Alicia Thompson

Dreams Come True Event Planning LLC

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided by Alicia Thompson

How does someone build a successful event planning business? Ask Alicia Thompson and she says it all begins with a love for family. The owner of Dreams Come True Event Planning LLC, located in O’Fallon, MO starts each new project by keeping her husband and four sons in focus.

Alicia describes herself as a visual person who has an incredible imagination. “I’m just as comfortable in a sky-high pair of heels as in an old pair of sweatpants,” she says. “My passion lies in creating gorgeous events that reflect my client’s unique style. I aim to create a wow factor that is also breathtaking and speechless.”

Where does Alicia’s creativity come from ? She’s constantly on the lookout for that next source of inspiration, from wherever it may come; Vera Wang or Martha Stewart, a perfectly popped bottle of champagne, or next season’s runways.

Being an only child, Alicia’s shares her days as a young girl were filled with Barbie dolls, baking with her easy bake oven, and arts and crafts. “My granny was crafty and would make dolls and cool stuff. I’m sure I get this passion from her,” Alicia says. “I began by drawing designs on Lisa Frank folders I had for school and then progressed to drawing portraits. I was a huge Britney Spears fan, so I drew a lot of her. I got bored with that, so I started sewing, crocheting, and netting,” she says.

In high school, Alicia’s love for fashion and sewing increased. She took sewing and embroidery classes and learned how to make individual scarfs and embroidered the names of members of her cheerleading squad on them. Adulthood is where Alicia says her love for special occasions bloomed. “For past employers, I was the go-to person for special occasions or milestones for coworkers. It didn’t just end at work, I planned and organized several friends and family members’ baby showers, weddings, birthday parties, and more,” she shares. It’s obvious this is where her gift took off.

As life would happen, Alicia and her husband welcomed their first son, Mathieu, into the world. As his first birthday quickly approached, she found herself trying to figure out the theme for his party. “Growing up, I loved the movie Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, so that had to be the theme. I went all out and even made my husband dress up as Willy Wonka. The party was amazing, and all our guests in attendance loved it. Though, I’m sure my son doesn’t remember any of it,” she says.

Alicia continued to plan events for her family, friends, and employers and eventually realized the value of her gift and thought she should be getting paid for it. So, she turned her love into a business in 2015, and the rest is history.

This young and talented business owner knows her stuff. She has a Masters degree in Legal Studies, Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science, and a paralegal certificate. One of her biggest aspirations is becoming a politician and making a significant impact in criminal justice reform and the education system, primarily for African Americans and minorities. That inclination aligns with her studying for the LSAT and plans to attend Law School.

What makes Dreams Come True Event Planning LLC one of the best design firms in the St. Louis, MO area? It possibly has something to do with her creative soul and passion for luxurious weddings and special occasions. “As a full-service wedding and event-design firm, Dreams Come True Event Planning LLC uses sophisticated taste and the best vendors to make your wedding and special occasion genuinely remarkable. We aim to create one-of-a-kind experiences that honor customs and cultures, both old and new. Every detail is custom-fitted for every occasion. We create professionally savvy events and remake spaces for every size and function, whether it’s time to get down to brass tacks or let loose,” she says. They offer wedding and event planning, event design, event management, day-of coordination, virtual assistance, linen rentals, event rentals, and custom props. They also specialize in baby showers, birthday parties, corporate events, nonprofit events, weddings, etc.

Alicia says she is the happiest once an event has been fully executed. That’s when her client or guest of honor walks into the venue for the first time and sees their vision executed. “It’s the reason why I continue to do this. It makes every second spent on the event worth it,” she says.

What’s next for Dreams Come True Event Planning LLC? Alicia says she hopes to own an event space and showroom. “One of the biggest hassles as an event planner is securing a venue, so having my own venue would be amazing,” she says.

To learn more about Dreams Come True Event Planning LLC or book your next event, please visit their website. They currently serve St. Louis, MO and Atlanta, GA.