We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emma And Rebecca Targett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Emma and Rebecca, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?
In our first few months of business, things moved a little slowly—which, in hindsight, was exactly what we needed. While we both came in with strong backgrounds in wedding and event planning, stepping into our own business felt entirely different. The stakes were higher, the responsibility deeper, and every decision carried a new kind of weight.
During that time, we came across a bride in a Facebook group who was struggling to plan her wedding. She had a child with serious health challenges, and the financial strain had completely depleted the savings she had set aside for her celebration. We decided to step in and take on her wedding at no cost.
We quickly realized that to really support her, we needed to take on not just production but full planning. That meant reaching out to vendors one by one, sharing her story, and asking them to donate their services. It required a level of creativity, persistence, and resourcefulness that pushed us far beyond anything we had done before.
Piece by piece, it came together. Rentals, catering, bar service, a DJ, florals, cake, photography—each element generously contributed by vendors who believed in the purpose behind the day. In the end, we produced a beautiful, intimate at-home wedding surrounded by the couple’s closest family and friends. It was heartfelt and deeply meaningful in a way that went far beyond aesthetics.
While this wasn’t technically the moment our business earned its first dollar, it was, in many ways, the moment everything began. It shaped how we approach our work, reinforced the power of community within this industry, and gave us an invaluable foundation of experience that we carry with us to this day.
Looking back, that wedding gave us clarity, confidence, and a deep sense of purpose in the work we do.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Our path into this business came together pretty organically. It was shaped by two different backgrounds that naturally complement one another.
Rebecca began her career in storytelling, earning her degree from the University of Michigan and working as a senior editor in publishing. Over time, her focus shifted toward event planning, where she spent years producing everything from nonprofit fundraisers to large-scale corporate events. That experience built a strong foundation in logistics, organization, and thoughtful execution.
Emma’s path into the industry started from the venue side. Also a University of Michigan graduate, with a minor in Entrepreneurship, she developed a deep understanding of how events come together behind the scenes, along with a strong appreciation for design and guest experience. She brings a fresh perspective and a natural instinct for creating moments that feel both elevated and personal.
In 2019, we officially joined forces with a shared vision for what the planning process could be. What we offer today is a highly personalized, full-service approach to wedding planning and design. We help our clients navigate the complexities of planning while also creating events that feel intentional, seamless, and reflective of who they are.
What sets us apart is the way we balance precision with personality. We care just as much about how the day feels as how it looks, and we approach every event with a level of thoughtfulness and attention that goes beyond logistics. At the end of the day, we’re not just planning weddings—we’re creating an experience that allows our clients to be fully present and genuinely enjoy it.
What we’re most proud of is the trust our clients place in us and the relationships that come from it. Being a mother-daughter team adds another layer to that—it’s personal for us, and that sense of care carries through in everything we do.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
From the beginning, we’ve been intentional about fostering an environment that feels organized, supportive, and genuinely enjoyable. It’s something we hear often from both clients and vendors alike — that our events feel calm, collaborative, and fun. Over time, those experiences have naturally translated into strong relationships, repeat partnerships, and word-of-mouth referrals, which have been incredibly meaningful to our growth.
We also approach our work with a mindset that luxury is less about appearance and more about experience. While the events we produce are elevated in design, our process is grounded, thoughtful, and highly client-focused. We want our clients to know that they are being taken care of at every step; to feel confident, understood, and able to fully enjoy both the planning process and the celebration itself.
That combination — attention to detail, a seamless planning experience, and a genuine sense of care — has shaped how we’re perceived in our market and continues to be the foundation of our reputation.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
One of the biggest lessons we’ve had to unlearn is the idea that growth means saying yes to everything.
In the early stages of our business, we felt a strong pressure to take on every opportunity that came our way. We wanted to build momentum, prove ourselves, and say yes to as many clients as possible. But over time, we realized that approach was stretching us too thin — and more importantly, it wasn’t allowing us to deliver the level of care and thoughtfulness we believe every event deserves.
That experience shifted our perspective. We began to understand that growth isn’t about volume, it’s about intention. Saying no, setting boundaries, and being selective with what we take on has ultimately allowed us to do better work and create a more meaningful experience for our clients.
It’s something we still come back to, but learning to trust that less can be more has been an important part of shaping both our business and the way we show up in it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://meriwethersocial.com
- Instagram: @meriwethersocial
- Facebook: Meriwether Social
Image Credits
The Smith Brian
J&N Studios
Mikayla Scheibe
Shanea Snyder Photography