In honor of Mother’s Day and National Small Business Month, we’re shining a spotlight on one of Owensboro’s most inspiring duos: Sandy and Kate, the mother-daughter team behind Kentucky Bride magazine. From page layouts to press deadlines, their journey is filled with resilience, creativity, and plenty of coffee. In this heartfelt guest post, Kate shares what she’s learned along the way—about business, family, and finding beauty in the unexpected.
Kentucky Bride is a print magazine that showcases beautiful Kentucky weddings and businesses, and it’s also something I never imagined owning. People often ask us how Kentucky Bride started. The short answer is that we (Sandy and Kate, a mother-daughter duo) acquired the magazine in November of 2016 and learned everything we could learn about publishing as fast as we could learn it. The longer answer is that our lives changed drastically in 2009 when my dad (Sandy’s husband) passed away suddenly at the age of 49. We were living in Louisiana at the time and would eventually move home to Kentucky in 2010.
Once back in Owensboro, my mom started dabbling in photography, and a hobby quickly turned into Studio 929, a successful business. I was in college and started working alongside her on the weekends. We specialized in wedding photography and photographed our last wedding in 2021. After that, I knew I would need a plan for my career—I’m introverted and work best alone, while she is outgoing and one of the most personable individuals you can meet. When I unintentionally discovered Kentucky Bride was for sale in 2016, it felt like the perfect marriage (no pun intended) of my wedding industry experience and English degree. The pieces fell into place quicker than we could have imagined, and here we are now. There is much overlap in what we do, but my primary responsibilities include copy and design of the print magazine, while my mom handles advertising accounts and blogging. We’ve spent the past near-decade growing what was already a beautiful brand and showcasing the best of Kentucky weddings on newsstands and online. Along the way, we hope we’ve inspired Kentucky weddings to be better than ever.
Owensboro’s small business community is all about celebrating the win, and it’s been a great place to launch our businesses. From the days of our photography studio downtown to the remote work we do now, there’s always someone in our corner cheering us on. Don’t underestimate the value of local connections and community. Aside from that, one of the greatest things we’ve learned in small business ownership is the power of the pause. Whether it’s in solving a problem, publishing a post, answering a disgruntled email—thinking about what you say and how you say it can impact your business in major ways. We’re in a culture that’s made it incredibly easy to respond quickly, when sometimes the wisest thing to do is think of the best way to respond. Obviously, some things need immediate attention, but most things can wait until you have time to respond thoughtfully and nonreactively. It’s simple advice, but taking a breath can save you from those “Why did I say that?” moments.
We’ve learned countless lessons along the way, but the journey sure has been fun. I could say that my favorite Kentucky Bride moments have been photo shoots and seeing our magazine on newsstands, but my favorite moments have been those spent with my mom—coffee dates and proofreading until our eyes hurt, party planning, and road trips. Weddings are similar to preparing a magazine for publication—design, aesthetics, planning, proofreading, and you only get to do the same issue once, so you want it to be perfect. Spoiler alert: Things aren’t always perfect, and that’s okay. There’s a lesson to be learned in that, too. In business and in life, sometimes the best part of a thing is who you have alongside you. – Kate
Written by Katelyn Daugherty
Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Kentucky Bride Magazine
Owensboro, KY
About Kentucky Bride
Kentucky Bride is a premier print and digital magazine showcasing the beauty, style, and stories of Kentucky weddings. Owned and operated by mother-daughter duo Sandy and Kate since 2016, the magazine is proudly based in Owensboro and serves as a trusted resource for engaged couples, wedding professionals, and small businesses across the Commonwealth. Published twice a year, with issues typically released in April and October, Kentucky Bride offers fresh content, real Kentucky weddings, and exclusive features. Each issue is available for purchase on their website, with options for digital downloads and print subscriptions. You can also find Kentucky Bride on newsstands at major retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Meijer, CVS, and more. Visit their website here.
This feature is part of GOEDC’s National Small Business Month programming!
