Meet Kayley Vogel | Owner and Lead Wedding Planner – Sparked Weddings and Events

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kayley Vogel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kayley, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always liked to build things. Whether it was a fort as a young child or helping my dad fix or build items around the house – I loved to see everything start from just materials and transform into the final product. The same could be said for why I wanted to start my own business. The value and happiness that comes from building something from nothing and watching it grow will always be exciting to me.

I went to college and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management but while attending classes, I worked numerous jobs from banquet server to wedding planning intern. When I interned for a wedding planner I quickly found that I had a passion for helping create, build, and execute someone’s wedding day. I interned and worked for a local wedding planner for four years and developed my skills and knowledge within the wedding industry.

Once I graduated with my degree, I accepted a full-time job and stopped working with weddings. Throughout March-June 2020, I found myself taking time to reflect on what is truly important to me in life and I kept coming back to starting my own wedding planning business. Many months later, in November 2020, I officially launched my small business, Sparked Weddings and Events. The sense of building something from nothing was restored in my life and I look forward to working hard and watching this business grow.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My small business is Sparked Weddings and Events and we create, plan, and execute weddings and events. I recently started this business in November 2020 but have been helping plan weddings and events for 5 years. Throughout my life, I have always loved planning events and watching something grow from individual parts to a culmination of items/ one finished product. This passion to plan and execute weddings and events led me to college, where I received a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Hospitality Management. While in college, I worked many jobs but the one that impacted my life the most was my job as a wedding planning intern. My passion for events grew tenfold and I quickly discovered weddings as one of my top interests.

Once I graduated, I accepted a full-time job but stopped working with weddings. Throughout March-June 2020, I found myself taking time to reflect on what is truly important to me in life and I kept coming back to starting my own wedding planning business. Many months later, in November 2020, I officially launched my small business, Sparked Weddings and Events.

I believe what sets us apart from others is our personalized approach and willingness to accommodate (most requests). Throughout this process, I am most proud of starting this business when I was 23 and chasing this dream while working a full-time job in addition. The journey, thus far, has not been easy but it sure as hell is rewarding. Nothing good ever comes easy and I couldn’t be happier that owning and building a wedding and event business is what I have the opportunity to do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For the best time in Grand Junction, CO/Western Slope of CO this would be my itinerary:

Monday – Hike in the Colorado National Monument and bring lunch from the 7th Street Deli, dinner out at the Handlebar Restaurant after

Tuesday – Spend time shopping downtown and exploring the town itself, coffee at Kiln Coffee Bar, lunch at Cafe Sol, and dinner at Bin 707

Wednesday – Drive up to the Grand Mesa and spend time hiking around and driving through the entire Mesa, make a full loop and dip down over to the Delta/Montrose area, go to drinks at a local Speakeasy Phelanies and dinner at a local favorite The Stone House

Thursday – Wine tasting in Palisade all day! Start with breakfast at the Palisade Cafe followed with a coffee from Cokpeka Coffe then head out to the multiple vineyards on a Wine Tour with JR’s Carriage Services.

Friday – Relaxation day with lunch at Devil’s Kitchen and then if this is in the summer we would stop by the Friday Food Truck days.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give a special shoutout to my Dad, Kirk Vogel, who has shown and taught me so many important life lessons but more specifically exactly how to be a small business owner. My Dad has been an entrepreneur and small business owner for as long as I can remember and whether it was intentional or not, he has led by example on how to work hard for success and be truly dedicated to your dream.

I would also like to give a special shoutout to my fiance, Austin Kutcher, as he has been instrumental in pushing me to open a small business. He is my constant support on the long evenings or weekends of working many hours to support and build timeless and creative events and weddings for our couples/clients.

Another shoutout to my Mom and Sister, Susan and Erin Vogel, as they have been dedicated to supporting this dream throughout all facets.

Website: https://www.sparkedweddingsandevents.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparkedweddings/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayley-vogel-9a7390121/

Image Credits
Kimberly Crist Photography Carved Tree Photography – Jordan Perry Kelsey Hoisington Photography