Results Summary
| Before | After | Business Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Google Drive folder shared with couples | Centralized Folia workspace per couple | More polished, purpose-built client experience |
| Guest lists rebuilt or retyped per couple | Guest lists imported directly into Folia | Faster setup for each new wedding |
| Meal and dietary detail tracked separately | Downloadable table assignments with full detail | Vendors get accurate information without extra follow-up |
| To-do tracking scattered across drive documents | Built-in to-do list | Easier to reassure couples they're on a healthy timeline |
The challenge: file storage isn't a planning system
MacKenzie Hultberg is the lead planner and event designer behind Pearl & Poppy Wedding Co., a boutique wedding planning business serving couples across DC, Maryland, and beyond. Before Folia, her entire workflow (contracts, proposals, budgets, guest lists, meeting notes, to-do lists, and design boards) lived in a shared Google Drive.
Google Drive could store the files, but it wasn't built around the specific rhythm of wedding planning. MacKenzie wanted her couples to have an elevated, tailored experience from day one, and a general-purpose shared folder wasn't going to deliver that on its own.
“Before Folia, I was strictly using Google Drive as a management system. I wanted to give couples an elevated experience that was tailored specifically for wedding planning and made the process flow easier.”
By the numbers
| Customer role | role Lead Planner & Event Designer, Pearl & Poppy Wedding Co. |
| Old workflow | Google Drive shared with each couple: contracts, budgets, guest lists, design boards |
| Business founded | 2024 |
| Buying trigger | Wanted a tailored, wedding-specific system rather than general file storage |
Why Pearl & Poppy chose Folia
For MacKenzie, the decision wasn't only about features. It was about how the Folia team made her feel as a small business owner. From her first meeting with the team, the relationship felt personal rather than transactional, and she saw a consistent effort to keep improving the platform based on what planners were actually asking for.
“Meeting with Will, I felt validated in the service and care I was going to get. It never felt salesy, pushy, or like I was just money to Folia, but a small business that mattered.”
The features that made the difference
1. Guest list import and detailed seating assignments
As Pearl & Poppy's wedding volume and the range of budgets MacKenzie works with have grown since founding the company in 2024, being able to move a guest list into Folia quickly, and generate seating assignments with meal selections and dietary restrictions attached, has helped her equip outside vendors with what they need.
“Being able to so easily import guest lists from other platforms and generate downloadable table assignments with such specific detail like meal selection and dietary restrictions helps me better equip my other vendors.”
2. A to-do list that keeps couples reassured
Beyond guest and seating tools, MacKenzie points to Folia's to-do list as a quiet but important piece of client communication: a way to show couples that their wedding is being tracked on a healthy timeline without a separate spreadsheet.
“The to-do list is extremely valuable to assure couples we are tracking along within a healthy timeframe.”
3. A product team that treats planners like partners
Several of MacKenzie's answers return to the same theme: the relationship with the Folia team, not just the software itself. That distinction shaped her decision to switch and continues to shape how she recommends Folia to other planners.
“They are always extremely excited to see everything in one place!”
The outcome: what's better now
| Outcome Type | Verified Result |
|---|---|
| Client experience | Couples describe seeing everything in one place as exciting compared to a shared drive |
| Vendor coordination | Meal and dietary detail is available directly from seating assignments |
| Workflow | Faster setup per couple through guest list import |
| Adoption approach | Rolled out gradually, couple by couple, rather than all at once |
“It can feel like a very tall task to consider reworking your processes, especially when there are multiple platforms you're most likely already using. Folia is super user-friendly and simple to understand. It doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. I weaned some of my couples onto the system, sometimes only using it at the tail end of their planning process to seat guests. It's never going to be the 'right time' to do anything, but Folia makes it very easy to use in any capacity, and it's super consumer-feedback-driven, which makes the world of a difference.”
What other wedding planners can learn
| Evaluation Question | Evidence From This Case |
|---|---|
| Can you adopt it gradually rather than all at once? | Yes. Folia was introduced couple by couple, sometimes only for seating near the end of planning. |
| Does it replace general-purpose tools with something wedding-specific? | Replaced a shared Google Drive with a centralized, planning-specific workspace. |
| Does it help with vendor coordination? | Downloadable table assignments carry meal and dietary detail directly to vendors. |
| Does it support client communication and reassurance? | Built-in to-do list gives couples visibility into planning progress. |
| Does the product team listen to feedback? | Described as consumer-feedback-driven and personally responsive from the first meeting. |
Frequently asked questions
Why did Pearl & Poppy Wedding Co. move away from Google Drive?
Google Drive worked as file storage, but it wasn't built for wedding planning specifically. MacKenzie wanted an elevated, purpose-built experience for her couples instead of a general-purpose shared folder.
What does MacKenzie value most about working with Folia?
The personal, responsive relationship with the Folia team as much as any single feature. It was an onboarding experience that felt validating rather than salesy, and a product clearly shaped by planner feedback.
Can you adopt Folia gradually instead of switching all at once?
Yes. MacKenzie eased individual couples onto Folia gradually rather than migrating everything at once, in some cases only using it toward the tail end of planning to handle seating.
How does Folia help wedding planners coordinate with vendors?
Folia can generate downloadable table assignments with specific detail like meal selections and dietary restrictions, which planners can hand directly to catering and other vendors.
How does Folia's to-do list help with client communication?
A built-in to-do list makes it easier for planners to reassure couples that their wedding planning is on a healthy timeline, without needing a separate tracking document.
What would you tell a planner who's hesitant to switch to new software?
Switching tools doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. Planners can introduce a new system gradually, couple by couple, rather than migrating an entire business overnight.
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