.png)
About 5280 Event Society
Photo Credit: Oh Snap! Photography
What we believe
The 5280 Event Society was created to reimagine what the wedding community can be by bringing couples and vendors together in spaces that are:
Authentic
Connecting couples with pros through genuine experiences, not pushy sales tactics.
Collaborative
Building partnerships rooted in trust, not competition.
Inclusive
Welcoming and supporting all.
Why it matters:
For couples, it means meeting vendors who genuinely understand your vision. Build your wedding team through natural, in-person connections with vetted vendors, adding a layer of trust and reassurance you don't get from endlessly scrolling online.
For vendors, it means finally having a space to collaborate, learn, and grow without feeling like you need to prove yourself or fit into an exclusive club.
Hi, I'm Amy Buchalter,
Former teacher turned wedding planner. After years in education, I found my next calling after planning my own wedding—and fell in love with helping others do the same. I launched a.b. design to create personalized, thoughtful events that feel like you. I know the power of a well-curated space and the difference it makes when vendors work in harmony.
Meet the co-founders:
At the heart of it all, weddings aren’t just about a single day. They’re about people, relationships, and creating something extraordinary together.
Hi, I'm Kristin Smith,
Life-long baker and owner of The Tiny Cookie Trolley. I traded a career in marketing operations for flour, flavor, and a hell of a lot of butter. Between leaving my former career and starting my cookie catering company, I spent five years working in catering, four years running a home bakery, and two years teaching high school culinary arts. What did I learn through it all? How to bring people together over delicious food.
Now, I'm expanding that mission to bringing people together over shared experiences.
Our beginning
In early 2025, two wedding professionals–both feeling burned out by the same cliquish, outdated industry dynamics—met for coffee and asked a simple question:
Why isn’t there a better way to bring local vendors and couples together?
At first, the idea was to host a small networking night. But it grew into something much bigger and greater.
Within a few short weeks, we launched our first event at Clayton Hotel & Members Club, bringing together 60+ wedding professionals to have fun, form connections, and leave energized about what they could create together.
That night confirmed what we believed all along: when you focus on community instead of ego, everyone wins.
What we're not:
A membership-based organization
Nonprofit
Our goal will always be to provide as much value and connection to both couples and vendors in creative and accessible ways.