Meet Tanya Calvillo | Owner- Celebrar Events

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

Hi Tanya, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I started Celebrar Events in 2021 during the Pandemic. I honestly didn’t think I’d ever own a business much less an event business but I had many people around me stating that I was in the wrong industry. My 9-5 is in pediatric dentistry and I was in charge of event planning for my office so, my co-workers knew first hand how much I enjoyed putting things together for parties etc. They really encouraged me to start my own event company so that I could share my creativity with others. I then took the leap and Celebrar Events was created. I wanted to start a company that people could rely on to create memorable events. I know that event planning and decorating is stressful, time consuming, and for some- very hectic and not only do I enjoy that part of the process but also the end result and see how I was helping create special moments.

The company name took me the most time to figure out and for a long time I was not satisfied with it. Being Mexican American, I wanted the name to be in Spanish but also easy to pronounce and understand in English and be all inclusive. I wanted it to pay homage to both of my roots which explains why its in Spanglish. I also wanted to make sure the name didn’t allude or signify just one type of event like birthday parties- I want to help create memorable events for all types of celebrations. I took the “Celebrar” out of celebrations and it could stand alone in Spanish and signifies any and everything there is to celebrate.

My company’s mission statement was also incomplete until a year after I started. I knew that I was not comfortable with being just “another event business” and wanted to make my business more reflective of who I was personally. I was not comfortable with all of the waste and environment impact that takes place for a party. I wanted to incorporate some of my lifestyle changes of being sustainable to my business and not only source materials that were environmentally beneficial but also educate others in hopes that they can take small steps to becoming more sustainable themselves. I began to share “Eco-Tips” on products or swaps that I have done in my home and life with my followers. I have also challenged myself to source materials with less environmental impact and materials that are either natural or secondhand. This has been the ingredient that was missing and now I can say that I have truly accepted my business and look forward to continuing to challenge myself to be more eco-conscious.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think what sets Celebrar Events apart from is the “we” behind me as the owner. When you book me for your event, you not only get my support and dedication to creating a unique experience for you and your event guests but you also get everyone behind me ensuring my success and ultimately your happiness. You get the expertise of my dad’s carpentry skills in the physical creation of backdrops. You get my mom’s loving encouragement and help. At times, you get my sister’s styling opinion- she’s got impeccable taste. You’ve got the strength of my husband in the drop off or clean up processes. You’ve got my son who’s so willing to help me blow up and pop balloons. You get all of these individuals and more when you book with me for your celebration. It takes a village in pulling off your best party yet.

I am excited to see what my business has in store for me and for the event industry. I believe that I am making a statement when I dedicate my business to be sustainably forward thinking and I have so so many ideas I’d like to bring to fruition.

I am excited to grow my following to convert others to sustainable living through my ‘Eco-Tips” and to encourage everyone to make at least one daily sustainable swap.

Getting to where I am today was not easy. Imposter syndrome really took a toll on me during my first year of being in business and at times, it does creep in the back of my mind. I have to remind myself that there are many who believe in me and that I’ve got something very special here.

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?
It is no secret that I love getting coffee at local cafe’s and I love antiquing & thrifting. I’d plan out a day to check out various cafe’s and antique shopping. I would also treat my best friend to my favorite breakfast spot- Maple Street and get their Bluegrass grits bowl. If it so happened that Downtown Duluth had one of their FoodTruck Fridays, that would be a sure experience to grab great food and relax on their town center green. I really enjoy going to different historic downtown areas- there is usually great entertainment, food, and local shops. There are also a lot of great hiking experiences in GA, a go-to is SweetWater Creek State Park.

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’ve got two groups of shoutouts I’d like to attribute to where I am with my business.

The first is to those who where my initial cheerleaders working at my dental office. Dr. Reed, Andrea, Joann and everyone from the Dunwoody office that saw my talent firsthand and challenged me to question my purpose. I wouldn’t have been able to take that leap of faith without these encouraging voices of support.

My second shoutout goes to my family and loved ones. My parents not only supported me with encouraging words but also in the building process of creating the various backdrops I have used. My dad was my mentor in helping me create my panel backdrops and showed me tips that he had gained in his experience in carpentry. He also has his own home improvement business and he’d take us along to work with him during school breaks and summers when I was growing up. I contribute my own handy-ness and love of creating because of him and working alongside him those many hot summers. My mom deserves recognition because she too gave me the confidence I needed and is always available to help me when I need it. She is often helping me build new backdrops when I need an extra pair of hands or helping me load my car on event days. She has also been my magic fairy and will finish painting backdrops for me so I can rest and get to my own kids. She is the G.O.A.T. I know I can count on my sister Diana for styling advise when I need help choosing colors or help with brainstorming various ideas. Last but not least, to my husband for helping me with our kids when I am out setting up events and to his family for their championing me the whole time.

Website: celebrarevents.com

Instagram: @Celebrar_Events

Facebook: Celebrar_Events

Other: TikTock- @Celebrar_Events