Shy Heart Studios & Carrie Lupoli Present

Stories of Motherhood

The Gala

Thursday, May 28th, 2026
6:00 PM
Franciscan Gardens · San Juan Capistrano

16Days

23Hours

53Minutes

25Seconds

Reserve Your Tickets What is the Gala?

The Heart of the Evening

What is the Gala?

Join us for an unforgettable evening of elegance and impact at the 2nd annual Stories of Motherhood Fundraiser Gala, celebrating mothers from all walks of life, benefiting CASA Orange County.

Guests will be treated to live music, interactive experiences, a beautiful dinner, an inspiring keynote speaker, a curated silent auction, and the warm company of fellow advocates and community champions.

Between the music, bites, and bids, immerse yourself in the powerful Stories of Motherhood and hear firsthand the transformative difference a CASA volunteer makes in a child's life. At the end of the night, dance your cares away to a full DJ set!

This is more than a Gala. It's a celebration, a community, and a movement. Your presence helps give a voice to those who need it most. Come ready to be moved, inspired, and uplifted.

Benefiting

Presenting Partner & Keynote Speaker

Carrie Lupoli

There are speakers who inform, and then there are speakers who change the room. Carrie is the latter.

A certified nutritionist, award-winning behavior specialist, TEDx speaker, and author of the forthcoming book From Corset to Crown, Carrie has spent more than two decades studying why women stay stuck and what it actually takes to break free. As a former Division I athlete who battled disordered eating for years, her path to healing was not linear. It was honest. And it changed everything.

Carrie founded Disruptive Nutrition to disrupt the diet industry from the inside out, combining behavioral science, blood sugar stabilization, and mindset work into an approach that has transformed thousands of women and their families. Her podcast, Diet Disruptors, ranks among Apple's Top 100 Health and Wellness shows. She has been featured on the TODAY Show, ABC, NBC, FOX, and News Nation as a leading voice on nutrition, confidence, and lasting change.

At the Stories of Motherhood Gala, Carrie will deliver her keynote From Corset to Crown live, and every guest in the audience will receive a copy of her new book. Her message and this evening were made for each other: both are about shedding what no longer serves you, and stepping fully into who you were always meant to be.

"You weren't put on this earth to count calories. You were put here to live."

Carrie Lupoli

Reserve Your Seat

Our Partners & Sponsors

Evening Designed By

6:00 PM

Doors Open

Champagne welcome as you arrive

6:00 PM

Silent Auction Opens

Browse and bid as the evening begins

6:30 PM

Welcome Toast

Raise a glass to the mothers in the room

6:40 PM

Gallery Experience

Explore portraits, connect with participants, enjoy passed hors d'oeuvres & a cash bar

7:00 PM

Dinner Service

Seated dinner begins

7:30 PM

Keynote Address

An inspiring talk from our presenting partner

8:00 PM

Dancing

The floor is yours

9:30 PM

Silent Auction Closes

Final bids accepted

9:45 PM

Closing Remarks

An evening you will carry with you long after you leave

You Belong in This Room

Come As You Are

Be in the Room

This is your invitation to simply show up. To be in a room that was built to honor you, whether your story is on the walls or held quietly in your heart. This is a night to feel the collective power of motherhood, to find your own story reflected in another's eyes, and to leave feeling more seen, more connected, and more celebrated than when you arrived. Come and be filled.

Get Your Tickets

Inspired to have your own story told? Join the 2027 Waitlist.

The Perfect Mother's Day Gift

Give Her This

Gift an Unforgettable Night

This Mother's Day, give her more than flowers. Give her an evening she will carry with her forever. Bring her to the Gala to be surrounded by beauty, connection, and the powerful recognition that her story matters. There is no more meaningful way to honor the woman who has given everything.

Get Tickets

What Women Are Saying

Their Words

Thank you for providing a space for me to reflect on my motherhood journey. You created such a comfortable environment, and I felt a sense of accomplishment because of your support.

Veronica T.

This is exactly how I want to celebrate Mother's Day. I cannot wait to see this project come to life and celebrate the vast journeys of motherhood. What a special and meaningful project.

Christina A.

I was absolutely blown away. I sat there in tears looking at the photos that truly captured just how beautiful my little family is. This surpassed every expectation I had.

Anita B.

The Creator

Meet Brianna

Photographer. Visionary. Mother. Storyteller.

I am a mother. And for years, I watched the most powerful women I know shrink themselves down to fit into a role that was never meant to contain them. I felt it in my own bones, the feeling that my story wasn't big enough, that my identity as 'mom' had somehow erased the woman I was before.

Stories of Motherhood is my refusal to let the most sacred role we will ever play go uncelebrated. A movement to honor women for the profound impact they have on the world.

As the creator of this experience, my role is to build a room that holds your story, to curate an evening that honors your journey, and to bring women together to witness the collective power of motherhood. It is my calling.

Everything You Need to Know

Questions

What is the event schedule?

Doors open at 6:00 PM with a champagne welcome and the silent auction opens. A welcome toast follows at 6:30 PM, then an open gallery experience with passed hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. Dinner service begins at 7:00 PM. Our keynote address begins at 7:30 PM. Dancing begins at 8:00 PM. The silent auction closes at 9:30 PM, with closing remarks at 9:45 PM.

Who is this event for?

While centered around women and motherhood, this event is open to everyone who wishes to celebrate the mothers in their lives. Spouses, friends and family are welcome as well as children over the age of 10 with a purchased ticket.

Can I bring my children?

The Gala is designed as an elevated evening experience, and we encourage guests to treat it as a rare night out for themselves. We lovingly ask that children under 10 remain at home — not because they aren't cherished, but because the atmosphere, the late hour, and the nature of the evening are simply not the right fit for little ones. Children ages 10 and up are warmly welcome with a purchased ticket and will find the gallery, the stories, and the evening genuinely moving.

Will there be dinner service?

Yes! Guests will enjoy full seating and a dinner service throughout the evening, along with a cash bar. Come hungry and ready to celebrate.

What is the dress code?

The Gala is a formal event. We invite you to dress to impress: elegant, elevated, and beautiful. This is your night to shine.

What is CASA Orange County?

CASA OC is a nonprofit organization that trains and supports volunteer advocates for children in the foster care system. 100% of all proceeds from the Gala's silent auction will be donated directly to their mission of ensuring every child has a safe, permanent home.

Evening Designed By