Meet Jill Anderson | Nerdy Event & Travel Planner at Fantastical Adventures

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

Hi Jill, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
A few years ago, I got engaged to my wonderful husband, and we started our wedding planning journey! I looked for wedding planners & designers that would tailor to what we wanted – a wedding that would encompass all of the stories and fandoms that we loved that brought us together – but couldn’t find someone servicing that niche. Coming from the world of production management in the entertainment industry, I did have a production planning background, so I decided to do it myself. And when I did, I fell in love. Planning this fandom-themed wedding allowed me to be both creative and logistical, which is something I have always been good at, as well as enjoyed. And seeing that this niche was largely untouched, I wanted to provide that opportunity for others like me as well.

However, I was young and not ready to jump in to starting my own business quite yet. Then, a few years later, two things happened: 1) my mom had a cancer recurrence, and 2) I got laid off from my job in the entertainment industry. These events made me realize that life is too short to not live it – I needed to take opportunities as they presented themselves. So, I decided that now was the time to start my business: Fantastical Adventures, a nerdy wedding/event and travel planning company focused on bringing the stories and fandoms that people love to life in their greatest adventures.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is called Fantastical Adventures, which comes from a love of fandom and storytelling and the extraordinary adventures life has to offer, from travel and exploration to themed events and experiences. I operate in a largely untouched area of the wedding/event and travel industry, as my focus is on experiential storytelling and themed adventures. My specialization in weddings & events is specifically planning & designing story and fandom-themed events – I bring the stories and fandoms that couples/people love, that maybe brought them together, to life at their big celebration through personalized planning and expert design. My specialization in travel is largely the same – I focus on planning fandom-themed travel by bringing travelers’ favorite stories to life, whether it be at a theme park like Disneyland or Universal Studios (usually for Harry Potter themed travel), or to filming locations of their favorite movies and shows (visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand, or the Warner Bros Studio Tour near London, or even visiting Croatia to see the various filming spots for Game of Thrones), or even just experiencing the regions and cultures that gave way to their favorite stories (like visiting Japan if you’re a major anime fan or Japanese video game fan). While some may be skeptical of the popularity of these niches, it is growing in popularity, especially among millennials and Gen Z-ers.

Something that’s made me really excited as I grow my business is attending wedding expos and seeing couples realize that they can do a wedding like this. I think the hardest part for me so far has been education – many couples think that they have to do the classic, traditional, cookie-cutter wedding you see on TV & movies, and that everyone expects. However, my job is to show them that they can have a unique, personalized wedding that tailors exactly to them, their love story, and the things that inspire them. So when I do expos, I always have out two Pikachu (Pokemon) plushies, one in a tux, and one in a wedding dress, as well as some other fandom-related pieces (Sora & Kairi from Kingdom Hearts, lanterns inspired by Marvel and Legend of Zelda, a Donald & Goofy plush from Disney, and some Funkos from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Marvel) – this always attracts couples and makes them ask, “What is this?” And when I explain what I do, the nerdy couples’ eyes light up and I can see them thinking about ways they could have this kind of wedding too. It’s super cool.

Building my business has not been easy. It takes a lot of time, energy, and money to build a fanbase and clientele, no matter what business you’re operating. And as mentioned, I have an additional hurdle of having to educate that my kind of business exists and that clients can have nerdy, personalized adventures and events like this. However, it’s been so rewarding. Talking to clients, doing expos, and even speaking with other vendors has shown me just how much this niche is needed. I’ve been able to overcome the challenges of building my business by 1) embracing social media, 2) putting myself out there (attending industry events, vending at expos, blogging, and just telling as many people as possible about my business), and 3) connecting with other talented vendors doing cool, unique things.

The number one thing I want people to know is that you CAN have your wedding, your event, or your travel YOUR way. Your adventures CAN reflect you and the things you love. And you DON’T have to do it all yourself. Hiring a planner is a gamechanger – I take care of the stress so you can focus on the fun.

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 love this question, because this is exactly what I do as a travel planner! Where I would take them exactly does depend on the person (again going back to my personalized planning), however, some of my favorite spots in LA or around LA are based on what makes Los Angeles unique and interesting.

Some of my favorite activities to do with LA guests are: 1) the Academy Museum (giving a great overview of the history of filmmaking and the Oscars), 2) one of the many Studio Tours, usually Warner Bros., to again get further history of filmmaking and production history, and get to see some of the iconic places favorite movies and TV shows were made, 3) seeing a movie at the El Capitan Theatre (such a cool experience to see a movie in an old picture palace, and the pre-shows with the organist and curtain show are spectacular), 4) visiting the Griffith Observatory (I feel like nothing is more quintessential LA), 5) go visit the different LA neighborhoods (Little Tokyo, Koreatown, Los Feliz, NoHo, DTLA, etc.), and 6) going to a TV show taping like Price is Right (who doesn’t love a game show).

Some of my favorite places to eat are also LA local staples: 1) Porto’s (I mean, duh), 2) basically any LA taco place (but we specifically love Guisado’s in Burbank), 3) Din Tai Fung (I know it’s not specifically Los Angeles, but it’s too good not to put on here), 4) EAT in North Hollywood, 5) Pitfire Pizza, and 6) La Maria Restaurant.

A lot of people who come visit me are also theme park lovers, so I usually will take them to the various SoCal theme parks as well, like Disneyland and Universal Hollywood. My sister just visited me from NH, and our itinerary looked a little something like this – Day 1: Sleep in after a late flight and go to the movies, Day 2: Go to San Diego for a quick overnight trip, Day 3: Go to the San Diego Zoo and head back to LA, Day 4: Go to Portos for lunch and pick up pastries, Day 5: Go to Universal Hollywood in the morning & go to the Ahmanson Theatre to see a show (Old Friends) at night, Day 6 & Day 7: Chill/Work Days where my sister did things on her own like go to the LA Zoo or we caught up on games or TV shows we like to watch together, Day 8: Go to Disney California Adventure for the Food & Wine Festival; Day 9: Watch the Oscars. However, my sister visits me pretty often though, so she has done all of the other things I’ve listed already!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My business would not be real without the support of my parents, and specifically my mom. They’ve always allowed me to embrace who I am, in all of my nerdy, goofy self, and encouraged me to take every opportunity, whether it be work, travel, or life. My mom taught me the joy of adventures, whether it be exploring a new place, trying something new, or celebrating a new stage of life. And, unfortunately, her journey with cancer has taught me that life is short and nothing is guaranteed, so you embrace life’s adventures while you still can!

I also want to thank my husband! He’s been a major support as I’ve started my business, coming with me to expos, helping me financially to get started, and helping me combat major imposter syndrome.

And lastly, I want to thank all of the amazing vendors I’ve met so far who have been offering advice, strategies, and mentorship. Especially Melissa Erker, who recommended me for this Shoutout!

Website: https://www.fantasticaladventuresbyjill.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fantastical_adventures

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fantastical-adventures/

Twitter: https://www.threads.net/@fantastical_adventures

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

Other: All Relevant Links here: https://www.fantasticaladventuresbyjill.com/about-5

Image Credits
Riley West Photography