planning process, but also individually the wedding day as it unfolds?
Anna Parish: [00:09:09] We are here to support them during their day. And we want them to just enjoy it as much as possible, whether that's making sure the coordinator is taking care of all of this while Vue and my staff we take care of all of their food and beverage needs: making sure that they're enjoying time with their family, because it is a destination wedding. So a lot of the family members, you know, they might not have seen in a while, especially with what has happened in 2020.
So, really just hoping that they enjoy their night and aren't stressing about little things and that we can take care of those things.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:09:41] Yeah. I've talked to a few wedding coordinators, and the overwhelming theme that they've mentioned was trusting in the wedding professionals that you hire.
Anna Parish: [00:09:50] Right.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:09:51] Because, for me, it's hard to see a couple or a bride where she is still in planning mode as the wedding is unfolding. So she's getting robbed of the experiences when she's overseeing the entire event, instead of just being a part of it.
Anna Parish: [00:10:10] Right, and I've had clients in the past and they'll say, "Oh, remember this and just remember this." And I'm like, "I've got you a promise". And she's like, "All right. You're right. I trust you and trust you." And at the end of the day everything's wonderful. But they've been planning it for so long. It's hard for them to let go of the day of, yeah, definitely.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:10:25] So you mentioned COVID-19, or this year, and I like to always ask the guests that come on the podcast, what their experience has been like through that. Would you mind sharing a little bit about what your experience has been personally and from the standpoint of The Vue on 30A, in terms of how you've had to kind of adapt or overcome the pandemic?
Anna Parish: [00:10:47] I have to say with Vue on 30A and Santa Rosa Golf and Beach Club, the team effort here was truly amazing. I mean, no one knew what was happening or what the next steps were to take.
But I have to say, as a team, everybody kind of came together and was like, "Okay. This is what we need to do." You adapt and adjust. So as far as work goes, I feel like I had a really great team behind me. We lost weddings and everything, but gave brides more time to plan.
But, um, personally I think it was different because my mom is a ER nurse. So her perspective being in a hotspot and working through COVID was just a little hit, more home, I guess. I don't know. No one knew really what was happening. So to see her at the front lines also figuring it out was interesting to say the least.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:11:33] Okay, well, since you shared a little bit about yourself, professionally, would you mind answering some personal questions?
Anna Parish: [00:11:40] Go for it.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:11:41] All right. Anna, how long did you live in Mississippi for?
Anna Parish: [00:11:44] I lived there for 25 years.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:11:47] Okay. Was there any culture shock for you when you relocated to this area?
Anna Parish: [00:11:53] Well, everybody in this area is actually from all over the place. I've met many people from the North. Also Canadian. I didn't meet many Canadian people in Mississippi. I feel very Southern over here. Other than that, it's been great.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:12:10] Okay. What I've gathered, I grew up here. I lived here from when I was five until I was 20, and then I joined the Air Force and was stationed in the Air Force for six years. And then when I came back, I've been here for, geez, let's see, like 30 years. And what I've found is that the closer you are to the water, the less Southern it is, which is kind of an interesting concept. But the water tends to attract more out-of-towners or not necessarily Floridians.
Anna Parish: [00:12:42] Right. Definitely the biggest thing I've noticed.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:12:45] And because of where you are on 30A specifically, that's going to attract more international travelers as well.
Anna Parish: [00:12:53] Absolutely.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:12:54] Okay. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Anna Parish: [00:12:57] Well, it's funny you say that. I did, as a child, tell my mom multiple times that I wanted to be a wedding planner one day. But it was in New York city. It was not at the beach.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:13:07] Okay. Was it inspired by the Jennifer Lopez movie?
Anna Parish: [00:13:10] Which one?
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:13:11] Oh, it's the one. It was she, uh, I can't even remember the movie. She's a wedding planner in it. I can't even remember it now. So shame on me. That's cool though. I wanted to be a fighter pilot in the Air Force. That was what I wanted because fighter pilots seemed so cool.
Anna Parish: [00:13:28] Oh, wow.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:13:29] Yeah. Okay. So when you are not doing weddings, let's imagine that there is a weekend where you don't have a wedding because of for whatever reason. What would you be doing on your Saturday if you could do whatever you want?
Anna Parish: [00:13:48] So Saturdays, when I do have them, I am traveling somewhere.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:13:52] Ok. Where?
Anna Parish: [00:13:54] Typically either Alabama or Mississippi to see friends and family. But yes, definitely on the go somewhere. If I'm not at work.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:14:04] I'm going to assume that I know the answer to this question, but I'm going to ask it anyway. Are you a football fan?
Anna Parish: [00:14:10] I am a football fan now. I don't keep up with it as much as I should, but I am a football fan.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:14:15] Okay. Who's your favorite sports team?
Anna Parish: [00:14:17] Saints, of course.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:14:19] What about college football?
Anna Parish: [00:14:20] Southern Miss, because that's my alma mater.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:14:23] Okay. Very cool. Alright. Anna, do you have any final thoughts that you would like to leave the listeners of the podcast with?
Anna Parish: [00:14:31] Huge thank you for inviting me on here to do this. And, um, it was really fun.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:14:36] Ah, my pleasure! So let's assume that a listener is engaged and they're thinking about planning their wedding in the 30A area, what are the best ways for them to reach out to you to start the conversation to see if The Vue on 30A is the right fit for them?
Anna Parish: [00:14:53] So there's multiple ways to get in contact with me. You can go to our website vueon30a.net. And there is a wedding section where you can find my contact information and simply send a inquiry through there, or you can email me. But all of my contact information is online.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:15:10] Well, Anna, it was a pleasure having you on thank you for being a guest on Make Your Wedding a Highlight.
Anna Parish: [00:15:17] Well, thank you so much.
DJ Josh Woeckener: [00:15:18] My pleasure. Here's to the couples that are planning their weddings. And here's to making those weddings a highlight.