Meet Annie Zebrowski | Event Planner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Annie Zebrowski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Annie, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
One common misconception about the event planning industry is that it is glamorous. While there can certainly be some perks from time to time, event planning is generally far from glamorous. More often than not, it entails late nights, last-minute changes, mediation between vendors or family members and plenty of stress-filled moments all along the way. While the end result leaves guests impressed, it is typically due to the dedication and tireless efforts of the event planner who hasn’t been afraid to get his or her hands dirty.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Merci Events is a full service event planning company which organizes weddings, social events and corporate events of all sizes. Our company is unique as we get to know our clients personally in the initial consultation so we can assess the level of involvement they would like as well as their vision and budget. We offer full planning, partial planning and day-of coordination packages as well as custom packages dependent upon our client’s needs. We specialize in customizing and tailoring every detail to our client and their budget.

My passion for event planning became clear to me while working at a luxury resort where I handled weddings and social events. I soon added corporate events to my repertoire and over the next 19 years, I managed countless events of all types and sizes in a wide variety of venues. The decision to become a business owner came rather unexpectedly for me. When Covid made it’s appearance and turned our world upside down, the event industry was hit hard. I, like so many others, lost my steady job in the hospitality industry and was also in the midst of a rather lengthy and tumultuous divorce. I knew I had to pivot quickly to make things work for myself and my four kids. I tried to find a steady job while waiting for the world as we had previously known it began to open back up, but nothing I found was fulfilling. With the encouragement of family and great friends, I filed for my LLC and began building my business starting with creating my website and attending local networking groups.

Making the decision to start my own business was not an easy one, particularly with the financial risks and time commitments needed to be successful. Being a single mom of four kids added another level of apprehension for me as I was unsure of how I would be able to balance everything. I have been fortunate enough to have the continued support of my incredible family, friends and community who have all been instrumental in the growth of my company. A lesson I have learned through this growth is that no one achieves success alone. A very important person in my life recommended the book “Who Not How” by Dan Sullivan and one of my favorite excerpts is “Relationships are how you transform as a person. Relationships are how you transcend your current limitations. Relationships are how you produce results. Relationships are the purpose of life.”

Establishing relationships, both personally and professionally, has been beneficial to me in so many ways. I have connected with incredible people who have inspired me, motivated me and challenged me and I am hopeful that these connections have been mutually beneficial. I have achieved more success than I had imagined since the inception of my business, including recently winning the 2023 Reader’s Choice Award for Best Wedding/Event Planner from Around Acworth magazine. I can directly attribute these successes to the relationships with people in my life who have rallied around me. While it can sometimes be humbling, asking for and accepting help when offered is integral in being successful, not just in business, but in our every day lives.

I am proud of my business and the services we offer. Whether we are helping organize a large corporate event, providing day-of coordination for the DIY bride or planning a divorce party and offering support and necessary resources along the way, we are consistently keeping our client’s best interest, personal style and budget in mind. We truly believe every event is worth celebrating.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start the trip with Ponce City Market – walk around the shops and then head to The Roof for dinner and drinks at 9 Mile Station. Hang out after at Skyline Park.

Day at The Battery – brunch at C Ellet’s, grab a resort pass and spend the afternoon on the rooftop pool at the Omni. Early dinner at YardHouse and catch a Braves game in the evening.

Breakfast at Le Bon Nosh in Buckhead followed by a visit to the Atlanta History Center. Lunch at Fellini’s on Peachtree and a visit to Sweetwater Brewery for tour/tasting. See a concert at Chastain Park.

At some point, dinner at Bistro Niko, drinks at Red Phone Booth.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to thank the Acworth Business Association for their constant support and encouragement. The organization as a whole and the individual business owners have rallied around me and supported my business since it’s inception. I have received referrals and business directly through the group as well as opportunities to gain additional exposure within the Acworth community. I was recently awarded the 2023 Reader’s Choice Award for Best Wedding and Event Planner through Around Acworth Magazine and I have the ABA and Acworth community to thank for the honor.

Website: https://www.mercieventplanning.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mercievents_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mercievents/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mercieventplanning/

Other: https://www.eventective.com/atlanta-ga/merci-events-735513.html

Image Credits
Anna Shackleford Photography Amanda Ashley Photography Jensen Bell Photography