Meet the Pro

Hello from Risa!  My name is pronounced like 'Visa' but with an R.  

Thank you for visiting Events by a Pro to consider me to assist with your next special event. Here is a bullet point bio.  It may seem a bit commodious, but that's because I've been doing this for a while.

I have a multi-faceted career with a variety of feathers in my event hat. It has included the following:

• Certified as a Wedding Consultant with the Independent Wedding Consultants of America since 2001.  
• Staff Wedding Director for different locations such as a major hotel, a popular rustic ranch-style venue, a garden venue in an historic site, and currently at an oceanfront venue.
• Certified as a bridal makeup artist in the mid-'90s.
• Server and bartender for a hospitality staffing company.
• Decor installation services for a catering company.
• Assistant and installer for a floral designer. 
• Ordained to step in as a replacement, if needed, for a ceremony.  I've had the honor of officiating two marriages (that were planned). Ask me the story of why I got ordained. 
• Executive Director for a non-profit organization where I produced, staffed, and directed annual premiere car shows and popular City holiday events.  Both events drew thousands of spectators in attendance from the community and SoCal region and were published in the local  newspaper.  
• Planned and/or coordinated hundreds of weddings or events in my career either through my own company or the venues where I have been on staff. I have also assisted several fellow wedding & event planners throughout Orange County and LA.

I have been utilizing the above skills for personal feathers in my hat:

• For years I volunteered my time, expertise, and planning for my kids' schools, PTA or sports programs for countless events in the past. I had the honor of being a MOPs Leader, an AYSO/Little League/Softball Team Mom, and was a Girl Scout Troop Leader.  
• Currently, I am the co-founder of our city's classic car club which involves coordinating car cruises, coffee meet-ups, and charity events.  This includes maintaining all of the club correspondence, graphics, the newsletter, local business collabs, and social media updates. 
• I also enjoy hosting and planning events for fellow members from a popular national women's adventure club called Sisters on the Fly (member since 2014) where I regularly produce several regional large-group luncheons, camping event weekends, and activities.  I. Stay. Busy.

What makes me different from other event and wedding planners?

• Because I know how the "front and back of the house" works. My experiences over the years have fostered an understanding of the important aspects of various roles and details to take into consideration when producing or coordinating an event. 
• I'm a team player.  It is such a compliment that vendors like to work with me because I respect each part they play, as well as working together as a team to make the event a success.
• I enjoy utilizing my creative talents, skills, and resourcefulness to incorporate memorable details to weave throughout the clients' special day or event.  
• Down to earth, no BS or fluff, say-it-like-it-is kinda gal.  That can be a good thing, or not.  

Several of my events have been featured in major magazine publications such as Wedding Bells, Inside Weddings, Tea Time, Romantic Homes, and Special Events magazine.  I have been interviewed and printed by Cosmopolitan magazine and The Wedding Book for my professional insights.

When I'm not working, you will find me glamping in my vintage 1958 Shasta camper trailer, sewing a caftan for a tiki ladies' meetup, or having a Dole Whip at Disneyland.  As a resident of San Clemente for over 20 years, I enjoy walking on the beach trail and the pier but don't do it nearly enough.  My husband & I are beyond proud of our three grown children - a medic/firefighter son, a college student/bartender son, and a college student/event assistant daughter.

If you'd like to see if we vibe for your event or special day, don't hesitate to contact me and we can chat over the phone, or meet for coffee.  Or a tiki drink. 

I look forward to meeting you!

Kindly,

Risa