Come chill with Kaylie Abney, the Lowcountry’s resident Elsa
Almost every little girl dreams of growing up to be a princess. And if you’re a little girl of Disney age right now, the princess you want to grow up to be is Elsa, the velvety-voiced protagonist/antagonist of the box office juggernaut “Frozen.” And if you’re a little girl of Disney age right now and you live in the Lowcountry, you’re in luck. Because we happen to have our very own Elsa.
Kaylie Abney has been building quite the kingdom as Bluffton’s resident Elsa, and odds are good you’ve seen her or one of her royal court if you’ve been within 50 feet of a child’s birthday party or major event lately. How Abney came to be the Lowcountry’s go-to Elsa is quite a Cinderella story, inasmuch as it all started with finding the perfect dress for a party.
“I just went to a friend of mine’s daughter’s birthday party that had a ‘Frozen’ theme,” Abney said. “I was only dressed up to attend. Then someone posted a picture of it on Facebook.”
Hours later, Abney’s inbox was flooded with requests from moms across Bluffton, asking her to come to their daughters’ parties.
It’s not surprising. Abney bears an uncanny resemblance to the ice princess, from her flowing side braid to her icy blue eyes.
But Elsa did not become the princess she is just because of hair and makeup. It was the now-iconic song “Let it Go,” sung by Idina Menzel, that launched Elsa to the highest echelons of Disney royalty. And as it turns out, Bluffton’s princess can carry a tune. “Just to see their faces light up when I start singing is amazing,” Abney said.
After the sudden post-party popularity, scattered party appearances led to the formation of Princess Celebrations in October of last year, a one-stop shop for Disney princess appearances. Beyond children’s parties, princesses have popped up at the Corner Perk, at the Bluffton Christmas Parade and at a score of other local events. Abney has since added an Anna to go with her Elsa, a Snow White, a Jasmine, a Belle and an Ariel.
“My Snow White actually approached me. I met with her and she was delightful,” said Abney, adding that she also recruited several women from her church to fill the roles of various princesses. She found her Ariel working as a server while she was out at dinner one night and invited her to be part of her world.
Abney is very selective about her princesses, and runs a full background check on each for parental piece of mind, and with her stable they’ve now built a business that has bookings through the rest of the year (worry not, parents; there are still available slots open).
Abney has built her kingdom out of her own magic, like the Disney princess she so resembles, but for her the real thrill isn’t in the business she’s created. It’s in the joy she brings to her tiny fans.
“I enjoy making little girls feel special,” she said. “When I was 4, if Cinderella showed up it would have made my year. That’s a big part of what I do.”
To book your own royal appearances, call 843-620-1423.
