Sweetface Events: Sweetface Spotlight: Marigold & Grey

Today we have the privilege of featuring a new start-up for our Sweetface Spotlight! Jamie Kutchman started her welcome gift company, Marigold & Grey, in the beginning of 2014 and is already enjoying great success in the wedding planning industry. Her website features a variety of hand-crafted, artisanal items and gifts to add that personal touch to your welcome bags. And she has just about the loveliest Instagram feed you've ever seen! (If you are a fan of beautiful packaging and styling, be sure to follow her @marigoldgrey).

Jamie Kutchman, founder

I loved talking with Jamie and hearing her enthusiasm for Marigold & Grey and her customers in particular. She has a passion for engaged couples, and her approachable and friendly demeanor paired with a creative eye make her ideal to work with.

DC is one of many city-themed welcome bags

The Beginning. Jamie spent the past 11 years working in medical and surgical sales, a field with constant pressures and high expectations. She excelled at her work, but it didn't satisfy the desire she had to create something creative and meaningful. Earlier this year, she left the field and went full time into her start-up, Marigold & Grey. The name is derived from her wedding colors, and also reflects the vision she had for her business: classy and elegant grey paired with approachable and fun marigold.

Ironically, it was her many years in medical sales that helped prepare her for a welcome gift company. It taught her the importance of hard work and attention to detail. In addition, the biggest products she worked with were surgical packs: kits she prepared to be opened by the doctor just before surgery. The similarity to packing a gift bag to be opened before an important event is not lost on her, but Jamie explained that though the logic and procedure is similar, she is finally in her element with welcome bags.

In addition to the name origin, Jamie's wedding also served as the catalyst and inspiration for her business. Half of her welcome bags were sent to the wrong hotel, leaving her stressed and frustrated on the eve of her wedding. She is committed to attention to detail and ensuring perfection for her clients, and her website offers hand-assembly and delivery for those in the DC metro area (stretching from Annapolis to Charlottesville).

Krista A. Jones Photography

Her Success. Jamie attributes her success early on to choosing the right partners to work with. She's had opportunities to partner with some amazingly talented stylists and photographers for styled shoots and the design of her website. For her products, she likes to focus on items that have a hand-crafted, artisan feel with a story behind them. She has a passion for small businesses and loves locally-inspired gifts from different regions of the country. Some of her favorite items include wooden map coasters from Neighborwoods that have etched designs and smell delightfully like cedar, and Haute Papier's state-themed notecards. Many of her city-themed bags come from Maptote and offer a gift bag option that guests can use long after the event. In the food category, she named Sugarfina, Fatty Sundays, 2 Armadillos, Fresh Bakes, and Pie Sisters as the companies that came to mind first that she’s currently loving. Jamie realizes the importance of the small details, and partners with companies that share this value.

An exciting upcoming venture for Marigold & Grey is creating welcome bags for Bow Ties and Bubbly, a modern spin on a bridal show hosted at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club. Each room will be styled in a different theme with a variety of vendors, and there will be interactive features including dance lessons, a floral crown DIY, and a bow tie station for grooms. You can register here.

Krista A. Jones Photography

Curious how to put together the ideal welcome bag? Here are Jamie's tips for the perfect balance:

Keep it simple and significant; adding more items may actually detract from the appearance.

Choose one thing from each category laid out on her site: candy, savory snacks, sweet snacks, beverages, essentials, and keepsakes. Jamie recommends letting the packaging option (such as a destination-themed tote) set the tone for the gift.