Welcome to our “Day in the Life” series! We feature wedding and event planners from around the world with many different levels of experience. If you would like to be featured, download our questionnaire here and email your responses and photos to info@plannerslounge.com. We are excited to feature wedding planner Emma Hanis today!

Name: Emma Hanis

Business Name & Location: Emerveille Events, Seattle and London

Years Working in the Event Industry: 3

Years Owning Your Event Planning Business: 2

Website: www.emerveilleevents.com

Business Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/emerveilleevents

Instagram: www.instagram.com/emerveilleevents

What is your typical day like?

My day begins by waking up at 5:30 with my Siberian Husky, Gracie, and then going to the gym. At the gym, I love to spend my time either on Pinterest to get design inspiration, or listening to one of my favourite wedding podcasts. When I get home, I get ready for my day and then sip on a homemade lavender latte while either reading a book on business or scrolling Instagram. 

My work day begins by checking and responding to emails for the first hour, and then spending the remainder of the morning making phone calls to other wedding professionals who are working on weddings with me, or spending time designing. I personally have found that I am most productive in the mornings, so I do quite a bit of the administrative work that goes into wedding planning when I am at my most productive. For lunch, I love to take my dog on a walk (when Seattle weather permits) so that I can get moving and can jump into the second half of the day. Because I know that I am a bit more tired by the time the afternoon hits, I love spending the afternoons doing design work, as it is one of my favourite aspects of being a planner. 

Evenings are typically spent with my lovely husband and our friends in the Seattle area, wine tasting, trying delicious food, or curled up with a book and the dog. 

How did you get started in the industry?

I am a very organised person with a love for watching details come together to create a complete picture, and wedding planning is the perfect industry for exactly that. I began in the industry after getting a taste of event planning from my own wedding, as well as serving in various areas of the wedding industry such as design and decor and catering. I had personally begun toying with the idea for a while, and had some friends who were getting married. Before I knew it, I was asking if I could help to plan their wedding so that I could get a feel for the industry. When I told those around me what I was considering, I thought I would be met with hesitation and a “reality check” but everyone around me was affirming and supportive of the direction I was heading. 

I jumped into the industry and purchased The Planner’s Toolbox from The Planner’s Lounge, and l love learning from industry experts such as Terrica and Manda from Mae & Co. Before I knew it, Emerveille Events, previously Peonies and PIne Weddings, was born. I was able to determine that my favourite style of weddings are elegant and ethereal events, and began to refine my skills to match that specific market.  At the beginning of 2022, the opportunity presented itself to begin the process of expanding my services and my businesses to the UK, because of my dual citizenship between the US and the UK. This has allowed us to expand our market as a business, as well as to become creative and stretch ourselves as planners in a way we haven’t had to previously

What inspires you?

For me, I personally find that nature inspires me most, specifically the Pacific Northwest environment. I also love to seek my inspiration from the idea of “hygge” which is a Danish word for the feeling you get when you are wrapped in a blanket in an oversized armchair on a rainy day with a cup of tea and a good book (it is specific but you know exactly what feeling it is). That feeling is how I desire for people to feel on their wedding day. 

I love looking for inspiration from interior design. You can frequently find me looking at different styles of interior design online and trying to curate pieces that fit into that specific interior design style and into specific wedding styles. I also love going to art galleries to receive sparks of inspiration. In fact, all of my brand colours are based off of an oil painting of peonies in a gallery in Germany.

What are your favorite online resources for your business?

• Planner’s Lounge
• Terrica Inc. 
• Mae & Co. Monthly

Aside from wedding and event planning, how do you spend your time?

When I am not wedding planning, you can often find me redecorating my home (usually for the 14th time that week), wine tasting, trying to find the best lavender latte in Seattle, or spending time with my husband and my dog. I also love reading, and am usually reading between three and four books at a time. My husband and I love travelling, with some of our favourite locations to be Puerto Vallarta, Denver, and, of course, London. 

Emma, thank you so much for taking the time to share your story and a day in your life. If you are an event planner and would like to be featured, download our questionnaire today and email it to us along with a photo. If you aren’t sure about being featured, take a few minutes to read how it can help your business.