KAREN FILSON

Karen grew up in Chicago in her younger years, two doors down from her church where she would sneak over, go up in the balcony and watch weddings on Saturday mornings! The now-old-fashioned rice-tossing tradition was her absolute favorite. She and her friends (the pastor’s kids) would also “play banquets” down in the church basement.

She earned her Marketing degree from Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota where the air was crisper and yes, colder, but refreshing! After a couple years in Minneapolis, she returned home to Chicago, and while working full-time, completed her Masters in Education.

She cannot even count how many weddings she’s been to in her lifetime! She’s attended a lot and even been the “Wedding Singer” in some of those weddings, too — what an honor and privilege (and nerve-wracking responsibility to not mess up!) 

Karen loved planning her own wedding to Bill which was held in a December up in the Chicago suburbs, complete with a pretty layer of white snow. How different from what The Royal Crest Room weddings are! She and her husband have had a very exciting adventure together. This adventure took them all the way to Orlando where now they have a large family of four children and a cute Cavalier King Charles, Buddy, who completes the picture. So far in the family — 2 Gators and 1 Seminole … 1 more Knight to come!

Karen and her husband make a great team — working tirelessly together managing the golf course and this busy venue, The Royal Crest Room. What an amazing journey it’s been, building this entire business from the ‘ground up’ and watching it grow!

In the rare moment that Karen isn’t busy in her home office, she’s most likely going to Disney, one of their favorite restaurants, a concert or a Broadway musical. Her personal favorite things to do? Definitely spending time with her family, watching Hallmark or GAC movies (especially Christmas ones), decorating (& re-arranging), taking lots of photos and video, and overall being the family historian! Newest talents she’s been working on recently have been web design and social media for the business — oh, and Pinterest for herself. It’s her way of carrying on her propensity for collecting. Used to be Snow Village houses, Swedish collectibles, scrapbooking supplies (that she never ever gets around to using!), dolls, you name it — now it seems it just has to be ‘collecting’ photos of things that she adds to her Pinterest boards. (Takes up less room!) And, she certainly has a passion for collecting gorgeous wedding photos from our couples’ photographers… just another way The Royal Crest Room is an extended family!