VoyageLA Feature: Meet Zohe Felici of Santa Barbara Wedding Style

Zohe FeliciFelici Events
Written By Megan Hageman
 

Zohe Felici, Santa Barbara Wedding Style’s editor and owner of Felici Events, was recently featured on VoyageLA, a local magazine focused on highlighting the amazing people, organizations, and events of L.A. Within the article, Zohe shares her journey creating three successful wedding and event businesses as well as why she chose to build her career in the L.A. area.

Get to know the brains behind the whole operation and find the full VoyageLA article, HERE.

From VoyageLA:

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zohe Felici.

Zohe, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a zealous wedding and event professional and business mentor.

I was born into a family of Felici Events (literally, in the womb, haha). Being 100% Italian born and raised, our family gathered at each meal and treated it as a celebration. And while at each meal, we were already planning our next meal, menu or gathering.

My passion for hospitality and career in the food and beverage industry started when I was three years old. I would be at my mom’s side, to help prepare dinner, set the table, and then play waitress. I recited the specials then would write down my family’s dinner order on (my favorite thing ever) an authentic carbon copy diner’s pad……I could barely read and write yet.

My love affair with restauranteering continued into college. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management from the University of North Texas and immediately launched my career into the corporate ladder of the 5-star luxury resort industry. This gifted me with a solid foundation in business, management, forecasting, exemplary guest services, and the training to lead empowered teams.

In the spring of 2006, I took a leap of faith and left the stability of corporate America to become an event manager for an established independent wedding and event planning company, and eventually launching my own Event Production Company, Felici Events, where I create immersive, creative and memorable experiences for intimate gatherings to large scale festivals.

In 2015, I became a “duo”-preneur and purchased www.SantaBarbaraWedding.com, A wedding blog dedicated to providing engaged couples resources and inspiration for planning their wedding in and around Santa Barbara.

In 2018 I became a coach and mentor for creative event professionals and wedding planners who desire to catapult their wedding/event business by attracting their perfect clients and uncovering five-figure months consistently.

I could not run the show for these three profitable wedding and event businesses without the support of a dedicated team, and am so grateful. I continue to grow all three companies while being an expert speaker and continuing to share my knowledge at numerous event industry conferences around the United States.

Has it been a smooth road?
Anytime there is growth, there certainly are struggles that accompany it. When I launched Felici Events, I had less than $500 in the bank. I WAS TERRIFIED. It was a powerhouse of event pro-“friend”ssional women who supported me as I gave birth to my brand and helped me find my courage to built my event production company. I was instantly planning weddings, fundraisers, corporate events, mitzvahs, and large international festivals with over 20,000 attendees.

In 2017 and 2018 Santa Barbara experienced the destructive Thomas fire and devastating mudslides. They not only affected our community, small businesses, and morale but also toppled the wedding industry with venues that were affected by the disasters. It was our community of wedding and event professionals who bound together to help each other and strengthen our efforts.

Now maneuvering thru COVID-19 and the effects of the pandemic to our industry, our wedding and event professionals have bonded more than ever to help each other maneuver thru such an unprecedented climate. Leading the group with weekly zoom calls, I was able to ensure that wedding + event pros from across the country got the support they need to flourish from the economic, emotional and social symptoms of the Pandemic.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I own and operate three businesses, all within the event industry.

Felici Events is a first-class, award-winning full-service event planning and production company that specializes in immersive and memorable events from 10 to 20,000 guests. Felici Events understands that excellent customer service relies on a complex choreography of often invisible moving parts. It is Zohe’s ability to manage both her clients and vendors that are the cornerstones to her success and countless happy clients who hire her company for their gatherings and special events.

Santa Barbara Wedding is a wedding blog dedicated to providing engaged couples resources and inspiration for planning their wedding in and around Santa Barbara. Zohe’s passion for showcasing the talented wedding planning professionals and venues of the American Riviera is curated especially for our blog and #SharingLoveInSB for you, and couples’ dream Santa Barbara wedding weekend!

ZoheFelici.com is a six-figure creative event-pro business coach. Part strategist and part motivational mentor, I provide no-fluff programs for creative event professionals who are ready to transform their businesses, uncover a consistent additional five figures per month, and LOVE what they do.

I know the demands and risks of running an event business. I provide the accountability, knowledge, tools, and perspective to overcome these challenges in order to build momentum and catapult results toward your event professionals DREAMS and GOALS.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, absolutely it is a great place to start an event planning business. There is such a supportive community in the Los Angeles area, between ILEA, NACE, WIPA as well as various independent wedding + event groups, the support is there, and the magic of events happens in LA starting all the celebrity and movie industry celebrations.

Image Credit: Willa Kveta Photography

 
Megan Hageman
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