Interview with Taylor & Co. - City Hall Events

We recently talked shop with Derrick Taylor from Taylor & Co. to discuss his history in the industry, the impacts of COVID-19 and how his new boutique luxury micro-wedding venue is perfect for both clients and our friends in the event industry.

Tell us about your business! What is your background in the event industry?

Derrick Taylor, President and Creative Director of Taylor & Co.

You can easily say that the special event industry literally runs through my blood. Our family started in the special event industry back in the 1940’s when my Great Grandmother started baking wedding cakes. Since then, generations have gotten involved in the industry doing everything from making gowns to floral arranging. My first memories of my family have always involved setting up a wedding or two every Saturday combined with countless hours of beading and hand stitching lace while watching Dallas or Knotts Landing with my Grandma Schmidt.

What makes your business unique? What are some things that your clients love about working with you?

I intentionally keep my company small and very hands on. When you book a Taylor & Co. event you will never get handed off to someone who may have a different vision that can dilute the end result. When I started my career in event production, I did the bridal gown alterations, hair and makeup, jewelry, floral, decor and lighting, baked the wedding cake, played piano for the ceremony, even officiated a few weddings. Having the ability and the confidence to know I can do all these things puts me at an advantage when things don’t go as planned.

Anyone who has been in the special events field for a number of years can tell you that, even with the best planning, awkward moments still can present themselves and even the best of intentions can fall short … we are all human! These are the moments when those years of being a one man show really pay off.

What events have you done at City Hall and what did you enjoy about it?

We actually did a large wedding back in November 2019 that will be featured in the July Issue of Modern Luxury Brides magazine. I loved this wedding because it was a non-traditional approach to wedding decor: sprays of pampas grass and roses in novelty colors off set the copper, bronze and chocolate of the space beautifully. It was modern but also had a feeling of warmth at the same time.

Every time we do an event at a new space there are always the same concerns of not being 100% sure that floorpans are accurate or the flow of the room configuration we chose was the best choice. Fortunately we had Toula with us and she and her team helped us to remember things that you can’t see on paper and she was a lifesaver!

How have you been impacted by COVID-19? What are you doing to strengthen your business and build a sense of support and community?

Like so many of our colleagues, we have been completely stopped in our tracks since March 12th. It took me a month to decide my next move, but we decided to empty our showroom and drape the back production rooms to flip our warehouse into a luxury boutique wedding venue for the summer and fall.

Can you tell us more about this boutique micro-wedding set up?

Our front showroom has been transformed into a floral wonderland fit for a queen, dripping with flowers, crystals and candles. Six 500lb antique crystal empire chandeliers flank both sides of the aisle and an entire floral ceiling installation has been put in. Beyond the ceremony area is a progressive cocktail lounge that guests can enjoy while the ceremony room is flipped for dinner. Our goal was to create a “plan B” that was more glamorous and more affordable than most people’s “plan A”.

We have the space modestly priced at $3,000. This includes event floral, decor and lighting. We are offering this until we are in phase 5 of the Governors plan. We hope this will be a great solution to still get married this year and help our colleagues in the industry during this slow time. We have also put together several packages from photographers, and a videographer that has the technology to live stream the entire wedding. Our goal is to create amazing and safe events while strengthening relationships with our colleagues in the industry.

Anything else you would like to add?

We know that this is a scary time for so many people. Please remember that we are stronger together and once united, we are unbreakable. Please check on your neighbor down the street that you only see once a month, and never underestimate the power of a phone call to a colleague, friend or even a client. I am confident that we all will see the other side of this stronger and more united than we were going into it.

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