Meet Kayla Teague: Wedding Planner

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

Hi Kayla, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Before I launched Simply Gorgeous Events, I thought I had a very balanced work life. I would go to my 9-5 corporate job during the week, then spend the rest of my time doing things I loved. After launching my business, I understood the approach needed to be different to build a brand from the ground up. In the first two years, I invested all of my time, energy, and focus into building the business, hoping the sacrifices would pay off. And you know what happened? I burned out. While I did achieve my goal of building a business quickly, at the end of each year I was left exhausted, uninspired, and unmotivated. I knew there had to be a better way! Moving forward, I vowed to myself to prioritize the harmony of balance in my life. So I restructured my business to take on a smaller quantity of clients, prioritized quality and investment, and learned to set boundaries by safeguarding my personal time. As a result, my business is stronger, my clients are happier, and my overall health is better!  

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I officially launched Simply Gorgeous Events at the beginning of 2017 (we’ll be turning 4 on Valentine’s Day)! My company is founded and based on customization. I believe in storytelling; each individual has their own background and style that drives their inspiration. Just as no two love stories are ever the same, I understand that all of my couples’ are unique! Because of this, I approach each wedding through a tailored lens. I want their wedding to feel like a reflection of them, not a reflection of me! My favorite part of the planning process is genuinely becoming friends with my clients to really understand them as a couple. Nothing makes me happier than seeing their reactions on their wedding day when they see the vision come to life. I live for that end of the night ‘thank you’ hug! With that being said, I owe all of my success to the support of others. From my family and friends who encouraged me in the first few years of building the business, the amazing vendor community who continues to educate and push me to grow, and finally the clients who trust me with one of the most important days of their lives, relationships were and always will be the foundation of SGEvents. I am able to live out my dream career because of the support and kindness of others, and for that I am forever grateful!

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.
There is a reason San Diego is called “America’s Finest City;” you really can’t find a better place in the country! I have lived here for over 10 years, yet I still feel like I’m always discovering something new. If I were showing a friend the city for the first time, I would start in Coronado (where I live)! We would rent bikes from the Hotel Del Coronado and ride around the island, soaking in the beautiful beaches, SD skyline, and maybe spotting one of the Navy helicopters doing a flyover. We’d also visit Torrey Pines for a beautiful oceanfront hike, Balboa Park for some local culture, North Park to brewery hop, and finally the Gaslamp District for a fun night on the town. Anyone who knows me well knows I am obsessed with coffee. You can’t visit SD without hitting up a Better Buzz Coffee for a “Best Drink Ever”, or North Park’s Communal Coffee for a latte and avocado toast. You also can’t visit San Diego without eating some Mexican Food! Puesto and Old Town Mexican Cafe are my personal favorite, but you can really go into any hole-in-the-wall place for amazing food. On the last night, we would visit my favorite restaurant in the city, Sea180 in Imperial Beach. This hotel restaurant has a large outdoor patio that sits right against the beach, so you can soak in a beautiful sunset while sipping on a spicy mango margarita. It’s a true delight! 

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I never planned to start my own business. I always thought I would work for another wedding planner as part of a team, creating beautiful events while my superior handled the complexity of running a business. After graduating from USD, I worked in the Catering and Events department at the Catamaran Resort Hotel in Mission Bay. My Director, Amber Lighty, saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself. After sitting me down for my first evaluation, Amber encouraged me to dream bigger and launch my own events business. She planted that seed in my mind that grew over the next few years, until finally I took a risk and jumped all in to Simply Gorgeous Events. While I have worked with and learned from so many talented industry professionals (planners, photographers, and entrepreneurs), I would have never started my own company without that push from her. For that I am so grateful!

Website: http://simplygorgeousevents.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplygorgeousevents/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplygorgeouseventsca/

Image Credits
Jessica Jaccarino Photography Stetten Wilson Photography Cavin Elizabeth Photography Desert Born Studios