Jason Thomas Crocker Photography
Meet the Team
Named best wedding planner in Des Moines, Iowa.
Honey & Joy Events is a wedding planning and event design company in Des Moines, Iowa founded by Karla Lewenczuk, which quickly grew to the amazing wedding planning and event design company it is today. As wedding planners, our goal is to create joy and cultivate love in all aspects of our lives and most importantly in our client's lives. We emphasize the importance of the tiny details in design that bring out our couple's personalities and tell their unique love stories.
Karla Lewenczuk
owner, creative director + floral designer
Karla Lewenczuk founded Honey & Joy in 2016, driven by her love for detailed timelines and visual aesthetics. Shortly after, Karla decided to leave the corporate world behind and pursue her entrepreneurial endeavors by creating Honey & Joy. Since then, Karla and her team have successfully planned and coordinated over 500+ weddings and events all over the Midwest.
When it comes to planning, Karla’s knowledge of corporate events, budgeting, and visual aesthetics are what have made her such a success. She also creates all floral designs in-house and has a deep passion for bringing each couple’s vision to life through custom floral arrangements. Whether it's a romantic bouquet or an elaborate floral installation, Karla loves using flowers to elevate every detail of the event experience.
Karla’s acute attention to detail and tight-knit vendor relationships ensure that you receive nothing but the absolute best for your event. Whatever your vision may be, Karla will turn it into reality and exceed your expectations.
Karla has been named one of the top wedding planners in Iowa, has designed weddings for couples across the Midwest, and has been featured in publications such as Style Me Pretty, Carats & Cake, Magnolia Rouge, and many more.
Her wedding experience ranges from intimate celebrations of 50 guests to elaborate tented weddings. No matter the size of your event, Karla and her team ensure that no detail is left behind and that the experience delivered is unmatched.
When she is not busy designing with all things Honey & Joy, you can find her spending time with her family, working out, traveling, cooking, or baking.
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She is constantly buying things at Target to redecorate her house and office space
Karla is always drinking coffee
She is obsessed with flowers and donuts
Katelyn
events manager + designer
Katelyn studied Event Management at Iowa State University and has had a lifelong passion for weddings. Her internship with Honey & Joy confirmed that the wedding industry was exactly where she was meant to be. Known for her upbeat personality, strong organizational skills, and ambition, Katelyn brings a thoughtful and detail-oriented approach to every event she plans. Katelyn has been with Honey & Joy for four years and she loves every bit of it!
With a deep appreciation for aesthetics and beautifully curated details, Katelyn thrives on helping clients create events that are both visually stunning and deeply personal. She finds the greatest joy in seeing everything come together—and in watching couples enjoy their day feeling relaxed, confident, and completely in love.
When she’s not planning weddings or designing stationery, you can find Katelyn shopping, enjoying a night out with friends, or spending time with her puppy, Hank.
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She can’t go a day without an iced latte
Her guilty pleasures are reality TV and online shopping
A neutral girl but loves colorful florals at weddings
sadie
graphic designer + event planner
Sadie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Tourism, and Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Northern Iowa, all while competing as a Division I athlete on the university’s track and field team. Her passion for planning truly came to life when she became a bride herself and has only grown as she’s walked alongside more and more friends through their own wedding journeys. Naturally detail-oriented and creatively driven, she has always found joy in bringing visions to life through thoughtful planning and intentional design.
She married her sweet husband and best friend, Austin, whom she met through Salt Company, a campus ministry during college. Serving others has always been at the heart of everything she does. She finds great joy in building genuine relationships, guiding couples through meaningful moments, and delivering an organized, seamless, and joy-filled experience. With a heart for service, a love for people, and a strong foundation of planning expertise, she is deeply excited to come alongside brides and help create days that are as beautiful as they are memorable.
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1. Sadie spends a lot of time going for walks with her mini bernedoodle, Winnie!
2. Her and her husband love traveling to Disney World!
3. Unlike most people... she really enjoys running!
brooke
floral studio manager
Allie earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a minor in Psychology from Grand View University. Her event planning career began during college, where she served on the Grand View Student Activity Council and the Grand View Student Nursing Association, coordinating a wide range of university-wide events. As her passion for event design grew, she expanded her planning and design skills by organizing her own wedding, developing detailed timelines, checklists, budgets, and communication systems for vendors.
Allie has continued to pursue event planning alongside her nursing career. Today, she works as an OB Nurse in the Des Moines metro while still dedicating herself to serving clients through event planning.
With over four years of planning experience, Allie brings strong organizational skills, clear communication, creativity, and reliable problem-solving to every event she designs.
Outside of work, Allie enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and her two dogs, Dixie and Cece. She loves traveling and exploring new places with her husband, Austin.
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She is always at Pilates
She loves coffee
Her favorite vacation is an all-inclusive resort in Mexico
Josie
floral designer + social media coordinator
Josie studied Advertising with a minor in Human Development at Iowa State University. While she didn’t originally plan to work in the events world, when the opportunity came along, she jumped in—and quickly fell in love with it.
She’s all about the small details and has a big passion for design, especially when it comes to graphic design and photography. One of her favorite parts of weddings is working with florals—there’s just something special about seeing everything come together and how flowers can completely transform a space.
Whether it’s creating a mood board or arranging the perfect centerpiece, Josie brings her A game to every event and is here to help with anything you may need to make sure your day comes together just the way you imagined.
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Josie has a passion for photography and would love to pursue it someday!
She spent a semester in Hawaii and took a surfing class!
In her free time, Josie is either working out, hanging out with her friends, or watching reality TV!
allie
event planner + rentals coordinator
Allie earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with a minor in Psychology from Grand View University. Her event planning career began during college, where she served on the Grand View Student Activity Council and the Grand View Student Nursing Association, coordinating a wide range of university-wide events. As her passion for event design grew, she expanded her planning and design skills by organizing her own wedding, developing detailed timelines, checklists, budgets, and communication systems for vendors.
Allie has continued to pursue event planning alongside her nursing career. Today, she works as an OB Nurse in the Des Moines metro while still dedicating herself to serving clients through event planning.
With over four years of planning experience, Allie brings strong organizational skills, clear communication, creativity, and reliable problem-solving to every event she designs.
Outside of work, Allie enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and her two dogs, Dixie and Cece. She loves traveling and exploring new places with her husband, Austin.
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She is always at Pilates
She loves coffee
Her favorite vacation is an all-inclusive resort in Mexico
we can’t wait to meet you!
REACH OUT TO US TO START PLANNING YOUR BEST DAY EVER!
