As a young girl, Katie Crimmins, junior in English, never knew where life would take her, or what she would make of it. She especially never believed that she would one day grow up to sell Pure Romance bedroom accessories to finance her own wedding.

Pure Romance is an in-home party company that sells a premier line of relationship aids, including lubricants, heighteners and bedroom accessories, According to katherinecrimmins.pureromance.com. The business is 17 years old and was founded by Patty Brisben, who created the company to support her own family.

Crimmins had her first experience with Pure Romance at a party she was invited to last year. She was hesitant to attend at first, but with the encouragement of her fiancé, Dillon Drew, senior in animal ecology, she ended up going.

“I got invited to a party as a Dead Week break and it was super fun,” Crimmins said. “I thought about selling Pure Romance then, but I didn’t have time or a reason to.”

Pure Romance Parties consist of a consultant promoting various products that range from perfumes to adult sex toys.

As a community adviser of an all-girl floor in Martin Hall, Crimmins would find her reason soon enough.

“I invited Pure Romance to my floor this year as a three-part sex education program,” Crimmins said. “The first part was Pure Romance. The residents responded very well: 39 out of 50 residents came and 23 ordered

. The second part was Planned Parenthood, and the third will be Ray Rodriguez [program coordinator for the Student Health Center].”

Although discussing sexual relations may be an awkward experience for some, Crimmins has overcome her embarrassment of the subject.

“I feel like my experience as a CA has helped me to become comfortable with these kinds of things,” Crimmins said. “I was uncomfortable at first, but after five or six times [of residents with sex-related questions], I got comfortable. I can’t press my views upon other people if I want them to ask for help.”

After the first part of her program, Crimmins contacted Stephanie Warner, the party consultant. This time it wasn’t to plan a party, it was to apply for a job.

“I went to a party and I talked to the person leading it,” Warner said. “I didn’t have another job, I was in college and I loved [selling the products]. It allows you to work when you’re available and it helped me pay for my wedding.

“My engagement [lasted] eight months, and it allowed me to do as many parties as I was able [to pay for the wedding],” Warner said.

Selling Pure Romance products would not only help Warner pay for her own wedding, it’s also assisting Crimmins in paying for hers.

“I struggled paying for my half of the wedding because I was paying for it by myself,” Crimmins said.

Not only is the business a fun and interesting way to supplement her wedding, but it also keeps her mind off of the distance between her and her fiancé.

Drew is currently in Texas completing an internship he needs in order to graduate, on a deer and exotic animal ranch.

“[Drew] completely supported me and encouraged me to do it,” Crimmins said. “He was wonderful about it.”

Pure Romance Parties generally last up to an hour and a half, and are exclusively for women.

“I think people misunderstand Pure Romance,” Crimmins said, referring to the stigma that some associate with it. “They’re definitely parties that empower women and all of the products benefit women.”

Currently, Crimmins plans to sell the accessories to finance her wedding, and she travels around Iowa and southern Minnesota to meet her goal.

“I think my outgoing personality fits well with this company,” Crimmins said. “I’m trying to get into bachelorette parties. If I become successful with this, I think I’ll keep doing it. It’s highly variable, but a person can generally make $200 to $250 per party.”

Crimmins hopes to earn enough to pay for her wedding, which will be officiated by her fiancé’s father in June 2011.