Today we’d like to introduce you to Melysa & Jeannette Castro.
Hi Melysa & Jeannette, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Bajo la Luna was created by our drive to reconnect people to the present through the power of amor. We are a Latina and sister-owned business that hosts luxury picnics and events in Long Beach and its neighboring beach cities which give us a beautiful array of clients from all walks of life. The path to our business was guarded by the fear of failure, of the unknown, and of complacency. Yet, we walked into our path through the guidance of self-love and purpose. Our story is not an untold story. It’s a story that connects us to each other and to ourselves— it’s a story of the communal us. We believe all of us have a unique gift, but we often seek others to figure out what we ourselves should be doing. We learned later that the only way to open that gift is by being yourself.
There’s a common thread in our journey, a story of not filling in our bigger purpose. Although grateful for our 9-5s, both of us began aching from our full-time jobs. We felt that we weren’t serving our higher purpose and that our daily roles were no longer reciprocating our intentions. The time and energy we spent gave us the feeling of being used instead of utilized. We found ourselves discussing how our gifts could be of service and how can we do more in this grand thing called life. We believed ourselves to be able to create an impact, but that in order to create what we imagined, we would need to step away from a steady paycheck and into something we weren’t afraid to bet on. That pushed us to create a service where our daydreams would flourish, our version of a piece of heaven on earth. We imagined this grand thing, and we weren’t wrong, but the idea presented itself in through a small screen on a phone.
We ran into a wonderful Tik Tok from a picnic company, and when we saw it, there was instant excitement. We both knew this was a calling. Without bragging or comparing ourselves to any other company, we believed ourselves capable of creating the charm and magic we imagined our clients would have. Even more, we saw that this idea could be a gateway onto bigger ideas that we’re bringing into fruition. Growing up in a Latino household, there was always family over. Each of those moments became so memorable because they were simple— people who love one another spending time together. Our upbringing taught us to value connection in meaningful moments created by loved ones. Our mission was to reintroduce that experience; to create moments where people could be present; to give a space where they could be themselves and express their appreciation to each other by giving attention, time, and love. It seems too cliché to say, but the greatest memories are created through the fine details—it’s the energy we bring into the room, it’s the smile when you deliver a product, it’s being welcome to give and receive.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
You can’t have a breakthrough without something to breakthrough. Our biggest struggle was learning to believe in our vision and how to navigate through the unknown. We have to say this; we did NOT feel ready. When we started our business, we had no direct guidance and were “figuring it out” as we went on. A lot of people never start for that reason. Although we’ve been presented with challenges almost daily, part of the fun has been figuring it out— both the business and ourselves. In our case, this has been learning to be self-taught and self-driven. It’s been learning how to market our business, to learn flower arrangements, networking, budgeting, and even creating our logo because at the time, we didn’t have the budget to hire someone, all of this while learning how to work with your sibling. It’s challenging to face challenges together because of our own personal differences, but also how to rely on each other. Our relationship has grown immensely because of all we’ve worked through, mainly because we’re learning not to ignore our differences but how to grow through them. Both of us have proved to ourselves that we can do more and that we can figure it out. Jeannette quit her job to bet on herself, on her dream, because these “struggles” we’ve encountered have taught us that we’re capable of achieving our dreams and more.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Bajo La Luna Events?
We are two sisters who value genuine connection and spending time with loved ones, If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we must treasure the little moments. As our beloved Nina Celia Cruz said “La vida es una hermosura, hay que vivirla.”
From special celebrations, reunions, romantic gestures, private events, all the way to “just because,” our mission is to cater experiences that will inspire our guests into rebelieving in the power of AMOR by reconnecting them with the present moment, to each other, and to themselves.
Our goal is to share a space where magic can be felt and visions can come to life. We strive to create one-of-a-kind events and promise to deliver the best service by reassuring that every detail matters.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
To create and to be part of the joy that we bring our clients. There is a genuine sense of purpose, excitement, and joy when we host our events. Our business wasn’t created for the sake of quitting our jobs or making money, it was to change how we were spending our time and energy on the daily. We love how we can incorporate ourselves into our work, that we can create extraordinary impacts through kind gestures and genuine connections. Memories are created by how we connect with others. It’s being kind, present, respectful, and appreciative of one another. Through Bajo la Luna, we get to do that every time we create an event. We create and do business from a loving place. We shift the energy from our everyday lives to bring people into the present. Our clients celebrate friendships, anniversaries, engagements, proposals, and we help them make those celebrations memorable. We feel like magicians. The cool part is that our magic isn’t an illusion, we just make it feel like magic when you realize there’s no tricks when we roll up our sleeves, just our hearts.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @bajolaluna_events
- Facebook: bajolaluna_events
- Other: Tik Tok bajolaluna_events
Image Credits
Photographers: Victor Leon & Gabriel Reyes
