Get to Know Lola's Letters

Feb 28

By: Amanda Huntsman

Light Up Your Party

If you haven't noticed, marquee lights are all the rage for parties because they add that "wow" factor to any event! Think of them as the cherry on top of ice cream. They can be styled in many creative ways for any occasion.

Right here in Newport Beach, Lola's Letters offers 4' marquee lights which come in letters, numbers, and symbols. They are available to rent for any party or event, such as birthdays, weddings, back to school, reunions, holidays, and graduation. Recently, Lola's Letters was hired for a BALMAIN event at the beautiful Montage, Laguna Beach. Lola’s Letters has also been featured in Neiman Marcus - Fashion Island.

How It Started

Emily, Newport Beach resident and founder of Lola's Letters, rented marquee lights for her daughter's 6th birthday party. Her guests raved about them and asked where they could rent them for their parties. Then, after posting pictures of the party on social media, random people started messaging her the same question. It was then she knew she was on to something. Emily loves hosting parties and saw the need for a local marquee light company, so she pitched the idea to her husband, Brad. He was on board and told her to go for it! At the time, she was five months pregnant, but that didn't stop her from forging ahead with her new business.

The philosophy behind Emily's business is pretty simple - it's best to do one thing really well. "We provide beautiful, clean, statement-piece marquees. We do not do balloons, flowers, create tablescapes, etc., but we can refer you to local vendors who specialize in these fields and do exquisite work."

Emily enjoys the creative outlet it gives her. She values meeting new clients who often end up becoming friends. She also likes the sense of community collaborating with local vendor mamas. A tight group of local vendors has become like family to Emily.

The biggest inspiration for Emily is her three daughters. She wants to be a role model showing them you can have a wild idea, execute it and make it a reality. What started as a little side hobby has become an incredible business opportunity, and she is grateful for the overwhelming support of the Newport Beach community. Lola’s Letters has grown leaps and bounds since Emily first launched the business, and she is thrilled to announce she just expanded with a franchise located on the Central Coast of California.

Emily's message to her fellow Newport Beach residents..."I may have an unpopular opinion, but I believe it is important to share. It's fun to celebrate, but there is enormous pressure to throw a huge, elaborate party for every occasion. I believe this puts unnecessary stress on parents and unrealistic life expectations on our kids. It's okay not to host a huge party for every event."

About Emily

Emily grew up in the midwest and moved to Newport Beach a week after graduating high school. She holds a BA degree in Organizational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University. After she had her oldest daughter, they were lucky enough to live bicoastal for many years.

Emily's family has always been heavily involved in philanthropy. Growing up, she watched her parents support many organizations, so it was natural for her to gravitate toward philanthropic work as an adult. She currently works for a private family foundation that supports high-achieving, under-resourced Orange County students so they can successfully complete a 4-year college degree. To date, they have supported over 1,700 students and provided over $62 million in support.

Outside of running Lola's Letters and working for the foundation, she stays very busy with her three young daughters and their activities. Her oldest daughter is very active with the Newport Beach Waterpolo Club, and Emily loves watching her compete. In addition, she is an avid Orange Theory Fitness client and enjoys spending lazy weekend days at the Balboa Bay Club. Emily is also a member of the National Charity League (NCL) Newport Chapter, where she volunteers with many local organizations.