We recently connected with Rodneycia Williams and have shared our conversation below.

Rodneycia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

To answer your question—yes, I am happy as a business owner. But I do remember what it was like to have a regular job.

As the sole owner of a new business, a wife, and a mother to a toddler and an infant, my days can be hectic. Between cooking, cleaning, homeschooling, playing, clients, meetings, and installs, I’ve often found myself overwhelmed. That’s when the thoughts of my old 9-5 creep in—when it feels like it would be easier to have someone tell me what to do, know exactly when my paycheck is coming, and not have to juggle my children, home, and business all at once.

But then, when things settle down, the house quiets a bit, I see my children smile, and my clients show grace, I realize I’m getting the best of both worlds. It’s not perfect or easy, but it’s the best. I get to chase my dreams while prioritizing the family I’ve been blessed with.

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 back background and context?

I’m Rodneycia, the owner and lead planner of Red Magnolia Weddings and Events. Born and raised in New Orleans, I’ve always been drawn to creativity and design. As a child, I spent hours sketching wedding gowns and dreaming up beautiful celebrations. That passion led me to work as a bridal stylist while pursuing my pre-law degree in college.

After graduating, I started working a 9-5, thinking my time as a bridal stylist was the extent of my experience in the industry. But when my first son was born, I desperately wanted to be home to care for him. Taking a leap of faith, I stepped away from my job—eventually finding my way back to the world of weddings and events, this time as a business owner.

At Red Magnolia, I specialize in wedding and event coordination, ensuring my clients can fully enjoy their special moments without stress. Whether they need guidance throughout the planning process or someone to handle all the logistics, I make sure everything runs seamlessly.

What sets me apart is my ability to blend creativity with organization. I don’t just focus on how an event looks—I focus on how it feels and flows. I thrive on problem-solving, thinking ahead, and creating experiences that feel effortless for my clients.

What I’m most proud of is the trust my clients place in me. Seeing their vision come to life, watching them enjoy their day without worry, and knowing I played a role in making it happen is what makes this work so rewarding. I am blessed to be able to do it.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In my first year as an event planner, I took on a design client for a wedding three hours away from home. The vision was unlike anything I had done before, and the venue presented several challenges. I executed the design to the best of my ability, but it still fell short of what I had envisioned. On the day of the event, I faced so many unexpected obstacles that the final result reflected those struggles. While the client was overall pleased and understood that many of the issues were out of my control, I left feeling defeated. At that moment, I thought I never wanted to design another wedding or event again.

But that experience taught me so much. Just as I was contemplating giving up, I received an inquiry for another event that requested some of the same design elements I had used for that wedding. My first thought was, Do I really want to take on another unconventional theme? But after getting to know the client and their vision, I decided to take on the challenge. This time, the venue was closer, better suited for the occasion, and I took countless extra steps to prevent the mistakes and oversights from before.

That event turned out to be one of the best I’ve ever done. Looking back, I truly believe it was the moment that solidified my career and helped me define my ideal market. I’m so glad I didn’t give up.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

Believe it or not, Red Magnolia Weddings started as a soft play rental business. While still working my 9-5, I was planning my son’s first birthday and looked into renting a soft play setup for toddlers. After seeing the rental prices, I thought, For a little more, I could just buy the equipment and rent it out myself. Boy, was I wrong! I ended up spending nearly double what I initially expected.

I turned the soft play side hustle into a full business, officially forming an LLC and consistently booking events. I even started offering balloon décor as an add-on. But after a year, I knew I wanted more—I wanted to pursue what I was truly passionate about.

So, I made the leap. I sold all my soft play equipment, used the funds to rename my business to Red Magnolia Weddings and Events, and invested in the essentials to get started in the wedding industry. If it weren’t for that soft play venture, I wouldn’t have the business I do today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://RedMagnoliaWeddings.com
• Instagram: @redmagnoliaweddings
• Facebook: Red Magnolia Weddings

Image Credits

Studio Tran New Orleans Wedding Photographer

Jada Hall Photography

Taylor Mills Photography

Just for a Moment by Jessica

Kennidy Photography