Trista Croce’s Holiday Rules

Born and raised in a small town in Wisconsin, Trista had dreams of doing big things and starting her exciting journey out in the world. She attended the University of Arizona where her love for event coordination first originated. Her interest in event work stemmed from when she began interning with a company that specialized in event management for a non-profit organization. Her creativity and attention to detail landed her a position within the company. Trista instantly became obsessed with the wedding and event industry and soon after, she created BTS and hasn’t looked back since!

It was over 10 years ago that Trista’s ultimate dream turned into a reality. She created BTS Event Management, launching over 10 years ago in Phoenix, Arizona. The company got its start planning local weddings in Arizona but has since skyrocketed, travelling around the world to beautiful destinations, such as LA, Mexico, Costa Rica, & more, creating the dreamiest day for each wedding couple. Trista and the BTS team are perfect for a couple who wants an unforgettable and unique wedding day, inspiring guests alike!

BTS sets the bar for luxury weddings. What makes BTS unique is that they truly do it all for their couples. They plan, coordinate, and manage weddings as well as design and create the setting weddings take place. Don’t know what to do to save the dates? Trista has an amazing graphic design team. Having trouble finding the perfect dress? BTS has an in-house bridal stylist for all attire needs. Their specialty- making wedding visions come to life.

Trista puts her heart and soul into planning each wedding, intending to blow her clients’ expectations out of the water. She has dedicated her life to her craft, with many sleepless nights creating cutting-edge, unique wedding designs. She truly makes the impossible possible.

Her why and reason for pursuing this amazing journey is her beautiful kids, a whole decade apart, who keep her on her toes and never allow her to slow down enough to realize that she probably actually does need sleep now and again.

Although a self-proclaimed workaholic, Trista tries to make time for hobbies. When she’s not planning a wedding, she enjoys weightlifting, boxing, barre and travelling.

Tell us about your journey to success in the event industry.

I got here all thanks to a mandatory internship I needed to fulfil in college. I started this at a non-profit organization and was actually really good at coordinating, managing, and designing events and now here I am!

What was your biggest challenge in starting your career and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge I had was not having a mentor or a boss to teach me how to do things when I started my own business. I learned through trial and error which is hard on the soul but makes you strong. It was also hard to start a business and work so hard and so many hours and not generate revenue for at least a year and a half. Being a single mom at the time, this was tricky to balance but I knew it would be worth it.

How do you approach balancing work with your personal life?

I am terrible at it. I make time for my kids but outside of that, it is a never-ending balancing act that I always work towards mastering and somehow never really get that close to achieving. I thoroughly love my job and what I do so I don’t mind it, but I do understand the importance of this in the long run.
What do you look for in a project before accepting a new event?

There has to be a realistic budget and I have to do a good job of explaining the planning process so that the client has realistic expectations. As long as those two details are set, the process and the outcome will be incredible.

What do you hope to achieve in your career in the future?

I hope to continue to grow the destination wedding department we have, and I hope to increase our celebrity clientele. I also strive to provide a great working environment for professionals hoping to further their careers in this industry.

Can you talk about a time when you had to step outside of your comfort zone for a job?

I have to step outside of my comfort zone regularly. Every event and wedding we do is different, we don’t repeat things so I am always doing something new, different, and outside of what I am comfortable or familiar with.

Can you tell us about a cause or charity you are passionate about and how you are involved with it?

I don’t have one particular cause or charity that I focus on, but I do love to donate my time, expertise, and services to any charity event that we can contribute to. I strongly believe in giving back to the community and since so much funding is raised through events for charities, I gladly participate whenever I can!

Trista’s Holiday Rules

What is your favourite travel destination?

Turks and Caicos

What are some must-have items for a comfortable yet stylish travel outfit?

My goal is to always be comfortable but polished at the same time. So much of my travel is work-related so I feel the need to always look presentable and to some degree, professional.

How can one pack light while still having a variety of outfits for a trip?

I try to cut down on the number of shoes, so I will coordinate outfits that can all coordinate with a minimal number of shoes. This saves a tremendous amount of space. A great pair of black heels and then a good pair of work flats and maybe flat sandals or slides will get me through just about any trip and allow me to only take a carry-on.

What are some tips for dressing appropriately for different climates while travelling?

Most of my travel is done to beach destinations so I’m usually packing for warm weather, which is easier to do because clothes for warm weather are smaller. If I am going someplace cold, I take an all-purpose jacket on the plane with me. I usually don’t pack this in the suitcase and use it on the flight to save space.

What are some essential beauty products to pack for a trip?

Moisturizer and hair oil. My skin and hair always get dry when travelling so I have to make sure these items are with me on every trip. I love Tatcha for my skin and Kerastase has a couple of travel-size hair oils that are life savers.

What are some tips for maintaining healthy hair while travelling?

Moisturizing is key for me. I usually pack my shampoo and conditioner. The hotels I stay at have stepped up their in-house shampoos and conditioners, which is great, but I can never be certain so packing my own is a huge help!

How can one create a simple, yet effective skincare routine while on the go?

The best tip is to keep the steps to a minimum and stay consistent, no matter what your day looks like. Be sure to remove make-up at night and try to exfoliate while out of town because your skin can dry out so much when travelling.

What are some compact and travel-friendly makeup items to bring on a trip?

An all-purpose pallet. I love neutral pallets like Charlotte Tilbury. I’ll use this on my eyes and cheeks. I love setting powder, foundation, mascara, and lip gloss, and that’s about it.

For more, follow Trista!

Instagram | BTS Instagram | TikTok I Website | The Aisle Podcast