With a talent for creating beautiful details and a reputation for outstanding service, She Said Yes Weddings has quickly become one of the most sought after wedding planners in Lake Tahoe. In this post, we get to know She Said Yes owner/planner Karie MacLeod, including what inspires her work, what makes her laugh the hardest, and how she stays grounded and refreshed in the intense business of wedding planning. We know you’ll love her infectious enthusiasm for life, love, and Lake Tahoe!
What brings you the biggest joy in life?
Family. I am a mom and a wife and I have loved seeing us all evolve. Who we all are now is so different from when we started as a family! I know that may seem like a weird thing to say but we are a blended family and it’s just so amazing to have watched us all bloom and become “us.” Watching my sons grow-up has been such a joy and being married to my husband has been so fun! I truly believe in family and I believe having a healthy family environment makes us better people.
What brought you to Tahoe?
I am originally from Oklahoma and lived in southern California for 10 years before making my way to the Reno/Tahoe area. Before I was a wedding planner, I worked for the federal government. During that time, the agency I was working for had a position in the Reno office. I put a transfer in and in 2010, my family moved to the Reno area. I have now been here for 10 years!
If you weren’t a wedding planner, what would you do?
I’d be a Private Investigator! Oh man, I would love to follow someone and document their everyday life! I’m on to their every move: cheaters, criminals, background checks, whatever it is it would be so fun (and maybe dangerous)! If that didn’t work (LOL), I’d love to be a speaker. I’d love the opportunity to speak to women who have had a rough time in life from either family situations or relationships. My personal story has helped so many women over the years to find hope. Speaking life into a hopeless situation is something I am so passionate about: giving women encouragement and reminding them that they are valuable and worthy of a great life!
What inspires your work?
My work is truly inspired by marriage. I love marriage and I love seeing couples start their marriage out on the right foot. Knowing that our company gets to witness a private moment in a person’s life inspires me to do the best work we can. I’m so inspired by love stories of how a couple met and what their relationship has been like during the dating and engagement period. People have been on wild journeys! It really makes you appreciate kindness and love.
How would you describe the perfect day in Lake Tahoe?
Private! We love going to the beach in the later afternoon or early evening during the summer. The bigger crowds have left which means we have a little more room to play around and relax. Bonus is we get to see the sunset over Lake Tahoe.
What are you most proud of?
Giving my two sons a good life. We all have a story and sometimes that story can be happy, it can be scary, it can be sad, and it can be a mystery. We have the opportunity to create that story and seeing who my kids are growing up to be makes me so incredibly proud! They are good, kind people and I am a proud Mom. Our story has been a wild one, but here we are.
Who inspires you the most?
Bethany Hamilton. This girl was on the rise of a really amazing surfing career (and so young!) when her arm was taken by a shark. Most people would have fled from the situation and never stepped foot in the water again. She has shown that hard work and standing firm in your faith will guide you back to where you truly belong. She has inspired so many people (of all ages) to never give up, to be inventive, and to be proud of you who are. She inspires so many people to face the fear of what other people may think, and do it anyway! I think we all have a fear of being rejected, judged, and not taken seriously. But her story will make you want to take on every idea and dream you have ever had and start your own story!
What is your life motto?
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. This holds true in our personal life and in our business practices. Having good morals and integrity goes a long way with me.
Working in the wedding industry is not for the faint of heart. How do you rest and rejuvenate?
I am an extroverted homebody. I love being home! When I get time to rest and refuel, I take that opportunity. My faith fuels me and is the biggest part of who I am. I make time, daily, to pray and just be present. I truly believe that if we were able to take a few moments every day to just be still and meditate or pray, we wouldn’t get burned out as badly.
What is something people might not know about you?
I have an obsession with pillows. I have so many pillows in my home – they literally are everywhere! And I’m not just talking about the bedrooms. All rooms need a decorative pillow! I use them on couches, tucked in corners, and really any blank spot. I sleep with two to four pillows every night. It’s a real problem!
Any four-legged friends in your home?
Yes! We recently got a snorkie puppy (half schnauzer and half yorkie). Her name is Molly Caroline and she is so much fun! I can’t believe how much joy she has brought to our home in a few months.
Thank you Karie for sharing so much of yourself with us! If you’d like to see examples of She Said Yes Weddings’ work or reach out to Karie directly, visit her listing on the Tahoe Unveiled vendor guide.