We focus on the details so
you don't have to
We delight in obsessing over the minutia, the seconds in a timeline, and every nuance that takes an event from fun to unforgettable. Plus we're design and project management experts, so you can trust that everything will come together beautifully.
We create moments that matter
We Partner With the Best Venues & Vendors
Since 2000, we've prioritized collaboration and networking with top talent so that we can deliver on our commitment to bring your vision to life. If you have an idea, we can execute it.
At Shay & Company, we create moments that matter for our clients and community. We're driven to bring joy and celebration into the world through designing one-of-a-kind experiences that gather people together. And we do it all with expert hospitality and distinctive style. So go ahead and relax, we've got this.
Meet The Team
Shay Brown
Founder & Owner
Shay Brown: Shay Brown makes magic happen. She is an expert planner and community connector who creates meaningful experiences for hosts and guests across the Southeast. With over 23 years of experience, Shay and her team plan dozens of events, festivals, and weddings every year and manage several boutique venues in the surrounding area. Shay has also served as Festival Director for Chow Chow, GRINDfest, and currently produces Carolina CiderFest where her team is responsible for full-scale event production and managing the team of Directors for Culinary, Beverage, Makers, and Volunteers.
Before starting her company, Shay had a career as a lobbyist, where she developed a love for working with people and honing her skills in relationship development and building connections. She made it a priority to deeply understand each client's vision, their likes and dislikes, and tailored events to reflect their unique character. She believes that each moment should illuminate the authentic personality of the client, not the desire of the planner and that is what sets Shay and her team apart from others.
Shay has surrounded herself with an amazing, talented, and professional staff that delivers each element of the planning process with the same quality and detail that Shay has cultivated over more than two decades in the industry.
Shay is very passionate about a lot of things in life like hiking, cooking, books, and spending time with neighbors and friends in the Asheville community. Most of all, though, she is in love with her family and fur babies Hazel, Eastwood, Tinsel, Max, Onyx, and Addy.
Amy Wood
Executive Director of Events & Operations
An order maker dedicated to facilitating meaningful experiences, Amy expertly and graciously organizes events and operations, fulfilling clients and flourishing teams.
Amy started with Shay & Company as a wedding planner over a decade ago. Her love of planning and pretty things drew her to organizing celebrations of the prettiest thing of all: love. As Director of Events and Operations, Amy continues to deliver the exceptional attention to her planning clients and supports all team members in excelling at the high standards that Shay & Company is known for. Amy thrives in creating systems to support the best performance and in empowering team members to shine.
Prior to working at Shay & Company, Amy worked in retreat counseling, financial planning, and non-profit events. She has a B.A. from Pomona College. When she’s not at events, Amy can be found working the land in her rural Western North Carolina property, on top of a mountain, or swimming in a lake. Amy values family, her Southern heritage, being in wide-open spaces, and of course flowers!
kristen boddy
Venue Manager & Event Specialist
As Venue Manager & Events Specialist at Shay & Company, Kristen oversees events at notable local venues and prioritizes client experiences to ensure their events are carefully crafted and memorable. She also serves as Volunteer Director for Chow Chow, with the goal of creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere that provides community members with the opportunity to have behind-the-scenes access, experience exceptional local cuisine, and make lifelong connections.
Prior to working at Shay & Company, Kristen served as Membership and Events Manager at the Asheville Art Museum and Development Associate at Bard Graduate Center in NY. She took a short detour from fundraising for the arts to live in Uganda for a year and a half, where she developed a love of the outdoors, and an appreciation for the powerful connection between food and culture.
Kristen holds a Dual Master’s degree in Modern & Contemporary Art History, Theory, & Criticism and Arts Administration & Policy from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is currently pursuing her Post-Baccalaureate in Biology from UNC Asheville with the goal of transitioning her career to marine science and conservation.
Megan Welles
Venue Manager & Event Specialist
Hailing from the vibrant city of Chicago, Megan brings with her eight years of invaluable experience in the events industry. Her journey in event planning has not only honed her professional skills but also instilled in her a deep passion for celebrations. When she's not busy orchestrating unforgettable events, Megan divides her time between two loves: partying and caring for her farm animals. Yes, you read that right—she's both a dedicated party enthusiast and a devoted goat lover! Megan resides on a charming farm nestled north of Asheville, where she shares her home with her loyal canine companion, Chioggia Beet. Join us in welcoming Megan to our team as we embark on new and exciting adventures together!
Katie SMITH
Marketing Department
An Asheville native, Katie has worked for over ten years in the NC beer industry. Working as a bartender, brewer, event planner, and marketing assistant, Katie has become somewhat of a jack of all trades. Along with her knowledge of brewing beer, Katie has spent years planning events in the non-profit world, leading local chapters, and creating beer festivals.
Growing up in such a unique area, Katie is passionate about celebrating all this local to Western North Carolina. Whether working in marketing or busy helping with festivals, Katie thrives in building lasting and genuine relationships in the community. When she isn't at her desk, you can find Katie somewhere in the woods exploring nearby Mountains with her pup or at a local brewery enjoying a beer in the sun.
Lisa smith
Events Associate
In July 1999, Lisa experienced her own Asheville destination wedding in a mountain meadow during a thunderstorm and celebrated with local fried chicken and grits to night music and square dancing. To be near family and forests, she later moved from Brooklyn to Asheville. A big friends and family potluck birthday bonfire with homemade three-layer chocolate cake decorated with garden flowers is her family’s go-to celebration! She comes to Shay & Company with a love of special events, food traditions, family celebrations, and beautiful flowers.
Lisa has significant volunteer experience, having volunteered with her daughters' schools while raising a family, for the YMCA’s mobile markets during the pandemic, and most recently with Chow Chow, An Asheville Culinary Food Festival. With a concern for food distribution, an interest in family food histories, and a commitment to local foodways, she loves working with Chow Chow now in a more formal capacity learn more about Asheville’s community and cuisine.
Talk To The Team
Let us help you plan the wedding or event of your dreams. From finding the perfect venue to managing event production, we'll take care of everything. Contact us to start the planning process and make your special day unforgettable!