To create something exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest detail.
- Giorgio Armani
EMILY COYNE, CWEP ~ FOUNDER
Emily has always had a passion for creating extraordinary events. As a child, she spent hours pouring over her leather-bound copy of Emily Post’s Book of Etiquette ~ fascinated with the difference between a bouillon spoon and a soup spoon, or the proper way to eat peas from a fork (they are to be rolled off the back of the fork, in case you were wondering). She set elaborate tablescapes and planned dinner parties and theatrical productions, never dreaming that these childhood inspirations would one day lead to her life’s work.
After graduating at the top of her class, she began her career in the hospitality industry, managing a notable fine dining restaurant in California’s capitol. Her passion for food, wine, and impeccable service flourished in this role, but she was drawn to event planning, where she could build lasting relationships with her clients and develop truly custom experiences.
She went on to become the Director of Events at some of California's most notable properties, including the world renowned five-star resort Auberge du Soleil. From building event programs from scratch to working with Fortune 500 CEOs, celebrities, and the most discerning clientele, Emily has flawlessly executed hundreds of events and built a network of relationships with the industry's best vendors. When ECE was born, the premier venues in destinations like Napa Valley, Los Cabos, Park City, and beyond were clamoring to include Emily and team on their short list of preferred planning companies. She's been featured multiple times in PEOPLE as an expert planner, as well as in Newsweek, The Knot, and Bridal Guide among others.
An undeniable force, and highly regarded by her colleagues, Emily has been described as being “of the highest caliber,” “the epitome of grace and professionalism,” and “extraordinarily exceptional.” She places a huge emphasis on caring for and pampering her couples, wanting them to relax and find true joy throughout the planning process.
Our Stories
CARRIE NEGRI ~ DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Carrie serves as Director of Operations where she manages logistics, systems, and processes related to providing exceptional client experiences at Emily Coyne Events, In addition, she oversees client budgets and vendor contracting. She also serves as the in-house stylist and bridal beauty concierge for ECE, handing all things fashion and beauty and ensuring each couple has a pampered experience on the wedding weekend. Prior to entering the hospitality industry, she managed software product launches across multiple lines of business at Google. Carrie is passionate about taking the wedding industry to unprecedented levels of service, and creating unforgettable event experiences for couples.
Outside of work, Carrie loves road biking, spending time outdoors with her husband and their puppy, Leo, and entertaining friends and family at her home. She also loves to travel, having explored numerous international destinations while working and living in France. Carrie holds degrees in Marketing and French from Santa Clara University.
KATIE RECORDS ~ LEAD PLANNER
Katie's childhood was marked with continuous travel for international swimming and dance competitions, which ignited a love for adventure and a deep desire to explore more of world’s beauty.
Katie studied at UC Santa Barbara, where she pursued swimming at the collegiate level and achieved the remarkable feat of qualifying twice for the Olympic trials. The countless hours spent chasing lines in the pool instilled values of discipline, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Her journey in hospitality began at Ritz Carlton Bacara, where she managed over 50 weddings each year and was widely recognized for her strong work ethic and passion for impeccable execution.
Subsequently, Katie ventured into the realm of global event programming, managing logistics and day to day operations for high visibility events associated with FIFA World Cup and Olympic Sponsors. Katie left lasting impressions with everyone she met and was soon recruited to be part of the core opening team for a lifestyle resort in Napa. She quickly became known throughout Napa Valley for her incredible drive and ability to create amazing experiences for her clients and partners in the event industry. She has managed hundreds of events, but finds the most joy in weddings, where she can build lasting connections with her clients and be intimately involved in the details for one of the biggest days of their lives.
With a heart that beats for hospitality and a spirit that thrives on exploration, Katie brings a unique blend of experience and enthusiasm to every endeavor. In her spare time, she can be found tasting her way through new Bay Area restaurants with her fiancé, hiking, or snuggling with her cat, Mowgli.
MAIA DUBOILE ~ PRODUCTION MANAGER
After graduating from Trinity College as a recipient of the Watkinson Fellowship and several prestigious history scholarships, Maia spent four years working in Spain and Ecuador. She traveled extensively and enjoyed creating a detailed schedule every step of the way (to the relief of her husband). After moving back to California and working for many years in the Napa wine industry, she found her true calling in the behind-the-scenes production of luxury events.
Maia delights in helping the team stay organized and fine-tuning each logistical detail, whether it’s making sure the chandeliers are hung in the ideal spot for photo lighting above the couple’s dinner table or sourcing the bride’s favorite scent for chilled rolled towels to hand out on the dancefloor. Her expertise lies in creating the proprietary ECE production decks and developing new processes to create a seamless experience for vendors and guests on the wedding day.
When she’s not working on production details, you will find Maia reading voraciously and planning her next trip to the South of France.
Emily and her team are worth their weight in gold
– Tracy & Arjav
It is so important to find the right fit when hiring a planner. You will spend the most time engaged with your planner, and their skill set has a larger impact on your wedding day than any other vendor. Our expertise in logistics and operations sets us apart and has come from years of executing events and honing our abilities to master any challenge that is thrown our way on a wedding day. Beyond these skills, the planner is the one you work intimately with for months, so trust is invaluable. We come from a place of transparency and education with our clients. We want them to feel informed and in control of their choices. The couples we work with tend to be thoughtful and organized, and care about the experience of their guests and the quality of their design elements. Recently, we had a bride tell us “You make my type-A heart pitter patter!” While we are not the best fit for everyone, for the couple that cares about the finer points of hospitality and wants every detail to blend seamlessly, we are the perfect fit.
Since you asked
Design is about telling a story and creating an emotional reaction. We approach design organically and work with each space and element to enhance their attributes and diminish their flaws. We draw inspiration from our couple’s travels, tastes, pastimes, and love story to make sure the event is a reflection of them. Our design style is elegant and effortlessly timeless, but highly personalized to each couple. As both Coco Chanel and Ralph Lauren put it – “Fashion fades, but style is forever”. We want your guests to be wowed with thoughtful and creative touches, delighted with beautiful elements that blend seamlessly, and we want you to look back on your wedding 10 years from now, 30 years from now, and still be in love with the design.
A number of things! It’s about so much more than what can be seen, and most importantly, how it is seamlessly tied together. Custom linens and the band we flew in from Nashville for you to dance the night away are nothing if your guests were freezing at dinner or it took too long to get a drink at the bar. Fabulous weddings have flawlessly executed logistics in combination with stunning designs. Understanding potential challenges and how guests will experience the event is something we excel in and firmly believe is a necessity for your day. Perfection is in the details.
Your destination will play a significant role in what the average costs are. We plan throughout the world, but frequently operate in the top US and Mexican luxury destination markets such as Napa Valley, Carmel, Santa Barbara, Aspen, Park City, Jackson Hole, Los Cabos, Riviera Maya, and similar settings. To produce a luxury wedding in these markets, your financial investment will typically start around 300K or $2,000 per guest at a minimum, whichever is greater. This is based on having 100 or more guests. Per person costs start higher for weddings under 100 guests. The majority of weddings that you see on our site range from $3,000 - $5,000 per person. The scope of the design and the type of venue may increase these costs. Establishing and understanding your desired investment from the beginning and operating within it during the planning process is of the utmost importance and we employ a number of strategies to maximize the impact of every dollar.
Anywhere in the world! We are based in California, and travel throughout the United States, Mexico, South America, and the Carribean to produce luxury destination weddings. We work frequently in San Francisco, Napa Valley, Carmel, Santa Barbara, Malibu, Newport Beach, and Tahoe when we are in California, as well as desintations like Park City, Aspen, Jackson Hole, Nashville, and other US resort areas. In Mexico, we frequently spend November through April producing in areas like Los Cabos and the Riviera Maya. We specialize in destination wedding planning and creating a full wedding weekend experience for you and your guests. We would love to chat about any location that you have in mind, or help you to find optimal one!
DESIGN | PLANNING | PRODUCTION
We look forward to partnering with you to create an exquisite event that is truly unique. Connect to experience our unparalleled service as a luxury wedding planning firm.
What makes you the best fit for a couple?
It is so important to find the right fit when hiring a planner. You will spend the most time engaged with your planner, and their skill set has a larger impact on your wedding day than any other vendor. Our expertise in logistics and operations sets us apart and has come from years of executing events and honing our abilities to master any challenge that is thrown our way on a wedding day. Beyond these skills, the planner is the one you work intimately with for months, so trust is invaluable. We come from a place of transparency and education with our clients. We want them to feel informed and in control of their choices. The couples we work with tend to be thoughtful and organized, and care about the experience of their guests and the quality of their design elements. Recently, we had a bride tell us “You make my type-A heart pitter patter!” While we am not the best fit for everyone, for the couple that cares about the finer points of hospitality and wants every detail to blend seamlessly, we are the perfect fit.
How do you approach design?
Design is about telling a story and creating an emotional reaction. We approach design organically and work with each space and element to enhance their attributes and diminish their flaws. We draw inspiration from our couple’s travels, tastes, pastimes, and love story to make sure the event is a reflection of them. Our design style is elegant and effortlessly timeless, yet highly personalized to each couple. As both Coco Chanel and Ralph Lauren put it – “Fashion fades, but style is forever”. We want your guests to be wowed with thoughtful and creative touches, delighted with beautiful elements that blend seamlessly, and we want you to look back on your wedding 10 years from now, 30 years from now, and still be in love with the design.
What makes a fabulous wedding?
A number of things! It’s about so much more than what can be seen, and most importantly, it about how it is all seamlessly tied together. Custom linens and the band we flew in from Nashville for you to dance the night away are nothing if your guests were freezing at dinner or it took too long to get a drink at the bar. Fabulous weddings have flawlessly executed logistics in combination with stunning designs. Understanding potential challenges and how guests will experience the event is something we excel in and firmly believe is a necessity for your day. Perfection is in the details.
How much does a typical wedding cost?
Your destination will play a significant role in what the average costs are. We plan throughout the world, but frequently operate in the top US and Mexican luxury destination markets such as Napa Valley, Carmel, Santa Barbara, Aspen, Park City, Jackson Hole, Los Cabos, Riviera Maya, and similar settings. To produce a luxury wedding in these markets, your financial investment will typically start around 300K or $2,000 per guest at a minimum, whichever is greater. This is based on having 100 or more guests. Per person costs start higher for weddings under 100 guests. The majority of weddings that you see on our site range from $3,000 - $5,000 per person. The scope of the design and the type of venue may increase these costs. Establishing and understanding your desired investment from the beginning and operating within it during the planning process is of the utmost importance and we employ a number of strategies to maximize the impact of every dollar.
In what areas do you plan weddings?
Anywhere in the world! We are based in California, and travel throughout the United States, Mexico, South America, and the Carribean to produce luxury destination weddings. We work frequently in San Francisco, Napa Valley, Carmel, Santa Barbara, Malibu, Newport Beach, and Tahoe areas of California, as well as desintations like Park City, Aspen, Jackson Hole, Nashville, and other US resort areas. In Mexico, we frequently spend November through April producing in areas like Los Cabos and the Riviera Maya. We specialize in destination wedding planning and creating a full wedding weekend experience for you and your guests. We would love to chat about any location that you have in mind, or help you to find optimal one!