We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jen Rickey-Voss a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jen , appreciate you joining us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?
As an event planner specializing in wedding services, one of the biggest trends I’ve observed has been the “breaking down of the beige” as I call it. Weddings are no longer a one-size-fits-all all, white wedding day affair.
I appreciate that couples emphasize bringing their style and a more personalized approach to their wedding celebrations.
Before moving to the Oregon Coast in 2019, I managed weddings at a concert hall where the majority of my couples were ahead of this trend, pursuing wedding day plans that reflected their creativity and unique style.
The at-home weddings through Covid times pushed couples to get creative. They were hosting weddings out of their homes, with vows shared on the front stoop or a special table decorated just for two to honor their wedding.
As many challenges as this time brought to the wedding industry, it also opened the doors to some out-of-the-norm ideas for couples and planners who prefer to stray from tradition.
Jen , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I manage J. Rickey Events, a full-service wedding and event planning business based in Astoria, Oregon. My path into events started in the PR Industry out of college where I was assigned to help a nonprofit launch its first fundraising gala. I really connected with the feeling of bringing people together through this event and creating memorable experiences with a collection of efforts and ideas. Most of my career has been in hospitality and paired with my creative spirit, I’ve found a way to blend my passion and skills into a career.
As a planner my approach is to first ask, “How will this work,” then I will add the colorful eye-catching details that may resonate with the crowd. I encourage my event clients to lead with a focus on guest experience, asking themselves how do we want people to feel at this event?.. and what do we want them to remember? So much of the event/wedding industry is focused on Insta-worthy highlights and photos (which have their place), but first I encourage my event hosts to keep themselves and their guests in the moment through a memorable shared experience.
True to its nature, operating on the Oregon Coast as an event planner can be an adventure. It is increasingly becoming a sought-out destination to host events, however accessing event resources and services may be challenging. As an event planner my goal is to be a guide through the planning process on the Oregon Coast.
As an event business owner, I am most proud of connecting the small businesses in my area with event groups and continuing efforts to build a local event community. There are many talented chefs, artists, florists, musicians and small event-related businesses along the Coast. I enjoy matching event hosts and couples with local creatives and services who may be overlooked beyond a quick Google search.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Building a reputation in my current market, the Oregon Coast, is still a work in progress as I moved to the area in 2019 from Cleveland, Ohio and I am still somewhat of a newcomer.
To build my brand reputation, I’ve relied mostly on performance, personal accountability, and client reviews. I focus on being someone both my event clients and other event vendors can rely on throughout the planning process. Building trust and relationships along the way has been key to my business’s success. While my online presence could use some improvement, I’m focused on being someone in real time for you to depend on through the event planning process.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Moving across the country and starting a small event business has been my greatest practice in resilience. I started my event business in 2021 amidst a time of COVID unemployment and when groups could not gather. Being isolated through those times I looked forward to gathering once again and getting back to the memorable celebrations that were highlights in life.
Coming from a large Midwest family and an established professional network to a new area has challenged me to stay resilient. Historically I am not a persistent person and starting a business as a stranger in a new town taught me to stand firm, but not hardened at heart. For every missed opportunity or professional letdown that I’ve experienced, I’ve chosen to focus on the people who want to build community, and that has made all the difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jrickeyevents.com/
- Instagram: @jrickeyevents
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089913397285
Image Credits
Photography: Emily Engdahl Catering: Sage Bleu Catering Custom Watercolor Suite: Pine & Seed Paper Event Planning Design: J. Rickey Events Florals: Bloomin Crazy Floral, Astoria, OR Venue: Rosebriar Mansion, Astoria, OR