Wedding and event planner Ivy Robinson is a Charlotte icon known for the creative, unique and exciting style she brings to every occasion. Her work has been featured in national and regional publications including The Knot National & BRIDES magazine along with Carolina Bride and Charlotte Weddings. Ivy has also appeared on Style Network, CW Network and local CBS, NBC & FOX affiliates. Here’s what her typical day is like:
6:10 a.m. … Wake up to a phone alarm that screams “Bitch, wake up” every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Mondays and Fridays I don’t set an alarm unless I have an early meeting.
6:15 a.m. … Phone alarm screams “Bitch SERIOUSLY wake up!” I only hit the snooze button once, and then after reading my text messages and emails (I keep my ringer off at night because I’m a light sleeper), I turn on Pandora and blast the “Rap Strength Training” station to get the day going wide open.
6:45 a.m. … Hit the gym … or head south for a meeting in Charleston. Every single day and week is different for me and that’s what I love most about my life! One email or phone call can change my entire day, week, month and year. I live the most unstructured, yet structured lifestyle. I work out five days per week. I switch it up a lot, and hit it hard with “Satan”, a.k.a my personal trainer. I call him Satan because it hurts like hell when I work out with him, but he’s the best! I also go to 9 Round Dilworth and Y2 yoga quite a bit.
7:15 a.m. … Scroll through Instagram posts by my faves, and scan email again. I usually check emails first thing in the morning and reply throughout the day. Facebook and I have a love/hate relationship so I check that later in the day.
7:30 a.m. … Coffee! I am THE coffee queen. Coffee first. And second! Recently, I’ve been obsessed with Isagenix chocolate shakes after my morning workout. I toss some kale and almonds in there, blend it up and BAM- I have breakfast. Other mornings, Bae will scramble smoked salmon, cream cheese, and eggs for us.
8 a.m. … More coffee!The clubhouse where I reside has the most fabulous Starbucks touchscreen coffee maker, so I mix the medium and dark roast every day all day. I also walk my dog WayCool Waylon in the mornings. He loves to putter down the light rail in South End, where we live.
8:15 a.m. … Get dressed. This planner never plans her outfits! I am a turnkey/ get ready in 20 minutes kind of girl. I’m a very moody dresser, so my mood dictates my outfit. I’ve simplified my beauty routine to just a face wash and moisturizer. I love Revisions brand tinted moisturizer that I grab from Woo Skin care, along with Tricia McEvoy’s 24-hour shadow liner. I never have to wash it off — guilty as charged!
8:35 a.m. … Out the door.
10 a.m. … It depends. Every day is different, so some days I might be designing events, taking conference calls or in a meeting.
1 p.m. … Check my phone again. A few weeks ago, we had two tented events in 48 hours and by 1 p.m. on the first day, I had 32 phone calls, 57 texts, and countless emails. I’m a huge multi-tasker, thanks to my self diagnosed A.D.D. I am on autopilot— go, go, go 16-plus hour days.
3 p.m. … Lunch! If I’m working an event, there’s typically no lunch until about 3 p.m. I’m a foodie, and love to eat. Food is the way to my heart. If I stay in for lunch, I make a kale salad with avocado, carrots, tomatoes, nuts, and shaved Parmesan cheese. My newfound obsession is to top my salads with black truffle burrata. If I am out and about for lunch, it’s always a salad. I especially love Viva Chicken’s quinoa stuffed avocados and chicken salad.
4 p.m. … Some afternoons I might have a little time for a light luxury — like getting my nails done.
5 p.m. … Finally the workday is over. Just kidding — it never ends and I normally focus best at night.
6:30 p.m. … Dinner. I love tapas, so you could find me at one of my most favorite places, Soul Gastro Lounge. I’m a huge restaurant hopper, so I go everywhere and there isn’t enough room in this article for me to list them all. I try not to drink alcohol during the week to minimize my muffin top, but that usually lasts about one week at a time. Pinot noir, champagne, and vodka are my spirit animals.
8:30 p.m. … Drinks with the girls, basketball game, etc. I never sit still, so I’m out on the weeknights an average of three or four nights. I love grabbing dinner with my girlfriends or bae, and spontaneously hitting a Hornets game. This planner’s personal life is really never planned — I value spontaneity. What does my average stay-at-home evening look like? I just asked Bae to help me with this answer and he said, “You don’t stay at home.” So true.
9 p.m. … Walk my four-legged love WayCool Waylon.
11 p.m. … Lights out.
Weekends are for … Weddings and events! I work a lot of weekends, but if I’m off you’ll most likely find me bouncing around in Florida or New Orleans. As you can tell, I am not your average girl, which reflects on my style of event planning.
