Hello. My name is Jenni. I’ve lived here in the Seattle area for most of my life. I am passionate about creativity and helping people. For the last 34 years, I have filled that need by being a hair stylist and salon owner. I am married, mom of 4 amazing kids, and a grandmother to one sweet little baby.
All throughout my career I have planned many events for friends and family. It has always been something I enjoy, to be able to plan and create an event and make lasting memories for all to cherish fills my heart with gratitude.
I had the honor of helping a friend and her aunt some time ago plan a Celebration of Life for their loved one. By doing this I saw first-hand how challenging it is to be consumed with grief and stress from the loss, but still have to orchestrate all the moving parts of a memorial. By me taking then reigns and coordinating all the aspects of the event, my friend and her aunt could take the time to grieve and be present the day of the Celebration of Life.
The joy I felt from being able to help was so powerful! To have the ability to take all the skills I have utilized for the last 34 years in the hair industry and apply it to a whole new world was refreshing and inspiring! I realized there was a niche’ that had not been accommodated at all, and it desperately needed to be.
If you think about it, why is there so much focus and availability for wedding planners, but not for a memorial for a loved one? What I mean is, why does a wedding take a year or more to plan and have almost all the same aspects as a memorial, BUT with a Celebration of Life, you are full of grief, usually stressed and only have 2-4 weeks to plan? Why aren’t there more planners offering help for this type of private event?!
I felt a strong pull to help. I knew I was good at it, I enjoyed planning events, so I married my skills and started Celebrating Loved Ones.