Michelle Leo’s talent is turning dream destination weddings into beautiful celebrations, handling every aspect with style and elegance. Now, Leo has something to celebrate after she was awarded a $5,000 Comcast RISE small business grant that includes business coaching, marketing and technology upgrades. 

After opening Michelle Leo Events 15 years ago, she’s excited to invest in its growth and find ways to better serve her clients. The Sandy business owner is grateful for the opportunity to be coached by business professionals. 

“I am a wedding planner that specializes in inbound luxury destination weddings,” Leo said. “We don’t just focus on the wedding day experience. Each job not only includes the planning, design and execution of the events that they’re having, but also the guest-related services like hotel room blocks, transportation and welcome bags. 

“Because they’re traveling such a long distance to celebrate, they don’t just have a wedding. It might be a cocktail party, rehearsal dinner or organized activities like hiking, biking, fishing, golfing or a spa days for the girls. And then there’s the wedding itself, the after party and farewell brunch. So it’s a pretty big celebration.”

Coordinating all the different activities can be stressful and overwhelming. Leo hopes the business coaching and technology updates provided through the Comcast RISE grant can help streamline processes to make things easier to navigate. 

Focused mainly on weddings in Park City and Deer Valley, Leo’s company has been featured in many top magazines like “Vogue,” “Martha Stewart” and “Brides.”

“We’re dealing with a lot of emotions and big financial investments on behalf of our clients. It’s just a lot to navigate,” she said. “I feel that Comcast is really in a position to help guide me through the latest and greatest technology and help me weigh the pros and cons of what type of software or tools I need to invest in. I think that they’re going to have a great perspective on that and I’m looking forward to their guidance.”

Comcast RISE awarded 100 grant packages to small businesses along the Wasatch Front to strengthen local communities and fuel growth. Additionally, grant recipients were announced in Boston, Massachusetts; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Nashville, Tennessee; and Seattle, Washington, for a total of 500 recipients this year. To date, Comcast RISE has provided a total of $160 million in monetary, marketing and technology resources to 14,500 small businesses nationwide, underscoring Comcast’s belief that when small businesses thrive, communities thrive.

“Comcast RISE is about helping Utah’s small businesses not just survive, but thrive,” said Deneiva Knight, external affairs director, Comcast Mountain West Region. “By providing grants, marketing and technology support, we’re investing in the entrepreneurs whose success fuels growth and opportunity across our communities.”

President and CEO of the South Valley Chamber, Jay Francis, said the Comcast RISE grants provide an opportunity for local businesses to reach new customers and help support the economy in Salt Lake County.

“For small businesses, a $5,000 Comcast RISE grant and the added resources can be the game-changing boost that fuels growth, sparks innovation, and strengthens their impact in our community,” he said. 

To learn more about her business, visit michelleleoevents.com.