Mackenzie Garcia with Events By Mackenzie Shares About Her Life As A Wedding Planner & Business Owner

“Your wedding planner should be your advocate, your shoulder to cry on when needed. As the wedding planner, I lead the day and ensure my clients enjoy their moment fully.”

Jul 11, 2023

Mackenzie Garcia began her professional journey as a Wedding and Events Planner in 2019. Mackenzie beamed as she recalled the encouragement she received from close family and friends during the beginning stages of her journey. In 2019 Mackenzie married her sweetheart, Alex, the same year she began her new business, recalling, “We had a fantastic planner for our wedding! She inspired me by how incredible she was, and that’s when it all started.” She smiled as she shared that her Mom encouraged her even before she began her own business, saying, “You just have this knack for it; you are a people person, you have a detailed oriented mindset, and you're an entrepreneur by spirit.” Mackenzie added,

“From there, I just went for it. I went all in. I started by doing weddings for free at the beginning to get experience, and then I charged really low as I continued to figure it out and just went from there, and now here we are today!”

When I asked why she started her business, she smiled. Without hesitation, she shared, “I love people. I love being around people, being a part of something fun and exciting. I love to design beautiful things; color, texture, patterns, and all the combined pieces to create a beautiful event.”

Mackenzie Garcia with Events By Mackenzie

Recalling one of her memorable moments, which took place in 2021. Mackenzie said, “Everyone was still trying to navigate in-person events at that time, and I knew I needed to get back into in-person networking. I’ll never forget I walked into my first ILEA happy hour. I was a little nervous, and by the end of that happy hour, one of the board members asked me to plan an ILEA event that was coming up. I remember thinking, what did I get myself into? So I left thinking to myself, they won't follow up. They won't ask about it, right? Sure enough, I got an email two days later.” Mackenzie explained that she put everything into that ILEA event called ‘Music Moves Me.’ Mackenzie said, “It was a huge success! And in [2022], I won the best planner of the year award with ILEA for that event.” She smiled, remembering the success and how that one event helped move her into the planning world.

“Expectation vs. Reality.” Mackenzie said as I asked her to share a challenge she may face as a wedding planner. “I love working with all kinds of budgets. Everyone's wedding is unique to them, and the challenge I find most consistent is, managing my client's expectations vs. their [budget] reality.” She shared that good communication skills are necessary to maintain great client relationships. She explained that everyone has a vision for their wedding day, and it is her job to make that vision come to life while keeping a steady hand on the reality of what their budget can truly allow. “Good communication helps me keep great professional relationships and healthy boundaries with each of my clients.” Mackenzie says.

I asked Mackenzie to explain the importance of having a wedding planner.

“Your wedding planner should be your advocate, your shoulder to cry on when needed. I've had clients come to me who are upset, worried, and stressed, and it is my job to bring them back to a peaceful mindset,” Mackenzie says.

Mackenzie encourages her clients by saying, “We are good; everything is in order and running smoothly. There is nothing to be worried about!” She explains that she is their sounding board, ready to help them make difficult decisions. She helps educate her clients by explaining how each outcome may look depending on their decision. With the wedding industry changing, there are some things people consider a non-negotiable tradition, and that may be the very thing her client needs to say no to. Mackenzie is her client's cheerleader as she guides them through decision-making. “As a wedding planner, I feel like I am what my client needs me to be.” Mackenzie laughed, adding,

“Seeing as they all respect normal boundaries, I am there when they need me, ready for whenever they need my assistance. I have even been to some of my client's dress fittings, and I love that! As the wedding planner, I lead the day and ensure my clients enjoy their moment fully.”

When I asked Mackenzie what her advice is for future wedding planners, she sat back and thought momentarily, then she said, “Well, the first thing that helped me is Networking; you have to put yourself out there. Be approachable and begin from where you started, which is the bottom. Be available to do the grunt work. I remember the first wedding I did; the budget for the entire wedding was $5,000.” She is so grateful to her vendors for being the full-service providers they are, and having started from the bottom; she understands the work that goes into being a full-service provider. During the interview, I noticed that Mackenzie is extraordinarily humble and genuinely has a heart ready to serve. Mackenzie gushed as she added that her husband is her biggest supporter. She teared up as she reminisced over all the love and support he continues to show.

My final question to Mackenzie was, “What would you like to be known for as a wedding planner and business owner?” Without hesitation, she said,

“My legacy, I want to do the right thing. It’s not always easy, but it is always worth it. You need boundaries while being fully honest with your clients. Being human and doing the right thing is important to me and my business. I want people to know that I love what I do; I know I am doing the right thing.”

Mackenzie shares, “I tell potential clients that I do not count my hours and do not limit how many meetings we have. The way I do business is the ‘being human’ part of my legacy and what I want to leave behind.”