Hi, I'm Matthew Taylor, and I'm building my dream business in Redding, California. First, the short version of who I am: I served seven years in the U.S. Army, including two 15-month deployments to Iraq. After I got out in 2010, I came home to Shasta County and threw myself into the trade I love — bartending. Ten-plus years behind the bar, and three years as a wedding officiant, taught me something: the moments people remember most from their biggest days are the ones where everything just flowed. My job is to make that happen.

So I'm launching Spirited Affairs — an Art Deco, 1920s-themed event service bringing real craft to weddings and parties across Northern California: professional bartending with themed, era-inspired cocktail menus; wedding officiant services with ceremonies tailored to each couple; the Silver Screen photo booth for keepsake photos; and casino-style poker nights dealt by a professionally trained dealer (me).

Why I need your help: I'm starting from zero. My credit took some hits over the years, so traditional startup loans aren't on the table yet — which is why I'm asking my community directly. I've built the website, filed the paperwork steps I can, and priced every dollar of this launch. Your support makes Spirited Affairs official and fully equipped.

Exactly where every dollar goes:

- $890 — officially forming the business: California LLC filing, statement of information, and franchise tax. This is the first thing your support unlocks.

- $500 — business liability insurance. Venues require it. No policy, no events.

- $4,000 — the professional bar kit: insulated coolers, speed rails, bar tools, garnish kits, transport bins — everything needed to walk into any venue and run a real cocktail program.

- $600 — branded casino gear: custom poker chips and cards with the Spirited Affairs logo, for our casino-night events.

- $150 — business cards and launch marketing.

What your support creates beyond me: every event I book puts money in the pockets of local bartenders, servers, and event helpers here in Redding. And Spirited Affairs will give back: one free wedding officiant package every year to a military couple, starting with my first full season. I served with people who never got to come home and build anything. This is how I honor that — by building something that takes care of people on their best days.

If you can't give, sharing this campaign helps more than you'd think — Northern California is a big territory and every share reaches new corners of it.

Thank you for reading, and here's to the first pour.

— Matthew Taylor, U.S. Army veteran · Spirited Affairs