Today we’d like to introduce you to Deonna Washington.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m a mom of two, an LA native, & small black business owner. Alluring Decors & Delicacies was birthed toward the end of 2015. In early 2015, I found out I was expecting, which was a very difficult thing to process for me especially considering I didn’t have the necessary support outside of my boyfriend. The lack of support from my family initially had me feeling somewhat defeated although I had it “together”. I was in college, had a full-time job, & my own apartment. I think others viewed my pregnancy as me interfering with all of the other positive things that I had going on. Eventually, as time progressed and my baby began to grow (my tummy) I started to become more excited. As shocking as it still was that I was pregnant, my excitement overshadowed any other emotions that I had prior. Eventually, I knew I had a baby shower to plan. Time was flying and my due date was getting closer to approaching. It was time to get the show going (planning for my shower)!
As I began planning for my baby shower, I sought to find the perfect event planner that could bring my vision to life. I knew exactly what I wanted and could vividly envision it. I knew that hiring an event planner would make the most sense. My search began and I came across some very talented black women. However, once we started discussing prices, I immediately knew that there was no way that I was going to make such a large investment. That’s exactly what it would have been, an investment, lol. I didn’t want much, as far as the decor so I didn’t think there would be too much work being put into the planning as a whole. Ultimately, I ended up deciding to wing it. I made it my mission to plan & style my entire baby shower. This was my first event, so it wasn’t exactly how I had initially envisioned but it did turn out very pretty and I was satisfied with my work. From there, I decided I would be the one to plan any other events that I hosted. Next was my daughter’s 1st birthday.
After I had planned and decorated my first two events, my passion for event planning and styling began to grow. I then started doing parties for my family to practice my new skill set. Once I was confident enough to showcase my work, I began planning parties for people outside of my immediate family. I knew that I wanted to bring my client’s visions to life, but I didn’t want them to have to spend an arm and a leg to be able to afford the type of party that they envisioned. I offered very affordable rates that definitely gave “more bang for their buck”.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
For the most part, things have been smooth sailing, but of course there’s always roadblocks and speed bumps that must be faced. I think one of the biggest struggles thus far has been coming to the realization that the amount of work that I put into party planning doesn’t necessarily compensate me adequately. *ding* a HUGE bell in my head went off as I began thinking back on my baby shower & how I was unwilling to spend that pretty penny. I started to understand why event planners set the price points that they set. Coming to this realization has prompted me to do an entire revamp of my event planning services in 2021. I’m ready to hit the ground running!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Alluring Decors & Delicacies specializes in event planning and styling but also provides alluring delicacies such as pudding that are prepared in various different flavors. I am most proud of my determination, my drive to push barriers & challenge myself. I have so many things new things coming in 2021, stay tuned!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was always very outgoing. Shy in front of most people, but outgoing once I got to know others. I was also always very creative & was good at nearly everything that I touched.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: Instagram.com/alluringdecorsndelicacies
