Welcome to FACES of Marry Me NC! Behind every successful business is a FACE. And, let’s face it (pun intended), people want to do business with people, someone they can trust and personally connect with. We are thrilled to introduce YOU to these wedding professionals through this special Q&A blog series!
Meet Ed & Anna Currie, owners of exclamations catering & event specialist
Tell us about your wedding business in 5 sentences or less.
exclamations catering is a full-service event catering company…and no, that’s not a typo on the lower case ‘e’ in our name…that’s by design. I grew up in Greensboro and have been doing catering in the area for nearly 35 years. Ed has been doing special events in the area for more than 25 of his 35+ years in the business. We met by doing events together. We knew that one day the dream of having our own full service catering/event company would come true. Ed is our master floral designer. Our mission is to be focused on the “total” event, not just the food. The honest fact is that we believe that great food should be a given and that presentation is everything! We believe that our presentation sets us apart from the rest.
How did you get started in the wedding industry, and what inspired you to specialize in your particular area of expertise?
I’ve been a caterer for 35 years, my entire career. Our company is 20 years old. Catering is not my job, it is my passion! I truly LOVE what I do. It makes me “smile” when a client is happy! It makes me “giddy” when we come up with a new idea for presentation! It makes me “well-up” when we are nominated for a new catering award! It just plain excites me! Maybe that is why we named our catering company exclamations! You see, in our eyes, you should be excited when you have a catered meal… when an event goes off without a hitch… when your ideas happen better than you ever thought they would!
What is the most unique or memorable wedding you have ever been a part of and what made it so special?
Each event has its own special moments. I am so honored that these couples have chosen and trusted us to be a part of their special day. One of the things that I love to do is to snap candid shots of what we have done (food, décor, floral, etc.) and hopefully their vision of the day. I always try to sneak time prior to the ceremony or the reception with the folks that I have worked with throughout the year, planning the event. When I have that quiet time together with them, I share these snapshots of what is to come…hopefully calming nerves and sharing excitement.
Can you share a funny or heartwarming anecdote from one of your past weddings?
Working with couples and families has been a lifelong honor of mine. 35 years of catering leaves you lots of stories and memories. It would be way too hard to mention just one! What I can say is that each of these events touch me. It is not lost on me as to what an honor it is to work with folks during their most happy times! I am in this and do this because I love it! I continue to do it because it is an honor!
What is one of the most NOT-so-funny things you have experienced at a wedding and how did you handle it?
Most of my horror stories come from things that I have absolutely no control over! Years ago, I had a cake delivered to an event that was 8-tiers tall. It was beautiful. The only issue was that it was not built properly and the tiers collapsed into each other prior to the wedding starting. My team at the time had to scrape layers in the trash…we rebuilt the cake and brought it out for all to see. Everyone commented on how pretty it was! We rushed the couple to cut it. What I didn’t know is that they were going to use a sword to cut the cake. I am sure that if a photographer had been focused on me at that moment, they would have captured the horror I had on my face when this was happening. I leaned forward and whispered to the bride and groom, “Be very careful”! I breathed a sigh of relief when the ceremonial slice was done and we had the cake in the back to cut!
What is your favorite part of working with couples on their wedding day, and why?
It is an honor to be a part of my couple’s special day. I am always grateful that they have chosen us to help them make their vision come to life!
What are some current wedding trends or themes that you find most interesting or exciting?
I love staying current with trends in our industry. If I thought that I had to do cheese displays and vegetable crudites the rest of my career…I would stop. Listening to what the couple wants and what is important to them and then blending these things with current trends and themes is what makes me excited to do what I do!
What advice would you give to couples who are just starting the wedding planning process?
This is your special day! Choose what is most important to you as a couple to focus upon. Everything else will fall into place. At the end of the day, it is about the marriage and the two of you as a couple! Everything else is preverbal ‘icing on the cake’!
What are some common mistakes or pitfalls that couples should avoid when planning their wedding?
This might be an unpopular answer, but… I always say to my couples that they need to remember that this is their special day. Together, they need to choose what is most important to them – whether it is the location, the food and beverage, the floral/décor, the honeymoon, etc. Once they determine this, everything else will fall into place.
What is the most challenging aspect of your job, and how do you overcome it?
My challenge always seems to be making things work within reason for the client’s budget expectations. I try my best to help couples figure out where they can cut so that it does not mess with the integrity of the event, and the final outcome is the vision that they have had all along!
What do you enjoy doing in your free time when you’re not working on weddings?
Spending time with my family and blue water, white sand, and sunshine!
To learn more about exclamations catering & event specialist, visit their personal profile here.
Are you a wedding professional interested in being featured in FACES of MMNC? Email andrea@marrymenc.com for more information.
