Event planner Kristen McCurdy comes from a big family, and for her, birthday parties and holiday gatherings were magical moments as a child. “As I was growing up, my mom did everything herself. She’s a great DIYer; it was before Pinterest was a thing. Nothing was ever stressful and always really fun. I got used to being around people, helping in the kitchen, preparing food and it was always amazing.” And while she admits she sort of fell into event planning, McCurdy knows that part of her career choice is rooted in those family memories.
When she turned eighteen, McCurdy started helping friends in the event industry as an assistant, with the catering, or as a server for extra money and found she really enjoyed it. She also had some friend marry young and offered to help plan and organize their weddings. “I just started doing it randomly. They would pull stuff out and I would say ‘I can help you with that,”” she says. At 25, she moved to Georgia, where an event manager friend got her a job at the Carl House in Auburn. Upon her return to Texas, she found a job as a private event planner for a family. “I planned all their birthdays, and they had a white party every July, and they had a big Halloween party, one for adults and one for children. And so I guess that's where I ended up planning full time, handling all those events of my own, and working with other vendors.”
McCurdy didn’t go out on her own until 2016. At the time, she was working for an interior designer and would plan all the business events, and on the side, do her bosses’ daughter's weddings, baby showers, and other parties. And surprisingly, it was her boss who encouraged her to go contract only. “She said she believed that if I wanted to start my own business, I could. Looking back, how cool of her to suggest that, knowing she would be losing an employee? She was just looking out for the well-being of people, more than her company, and more than just the bottom line. That's really what propelled me to start my own business,” McCurdy says.
And while her experience with interior design does help a bit, it’s her organizational skills and people skills that McCurdy says help the most. “You need to be able to adapt, be flexible, and work with any personality. So it helps if you're just a personable person. You've got to be able to fit in many boxes,” she explains.
When asked why having an event planner is important for functions, McCurdy brings up the obvious things like organizational skills, budget planning, and communication, but as she sees it, the most valuable asset she brings to the table is her industry connections.
“Anyone good with organizational skills and time and budget management can plan something, but there are times when things come up, dates get confused, or something gets double-booked, and you have to think on the fly. And sometimes you need that reservoir of vendors in your back pocket that you can call. And if they can’t help you, they know someone else who might. In Fort Worth, our network of vendors is such a tight-knit community, and everyone wants to help each other. No one's out for themselves,” she says.
Kristen McCurdy does plenty of weddings but can plan anything—baby showers, galas, birthday parties, dinner parties, festivals, and anything from large to small gatherings. “The quirkier, the better. I love a unique event, something that's out of the ordinary. Give me a good theme, and I'll run with it,” she says.
When asked what she loves about event planning, McCurdy immediately answered: “Definitely the people you get to meet along the way. I think the moment you bring the client's vision to life and the moment you get to witness that, there's nothing like bringing them into the space for the first time, they’re seeing everything come together, and you get to watch their face shift and everything clicks for them. It’s one of those wow moments. Experiencing that with them is probably one of the most rewarding things for any event—especially weddings.
You can see Kristen McCurdy’s work on her website kristenmccurdy.com or Instagram @kristenmccurdystudio