Photo courtesy of Two Pair Photography

We had the honor of catching up with Hope from Black-Tie Babysitting and hearing about how they got started, why they love what they do, and so much more. Black-Tie Babysitting allows parents to enjoy the party while the little ones enjoy personal attention and care. We've had the opportunity to work with them several times and they are great at keeping the littlest guests entertained.

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Photos courtesy of Black Tie Babysitting

How did you start Black-Tie Babysitting?

My sister was getting married in 2009 and wanted an adult-only reception. I was pregnant with my fourth child at the time of her engagement. I explained to her how difficult it was for guests who were parents not to be able to attend weddings without their children. So, she challenged me to come up with a solution. I hired my then part-time nanny and a few of her friends to watch the kids in a separate room. I packed my children’s toys, a slow cooker of hot dogs, and made a sign-in sheet.

It was a win-win for everyone involved. My sister got her adult-only reception and the families got to attend the event together. At the end of the evening, the parents started asking the name of the company that provided babysitting. I immediately claimed it as my business. I didn’t have a name for the business, a plan, or a card, but it was mine. I told the parents to write down their email addresses and I would forward them some information in the coming weeks. I had some talented friends to create my first logo and help me build my first website quickly.

However, it took three years until I really started running the business like a business and not a hobby. Today, Black-Tie is in 4 states including Texas, Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. We have served 3,000 plus kids to date at over 200 events. We have stretched beyond weddings to provide services for business & networking meetings and most recently an exclusive package for event & wedding industry professionals who need care at home for their kids on event days.

Photos courtesy of Braden Harris Photography

What Makes What You Do Special?

We are one of the only companies in Dallas whose main focus is event & wedding childcare. With that being said, we study the wedding & event industry trends to see how they can be translated for little guests. We feel with Black-Tie's help couples can include guests that are children in their wedding plans without sacrificing style or sanity. We love taking cues from the adult event or the couple's personality to include in-room decor or customized crafts.

What are Some of the Best Compliments You've Recieved?

Our clients buy from us because we are passionate about kids and we love playing UNO! The best compliment to us is when little guests want to stay when it's time to go or that parent hugs us hard because it's the first time they have been able to treat themselves to a child-free and worry-free evening.

What Are You Doing to Accommodate the Mandates with Covid-19?

While venues are experiencing capacity restrictions we have pivoted to provide off-site childcare at nearby hotels and in-home care for events. We will begin our full-service group care starting July 1, 2020. We have created a COVID-19 Readiness Response that outlines how Black-Tie Babysitting will adapt our procedures and workflows of taking care of children at events. This document is available upon request.