Marriage, Business, Adventure & Lessons Along the Way
Life has a funny way of leading us exactly where we need to be, even if we don’t always see the path clearly at first. Our story is one of late-life marriage, business partnership, and embracing the adventure of living in a 5th wheel RV—all while navigating the challenges of caring for aging moms and figuring out how to live our absolute best lives.
This blog is our space to share the journey: the planning tips that make meetings (and life) run smoother, the best meeting spaces we’ve come across, and the hard-earned lessons we’ve learned along the way. We’ll sprinkle in funny anecdotes (because let’s face it, life provides plenty of those) and insights into how we juggle work, love, and family—all while redefining what “home” really means.
Who We Are
Bethany is a lifelong Mainer with a passion for creating meaningful events and a self-proclaimed “people pleaser.” Her career has spanned trade shows, incentive travel, and destination management, taking her from local industry events to international conferences. Kelly, on the other hand, spent 29 years at Carter Machinery in Virginia, blending marketing with event strategy, always looking for ways to make the planning process more effective.
Our paths crossed in 2019 at a conference Bethany planned for Carter Machinery at The Greenbrier. Fast forward a few years, and we’re now married, business partners, and co-captains of this wild adventure we call life. Bethany started McAteer Meeting Management in 2022, and Kelly joined full-time in 2025 after retiring from his marketing role at Carter.
What You Can Expect From This Blog
- Meeting & Event Planning Tips: Strategies to create seamless, impactful events that bring people together and drive results.
- Great Meeting Spaces: Whether it’s a hidden gem of a venue or an unconventional space that makes an event unforgettable, we’ll share our favorites.
- Life Lessons & Business Insights: Running a business together as a married couple comes with its own set of lessons—we’ll share what works, what doesn’t, and what we’re still figuring out.
- Living Small, Dreaming Big: Life in a 5th wheel RV has its quirks, challenges, and unexpected joys. We’ll take you along for the ride.
- Investing In Simple: Minimizing the pursuit of “stuff” while maximizing the investment in skillsets, tools and things that make the journey better or easier.
- Humor & Real Talk: Because if we can’t laugh at ourselves, what’s the point?
We believe life is too short to do things that don’t provide value or an opportunity for growth—whether it’s in business, relationships, or how we spend our time. We’re excited to bring you along on this journey as we navigate, learn, and create something meaningful together.
Stay tuned, and let’s make this an adventure worth sharing!
Cheers,
K&B