Meet Julia Pepe | Event Creator & Decorator

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

Hi Julia, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I have always loved a good party. Growing up, I loved putting on a great outfit and going out. My entire childhood my mom decorated our home for every single holiday along with hosting each holiday party. I grew up helping my mom decorate the house and planning our family parties. Fast forward to high school, I was the one out of my friend group who hosted our annual girls Christmas gift exchange parties and planned all of the surprise birthday parties. I loved seeing my friend’s reaction when they walked into an event I created. It made me genuinely happy to see their reactions. Of course, at the time I never thought of event planning as a future career path because for me, it was just something fun I did whenever an occasion arose.

I launched Party Elite in August of 2020. With the onset of the pandemic and being quarantined in the house for so long, I started planning little parities for my mom, sister and me. I planned an Easter and Mother’s Day brunch along with multiple birthday celebrations in quarantine. I took pictures of everything just to have for my memories. Over time, I collected a lot of event pictures in my camera roll. I wanted to share some of the pictures, so I posted them on my personal Instagram and the feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive. So many of my friends and family commented on the pictures urging me to advertise my work and get paid to do something that came so naturally for me. I contemplated the idea for a few months then I did it. I realized why am I not turning a passion I love into a business. I made an Instagram and Facebook page, and Party Elite was born. The vision for my company is to elevate my client’s party experience. I want to create more than just a party; I want to create memories and experiences that will be cherished. That is the reason I love being an event planner because it is so incredible the amount of joy a party can bring someone.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I create party experiences, but I also offer interior decorating. I also love interior decorating on top of event planning and decorating. What sets me apart from others is I truly think about every single little detail. I pay attention to everything and put so much thought into the little things. Every part of an event is important and needs to be flawless, but I believe the little details are really what make a memorable event. I am proud of myself for being a full-time student and having a business at the same time. I am also proud of all my work; I loved every job I was hired for. I am looking forward to adding more clients and creating bigger-scale events. I have learned a lot in less than a year and I am still continuing to learn and grow. One will never stop learning. Trust me I have had my challenges, especially with balloons. Balloons are delicate and unpredictable and I have learned many tricks so far and I’ll continue to keep learning about working with balloons. One of the best parts though is working with the client to make their vision tangible for their event.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am a major foodie so of course, we would start with some of the best restaurants in Houston. I would take my friend to MAD, Musaafer, Blanco Tacos and Tequila, The Original Marini’s Empanada House, and Bloom and Bee (to name a few). I would definitely take her to Fiori Spa to enjoy an entire day of services including lunch at the Ivy. If you’re over 21, you can enjoy Ivy’s rooftop bar and crafty cocktails. Then, I would have to take my friend to the Galleria one day and let her shop. Houston is a great city with great nightlife, food, and activities.

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?
Thank you to all of my friends and family who encouraged me to launch my own business and who supported my business after it was created. Thank you to my mom, sister, and boyfriend for being my people and helping me whenever I needed extra hands setting up an event. Thank you to my dad for showing me how to be an entrepreneur and make an idea palpable. And last but not least, thank you to my clients for loving my work, hiring me, and referring me to their friends and family. I appreciate everyone who has been a part of my journey.

Instagram: instagram.com/partyeliteevents

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/partyeliteevents

Other: Booking email: partyelitebookings@gmail.com