More on Joan with Five Grain Events! Missed Part 1? Click here to catch up! And yes , she’s as friendly as she looks!!
What is the thing you enjoy most about your job?
I think the fact that when I’m doing a wedding, I get to be an integral part of one of the best days of that couple’s life…and knowing that I helped them lose all concern about everything except having an incredible time. It’s a really cool feeling.
Who, if anyone, encouraged you to pursue your dream?
Well when I was considering leaving my full-time job, I thought about it a lot, but when I actually said it out loud I was surprised that my husband was on board! Then I talked it over with my parents and my in-laws and they were all really supportive. I think if I hadn’t gotten such positive feedback from my family it would not have been such an easy decision.
Besides weddings, planning and events… what does your heart ache for?
Well, my degree from college is in vocal performance, so I LOVE singing. I wouldn’t say my heart aches for it, though, because I have lots of outlets for singing: I sing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as well as the Wicker Park Choral Singers (and brides and grooms can hire me to sing at their weddings if they have me as a planner!).
If I had to pick an ache I guess it’d be travel. I adore travel and wish I had more time to do it!
Anything else you’d love to tell us about??
Hmm…well I guess I’d just encourage all brides and grooms to look into getting a planner or day-of coordinator. Of course it’s my job, but I really believe that having someone acting as a stage manager for the day will be worth your investment and then some. 
Oh, and also that Jessie’s awesome!
Joan and Maureen from Bon Moment and hosting a Tweet Up downtown Chicago July 15 for Wedding Industry peeps. Eric and I will be there and would love to meet, greet and be merry with you! The location is still TBD, but stay tuned via Simply Jessie Twitter or through Joan’s Twitter. You can also find Five Grain Events on Facebook !
Know someone perfect for this series? Click here to let us know via twitter!!
Had a lovely time celebrating the beautiful Emily and Paul this past weekend. The wedding took place on a quaint inn on a river. Here is one frame with more to come in the next few days! Can’t hide happiness!
Jenna and Nick have been dear friends of ours for years. It is always a special privilege to get those you love in front of the lens and capture the love and warmth they are giving to the world. We are so delighted to be living near these two again and are looking forward to many new … Continue reading
To celebrate our 2,000 mile move , we are having a moving sale! And not just any moving sale but 20% off of all wedding packages for those within 120 miles of San Francisco! Spread the word! It is first come, first serve and need to book by May 15! Email jessie@simplyjessie.com for all the … Continue reading
Kristine and Nathan’s day was an amazing Spring day in the Midwest The trees were full of colorful blossoms, warm temperatures and the leaves were the brilliant green of new life. Thank you to Jaclyn Simpson for being my wingman!
Forgive the silence of the last few weeks. It is hard to describe in words what these days have been…. a journey is the best way to describe this process. So many things have happened , our feet have been in so many places, our eyes taking in gorgeous landscapes and the expanse of our beautiful country. … Continue reading
As this blog posts, Eric and I have loaded up our small car with our gear computers, two cats and 2 weeks of clothing. We have turned our car and hearts West. We are ready to document this new adventure armed with rolls of film, field cameras, medium format and digital cameras as well. As I … Continue reading
Thanks so much for featuring me, Jessie. Love working with you–hopefully we’ll be doing a wedding together soon!