Category: Graduate Features

I’m Ayla Otto, owner and founder of Events by Ayla, LLC, a full-service wedding design and planning company based in Alaska. My husband, Kyle, and I were both born and raised in Homer, Alaska. Kyle and I met when I was 18 and we’ve been together for 11 years! We currently live in the MatSu Valley with our three sons (who are all 4 years old and under). In 2017, I graduated with my Bachelors in Hospitality and Event Management from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. In 2019, I started dreaming of a way I could help people while also incorporating my passions. That’s when Events by Ayla was created! I’ve been in business for 4 years and love it more every single year!

I’d graduated with my Bachelors Degree in 2004, and I decided to go back and pursue my Masters Degree in 2007. In those 3 years, I was trying to find a job that I really thought I would be happy doing. My dream was always to work for an advertising agency in New York City! However, when I met my (eventual) husband in 2005, I decided this was no longer the path I wanted to take. I hated every job I had that required me to be stuck in an office from 9am – 5pm every day. I just knew I wasn’t cut out for that. So, I gave some thought as to what really made me happy…

Photographer: Eric Jordan of Jordan Viision Meet QC Event School graduate, Tyler Reid! Location: Atlanta, GA QC Courses you’ve taken: Luxury Wedding & Event Planning Destination Wedding Planning Website: https://www.eminentevents.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EminentEventsPlanning/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eminent.events/ Pinterest: https://bit.ly/45c5LAx Tell us a little bit about yourself, Tyler. Hi there, I’m Tyler and I’m a QC Event School graduate! […]

Name: Carli Lewis Location: Wellington, Colorado QC Event Planning Certification Courses You’re Taking: Event & Wedding Planning Event Decor Corporate Event Planning Virtual Events Training Tell us a little bit about yourself! Hey, I’m Carli! I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Colorado. I’m a live-in nanny and a self-proclaimed macaroni and […]

Name: Afton Romrell Location: Midvale, Utah QC Event Planning Certification Courses You’ve Taken: Event & Wedding Planning Event Decor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventfully_sweet/ Tell us a little bit about yourself! I was born and raised in Idaho. The summers there are beautiful – and yes, before you ask, I have worked on a potato farm! When I was […]

Name: Lauren Ballinger Location: Oromocto, New Brunswick QC Event Planning Classes You’re Taking: Event & Wedding Planning Accelerate Your Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenballinger21/ Tell us a little bit about yourself! Hi, my name is Lauren. I live in a small, military-based town in rural New Brunswick with my husband and our beautiful, energetic twin girls. Over the […]

Name: Jenny Alperin Location: Austin, Texas QC Courses you’ve taken / are taking: Corporate Event Planning Promotional Event Planning Your website: https://www.rosepopparties.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosepopparties/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosepopparties/ Tell us a little bit about yourself! I have been in the event organizing and planning field since I can remember! My senior project in high school was running, organizing, […]

Name: Carmella Smeir Location: Jerusalem (Israel) and Dubai (United Arab Emirates) QC Courses you’ve taken: Event & Wedding Planning Your website: www.carmellitaevents.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarmellitaEvents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmellitaevents/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy2tUy7i9L-jItiirQ-hmfQ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZS948XX2/ Tell us a little bit about yourself! My name is Carmella Smeir. I was born in Jerusalem and then raised in Dubai, where I lived for 24 […]

Name: Katherine Dionne Location: Scottsdale, Arizona QC Courses you’ve taken / are taking: Event & Wedding Planning Event Décor Luxury Wedding & Event Planning Corporate Event Planning Travel & Tourism Virtual Events Training Your website: www.jetaimeweddings.org Your Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jetaimeweddings/ Your Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakemanagement/ Tell us a little bit about yourself! Hi! I’m Katie. I am the […]

Name: Savanna Wharton-Lake Location: Trinidad and Tobago QC Courses you’ve taken / are taking: Event & Wedding Planning Event Décor Your Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakemanagement/ Tell us a little bit about yourself! I’m from Trinidad and Tobago, a small island in the Caribbean. I have lived here my entire life, except for the four years I spent […]