One of the most refreshing things about working at Rembrandt Yard is getting to see the space through the eyes of all the many vendors and clients we have the pleasure of working with. Someone that is always such a joy, bursting with creativity, and full of contagious warmth, is Kaitlin Shea. What is Kaitlin Shea all about? “At Kaitlin Shea Weddings & Events, we believe your coordinator should be your confidant, guide, and right hand (wo)man! We love helping clients create an event that is unique to them and that celebrates who they are as individuals or as a couple/team! From organization to design, we can help you with every step of the process and take the stress out of planning for you, your family, & even your furry friends!”
We had the opportunity to sit down with Kaitlin and chat about how she got started, who should would be if not an event planner, and all things weddings, events, and more.
Kaitlin had dipped her toes into the events industry working the occasional odd job throughout college, but took the leap and started her wedding planning company in 2018 after planning her own wedding. While she initially took all events on herself, 2020 restructured the industry and took Kaitlin down the path of discovering what having a team would be like. The pandemic brought challenges with postponements, reschedules, and adaptations, but also brought Kaitlin her team of (now) 5 which allows for a lead and assistant on every wedding, and they all absolutely love that dynamic.
So how did a Studio Art & Art History major end up planning events? “For a while I thought I was going to be a curator, but then I worked at a gallery for a little while and realized I needed something a little more fast paced than that. So, I got engaged while I was still a junior and it was perfect timing to introduce me to the world of weddings. I got my feet wet a little bit the next couple of years and I am SO glad that this is all I’ve been doing since college.”
Kaitlin shared with us some of her favorite event moments including cats attending as the wedding party alongside traditional Indian wedding components and celestial-themed live tattoos (including one for grandma!). Some of the more difficult moments she shared included her assistant breaking her leg pre-ceremony and Colorado weather stranding her on the side of a mountain without service. Kaitlin smiled and looked back on all of these experiences with the kind of fondness and calm one can only dream of in a wedding planner.
We continued to chat about what makes Kaitlin excited to work with clients and her dream collaboration in the industry. “I love a lot of the styled shoots, just like creative branding, or product. Not a product shoot, but creating a styled shoot based on that . Anything that is a creative styled set.” While the dream would be to work with Betsy Johnson, in the immediate future, she is looking to work more with social events & holiday parties, as well as assisting with branding and shoots that celebrate the individual behind the brand and more “out-of-the-box” style events.
With someone who has so much artistry of their own, we wanted to know how Kaitlin helped clients find what getting married meant to them and what elements to incorporate. She shared that they start with a questionnaire, but “a big part of that is just getting to know the couple’s priorities and what gets them most excited because even in our inquiry calls, I do feel like it’s pretty obvious what they’re excited about. If they keep talking about catering or they are really excited about specific music choices, we try to prioritize those things for those individuals.” People do find Kaitlin because of her creativity, but she strives to pick-up on unique elements naturally simply by listening; even a passing comment is something she can hone in on to help clients create something truly unique and personal.
Kaitlin left us with this advice for planning: take other people out of it. While it’s important to consider others feelings and perspectives, protect your peace and don’t bend over backwards to make others happy. “Don’t ignore others input, but be sure you’re prioritizing your own wants and needs.” From her personal experience, being intentional with the planning process from choosing how involved others are to ensuring that you are having fun is what will make looking back at your wedding nothing but positive.
We are delighted to get to work with such a detail-oriented yet wildly imaginative planner and her team. If you want to learn more about Kaitlin, her team, and see some of her work, you can visit her website or see what she’s up to over on Instagram.
