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

Hi Melanie, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I firmly believe that I would not be where I am today without my community. The people that I choose to surround myself with have played such a huge role in my growth. Over my past 14 years in the industry, their mentorship, referrals, knowledge-sharing and assistance have played a crucial role in my personal and professional development.

Anyone can be an event planner, but a successful planner fosters relationships, attracts like minded clients, connects peers and demonstrates gratitude. The most impactful connections I’ve made are symbiotic ones, where we share mutual, unconditional support. There’s no expectation of reciprocity; we’re equally committed to offering and receiving support.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I still hear it a lot: “You’re so young to be a wedding planner!”
What many people may not know is that my career began very early in high school. I started out interning at a golf course near Carlsbad, CA, where they churned out weddings every weekend. That’s where I picked up most of my on-site skills. During college at UCSB, I worked for a few planners, including my first mentor Percy Sales, which really broadened my knowledge. After graduating college (a year early!), I took a detour and worked in the Senate in Washington DC briefly, just to try something different. Turns out, it wasn’t my thing at all—it lacked the creativity I craved in a career. But it did lead me to start LuckEleven Events when a family friend asked me to plan her daughter’s wedding in Boston.

From there, my company took off, growing exponentially each year after I moved back to Southern California through referrals. For the majority of my career, LuckEleven Events was my side hustle while I built a career in advertising. I chose that name for many reasons, but partly because it made it less obvious to my employers that I had my own gig on the side—I wanted them to see me as fully dedicated. I used to call it my “profitable hobby” until one day I realized it was making more than my full-time job and was way more passionate about growing it. And the rest, as they say, is history.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a west side girlie of almost a decade, I have my tried and true spots that are always the top of my recommendation lists! A typical weekend for a friend in town would begin on Friday with a rooftop dinner at Calabra, located at the Proper Hotel in Santa Monica. I love a good hotel design and Kelly Wearstler knew what she was doing with this Proper Hotel! Saturday morning would start out strong with a casual hike at Will Rogers in the Palisades followed by coffee and a treat (we earned it!) at Sweet Laurel Bakery in the Palisades Village. Once showered and changed, I’d head over to Abbott Kinney for lunch at Gjelina and some shopping. We would finish the day with dinner and drinks at R+D Kitchen. A summer Sunday always begins with a pilates class followed by a trip to the Brentwood Farmer’s Market, picking up some fruit and heading straight to the beach with friends. Without fail, this preps me mentally and physically for the week ahead. Depending on how much sun we got, we may end the day at Jemma di Mare’s daily happy hour and a mini martini!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
While I could continue to express gratitude to everyone who has supported me along the way, I want to dedicate this shout-out to the group of individuals who have been by my side on site throughout the years. I am indebted to the friends and family who generously volunteered their time during those long, hot event days at the start of my career. They believed in me and treated my “side hustle” as if it were their own profession. Today, many of these same individuals still collaborate with me (I promise they are paid now!), and I’ve expanded my team to include others whom I can always depend on. My appreciation for their support is immeasurable and will last a lifetime.

Website: https://www.luckeleven.com

Instagram: @luckeleven_events

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanielevin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luckelevenevents/

Other: Tiktok: @luckeleven_events

Image Credits
Main photo – Christy McCarter Photography
Hugging black/white – Brocoff Photography
Facing bride and groom with tent behind – Christy Speers
With white hat & cake feeding photos – Tracy Pacana Photography & Videography
Standing in garden path – Nikkels Photography
Pink and orange bride and groom – Wild Whim Design & Photography

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