photo by gary feng photography
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the area?
Kate grew up in Middletown, NJ and Alex grew up in Short Hills, NJ. We lived in Manhattan for about 7 years before deciding to move back to the suburbs and settling in Springfield, NJ.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
Emma, age 2
Are you involved in a business venture or corporate world? Please Share!
Kate worked in HR at Google for about 9.5 years, while Alex’s early career began in real estate. For the last 2 years, Alex has been a stay at home Dad to Emma, but in the Fall of 2023, we decided we were going to open our event business, Zhuzh It Up Events, together!
When did you decide you wanted to open your own event company?
We’ve wanted to have our own business for a long time, and events have always been a passion for Kate. We were faced with a layoff, which really pushed us into the world of
entrepreneurship…and we haven’t looked back since!
Has event planning always been a part of your life?
YES!
Do you specialize in both children’s parties and adult events?
Yes we do! We have awesome rental items for all types of parties and provide design and planning services for events under 150 people, ideal for children and adult parties, including birthdays, showers, anniversary parties and more!
For someone looking to get started with planning an event, what do you recommend?
If you’re looking for amazing event rental items or are in need of a dedicated, energetic and creative party planner, get in touch! We’d love to hear from you! You can get in touch with us via the form on our website (zhuzhitupevents.com), via our Instagram (@zhuzhitupevents) or via email ([email protected]). Once we hear from you, we’ll have an introductory call so we can learn more about your event needs and from there we’ll discuss the best packages and rental options for your party. We can’t wait to help make your event sparkle!
If you could give one tip to fellow Parent Entrepreneurs what would it be?
Ask for help when you need it and give yourself grace!
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
Kate once lost the diamond to her engagement ring in the ocean. Divers from the resort went in to try to recover the diamond though we assumed it was gone forever…and believe it or not, they actually found it! It was the closest thing to a miracle we’ve ever experienced! We’re forever grateful to the diving team who worked so hard to help recover something so precious to us!
Ok 10 Fun LOCAL favorites – ready, go!
1 – Favorite thing to do with your kids? We love going to the South Mountain Park and walking around the beautiful reservoir. The Turtle Back Zoo is also right there and we like to pop in there occasionally as well!
2 – Favorite coffee spot? Sunday Motor Co or Halo Roasters!
3 – Favorite lunch place? Millburn Deli – the best sandwiches around!
4 – Favorite farm to go fruit picking? Eastmont Orchards in Colts Neck, NJ
5 – Favorite date night restaurant? Laboratorio Kitchen in Montclair
6 – Favorite Children’s boutique? Cam Jam Kids in Summit!
7 – Favorite spot to grab a drink? Millburn Standard
8 – Who has the best bagels in town? Goldberg’s Bagels (Millburn)
9 – Best slice of pizza in town? We love a lot of different places but we’ll have to go with La Strada in Millburn!
10 – Favorite spot for ice cream? SCREAM TRUCK!!!!!
This interview was done in partnership with Zhuzh It Up Events, be sure to follow them on social media below!
