Welcome!
Welcome!
Holy cow…this is actually happening. A few months ago, I found myself pondering what my future would look like while thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (a 2,652 mile trail that stretches from Canada to Mexico). I kept trying to envision what my life would look like for me once this crazy adventure was over. You see…I have basically been a professional dreamer and schemer since 2020…when COVID hit.
Let’s rewind back to January of 2020, just a few months before COVID had escalated. I was working as an Event Director at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. I absolutely loved my job and thoroughly enjoyed showing up to work every day for the 5+ years I was there. But at the same time, I knew I wasn’t ready to commit to settling down just yet. I wanted to explore, and do something challenging that would shape who I am for the rest of my life moving forward. So I decided alongside with my incredibly supportive husband that we were going to sacrifice everything so we could do just that. Live an adventurous life and figure out what we are capable of if we fully surrender to this dream of ours. Well…COVID really forced us to put that plan into action. There was no way I could go back to the event world for quite some time…so instead of wallowing in it, I fully embraced it. I decided to try new things. I dipped my toes in the world of hospitality and managed an off-grid hot spring resort in the middle of Idaho for a season. We did the vanlife thing for awhile, worked at a greenhouse, began to sell my art and jewelry at the local farmers markets, and hiked some very (very!) long trails. Until finally I was forced to confront what I really wanted my life to look like now that this incredible chapter was coming to an end.
Now fast forward to October of 2023, I found myself doing a lot of thinking (and trust me…there was PLENTY of time for that) while thru-hiking the PCT and for the first time in awhile, I felt like I was ready to get back to what I knew best…event planning. I had served in that role for 5+ years and I knew not only was I good at it…I had an undeniable talent. But I knew in my heart I didn’t want to go back to a 9-5 desk job. I absolutely loved the freedom that I felt adventuring these last few years…so what should I do? I decided…I am going to work for myself and start a business as a wedding planner. So here I am….doing the thing. If these last few years taught me anything…it’s how capable I am of doing hard things and creating a life that is meant for me. If I fully lean into the process, truly put in the time and hard work it takes to do whatever it is I put my mind to, success is almost inevitable.
Once I made that decision in my mind, something clicked. And Wooded Wilds Events was born. Since I got home from the trail this past November, I have dedicated hours and hours of work into my website, wedding planning courses, networking and research. And I am happy to report that my hard work has already paid off…before my website even went live, I had already booked 3 weddings!
Lastly, I want to thank you for showing up. Whether your’e just passing through, or maybe you’re here because you are considering hiring me and my services (do it!!!), or maybe you are the elite few who have been invested in my story since the beginning (you know who you are), thank you. I am blown away by the amount of encouragement and support I have received all these years. I want to simply thank you for being here. Now…lets get to planning.
