Speed Dial with Cassie Kelley

Today I’m kicking off a special blogger series of Speed Dial. Since I’ve started this site, I’ve come across so many inspiring and adventurous women making their own corner of the world more stylish, informative and fun. Who better to kick things off than the Womanista herself in the throes of a major expansion?

Cassie and I briefly worked together when I was at Us Weekly and she was an entertainment publicist living in NYC but we really didn’t become friends until after we each left those respective careers and both became bloggers. Since then, we’ve met up over cocktails around the country and she’s been so gracious in helping me with my many questions while setting up this site. One look at hers and you’ll find she’s as beautiful inside as out, has impeccable taste and such a free spirit. Whether she’s blogging about blush or Barolo, dinner parties or travel itineraries, she has her finger on the pulse of what’s current and chic. When she’s not traveling the world with her husband [Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum], you can find her in her hometown of Nashville hanging out with friends and family, hosting the best dinner parties.

Nat: How did you decide to make a career change?

Cassie: When my husband was traveling all the time and we were newlyweds, it was really hard to commit to a 9-5 job. I wanted a creative outlet that also offered flexibility so Womanista was born!

Nat: What was the hardest part about making the change?

Cassie: I think when you are good at your job and you have some success, you identify a little bit of your personality with that job. It’s hard to lose that sometimes because it feels like a piece of you is gone but that transition didn’t last long.

Nat: Describe your last first date.

Cassie: The night Charles and I met was magic. I totally believe in “love at first sight” or at least “amazing connection at first sight” because that’s what happened with us. We were both invited to a big group dinner at a restaurant called South Street in Nashville and were seated across the table from one another. The moment we locked eyes we were both done. It sounds a little cheesy but it really was true. We were attached at the hip for the rest of the night and ended up talking until 6am. We haven’t looked back!

Nat: How was Charles different from all the others?

Cassie: His spirit is infectious and he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s funny without trying too hard and he’s the most passionate man I’ve ever met at everything that he does. I feel so lucky to share a life with him and be inspired by him every day.

Nat: What about you was different in this relationship?

Cassie: I felt very accepted and loved from the very beginning. I didn’t feel like I had to try at all because the connection was effortless. I think that allowed me to be more “me” than I’d ever been before in a relationship because I didn’t have anything to prove.

Nat: How did he propose?

Cassie: It was Christmas morning 2008. Lady A had performed on The Today Show the previous morning and their flight home got cancelled. Charles was able to hop on a last-minute flight to Atlanta and then rented a car and drove back to Nashville in the wee hours of Christmas morning. It was just the two of us at home and the ring was in the bottom of my stocking. He got down on two knees [laughs] and told me he wanted to take care of me forever. It was very sweet, genuine and no-frills. Very him.

Nat: What’s the hardest part about losing a parent? [Cassie lost her beloved father Mike McConnell to cancer in 2013.]

Cassie: That’s so hard to pin point. It’s honestly the hardest in the most minor life experiences. Getting through “big” things is tough but the loss of my dad usually hits me the most in the smallest of moments. Like when I smell the smoke of a BBQ grill because he loved to grill out or when I want to ask him something about my car and realize I can’t call him. It’s the small, most normal moments in life that I feel his loss the most.

Nat: What’s your advice to those out there also experiencing that loss?

Cassie: Everyone experiences grief differently but my advice is to be kind to yourself. Give yourself a break and allow yourself to really feel what you are going through. That’s tough sometimes because, if you’re like me, you want to take care of everyone around you. I didn’t allow myself to really walk through the emotions at the time of his passing and I regret that.

Nat: What was the most fun part about designing your dream house?

Cassie: Designing the kitchen! I love to cook and we really went for it in the kitchen. I got to put every bell and whistle that I wanted in there and that was a dream! I still love every inch of it.

Nat: What was the biggest challenging of renovating a home?

Cassie: Managing frustrations through the set-backs and there are always set-backs! You are relying on a lot of people who a) don’t necessarily care about your timeline and b) don’t care about the project as much as you do. So just go into it knowing that it’s going to take longer than planned and cost more money than planned!

Nat: What’s your favorite space in the house?

Cassie: The kitchen. It’s definitely the heart of the home. Since we travel so much, when I’m home I like to be in the kitchen cooking. It’s the way I unwind. I also love to entertain and the kitchen is always the gathering place.

Nat: How sick are you of people asking you if you’re going to start a family of your own?

Cassie:  [Laughs] I think that’s a natural question for people when you’ve been married for a few years. We can’t wait to start a family but aren’t in a rush. Life is good!