This Is What I’m Meant to Do

By Lora Weaver Owner Happily Ever Expo  

The moment that lit a fire in me happened on a cold March morning in 2020. I was standing inside the venue of my very first wedding expo—Happily Ever Expo—watching vendors set up, couples walk through the doors, and something I had dreamt about for years come to life.

It wasn’t perfect. I had bootstrapped everything. I had personally emailed vendors, designed the branding, and styled every single detail. I had no team—just an idea and the determination to bring it all to life. But there I was, standing in a packed room, watching strangers fall in love with something that, until then, had only existed in my head. I was blown away, my launch event was a major success.

And then, less than two weeks later, the whole world just shut down.

At first, I panicked. I thought: How can I keep this going? Was this just a one-time moment?

But then came the defining shift.

Instead of letting it stop me, I pivoted. I set out and planned a virtual wedding expo to keep couples and vendors connected when in-person wasn’t possible. I started featuring wedding businesses on my social media, and even created a blog to showcase them one by one. Then, as restrictions shifted, I moved fast to host outdoor, socially distanced expos. I got extra creative with logistics, safety, and styling. I had to reinvent everything. I did all of that while pregnant…twice, first in 2021 and again in 2022/2023. I was having/raising two babies, producing large scale events, designing wedding planning magazines from my living room, and somehow still growing a business that vendors actually wanted to be a part of.

That’s when I knew—I wasn’t just passionate about weddings. I was meant to build. To create unforgettable experiences and build community. To lead through the chaos. To show other women, especially moms, that you don’t have to choose between motherhood and your career, motherhood and ambition. That you can build something out of nothing and still be deeply present in your life.

That fire has never gone out. In fact, it’s grown. I’ve expanded my business to include a vendor community, I have published multiple wedding magazines, and I am now launching networking events for women in business and female entrepreneurs, all while planning the launch of a consulting arm to help other small businesses build their own expos/events, brands, and movements. Every time I hear someone say, “I didn’t think I could do this until I saw you do it,” I know I’m walking in my purpose.

That moment in March 2020 showed me that purpose isn’t always shiny and clear cut, it’s formed in the pivot, in the uncertainty, and in how you choose to embrace it and rise from it all.

Since then, I’ve learned to lead with creativity, heart, and a bold vision—even when the path isn’t clear. I don’t wait for perfect timing, because we all know, it rarely comes. I build as I go, fueled by passion and driven by impact, and I bring others with me—especially women who are ready to create something meaningful of their own.

Because if I could light a fire in that moment—facing a global pandemic, a pregnancy, and launching a business from the ground up—I know other women can, too. And I’m here to remind them that the hard parts aren’t the end of the story. They are where the real story begins.

Connect With Lora

www.www.happilyeverexpo.com 

www.instagram.com/happilyeverexpo

www.facebook.com/happilyeverexpo

www.linkedin.com/in/lorawe