We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Matthew Love a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Matthew, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The ongoing journey of finding ones truth in each moment always mattered tremendously to me. To be authentic, I’d have to integrate with ever more precision and clarity what I thought with what I said and did. I always looked at tension in my life as guideposts directing my attention to the right places were I only able to pay attention. The business of enjoyable right livilihood and a wonderfully fulfilling life could never be separated for the long term, not for me. I’d known struggle in many ways so personal growth was my top priority. As I became more peaceful and haronious within, I could see, in small steps, how to bring my internal and externally lived values together. In one area of my life, I was committed to my studies and practices in multi faiths, philospophy and consciousness leading to teaching, coaching and services in hospice and hospital visitations. For years, this was all deeply personal and entirely volunteer. In the meantime, I was emceeing10 k runs, triathlons and community events which had grown from a single annual event produced by my running club. I provided the music program and emceed, balancing the needs among participants, vendors, sponsors and producers. I acquired my first PA system in partnership with an early client, Mary Meyer Life Fitness, who provided it in exchange for my services as I had no money at all. In a seemlingly unrelated area of my life I was asked to go to Oregon to officiate a dear friends wedding which included doing the make up of the bride, matron of honor and mother of the bride. (At the time, I was an artist saleperson for Bobbi Brown at Nordstrom.) I was in hog heaven facilitating the rehearsal then the wedding the next day, officiating AND emceeing the rest of the evening and remember how lit up I was when I returned. So I wore multiple hats at my first ever wedding – officiant, emcee, coordinator and make up artist. It only seemed obvious to bring these two otherwise separate worlds of mine, the events and the existential/esoteric together. How to do so has been an ever evolving path. I remember very well the first time I brought that Fender PA system into a venue called The Canal in Ballard many years ago for another wedding I’d been asked to officiate. I could, so I believed, perfectly handle the music program for the prelude, ceremony and cocktail party which I did. But it was the prior evening at the bride and grooms house when they asked me to come up with a private personal blessing ceremony of some sort for the ring passed down from the grandmother. It was five of us; the best man, maid of honor, bride, groom and myself. What we experienced was profound and I will never forget how that energy, known and experienced among only us, unfolded into something that enveloped everyone the next day at The Canal. THAT was a magic that has captivated me ever since. The integration of these energies and my seemingly disparate skills and values into a manner of cohesive professional service has unfolded into Love’s Events.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve always been a person who enjoys the synergy of people coming together in collective intention. We see this clearly in sports and entertainment, conferences, conventions, fundraisers, advocacy groups, political action and more. We know we’re losing genuine connectivity and with it, communication and relational skills, both requisite for us as humans. We’re social beings and can see the fallout in the form of our mental and emotional well being. This is the fundamental driver for me in playing a big role, not only in event production but more importantly, facilitating the engagement among people in live time in a shared experience of presence. Crafting the logistics and planning with organizations, corporate teams and couples is big but it’s the magic of the moment that reveals itself in unique ways that keeps me passionate. The bulk of my work is in a type of gathering that we as a culture and society agree and cooperate in making happen, with intrinsic value without monetary goals or other agendas other than love, joy and celebration; weddings. They are an amazing opportunity to be present together, to breathe and be reminded of who we are and what matters most, together. As a coordinator, officiant, DJ, emcee and lighting designer, I think the value I bring is self evident. In all my years I have never come across a planner, caterer or venue owner who was ever aware of a vendor who combines the servies that I do and I love that. What a wonderful way to be unique and provide terrific value.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Years ago I was hired for a small wedding on a lake a few hours north from where I live. The couple took their vows on their friends dock facing the beautiful lake. I was also bringing a PA system in case it made sense for the afternoon, an above and beyond offering on my part since I was hired to only officiate. On the way up my car broke down. All I could think about was getting there and in fairly short order I was loading my PA and myself into a good samaritans pick up and was delivered to the house. I had no idea how I was going to get back to my car or get my car towed or fixed or even get home that night. My only concern were my clients. As you might imagine, their appreciation and recognition was extraordinary and the day was a tremendous success.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I’ve long noticed how our experiences tailor themselves to our deepest subconsciousness beliefs. That is, life is actually lived from the inside out and not the other way around; that success in all of its forms is something attracted by the person we are continually becoming. This is NOT magical thinking or dismissive of consistent right action but rather an acknowledgment of the power of our self concept of consciousness, which thankfully, can change. I’ve had no other occupational experience as great or clear a mirror to my sense of self than what I now do. The kinds of clients I attract and the amazing experiences shared on such a sacred special journey. The difficulty of performing and executing jobs or the absolute grace filled ease of them I can always track back to my emodiment of those things I wish to experience; harmony, peace, freedom, joy etc. What I had to relearn was my own worth which was very tarnished for a long time. To the degree this shifts, not only loving but liking and enjoying myself and knowing who I truly am is to the equivalent degree it all shows up in wonderful ways in my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lovesevents.com
• Instagram: @lovesevents1
• Facebook: Love’s Events
• Linkedin: Matthew S. Love
• Youtube: @matthewlove8349
• Yelp: Love’s Events