Why Wedding Planning Is the Secret Behind Every Successful Big Day
When Tara Fay launched her wedding planning business in 1997, the idea of hiring someone to plan your celebration in Ireland was considered unthinkable. Nearly three decades later, Tara has become a global force in the luxury wedding and events industry—renowned for her tenacity, taste, and trailblazing spirit. In this candid interview, the founder of Tara Fay Events opens up about how she took a leap of faith, what drives her creative process, and the honest realities of navigating an emotionally charged industry. Whether you’re a bride-to-be, a fellow creative, or an aspiring entrepreneur, Tara’s story is filled with wisdom, wit, and hard-won insight.
What inspired you to start a business in the wedding space?
I was at a crossroads, I was 27, had completed 8 years of college (4 full time in the UK and Spain, 4 part time while working, all different specialties) and the company I had worked with for 4.5 years was being sold. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to move to the new organization. My father said to me, you have always talked about working in weddings and events, now is your chance. My now husband’s father had just died relatively young and I suppose I thought life is for living and what’s the worst that can happen? Everyone thought I was mad and it would never work. Life in 1997 Ireland was very different and I was assured by everyone that paying someone to plan a wedding or party would never catch on. I do love a challenge and proving myself capable and I suppose I have been doing that ever since. When I started there was no wedding industry in Ireland and only a handful of florists and cake makers. Forget makeup artists or session stylists. But I have an insatiable work ethic and have never stopped since. And now I have clients from all over the world. We work with couples from all over the US who get married in Ireland and countries all over the world. It’s amazing to see how the industry and this very global market has evolved. I love being a part of it.
How does love, beauty, or emotion influence your creative process?
It’s a collaboration with your client and teasing their thoughts and feelings out of them. It’s important to listen and actively listen to understand what they may not even know about themselves. With weddings and families there are so many opinions and points of view. You have to balance them all and make everyone feel like they are being listened to. A couple could have one reality or idea at the start of the planning process but as their emotions evolve, so does their style and aesthetic for their wedding.
What does an average day look like for you?
In case you can’t guess I am not great with average in any format, so a day can anything from being in the airport at 5:30am for a day trip to London or Paris, being on the road for a tasting, with clients for fittings (anywhere in Europe), or at glam trials. If I am in the office, we usually pack the day with zoom calls, Europe in the morning, east coast early afternoon and west coast late evening. We have a team catchup call scheduled in my calendar every Tuesday morning. I prefer these in person as a friend of mine always says, I prefer to look someone in the white of their eye. I am an awful friend but occasionally I do try to sneak off for coffee and then in the evening mom duty calls. I am such a helicopter mother! I am constantly onto the kids – asking where they are, what are they doing, and when are they going to be home, even when I am not!
How do you balance serving your clients’ dreams while staying true to your brand identity?
It’s tricky and a constant battle; we want everyone to feel like they are the only person we are working with. I suppose I do push back if I think clients are making a wrong decision that they will regret. Do I love every design choice they make? Of course not. Do I get onboard with it because it’s what the client wants for their day? Usually, unless it’s a mistake and then I try to tweak it in a way that will work for them. But at the end of the day, it’s their event, their money and their memories. Weddings are one of the few occasions that people make huge financial decisions based on emotion, which is wild.
When asked for advice I am always careful to say, it’s your wedding. However, if you want an opinion here are a few things you could consider. If you can give people options then they don’t feel pressured into making a decision.
We do have a policy of mutual respect for all of our team and extended team of vendors and I have, on occasion, had to remind clients of this. I understand that everyone can have a bad day and sometimes they use the closest person to lash out at. If this happens more than once, we do have a chat with them.
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs entering emotionally charged industries?
It’s not personal. With weddings you see the best and the worst of everyone and being the wedding planner, you are in the middle of the melting pot of emotions. Be honest with everyone you work with and trust the process but most importantly, trust those around you and have their back (and they will have yours). Most people entering this business don’t realize how important their vendors are. The other professionals around you are critical to your success. I think people often forget how important it is to acknowledge that and say thank you.
Another lesson you have to learn is that you are going to make mistakes. You are going to meet people you should not have worked with, but you have to learn by those lessons and know to recognize them the next time. Every day is a school day. Never stop learning. When you stop, that’s when you give up.
