Meet Fatima Khan | Event Stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Fatima Khan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fatima, why did you pursue a creative career?
I never pictured myself in a traditional 9-to-5 job. At 19, I started a cake designing business with my friends called Simply Sweets. It quickly gained more attention than we anticipated, which pushed us to learn the ins and outs of running a business and managing orders ourselves. I worked on that for about 10 years.

After having kids, I wanted to explore something different. During Covid, I came up with the idea of a luxury picnic service. People still wanted to celebrate special moments, but with everything shut down, options were limited. I loved creating beautiful outdoor setups where people could safely connect and celebrate with their loved ones.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
It started off with more intimate picnics, things like anniversaries, date nights, birthdays, etc. Eventually, it blossomed into larger parties like baby showers, bachelorettes, girls nights, and kids birthday parties. We’ve also had the honor of setting up 2 weddings and a wedding reception!

The most important thing to me is to relieve customers of any stress related to party planning. Its an all inclusive- we decorate, provide food, drinks, games and take care of set up and clean up. You show up along with your guests and enjoy a luxury experience without lifting a finger.

There are add-ons you can opt for such as a dessert tower, paint packages, and fresh florals. We also love personalizing events to make them as special as possible and love when clients ask us for unique requests.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely recommend a picnic by the water (maybe even a luxe picnic!) at sunset. Our sunsets here in San Diego are unmatched and they never dissappoint. La Jolla, Del Mar, and Sunset Cliffs all serve up breathtaking views. Grab a delicious bit from Tahini or a delicious drink from Finjan, and head over to the beach.

If it’s summer, one must try boogie boarding. It’s such a thrilling and fun activity to do in the water. My favorite pasta spot is Cesarina, and I love the ricotta cakes at Extraordinary Desserts. Definitely check out Balboa Park (specially the rose and cactus garden).

Another really fun activity is to go paragliding over Torrey Pines. The views are incredible and it’s really fun to jump off the cliff and glide over the ocean.

Little Italy is a great time, Born and Raised, Cloak and Petal and Salt & Straw are my favorite spots there. Taking the ferry from downtown to Coronado Island is always really fun too.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The person that deserves the biggest shoutout is my husband. None of this would be possible without his continued support. From building my tables, to answering my random questions at midnight, to helping me set up, he’s done it all. He’s the calm to my chaos and the person I love coming home to after my events.

I would also say that my brother deserves recognition. He is the one who encouraged me to establish my first cake designing business when I was still a teenager. Without the experience, confidence and courage that gave me, this would’ve been much more difficult. He’s always been someone who supports a non traditional career path and I think that is paramount when starting up your own venture.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youngandfreesia/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youngandfreesia/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/young-and-freesia-san-diego

Other: https://g.co/kgs/MCrwb2Q

Image Credits
Kevin Wu
Fatima Khan