What to Think About When Hiring a Dessert Vendor

For over fifteen years, I have been providing wedding cakes and desserts through Soft Peaks Cakery. I have seen a LOT of changes over the years. Thirty years ago when my husband and I got married, we spent $300 for the complete day (Equivalent to $1,000 in today’s money). We had lunch, cake and beverages for 75 people in our backyard. Like today, our family and friends helped with the food. I made the cake, we purchased the beverages at the local Costco and we wrote our invites on a brown paper bag…

Vacation

I just wanted to jump on the blog today to let everyone know I will be taking a slight break from blogging while I am studying and traveling abroad from now until the end of August. I will probably write and post a few blogs here and there to stay current (stay tuned for my upcoming guest blog series) while I am away, but the frequency is still to be determined (trying to take a slight technology break)!

My Summer Abroad

As the final term of my junior year is coming to a close, I am preparing to start my senior year of college studying abroad over the summer! In only two weeks from today, I will be flying across the globe. I will be staying in Siena, Italy for my six-week Wine Marketing Program, taking different marketing and Italian culture courses.

Hiring an Event Planner for the First Time (& Not for a Wedding)

Up until now I had heard little about event planners, aside from talking to a few brides here and there. For a long time I also thought they were just for weddings. To give a little background about myself, when it comes to party planning, I enjoy scouring Pinterest for elaborate ideas and then brainstorming ways to get it done in the most budget-friendly way. This last March I had my first experience working alongside event planner Samantha…

Dani's Bridal Shower

I had the honor of planning a bridal shower for the beautiful bride-to-be, Dani, in Eugene, Oregon. My main contribution was researching pricing and design for different games and décor elements, such as the photo wall backdrop, place settings, balloons, signs and flowers. The color palette was soft pinks and creams…

NSLS Induction Ceremony 2018

What an honor it was planning the 2018 Induction Ceremony for the National Society of Leadership and Success at the University of Oregon while being on the Executive Board! It was so fun planning with our President, Jessica Kaiser, and the rest of the Executive Board. Our goal was to make huge upgrades from our last year’s Induction, and I am so happy to announce that we by far exceeded our goal.

ExperienceSamantha Kin, To Be Loved EventsMay 18, 2018 Comments

“How wonderful it is having everyone I love in one place.”

I attended my cousin’s wedding last weekend, and it was quite spectacular. The first thing my cousin said to me and my family was, “How wonderful it is having everyone I love in one place.” I chose this quote to highlight because it reminded me of why we were all there together and why special (all) events are so important in life. Celebrating life moments and milestones with loved ones is what my job is all about.

Aisle Planner

Today I thought I would talk some more about Aisle Planner, the amazing online event planning platform that streamlines the process from start to finish! I used Aisle Planner for the planning of my first styled shoot, and I have also become a master at the program through organizing and setting up accounts for Moxie Events and Event Crush, two wedding and event planning companies in Eugene, Oregon.

Upcoming Photoshoot!

I am planning another styled shoot in Downtown Eugene on Sunday, May 20, 2018! I am working with Sarah Olivia Photo, KW Productions, Poppies and Paisley Floral, Katarina Tiley, Cheri from Fringe Hair Studio, Gilt + Gossamer, Bliss NW Bridal and Grace Mariée Original! I will be styling six models in wedding dresses, each with different hairstyles, make-up, accessories and bouquets (and possibly flower crowns!).

Successfully Working With Vendors

Over the past year, I have had the privilege to assist several weddings and photoshoots and plan different styled shoots with a countless number of vendors in Eugene and Los Angeles. The main takeaway that I gathered was that it is so important to create relationships with vendors in order to be successful as a wedding and event planner. Having a certain level of professionalism and making sure vendors know that your job as a planner is to support them throughout the event is of utmost importance.

Rustic Elegance Editorial

Here is a small sneak peek from my photo and video team of my styled shoot from April 15th at Deep Woods Events! These images and footage are so beautiful, and I am so excited to share them with you!

Photography | Belen Isabel Photography and Ava Maria Photography

Videography | KW Productions

See the full vendor list, gallery and recap video here. Full gallery and video coming soon.

Beating50Percent

I am so excited to officially be a Beating50Percent affiliate! Their motto directly aligns with To Be Loved Events in that we both believe in creating long-lasting marriages. I want to help couples down the aisle and also through life with as much support as I can give. Beating50Percent has a few mottos that To Be Loved Events relates with the most.

“Love knows no gender, age, race or religion.”

I recently saw the movie Love, Simon, which is about a male high school senior who is still in the closet about being gay. Spoiler Alert! He eventually comes out in a very unfortunate way, which causes friend issues, yet had a surprisingly very sweet ending. Simon’s parents handle the situation in the best way possible, in my opinion, loving their son no matter what and telling him that he can now fully be himself.

Rustic Elegance

Yesterday was my first ever wedding-related event that I planned myself with help from Anela Events. Our styled shoot was such an amazing experience; from planning to execution, every detail came together so nicely.

Wedding Vows

Handwritten vows always tug at my heartstrings. Today I wanted to share a quote from the movie The Vow with Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams. Paige’s (McAdams) vows read, “I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness and to have the patience that love demands, to speak when words are needed and to share the silence when they are not, to agree to disagree on red velvet cake, and to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home.”

Wedding tips & INSPIRATIONs

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