Today we’d like to introduce you to Kennay Johnson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kennay. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My love for design and celebrating started at a very young age. My mother was my kindergarten teacher, so my childhood was filled with art projects, chalk murals on the sidewalk, and working together to redesign my bedroom. With four children in the household we couldn’t always afford big birthday parties for each of us. However, my mom was OBSESSED with all holidays and always made them feel extra special instead. One of my earliest memories was watching her go to great lengths on Halloween to decorate our closed-in porch so that it looked like a horror movie set each year! Christmas was always a big deal with decorations all over the house, and she always had a great commitment to ensuring we all believed in Santa and the tooth fairy for as long as possible.
She believes that teaching kids how to believe in things they can’t see at a young age will give them a strong ability to have faith as adults. She also always talked about how life’s moments were precious, and that we had to find reasons to celebrate life whenever we can! When I finally became a mom, I knew I wanted to keep that tradition of whimsy, imagination, and celebration going with my own son and I largely did that through these birthday parties. Each birthday was bigger than the last and as I received more and more compliments, I decided I wanted to share my vision with the world through a formal party planning business. I have been in business for going on three years now and I can’t imagine working in any other field! My goal for each event I do is to have it be fully unique, full of lots of details and perfect moments that will set the backdrop for memories my clients will remember forever. Fittingly, my business slogan is “Creating Memories, One Party At A Time!”.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has definitely not been a smooth ride! The Atlanta market is really saturated with event planners, treat makers, etc. When I decided I wanted to get into that field, I had to identify how I could make myself stand out in the crowd. Starting a business while being a new mom was nothing short of challenging either! Later, I discovered around the time I started to launch my business that I was suffering from postpartum depression, which made it difficult for me to stay interested and motivated in the things I normally loved to do. Eventually, I got help and after that I really started hitting my stride as a mom and refining my skills as an event designer.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Imagine THAT Event Designs – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My business is called “Imagine THAT Event Designs” (cue the whimsy and imagination), and I specialized in elaborately themed children’s events, holiday events and showers. Over the years, my events have become known for their attention to detail. I am always looking at how I can layer a theme and make the guests and clients feel like they have been transported to another place when they step into their event. I pride myself on my parties, never looking the same, and try to be innovative in ways I use different layouts, textures, patterns, etc. I research trends to see how I can elevate it and make it unique. What sets my business apart is my transparency with my clients. My clients are fully aware of where their investment is going, and understand that most of their event is custom designed. Many of my competitors offer generic packages, which helps with easier pricing but can at times make their parties look “cookie cutter”. I strive to give each party a different look unique to the client!
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am really excited to launch my dessert menu soon! I recently made some gift boxes for Mother’s Day that I gifted to some good friends in my #MomTribe, and they raved and raved about how not only the treats were DELICIOUS but the presentation was even better than a very popular chocolate dipped fruit company that they’d also received desserts from. I’ve had it in the works for a while to get my food licensing so that during my planning process, I’m not only able to provide my clients services for decor, but I also have a full dessert menu available as a perfect accompaniment. I’m excited to say I should now be launching that menu within a few weeks, and I plan to include not only desserts for events and dessert tables but also a variety of gift boxes perfect for any occasion!
The next thing I want to dive into beyond event designing is interior design! When I became a homeowner, I turned into a home network fanatic. I’m always doing DIY home projects in my spare time, and I think the next chapter of my design journey is definitely heading in that direction!
Pricing:
- Full Service Events – Starting at $1000
- Event Designing – Starting at $400
- Dessert Tables – Starting at $500
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ImagineTHATEventDesigns.com
- Phone: 7708914464
- Email: ImagineTHATEventDesigns@gmail.com
- Instagram: @ImagineTHATEventDesigns
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImagineTHATEventDesigns/
Image Credit:
Ashley Wilson -CreatorsAndFinders Photography
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