In 2017 YADA founders Djenaba Kelly and Mariah Green prepared for Mariah’s wedding day. They were working with a quick deadline and a tight budget, but really wanted to make the day memorable and personal. That’s when they realized that the best way to make Mariah's wedding truly special was to pool from their community. They saved time, stress, and money by working with a tight knit team of intentional artists and professionals made up of friends, coworkers and mentors. From that point on, the wedding planning process was purely magical, and they wanted others to experience the same magic. Djenaba and Mariah set out to create a platform for more people to feel seen, known, and loved through planning events with a small team that feels like family.
Since then, they have coordinated all kinds of events such as baby showers, graduation parties, bachelorette parties, and weddings, giving people that same magic that they themselves felt at the start of it all.
MEET THE FOUNDERS
DJENABA KELLY
THE CREATIVE
Djenaba is a native of the southside of Chicago, IL, but spent her formative years growing up in Omaha, NE. She has a huge heart for people and is a natural creative. Djenaba enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and serving others. Naturally, these traits have led her to love planning events and helping people capture special moments that will last forever. Djenaba is a self-taught photographer, so if she is not coordinating your event she may be capturing it behind the lens. Djenaba's name means very affectionate and she lives up to that by making everyone she encounters feel seen, known, and loved. She is looking forward to getting to KNOW you.
MARIAH GREEN
THE ADMINISTRATOR
Mariah is a native of Austin, TX. She’s a friend, activator and developer. She considers herself a student of life - always learning new skills and more about people. Mariah never meets a stranger; she will immediately make you feel comfortable and seen. Her role within YADA is primarily the coordination and consideration of the details. You can count on Mariah to always foster an environment of authenticity, professionalism and comfort. She’s excited to learn more about and from you!
