Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Kytka.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
“It was such a magical night.”
I still remember whispering those words to my mom as a little girl, sitting in the back of a limo after serving as a flower girl in my uncle’s wedding. I had spent the day assisting the bride and soaking in all of the adrenaline of the celebration. Even then, I didn’t just love the party; I loved being a part of the process that made it all happen.
I didn’t realize it then, but looking back on that moment now, I see that is exactly what planted the seed for where I am today. However, my professional approach was shaped by high-stakes environments—first as a collegiate softball pitcher and later as a proud Texas A&M graduate. As an athlete, you learn to thrive on strategy and understand that the success of the game relies on the cohesion of the entire team, as well as the importance of keeping your composure under pressure. It also ingrained in me a hyper-attention to detail and the art of reading the field, observing the second something was slightly out of place and knowing how to correct it in the moment.
Later, I honed my logistical side working in Policy & Economic Analysis and Strategic Communications. It may seem like a sharp pivot to go into wedding planning, but I realized that the skill sets are identical. Successful events require rigorous attention to detail, budget stewardship, clear communication with vendor teams, and the ability to navigate complex dynamics with grace. But the real catalyst for Olive & Eden was personal. When I started shadowing weddings with friends and mentors on the weekends, I would come home with an excitement that I didn’t quite yet understand, and one that simply didn’t exist elsewhere in my career. It was actually my husband, and now business partner, who noticed how excited and joyful I was during those days. As a result, he encouraged me to pursue that feeling and turn my passion into a business.
Today, Olive & Eden Weddings is a family-owned and operated, marriage-first planning firm serving couples in Austin and the Texas Hill Country. Our mission is to create timeless, bespoke wedding celebrations rooted in artistic vision and intentional design, ensuring every detail is thoughtfully curated to reflect a love story that is one-of-a-kind. We understand that the people in the room with our couples on that day are the people who made them who they are and brought them to each other.
We carry that same reverence into our planning process. Relationships are at the heart of what we do, and that motivates us to do our best work. By acting as the stewards of the vision and protectors of our clients’ peace, we design every detail, from lush, intentional florals to curated textures and guest atmosphere. We ensure the design is not just beautiful, but also deeply meaningful, so our couples can focus on savoring every moment. Our planning builds the steady foundation that allows each couple to be fully present, ensuring their wedding season feels as effortless as it is incredibly joyful.
Looking back at that little girl in the limo now, I realize she was right. Weddings are full of beauty and magic. But now I know that the magic is not an accident; it is thoughtfully curated, carefully planned, and intentionally designed.
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?
The road to a sustainable business is rarely smooth. Anyone who has built their own business would probably say that it takes countless hours, grit, and resilience. It requires the discipline to shut out the noise of external expectations and narrow your focus on the why behind your work. Early on, my primary challenge was managing a nine-to-five career while building our business. For over a year, I balanced a career in Communications while working on Olive & Eden Weddings after hours. It required a high degree of discipline to create the infrastructure required for the business to stand on its own.
In the beginning of any business, there is a temptation to accept every job just to make money in the short term. However, I realized quickly that it was a direct road to burnout. I had to learn to trust my intuition and say no to projects that did not align with our approach. While honing our foundational planning systems, I learned to be selective so that I could give my best to the couples who truly believed in our mission.
Finally, there is the inherent responsibility of the work itself. In this industry, there are no do-overs. Every wedding is a high-stakes, singular event requiring 100 percent focus and precision. My background has taught me how to maintain a calm, steady presence in high-pressure environments, and I love every single bit of it.
These challenges have shaped the refinement of our internal planning processes, which is not easy. Selecting the right software to manage clients, communication with vendors, and reconciling information across multiple platforms was a significant hurdle. Ultimately, that taught us what we need in place operationally to be better stewards of our clients’ investments and guide them with clarity.
I am incredibly grateful to the friends and mentors who helped shape our vision along the way. And to our current and past clients, thank you for trusting us with one of the most important days of your lives. We would not be here without each and every one of you. The best is yet to come!
As you know, we’re big fans of Olive & Eden Weddings. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Olive & Eden Weddings is a boutique wedding planning and design firm serving couples in Austin and the Texas Hill Country. We specialize in curating timeless, bespoke weddings for those who value an intentional planning process as much as they value the beauty and power of marriage.
We are known for our signature philosophy: Logistics as an Art Form. We believe a breathtaking celebration is only as powerful as a couple’s ability to delight in it. It is for this reason that we build a silent, steady foundation of precision, treating the unseen logistical details with the same reverence as the aesthetic design. This ensures our couples are free to be fully present in every moment, knowing we are acting as the disciplined stewards of their day.
This approach is rooted in my professional background and a deep understanding that our couples and their families are making a significant financial and emotional investment in their future. Our role is to blend the creative clarity, high-touch design, and expert execution required to navigate that complexity and serve them with joy.
Brand-wise, I am most proud of our commitment to intentionality. We choose to remain a boutique firm so that we can maintain a high capacity for detail and offer a deeply personal level of care to our couples and vendor partners.
Our offerings are designed to meet couples wherever they are in their process:
– Full Planning and Design: A comprehensive, tailored planning experience from concept to execution.
– Partial Planning: A collaborative partnership to refine and execute a foundational plan.
– Wedding Management: Professional oversight for a seamless celebration during the final weeks leading up to the wedding.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I believe that doing my best work requires a constant balance of strategy and inspiration.
Business-wise, I am a dedicated listener of The Power in Purpose podcast by Candace Coppola. It is an essential resource for staying current on high operational standards and learning how to lead a purpose-driven firm that remains focused on our mission.
For design inspiration and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the industry, I frequently look to the work of industry leaders like Lauren Grech with LLG Events and Leslie Ochs with Alice & Apricot. Their ability to challenge standard wedding design is a constant source of inspiration for our own projects. Outside of the wedding world, I find my greatest aesthetic resources in nature, interior design, historic architecture, and textiles. I love studying the patterns in wallpapers, fabrics, and gardens to bring a more unique vantage point to our couples’ designs.
Lastly, one of my most valuable resources is my husband. As an engineer and investor, he is incredibly driven and has taught me so much about how to analyze a business from a strategic level. He has helped me learn how to make decisions that are always in the best interest of the beneficiary, in our case, the couple. His influence has been vital in building a firm that is as structurally sound as it is beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://oliveandedenweddings.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliveandedenweddings/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliveandedenweddings/
Image Credits
Blake Roscoe Photography Natalie Hoang Photography Raven and Hare Photography George Street Photography
