Meet Bec Koop and Madlyne Kelly of Irie Weddings & Events in Central Denver

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bec Koop and Madlyne Kelly.

Irie Weddings & Events came to life in early 2014 when Bec Koop was working as a budtender at a dispensary in Alma, CO on the week days and working as a floral designer for weddings and events on the weekends.

The “ah-ha” moment occurred when Koop placed leftover flowers around her freshly cut cannabis plant and she decided “cannabis weddings” could be a thing!

From there, Madlyne Kelly joined forces with Koop and learned how to lawfully and tastefully incorporate cannabis into wedding celebrations.

Now, Irie Weddings & Events has chapters of businesses in Denver, Aspen, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seatlle with Boston right around the corner for late fall 2019!

During the first wedding season, Irie Weddings & Events served cannabis to approximately 450 folks. Now on its 5th wedding season, Irie has served over 10,000 folks and even assisted 150 guests with their first time consumption of cannabis.

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?
It has been a very challenging road to get this business to where it is today!

There have been many chats with lawyers & state level cannabis board members. We feel that cannabis and alcohol should be handled in a similar fashion and with the same level of responsibility. Irie has been fighting to get similar treatment while being a mobile budtending business which is very similar to a mobile bartending business.

It also took us being in business for 4 years prior to the insurance world catching up with our business for them to finally offer a plan that offers full business coverage. We now are one of the very few companies in the entire country that has Cannabis Consumption Liability Insurance which is very comparable to Liquor Liability Insurance.

Banking has also been a bear as the cannabis industry has been denied the right to reasonable banking options. This unfortunately translated into us losing several bank accounts even though we are simply a service based ancillary business.

Irie Weddings & Events has made it their goal to “break the stigma” around cannabis consumption which still continues to be an uphill battle with some venues. As a result, we have taken the time to educate many venue owners and fellow event industry professionals about safe & legal cannabis consumption at events.

Our haters are our motivators! We are not afraid of a challenge and hope to continue to change 1,000s of minds annually!

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Irie Weddings & Events is here to help clients learn about tasteful ways to legally incorporate cannabis into their special celebrations.

Our primary service is mobile cannabis bars with professional, experienced and insured budtenders. Irie coaches their clients thru their cannabis purchase at a licensed dispensary and then offers education to the consumers at the cannabis bar. The goal is to provide safe serving practices by keeping the consumption regulated and moderated in order to prevent over-consumption or intoxication.

Irie’s budtenders also carry an “over-consumption kit” to every event which is loaded with various natural remedies in case someone gets “too high” and feels uncomfortable.

Our goal is to offer fun and safe cannabis consumption options while creating memories that will last a lifetime! We have heard “Best Wedding Ever” said time and time again and feel blessed to do what we do!

We are also partnered with talented florists and event planners that can help with all of the additional details around putting together the perfect event!

What were you like growing up?
Bec – very adventurous, into both team and individual sports, loved the outdoors and loved working in the service/hospitality space.

Madlyne – although super fun loving and quite the team player, she is always who you want on your side during a debate or dispute, she was always into politics, compliance and making the world a better place than she found it!

Pricing:

• Flower Package : starts at $7.50 per adult 21+. Includes smoking devices, cleaning supplies, signage and insured budtenders. (*Cost of cannabis is separate and much be purchased from a recreational dispensary.)
• Canna-cocktail Package : starts at $12.50 per adult 21+. Includes drink mixers, garnishes, ice, bar equipment and plastic glassware along with signage and insured budtenders. (*Cost of cannabis is separate and much be purchased from a recreational dispensary.)
• Combination Package: starts at $18.50 per adult 21+. Includes both the flower package and canna-cocktail package.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.IrieWeddingsAndEvents.com
• Phone: 1-800-531-2579
• Email: hi@irieweddingsandevents.com
• Instagram: @irieweddingsandevents
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrieWeddingsAndEvents/
• Other: https://www.weddingwire.com/biz/irie-weddings-events-denver/2b60da2a65122175.html

Image Credit:
– Headshots of Bec & Madlyne : All Digital Photography & Video
– Blue Glass with Irie business card : Interstellar Image
– Bride holding cannabis : Carrie Swails Photography
– Budtenders hand : Kenesha Facello Photography
– Couple smoking : Kenesha Facello Photography
– Hands lighting joint : All Digital Photography & Video
– Bride getting ready to smoke : All Digital Photography & Video