KARI, FOUNDER
Hello Southern friends! My name is Kari (or Kari Lu as my family calls me). I started my career in event planning in Community Affairs at EDS in the dark ages (1993) where I planned large-scale mega-events for the company. I loved coordinating recognition and awards ceremonies, banquets, and volunteer lunches with EDS executives. In my spare time, I planned friend's and families' dream weddings.
Well, here comes 1999 and it was time to start a family. I scaled back on work and changed course. However, I couldn't get rid of that event planning bug and continued to utilize my skills coordinating school and charity events. Once all three kiddos were out of the house and attending Texas A&M (Whoop!), I got to focus my efforts full-time on making my brides' big day the Southern Bash it was meant to be. Fun fact - all three of those kids decided to get married in a 12-month timeframe!
When you meet me, you will be able to tell that I am passionate about your wedding day. I am trained and certified through AACWP. I value my Christian ideals - don't be surprised if you hear an "amen" when I agree with your officiant or start your rehearsal with a prayer. I always remember that in the long run, this is about the MARRIAGE, not just the WEDDING. Call me to start the planning!
CINDY
Cindy got the wedding bug when she planned her daughter's wedding. It was "I Do" for bride, Ryleigh, and "I Do" to the wedding business for mom. We welcome her to Southern Bash. Cindy loves traveling with her family, studying God's word, baking, and celebrating the big and little (and everything in between) pieces of life. Cindy's favorite part of the wedding is watching the bride and groom's first dance....it just makes her heart happy. Cindy brings organization to the team from her years of corralling her numerous kiddos (5 and one grandbaby!). She also brings a sweet spirit and dedication to each bride. Everyone will be calling her "mom" by the time the big day rolls around.
"Do yourself a favor and hire Cindy as your wedding planner. She is INCREDIBLE! She made us feel so special like we were one of her own. We were more than confident on our wedding day that things would be taken care of and our wedding would be how we imagined it. Cindy has an eye for detail, rolls with the punches, and communicates really well. We truly couldn't have done it without her.
Caroline
Caroline, a caring, thoughtful, multi-tasker, loves the beach, peanut M&M's, and shopping (who doesn't?). Her favorite part of the big day is watching the bride and groom leave the wedding with friends and family gathered around them.
" Caroline, who was everything a bride wishes for on wedding day. Thank you for keeping me sane while I switched shoes every 30 minutes (LOL), holding all my things, looking out for Gucci (my dog) and taking all the "candid" photos.
CHARIS
Charis is passionate about creating beautiful, unforgettable weddings that reflect the love stories of each couple she works with. A proud graduate of Baylor University, Charis brings a thoughtful and creative approach to every detail of wedding planning. Her love for Jesus, country dancing, reading, designing, flowers, and film inspires her work, and she has a particular love for anything with pearls. One of Charis's favorite moments at weddings is watching the groom’s reaction as his bride walks down the aisle.
"Charis, Jordan and I cannot thank you enough for everything you did to make our event so incredible. We are so thrilled by the advice and guidance you gave along the way. You definitely made things come too life. Kari, Charis is sure a keeper! We appreciate you letting us work with her and I’m so glad how things went. Thank you also for your guidance."
EMMA
Native of Long Island, NY, Emma embraced Texas after finishing a bachelor's degree in Special Education at UNT and she stepped into full-time ministry with Valley Creek Church. There she realized how much she loved pouring into people and was reawakened to the mission of God being about loving His people well. While not working weddings, Emma is cooking or baking, serving with Valley Creek Kids, reading 4 books at once, or rewatching Psych.
"On our wedding day, we had the absolute pleasure of working with Emma—and wow, where do I even begin? Emma is truly a gem. She is kind, calm, incredibly organized, and one of the hardest-working individuals I’ve ever met. She worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything flowed seamlessly, allowing us to truly relax and enjoy every magical moment of our day. Her presence made our wedding not only stress-free but genuinely unforgettable."
Ally, assistant
Gabrielle, Assistant
Gabrielle, Assistant
Ally, a new mom, enjoys spending quality time with my friends and family and her two dogs. Ally and her hubby are big foodies and love going out into the community and trying new restaurants. Her favorite part of the wedding day is watching the bride and groom see their visions come to life and being able to enjoy their reception with their friends and family.
" The day of the wedding, Kari and her assistant, Ally were hands on making our wedding go off without a hitch!"
Gabrielle, Assistant
Gabrielle, Assistant
Gabrielle, Assistant
Gabrielle, a work-a-holic, organized, enthusiatic soul, loves Jesus, Texas A&M (a girl after my own heart), traveling and ice cream. Her favorite part of the wedding day is watching the groom's face as the bride walks down the aisle.
Kristin, Assistant
Gabrielle, Assistant
kaitlyn, assistant/bridal concierge
Kristin enjoys volunteering in the community, coffee and walks with friends, snuggling with her Goldendoodle, playing board games with her boys, date nights with the hubby and watching sunsets. Her favorite part of the wedding day is watching the bride walk down the aisle with her loved one.
" ..and Y'ALL...the day-of performance Kari and Kristin pulled off was a life saver!"
kaitlyn, assistant/bridal concierge
kaitlyn, assistant/bridal concierge
kaitlyn, assistant/bridal concierge
Kaitlyn is a recent BYU graduate who loves baking, watching romcoms with her sisters, volunteering at church, and traveling with her family. Her favorite part of the wedding are the toasts to the bride and groom!
" We throughly appreciated Kaitlyn who did the content creation so we were able to relive all the amazing moments the very next day."
heidi, assistant
kaitlyn, assistant/bridal concierge
heidi, assistant
Heidi is a passionate, crafty gal who loves baking, hanging out with her sisters, all things Disney, and reading whatever she can get her hands on! She is a Texas girl who understands things are always bigger in Texas (including weddings and events!) Her favorite part of a wedding is when the Bride's loved ones see her for the first time before walking down the aisle.
"Heidi was her helper for our wedding an was always ready to help when needed. Not only were they setting up the day of but they also took tons of pictures so we would have memories of the day and we could focus on being in the moment."
Tessa, Intern
kaitlyn, assistant/bridal concierge
heidi, assistant
Tessa is a young bride herself and a student at Texas A&M. She aspires to put her social media skills to use as this semester’s marketing intern. Her experience planning her own wedding will coincide with Southern Bash’s social media presence as she understands how much time and work go into these events.
Tessa plans to obtain a Master’s degree in marketing, as well as travel all over the world. Her love for travel has brought her to 10+ countries already.
Tessa's favorite part of weddings is watching the bride walk down the aisle with her father or seeing an elegant and choreographed first dance!
chrissa, design consultant
chrissa, design consultant
chrissa, design consultant
Chrissa brings organization, friendliness, and a sweet personality to every wedding. Chrissa loves bible study, queso and traveling. She is having fun planning her own nupitals with Southern Bash in early 2025. Her favorite part of a wedding is the send off, especially when it involves sparklers (I love me some sparklers too)!
Baby-sitting team
chrissa, design consultant
chrissa, design consultant
Nina, Ellie and Annelise are here for all of your babysitting needs! Have fun at your party and rest assured your little ones are having a great time in the groom suite with one of these lovely ladies.