I am Rachel Elizabeth Hollis. A wife, a mother, a Southern Girl, an LA Woman, and for all intents and purposes Event and Wedding Planner Extraordinaire! I LOVE parties… I love everything about them. I love the food, the wine, having friends and family and people from all walks of life together in one well-decorated space! I love giving people something to get excited about. I love themes, and cocktail napkins, and finding the perfect platter to display the turkey. I love all of these things, because everyone I love, loves them too. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like a good party… and if there are people out there who don’t, maybe that’s just because you haven’t been to one of mine.
I am not a debutant, I didn’t grow up with money and “entertaining” wasn’t even part of the vernacular until I became an adult. I am a preacher’s daughter, the baby of four and, ever the entertainer, I’m sure I came out of the womb talking or doing some kind of tap dance. Growing up, our family didn’t refer to it as entertaining, we just always had people over, always had parties, always made the biggest fattest deal out of every holiday and birthday. I believe a lot of that has to do with Southern Hospitality, but regardless of how much (or little) money we had, everyone was always welcome. We weren’t the Brady’s, far from it in fact. My parents divorced when I was a teenager. But those Christmases, those barbeques, those anniversary parties are the most precious memories of my childhood. It is how I learned to show love: by cooking, by baking, by welcoming guests into our home, by setting the table with the best china… even on a random weeknight, there was always place for celebration.
I started Chic Events in January of 2004, and truthfully, I was anything but Chic at the time. But I believe Chic is the pursuit of the fabulous, about wanting to be something greater than you are, more beautiful inside and out and to live a glamorous life, even if some days that might just mean putting the takeout on a real plate before you eat it. I believe that as a society, this art of entertaining, of perfectly chilled martinis, and beautifully crafted centerpieces has been lost and forgotten. Clients will pay me hundreds of thousands of dollars to help them plan the party of their dreams, but they wont dare attempt it themselves. I suppose, like anything else, if you didn’t grow up doing this, it might seem daunting and impossible. But I think, if you’re willing to give it a try, to roll up your sleeves, put on your vintage apron, and throw back a vodka tonic (for courage, of course) and make an attempt to flex your hosting muscles you’ll be surprised how capable you really are.
About Rachel
I am Rachel Elizabeth Hollis. A wife, a mother, a Southern Girl, an LA Woman, and for all intents and purposes Event and Wedding Planner Extraordinaire! I LOVE parties… I love everything about them. I love the food, the wine, having friends and family and people from all walks of life together in one well-decorated space! I love giving people something to get excited about. I love themes, and cocktail napkins, and finding the perfect platter to display the turkey. I love all of these things, because everyone I love, loves them too. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like a good party… and if there are people out there who don’t, maybe that’s just because you haven’t been to one of mine.
I am not a debutant, I didn’t grow up with money and “entertaining” wasn’t even part of the vernacular until I became an adult. I am a preacher’s daughter, the baby of four and, ever the entertainer, I’m sure I came out of the womb talking or doing some kind of tap dance. Growing up, our family didn’t refer to it as entertaining, we just always had people over, always had parties, always made the biggest fattest deal out of every holiday and birthday. I believe a lot of that has to do with Southern Hospitality, but regardless of how much (or little) money we had, everyone was always welcome. We weren’t the Brady’s, far from it in fact. My parents divorced when I was a teenager. But those Christmases, those barbeques, those anniversary parties are the most precious memories of my childhood. It is how I learned to show love: by cooking, by baking, by welcoming guests into our home, by setting the table with the best china… even on a random weeknight, there was always place for celebration.
I started Chic Events in January of 2004, and truthfully, I was anything but Chic at the time. But I believe Chic is the pursuit of the fabulous, about wanting to be something greater than you are, more beautiful inside and out and to live a glamorous life, even if some days that might just mean putting the takeout on a real plate before you eat it. I believe that as a society, this art of entertaining, of perfectly chilled martinis, and beautifully crafted centerpieces has been lost and forgotten. Clients will pay me hundreds of thousands of dollars to help them plan the party of their dreams, but they wont dare attempt it themselves. I suppose, like anything else, if you didn’t grow up doing this, it might seem daunting and impossible. But I think, if you’re willing to give it a try, to roll up your sleeves, put on your vintage apron, and throw back a vodka tonic (for courage, of course) and make an attempt to flex your hosting muscles you’ll be surprised how capable you really are.