Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

FOR Lyna Larcia-Calvario, it was passion that drove her to where she is right now: owner of KasalNY, one of the most successful Filipino-owned businesses in the community.

And it all began as a hobby.

"It was just that back in 2002, a hobby. Our family loves to throw parties. Everytime there was a party, I would volunteer and slave for hours to do party favors to give them a personal flavor. I always think that it more special if you spend time on doing things," Lyna shared.

The parties she helped organize were all successful, thanks to Lyna’s meticulous eye on details. Friends asked her, "Why don’t you do it as a business?"

It was a question that lingered, and after yet another successful event (her own wedding in 2005, no less), Lyna and her husband Kirby decided to give it a try.

She took up a course to be certified at Penn Foster University. Before the conclusion of her course, they were required to do an actual wedding. She contacted Sarah Lusardi from the Style Network’s Whose Wedding is it Anyway? and asked her for guidance.

"She was so nice, despite the fact that I was a total stranger. I went to Tarrytown to see a wedding that she was overseeing. We clicked right away," Lyna fondly remembers.

The rest was history, or in this case, herstory.

"If being succesful simply can be defined as ‘Hey, I dreamed it-now I’m doing it’ then I guess I can call myself one. KasalNY was just a simple idea I coined over teriyaki dinner with some of our closest friends," she shared.

"Kasal" is the Filipino word for wedding and since they were in New York, they just mixed Kasal and NY to come up with KasalNY. Interestingly enough, when you mix the letters up, you get ‘Ask Lyna.’

Lyna is acknowledged by the Association of Bridal Consultants and this year, KasalNY was voted one of New York’s Best Wedding Planners by readers of The Knot, the bible of the bridal industry. They bested more established wedding planners, that’s why Lyna was ecstatic when she found out. "I’m the only Filipina in that list and that makes it more special," she quipped.