About usAshley Smith Events designs experiences meant to showcase our client's desires. We curate authentic expressions of bold love. Based in San Francisco, the team brings a uniquely Californian spirit of ease and experimentation to destination events around the world. From Sicilian Villas to beaches in the Caribbean, and Colorado ghost towns, we transform spaces to create an unforgettable feel for our clients. We infuse each of our events with intention and style to achieve our clients' imaginations and exceed their expectations.
With over 16 years in the industry, we've built a reputation for a consistently modernist, artful, and fun approach. We strive to work at bigger scales, while still emphasizing the magic of the smallest moments. Pairing minimalist environments with maximalist details, we draw inspiration from architecture, high fashion, and intimate conversations. We believe in clean lines, the beauty of the natural world, and the power of the unexpected. Harper's Bazaar put it best: “For all its polish and fashion moments, it was the intangible, sentimental aspects that were most memorable for the couple and their guests.”
Five years in a row (2017-2022), Brides has named us one of their top wedding planners because of our creativity, care for our clients, and our tenacious capacity for planning events. We are also known for our tendency to throw mind-blowing dance parties. From start to finish we bring a cohesive vision to create opportunities for feeling and engagement. More than wedding planners, we are partners, leaders, designers, stylists, travel agents, and team players. Known for innovation and problem-solving, we build and fabricate custom pieces to bring dreams to life. Through our extensive network of venues and partners, we ensure every aspect of each event is thoughtful and well-crafted. We get things done while remaining approachable, attentive, and high energy.
Meet the team
Ashley Smith
creative director, executive producer, principalAs the owner, planner, and producer, Ashley leads the design process with unmatched professionalism and a singular sense of adventure. She draws on her intuition, curiosity, and high standards to ensure excellence in every aspect of her events. Her love of luxurious, purposeful, and well-built things informs her design. An out-of-the-box thinker, she is constantly learning to always give her clients something new. Growing up in the Bay Area (San Francisco and Marin County), she studied International Business in London and has spent the better part of two decades cultivating unforgettable experiences for her clients in California and around the world. She's constantly traveling to find potential majestic dreamscapes for weekend getaways (group heli-skiing, anyone?). A Cancer sun, Ashley is always concerned with making each event magical, experiential, and comfortable, ensuring everyone’s needs are met and their dreams are exceeded.
Alexa Coughlin
senior Planner & event producerA Taurus, Alexa brings a grounded energy and expert problem-solving from day-one to day-of. She finds joy in making travel arrangements and curating all the details to ensure clients have the weekend of their dreams. When not on location, she can be found exploring San Diego in search of the perfect slice of pizza, walking the beach with her dog, or globetrotting in search of opportunities to swim with stingrays. She brings her feminine and colorful style wherever she goes.
Jennifer Chau
Event Planner & ProducerJennifer brings her operational background into event production, bridging the gap between logistics and design. With a foot in both the analytical and creative worlds, she is the rare producer who finds joy in the details. Her journey from operations into event production means she approaches every project with a builder’s mindset and a strategist’s eye. Whether she’s deep in the data or hands-on during a load-in, Jennifer ensures every vision is grounded in operational excellence. She loves the balance of the quiet moments behind a spreadsheet and the high-energy magic of an on-site build. An explorer at heart, she’s likely planning her next trip with a matcha in hand.
Jake Hanson
lead producer, Design & Planning ManagerJake brings a global perspective and a Virgo’s eye for detail to every project. A lifelong music lover, he’s drawn to immersive events and ambitious multi-day builds layered with unexpected moments, custom stages, transportive design, boundary-pushing food, and art that invites guests in.
Inspired by travel and architecture, his aesthetic is sophisticated with bold, flirty twists. He believes the best events are the ones guests anticipate for months and talk about for years.
Images by Dani Toscano
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Also seen in Carats & Cake, The Knot, Junebug Weddings, Ruffled, 100 Layer Cake, Green Wedding Shoes, Refinery 29, California Style & Culture, Bizbash, and more.
