Meet Sarah Patton of Social Bliss Events

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Patton.

Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I launched Social Bliss Events in 2013, but I moved to Nashville in 2004 as a Vanderbilt University freshman. For nine years, I observed an influx of visitors coming to our city. I wondered, “who was helping people plan their stay and activities?” I ran the idea of planning weekend itineraries by friends and even ran into some naysayers who told me to “have fun with your hobby. No one is going to pay you to plan their weekend.” But I had the foresight to believe in my dream and knew something special was happening in Nashville.

Six months later, I booked my first client, Gabrielle. I remember the call. I was sitting at my desk when she said, “I’ve been looking for someone to plan my bachelorette party as all of my friends are coming in from out of town. I don’t want to be in charge, and they don’t know what to do or where to go.” We met at a local Nashville restaurant, and over pizza, we planned out their weekend itinerary. I walked to my car thinking, “I knew it. I knew I could believe in myself. ”

The business was flourishing, and in 2015, I quit my corporate job. (It was so scary, but one of the BEST life decisions I’ve made.) The trajectory of bachelorette parties continued to soar, and Nashville became the #1 city for bachelorette parties. Those naysayers become cheerleaders of Social Bliss Events.

By 2020, we had expanded our portfolio from solely bachelorette parties to a full-service company. In January, we planned our first international wedding. But as we all experienced, COVID hit and brought in-person events to a screeching halt. We had a choice. We could wallow, or we could utilize this downtime to reassess the business. We re-evaluated what events would look like post-pandemic. We streamlined our processes and did a lot of back-end work. The #1 change we made was to update our onboarding questionnaire. It saves so much time and allows us to see if someone is an ideal client quickly.

Now we’re in 2021, and events are back. YAY!!! Earlier this year, we were featured in People magazine showcasing the wedding of Southerland, my favorite up-and-coming country duo. It was an honor to see our hard work featured, and I feel like it was all worth it.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Business is not linear. It ebbs and flows, and life will undoubtedly present challenges. Overcoming the hard times is part of the process. It builds character, grit and reveals how much you really want to reach your goal. I wouldn’t trade the obstacles because each is an opportunity to learn, grow and deepen appreciation.

Early on, I ran into naysayers who told me to “have fun with your hobby. No one is going to pay you to plan their Nashville weekend.” I had the foresight to believe in my dream and knew that something special was happening in Nashville. People don’t always see the vision when you’re a pioneer, but you have to stay committed to your dream despite who is along for the journey.

In 2018, I burned the candle at both ends – working too much, sleeping too little, and saying “yes” to almost everything. In September, I had a seizure after an event (thankfully, all of the guests were gone, and only some teams and friends remained). I was rushed to the ER in an ambulance, and they run a test. The doctors couldn’t find a cause, but the neurologist asked a few pertinent questions – What’s your stress level on a scale of 1-10? I answered a 12. Are you sleeping 8 hours a night? I responded, “I didn’t know people did that after college.” Are you drinking enough water? I said, “Some days?” not confident when I had last consumed aqua. The sum of this experience was that I was working way too much. It’s an absolute miracle that I haven’t had any complications since, but it was a profound wake-up call. Life is short, but taking care of yourself is a top priority. It caused me to reevaluate my output, and now I have stringent boundaries in business, what I say “yes” to, moving my body and fueling it properly, as well as people who hold me accountable when I start slipping back into old patterns.

Last year was challenging for the hospitality industry as events came to a screeching halt. We canceled a handful of events and (thankfully) rescheduled the rest of our clients. As a planner whose job is always to have the answers composed with a detailed schedule (and a backup just in case), it was challenging as we were unsure what the future held. We took it day by day, communicated with our clients, and helped navigate their feelings, anxiety, and disappointment.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Social Bliss Events is a full-service Nashville-based event planning company specializing in luxury bachelorette parties, corporate gatherings, social shindigs, and high-end weddings. We handle the details bringing industry expertise, precise execution, and a heart for intentionality – allowing clients to be fully present. Clients receive peace of mind as their ideas are brought to life and pain points addressed.

Having lived in Nashville for 17 years, I’ve developed relationships throughout the city and industry. I know the city inside and out, and our team stays on top of the latest trends. We always inform our clients about what’s happening locally – not just on Broadway’s strip. We began our company on intentionality and individuality. No one wants to show up to a party wearing the same outfit. We believe that each event should personally reflect what makes our client unique.

Why Social Bliss Events?” our client experience sets us apart. Our clients are extremely busy professionals who need guidance during the most exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) events. With almost 8 years in business and 15 in the industry, we provide peace of mind, expert advice, and most importantly – we’re a call, text, or e-mail away. We also send gentle nudges (monthly check-ins) to keep clients on track.

We’re extremely proud (and don’t take it lightly) that our clients refer us all of the time. The fact that they trust us and share words of bliss speaks for itself. Here are some of our favorites –

Social Bliss helped make our big day go seamless! From the first planning meeting, I felt a weight was lifted off my shoulders as we began brainstorming layout, flow, vendors, and even the minute details that I could have easily overlooked by myself. Social Bliss’ recommendations for services were great! To this day, I STILL have not heard of one that has gone wrong, which tells me the team did an amazing job handling glitches, refilling cookie stations, making sure I had every picture I wanted, and making sure, not only myself but our family and guests were all happy! We are so thankful for you!” – Summer P.

“I can’t say enough good things about hiring Social Bliss to coordinate my wedding. Sarah went above and beyond to make sure I wasn’t stressed throughout the whole process. My ceremony and reception were nothing short of perfect, and I have Social Bliss to thank for that! Sarah made sure every detail was covered and was a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend using Social Bliss for your event planning needs!” – Elizabeth M.

“Sarah helped us plan my husband’s 60th birthday party. She was AMAZING! It wasn’t a simple setup – we got all the old bands back together to play one set each. Sarah helped with all the “normal” party planning, like finding a caterer, cake-maker, etc. But she also acted as stage manager at the event. Her recommendations were great, and she managed the evening like a champ. She’s the best!” – Amy.

” We hired Social Bliss Events to plan and carry out our annual client appreciation event, and they were WORTH EVERY PENNY (I do not say that often, nor lightly). If you’re in Nashville, I can’t recommend Social Bliss enough. Owner Sarah Patton knows everyone in town, keeps you to budget (she busted me a couple of times), and is impeccably organized.

I’m usually the one who’s two steps ahead of others, so to have someone telling me what to do during our three months of planning was a game-changer. It also allowed me to keep my full workload in the weeks leading up to the event, as I wasn’t distracted with errands and planning logistics. I cannot emphasize the value and money well-spend enough: our firm is thankful for Social Bliss and will be a repeat client.” – Julie.

How do you think about happiness?
I am a ray of sunshine and overflowing with joy 97% of the time. I’m grateful that positivity is my top Clifton StrengthFinder. It is a gift from above, and I don’t take it lightly. I could go on and on about what makes me happy, but here are some of my favorites — Jesus, coffee dates, journaling, receiving snail mail, wearing red lipstick, gifts, sunsets, hiking at Radnor Lake, and sunny days at the lake. I adore spending time with family and friends, traveling, and planning events (How cool is it that I get to do what I absolutely love?). I am passionate about encouraging women to pursue their gifts. I enjoy public speaking, meeting new people, and trying new restaurants.

My vivacious personality and joy-filled attitude keep me in complete peace when events (and life) are going awry. I can confidently keep a smile on my face in the midst of the most challenging times. It’s authentic, and it’s me.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.socialbliss-events.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialblissevents ; https://www.instagram.com/sarahcharlottepatton
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socialblissevents/

Image Credits
Fizzah Raza Photography – Headshot in black blazer Frozen Exposure Photography – African attire wedding photo Amanda Law Photography – me fixing veil and poolside balloon photo Celladora Photography – Proposal Jennifer Cody Photography – tablescape Abigail Bridges Photography – wedding couple