Meet the Wedding Boutique Entrepreneur & Officiant for Da Brat

Being an entrepreneur sometimes means you have to be a superhero but Jennifer Allen is so much more than that. The Dallas native wears many hats and proudly reps many titles like wife, mother, business owner, and officiant. Allen is the Founder of Just Elope, a micro wedding boutique a micro-wedding company.

Just Elope was inspired when Allen had an underwhelming experience marrying her husband at the City Hall in Dallas, TX. Her only options at the time were Las Vegas or the courthouse due to the fact that at the time her husband was leaving for deployment the same day they were getting married. That left her with only 5 days to put together her dream wedding which ended up being far from a dream as it felt rushed. The business provides an all-inclusive wedding day experience that could be booked with as short as 24-hour notice.

Just Elope has pre-planned and custom-curated packages. In addition to custom packages, they also offer Premarital and Marital Coaching. What’s more impressive is that Allen manages this successful business all while still working full-time as an Executive Assistant to a principal and juggling motherhood. Since launching her business in 2017, she has appeared on Netflix’s “Love Is Blind,” and WeTV’s “Brat Loves Judy,” and is most known for marrying Rap Star Da Brat and her partner Jessica Harris-Dupart who recently just announced they were expecting a child together.

One of the hardest things to do is launch a business while working full-time. What kept you motivated to execute your vision even on days you were exhausted?

Knowing that other people have to do more with less support motivates me to get up every day and make it happen. I am blessed to have an amazing support system in my husband and family. I can’t let myself down. I can’t let my husband and kids down. The exhausting days are temporary and on the other side of that is a life I have dreamed about for so long.

I can only imagine that working a 9-5 and being an entrepreneur allows you to look at work from both the employee and employer perspective. What are the pros and cons of both?

A pro of being an employee is not having to be the decision-maker. I get to follow a set of rules and procedures someone else sets.

The con of that is I am not the decision maker, LOL. I am a leader and boss by nature, so being at work at times can be a bit overwhelming when there are areas in the process and systems that need improvement, and I can’t make that change.

I will say that being an employee has made me a better employer because it allows me to treat my team in the way I would like to be treated at work.

How do you balance motherhood and entrepreneurship?

JA: My children are my top priority, and I try my best to schedule life around them; however, in business, that isn’t always possible. I have a fantastic husband who is a super dad! We are equal in our home, and on the days I need to zone out and get my work done, he steps up so that nothing is ever lacking. This allows me to focus on and grow our brand. We are playing the long game, knowing it will all pay off.

: Jennifer Allen with her family

What work values do you want to teach your sons?

Our boys see life from a few perspectives that help shape their work values.

My husband works full-time in corporate America and graduates with his bachelor’s degree in May while making time to coach their basketball teams and be a fantastic husband and dad.

On the other hand, I am a full-time entrepreneur and full-time in corporate America while making time to come to every game, volunteer at their school, and love them and their dad.

They are exposed to the value of hard work and a no-excuse mindset. We always tell them they can do amazing things if they are willing to do the work. They also see how we value each other and how they are raised in love. They get to see what it means to prioritize your family and personal goals.

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Tags: Da Brat, Jennifer Allen, Just Elope, officiant, wedding