A natural-born planner, Maya Mahoney has always loved creating events—even as a child. It stood to reason, then, that she took what started as a side hustle and grew it into a full-time job with her very own company. “Ever since I can remember, I have always led and worked on events, and all of my 9 to 5 jobs had event components to them,” she notes. “And if they didn't, I quickly changed that.”

Launched in 2017, Honey & Lavender (H&L) Events is Mahoney’s dream brought to fruition. What started as a part-time focus later became a full-time focus in 2020. “I haven’t looked back since!” she says.

Naturally, it takes that special something to make couples fall in love with a wedding planner, and Mahoney has that in spades. “One thing that sets H&L apart is our approachability, flexibility and experience,” she says. “I’m often told how easy my team and I are to talk to and work with. We are down-to-earth and friendly, and approach clients as friends and family. We always advocate for our clients to make sure they are taken care of. The fact that people have entrusted me to lead important and memorable events in their lives is incredible to me, and I'm living my dream every day, doing what I love and being my own boss. I love the people I get to meet and work with, and I also love the creative latitude I am given.”

Naturally, the last few years have presented challenges above and beyond those typical to the wedding planning industry, but Mahoney has met them head on and adapted to meet the needs of changing rules, regulations and social norms. “We have the pandemic to thank for this, but couples are changing their perspectives and thoughts on having large weddings and are opting for more intimate affairs,” she notes. “The key to staying relevant as a planner is to be flexible and meet your clients, all of them, where they are with their needs and their vision.”

For more information on Honey & Lavender Events, visit honeyandlavenderevents.com.

Story by -Liesel Schmidt