

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathy Wiggins.
Kathy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hi! I’m Kathy, the owner of Romance & Rust Weddings and Events. I own a boutique wedding design and rental company based in White House, Tennessee. My goal is to make every event special and magical, reflecting my client’s personalities and telling their story through design.
My story starts where I believe a lot of stories start, out of the joy of being creative. I have always loved the styling, whether it was a birthday party, a baby shower, or decorating my home. I can remember being a young teen and instead of spending my allowance on clothing, I would buy curtains, pillows, or furniture to decorate my room, being surrounded by pretty things made me happy
Although I had helped to create many events over the years, it wasn’t until my bonus daughter, Allison, got engaged in 2013 that I ventured into the world of weddings. She asked if I would help her with the decor aspect, and I jumped at the chance. I had no idea what I was getting into! Pinterest was all the rage and every photo was an inspiration.
Although I had collected quite a bit of item over the years, I knew I needed to purchase or rent items, borrow from friends, etc. to get the look we were after. After creating a design plan, packing it all up, and renting a U-haul truck, we set out to bring her vision to life.
Thankfully the venue allowed us to rent the entire weekend. Friday consisted of setting up until the time for the rehearsal dinner. Saturday morning, all things that needed to be set up outside, plus the finishing touches inside were on the list. My husband and I were actually running to get everything completed. With less than an hour to spare, we got dressed and headed to family photos, not having spent any time beforehand with her on her special day. At the end of the evening, it was left up to us to break down and pack it all back up.
With that being said, her wedding was a huge success, everything looked beautiful, everyone had a wonderful time, and Allison and Josh were happily married. We were so happy but also exhausted.
Although it was really hard work, I loved every second of the process, and seeing the gratitude and joy on her face that day, made my heart smile. Allison submitted her wedding for publication and it was featured on a Wedding 101 blog, which gave me the confidence to pursue my newly found passion. Out of my experience, I realized I could provide an invaluable service on one of the most important days of my clients’ lives. My focus is on providing not only a relaxing and stress-free day for my couples, but also for the moms and dads, family members, and friends who should be enjoying every single minute of the celebration. This is how Romance & Rust came to be.
I am blessed to be married to my wonderful husband, Scott for over two decades. You’ll probably see him on the morning of the events and at the end of evening during load out. He is our biggest supporter and encourager, and I couldn’t do this without him. I’m the mom to two daughters, Savannah and Sydney, and I have two bonus daughters, Allison and Nicole. Through them, I’ve been given the best gift of all; being called Mimi to 8 wonderful grandchildren, with one more on the way!
I am blessed beyond measure, and I am thrilled to help celebrate all of life’s joys, from weddings to birthday parties, to baby showers, to anniversaries, and more. Let’s create a beautiful memory!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Although the road has been fairly smooth, in the beginning, I struggled mainly with having the space to conduct and house my business. The attic became the storage room and the dining room was utilized for staging, I mitigated this by building our 2500 sq. ft. Prop Barn that is located on our property.
Another challenge has been time management and work/life balance. I have continued to work full time, all the while working towards growing my business. I’m happy to announce that after working 22 years for a wonderful company, I will be retiring soon, which will give me more time to serve my clients and focus on my business. I’m looking so forward to seeing what the future holds!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As I mentioned, Romance & Rust Weddings and Events is a boutique wedding design and rental company. We offer a full-service styling package where I’ll work with you to design your entire wedding according to your vision, and we have all the props to make that design come to life once we have the plan in place. Our 2,500-square-foot Prop Barn is filled with decor, accent furniture pieces, lounge seating, dessert stands, vases, candle holders, and so much more for a variety of influences.
From antique to vintage, to modern, to boho chic, to mid-mod, to rustic, if you can dream it, we can make it a reality.
The best part, on event day, all set up will be carefully managed by our team, ensuring that each detail shines just as you imagined. Following your celebration, each piece will be packed away, allowing you to relax and fully enjoy your event.
If you’re more hands-on, we also rent out thousands of props and decor for you to bring your dream event to life.
We’ll let you “shop” the barn for your event and gather the items you need to make it perfect.
We offer event design for not only weddings, but also birthday parties, baby showers, anniversary parties, corporate events, and more. We have also recently begun offering R&R Picnics as a fun and unique party experience for you and your guests.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I invest in my couples and clients, getting to know them. I am passionate about creating an event that reflects not only their style and vision but also tells their story, paying close attention to the smallest details.
I have always said that the best part of this business is the relationships that are formed through the process. I consider it an honor and a privilege to be a part of their biggest life celebrations. There are so many of my past couples that have become like family! I have had the privilege of not only being a part of their wedding day, but also celebrating the arrival of their children, and then their first birthdays.
Not only the relationships I have with my clients, but also the relationships I have with other wedding industry professionals have been key to the success of Romance & Rust. Being a preferred vendor at several amazing venues, and the referrals from my colleagues, are invaluable! It is such an honor to be a part of this beautiful wedding community!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/romance_and_rust
- Facebook: Facebook.com/romanceandrust
Image Credits
Small Town Startup, Black Mountain Photography, Steward and Company, AH Studios LLC, Kinspired Photography, Sincerely Lindsay Photography, Jacob Mckaig Photography, and Saved by Grace Photography
Alisa Biggs
September 22, 2022 at 5:06 pm
Last year both my nephews got Married. Kathy did both.. Needing to be different from each other I thought would be difficult. Kathy pulled them off perfectly. The bridal party was thrilled and the guests were impressed. they were both unique and a wonderful reflection of each couple !!