North Bay Woman

18 NORTH BAY WOMAN | S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 By PJ Bremier If you had to plan a special meeting or spectacular party, where would you start? For many North Bay event planners and hosts, there's only one place: Encore Events Rentals. Marisa Ferrell is one of those event planners. The owner of So Eventfull, she's done at least 800 events, mostly weddings, in the Wine Country since her company was formed, and "we always use Encore," she says. "Everyone is so nice there and they go out of their way to make the experience top notch." She takes her bridal clients to the showroom where the Encore team creates a mock set- up with her. "It allows the bride to create her dream setting and she's always elated," she adds. "And with Encore's large inventory, there's something for every bride – the rustic bride, the classic bride or the contemporary bride." Bridget Doherty is the driving force behind Encore Events Rentals. Once part of a single store founded by her father in Petaluma that rented both heavy equipment and party pieces, Encore Events Rentals now operates independently out of three North Bay locations with a wide inventory that includes stylish tabletop supplies, furnishings, tents, décor and accessories in a wide array of colors, looks and materials. When Doherty was growing up in Sonoma County, she had no plans to go into the family business. In fact, her dream was to travel for the gap year between graduating from the University of Southern California and entering law school. That all changed in 2000 when she was 22, her father was killed in a snowmobile accident. She cut her trip short and came back to run the business, Cal West Rentals. "I thought I would stay for three to fi ve years until my younger brother fi nished college and decided whether he wanted to take over the business," she recalls. "I didn't know anything about this business and I had taken no business classes in college, but luckily, our offi ce manager and shop manager had been working with my dad for 15 years and they Party Pieces Purveyor "I'm good friends with my clients by nature of our working together and having similar passions." – Bridget Doherty Bridget Doherty

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