Stylish Details Events was founded by event planner Sophie Mae in early 2011. Her passion for event planning and design began after planning her own wedding in 2010. Her background in fashion and editorial styling give her a unique edge when it comes to executing the most important day in her client's lives. She designed Stylish Details Events to be an all-inclusive wedding planning and design company for the modern couple who longs for a stunning and stress-free wedding day.
Stylish Details Events has a team of over six expert wedding planners and designers in Los Angeles, Orange County, Palm Springs, New York, and Hawaii. Collectively, they've successfully planned over 300 events! Theor goal is to create the ultimate planning experience for their couples by providing them with the best planning and design services in the industry. Keep reading to learn about Sophie's journey as founder of Stylish Details Events and her personal philosophy on becoming a great wedding and event planner!
What inspired you to enter the wedding industry?
My background began in the fashion industry. I was a personal and editorial stylist for about 10 years before I began my career as an event planner. I worked as an intern for Teen Vogue magazine right out of high school and my love for all things style grew from there! I began styling and planning events in 2011, when Pinterest began to get really popular. Couples planning their weddings started to see how stylish and chic weddings could be and that’s when my personal styling clients started asking if I would plan their weddings. The rest is history!
Why did you start Stylish Details Events?
I started Stylish Details Events in early 2011 when I saw a need in the industry for a service that included both wedding planning and design. I knew there were lots of different types of wedding planning services available, but I didn’t see many that included logistical planning (timelines, budget management, etc.) and design (color theory, production, etc.). I wanted to provide an all-inclusive experience for our couples so we could plan and style every detail.
If you could change one thing about the weddings and special events industry, what would it be?
I think there's a common misconception that weddings need to be really over the top or expensive to be unforgettable. Some of my favorite weddings I've ever planned didn’t necessarily have huge budgets, but because there was a lot of thought and attention to detail, they felt very special and unique.
How does using Aisle Planner help you deliver the client experience you want to?
Aisle Planner was a total game changer for us! We were previously using Google Sheets to manage our client’s weddings and that got really tedious and confusing. When we show our client’s Aisle Planner for the first time, they're so impressed! It really elevates the planning experience and makes everything so seamless. We're a luxury event planning company and having Aisle Planner in our tool kit has really elevated our brand.
What's your favorite Aisle Planner feature?
I have so many! I think my favorite is the budget feature. I'm a huge numbers gal, so being able to estimate and track expenses for our clients has been so incredibly helpful.
If you weren't the Founder of Stylish Details Events what would you be doing instead, or what would your life be like?
I've always loved shows like 60 minutes and Dateline and I’ve often thought about how much fun it'd be to be a correspondent for those type of shows!
What are three things you never show up without on event day?
Our event kit, walkie talkies, and snacks! We have a large event kit on wheels that has everything we'd need in a pinch. We have everything from extension cords to hair ties in there so we always have what we need on the wedding day. We also couldn’t live without walkie talkies because many of our events take place at large venues, so it’s crucial our team stays connected. Lastly, snacks are a must! We're all huge foodies here at SDE, so it’s important that we have snacks on hand throughout the day.
What’s your personal philosophy on becoming a great wedding and event planner?
I personally believe that as event planners, we should always act in the best interest of our clients and fellow vendors, even under pressure and stress. Our job can be very demanding, so being able stay calm, cool, and collected is a must for us. It’s important to be an “anchor” during the planning process—someone who your team and clients can count on.
What’s your trademark in the client or event experience?
I named the company Stylish Details Events because our goal is to always create an all-inclusive wedding planning experience for our couples. This means that every detail from the wedding budget to the personalized cocktail napkins come together to create an unforgettable and personal planning experience.
Is there anything you're particularly excited about working on this year?
We have quite a few destination weddings planned this year, which I always think are so much fun! We're always up to travel!
Just for fun
I’m dying to design a wedding or event in…
The Met in New York City! I adore the city and think it'd be so much fun to plan an event in such an iconic setting.
Your favorite shoes to wear on event day?
We wear all black on wedding days and will typically wear black sneakers until guest arrival. I love my Puma sneakers from Amazon. I buy at least three pairs every year. They're very comfortable and stylish!
If you could plan any celebrity’s wedding, whose would it be?
Emma Stone’s wedding! She's just so talented and adorable, so I think her wedding would be so much fun to plan.
If you could go back in time, what’s one thing you would change about your wedding?
I wish I had hired a professional DJ. I know, I know, I was young and dumb. My poor father-in-law ended up playing music from an old iPod. Looking back on it, I wish we would've spent the money on a professional.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever created for a wedding or event?
We created a custom all-white runway for the bridal party to walk down as they made their way to the alter. It was a total "wow" factor and the guests loved it!
Want to see more from Sophie? Check out her website stylishdetailsevents.com!
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