Title: Owner
Company: PK Weddings and Events New Orleans
Location: Belle Chasse, Louisiana, United States
Kristen Rauch, owner of PK Weddings and Events New Orleans, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Business Owners for dedication, achievements, and leadership in hospitality and event planning.
Having devoted more than 30 years to her career, Ms. Rauch has established a strong reputation in the hospitality field. Initially pursuing premed studies, she realized her passions lay elsewhere when she was hired by Marriott International Inc. in 1994. Ms. Rauch first worked as a front desk receptionist before completing a summer internship in the company’s sales program and then shifting into that part of the business. Throughout a tenure of over 20 years with Marriott, she contributed to the organization’s managed catering services sales, multi-hotel sales and large group sales.
As the first Marriott employee to hold a multi-hotel sales position in the year 2000, Ms. Rauch became the director of marketing for a brand-new convention hotel located in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in 2005, she played an essential part in rebuilding the company’s operations in the area. Ms. Rauch considers her revitalization of that area to be one of the greatest highlights of her career thus far. Her team won numerous accolades for their efforts, and they helped introduce a new business model to Marriott’s operations in the area.
In 2016, having worked her way up to the role of director of sales and marketing, convention sales and catering sales, Ms. Rauch left Marriott to start her own business. Recognizing a gap in the New Orleans market for wedding planners, she founded PK Weddings and Events New Orleans in 2017. Ms. Rauch runs all operations for her business, including managing social media and marketing, scheduling with clients and creating curated experiences for weddings, elopements, vow renewals and other events. She also collaborates with other wedding professionals and manages relationships with New Orleans-area vendors.
Before venturing onto her vocational path, Ms. Rauch set a foundation for her future endeavors with her education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management with a minor in business from the University of North Texas in 1996. In addition to her education, she attributes her success to the support and encouragement of her husband and her parents. While working with Marriott, she won numerous national and regional Sales Team of the Year Awards.
Ms. Rauch has been a member of several important organizations relevant to her field. She maintains membership with the Wedding Merchants Business Academy and the New Orleans chapter of the National Association for Catering and Events. She is also associated with multiple women’s small business networking groups in the New Orleans area. A devoted animal lover, she supports the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Beyond her professional life, Ms. Rauch has been with her husband for nearly 30 years and has been married to him for nearly 20 years. The couple has a 16-year-old son whom she loves dearly. Ms. Rauch is dedicated to the success of PK Weddings and Events New Orleans, with an eye towards expanding into additional markets. She is currently exploring options in Nashville and hopes to assemble a team of employees who can aid both in running the current location and potential future areas.
For more information, please visit:
Contact Ms. Rauch: