By Invitation Only...Event Planning & Design

ing to make it happen. Living out of state, it was important to us to have someone who knew the local vendors and could help us get stuff done, and Melanie did just that. When we were in town, she made sure to schedule all of the in-person vendor meetings we needed and accompanied us to each of them. She constructed the timeline, coordinated with our vendors to match their timelines, handled all of the set up and take down, picked up and delivered my dress, and so much more. On our wedding day, Melanie and her team executed the entire day perfectly. She brought our vision to life and made sure it was everything we wanted. One of my favorite memories from the day is when she walked me through the reception space before the ceremony. It was so special to see all of our planning play out so beautifully. Melanie was so much fun to work with, and she felt like family by the end of it. We couldn’t recommend her more!

tely assembling invitations (including tying raffia and putting stamps on each invitation) to assembling and delivering welcome boxes, Ashly and her team were our hands and feet. An outdoor wedding with a major weather delay and change of plans made things a tad hectic, but her team moved to plan B and helped to make a frantic situation as smooth as possible. Thank you, Ashly, for your vision and expertise.

ling good about all the details. She was prompt with her replies to our emails. It was worth every penny to have her work with us. She had a great rapport with the vendors and you could tell they respected her. By the end of our wedding, we felt like she was part of our family. We look forward to working with her again!

l so heard in all of my visions and took away all of my stress before and during my wedding day. She made all of my wedding dreams come true and also went above and beyond. She even memorized that mashed potatoes are my favorite and set aside extra for me when it was my time to eat! (Which in my opinion just goes to show how much she listens and cares, its the little things)! She also advocates soooo hard for her brides! Working with Ashly is so special and she will not only help you create the most magical day but also she makes you feel like family while doing it. I would recommend Ashly and By Invitation Only a million times over!

k with. She made me, my mom, and my mother-in-law feel so comfortable expressing our opinions, big and small. She walked all of us through each step from choosing invitations, rentals, catering, bus transportation and everything else that comes with a 300 person wedding. My mother-in-law worked with her for a rehearsal dinner, which was also perfect. The week of the wedding she was on site everyday making sure no details were missed and every vision we had was perfect. She made sure my husband and I had dinner and requested drinks waiting for us at the reception so we could have a moment alone. She made sure to check in with my husband and I and our parents throughout the whole night just to see if we needed anything. She even made sure our dog who was there was walked and taken care of during the reception! Our whole family fell in love with Ashly and cant wait to work with her again.

s going to go 'wrong' or be a little off, and BIO handled everything with grace and without my knowledge to make the day perfect and stress free. Ashly helped us pick a venue and vendors to meet the budget that we'd set for the wedding and made it look exactly like my inspiration binder that I'd made for it... and I was very specific in the things I wanted or didn't want. Ashly worked with the vendors that we chose to deliver just that. We would absolutely work with Ashly and the BIO team again to plan an event!!

as a lot going on around that time I wanted to book her but I continued to do so. Shame on me. I had followed their work for so long, so I was blind. More red flags consisted of working with her is the amount of times she rescheduled meetings with me. It always felt that she wasn’t listening to anything I spoke about during our meetings. She is so flighty. My wedding day proved that because not a single thing was delivered on my wedding day that I had wanted. She had zero respect for our budget and was always going for the higher end price tag. It makes me wonder if she gets some kind pay out by using certain vendors or higher price tag weddings. Ashly disappeared at one point during the day where my bridesmaids called and looked for her and she was no where to be found. Ashly didn’t listen to my floral vision at all. I was incredibly clear in my vision, even providing pictures to show my description. She had zero communication with my florist. I wanted petite and dainty bouquets and they all came in not only large, but the flowers themselves were massive. Everything I was clear about was not delivered at all. Lighting, fail. Aisle florals, fail. Aisle was so small where I couldn’t have my mom and dad walk me down. The end of the aisle was supposed to be on columns and they were on the ground. The bar was supposed to be covered in greenery and it was thrown up there like a child placed it. The couch covers were so messy, like a bed sheet thrown on it. The bartenders were to only provide the alcohol we paid for, but clearly they either didn’t care or the information wasn’t told to them because we handed an additional tab at the end of the night. The venue allowed non-guests upstairs as we were supposed to be closed off. There was someone walking around our wedding in a T-shirt and shorts drinking the champagne right out of the bottle that was on my cake table. Where was my planner and her assistant? I was approached with every issue by my planner and her assistant. I was not able to try and enjoy the wedding even if it wasn’t even close to what my dream has always been. I wanted a to-go plate of our dinner and more cake for our room, and we were told it all was thrown away. I told my planner and florist I wanted all of my flowers and the florist took them all with her. What a waste of money. Our planner had a key to our room to bring the gifts and cake and florals to and she took the cake and gifts. All of this was decided way before the day. So what the heck was she thinking? You dream of your wedding all of your life and I was so let down with every aspect of it. It was the biggest waste of money and spending money on this wedding planner was a huge waste of money and time. I would not recommend this company. Our wedding quickly cost us $80k when we clearly stated it needed to be significantly lower than that. She never provided alternative solutions for anything. Look for another wedding planner.

ould have asked for... Some of our other vendors threw some day-of curveballs that were handled by Ashly's team without ever causing any stress to the Bride or Groom. This was our best and most important vendor and we 100% recommend!

ly. She communicated efficiently and effectively. The B.I.O. Crew made sure that our special day went smoothly and as stress free as possible. The word “No” is not in Ashley’s vocabulary. We were pleased from start to finished and highly recommend all of their services.

chestrated. Last weekend was truly magical. Working with Melanie Murphy is an experience to last a lifetime. Some of the best memories were made all because of her and her team. The professional and personalized service they provided was truly amazing. I recommend them for any event. They are the absolute best at what they do. Stellar!

the wedding planning process. We originally chose her because of her gorgeous wedding designs; but holy cow I would have lost my mind without her. You never think disasterous things, like a huge rainstorm on your outside wedding, are going to happen until they do...and youre stuck and dont know what to do. But Melanie handled everything so I didnt have to worry. There arent words to explain how incredible her and her team are. They made planning easy, helped with last minute changes, had amazing suggestions, flawlessly set up and tore down our STUNNING wedding setup, and made sure I didnt worry about a thing on my wedding day. And when I say she pays for herself Im not talking figuratively, she has a whole selection of decor and supplies that she generously opens up to her clients. Melanie went over and above to make our Indian wedding ceremony, rehearsal dinner and wedding were absolutely perfect. Not to mention she's just a fun person to be around; I was genuinely sad when our time planning the wedding was over. Long story short, pick 'By Invitation Only' for your wedding!

and was really there for us every step of the way. I had a very detailed vision for the day and tons of tiny details, and she flawlessly helped us bring them to life. She's professional, friendly, kind, supportive and so talented at what she does. Her responsiveness and ability to calm my indecisive mind were so helpful and appreciated. If you're looking for a partner who will be with you every step of the way throughout your wedding planning process, you need to hire Melanie. We can't imagine our day without her, and we are so, so grateful for everything she and her team did to make our wedding the best day ever!

lanie is absolutely your person. Not only did Melanie plan our wedding to perfection once, but she also flawlessly moved our wedding TWO times due to COVID, so she essentially planned our wedding 3 times. We are eternally grateful for her hard work, calm demeanor, and flawless execution of our day. She somehow took our vision which I'm not sure we ever were able to fully express coherently, and turned it into the most beautiful day with each detail better than the last. One the day of our wedding she was there from start to finish to make sure everything was perfect. We were never stressed or worried and we were able to fully enjoy our day with family and friends because Melanie and her team took care of everything. We will recommend Melanie to everyone we know.

due to weather, and she handled everything beautifully. If you are looking for a solid team that will help you design and implement the wedding of your dreams, look no further!

and she by FAR was my best investment in my wedding. She handled EVERYTHING, every little detail including packing to go meals at send off for us to eat at our hotel! Things I didn’t even think about, she covered it. She kept my wedding party on task but in the friendliest way! She looked out for me with vendors and helped me review items when I needed to stay on budget. I couldn’t have imagined my wedding day without her, and because of her I have NOT. ONE. SINGLE. REGRET!! Thank you Ashly, Melanie, and the rest of the BIO team for going above and beyond. I will forever recommend you!!

are of everything. Melanie gave advice on everything from floral design, to budget saving tips! The team worked so well with all other vendors to coordinate a flawless day. By far, the best money spent through this wedding planning process was for this group of fabulous ladies! My day would not be nearly close to what it was without the help of the BIO team!

ing to be okay. So it was coincidental that on our wedding day, Mother Nature decided to show her ‘hotter’ side! We reserved a small venue and lo and behold EVERYONE showed up so we packed >80 folks including all the supporting vendors in a very, very hot room. Ashley and her colleagues went to Walmart and bought all of their fans so we could at least have some ‘cool’ air circulating during the ceremony and following party. We were all very grateful for their help and support! Highly recommend By Invitation Only! We loved working with them!!

h my wedding without her. This woman is talented beyond all belief! Melanie is there for you, the bride, the one who has dreamed of this day your whole life! She has got your back. She will work with you to find the perfect vendors, set up meetings with them and keep dates straight, she’ll help you find ALL the things you want in your wedding and get the job done!! She is your fairy godmother and you are Cinderella. She will bippity boppity boo your whole wedding! Whether your the type of bride who knows EXACTLY what you want, maybe a Pinterest queen with a big board of pins and dreams... Melanie Murphy will bring it all to life and make your wedding day what you want. Or if your the bride who hasn’t got a clue where to start, what to do, and didn’t know a wedding dress could come in SO MANY shades of white? Melanie has got you, she will walk you through it! Your worries are gone with her and she will make a heavy, overwhelming wedding process feel like floating on a cloud. So, if you want your wedding process to go as smoothly as possible, contacting Melanie and her team at By Invitation Only is the first thing you need to do. TRUST ME ,YOU WON’T REGRET IT!!!

verything perfectly. We had the most amazing wedding day and planning experience and we owe it all to Melanie and her team!

gaged. She helped me navigate through changing venues in addition to three wedding dates. She and her team were amazing to work with! The amount of professionalism, communication, hospitality, coordination, and helpfulness really made the day perfect for us. We decided to have a destination wedding at the Biltmore Estate. Melanie took care of all the “behind the scenes” planning and communicating with vendors which helped me focus on the other wedding details. Anytime I had a question, Melanie was quick to respond and had an answer! The day of was amazing! We really felt catered to by everyone on the team. Whether it be help with my dress, to my feet needing wiping off to get into heels – thanks Ashley :), losing my earring-it was seriously amazing how fast Melanie found it, me making eye contact with Melanie and she knew I needed her help, helping me find something-anything, it was just all amazing the amount of hospitality! Melanie coordinated a photoshoot around the Biltmore Estate and assembled a timeline for us. Every idea I had, she helped me incorporate it in the wedding. She made planning the wedding seamless! The ceremony and reception… WOW! It was absolutely gorgeous. The little to big details - colors, placement of candles, the lining of the chairs, the placement of the glassware, the lighting, the flowers with the globes, the bar menu and guest favor note was perfect. Every direction was photo perfect. All the details were so perfect. I loved where the quartet was placed and everyone was able to get up and dance, no dance floor needed. The placement of Mrs. Gina’s live painting - every detail was perfectly placed. I loved it all! People are still contacting us and telling us how great of a time they had and it was THE BEST WEDDING they had ever attended.

ish. Melanie really takes the time to listen to what you and your significant other are searching for and delivers on all fronts. She communicates well, is prompt and organized in setting up meetings with vendors or her team. EVERY vendor recommendation was spot on and it truly is a testament to how well she knows the area. Most importantly, the wedding day itself was perfect. Everything is taken care of behind the scenes from vendor placement, the execution of their services and the flow of the wedding . Because of how brilliantly Melanie and her team performed at our wedding, I was truly able to devote all of my attention to the only thing that should've been receiving it that day, marrying the love of my life.

! I got married in Columbia, SC but lived in Florida and my parents were an hour away from our venue. Ashly was AMAZING at taking care of the details but always making sure that I felt included and never strayed from the vision I had, even though I was three states away. Ashly’s knowledge and rapport with our vendors was top notch. She has a vast knowledge of vendors and great relationships with many in the area. Throughout the entire process, Ashly was incredibly professional but so much fun. As a bride, it was easy to have jitters but after every meeting or phone call with her, I felt at ease knowing we were one step closer to making our beautiful day become a reality. If you are on the fence about hiring a planner, go with these ladies! They are absolutely amazing at what they do and you will not regret it one bit!

m of vendors to make this a truly spectacular event. Her outstanding relationship with each vendor was evident at each planning meeting. The vendor collaboration was seamless. Ashly was the epitome of professionalism throughout the planning of the event and also during the evening. She was always responsive and extremely knowledgeable when I had questions. The timeline that she developed ensured that the process was as smooth and stress free as possible. The creativity that she brought to the planning and execution was a testament to BIO's business model of creating an unique event for each couple. I HIGHLY recommend Ashly Gregor with By Invitation Only to plan and execute your wedding event!

tdown. Contingency plans were made but not needed. I would give Ashly ‘s firm the highest recommendation .

ust needed to vent some anxiety. Rehearsal and day-of she had everyone coordinated and on time. If something didn’t go according to plan I had no idea because she had everything so under control! Highly recommend!!

shut down gatherings right before our original wedding date, we, like many couples in 2020, had to completely rearrange our plans. Melanie did not skip a beat (even while much of her own business was directly affected) and was immediately available to meet, go over our options and make plans as we decided to move our date. With the pandemic still in full swing by our new date we made more adjustments making it feel like we had planned three weddings instead of one. There isn't any way I could have pulled it off without Melanie's help. When our wedding day finally arrived I was blown away by how perfect it was. Melanie listened to things I had said and incorporated details that really made it even more special. She is professional, organized, creative, did I say amazing? and all together a dream event planner. I am clearly biased, but By Invitation Only is by far the best wedding/event planning group in town!

ideas, with Ashly on hand to lend her experience to review our plans and make suggestions for improvements. She is so cool, calm, collected, confident, and fun to be around that when we hired her, the planning experience went from stressful to fun. She and her team were so helpful day-of; they rolled with any and all hiccups without showing away any hints of stress on their parts. Overall, would recommend!

care of!!!! Everyone was able to enjoy the day and we all created wonderful memories!!!! Many thanks to Ashly and her crew for a job well done!!!!!

so easy to do that Melanie. Her readiness to answer any of my (or my Mother’s) questions (most probably didn’t need to be asked) and her willingness and o set up meetings that worked with my crazy work schedule made the process even easier. I love that I was able to connect with her helped me to be vulnerable and open about what I truly wanted for the wedding. The greatest part was how she weathered the pandemic storm. Our wedding happened the same weekend that all the restrictions started and Melanie was on top of it. No lie, I cried when I hugged her goodnight on our wedding night simply because I knew that journey our journey with the wedding had almost ended (that is until we got published in Martha Stewart Weddings woot woot). But really, I highly recommend Melanie and the BIO team to anyone getting married. She works with your budget, helps complete last minute DIY projects the day of, listens and hears you out... I mean I could go and on. She and her team are the actual best ever.

attended every meeting with me, truly making sure that I was advocated for and taken care of. She offered her expertise as well when it came to wording our invitation and any design related choices, keeping true to my wishes and giving me the support I needed living states away from my mom. Detail oriented, personal, professional! Would recommend to anyone!

t artistic myself, and I get overwhelmed with too many choices (i.e., wedding planning)! I interviewed a couple of wedding planners in the area. Melanie immediately stuck out with her clear communication, prompt follow-ups, and demonstration of her ability to follow-through. She was recommended by a friend whose wedding she also planned, and she did not disappoint! Melanie's Full Event Planning package was hands-down the best wedding gift I received. Melanie happily and patiently guided me every step of the way with attending vendor meetings, explaining options, helping me narrow my options when I was overwhelmed by too many choices, and answering my many questions. She also answered my family's questions which was a big help to me! All the vendors she recommended were wonderful and suited our style. She was respectful of budget and was attentive to details while also keeping the big-picture in mind. I greatly appreciated how respectful and attentive she was when it came to adding personal touches that honored my now-husband's and my cultural backgrounds. At the rehearsal and day of the wedding, I had no worries about logistics. I knew Melanie and her team had everything handled! I could not have imagined that wedding without Melanie's services. Seriously. Melanie alleviated SO MUCH of the wedding stress from my family and me which helped everyone to enjoy and be present to the moment. I HIGHLY recommend Melanie and her BIO team for your event planning needs! Do yourself a favor and hire her!

e and Melanie made it happen. She was in constant communication with us, keeping us on track and giving advice every step of the way. If we had a question she always had an answer, any problem that arose, no matter how small, had a solution almost instantly. Melanie was completely on top of every detail. I was extremely daunted by planning a wedding and had no clue all of the little details that go into every aspect so I knew from the start that I wanted a wedding planner, and Melanie was absolutely perfect for us! She worked incredibly well with all of our vendors and kept our stress to a minimum. On the day of our wedding my husband realized multiple of the guys didn't have a pocket square for their tuxes, he called Melanie and she had it covered. She was our advocate throughout the wedding planning processes and worked with our budget to make the wedding of our dreams. Our day was absolutely perfect and it was because of all the hard work from Melanie and the rest of the ladies at By Invitation Only.

anned from the very first meeting to the minute our special day came to an end. We (my husband and I, my parents, sisters, and close friends) have recommended Melanie and By Invitation Only Event Planning & Design to others, and will continue to do so! The wedding planning process can be overwhelming, but they made it enjoyable and memorable. So enjoyable that we want to relive our wedding weekend every weekend! Looking back, we don't know what we would have done without them. They made all of our wedding day dreams come true. They are undoubtedly the best out there! We are eternally grateful for all their hard work and talent!

. We had a 4 course sit down dinner that Southern Way Catering executed beautifully per her recommendation. She then pulled off a flawless wedding for the brides parents the next day at Lace House. Melanie was great guiding us to resources that could execute what I wanted. I was able to really enjoy my dinner and the entire weekend because I truly did not have to worry about anything. Extra bonus of the weekend was that the bride and groom were surprised by all the thoughtful touches and were completely happy with absolutely everything!

to a reality. My family and I had nothing to worry about on my wedding day. Melanie and her team took care of everything (communicating with the other vendors, decorating, keeping the families and bridal party under control, making sure everyone was in the right place at the right time). A wedding can be stressful no matter what. The month and more specifically week leading up to our wedding, my husband and I were have problems in our rental house (completely unrelated to wedding stuff). It would have been overwhelmingly stressful no matter what, but having the wedding added to everything I thought my head was going to explode. Melanie helped me so much there’s no way I could have gotten through everything without her. The week before the wedding Melanie helped me tie up all loose ends with the wedding and I was able to focus on getting the situation with my house fixed before our families arrived for the wedding. On our wedding day I had nothing at all to worry about. I’ll never forget arriving to the venue from the salon and seeing everything put together exactly how I had imagined it (like my Pinterest pages came to life). It literally took my breath away. My best friend referred Melanie to me. I have also been to several weddings that Melanie and her team have designed and planned. Each wedding was absolutely beautiful and different from the other. She’s able to match her design to each brides’ different personality and ideas. The best part about all of her weddings that I have attended is they have not only been breathtakingly beautiful but an absolute blast! She’s a necessity if you are getting married and need a planner. You won’t regret it!

r a wedding a few years ago and had great things to say. Initially going into wedding planning,, as a project manager myself, I thought I didn't need a wedding planner... but I was absolutely wrong. Even if you think you can handle it on your own, there are more than a few reasons to hire Melanie and her team. To name a few - Melanie is always prompt to respond to messages and thoroughly. She has a wedding or three (or more!) every week, yet throughout the planning I felt like ours was the only one she was planning because of her attention to details and how well she remembered every detail we discussed (even when I had forgotten...) Melanie's vendor referrals helped us find what fit our style and price range without feeling pressured to use a certain vendor. Every vendor she suggests is wonderful, but every vendor has a different style - so she helped us pick the vendors that best fit ours. Her taste is impeccable - I am not a designer or stylist and that's where I needed the most help. I came to her without even a clue what color I wanted my bridesmaids to wear! I gave her some opinions about what I liked on the tables, etc... but I honestly had no idea. I trusted her to make something beautiful, and she did, without me having to stress or wonder if what I picked would look good. If you don't have an eye for color combos or style, just leave it to her... she'll come up with something beautiful and "you". I could go on more about how she made the process easier - but where Melanie and her team shine the most in my eyes is the day of. I had zero stress on my wedding day and that was fully due to her and her team. She kept the whole event organized, setup and broke down the event, and made sure it all went smoothly. Her team of ladies were all so poised and helpful and looked genuinely happy to be there and a part of our big day. Our wedding was better than I ever imagined. My mother and I both felt relaxed the entire day, and for us (we're planners and worriers!) that is saying A LOT!

d flexible, and put together the most beautiful fairy tale wedding I could have imagined. She is well organized and meticulous, which was perfect for me and my busy work schedule. The weeks leading up to and day of our wedding couldn't have been easier because we had Melanie guiding and supporting us through everything. I would recommend Melanie and her wonderful team to everyone - I absolutely adore them.

hey do! if you're looking for someone to help you take some stress off your plate, definitely contact by invitation only!!!

ry little detail was perfect. I didn't have to worry about anything the day of, there were no issues or disasters, and my mom got to relax and have fun with me on my big day! Wedding planning is stressful but Melanie made it SO much easier.

many other wedding planners she is by far one of the best I have ever had the pleasure of working with. We can't say enough good things: from her ideas, working with our own ideas too, use of her personal inventory, and best of all the day of coordination (which was so calm and organized). I can't imagine our big day having gone nearly as well without her and her staff. It really was the happiest day of our lives, so beautiful and meaningful, and we are so thankful that Melanie was a part of it! I would give her 10 stars if we could!

t what really sold us was having her and her staff there to do the set-up and breakdown of the event. We were able to spend more time with our family and friends, and we didn't have to ask anyone to take on extra duties that would have interrupted their enjoyment of our wedding week. Our rehearsal was during Hurricane Hermine, but Melanie made it through the storm from Columbia to conduct the rehearsal in Pawleys Island. Plus when we were worried about the condition of the grass at the reception, Melanie told me she had already coordinated with the rental company to set up the tent before the storm in order to try to keep the grass dry. We didn't think a full planning service would be in our budget, but BIO's packages include extras that we would have had to pay for anyway. The little things that Melanie always brings to an event would have added up to a large, but necessary, cost if we'd purchased them on our own. Plus the stock items that BIO provides as part of the planning package are an enormous cost savings. I tell people all the time that having BIO as our planners made our dollars go much further than they would if we had done everything on our own. Book By Invitation Only! You will not regret it.

ect. She accommodated every request including providing a shovel and a place to bury a bottle of bourbon. She is the glue for any event.

elped organize my mess of ideas, she recommended other vendors, she brought everything together. Every little detail was perfect. She orchestrated everything from timing the bridesmaids walking down the aisle...to making sure nobody lit their sparklers until it was time for the send off. Having their team is a MUST! Our wedding was even featured on The Knot :)

ting married. Whether it is in your budget or not... find a way to make it work! Peace of mind is priceless :) Lacey and Melanie really helped me create my dream wedding day! My entire day was perfect!

hole night, and she got us started and finished on time. There are probably so many things she did that I wasn't even aware of, but I appreciated her expertise every minute of my wedding day. My reception decorations and floor plan were fantastic. I'm not a very picky bride, and she gave me some great ideas since I didn't really have many ideas of my own. She organized all the vendors to make sure everything was on time. She was very easy to communicate with, and she made my day perfect. I loved her personality, and I trusted her with all of my details. There was not a moment where I was stressed, which is priceless in my opinion.