Welcome back to another installment of Real Weddings Magazine’s Partner Profiles!
This week we highlight Kendall from Kendall Melissa Events—a premier Sacramento, Tahoe and Northern California Wedding Planner…and you should check out her work on our “Love on the Links” photo shoot our Winter/Spring 2020 issue out now!
Take it away, Kendall!
Tell us a little about your business
Kendall Melissa Events is a company that was established from the heart and has been a passion of mine to life since I was a little girl. We aim to be very bespoke to every couple and tell their love story through the décor and ambiance we help create.
When did you establish your business?
We launched KME in 2019.
What sets you apart from your competition?
At KME we really take the time to find out what is important to each couple and really listen to their visions—we take into account that each wedding is meant to share the love story of the two who found each other and fell in love. I come from a long career in the hotel hospitality world, which allows me to see any wedding and event from a different perspective. I have worked events of all sizes from two people to 1,500 guests, from simple to extravagant and everything in between. I have a unique perspective because I know what it takes to execute the perfect event from the backside, and how all the moving pieces need to be put together in order to flow flawlessly.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere! I am a lover of the outdoors so naturally I find inspiration from what I see when I’m outside hiking, biking, kayaking, or simply walking my dog. I see things as interconnected and nature is where I find interconnectedness in its purest form.
What trend do you see coming for weddings this year and beyond?
I still think dramatic altars and moody flowers will continue to be a trend. Using non-traditional flowers with more eccentric greenery will become trendier. I think playing with creative lighting will be a big focus and element of a couple’s wedding. ’90s babies are starting to get married so a part of me sees that ’90s nostalgia getting mixed into their wedding in one way or another.
What’s your favorite comment/compliment that one of your clients has given you/your business?
I had a client tell me not only how professional I was, but that I did it with such a warm heart and engaging smile. This led to creating the more magically and beautiful wedding experience. This spoke to my heart as it is truly a passion of mine.
What is your favorite fun thing to do locally?
Kayaking! My husband and I are big water people and we love packing up the Jeep and taking our daughter out on the water. We started bringing her with us when she was six months old.
What’s your favorite local charity?
Donating to the Front Street Animal Shelter!
What’s your favorite local restaurant?
Meet and Eat! They literally have something for everyone.
Do you have secret vice or indulgence? What is it?
Binging on Crime Junkie Podcast! Or, curling up and watching a Snapped marathon…shhh don’t tell my husband.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I was a collegiate Division I swimmer in college—one sport my husband will never beat me at!
If you weren’t in the business that you are in now, what other business/profession would you have liked to have done?
I am already living my second passion as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor. It’s the perfect marriage between my two worlds. Planning weddings AND getting my brides in tip top shape for her big day!
If you were to plan your own wedding, or re-do your wedding, what element(s) would be most important to you?
I planned my destination wedding in Sedona, Arizona, and what was most important for my husband and me was to have nature be the backdrop. We got married outdoors beneath the Red Rocks that served as our altar. I am also a sucker for a beautiful, dramatic tablescape so creating a wild table setting was super important to me.
What advice would you can give to soon-to-be-married couples?
Remember the reason behind why you got engaged in the first place. Wedding planning can be stressful, but love is the reason you are having a wedding in the first place. Don’t get bogged down in every little detail. Pick two aspects that are super important to you and focus on them. Everything else will fall into place.
For more about Kendal Melissa Events, here are their details:
hello@kendallmelissaevents.com | kendallmelissaevents.com | instagram.com/kendall_melissa_events
Tune back in to our ongoing series “Partner Profiles” highlighting amazing local wedding pros!
Top photo by Kris Erlenbusch; all other photos courtesy of and copyright Taylor Haff Photography, used with permission.
