Today we’d like to introduce you to Katlyn Nwangwu.
Hi Katlyn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Creativity has always been second nature to me. From a young age I had a natural eye for beauty, for the way a room should feel, for the details that turn something ordinary into something memorable. It wasn’t something I learned, it was just something I knew.
That instinct is what led me to study event management in college. My final year was spent entirely remote, finishing all of my senior projects independently, and that experience quietly became one of the most formative seasons of my life. It taught me discipline, focus, and what I was truly capable of on my own.
After graduating I entered the industry and built my experience across every corner of it. Day-of coordination, remote planning, marketing events, venue concierge work. Each role taught me something, but each one also made it clearer that I wanted to create something different. Because I believe an event, regardless of its scale, should be exceptional not just for the host but for every single person in the room. I watched too many planners fall short of that standard, and I knew I could do better.
So I founded La Pura Event Co. Not just to plan events, but to elevate them. To offer clients and couples a boutique experience built on intention, artistry, and genuine care. That vision hasn’t changed since day one.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Building something from scratch, entirely on your own, is one of the most rewarding and humbling things a person can do simultaneously.
The early days were quiet in a way that tests you. Building a client base, establishing credibility, and creating a brand that reflected my vision all took time and a lot of patience. There were moments where I questioned everything, where the silence felt louder than the progress. But I kept going.
Running a boutique solo operation also means wearing every hat. The creative work, the client relationships, the contracts, the marketing, all of it falls on you. There is no team to delegate to at the end of a long day. That reality builds a kind of resilience you can’t manufacture, but it also demands a level of discipline that not everyone is prepared for.
And then there is the personal side. Being a wife, a mother, and a business owner all at once is its own kind of balancing act. Showing up fully in every role, for your family, for your clients, for yourself, requires intention every single day. There are seasons where that balance feels effortless and seasons where it doesn’t. Learning to extend grace to yourself through both has been one of the greatest lessons of this journey.
The road has not been smooth. But every part of it has been worth it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At its core, La Pura Event Co. exists to create one of a kind experiences. Weddings, corporate events, social celebrations — whatever the occasion, the goal is always the same. To create something that feels completely and entirely intentional.
But what truly sets La Pura apart is something that goes beyond the design work. I don’t compete where I don’t compare. In an industry where everyone is vying for the same clients, I made a decision early on to simply be different rather than better. And that difference starts with how I treat people.
I am a friend first. My clients are never just another booking or another line item on a calendar. By the time their event arrives, we have built a relationship rooted in trust, open communication, and genuine care. That level of connection doesn’t happen overnight, but I am intentional about cultivating it from the very first conversation. Because when someone trusts you with one of the most significant moments of their life, they deserve more than a transaction. They deserve a partner.
That is what I am most proud of. Not just the beautiful events, but the relationships behind them. The clients who feel seen, heard, and taken care of every step of the way. That is the standard La Pura was built on, and it is the one I will never compromise.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My approach to networking is the same as my approach to clients — lead with friendship. The relationships I have built in this industry are not transactional, they are genuine. And that authenticity goes a long way.
Referrals and styled shoots have been two of the most powerful tools in my network. They open doors, build credibility, and connect you with people you may never have crossed paths with otherwise. But more than the opportunity itself, it is about who you are doing it with. Finding likeminded people who genuinely want to see you win is everything. That energy is rare and when you find it, you protect it.
I am also a huge advocate for supporting other small businesses, especially those with real creative talent. When I collaborate with vendors who pour the same level of intention and care into their craft that I pour into mine, their wins become my wins. There is something really beautiful about that kind of community, and I think it is what the industry is at its best.
My advice would be this — stop thinking about networking as a strategy and start thinking about it as relationship building. Show up, be genuine, celebrate other people, and the rest follows naturally.
Pricing:
- Full Service Planning – $7500
- Design + Coordination – $5,500
- Custom Event Planning – $$$$
- Day of Coordinating – $2,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lapuraeventco.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lapuraeventco?utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551112704738
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lapuraeventco?_r=1&_t=ZP-97VyFnPC0gZ
