KELLY LYNN WEDDINGS
Case Studies
From “Checking Weddings Off a List” to Leading a Team with Confidence…Even on Maternity Leave
Kelly Barbour is the owner of Kelly Lynn Weddings (KLW), a Pittsburgh-based wedding planning company known for detailed coordination, calm leadership, and thoughtful client care.
By the time she reached out for coaching, she had built a strong reputation and consistent bookings, but she felt stagnant.
Kelly described her business as:
She was craving new energy, a higher level of professionalism, and a stronger team structure. What she didn’t know yet was that her coaching container would become a roadmap for navigating her first maternity leave while keeping KLW thriving.
The Vision
Kelly came to me ready to invest back into her business after a period of maintenance-mode. Our goals included:
- Delegating weddings to her growing team and building a support system around her
- Raising her rates and solidifying her booking strategy for 2025/2026
- Mapping out admin systems, workflows, and team bios to better reflect KLW’s growth
- Creating a strategy for her ~Wedding Creative Supergroup~ collaboration concept
And then after our first session…everything shifted! I got a call out of the blue from Kelly while on my hot girl walk in the neighborhood: She was pregnant! I was less than a year into motherhood myself, and I knew we had to switch gears.
Our focus became future-proofing KLW: Building a business that could function seamlessly in her absence, without compromising the client experience.
“Just booking weddings, doing the job, checking them off the list, and doing it all over again the following season.”
“We solidified so many workflows that will get me through maternity leave without missing a beat. I feel more at ease because I know what to expect, and now I have the tools to improve client experience long after leave.”
The process
Beginning in December 2024, we set revenue goals, audited booked weddings, and designed her 2025 team's structure. Each session layered in new systems and leadership support:
NEXT
We defined roles and expectations for her team: Sarah (Admin), Ashley, and Danielle (Leads/Assistants), built protocols to delegate weddings confidently, and created a roadmap for promotions and team bonding.
1.
VISIBILITY & BRANDING
TEAM GROWTH & DELEGATION
SYSTEMS FOR MATERNITY LEAVE
We cleaned up contracts, payroll, and onboarding for seamless client transitions, developed workflows so her team could operate independently, and designed a realistic leave plan that served both Kelly and her couples.
2.
VISIBILITY & BRANDING
TEAM GROWTH & DELEGATION
SYSTEMS FOR MATERNITY LEAVE
We wrote polished team bios for her site and socials, crafted messaging to showcase her leadership and KLW's elevated services, and began making moves on her Vendor Supergroup concept…more to come here in 2026!
3.
VISIBILITY & BRANDING
team growth & delegation
SYSTEMS FOR MATERNITY LEAVE
THE RESULTS
“It never felt like there were strict parameters. Heather pushed me to reach out more, it really felt like having a coach every step of the way.”
- Booked 30 Weddings for 2025 with a mix of double-booked events and outsourced weddings
- Fully delegated her fall 2025 season so KLW could thrive during her maternity leave
- Streamlined workflows and admin systems for future growth
- Elevated branding with new bios, messaging, and social strategy
- Shifted from a solo operator to a CEO leading a team with confidence
“I feel in control of this season more than I ever did before. My couples will be well taken care of, and life will go on — even when I’m not there.”
REFLECTIONS
This wasn’t just about “booking more weddings.” Coaching gave Kelly breathing room to lead, time to pause, set up systems, and prepare for her next chapter. By prioritizing team growth and strong foundations, KLW is now positioned for scalability and sustainability, no matter what life throws her way.
