Vendor Spotlight: Farthing Events
Farthing Events has been behind some of Tulsa’s most prominent events and weddings during the five years it’s been operating. The heartbeat behind the company is Ashley Farthing, owner and event planning guru.
Farthing’s career took shape at one of the wildest places in town – the Tulsa Zoo. Farthing was an integral part of planning and executing dozens of successful large-scale fundraising galas, intimate donor events, and even events for thousands of children. After four years in the nonprofit world, she decided to strike out on her own.
“I took that leap of faith. I had that fire in my belly and knew I wanted to do it on my own,” says Farthing.
For the first year, she worked out of her home and did everything on her own—from figuring out how to form her own company to executing every detail of her clients’ events. Her hard work paid off and in 2012, Farthing Events took shape and became one of the most prominent professional event planning companies in Tulsa. But to Farthing, her focus is still on the one-on-one relationships she builds with her clients.
“The thing about event planning I love the most, the thing that keeps me going on those long nights, is the people,” says Farthing. “We really take the time to get to know our clients, whether they are planning a gala or their own wedding. I like to see everything come to fruition for them, from the planning stage to the event itself.”
Farthing Events handles many large-scale social events, but over half of their clients are brides. Many brides-to-be do not realize that the average 150-person wedding will take about 250 hours of planning time. Most of Farthing’s brides have full-time jobs already.
“So having a professional like us can cut that time in half,” says Farthing. “We dive in and find out what the couple’s needs are - who they are, what they like. We take quite a bit of time to get to know them and plan their wedding based on them and their personalities.”
Farthing Events puts together two timelines – one for the client and one for themselves, which creates a team effort and keeps everyone on the same page. Farthing’s strengths really shine in the planning phase.
“There’s the perception that event planning is all unicorns and confetti, but there are so many logistics that go into the event,” says Farthing. “It’s not just choosing a caterer and a photographer. It’s the coordination of all the elements to make sure that it’s a seamless process throughout the entire event.”
Even though Farthing Events may be coordinating many weddings at one time, no wedding is exactly alike.
“We don’t overbook ourselves, so we are able to spread our time adequately. So it’s not just another client, here’s another wedding,” says Farthing. “Nothing is cookie cutter. We are constantly doing things to make sure we are ahead of the curve on trends, so we know what is going to be new and what brides are liking now.”
Beyond trends, it’s about true personalization for Farthing’s clients.
“We take the time to get to know our clients’ needs and implement them into a design that is very thoughtful and purposeful, with little pieces of personalized elements that reflect the bride and groom throughout the entire design,” says Farthing.
Farthing Events takes every touchpoint of an event into consideration, from the save the date to the DJ. They work with the best vendors available, so they know what vendors will be the best fit for your event and your budget.
“We know who’s going to arrive on time, who is going to do the best job for your event. And we also have people to oversee the event, from set up to clean up,” says Farthing. “So, mom gets to be mom on the wedding day. Nonprofit clients can be with their guests during a fundraising event.”
Budgeting can be one of the trickiest parts of event planning, so having a professional can help establish a budget for an event and, most importantly, can help a client stick to that budget.
“We can put together a realistic budget that will fit within what Tulsa has to offer. We can get our clients the best bang for their buck by leveraging relationships with our vendors, getting them the best product and quality available,” says Farthing.
Farthing Events also assists many out-of-town clients put together events here in Tulsa. They have brides and clients from Dallas to Zurich. Thanks to Facetime, emails and lots of phone calls, the distance does not create a barrier to planning.
“A lot of Tulsa transplants have moved away and have gotten engaged, so we are their solid rock here in Tulsa,” says Farthing. “We’re able to provide accurate, raw info and recommend what we know is best.”
Farthing Events specializes in planning unique large-scale soirées, galas, and holiday parties. But more than anything, Farthing Events is known for creating unforgettable personalized wedding experiences for brides and grooms, their guests and their families.
Learn more about Farthing Events at www.farthingevents.com