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

Hi Jaelynn, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve always said wedding planning is not something I sought after, it more or less found me. After working years of several 9-5 jobs that offered very little pay, emotionally taxing, and didn’t fuel my creativity; I started my event rental company Northern AZ Event Rentals (formerly known as Valenci Vintage), in July 2018. The plan was just to rent decor on the side and build the business. Two years later, I got a call from a friend who asked me to be their wedding coordinator. Who me? Why? She knew I had a rental business that serviced weddings and she felt I was the best person for the job. I hesitantly accepted the offer and coordinated my first wedding in September 2020. I felt horribly inadequate and yet I had incredible feedback from the venue, the staff, the bride’s family, and the couple! I also had THE BEST time! I felt like I found my calling. This was it. This is what I am supposed to be doing. I dove headfirst into expanding my wedding planning business and started booking brides immediately. I was shocked! Two years later, I’m a full-time wedding planner and couldn’t be happier! Being able to be a part of a couples most memorable day in their lives is inimitable! Also being able to travel and experience different wedding venues from Northern to Southern Arizona is pretty incredible!

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 am a full-time wedding and event planner. My main focus is weddings but occasionally, I get to do some bridal and baby showers. I offer everything from Month/Day-of-Coordination packages all the way to full-scale wedding planning where I handle every little detail! I even offer a full inventory of small decor rentals, to fully refurbished vintage furniture. I specialize in luxury intimate weddings in the forest. With the wedding industry being hit hard by Covid, I have adapted to doing more elopements and they are some of my favorites to plan!

I am most proud of my growth. It’s only been two years wedding planning and I have come so far. I strongly believe in collaboration over competition. If it weren’t for the amazing vendor community in Flagstaff, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am at today!

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.
It depends what time of the year one is visiting Flagstaff but there is always something fun to do! In the summer I would definitely make sure to take them on a hike and paddle boarding in one of our many beautiful locations! If they are here during the winter and we have gotten snow, engaging in winter sports is always fun! Lastly, going downtown is something to do year round to grab awesome eats and drinks!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

The list could be endless. A few people really stick out though. My husband Jonathan Lockwood, I could not have done it without his help and encouragement! From letting me temporarily take over our home storage with my endless collection of wedding inventory and furniture, to being the muscle in moving rentals when I wasn’t able to find help, and of course believing in me.

I met two incredible vendors in the industry that quickly became great friends. I got asked to participate in a styled shoot, which I had never done one but thought I needed to start somewhere. That’s where I met Monica Pizzi Saaty (photographer – Saaty Photography).

Alexis Holle (wedding planner – Holleday Productions) has been an AMAZING mentor! Without her help and encouragement to take the leap of faith, Lockwood Events + Design would be nonexistent. These two ladies have been a constant source of encouragement. They’ve pushed me to do bigger things and have been an incredible influence on the success of my business!

Website: Lockwoodeventsanddesign.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/Lockwoodeventsanddesign

Facebook: Facebook.com/Lockwoodeventsanddesign

Other: Northernazeventrentals.com

Image Credits
Arizona Photo and Video Saaty Photography True and Wild Photography Abbyland Photography

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