By: Juliana Pires Johnson
@roundtownevents
Round Town Events Co-Founders Carley Ansell and Lindsay Nakayama have been best friends since they were 6 years old and always dreamt of a business together. These boss babes have built their company on a foundation of talent, passion, trust, support and intuition. They care about their clients, personalize packages for every scale and type of event and truly put their heart and soul into their work. We witnessed the girls pivot and persevere when COVID forced the events, and those businesses dependent on them, to pause completely.
They have put together fêtes for so many A-listers like Desi Perkins, Jasmine Tookes, Lais Ribeiro and The Skinny Confidential but what really sets them apart is they treat and make everyone they work with feel A+.
We got the chance to virtually ask the girls about navigating this tough year, actionable tips on what to focus on for at-home gatherings and how the event space is forever changed post-COVID.
Q: When COVID hit and restrictions were put in place, what were some of the immediate steps you took to keep the business alive and help clients with planned events still put something “at home” together? What did these events start looking like?
A: We made a game plan for all of our existing clients to make sure we could reschedule their events and weddings. Like everyone- it was challenging not to have a crystal ball, but it was important that they knew they weren’t alone in navigating this unknown territory. Once clients became comfortable having smaller at home events, we created a package to create a design, source vendors, and do set up only. This eliminated extra people at events and gave us a chance to offer something clients could enjoy with just their immediate families or close friends.
We also came up with gift boxes to stay creative and engaged with our clients. Each box contained items from small business here in LA so we could spread the love and support our vendors, while still offering something personal and unique.
Q: What is the best way to do “at home” gatherings to this day and do you feel these will become more prevalent, even as COVID fears are over? How is it that people can take these learnings and tips to now celebrate events with friends and family in different cities and even countries instead of focusing only on physical events?
A: At home events are absolutely more prevalent! In a crazy way- it was a silver lining to the restrictions. We found that people were excited to use the space they had, and it gave us the fun challenge of transforming their space to make it feel special and unique. It was also wonderful for the event industry because it kept vendors working! With public spaces off the table, we were able to hire our caterers, rental companies, florists, etc. to bring the event to clients’ homes.
Q: As small gatherings started to become allowed and manageable, how did the smaller scale events you produced become more personalized and safer? For instance, do you now always have a face mask section/ sanitization section? How do you plan these in a way that makes everyone feel safe, connected and healthy?
A: Every small event during COVID came with safety precautions- from sanitizing stations, temperature checks, mandatory testing to personal food boxes, single serving drinks and distanced seating. We made an effort to incorporate these elements as seamlessly as possible to maintain the aesthetic while being sure guests still felt safe.
Q: What are some tips for people looking to plan small gatherings? Where should they host and what should they focus on?
A: We’ve found that outdoor is key! Not only is it safer and guests feel more at ease, but it naturally leads itself to a more distanced event. Living in California, weather is usually on our side and even when it’s not, we’ve made it work! Bringing in different tent designs with fun lighting has further transformed spaces and makes an event feel a bit more formal.
Food is another great way to make a small event stand out. Personal picnic boxes, creative displays and single serving drinks are both safe and beautiful! Adding custom tags, personalization or a fun design can really elevate the experience.
Q: On a limited budget, what are the key things people should spend money and time on to create a special event and what are the main decor elements to focus on? Invites, flowers, food, location?
A: Key spends can vary based on the type of event…for a wedding, food is key, but a social event might have more of an emphasis on décor. Weddings during COVID have become more of an elevated dinner party experience. Guests want to connect, have thoughtful conversation and celebrate in a more intimate setting. Whereas a social event becomes more of a visual experience. There is mingling of course, but atmosphere is key!
Q: What Is the legacy that the pandemic will leave for events? What are people never going to overlook again/ always require/ think about?
A: Reviewing a contract will never be the same. Everyone is hyperaware of backup plans, postponement options and cancellation policies. It’s not sexy, but it’s important. We’ve never been more aware of how little we can control. Rain plans used to be the standard plan b… now it’s a plan c and sometimes even a plan d!
Q: What are you most looking forward to this year?
A: Getting back to it! We miss our clients, bringing joy and fun to people’s lives and, of course… the dance parties! We love the people we work with and our job quickly went from bringing the party to delivering bad news on a daily basis. It was tough but we’re seeing things turn around and we’re ready!
Q: Do you guys have any wellness routines to keep your mind and body strong as badass entrepreneurs?
A: Ah yes! This is the beauty of having two of us – we keep each other in check! Many times over the last year we’d chat about what to do, what would come next, how was this happening? Then we’d look forward and realize… when this comes back, it’s going to come back in a big way so we better rest!
We try to start our days with us time- exercise, meditation, journaling. First thing is key- especially now because we have no idea what each day will bring. We give a lot of ourselves to do what we do and making time for us and our friends and family truly keeps us going. It’s easy to get lost in it and we lean on our tribes to keep us present.