Meet Tory Smith | Wedding Planner

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

Hi Tory, how do you think about risk?
My business was built on risk – as all entrepreneurial endeavors are – and that can be especially true when it comes to creative fields. Putting yourself and personal style out there for the world to see makes you vulnerable. I definitely felt all those feelings when I started smith + james events. When I entered the wedding industry – which was historically centered on very traditional and outdated (there, I said it!) ideas – I saw a huge need for some major shifts in the industry. I took it as a challenge and started going out on lots of shaky limbs and doing things my own way. When I did that, I realized the industry was hungry for it. And now we’ve gone full-tilt into building a brand that is based on producing and designing out-of-the-box weddings and events. At this point, we love to up-the-ante every chance we get when it comes to the design, activations, and guest experience at our clients’ weddings. We’ve planned events that included: gospel choirs, fire dancers, confetti cannons, giving each guest a costume upon arrival to wear to the party, skee ball at cocktail hour, unconventional color palettes, Burning Man art cars, indoor fireworks, and floral inspired by snakes… to name a few. The weirder the better really. And as a result of all, we’ve created a niche in the market for ourselves based on risk. And it’s a really fun place to land.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
smith + james is a high-end, destination event planning + design boutique. In short: We plan parties. Really good ones.

There’s just a little magic running through the entire wedding process—from the proposal to the honeymoon. Our goal is to capture that feeling—bottle it up, and serve it to each client throughout the planning process, and to each guest who finds themselves at one of our events.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
At smith + james, we like to joke that during off-season we take ourselves on a martini tour of Los Angeles. Our fave spots include: The Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower, Wally’s (we like Billecart Salmon Brut too), Salty Girl.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d love to shoutout the smith + james team. Without my fabulous crew, my business wouldn’t be what it is today. And special thanks to my Studio Manager, Lauren. She keeps me laughing and keeps this train on the tracks. Honorable mention to the queen, Joan Didion. Her books speak to me and she made it chic to wear sunglasses always.

Website: https://www.smithjamesevents.com

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

Image Credits
Headshots: Norman & Blake Photos: Kristina Adams, Sarah Falugo