Jennifer Allen

Tell us about your education journey. How did it all begin?
“I graduated from high school in 2004, and I really didn’t have a solid plan. I applied to one college, the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, only because they didn’t have an application fee and I didn’t have any money. I was accepted and went off to school. I was there for my freshman year and realized that, in order to support myself, I had to work full time. Because of that, and since I didn’t have the best study habits, work overtook my desire to go to class. I ended up dropping out, coming back home to Dallas and enrolling in community college, Eastfield, in 2006.

“I was wasting my time and theirs because I wasn’t going to class like I was supposed to, but I felt like that’s what you were supposed to do, go to college. Eventually, I just said, ‘I’m done.’ So, I started working full time, met my husband, got married, and we started having kids. I have three sons — they’re 12, 11 and 4 now.”

What inspired you to start your business, Just Elope?
“I got married at city hall in 2010, the same day my husband left for deployment. I didn’t want to go to city hall, but we had no choice. We didn’t have the money, time or resources. I remember thinking, ‘If I ever get the opportunity, I want to start a business where other couples don’t have to choose between city hall or Vegas.’ I wanted a beautiful, simple option for love on short notice. That stayed with me for years, and in 2017, I launched Just Elope. Since then, we’ve done more than 600 weddings, and I’ve officiated on ‘Love Is Blind,’ ‘The Today Show,’ CNN, everywhere. It’s been incredible. However, there’s always been this void of, ‘You should go back to school.’”

What made you decide to go back to school even after building such a successful business?
“My husband graduated from Dallas College and Texas A&M-Commerce, and when our kids saw him walk the stage, it lit something in me. Then, my brother earned his J.D. and MBA last year, both on the same day. My kids were so inspired, and I thought, ‘I need to do this too. I want them to see that education isn’t optional.’ So, in Summer 2024, I re-enrolled full time, and I’ll finish in December [2025].”

You juggle business, motherhood and school. How do you make it all work?
“I live my life by the ‘glass and rubber method.’ Every day, I decide what’s glass and what’s rubber. What will shatter if I drop it, and what can bounce?  Some days family is glass, some days work is, some days school is. You just can’t do everything perfectly at once, and that’s okay. My kids might be eating sandwiches for dinner some nights because I’ve got a wedding to run, and I don’t feel guilty about that anymore. That parent guilt can eat you alive. Ultimately, I want other moms to see that you can still accomplish any goal you set out for yourself no matter how busy you are.”

 What legacy do you want to leave behind?
“I want my legacy to be one of a woman who never took no for an answer. A woman who saw a problem and wanted to fix it. Along the way, I’ve been able to give people a piece of happiness by sharing their love stories. No matter how small the wedding or moment is, I take great pride in knowing I was part of someone’s best day. And I did it with kindness. I did it with a pure heart.

“I also want my children to see that their mom never allowed anything to stop her from achieving her goals. It doesn’t matter how crazy an idea sounds to someone else. If I believe in it, I’m going to do it. And I encourage my kids to do the same. I don’t have to understand their dreams to support them or believe they’re capable. That mindset has carried me through everything and helped me reach the levels I have today. And honestly, I feel like I’m just getting started. I want my legacy to be one of a woman who did it in spite of.”

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