We recently connected with Carrie Relyea and have shared our conversation below.
Carrie, appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
Growing up in a family full of entrepreneurs, I knew from the start I marched to the beat of my own drum and always wanted to be in control ( hence being a planner!!)
It all began when I walked into my grandmother’s eclectic home. Every Thanksgiving, she would put together beautiful tablescapes with the most gorgeous China. My mother and grandmother create a timeline, a menu, and compose an unforgettable experience for each holiday. Wanting to follow in their footsteps, I challenged myself each year to create beautiful floral arrangements, table settings, and be my mom’s right-hand man in the kitchen – assigning seats, cooking, and creating all the lists we needed to create an idyllic holiday. My mom’s ability to host, create a home where everyone wanted to come, and her keen eye to make a perfectly decorated home for every season, was always inspiring. I was set on being an event planner from there on.
From a young age, I always saw my Dad work hard, make sacrifices, and was always passionate about owning his company. The determination was undeniable, which always challenged me to be even half as determined as he was. When I was in the 8th grade, I remember when my dad took the leap in opening up a third store in the brink of the financial crisis. He put his head down and showed my siblings and me that grit and believing in yourself and company, you will succeed.
With my mom’s hospitable nature and my dad’s passion for entrepreneurship, I could never shake the need to start my own company. For years, I discussed with family and friends “what if I opened an event planning company?” “Would you like these colors for my logo?” “Do you think I could ever plan an event like this?”. After gaining experience with a couple of companies in the event industry, my dad and mom sat me down at dinner one night and said “It’s time!” I was terrified of not having stable income, no health insurance, and really trusting in myself. But I knew, they had my back no matter which direction this went.
Just like my dad took the leap way back when, he trusted and invested in me to take the leap in an event planning company while still being in a pandemic. Sounds a little silly. But with a little of his grit and my mom’s creativity, I was able to make something so special.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
Growing up, I always had a passion for events. I started in high school shadowing a local wedding planner, and continued throughout college interning for multiple planners in Washington DC. Majoring in Sport and Event Management at Elon University, I got a taste of the Carolina blue skies, and never looked back.
Through all the big and small events that I have been a part of, I realize that I live to create the perfect moment for my clients. Through personally curated designs and detailed logistics, from start to finish, I strive to make my client’s dream come to life by transforming a space through stress-free planning. Carrie Anne Events offers Full Service Planning and Design, Partial Planning, and Month of Coordination. We truly specialize in full service planning with a niche passion for residential tented weddings. While I love working at beautiful venues, with a background in rentals, there is something so special about building an event from the ground up. Personalizing the space with tables, chairs, linens, tents, florals, garbage cans, generators, bathrooms, and so much more, allows you to create a unique experience.
I truly give my all to my company and my clients, to assure they have a seamless event that they have always dreamed about. Making sure my clients best interests are in mind while selecting vendors is vital to creating a perfect event.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Vendor relations are huge in the event industry! Over the years, I have become great colleagues and friends with other venues, planners, caterers, etc. who have significantly helped my business. The greatest thing about the Charlotte Event Industry is we all have each other’s back. If I am booked for a specific date, I happily send over the lead to another planner in the area and visa versa. On the same note, while working with certain venues, I have created a relationship which allows them to recommend me to return!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Early on, the best investment I made in myself and my company was hiring a business coach. My business coach specifically focuses on wedding planners. She helped me navigate social media, finances, wedding planning packages, and everything in between. It was essential to me to have a sounding board to give me the confidence to grow and make decisions right for my company.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.carrieanneevents.
com - Instagram: @carrieanneevents
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarrieAnneEvents/
Image Credits
Kathryn Jeanne Photography, Rob Tesar Photography, Samantha Laffoon Photography and An Endless Pursuit Photo & Video