Meet Natalee & Jessica | Event Staging Experts

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalee & Jessica and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natalee & Jessica, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
We believe risk-taking is an essential part of growth—personally, creatively, and professionally. While we don’t take risks recklessly, we understand that pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone is often where the magic happens. Some of our most significant achievements came from moments where we decided to take a leap, fully trusting in our abilities to figure things out as we went along.
A perfect example of this was when we were asked by Anthropologie to collaborate on a Black Friday event. After seeing a Halloween installation we did in Bressi Ranch, their event coordinator reached out with an exciting but daunting opportunity: create a special Black Friday photo op and lounge outside of their store—with only three weeks lead time! We had never done anything of this magnitude before, nor had we ever combined a lounge and photo op, so the prospect was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.
We had no theme assigned, so we started by researching Anthropologie’s seasonal vibe and the feel of their products and decor to ensure our design aligned with their aesthetic. We wanted to make sure our installation complemented their store while still offering something unique. After visiting the store, we gathered inspiration from their products, colors, and decor themes and translated that into a playful, elegant concept. We decided to go with a Nutcracker/Sugar Plum Fairy theme, incorporating poppy pastels, plenty of bling, and organic materials like wools, woods, and greenery.
We chose to stage the event inside our bubble tent to give it a snow-globe feel, but that meant we had to go the extra mile to create the effect we envisioned. We spent days gathering supplies, assembling all the decor, and sewing a 14-foot circular snow topper for the tent (a process that required us to visit three separate fabric stores and buy out a local craft store’s full supply of faux snow glitter). We also asked a talented friend with a background in film and photography to help capture the magic by taking the majority of the photos.
Despite the tight timeline and the scale of the project, we went all-in. And it turned out to be a resounding success! Everything we’d hoped for! The event was a hit with the crowd, the Anthropologie event coordinator was thrilled with the result, and we saw incredible engagement on social media. We even had families taking their holiday card photos at our installation. What was even more rewarding was that this risk led directly led to several new clients who saw the event and reached out to us for their own celebrations.
Looking back, this experience was a defining moment for us. It showed us that sometimes, the biggest rewards come from taking risks that stretch you and require you to learn new skills. The risk was big, but the payoff was even bigger—both in terms of exposure and the relationships we built. It reaffirmed for us that embracing risk, and doing so thoughtfully, can open doors to new opportunities and help us grow in ways we never expected.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Founded by two friends, Willow & Wave started with a simple yet powerful idea: to create immersive, unforgettable experiences that bring people together. We’re inspired by the beautiful complexity of life—its ups and downs, its moments of challenge and triumph. While we can’t always predict or control life’s difficulties, we can absolutely celebrate its joys. Whether it’s a child’s birthday, an anniversary, or a community gathering, these moments are precious and fleeting. Our inspiration comes from the opportunity to help people freeze these moments of joy and celebration, turning them into lasting memories. Every event we create is a chance to uplift others, turning their unique stories into something truly unforgettable. Through design, creativity, and attention to detail, we get to take the everyday challenges of life and punctuate them with moments of beauty and happiness.

Unlike traditional event planning companies, we go beyond just providing decorations. Our setups are designed to transport guests into a world of wonder—whether it’s a cozy indoor sleepover with twinkling lights and themed party favors or an enchanting outdoor dining experience in our beautifully styled bubble tent. We pride ourselves on our meticulous attention to detail, luxury aesthetics, and a touch of whimsy that makes every event feel truly special.

We are incredibly proud of how quickly our business has grown, despite the challenges of starting from scratch. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the joy on our clients’ faces—especially the sparkle in a child’s eyes when they step into a dreamy sleepover setup, or the laughter of friends gathered around one of our beautifully curated dining experiences. These reactions remind us why we started this journey in the first place. We are excited to expand our reach, connect with more families, and continue redefining what celebrations can be.

Willow & Wave was born out of our shared love for event planning and design. We both brought different strengths to the table—Jessica’s experience in planning non-profit galas and Natalee’s background in edtech design helped shape our creative approach. What started as a conversation during a walk turned into an exciting venture where we invested in high-quality decor, unique setups, and a deep commitment to making every event unforgettable.

Challenges & Lessons Learned
Starting a business is never easy, and we faced our fair share of obstacles. One of the biggest challenges was the upfront cost of supplies. Each event required new purchases, and at times, we found ourselves spending more money than we made. To overcome this, we shifted our focus to maximizing the themes we already had, ensuring that we could offer stunning setups while being financially sustainable.

Another challenge was visibility—getting the word out and reaching the right clientele. We quickly learned that beautiful setups don’t book themselves! We had to become proactive in marketing, leveraging social media, word-of-mouth, and strategic partnerships to showcase our work. We’re still learning and refining this, but we now understand that marketing isn’t just about promotion—it’s about storytelling, about sharing the magic we create in a way that resonates with people.

Through this journey, we’ve learned invaluable lessons:

Start with what you have – Instead of constantly chasing new inventory, we’ve focused on refining and maximizing our existing themes to deliver consistently breathtaking setups.
Marketing matters – Our events are works of art, but without visibility, they go unseen. Investing in strong branding and partnerships is key.
Relationships are everything – Collaborating with local businesses, influencers, and event planners has been instrumental in expanding our reach.
Stay true to our vision – We don’t just want to be another party business; we want to create experiences that leave lasting memories, moments that bring people closer together.

The Heart of Willow & Wave
At its core, Willow & Wave is about celebrating life’s special moments in the most beautiful, immersive way possible. Whether it’s a child’s dream sleepover, an elegant tea party, or a stunning holiday dining experience, we pour our hearts into making every event magical. To us, parties aren’t just about decorations; they’re about creating spaces where people feel joy, connection, and a little bit of wonder.

This is just the beginning for us, and we are excited to continue growing, learning, and bringing more unforgettable experiences to families and communities.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If we were lucky enough to have a whole week for a staycation with a best friend, this is what we would love to do! Balancing great food, beautiful scenery, and fun local spots.

Day 1:

Pick up coffee at Fox Point Farms and soak in the farm vibes and ocean breeze.

From there we would walk along Moonlight Beach and browse downtown Encinitas.

Dinner would be at one of our favorite’s, Buona Forchetta for the best authentic Italian.

We would end the night with a cozy fire pit hangout at home catching up.

Day 2:

Breakfast at Pannikin Coffee & Tea in Leucadia

Coastal walk at Beacons Beach

Lunch at Goodonya Organic Eatery (healthy & local)

Stroll through Self-Realization Fellowship Gardens for some peace & quiet and gorgeous views!

Dinner at Birdseye Kitchen for a relaxed, delicious Thai meal

Day 3:

Morning hike at Annie’s Canyon

Lunch at Naked Cafe for casual, flavorful bites

Afternoon Kombucha tasting at Local Roots

Sunset walk at Tamarack Beach in Carlsbad

Dinner at Campfire, including plenty of their roasted broccoli and s’mores

Day 4:

Brunch at Flower Child

Shopping & strolling through Flower Hill, One Paseo and Del Mar Highlands

Dinner at Herb & Sea and cocktails and Live Music at The Roxy

Day 5:

Breakfast at Better Buzz Coffee

Explore La Jolla Cove & watch the sea lions

Kayaking at La Jolla Shores

Sunset Picnic at the Cove

Day 6:

Slow morning with coffee at Lofty Coffee

Beach day at Carlsbad State Beach

Afternoon spa treatment at Cape Rey

Casual dinner and live music at the Camp Store

Day 7:

Brunch at Monarch Del Mar

Final walk at Swami’s

This dream staycation would be such a treat if only there was more time!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We’d love to shout out our families who have been our biggest support and fans throughout this journey and have taken all of these risks right along with us! Without them, all this would have been only a dream.

Website: https://www.willowandwavecelebrations.com

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