Erika is a die-hard traveling gypsy who lives with the locals and absorbs their unique cultures. She had to fall in love with the French Riviera, develop a palate for beer in Berlin, and zip line with monkeys in Costa Rica only to realize nothing comes close to the Santa Barbara coastline. She was convinced there had to be a career that would work with such a lifestyle. After returning to an interactive position at the San Ysidro Ranch, she found that a professional personal, beautiful setting, and love of fanciful food, is her true passion. Creating memorable events is better than any lifestyle she could have imagined. She has worked alongside talented and well-known event coordinators Shelley Eschelman and Maren Parsons. All this experience, combined with Erika’s bubbly personality, positive attitude, and eye for detail, make her the perfect asset to guide you through every aspect of your very special day.
Erika Hopkins and Kristian Pacheco have always shared a love for family gatherings. As little girls they had regular tea parties at their Swedish grandmother's home. While Kristian set out the drommar cookies and other treats, Erika would organize the seating for the other invitees (usually of the stuffed animal variety). As the two grew up, their childhood hobby grew into a shared passion.
A Santa Barbara local herself Kristian, studied in New Hampshire where she got her BA in Psychology and continued on to receive her Dental Hygiene certificate in Boston. Although she enjoyed her time on the east coast, she is a California girl at heart, and moved back to sunny Santa Barbara where she resides today with her husband. After creating the floral designs for her own wedding, she found that it was the perfect creative outlet. She then created the arrangements for the weddings of her two friends and came to cultivate her own classic and chic style. You can spot her browsing the local farmer’s market nearly every Tuesday for the best seasonal flowers.