Meet Emily Coyne | Founder of Emily Coyne Events

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Coyne and we’ve shared our conversation below.

What should our readers know about your business?
– What’s the most important lesson being an event planner has taught you?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years, and one that has changed how our entire team approaches work, is that with diligence and creative thinking, very few problems can’t be solved. Tenacity, forcing yourself to set preconceived notions aside, thinking outside the box, and believing with conviction that there is no way forward except through building a solution, allows us to accomplish what others can’t (or more accurately, won’t). We have a saying about road blocks – the point in a project where 99% of people will accept a dead end, the answer “no”, or concede that something simply isn’t solvable. We see road blocks as our opportunity to shine – dig under, climb over, forge a way around. Event planning is not for the faint of heart. On a daily basis we are problem solvers, crisis managers, general contractors, family therapists, confidants, mentors, designers, producers, and so much more. I used to feel stress when a client wanted something our partners and vendors were saying no to. I was afraid to let the client down, that we wouldn’t be able to exceed their expectations. Now, I take it in stride and get to work, very rarely finding that we aren’t able to produce a solution – and in most cases the client never even knows what happened. ‘Stay calm and carry on’ takes on new meaning. I’ve faced my share of emergencies and challenging situations – venues burning down, planning Jerry Rice’s wedding in 1.5 months, a groom passing out in the middle of a ceremony and dropping the ring off a 3 story deck, florals not showing up due to storms and shipping issues, trucks filled with rentals breaking down, the only way in and out of a property being flooded, and hundreds more. What I’m extremely proud of is how our team handles these situations, is calm under pressure, and problem solves to save the client and guest experience.

– How did you get to where you are today business-wise?

ECE was launched in 2018, after spending 10 years in the wedding industry working for luxury resorts and private estate venues. I’ve always had a passion for events and service. As a child, I copied my architect father by sketching hundreds of floorplans, was fascinated by my interior designer mother, and spent hours pouring over an original copy of Emily Post’s Book of Etiquette that I discovered in our library. After college, my childhood antics elevated as I had the opportunity to work in Michelin star restaurants and Forbes Five-Star resorts. After years of building events programs from scratch and executing over 500 weddings, I knew I wanted to produce a much smaller number of weddings each year, but at a much deeper level – providing a white glove, concierge style approach that melded Forbes Five-Star service standards with wedding production. When ECE was born, the reputation I had already gained in the industry propelled us onto the short list of preferred planning companies at dozens of luxury properties. We’ve been honored in a short amount of time to be featured multiple times in PEOPLE as an expert planner, as well as in Newsweek, The Knot, Style Me Pretty, Over the Moon, and Bridal Guide among others.

Through much of my career, I was self-taught. I grew up being homeschooled, which I’m incredibly grateful for now because I believe it helped me learn early how to manage my time and pursue knowledge of a subject. As I began working in the event world, I never took the first answer in front of me as the final one. I always wanted to push deeper, understand the process, and consider the impact an outcome would have. I suppose I have an innate curiosity. My family used to say I would make a great detective. I enjoy getting to the core of something and am relentless with research.

I’m also quite competitive. When I start an endeavor, I want to be the best at it. In my sales roles, I was obsessive about beating records. In my first 18 months working at the world renowned Auberge du Soleil, I decided to revamp their well-established wedding program and make my own mark – to the tune of increasing their wedding revenue by 42%. After that I asked if I could create a training program focused on 5 star service etiquette. I worked until 9 or 10 pm every night, 1 or 2 am on event days. I’ve never been one to settle and I believe the path to success in my career ties back to two major consistencies – 1) I’ve ALWAYS pursued things I’m passionate about and find exciting, and don’t stay stagnant when something begins to bore me – I shift gears and adjust the approach, or evaluate if it’s time to make more poignant changes. 2) I’ve always worked hard, long hours to deliver beyond expectations. Don’t get me wrong, I also thrive on my days off and find small ways to pamper myself and get the most out of my free time. However, making exceeding expectations a goal in everything has helped me develop an incredible reputation, and reputation is everything in business.

– Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges?

It was never easy, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t fulfilling. I sacrificed my personal life in pursuit of my career. That’s a choice everyone must weigh and there are many shades of gray with this choice. What was right for me is not going to be right for everyone. I missed holidays, lost friendships, and was likely seen as too uptight and demanding at many times. There were phases in my life when this affected me deeply on an emotional level. I wanted to please everyone, to be perfect. I probably said “yes” too much. Some of those sacrifices I made were probably mistakes, some were absolutely the right decision – however, I firmly believe that regrets are a waste of time and don’t dwell on those choices but rather try to evaluate each new choice with deeper consideration. I do believe that you get out of anything what you put into it, so I would always encourage someone to work hard for what they want, and to be self aware of when you’re stagnant and not growing as this is the point to proactively shake things up.

– What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?

One of my favorite quotes is from Giorgio Armani – “In order to create something exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest detail.” This past year in particular, our team has turned over hundreds of details in our processes, asking the questions of what can be improved, how efficiency can be gained, and what will elevate the experience. I truly believe that you must be relentless. I’m a huge proponent of failing fast – approaching everything with a mindset to quickly identify weak points, adjust them, and move forward. Everything has a silver lining if you choose to learn from it. My incredible team helps make this possible. When you find great people, it’s important to trust them, lean into the fresh perspectives they bring, and have frequent round table discussions to keep your processes sharp and relevant.

I’ve learned how important relationships are in being able to deliver results. This is particularly true as the executive producer of an event where we rely so heavily on our subcontractors to deliver on a vision. While my team and I are knowledgeable in dozens of faucets of events – music, florals, catering, lighting, paper goods, etc., we are also not the ones specialized in each of these areas. As the producers, we understand the client’s wishes and the big picture better than anyone, and our role is to tie together the hundreds of components to create a cohesive, seamless event. While we provide an extensive amount of instruction and supervision, we recognize that to draw out the best from our vendor partners, we need to understand their needs and challenges, foster their ability to be creative, and inspire them to deliver at the highest possible level. Our reputation in the industry for attention to detail, for excellence in logistics, and for creating seamless production plans is highly valuable to our clients because it results in a long list of vendors who are clamoring to work with us and want to put their best foot forward for our clients so that we will be happy. This reputation came from years of investing into relationships with our creative partners, encouraging their growth, fostering trust, showing them care and empathy, and working harder ourselves in order to help make their jobs easier. It took time and dedication, but the results are long lasting.

– What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

Our deliverables – specifically our proprietary Design and Production Decks – are widely recognized as some of the most comprehensive and expertly crafted in the industry. The hundreds of hours that our team puts into building these event blueprints results not only in designs that are highly personalized, but also in smoothly executed productions where dozens of guests are taking the time to thank the planning team and express that it was the best wedding they’ve ever attended.
We are proud to not have a signature design style. Our couples are each unique, and we believe their weddings should be a reflection of them, not us. We work with a limited number of couples to ensure we know them intimately – their love story, dreams, what inspires them, what frightens them. We make this process a fun and engaging experience, and through it, we are able to design thoughtfully, remaining authentic to who they are as a couple and resulting in visions to make their heart skip a beat. We are attentively focused on weaving each couple’s love story subtly into the details.

From chic Napa Valley elegance, to bohemian on the beach in Los Cabos, snowy mountain flair in Aspen, rustic and relaxed Wyoming ranch, city art gallery in San Francisco, and everything in between, we keep the focus constantly on our client’s style. After 15 years in the events industry, and 5 more before that in hospitality, I’ve built a vast network around the world of highly skilled creatives that we collaborate with to achieve the best designs.

We believe that hospitality is at the core of every well produced wedding and we love being able to focus energy on an experiential event that will surprise and delight so many individuals at one time. Beyond the actual wedding, we love that we can pamper our clients throughout the process, breaking the norm that “wedding planning is stressful” and instead creating a fulfilling and memorable experience during this exciting time in a couple’s lives.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A week is fantastic, and gives you the chance to explore several gems within the greater Los Angeles area. You must experience the dining scene. I would do one night of omakase at either 40 seat Shibumi or 16 seat Sushi Ginza Onodera. Balance that with another cultural influence such as Camphor (French bistro), Bestia (Italian), Bavel (Mediterranean) or one of the most unexpected and exciting fusions – Orsa & Winston (one Michelin star Japanese Italian fine dining). Choose your downtown LA dining on a night when you can either catch a show at The Disney Concert Hall or go early and see an exhibition at The Broad.

Get up early one morning and do the Mount Hollywood Trail hike. It’s a moderate 5 mile loop with beautiful views. Pairing this with a visit to Griffith Observatory makes for a perfect half day outing.

A trip to LA would be incomplete without some iconic moments. Have lunch or drinks at the Beverly Hills Hotel Polo Lounge. Delilah is fun for celeb sightings at dinner. If a steak house is your thing, dine at Mastro’s. They have live entertainment every night .

The Getty is worth a visit. Follow it by heading down to Culver City and doing happy hour at Simonette for the best espresso martinis. Also in this area we love to visit Citizen Public Market and Platform for shopping/ food market/ dining. Dinner at Juliet is delightful (French with a seafood focus).

End the week out on the coast in the Santa Monica and Venice Beach area. I would start with brunch at Gjelina and walk around Abbot Kinney Blvd for curated shops. In the afternoon, we would rent a Duffy boat, pack some cheese and wine, and relax on the water. Or paddle boards are an option if you want some exercise. Finish the day with cocktails on the rooftop of Santa Monica Proper, a gorgeous hotel by designer Kelly Wearstler.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
– So, is there a person, group, organization, book, etc. that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

My father. He has always been my biggest cheerleader and much of how I approach living life stems from how he lives his. He is a driven, straight-shooting, no BS, incredibly intelligent person, but he also loves to laugh and enjoy life. He encouraged me to never be afraid of taking risks, and that mistakes are okay. He talked with me for hours each time I got swept up in a new endeavor that I was pouring my heart and soul into, and he comforted me each time one of them failed. He was never judgmental or deterring, though he no doubt knew that my ambitions ran too wild for my own good at times. Instead, he taught me common sense and tenacity, and patiently answered every late night or early morning phone call.

– Who else deserves a little credit and recognition in your story?

My husband inspired me to pursue a career in the hospitality industry and has been my confidant and best friend through the past 15 years. A tremendous amount of my food, beverage, and service knowledge came from him, as well as a different approach to people management style that helps balance my own. My brother constantly challenges me to drive harder and is my go-to for business advice. I also owe one of my first employers – Holly Stafford – a shoutout. I worked for her as a nanny during college. I only caught glimpses into her high-powered executive role as I cared for the children, but her skill set in creating processes, her time management and ability to break norms and think outside the box left an impression and she unknowingly helped prepare me for the workforce in a crucial way. I often stop and think how I can “be Holly” to people that I coach or mentor now.

Website: https://emilycoyneevents.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilycoyneevents/

Image Credits
Twah Dougherty, Rebecca Yale, Brian Leahy, Dennis Roy Coronel