Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Sautter.
Hi Katie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Life is rarely linear, and my story is proof of that. On paper, I am Dr. Sautter. I hold a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering and once built quantum dot lasers for a living. It was the kind of career many would call “The Dream Job”: six-figure salary, benefits, stability. But inside, I felt restless. I craved autonomy, creativity, and impact I could see in people’s lives.
I have always been intense and passionate, the kind of kid who made a protest sign to “Save the Rainforest” and marched it down the neighborhood street, convinced it would make a difference. That spark never left me. But in the male-dominated world of STEM, my bright, bubbly energy was often treated as a liability. I was once told I was “too bubbly” to be taken seriously. Today, that same energy fuels my business and inspires my team.
The turning point came when I planned my own wedding. Something clicked. Event planning lit me up in a way lab work never had. I realized I could still make a difference, but in a different way: through people. By building a business rooted in sustainability, inclusivity, and joy, I could give couples the confidence and calm they deserve while staying true to my values.
After months of 100-hour weeks balancing my engineering role and my fledgling wedding business, I took the leap. I left behind the stability of engineering and jumped headfirst into entrepreneurship. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once, but the risk paid off. Within a year, my business grew nearly tenfold, I built a team, and we have since earned dozens of five-star reviews and multiple industry awards.
Today, I run K.S.Otter Events, a sustainable wedding planning company that helps couples celebrate love in ways that are stress-free, eco-friendly, and deeply personal. My story is about believing in yourself enough to leap, even when the path ahead is not clear, and building something better than you could have imagined on the other side.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Does anyone really have a smooth road? Starting this business meant taking a leap that many people in my life didn’t understand, and I lost friendships because of it. Choosing to walk away from a stable engineering career to pursue something that felt less “practical” made some people question me, but it also revealed who my true supporters were. In the process, I found a community of good humans who truly get it. The people who stand by me believe not just in the business, but in me, and that kind of support has been essential to my success.
I’ve also faced plenty of internal challenges. Imposter syndrome is real, and I am no stranger to it. I’ve sat at tables with some of the biggest names in the wedding industry and walked in asking myself if I really belonged. But I’ve learned to reframe those moments, because being in those rooms isn’t luck. It’s the result of passion, persistence, and faith in myself. My business coach often reminds me that I have the entrepreneurial spirit in my bones, and I know in my heart that is what keeps me moving forward.
The drastic career change brought moments of doubts, too. There were long nights and tears, times when I questioned if I could really make it. But at my core, I’ve always had a fire in me: a kind of energy people feel when they meet me. That fire has kept me going, and it’s drawn the right people into my life: a community of fellow entrepreneurs, vendors, and clients who believe in what I’m building.
So no, it hasn’t been smooth. But I don’t think it was ever meant to be smooth. The challenges have shaped me into the leader I am today, and they’ve confirmed something I’ve always known: I was destined to be an entrepreneur.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
K.S.Otter Events is a sustainable wedding planning business based in North Carolina. We are a team of planners that specialize in full-service and partial planning, event management and day-of coordination, and custom packages designed to fit the unique needs of each couple. What we’re best known for is our balance of personality and precision: couples get the joy of working with a planner who feels like a trusted friend, while vendors know they can count on us for seamless organization.
One of the things that truly sets us apart is our proprietary 81-step system that guides every wedding we plan, no matter the package. That structure means 80 percent of the work is complete before we even arrive on the wedding day, creating an experience that feels calm and effortless for our couples. Vendors regularly tell us they breathe easier when they find out their couples booked us, because they know every detail is accounted for.
We also lead with values. As a sustainable wedding planning business, we provide our couples with tips, tools, and vendor connections to make their celebration as eco-friendly as they’d like, without the pressure: whether that’s a few simple swaps or a full eco-warrior approach. And as a proudly LGBTQ+ affirming company, we’re members of the Safe Space Alliance and carry inclusivity training so every couple feels celebrated and respected.
What I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is how approachable and genuine our business feels while still being high-level and professional. The wedding industry can sometimes feel stuffy or overly traditional, but K.S.Otter Events was designed to feel different: nerdy, caring, joyful, and deeply authentic. We love blending tradition with non-traditional elements. We love twists and creating meaningful moments that last a lifetime in our couples’ memories.
Because we have a team (unlike solopreneurs who juggle everything), we are able to promise our couples that they will feel like our one and only wedding. At the end of the day, what we offer is confidence, clarity, and a wedding that reflects exactly who you are.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
For me, success is layered. On the surface, it looks like numbers, awards, and growth, the kind of goals that speak to the engineer in me. But underneath, success is about impact. It is watching a bride walk into a meeting in tears, convinced she could not handle the pressure of planning, and leaving the meeting laughing, with the confidence that we have her covered. It is saving a couple thousands of dollars on their alcohol budget and seeing the relief wash over them. Those moments where the tension lifts and shoulders relax are when I know we are making a difference.
Success also means creating a business that supports more than just me. I am proud that K.S.Otter Events has become a place where people want to work, a company culture that feels good to be part of. My lead planners love what they do here, and I want them to focus on planning and serving couples without the weight of marketing or admin. Every time I bring in new business, I am not just feeding myself, I am helping sustain my team. That feels like success: building a mini economy under my own roof, from the comfort of my home, with my cats at my side.
Ultimately, success is all of these things together. The numbers matter, but so does the impact on couples, the opportunities I create for my team, and the culture we are building together. I believe in my employees, and I know this business would not work without them. To me, success is knowing that we are growing something bigger than what people see at the surface. We are growing a business rooted in passion, community, and care.
Pricing:
- $5,500 – Full Service Planning
- $3,300 – Partial Planning
- $2,250 – Event Management Plus
- $1,550 – Event Management (Month-of coordination)
- $1,100 – Partial Event Management (Day-of coordination)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ksotterevents.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ksotterevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ksotterevents/
- Other: https://linktr.ee/ksotterevents
Image Credits
@studioacephoto
@mycahbainphoto
@hollychristinaphotography
@lauren_depuy_photography
@seanszitasphotography
@rrproductions.company
