May 22, 2018

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Katie Murphy, owner of Simply Devine by Jane Rae Events. The business is in a new location at 11th Street and Minnesota Avenue in the same building as Conversation Piece.

Name: Katie Murphy

Age: 27

Hometown: Sioux Falls

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

I was born and raised in this beautiful city! I did leave for a couple years getting my hospitality business bachelor’s degree at the University of Lincoln Nebraska and lived in Harlingen, Texas, for a couple years as well. In the winter of 2014, I convinced my South Texan husband to move up to the frozen tundra. I wanted to come back to be closer to my friends and family, and start my own business.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

I love Sioux Falls because it is a city with history but is young in a way because of its continuous growth. There are always new restaurants opening up, new business owners taking the leap, and downtown Sioux Falls has such a great character. The small-business support in Sioux Falls is strong and people genuinely love supporting each other’s businesses.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

The favorite part of my job is taking in that moment at an event where you see people enjoying the company of other people. Whether they notice the small little details or not, I know I was a part of something good and bringing people together to celebrate.

How did you get connected to your industry and decide to start your business?

When I moved back to Sioux Falls in December of 2014, I took a position as an event manager at the Denny Sanford Premier Center/Convention Center. My previous job in Harlingen, Texas, as the event director at a chamber of commerce prepared me for this position at the Premier Center. I was able to expand my knowledge on a variety of events and building my network in Sioux Falls.

In January of 2017, I decided to take the leap and start my own event-planning business specializing in weddings and social events. A year later, I was able to move Simply Devine to Sioux Falls to combine it with Jane Rae Event Planning and offer my clients rentals and floral design in addition to the planning. Owning my own business was something I always dreamed of, and I knew I was going to do what it takes to make that dream come true.

You have a new location on Minnesota Avenue next to Conversation Piece. What kind of services are you offering from there?

We have a large inventory of event rentals from vases, candles, backdrops, signage, linens and more! Floral design is something we offer as well. Silk flowers are more our specialty, but we work with other local florists for fresh too. Planning each detail is definitely our forte and is one of our niches. We are more of a boutique event rental store, where we are more hands-on in the overall design and planning process.

Describe Jane Rae Events in three words.

Creative. Dedicated. Passionate.

What’s one piece of advice you have for those planning an event?

If I had to narrow it down to one piece of advice for planning an event, it would be to hire an event planner. It shouldn’t only be about the day of the event, but also enjoying the details and the planning road to get there. We are here to make it enjoyable and fun for the entire planning experience!

Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years, I would love to offer our clients a more upscale rental inventory, such as uniquely patterned and colored tableware, customized backdrops and possibly table and chair rentals as well. Our staff will only grow, and therefore, we would be able to take on 100-plus weddings a year versus the 62 we are handling right now. Our passion for the event world will only grow with time!