Meet Sarah Tokarz and Emma Clark of Moss & Maeve Event Planning & Styling in Denver Metro Area

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Tokarz and Emma Clark.

Sarah and Emma, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
We have always been captivated by beautiful events. We found passion in this industry before we were even working in it. There is something so special about curating an event for someone that is personal and unique to them. We knew from the day we met each other that we shared the same creative passion for this industry and we could not wait to dive in.

We’re not exactly sure how most small business begins, but for us, it started in a rundown hotel room at 1 in the morning after a long, hard wedding day in the mountains. We had been working for a reputable wedding planner based out of the Denver area, but we were at a place where we felt we had given all we had to offer in the position that we were in. We had so many creative ideas about how to make a statement in this industry and we were ready to pursue them and create a name for ourselves.

It was a scary idea to leave the only opportunity we had to get our foot in the door, but we decided to take a leap of faith and head into the unknown. We wanted to explore what this industry had to offer and we were determined to carry out our dream of finding out.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
This has been the most challenging but rewarding year of our lives. We started this business working full-time jobs, one as a nanny and the other a nurse. Working full time and trying to launch a business from the ground up is exhausting and at times, we were wondering if we had made the right decision.

The beginning of this journey was probably the hardest part of the entire experience. Before we had booked any couples, we were scrambling for months trying to find a voice in this industry. For example, we went door to door to different venues all around the Denver area just to give them our card and let them know who we were. We planned “styled shoots” which is a faux wedding photoshoot that you can design from the ground up to procure photos for advertising purposes. Through these shoots, we met so many vendors who were so talented, hard-working and kind. Their support through our launch of this business has been amazing and we so appreciate the feedback we’ve received along the way.

We’ve learned how important it is to be humble along the way and to take every moment and experience and turn it into a lesson. Our goal this entire time was not only to own a successful business but to grow and get better along the way.

It also took a while for us to learn how to work productively as a team. Learning how to mesh personalities and opinions can be difficult at times, but we’ve taken the time and care to understand each other and respect where the other is coming from. It’s so important to remember to stay calm (especially during hectic wedding days) and keep communicating effectively.

Some days are easier than others and we’ve definitely struggled in the past. Sometimes you question the late nights, the emails that come in nonstop while you’re working your day job, the weekends that you give up for extra work. But the experiences and lessons we’ve received along the way have been so worth it.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Moss & Maeve is a wedding planning company that plans elegant and flawless events that are personal and unique to our clients. We work closely with our clients, building a trusting relationship to ensure that they have the event of their dreams. Our goal is to control the chaos of the wedding day and turn a couple’s vision into a reality.

We strive to get to know our clients on a personal basis so we can plan an event that speaks to them as individuals and as a couple. We like to meet with our clients in person regularly so it’s not just an impersonal process for them. The wedding planning process should be fun and exciting and we want to keep it that way.

We are fresh eyes in this industry and are coming in with brand new ideas and a sense of style. We also have enough experience in the industry to know how to treat vendors and clients with respect. Customer service is such an important aspect of this industry and we’ve really taken the time to learn from our past experiences how to treat the people we work with. We always take our clients lead and support them in what they want to get out of the process. Whether it’s helping change the font in bar signage or finding the only type of sparklers certain venues allow for a sparkler exit, we always try to go above and behind to give our clients exactly what they want.

What were you like growing up?
Sarah –
I was SO shy when I was little. I am the youngest of 3 girls so I grew up around a lot of chaos so I was okay with hiding in the shadows for the majority of my childhood. The thing I always loved when I was growing up was performances and events. I was a dancer my whole life. I have always loved the craft and detail that went into putting on an event.

If you ask any of my childhood friends, I’ve always been a planner by nature. Whether it was a birthday party, small get together or my own wedding that truly made me fall in love with this industry three years ago, I was hooked. My personality after I left high school bloomed like a flower. I went from being shy and reserved to very outspoken and independent. I found the person I’ve always wanted to become as I matured into my 20’s and stopped worrying about what everyone else thought of me. At times I feel like I have to pinch myself for the things that I have been able to accomplish in my 29 years of life.

If I could co back and tell my younger self one thing it would be, Chase your dreams girl! Stop worrying about what other people think of you. Their thoughts are none of your business, they are only barriers to your happiness and success. And eat that piece of cake too, life is short!

It’s no longer just a dream of mine to be a successful wedding planner and to have a voice in this industry, it’s my reality!

Emma-
I grew up in Boulder, Colorado with two younger brothers. I was bossy and sassy and pretty much tried to make them do whatever I said. We’d always have creative projects going on that we came with on our own, like filming and editing movies on our dad’s camera.

I was also always the kind of kid that participated in anything active. I was on half a dozen different sports team, but anything creative and out of the box was what stood out to me and made me feel like I was where I was supposed to be.

By the time high school rolled around, my interest in theater and design began to grow. I would act in some plays or work on stage crew in others and both roles made me feel so happy and like I had found my place. By senior year, I was the president of our theater troupe and ready to move on to bigger shows and events to plan.

If you had told me then I would have started my own wedding planning business, I would have told you that you were crazy. I never would have dreamed that I would have had the nerve to follow my passion and try to create something that was all mine. But looking back now, I think all my interests came together to lead me exactly where I am today.