We're Elevate

What started as a side hustle for two creative, driven sisters has now become one of the Midwest’s premier event planning and design firms. At Elevate, we find pure, unbridled joy in celebrating all aspects of life - big moments, small gatherings and anything in between.

Meet the Elevate Planning Team!

Here at Elevate, we have eight wonderful planners leading the charge, each with their own strengths and distinctive skills in design, organization and intentionality. From the moment they begin their journey with us, we aim to make each clients’ experience a uniquely personalized, well-curated one, so whenever we are assigning our team to a new project, we are considering not only the planner’s availability and location, but also their individual personalities and skills to determine the absolute best fit for our clients. With that in mind and with the bulk of our wedding season getting off to a rip-roarin’ start this weekend, we wanted to reintroduce our fabulous planner team via a fresh spotlight blog! Our eight lovely ladies each bring something so special to the table and we are honored and humbled to have them as a part of the EE sisterhood.

Meet Our Planners: Kirstie, Mallory, Kelsie, Chloe, Katie, April, Amber and Lily!

KIRSTIE

Co-Founder and Event Director

Name some vendors on Instagram you are inspired by!

Goodness, SO many! Sophia Goff is a big source of inspiration as I plan my own wedding and design my new home. Shean Strong’s floral designs are so innovative, and he’s incredibly entertaining. Mae & Co Monthly for awesome wedding planner education and resources (lots of helpful nuggets that give us motivation for our babe, The Prosperous Planner), and Jose Villa, duh. He gets to travel the world photographing some of the most incredible events. Ask me this question again in a few weeks, and I’ll have a whole slew of new names! Instagram sure is a great tool for inspiration!

Cats or dogs?

Seeing as I have one of the larger breeds of dogs that there is (Phoebe the Great Dane), you can probably guess that I cannot get enough of them. The bigger the dog, the better the cuddles. 

What is your best advice to give a bride on her wedding day?

Let go of the pressure and relish in the day. The wedding day itself can feel fleeting, so do your best to let go and trust that your team of professionals there to help has got your back. Also, one other important reminder: there’s only SO much in your control. 🙂

What are some of your favorite florals?

Hellebore will always make my heart skip a beat. I also saw a dreamy floral designer post an image of white Agrostemma on her Instagram and now I cannot get it out of my head! 

MALLORY

Co-Founder and Creative Director

Name some vendors on Instagram you are inspired by!

As I’m sure most detailed event planners would say, I always love to peruse the work of other luxury planners to see how they are continuously creating and pushing the envelope. Laurie Arons, Shannon Leahy, and Joy Proctor are a few names that come to mind! As a business owner, I am also deeply inspired by other amazing boss women, their stories and advice. I love following the CEO School and hearing more from other leading women across all industries.

What’s your favorite dish to cook?

I LOVE Asian cuisines – sushi, pho, curries, ramen, udon, you name it, I will consume it! The last few years (when we have the time, that is), my husband and I really enjoy making deeply complex Thai curries and umami-flavored ramens – they take a LONG time to put together as the flavors develop, but are oh so satisfying once you’re able to dive in!

What are some of your favorite florals?

Love this question, especially since I dabble in floral design where it makes sense for our brides! Lately I’ve really been loving the daintier, dancier blooms – hellebore, flannel flower, astilbe, sweet pea and lisianthus come to mind, and there are SO many beautiful tulip varieties that can make a huge impact and keep the overall look amazingly delicate!

What made you want to become an event planner?

I certainly cannot say that I grew up wanting to be an event planner, but I have always deeply enjoyed making moments special, celebrating the small stuff, and working with my sister! As our professional lives started to mold into what they are now, I realized that my detailed personality makes me both a great business owner as well as an event planner, so I took that and ran with it, taking her right along with me! On top of the deep, deep joy planning a beautiful event brings me, however, there are also so many untapped talents and ways I am hoping to continue to grow, both personally and professionally! So while I’m sure event planning will always be a key part of my life, I’m excited to see ways I can continue to challenge myself and become a more well-rounded, creatively-driven version of myself. 

KELSIE

Senior Planner and Relationship Manager

Where is your favorite place you have traveled? Where to next?

My husband Jason and I went to Venice while on our Italian/Grecian honeymoon and I adored how romantic it was! While we won’t be traveling internationally soon, I hope to go to London to visit extended family next! In the meantime, we are headed to Nashville for a friend’s wedding in November 🙂 

Name your drink of choice!

Amaretto sour or a prickly pear margarita YUM

What is your best advice to give a bride on her wedding day?

Savor every moment, but remember the day is about you and your new spouse! Do what makes you happy and enjoy the day together – it goes by WAY too fast!

What sticks out as the most memorable part of your own wedding day?

Gosh it’s hard to decide! We got married on our 10 year anniversary, and after Jason read his beautiful vows, it was such a heartwarming moment and I was so proud of him that I gave him a high five! Our guests had a good laugh but it just reminds me that I married my best friend and I am so grateful for that. 

What’s your favorite dish to cook?

Chicken Tortilla Soup from scratch is one of my favorites!

CHLOE

Senior Planner

What does your perfect day look like?

My perfect day starts with a sunny meditation + some yoga outside followed by a cold brew + a breakfast pastry. From there I’d explore anywhere with cute local shops and spend some time at the bookstore. When dinner rolls around, it’s time to graze on a spread of appetizers while watching the sun go down. Cap it off with a detailed nighttime skincare routine + early bedtime and this gal is a happy one! 

What are some of your favorite florals?

Blue delphinium, fluffy garden roses, ranunculus, poppies + any funky local garden grasses 

Go-to coffee order? 

Nitro Cold Brew w/ a splash of oak milk 

What sticks out as the most memorable part of your own wedding day?

Our wedding day was special for so many reasons, one of the biggest was that Elevate planned it and I felt so reassured knowing that every detail would be managed and there wouldn’t be anything that myself or my family would need to worry about! The most memorable part was probably coming down the aisle with my dad and seeing Ethan and all of our friends and family – I just couldn’t believe that after everything with Covid, the day actually came together. Our lovely friends hosting also surprised us with Alphorn players at cocktail hour which was the coolest! 

What made you want to become an event planner?

I’ve loved weddings as long as I can remember and being able to help couples translate their vision into something real is incredibly rewarding. I love being part of their day and seeing how much each little detail means to them. It’s an honor to be trusted with such an important milestone in their lives.

KATIE

Associate Planner and Content Manager

Where is your favorite place you have traveled? Where to next?

Lucas and I recently took a trip to France and we fell in love with Paris, Colmar & Nice. We adored the lifestyle, communities and food! We are hoping to go back to the coast of France and Italy next spring and I am already so eager to begin planning the trip! 

Go-to coffee order?

Vanilla latte with oat milk or an extra spicy iced chai!

What is your best advice to give a bride on her wedding day?

When your big day finally comes, make sure to take moments throughout the day to pause, look around and soak everything up! Even ask your planner + photographer to help coordinate a little break in the timeline so that the two of you can spend a few moments alone together! The day will go by SO fast – so slow down and be present with your partner!

Outside of putting the final touches on a lovely event, where can we most likely find you?

When I am not at events, you can find me running my photography business and photographing my sweet high school seniors! I love spending time with my friends, family and boyfriend, Lucas! Lucas and I love cooking together, trying new restaurants, exploring new places and dreaming about all the exciting things to come!

What are your favorite things to do in Madison?

A few things I love doing in the summer in Madison include attending Concerts on the Square, hanging at the Memorial Union and going to the Farmer’s markets!

APRIL

Associate Planner

Outside of putting the final touches on a lovely event, where can we most likely find you? 

Outside of putting the final touches on an event, you are likely to find me spending time with my daughter, Blair and husband, Nick. We love going for walks in our neighborhood, hiking at different state parks, and going to our family’s cabin in Door County. 

Where is your favorite place you have traveled? Where to next? 

My favorite place I have traveled to was London, England. In college I studied abroad there for a semester and loved everything about the city!  From the history, to the fashion, to the arts, everything about London was incredible.  I enjoyed being able to be both a tourist and enjoy everyday life for an extended period of time.  

Name your drink of choice!

I really enjoy a fresh mojito on a warm summer day!  I love that they are versatile and can include additional fruits or be made non-alcoholic.

What is your best advice to give a bride on her wedding day?

My best advice is to trust your vendors and be truly present on the day of the wedding and leading up to the wedding day.  We have your back!  Our goal as a team is to ensure you have the greatest day possible, so sit back and enjoy your time.  Be sure to schedule in some alone time with your new spouse and take everything in!

What made you want to become an event planner?

I have always LOVED love! I am a huge romantic and enjoy hearing people’s love stories.  When I was younger, I dreamed of being involved in weddings in many different ways, but it wasn’t until after working as a photographer’s assistant for 5 years and seeing all the details of the day come to life, I knew that planning was what I wanted to do.  I love helping people enjoy their day and truly be able to spend their wedding day together and with their guests without having to worry about logistics or any details.   

AMBER

Associate Planner

Where is your favorite place you have traveled? Where to next?

I loooved Santorini! I traveled there with my husband for our honeymoon and would go back in a heartbeat. We are keeping it stateside and heading to NYC in June.

Name some vendors on Instagram you are inspired by!

Details Darling (@detailsdarling)

Peyton Byford (@peytonbyford)

& Goodseed Floral (@goodseedfloral)

Name your drink of choice!

I am a sucker for a good spicy margarita or espresso martini.

What is your best advice to give a bride on her wedding day?

Be sure to take a moment to soak everything in just you and your partner. The day goes by in the blink of an eye and taking that minute to appreciate the day, just the two of you, is something you will always remember.

What made you want to become an event planner?

My 9-5 is in the investment management industry. After about a year out of college, I realized I needed a creative outlet. Wedding planning was a no brainer! I not only have the opportunity to be creative, but to also help couples make their dream day a reality. It is such a privilege and I love every step of the process.

LILY

Associate Planner

Where is your favorite place you have traveled? Where to next?

Slovakia is one of my favorite places I’ve traveled to! I went on a hiking trip with some friends in the High Tatra Mountains.  I enjoyed trying traditional Slovak food and experiencing a slower pace as we lived mountain life. Oh and the views weren’t bad either! Planning a road trip out to Oregon for this summer and stopping at Glacier National Park! 

What does your perfect day look like?

A nice run in the morning followed by time outside with friends playing games and picnicking. Then an evening filled with live music, a spread of appetizers, and stargazing.

What made you want to become an event planner?

Once I started planning events, I found that I had a knack for it. I enjoy seeing a process through to completion in a beautiful and meaningful way. I count it as a joy to take any stress off of a couple on their special day and help their vision come to life. 

What are your favorite things to do in the Madison area?

Madison is something special! I love long bike rides along the bike path, spending time on Edgewater’s dock, trying new restaurants with friends, and going to the Hop Garden in Paoli for live music!