DIY, Events, Features

Tough As A Mother

October 27, 2020

What a year 2020 has been! I feel so incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to celebrate a “Mom’s Night Out” with an event that brought so much joy and much-needed positivity.

IT STARTED WITH…

As with most projects, Tough as a Mother started with an idea! This one sparked from a conversation with Lilian from Just Merried Events, who helped plan a fall baby sprinkle I co-hosted last year. The pandemic had us both juggling mom-life and work-life in a totally new way, and we both looked forward to a creative project and outlet. At the same time, we were really starting to see the effects of months of social isolation wearing on us. I envisioned having an intimate, safe gathering with a small bubble of friends in my backyard at the end of summer, and the idea of a backyard movie night was born.

MOMS DO IT ALL…

As we talked more about this idea, we KNEW it had to be a mom’s night out. Mamas have been shouldering even more than ever this year, even navigating the monster that is distance learning with their young kids. Finn loved exploring the setup and sampling the cotton candy before all the mamas showed up.

By far, the most important job in the world is motherhood. Cheers to all the moms who sacrifice their lives, their time, and their sanity to care for a special little person. Cheers to the scars you received and the tears you shed in the daily course of loving someone else. There’s no village without you.

EXPERIENCES OVER THINGS…

Creating is what I thrive on, and creating experiences is so rewarding because someone (in this case, my MOM TRIBE, a small group of my closest friends) actually gets to enjoy everything at the end of it all – we’re not just staging something charming + wonderful for a few photos. Experiences build and nurture relationships, experiences create lifelong memories, and experiences bring so much joy. AND on top of it all, I get to help shine some light on amazing local businesses (keep reading for more details on the incredible crew that brought this event together)!

So amazed by talented Pasadena photographer (and brand new mama) Katrina Kim who came out to capture these charming memories, with a 2-month old at home!

CREATING THE EXPERIENCE…

Local event specialists Ambiance AV transformed my backyard into an incredible movie theater with custom lighting, giant cinema screen, surround sound, and even movie previews! Upon entering, guests were greeted by The Jolly Sheep’s popcorn (my backyard even SMELLED like a movie theater!) and cotton candy cart – the cutest setup serving up yummy theater treats. The most unique, beautiful, and comfy cinema “seating” was provided by Collective Rentals. And bringing it all together were decorative touches by Violette’s Flowers, who utilized mostly dried florals in her fall, boho arrangements, and PopopBalloons, who created the sweetest peachy balloon installations to liven up the entrance and movie screen. These vendors created a magical mini oasis for us to relax + unwind in – what an unforgettable experience! mom’s night out

YOU DESERVE IT, MAMA…

Moms deserve to be treated to nice things more often than they are, and I knew we needed to send each QUEEN home with a swag bag full of goodies to enjoy. We found some beautiful eco-friendly jute totes that could be customized, and local calligrapher + watercolor artist Leslie of Leslie Writes it All graciously sent us her “Tough as a Mother” artwork (which was such a fitting motto for the event) to print on the bags, which were filled with the BEST goodies from amazing sponsors – there was something to eat, drink, use, and wear! Fall cupcakes from Dots Cafe, a little bubbly from Rosé All Day, the prettiest modern jewelry from Via Saviene, custom cookies with a charming PC logo from SoEn Cookie Gram, the cutest mochi donuts from HaiDonut LA, and beautiful stickers from Leslie Writes it All. mom’s night out

GATHERING RESPONSIBLY + SAFELY…

Safety was at the top of the priority list for this event. COVID-19 is no joke, and we’ve all been doing our part to keep each other safe. I wanted everyone to be able to come together and enjoy themselves without compromising anyone’s health and safety.

The guest count was kept to a minimum of under 10 guests so that everyone could spread out in my backyard. I also wanted each Queen to have her own “throne” for the evening, and Collective Rentals’ collection of unique, designer-picked furniture pieces created a beautiful, welcoming, socially distant outdoor cinema like no other.

All food and drinks were packaged individually to keep everything low-contact. Stems CA created the most beautifully delicious “me-time” graze platters, and Little Lily’s Kitchen delivered charming dinner sets (basically a mini 3-course meal!) with an incredible salad, soup, and arepa. They also crafted the yummiest cocktails in cute, individual-sized milk bottles. Each mama had a little side table next to their mom throne to enjoy their Mom Noms and Mom Juices throughout the evening safely. mom’s night out

RAFFLE PRIZES!!!

The cherry on top…what’s a party without some prizes? Our Place generously sponsored their highly coveted Always pan (I call it a WONDER PAN because it does it ALL!) for one lucky mama to bring home. More amazing prizes to spoil these mamas with…Masks by Susan + Sam created a custom embroidered charm mask, and The SommMom sponsored the coolest wine with custom Tough as a Mother labels.

CHEERS TO MY QUEENS!

SPREADING POSITIVE VIBES…

2020 hasn’t been kind to us, but we’ve got this! This crazy year has taught me to appreciate the little things more and more and to be grateful for the support system I have. So thankful for the opportunity to bring a little joy + spread a little love with this mom’s night out!