What I do
I am a Certified Wedding Planner and a florist based in Nashville, TN. I specialize in Nashville destination weddings, with services specifically cultivated to assist you with planning your wedding from afar. Event design, planning & organization, and floral services are combined to create a gorgeous and cohesive event while making the most out of your dollars.
About Kelsey Gray
My childhood was filled with flowers from my grandmother’s garden. It was the same year after year: daffodils and tulips in the spring, moving into forsythia and gladiolas, then late summer dahlia and finally fall chrysanthemums. She never limited how much I could pick, and each weekend I went home with a fresh bouquet.
I was brought up with the idea that college was the path to success, and that was the plan for as long as I can remember. But in the back of my mind, I always said, “someday I’ll retire and then I can go be a florist.” I did go to college, and spent many years and dollars on higher education, until one day it hit me, why exactly did I have to wait until retirement to be a florist? I have loved flowers all my life, and weddings, too (anyone else obsessed with TLC wedding shows? Four Weddings anyone?), and there was no reason to put off that kind of love and obsession until old age.
The Logo
In the Kelsey Gray Events logo, you will see my favorite flower, the lupine. As a child, my favorite book was Miss Rumphius, otherwise known as “the Lupine Lady,” by Barbara Cooney. In the book, Miss Rumphius had three goals for her life: to live by the sea, to travel the world, and to do something to make the world a more beautiful place. She lived by the sea, traveled the world, and then grew old and planted lupines everywhere. As you will see by my honeymoon posts, I also love to travel the world, but even more than that I want to make the world beautiful through my work with flowers. Perhaps someday I will master the art of growing lupine in Tennessee. Until then, I will love them from afar.
My Flower Philosophy
In keeping with the spirit of making the world beautiful, Kelsey Gray Events strives to keep designs floral foam-free. The green floral foam that you will see in many flower arrangements is actually toxic to the environment. It does not truly degrade, but just crumbles into thousands of plastic micro particles that get into our oceans and landfills. I am committed to keeping the world beautiful by avoiding use of foam and replacing with re-usable materials, and right now we’re able to create about 80% of our designs without floral foam. The hidden mechanics of your arrangements will often contain creative methods for holding the design, including pin-cushion flower frogs, chicken wire, and anything else that I can find to avoid the use of disposable plastics.
I have also made it my mission to source locally-grown or American-grown flowers whenever possible. The vast majority of flowers bought in this country are grown outside of the United States. By sourcing American-grown flowers we are supporting local farmers, saving you shipping costs, and shortening the time between harvest and wedding day, thereby ensuring fresher flowers. Please note, if you are requesting specific flowers that are not in-season in the United States, we will sometimes still have to utilize other sources.
My Wedding Philosophy
I am a Certified Wedding Planner through The Certified Wedding Planners Society. Each wedding that I design is as unique as the couple that hosts it. We will work together to blend traditions and new ideas to create an event that you and your guests will love.
Some of my favorite weddings are the ones held at historic homes and country estates. I just love the beauty of venues such as The Hermitage, Belle Meade, and Carnton. I’m also pro at selecting downtown venues for couples who want more of the classic Nashville atmosphere, and some of my favorites are The Noelle and Acme Feed & Seed. Platinum ballroom weddings are fun to see on television, but are really not my style. My couples tend to have modest to moderate sized budgets, and I will do my best to work within your own budget.
Email me at kelsey@kelseygrayevents.com
Follow me on Instagram @kelseygrayevents
