Tara Skinner
It’s easy to romanticize the role of an event planner. Beautiful tablescapes, design decks, and glowing Instagram highlights paint a polished picture. But the truth? This business—especially at the level we operate—is built on unglamorous moments. Quiet negotiations, strategic pivots, and sometimes, conversations you’d rather not have.
In this episode of Wine Me Dine Me, I sat down with longtime friend and respected planner Tara Skinner, owner of Tara Skinner Events, to discuss what doesn’t always make the highlight reel: growing a team, evolving vendor relationships, and charging your worth in an ever-shifting market.
Listen to the full conversation via Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Styled Shoots vs. Real-World Strategy
Both Tara and I have watched the industry swell with new planners—many of them earnest, creative, and full of potential. But we’ve also seen how easily a styled shoot can be mistaken for experience. As Tara put it:
“There’s a huge difference between decorating a table and putting together a transportation schedule.”
Executing a high-end, multi-day wedding isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s logistics. It’s labor. It’s knowing how to troubleshoot in real time with diplomacy and grace. Styled shoots don’t teach you how to reschedule a 200-guest ceremony because of weather—or how to manage a tent installed in an 18-hour window.
When Vendor Loyalty Gets Complicated
If you’re lucky, your vendor relationships evolve with your business. But growth brings friction, too. We spoke about the emotional nuance of moving on from vendors who can no longer meet the level of service your clients require—and how to do it with kindness.
“Our clients are our top priority,” Tara shared. “If a vendor can’t deliver what’s needed, even if I love working with them, I have to pivot.”
That’s not disloyal. That’s leadership. And it requires a gentle confidence to have those conversations without burning bridges.
The Truth About Percentage Pricing
We also broke down one of the most polarizing topics in our field: pricing.
Many of us started with flat fees. But as weddings became more complex—and budgets doubled or tripled—we transitioned to percentage-based pricing. Not because we’re trying to upsell, but because the workload increases exponentially with scope. Transparency is everything.
“I show clients every contract. They pay vendors directly. We even have them sign off if they choose to go over budget,” Tara said.
Percentage pricing only works if there’s mutual trust. When that trust is present, it frees us to do our best work—and often inspires us to go above and beyond without being asked.
Building a Team, Not Just a Brand
Tara also reflected on the decision to build a team and why she has no interest in going back to a solo model. Her associate planners are fully empowered, backed by internal systems, and regularly looped in through monthly meetings to keep everyone aligned. And because her team is deeply connected, they can serve more clients without compromising quality.
“It’s not passing a client off,” she explained. “It’s about matching them with the right planner—someone under our umbrella, with shared values and access to the same internal standards.”
Clients don’t lose access. They gain support.
Growth Isn’t Linear—But It Should Be Intentional
One of my favorite parts of our conversation was hearing Tara reflect on the turning points in her business: letting go of a partnership, changing her company name, building her team, stepping into destination work. None of it happened overnight. But all of it happened with clarity.
And that’s what separates the seasoned from the saturated. We’ve both been in this long enough to know: growth isn’t just about scale. It’s about knowing who you are, what you’re building, and who’s coming with you.
“There’s never any reason not to be kind,” Tara said near the end. “It’s not hard—and it gets you far.”
A gracious reminder that success isn’t just what you build. It’s how you carry yourself while building it.
If you would like to talk with us about planning your next event, click here.
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