Courtney King ’20 has a passion for event planning. She strives to be strategic about the planning experience. She likes to figure out the event’s goal–brand growth, fundraising, employee retention, or profit–then plan the event with that goal in mind. 

“My goal is for each person to leave my events with a better understanding of why they came, and the actions they can take after to accomplish goals set at the event,” said King. 

Through the Alumni Mentoring Network Program, King met Emily Calhoun ’07, owner of Floriography Flowers. Calhoun and her team of designers specialize in dreaming up and executing exquisite, garden-inspired designs for everything from grand luxury weddings to intimate whimsical dinner parties.

Through this connection, King was offered the opportunity to spend her summer in Albuquerque, New Mexico immersed in event planning work through an internship with Floriography. 

As an intern, King is learning so much more than just how to make a flower arrangement. Calhoun is also teaching her how to run a business. From getting a loan to start your business, to learning how to market on Facebook, to customer service, King is seeing first hand the ins and out of running an event planning business. 

Learn more about King’s summer internship through her blog, Courtney King. Also, check out some of our favorite posts below. 


  • How to: make a flower crown/headband

    For my first day as an intern at Floriography Flowers, we ran a booth at Nomadic Yoga Festival in Albuquerque, NM at The Yards. One of the activities at our booth was to make a flower crown.

  • My fourth wedding interning with Floriography Flowers

    This weekend was pretty crazy as Floriography had not one, not two, but four weddings!

  • First day as an intern for Floriography Flowers

    My first lesson as an intern in an event planning business was that you do not get weekends off.