STAFF FOCUS: Liz Arline
Common House Richmond’s Director of Events, Liz Arline, always knew that she’d end up in the event world. She grew up looking forward to throwing parties and getting excited about every detail. “When I was five, I threw my very own alien-themed birthday pool party — and I’ve been hooked ever since,” Liz says.
She grew up in Alexandria, VA and moved to North Carolina for college to study event planning at East Carolina University. After college, Liz came back to the D.C. area and dabbled in every industry under the umbrella of event planning: “I worked in catering, spent time with florists, and even had a stint working with a DJ (which didn’t last long),” Liz explains. “I’ve seen it all, and I still haven’t exhausted my excitement for it.” Eventually, Liz started her own wedding planning company, Liz & Co. Events, with fellow event planner Liz Lim.
After 7 years of running her own business in the fast-paced, bustling event world of D.C., Liz and her family began looking for a change of pace and settled their sights on Richmond. “We’ve always loved Richmond, and we’d come here often as a quick getaway from D.C.,” Liz says. “My husband and I also got engaged here — he proposed on the canal walk, and ultimately gave himself mono because he was so stressed about the proposal,” Liz says, laughing. But so far, Liz’s transition to Richmond and learning the ropes at Common House has only been smooth sailing. “This is the first time where I’ve gotten to spend time in one place and really get to know the space,” Liz says. “I get to see Union Hall, the Madison Wing, and the Courtyard come together with so many different weddings and events. With every event, the space looks completely different, which keeps it exciting and fun. You feel pretty proud of every event after it’s completed, and it’s nice being with a consistent team of people you can work with and get to know.”
Liz is excited to be in a new place and experience new things in Richmond, as well as the endless possibilities at Common House. “To sell the space you really have to fall in love with it,” Liz explains. “And the space at Common House is easy to fall in love with.” As for Liz’s favorite spot in the House? “The rooftop is always where I end my tours and it’s where I do a lot of work,” Liz says. “The view is great and even though you can’t rent it for an event, it’s an awesome place for photos.”
Learn more about Richmond’s event spaces and get in touch with Liz through our Private Events page.