Business Boutique!!

Wowwwwieeee, what a weekend! Addi, Bri, and I were spoiled with tickets to "Christy Wright's Business Boutique" conference this past Friday and Saturday! I think I can speak for me, my assistant, AND my intern when I say this conference was filled with insanely incredible insight on how to grow a business while not losing sight of your vision! Let me give you a quick breakdown of what our team learned from two jam-packed days of mentoring from some of the COOLEST women I have ever had the privilege of learning from:

1) You were created on purpose with a purpose

I love that this conference was centered on the Lord placing an idea in your heart, and all we have to do is follow that idea and we will see so much fruit! It's so cool to me that there were 1,600 women business owners at this conference - all with individual ideas, dreams, and goals for their lives! But my absolute, most favorite part of it all, was the fact that a good majority of these women wanted to see their work go further with impacting people for the Lord! We had these things called "Connection Time" each day, and we were lucky enough to have conversations about our businesses, our fears, and our long term visions with some seriously incredible women!

2) Quit the comparisons!!

Our team was so lucky to hear Rachel Cruze speak! A lot of what she suggested as a business owner (and just a woman in general!!) is to stop the comparisons! When we spend our time worrying about other people, what they are doing, what they have, and how "great" and "put-together" their life/business looks, we drive ourselves crazy because it's impossible to keep up! We were all crafted so uniquely, and I love the fact that we are all individually irreplaceable - no one else can offer what you have to offer! I love that Rachel empowered us to just be ourselves on a personal level, and, on a business level, grow our companies at a rate that was comfortable and sustainable! One of my favorite moments of the weekend was reading this little nugget...as long as you truly desire to reach your goal, and you are willing to work hard to reach it, you are going to be just fine!

3) Impossible is where God starts

Let me tell you...Christine Caine is one of my most favorite speakers of all time! So I bet you can imagine my excitement when I realized she was going to be giving a talk at this conference! This spunky Aussie gave an incredible talk on a few things that hit near and dear to my heart! When people say you are unwanted, unqualified, and unworthy, we serve a God who says you are worth so much more than that! Real talk, when I started Treasured Heart Events, I had varying degrees of all of those emotions! I felt as if my services were unwanted, I was too young to do anything that could make an impact which left me feeling unqualified, and I was unworthy of owning a business that could be part of the work that is going on all over the globe! And as I continued to push through those lies, I saw that my services were wanted and needed by so many people, I was qualified because God called me to it, and my story was worthy of intersecting with other's stories all over the world! I love that when people say things are impossible...crazy...don't make sense...it's in those moments God meets us and comes through!

(ps I almost cried after I got this picture with Christine Caine!! sorry, not sorry)

4) It's all about relationships

This might seem so obvious, but in a world today that can be so focused on just "getting the sale", Tiffany Peterson (probably the coolest, fiery red-head I have ever seen!!) gave a talk on the importance of not just selling a product or service, but taking the time to ask the questions "How can I best support you?" and "Who can I serve today?" go such a long way! I so deeply desire for Treasured Heart Events to be a company that when our brides and grooms drive off after their wedding, they can look at each other and say "Wow. I feel so valued, loved, and understood by the Treasured Heart team. They took the time to get to know us, our story, and formulate a beautiful wedding that allowed our big day to truly reflect who we are a couple!".

Side note: I also was so lucky to be able to bring along one of my sweet small group girls, Tori Helton (on the left!), to this conference! Tori has this beautiful dream to open a bakery that is cognizant of people with different food allergies! I was so excited to stumble into an extra ticket so she could come along and get ideas and a fire lit in her heart to start her own business!! (Show her some love and go like her page on Facebook!!) Life really is all about relationships...and I feel so lucky to be able to mentor girls like Tori on a weekly basis and continue to build that relationship with her! I also love that I get to run my business with four of my dear friends - I am so blessed by the incredible relationships I have in my life!

5) Be BOLD

Fear can be such a crippling thing!! It can hold us back from just about anything...starting a business, following a dream, pursing a passion. It's devastating to know that fear of failure can hold us back from something that could be so great! A huge differentiation that Christy Wright pointed out to us in her talk was that there is a huge difference in "failing" and "being a failure". We need to be okay with failing from time-to-time, and know that the action of failing doesn't make us a failure! My biggest takeaway from this session was the idea of "Do It Scared" - it's often so easy to only take a step forward when you can see exactly how it is all going to play out, when you see that the money is going to come back to you multiplied, when you know your product is perfectly crafted....it can be so scary to put yourself out there - imperfections and all! But being bold in your actions and steps forward is the absolute best way to live life! 

GAH. Such good stuff isn't it?!? I am SO excited to start implementing everything that I learned this past weekend at the Business Boutique conference. I am so thankful for valuable lessons, dear friends, and for women out there who long to empower individuals to reach their God-given potential! 

Meet the Team!

The best things in life are worth sharing with other people, and let me tell you, I have some awesome friends who I LOVE sharing life with! Something that I've realized over the past few months is that so many people believe in Treasured Heart Events, so many people have great ideas to contribute to the company, and so many people have the time, drive, and excitement to help make this wedding and event planning company a great one! So, without further ado, I am SO excited to welcome 4 new members to the Treasured Heart Events Team!

ADDI GREENE - Assistant Coordinator

Addi hails from New York, and is going into her senior year at TCU pursuing a degree in Event Planning. Addi is bubbly, outgoing, and LOVES donuts and puppies way too much!  She spends her free time fostering dogs, volunteering at her church in the college ministry, and nannying/babysitting. 

This summer, Addi will be specializing in assisting any and all events/promotional planning. Her willingness to help, listen, and be attentive to people she is working with is going to serve her (and our clients!) in big ways these next few months! I am so thankful for her excitement that she brings to all that she is part of!

BRI WALDROP - Event Intern

Bri, originally from Los Angeles, California, is also going into her senior year at TCU. She is majoring in Communications and has a double minor in Psychology and Child Development. Bri aspires to become an event/wedding planner, and is so excited at the opportunity to work for Treasured Heart Events this summer! In her free time, she enjoys going on Pinterest and watching Netflix. 

This summer, Bri will be in charge of many different things! As this is her first internship, she is excited to learn all about how to go about planning and coordinating events! She will be assisting Addi and me in various aspects of making an event special for all the people involved. I am so glad Bri is on the team this summer because she knows how to get a job done quickly and with excellence in mind! 

BRETT NICHOLSON - Financial Director

Brett is a recent TCU graduate! In the fall, he will be going into the graduate program for Accounting and Finance. Brett bleeds purple and loves the Horned Frogs with all his heart! He enjoys golfing, watching sports (especially TCU football), and spending quality time with people he cares about!

This summer, Brett is going to be in charge of everything financial! You have a question about your payment schedule? Brett's your guy! I am thankful for his contributions and expertise because he knows all the ins and outs of accounting. He is also a great Treasured Heart Team member because he does all that is in his power to help the team succeed! 

HARRISION HUMMEL - Marketing Director

Harrison, a nursing student at TCU, is from Seattle, Washington! He is outgoing and has a servants heart. In his free time, you will find Harrison volunteering at his local church on leadership team, finding ways to help those around him, and spending time working with children.

This summer, Harrison is in charge of our marketing campaigns! His experience in marketing for a company last summer gives him a special niche for knowing how to market effectively and efficiently! I am excited for Harrison to be part of the team this summer because he is personable, smart, and cares about the people he is around!



I can't wait for you to meet these incredible friends and now co-workers of mine! I promise, you are going to love them, their enthusiasm, and their passion to make your wedding or event a precious moment that you are going to treasure for months and years to come!

Styled Shoot | Up, Up, and Away | Wedding Chicks

The Deets:

I love the movie "Up". I love balloons. I love vibrant colors. And I really just love "love". So when my boss from Best Day Events told me I could create my own styled shoot, I was just GIDDY with the idea of creating a wedding inspired by one of my all time favorite movies!

What is a styled shoot, you might ask? (Don't worry, I had to answer this question a million times!) A styled shoot is essentially a fake wedding that a bunch of vendors collaborate on to create ideas for couples who have a similar taste to what we put together! We then submit it to blogs and magazines for publicity! Essentially, styled shoots are the marketing avenue for people in the wedding industry! 

Needless to say, I was nervous putting my shoot together--especially because the shoot date was the day right before finals week started in December!! But as stress and pressure bore down on me, I found so much joy! I found so many friends, family members, and some newly acquainted friendors who jumped in the middle of the crazy with me to help me pull off this dream of mine!! 

The Shoot:

I designed this shoot for the couple that loves traveling, enjoys bright colors, and doesn't mind letting their inner-kid shine through!! From vintage suitcases filled with cupcakes and macaroons, to archways infused with balloons and gorgeous flowers, to invitations that are to-die-for because they just ooze travel inspiration, this styled shoot was everything that I could have dreamed it would be and more!! Check out the full shoot today on www.weddingchicks.com !! For now, enjoy!!

Coordination: Treasured Heart Events - Ashlee Kautz (with some massive help, encouragement, and inspiration from Christine Alexander of Best Day Ever Events!!)

Photography: Square 8 Studio - Rob Greene

Florals: Details Dallas - Rochelle Hooper

Paper: Alli K Design - Alli Koch

Cake: Sugar Biscuit Cakery - Ratna Goerdni

Rentals: Vintage Sparkle Rentals 

Rentals: 316 Design Source

Dress: Circle Park Bridal

Hair & Makeup: Ashley Kromann

Venue: Paradise Cove 

"Adventure is out there!" -Ellie (Up)

Welcome to Treasured Heart Events!

Most people think I am crazy. Like many college-aged people, I have constantly been asked two questions:

What are you going to do when you graduate?

What company are you going to work for?

Let me tell you, up until about 6 months ago, I didn’t have an answer to either of those questions. But when I really buckled down, started praying for clarity about my future, and asking God for His guidance, I realized that both of those questions were SO easy to answer.

What are you going to do when you graduate? 

People who have known me for a long time would tell you that I don’t take no for an answer, and when I get my mind set on something, you can bet your bottom-dollar I’m going to find someway to complete it. (But really, I ran a full marathon with only a month of training!) So when friends from home and family from all over the country would ask me what I was going to do with my life, I wasn’t really sure how to answer besides: I’m going to change hearts all over the world. 

My freshman year of college, I could have never imagined that my life would look like it does now! I ended relationships that I was convinced would never end, I started mentoring a small group of incredible high school girls, and I even went on several occasions to serve on mission trips. Every time I went to serve on the mission field, the mission families that I was blessed enough to spend time working alongside changed me—the amount of trust and love they have for the Lord was so radiant! I also got to experience what it feels like for these families to fundraise for the opportunity to go serve…let me tell you, that was humbling to say the least! These people have devoted their whole lives to helping people, providing the people they serve with access to better education, clean drinking water, business skills, and the opportunity to discover a greater life than they could have ever imagined. But they are completely at the mercy of other people’s generosity to somehow muster up enough money to cover all their expenses to continue serving others!

This whole process sparked something in me. After I returned from Guatemala last summer, I felt this overwhelming sense that I needed to help families that were out in the world doing the work that I knew I wasn’t called to specifically…But how?! I’m just a poor college student!!

What company are you going to work for?

Here’s where things get interesting! In May of 2015, I was lucky enough to land a summer internship with Christine Alexander at Best Day Ever Events. Let me tell you, I fell IN LOVE with weddings!! Every aspect of planning a wedding, from finding décor that matched the brides taste, to going to countless vendor meetings, to researching pinterest and etsy for H O U R S on end to find the best deal, even to dealing with paperwork, wedding planning and coordination absolutely stole my heart! When August rolled around, I thought my time with BDE was coming to an end, but to my surprise, Christine asked me to stay on as her assistant! (Did I say to my surprise? Oh, I mean, I knew I would get it because I’m awesome…) I was then blessed enough to spend my Fall semester continuing with BDE and getting more experience with weddings and all they entail. Christine mentored me and taught me all the ins and outs of weddings and even let me plan a styled shoot that got published by Wedding Chicks! After two years of experience, dreams of working for Best Day Ever Events full time started to cross my mind…but then, I got some news that would throw me for a loop. Christine and her husband were moving back to California.

I got sad for a while…I felt like I was going to be just like half of all college students who don’t get a job right after graduation. But then, deep in my heart, God birthed the idea of creating an event company that supports missionary families.

If I’m being completely honest, when that thought first crossed my mind, I thought, “whoa that’s cool, maybe I can tell someone else about it and they can do it!” But when I couldn’t think about anything BUT this crazy idea, I knew that this wasn’t for some else, this was for me. I had to be the one to do something about it!

Doubt and time-constraints and confused filled my mind—“Okay, now what? I have this idea, how the heck am I going to finish school AND start a company? That would be crazy!” Then I remembered a quote someone had shared with me once, “the ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do”.

Like I said earlier, most people think I am crazy. Who starts a business…on their own…at age 20…when they still have 10 months of college left? Oh, that’s right. THIS GIRL DOES!