your oregon and pnw wedding dream team
Meet The Ascend Events Team
work with us
Someone who thrives in high-energy moments, tackles challenges head-on, and makes the entire process feel effortless. That’s where we come in.
With over a decade of experience, Ascend Events is all about strategic planning, seamless execution, and a commitment to making sure you actually enjoy your event. From weddings to large-scale festivals, we’ve done it all—and we do it with bold style and unwavering support.
We’re not just planners; we’re your ride-or-die team, making sure you feel secure, stress-free, and excited every step of the way.
You need a planner who gets it.
Kayla is the fearless leader of Ascend Events, bringing over a decade of experience in event planning and an unmatched ability to turn dreams into reality. Her background in corporate and community event planning has given her the skill set to handle any challenge, ensuring every event runs seamlessly. A lover of bold ideas and out-of-the-box thinking, Kayla is known for her honesty, reliability, and ability to make clients feel completely at ease.
founder + lead planner
Kayla
Meet Araceli, but you can call her Celi!
She brings experience and knowledge to this ever growing company, with her years in the hospitality business. Celi thrives on problem solving and thinking outside the box.
Her passion for curating an experience started from a young age. Growing up her favorite movies were always the magical kind. A whimsical dinner party, or a regal princess wedding. Those memories have stuck with her through event and party planning. Celi has always said that she would rather be a Fairy Godmother granting wishes than the princess meeting her prince.
However, now she is getting to do both. When Celi is not planning she spends her time with her husband Rich and their new prince!
Coordinator
Celi
Meet Chelsey!
A mother of two and the creative mastermind behind Fox and Fiddle Designs, specializing in design work, branded merchandise, boutique-style gifts, and accessories. In early 2023, she also launched Fox + Fairways.
Despite her brief bio, Chelsey is a powerhouse, expanding her business by hosting events at local golf courses and exploring new markets.
She thrives in festival settings and is usually found hard at work in her home studio. During her leisure time, Chelsey loves hitting the golf course with her husband.
Virtual Assistant
Chelsey
Born and raised in Illinois, Holly followed her heart (and her fiancé) out west, landing in Humboldt County, California, where they spent seven adventure-filled years before making their way to Oregon in 2021. Shortly after settling in, she welcomed her beautiful daughter and embraced life as a stay-at-home mom, with a side of flower planting, music, and hula hooping.
Holly is all about good vibes, big laughs, and unforgettable moments, which makes her the perfect fit for our events team. Fun fact: she got connected to Kayla through her neighbor, Araceli (who we also adore), and the rest is history! Weddings are hands-down her favorite part of the job, she loves watching each couple’s unique vision come to life and being part of the magic that brings it all together. Every wedding is a little different, but one thing stays the same: it’s always beautiful, always fun, and always worth it.
Event Assistant
Holly
Before she was juggling textbooks and napkin folds, Lena held the title of Miss Oregon Teen 2023 and even walked the Miss America stage in 2024 while competing for the Miss America’s Teen title. That experience opened countless doors and gave her a front-row seat to the power of confidence, connection, and grace under pressure, all things she now brings into the event world like a total pro.
When she’s not in class or helping our team behind the scenes, Lena’s living that busy, joy-filled college life, raising goats (yes, goats!), exploring her passions, and embracing this exciting new chapter. She’s the type of teammate who sees what needs to be done and just does it, all while bringing a calm, uplifting energy that clients and vendors instantly love.
We’re lucky to have her…and you will be too.
Event Assistant
Lena
Lily Jacobs
“Hiring Ascend Events to help me throughout the process of wedding planning and day of coordination was easily the best money I spent on my wedding. Kayla is thoughtful, tactful, experienced and delivers amazing results. She kept me on track, had so many fun ideas and took so much off my plate. I can't imagine what the day would have been like without her & I am so thankful to have had her on my team. My wedding was a dream, in large thanks to her and her team!! Thank you, Kayla!"
"Easily the best money I spent on my wedding"
see our work
From vision to reality, we make sure everything is seamless.
execution
No cookie-cutter events here. We push boundaries to make your event unforgettable.
Creativity
We don’t just plan—we have your back. You can count on us to handle every detail.
Trust
Your event should reflect you. We bring bold ideas but keep your vision at the heart of everything.
authenticity
At Ascend Events, we believe in crafting events that feel deeply personal, completely unique, and effortlessly executed. Our core values guide everything we do:
What We Believe
let's do this
We’re more than just planners—we’re your behind-the-scenes hype team, your professional problem solvers, and your partners in pulling off something unforgettable. If you’re ready for a planning process that’s fun, fearless, and flawlessly executed, we’re ready to roll.
Now That You Know Us, Let’s Make It Official
