Today we’d like to introduce you to Aly Leavitt.
Hi Aly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Los Angeles (Downey) with my father, a native of LA, my mom, and my three sisters. My father was the king of a good time. He taught me how to have fun and the joys of life in southern California. He loved all people and treated everyone he met with respect and equality; it didn’t matter what your title or status in life was to my dad; he innately loved people. He passed down that love of life and people to me. He loved showing us different parts of Los Angeles, including selective delicious holes-in-the-wall restaurants. From a very early age, I knew Los Angeles well and the delicious food even better. I feel very connected to Los Angeles; I have always taken pride in being from a city that so many people find acceptance in. I am an Angeleno; my father was an Angeleno, and now my daughter is an Angeleno. This city lives in me and my family.
When my father died of cancer, I was on the precipice of adulthood. We had gotten his diagnosis on my 19th birthday, and I believed with my whole being that my Angeleno father would live and one day show his grandchildren the best pancakes in Los Angeles (The Pantry, btw). When my father died, he left behind four young daughters (my youngest sister was 9 at the time) and a wife that did not know how she was going to afford to live in this city, so my mom sold our family home and moved to Utah. Utah is a beautiful state, but it is no LA. I refused to leave at first and lived with various friends for about 6 months until I was needed in Utah to help with my little sisters. I graduated from Utah Valley University, but not before attending at least a dozen weddings. In Utah, they don’t wait to get married after graduation. In fact, many of my classmates were already married. This was a culture shock to me, along with the obviously very different culture in Orem, Utah, versus Los Angeles, California. All of these weddings had one thing in common: they were budget-friendly. Attending these budget-friendly weddings, I saw many family members of the couples putting together the events. So, when my own younger sister found the love of her life, I knew that we would be in charge of the wedding.
My sister’s budget was $10,000 for everything. We found a beautiful venue and decided to do all the food and flowers ourselves. We even had a popcorn bar. My whole family helped. My mom planned and coordinated, my aunts cooked for days, I arranged flowers with a family friend, and we spray-painted mason jars gold and glittery. We really put that wedding together ourselves. Because my mother is incredibly organized, she planned it herself, the wedding was beautiful and family oriented and special. When we all hit the dance floor, and everyone was smiling and laughing and enjoying themselves, I felt my happy-go-lucky father there. When we danced as a family to the first dance, I was reminded that not all families look the same and neither should wedding “traditions.” At the end of the night, when we were still left cleaning up and packing the cars, I realized I never wanted another mother of the couple to have to clean and pack at the end of such an amazing event.
After that first wedding for my sister, Sarah, I started gifting my services of coordinating and planning to friends and family members. Then my next sister, Rachel, was getting married, and again I did the flowers and coordinated that day, and finally, my third sister, Lizzy, got married. By then, we were good at doing weddings. Most people only have one wedding in their life, but in a family of four girls, we had three weddings within a few years. With each family member or friend’s wedding, I got better at anticipating what each bridal party needed to ensure a carefree day. After college, I had moved back to my home to Los Angeles and had begun teaching as my day job. I am still a teacher and often tell couples that their wedding day will be much less stressful than teaching 28 middle schoolers. I realized quickly, like all teachers, that I need a side hustle, so why not coordinate events for people outside of my circle of family and friends? I knew there were other wonderful people out there who deserved to have their best day ever.
About six years ago, I was asked if I wanted to be added to a preferred vendor list at a venue that sadly closed during the pandemic. That was the real kickstart to my day of coordinating business.
We specialize in unique weddings that truly represent the couples we work with, and we help couples be as cost-efficient as possible. I have employed my family members and friends, and now my childhood best friend, Brittany Batiste, is my business partner. We now bring our partners and sisters to assist us in our events. All of us strive to provide not only a stress-free day but one that is filled with joy and happiness. Since we are all working class, we strive to provide our services at an affordable rate. We love all people and feel that everyone deserves a special day to celebrate their love and for their friends and family to share in that love.
We have been a part of so many people’s best day ever. Each of their weddings and events have helped us become who we are as coordinators.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We love what we are doing, and we hand-pick the events we want to be a part of, so for the most part, it has been a really fun adventure. Of course, there have been events that we wish we could go back and change things, but as we have gotten better at anticipating needs, we have been able to work through those bumps easier. There have also been a few curve balls thrown our way, even with our flexible mindset that something is going to need fixing or go wrong.
I would say some of the harder ones were a couple who booked the bartenders for the wrong date. Luckily, someone in the family was a bartender, and we were able to help them get insurance within a few minutes, and they spent the night serving the guests. Now, my partner is the bartender I always have on hand in case that ever happens again.
Every bump has become a lesson learned and has made us a stronger team. We have been very honored to work with amazing brides, grooms, and partners who have made it a smooth road.
We’ve been impressed with Best Day Ever Events LA, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our business is called Best Day Ever Events La. We are a small women-owned business that specializes in day of coordinating and planning for special events. We mainly do weddings, though, and that feels special to us. We love being a part of couples’ love stories and making their vision come alive. We love couples who are looking for a feeling or a vibe. We are known for coordinating beautiful events so that the amazing couples we serve have a relaxing, enjoyable day and are able to cherish their time with family and friends. If your readers are interested in having help planning or coordinating a special day in their life, we want to be there with them making sure they get everything they want out of that day.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
I loved being outdoors and playing in the backyard, at a park, or at the beach. All of my favorite memories involve being outdoors and with my family. I go back to the same specific memory of being very young at a family beach bonfire at Huntington Beach. We would meet up with my dad’s side of the family during the summer for bonfires. I remember roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire and going to splash in the water even when the sun was going down. I am a water baby, so still, in the summer, you will find me in the water, floating over the waves. I remember sitting on my mom’s lap and being wrapped in a big serape. I can still smell the bonfire and feel its warmth on my bare feet resting on the cement bonfire circle. I love the beach to this day.
Pricing:
- Coordinating packages start at 1,500 dollars and vary based on size and venue of the event. We spend time with our couples leading up to the day of the event to ensure that their vision is realized.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Sheryl Bale
Jess Livingston
Cassy Smith
Vanessa Jane
Alexa Lena
