Inspiring Conversations with Kayla Kuhn of Sweet Pea Weddings & Events

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Kuhn.

Hi Kayla, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers. 
I never imagined being a business owner, certainly not in the Wedding Industry. During COVID, a close friend was getting married and had a coordinator that backed out last minute. She reached out to me to help with her wedding as I have all of the skills you’d hope to have in someone running your wedding day: organized, detailed, love working with people, and just a little bit bossy. Throughout the day, I found myself absolutely loving it! By the end of the evening, multiple people, even those I didn’t know prior to the wedding, told me I should do this as my job. One specific guest told me I should start my own business. 

Following that wedding, I did look into options for jobs, but it just wasn’t what I was interested in. So, I began the process of educating myself in starting my own business. I already have a Master’s in Organizational Leadership, which gave me access to resources and mentors that were able to guide my way through the process. 

After a few months of consideration, my husband and I agreed it would be a really great hobby. Now, here we are three years later, and my “hobby” business has become my primary source of income. 

I am so thankful and blessed that I took this chance on myself. Looking ahead at 2024, we are welcoming our first child and also starting foster care. Running this business is giving me the opportunity to quit my full-time job to focus on being home with my family and providing even better care to my clients. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think the biggest struggle I’ve experienced is just not knowing what I don’t know. I’ve never run a business. No one in my immediate family has run a business. Most of this experience has been trial and error. After being in business my first year, a friend mentioned a Federal EIN for taxes. I had no idea what they were talking about – and so research began. That has been the entire process. Someone mentions something that should be done to run a business correctly, and then I spent time looking into that topic. It’s difficult stepping into something I knew absolutely nothing about, but it is so worth it. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Sweet Pea Weddings & Events. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Sweet Pea Weddings & Events is a full-service wedding and event planning company. We offer a wide array of services, from Wedding Day Coordination to Planning your entire wedding or event. We are located in Southwest Michigan and service Michigan and Northern Indiana. Our differentiating factor is that we have lived this. My Coordinator, Samantha, and I are both married, both have degrees in different fields, but we are passionate about weddings and events because of our experiences. All of our education in the field has come from experience, catering to the needs of each individual client. The best part of running my own business is that I have complete autonomy to say “yes” to client requests. Sweet Pea Weddings & Events exists to ease the stress and anxiety of special occasions; we can be whatever our clients need us to be, whether that is their organized best friend, event security from their crazy aunt, or a buffer between them and difficult family members. We love managing events so our clients get the most out of the event they’re spending so much time and money on. 

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
First and foremost: confidence! Knowing who you are and what you want to accomplish is so important in networking and finding a mentor. Not being afraid to introduce yourself and share how you can help someone is a game changer in the world of networking. When finding a mentor, you don’t necessarily need to find someone specifically in your industry or area of expertise. I have multiple mentors for different areas of my life. None of them have the exact life I would like to have; however, there are parts of their life I want to emulate, and those are the areas I seek their mentorship on. In networking, know your worth and know your goal. Every person you meet you can either teach something to or learn something from – your responsibility is to make sure they know you’re open. 

Pricing:

• $1200 for Wedding Coordination
• $4500 for Complete Wedding Planning
• $500 Starting Rate for Events

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sweetpeaweddingsandevents.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeaweddingsandevents/
• Facebook: sweetpeaweddingsandevents
• Other: https://www.theknot.com/marketplace/sweet-pea-weddings-and-events-vicksburg-mi-2063570

Image Credits
Camryn Fazal