A personal journey of transforming event planning into purposeful, meaningful experiences. Discover how one planner is building her dream job by combining creativity, faith, and heartfelt service to create unforgettable celebrations.
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Influential Woman · Events Services / Event Management
Trina Burkhalter
Founder | The Arizona Personal Planner, Weddings And Events By Trina, LLC
Surprise, AZ 85378
4Years experience
1Article published
Her Story
About Trina
Trina Burkhalter is an experienced event planner, coordinator, and founder of Weddings and Events By Trina, LLC, where she serves as the Arizona Personal Planner. With more than 20 years of experience in event management, Trina has built a reputation for creating meaningful, seamless, and beautifully executed celebrations. Her career began with a natural passion for organizing parties, church gatherings, and special occasions, eventually developing into a professional event planning business that she operated for over 15 years in Chicago before expanding her services in Arizona.
Throughout her career, Trina has specialized in weddings, corporate events, and special celebrations, managing every aspect of the planning process from concept development and budgeting to vendor coordination, décor, timelines, guest logistics, and on-site execution. Known for her calm leadership and attention to detail, she has successfully orchestrated more than 100 events while ensuring each client’s vision is transformed into a memorable experience. Her expertise includes wedding coordination, event design, floral arrangements, invitations, vendor management, and serving as the behind-the-scenes organizer who brings every detail together flawlessly.
Trina’s professional journey is supported by her background in fashion design, administrative planning, and corporate event coordination, with previous experience at organizations such as U.S. Bank, the Phoenix Suns, Ogletree Deakins, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. She combines creativity, organization, and strong relationship-building skills to deliver exceptional client experiences.
Guided by values of faith, honesty, integrity, and service, Trina continues to grow her business while volunteering in her community, spending time with family, hiking, and inspiring others to pursue their talents with confidence and purpose.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Trina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success first and foremost to God, The Lord Jesus Christ. Every opportunity, every open door, every lesson, and every milestone has been a reflection of His grace, guidance, and faithfulness in my life.
My journey has been built on trusting the Lord, even when I could not see the entire path ahead. Proverbs 3:5-6 has been a constant reminder to trust in Him with all my heart, lean not on my own understanding, and acknowledge Him in all my ways. When I placed my vision in His hands, He continued to order my steps and reveal purpose in every season.
I also attribute my success to perseverance, continued growth, and the willingness to remain teachable. God has given me creativity, passion, and a heart to serve others, and I believe those gifts are meant to be used to create meaningful experiences and bring joy to people’s lives.
Without Christ at the center, none of this would take shape. My faith is the foundation of everything I do. What is being built is not just a business—it is a reflection of my faith, my obedience, and my desire to honor God through the work of my hands. I am grateful for every chapter, every challenge, and every blessing because they have all shaped me into the person and entrepreneur I am today.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have ever received is: stop comparing yourself to others.
Your journey, your timing, and your purpose are uniquely yours. When you spend time comparing your path to someone else’s, you lose sight of the vision and assignment God has placed on your own life. Believe in yourself, trust God’s direction, and have confidence in the gifts and abilities He has given you.
As an entrepreneur, you have to learn to lead—not just work in your company. Show up with the mindset of an owner, make decisions with purpose, and continue building the foundation for the vision you were given. There will be challenges along the way, but stay strong, stay the course, and don’t give up.
Most importantly, make sure you are walking in your purpose and answering the calling placed on your life. When you operate from a place of faith, passion, and obedience, you create something that is not only successful but meaningful.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
You have to believe that you are capable of accomplishing the vision and goals you have set before you. Build a strong foundation, establish healthy boundaries, and remain committed to continuous growth.
Your passion will be the fuel that keeps you moving forward, especially during the seasons that require patience and perseverance.
When you truly love what you do, you begin to show up differently. You no longer operate as someone simply working in the business—you begin to think, lead, and make decisions as the owner of the business you are building.
Believe in your vision, trust GOD and HIS process, and continue to show up with purpose, dedication, and confidence.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in the event industry is helping clients understand the value behind professional planning and intentional design. Many people see the final beautiful moments of an event, but they may not always see the countless hours of preparation, coordination, problem-solving, and attention to detail that happen behind the scenes. Educating clients on the importance of having a trusted planner who can bring their vision to life while protecting their investment is an important part of my role.
At the same time, I believe there are incredible opportunities within this industry. People are looking for more personalized and meaningful experiences—not just events, but moments that reflect who they are and what they value. There is an opportunity to create celebrations that are intentional, memorable, and tailored to each client.
Another opportunity is continuing to build relationships within the Arizona event community and collaborate with talented vendors who share the same commitment to excellence. Through partnerships, creativity, and continued growth, I believe we can elevate the experience clients receive and create events that truly leave a lasting impact.
The greatest opportunity I see is being able to use my gifts of creativity, organization, and service to remind people that every milestone deserves to be celebrated beautifully and intentionally.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life begin with putting God first. My faith is the foundation that guides my decisions, shapes my character, and reminds me to lead with purpose, compassion, and humility.
I believe in operating with honesty and integrity in everything I do. Trust is earned through consistency, transparency, and doing what is right—even when no one is watching. I strive to create relationships and experiences built on respect, authenticity, and genuine care for others.
Another value that is deeply important to me is working in excellence. I believe that the gifts and talents God has given me should be stewarded well. Excellence does not mean perfection; it means giving my best, paying attention to the details, continuing to grow, and honoring every opportunity placed before me.
Whether I am serving my clients, building my business, or living my personal life, my goal is to lead with faith, serve with love, and always represent my values through my actions.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Trina
How She Is Doing It: Trina Burkhalter — The Arizona Personal Planner
From Wedding Planning to Creating Meaningful Moments: The Story Behind The Arizona Personal Planner
For years, I had a passion for creating meaningful experiences. I loved seeing the details come together, watching a vision become reality, and knowing that every element of an event served a purpose. After spending more than 15 years planning weddings and events in Chicago, I brought that same passion with me when I moved to Arizona.
But my journey wasn't just about planning events-it was about discovering who I was and what I wanted to give to others.
A Renewed Vision
In 2022, I relaunched Weddings and Events by Trina, LLC with a renewed vision: to create intentional, personal, and unforgettable experiences for clients who desire something beautiful, meaningful, and uniquely their own. I didn't want to simply plan events; I wanted to create moments where people felt seen, celebrated, and genuinely cared for.
The journey has required faith, courage, growth, and a willingness to step outside my comfort zone. I invested in myself, continued learning, completed my cohort program, and embraced every opportunity to become a better planner, designer, and business owner.
Bringing Heart Into Every Detail
Along the way, I discovered that my greatest strength isn't just creating beautiful spaces-it's bringing heart into every detail. Whether it's a wedding, corporate event, nonprofit gathering, or intimate celebration, I love transforming spaces and helping people experience moments they'll remember forever.
My creativity comes alive in the details. A simple space can become something extraordinary with the right vision, intention, and care. From floral design and event styling to the behind-the-scenes coordination that keeps everything running seamlessly, I love being the person who helps bring a dream to life.
Becoming The Arizona Personal Planner
Becoming The Arizona Personal Planner has been a journey of growth, purpose, and perseverance. I'm proud of what I've built, excited about what's ahead, and grateful for every client who trusts me to be part of their most meaningful moments.
This is how I did it-not by doing everything perfectly, but by continuing to show up, keep learning, trust God, and believe in the vision He placed on my heart to create with purpose.
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