My Décor Event Decorations and Services—Hmong-Run Decorating Business Opens Doors For Your Special Event Needs

Got an event that needs decorating? Since 2007, MyKao Vang and her husband Xeev Vam Lee of St. Paul, MN have owned and run My Décor, an event decorating and services business for all your decorating and special event needs. As professional event decorators, MyKao and Xeev Vam have the decorative skills and aesthetic expertise to transform an ordinary event into something extraordinary. The husband-and-wife duo currently offers services in both California and Minnesota.

So how did this family get into the event decorating business? The idea originally came from MyKao’s brother Dong Tue Vang and his wife Khor Shia Lee, who run the original My Décor branch in Fresno, California. “My brother [Dong Tue] had already started decorating events in Fresno,” MyKao says, “and he asked me to come out and try the business for myself.” Turns out, decorating for events not only interested her a lot, it came very naturally to her. After having her first experiences with her brother work out well, MyKao enlisted in professional courses to learn how to properly learn techniques for high-end and upscale decorative services. “Those courses didn’t have any other Hmong people in them,” she says, “people came from as far as London, England to learn what I was learning.”

After completion of her courses, MyKao and her husband Xeev Vam decided to open up their own business branch in Minnesota. Because the Hmong are always celebrating, MyKao and Xeev Vam found that there actually was a niche for decorating, but noticed there weren’t any services out there yet for events. “This is something new career-wise,” says Xeev Vam. Since opening, they have provided decorative services for weddings, anniversaries, holiday parties, graduations, as well as proms and formal dances.

My Décor has added another level to their business: extending their services to include funeral services as well, due to the fact that funerals are such important events in the Hmong community. Most famously, My Décor (MyKao and Xeev Vam) provided the decorations during General Vang Pao’s pe hawm three week-long funeral affair at the Lao Family Community Center in St. Paul, MN; and her brother (Dong Tue) also provided the decorations for the General’s one week-long funeral affair at the Fresno Convention Center during his passing this year. Afterwards, My Décor was also appointed to be the decorators for General Vang Pao’s tso plig ceremony in St. Paul, Minnesota as well. “We put in a lot of work for his celebration,” says Xeev Vam, “we helped in every way that we could.” In addition to those successes, My Décor has also recently been officially contracted by Legacy Funeral Home in St. Paul, MN and Maplewood, MN to provide decorative services to honor and remember loved ones, “which is an honor, and a huge opportunity for us to expand the Hmong community to the new society,” says Xeev Vam.

So what is the best part about being in this line of work? “It’s all about customer service and satisfaction,” MyKao says, “I get to know a lot of people and at the same time share my talent.” Adds her husband Xeev Vam, “When we see people happy with our work, we are proud of our work as well. It is extremely satisfying when our customers are happy with how much we can help.”

Not sure about what you want, need, or like? My Décor can help you with their experience. “We have a staff that provides all of the labor that comes with decorating for an event,” MyKao says, “we also provide tables, chairs, table sets, chargers, glassware and silverware, china, linens, napkins,  customizable lighting, and specialty drapings such as ceiling, backdrops, tables, and much more.” My Décor’s staff also includes wait staff for serving during the event. “Everything is negotiable,” says MyKao, “if you don’t want to use our servers, or you have people to help you with your labor, you don’t have to use ours.” Additionally, My Décor also offers rental rates for their materials as well.

“We are Hmong, we know about helping out,” MyKao says. “We’ve worked with budgets from $300 to upwards of $7,500 and have worked everywhere from the Landmark Center to banquet halls. We try to work with the customer to make things affordable.” MyKao and Xeev Vam also understand what is known as Hmong Time—Hmong people waiting until the last minute to organize details like this. MyKao says that working on a short-notice deadline isn’t anything new to My Décor. “You don’t need reservations with us,” MyKao says, “call us whenever you need us!”

And having attended numerous and various events herself, MyKao says that she’s seen the same old thing over and over again as far as décor, which is why she ensures that her business offers the latest in styles and themes. “I am always researching the cutting edge of the decorations,” MyKao says, “and everything is hand-made—either my husband or I have personally hand-sewn all of our materials ourselves. We are very hands-on and we will work with you to go above and beyond—we want you to have more that you ever expected!”

My Décor is currently offering specials and promotions for their Grand Opening event, which takes place from Friday, December 2—Sunday, December 4, 2011, from 11:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. This free event will showcase My Décor’s decorations, materials, services, special promotions (Free Backdrop- a $400 value, and $100 off coupon just for stopping by!), as well as free food! Call My Décor for all of your special event needs—they can make all you special events and occasions the most memorable of all!

My Décor’s office and showroom is located at 2275 N. McKnight Road Suite #1 in St. Paul, MN 55109. You can reach MyKao Vang at 651-431-1777 or Xeev Vam Lee at 651-442-3788. If you’d like to reach the Fresno branch of My Décor, you can contact Dong Tue Vang at 559-284-0029. For more information, please visit www.myeventdecorations.com.

By Elizabeth Thao

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