Our newest Forever Feature is highlighting one of the best, and certainly one of our favorite, MN wedding planners, Woodland Events! What makes him the best? Maybe it is his former life in theatre or that he’s originally from California. Either way, the way he plans weddings leaves couples ranting and raving about him! Take a look at what he has to say below.

Please give a brief overview of your company.

Woodland Events is a wedding and event planning and production company based in the Twin Cities.

We believe planning your wedding should be a relaxing, fun, and joyful experience. We have planned dozens of events, ranging from small soirées to wild dance parties with over 3,000 guests. We do all the heavy lifting in the background while our clients stay focused on having an amazing day with family, friends, and their new spouse.

What is your company’s mission?

Woodland Events is committed to planning and executing extraordinary and fun events in a stress free environment. We create events that bring our clients’ stories to life and will be remembered for a lifetime.

What are your company’s top three core values?

At Woodland Events, we value inclusivity, community, and integrity.

How did the company get started?

My background is in theatre stage and production management. About two years ago, I was in grad school, studying production management for theatre, film, and live events. While my focus was always on theatre, I fell in love with planning events, helped coordinate a number of friend’s weddings, and even planned my own wedding!

My wife and I moved to the Twin Cities in May of 2018 and as I was searching for work, I thought, “You know, I’ve been thinking about making my jump from theatre to events”¦now would be an excellent time to do it!” So after several months of research and preparation, Woodland Events was born!

What sets you apart from other companies?

We have backgrounds not only in wedding planning, but in management of live events, performing arts, and themed entertainment. Working in all these different industries has prepared us for bringing unique experiences and storytelling opportunities to our clients’ weddings, events, concerts, product launches, conferences, and more.

To what do you attribute the company’s success?

*Probably best not to include this one in the feature, since we’ve only been open six months and have yet to become what I would consider a successful business.*

What are some of the company’s goals for this year?

As a new company to the Twin Cities, one of our primary goals has been to develop authentic relationships with other wedding and event industry professionals in the area. We know that building these relationships will become a key part of providing distinguished services to our clients.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a recent transplant to Minnesota from the central coast of California. I made it through my first winter and while I’m still getting used to the snow, I I have fallen in love with the charm, beauty, and vernacular of Minnesota, dontcha know?

As a former stage and production manager for theatre, I have dedicated my career to bringing artists’ visions and stories to life on the stage. Now that I’m working in weddings, my focus is on bringing a couple’s story to life on a new stage.

I live in Eagan with my wife Claire and our black lab mix, Gordon. At home, we like to build LEGO sets, make lattes, and watch the wildlife in our backyard. When we’re out and about, we like to go to plays, escape rooms, and try out local craft beers.

I have an MFA in Creative Producing and Management from CalArts.

What is your favorite thing about doing what you do?

My absolute favorite thing about planning weddings is when a couple tells me any stress they had about planning has melted away and turned to excitement. It helps me know I’m doing my job well. Planning a wedding should be fun, not overwhelming, and I’m here to help make that happen!

Who is your role model or someone that inspires you?

My older sister Jenny. She’s been an entrepreneur for years, has been married to her husband for over ten years, is the mother of four boys, and is always switching up her routine to stay active and healthy. She also created all of the branding material for Woodland Events, so she’s pretty awesome!

If you could give the world, your friends, or your clients, one piece of advice, what would it be?

The best advice I’ve ever received is to ask yourself this one question: “Will this matter a year from now?” Any time I’m feeling anxious, stressed, or uneasy about anything, I ask myself this question. When the answer is no (and it usually is), I can relax a little, which leaves me a lot of space to tackle the few yes’s that come along.

What is currently your favorite show on Netflix and/or your favorite book?

I’m a huge Stranger Things fan and July can’t come soon enough so I can binge the third season!

Definitely reach out to him. He is great! Plus, mention Forever Bride while booking to get $150 off any service package! You can contact him at (612) 504-7074 or send him an email here through the Contact Form!

For a deeper look at some of our other favorite vendors, view more Forever Features!