Today we’d like to introduce you to Mackenzie Garcia.
Hi Mackenzie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I moved to Austin in 2016. Shortly after moving to Austin, I met the man that would become my husband in 2019. I was not working in the event industry at the time, however, I come from a family who has always loved to host parties and events. My husband and I had a wonderful wedding planner who was so involved throughout the entire process and made wedding planning fun and stress-free. My sister got married 45 days after me and my dad got married later that same year and throughout the process of planning my wedding and then helping my sister and my dad with their weddings, I realized that I really have a passion for wedding planning and all the design, details, and logistics that go into it. My family also noticed my passion and excitement for it. They recognized that with my detail-oriented, creative, organized, and bubbly personality, that being a wedding and event planner could be the perfect fit for me. Since I come from a family full of entrepreneurs and I knew I had their support, I decided to give it a shot.
After I coordinated my first wedding, I was put on the venue’s preferred vendors list, the client was extremely happy, and I felt so good! I knew that this was my passion and my calling. That was the first of many weddings. The more I did, the more I loved it. The community of people in the wedding and events industry that I’ve met and networked with has been so supportive. Last year, Events By Mackenzie became an officially licensed and insured LLC and even though I was still doing the business as a side gig, it was still very successful. So successful that this year, I was able to take the leap to becoming a full-time entrepreneur and make my business my number one priority. Since leaving my full-time job, I have been hired to plan other types of events including a corporate event and a baby shower. I am confident that with hard work, determination, creativity, and passion, Events By Mackenzie will be successful. I can’t wait to be a part of many celebrations both big and small and have an impact on many people in Austin and the surrounding areas.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road getting here has not always been so easy. I started my business in 2019 and we all know what happened in early 2020. I did not anticipate that right after starting my business, the event industry as a whole would be greatly affected by a global pandemic and that events would almost come to a screeching halt. I worked with many of my clients through the difficult and emotional decision to postpone or cancel their wedding plans due to unknown outcome of the pandemic. There were frustrations, difficult conversations, and doubts throughout that time not knowing if I was entering into the right career path and industry, especially at that time. I’m so glad that I stuck it out and continued to pave the path forward because I learned so much during that time. I learned about how to handle postponements in an effective and fair manner. I learned how to have the difficult conversations with clients about the unknown. And I learned how to work with other vendors in the industry to honor their decisions with regard to COVID. Looking back on it now, I am grateful that I went through the experience because I feel that it made me stronger and ready to take on future challenges.
As you know, we’re big fans of Events By Mackenzie. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Events By Mackenzie is a Wedding and Event Planning company in Austin, Texas. Events By Mackenzie specializes in designing and orchestrating special events for all of life’s celebrations. We design beautifully curated events that are personalized with special touches to represent the couple, the company, or the family. Our ultimate goal is to take the stress and sometimes overwhelming feeling of planning events, both big and small, off of our client’s shoulders so that they can enjoy the process and feel confident that their event will be smooth and executed as planned. Events By Mackenzie is different from other small event planning companies in that we don’t have a specific style, specific budget, or a specific type of client that we can work with. We can work with many different styles, budgets, and varying client personalities with various desires and needs.
We strive to create a personalized experience that is tailored to the clients’ needs, budget, and specific vision for their event. Events By Mackenzie loves to collaborate with many different vendors in Austin who can work cohesively to give our clients exactly what they are looking for. Perfection, Personalization, and Polish is what we aim for with each and every event.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
My business was just getting started during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic so I had to learn quickly and work with my clients to find the best solution for their ever-changing wedding plans. I learned the importance of being understanding given the circumstances as well as being prepared as a business owner for future situations like this when it comes to my contracts and the way I run my business. Overall, I think that COVID really taught me a lot and while it was hard, I think I will be a better entrepreneur for it.
Contact Info:
- Email: mackenzie@eventsbymackenzie.com
- Website: www.eventsbymackenzie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventsbymackenzie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eventsbymackenzie
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/events-by-mackenzie-austin
Image Credits:
Katie Knotts Photography ML Photo Film Rising Oak Images Aubrey Jean Photo
