This company started with an idea on a napkin, and a baby in my belly!

Meet Cara Jill Weiss

Founder and Senior Planner/Director
Certified in Event Management, The George Washington University

My love of events began long before SAVE The DATE, LLC Events existed. As a teenager, I worked at neighborhood parties and served on the prom committee at Pennsbury High School, known for producing one of the most celebrated high school proms in the country. In college, I volunteered to plan events at the University of Maryland and served as president of a student organization within my department.

I quickly discovered that I loved everything about bringing people together—developing an idea, organizing the details, solving problems and watching guests enjoy an experience that had once existed only on paper.

Learning the Event Business

My early career gave me the opportunity to experience events from many different perspectives. I worked and interned in retail marketing, hospitality, catering, corporate promotions and special events with organizations including The Lerner Corporation, Bloomingdale's, The Rouse Corporation, Seiko Corporation and DoubleTree Hotels.

I helped produce everything from fashion shows and holiday events to corporate promotions, community programs and private celebrations. Each experience taught me something new about hospitality, organization, customer service and the importance of having dependable people behind the scenes.

More importantly, I began noticing a gap in the event-planning industry.

Many people wanted professional guidance and trusted vendor recommendations, but they did not necessarily want—or could not afford—a planner to take over every decision. They wanted to remain involved in their own celebration while having an experienced person available to guide them, answer questions and make certain everything came together properly.

I believed there had to be a better and more flexible way to help them.

The Napkin That Started It All

In 1994, while on vacation with my husband, Joel, we began sketching out ideas for a different kind of event-planning company on a restaurant napkin. We had a new puppy, a baby on the way and absolutely no idea how much that little drawing would eventually become part of our family's story.

I continued my education and earned my Certification in Event Management from The George Washington University School of Business and Public Management in 1995. I also studied business ethics and law at Montgomery College.

The company was originally called Practical Planners, Inc. Its purpose was simple: to teach people how to plan their own events, connect them with trustworthy professionals and provide as much—or as little—help as they needed.

Long before online vendor directories and planning websites existed, I was building a personal network of talented event professionals and helping clients make informed decisions. Over time, Practical Planners evolved into SAVE The DATE, LLC Events—but the original purpose never changed.

Professional Guidance Without Taking Over

Today, SAVE The DATE, LLC Events offers flexible planning options ranging from hourly consultations and DIY planning support to event direction and comprehensive planning partnerships.

Our signature DIY With Help™ approach gives clients the freedom to remain involved while benefiting from professional experience, trusted resources and a team they can count on.

We understand that no two clients plan the same way. Some people love choosing every detail but need help organizing and executing their plans. Others want a professional partner beside them from beginning to end. Our job is to listen, understand what each client truly needs and provide the appropriate level of support.

We are planners, organizers, educators, problem-solvers, vendor resources and calm voices when an event begins to feel overwhelming. Most importantly, we are real people who genuinely care about our clients and the celebrations they entrust to us.

More Than 30 Years of Celebrations

For more than three decades, our team has helped produce over 1,500 weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, corporate events, milestone celebrations, fundraisers and community programs.

Along the way, I have written educational materials, taught event-planning courses, spoken at industry conferences and continued developing our #WeTeachEvents philosophy. SAVE The DATE has also received numerous awards and community recognitions, but the greatest compliment remains the families and organizations that return to us—and recommend us—for the important occasions in their lives.

Joel remains part of the company as co-founder and business-development specialist, and we are fortunate to have an experienced team of planners, Event Directors, assistants and specialists who share the philosophy that began on that napkin.

Still Growing, Still Learning

What began as an idea created by a young mother-to-be has grown into an established, award-winning event company serving the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and communities throughout South Florida.

The event industry has changed tremendously since 1995, and our company continues to grow with it. We now offer new planning tools, educational resources, workshops, products and flexible services—but our mission remains the same:

To guide you through the planning process so you can enjoy your special event.

I still love the creativity, the people, the challenges and the moment when months of planning finally come to life. More than 30 years later, I remain genuinely grateful that clients trust us to be part of their happiest and most meaningful occasions.

And to think—it all started with an idea on a napkin and a baby in my belly.

— Cara Jill Weiss
Founder and Senior Planner/Director
SAVE The DATE, LLC Events