Shaquilla Shannon shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Shaquilla, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
To outsiders they think oh you can get balloons tablecloths etc from Amazon and put it together, they have no idea how much preparation planning behind the scene that goes into planning their special day
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Shaquilla Williams — Celebrity Floral Designer | Educator | Mentor | Speaker
Shaquilla Williams is a powerhouse in the world of luxury event design. A devoted wife and mother of three, she’s also a sought-after celebrity floral and event designer, global educator, and dynamic business coach. Known for her signature “Magic Touch,” Shaquilla teaches immersive wedding and floral design workshops across the world, inspiring creatives to elevate their craft and build profitable businesses.
She is the visionary founder of Larger Than Life Event Planning and the driving force behind Wedding Bells & Whistles—Polk County’s first and only premier bridal magazine—and is also launching the region’s first wedding expo in years, debuting October 20th in downtown Lakeland.
Beyond design, Shaquilla is a mentor and strategist who empowers entrepreneurs to grow and monetize their niche. She leads two youth summer camps focused on entrepreneurship and gives back to her community through annual back-to-school giveaways, business networking events, and holiday celebrations. Her work extends into venue consulting—partnering with venue owners to curate events that boost visibility, revenue, and long-term growth.
A nationally recognized speaker for over 7 years, Shaquilla has graced stages at women’s retreats, empowerment events, and industry panels. She’s been honored as a four-time Floral Designer & Event Planner of the Year in Polk County and is a current Business Woman of the Year nominee. Her features span Voyager, Rolling Out, The Ledger, Spectrum News 9, Channel 10 News, and more.
Why Learn from Shaquilla?
• Best of Lakeland: 5 Consecutive Years (2021–2025)
• Business Hall of Fame Inductee
• 2025 Award Winner – Top 3 Wedding Planners in Central Florida
• Featured In: Voyager, Rolling Out, Wedding Rule 2024, The Ledger, Spectrum News 9, Channel 10 News Multiple magazine s, podcast etc
• Guest Honoree – LeadHERship Women’s Summit 2025
With over 25 industry certifications taught through her workshops and a global mentorship program under her belt, Shaquilla’s mission is clear: to inspire, equip, and lead the next generation of event professionals. Her favorite quote?
“There’s always another level up. There’s always another ascension. More grace, more light, more generosity, more compassion, more to shed, more to grow.” – Elizabeth Gilbert
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
Being 18 and going out into the world being an adult joining the military going through Boot Camp going to my first duty station serving this country is one of the most powerful moments that I’ve ever felt in my life
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
When Covid hit and people had to start canceling events, and so many things were going on in the world people were dying people were sick. I had to pivot think about my family, my friends my client and I took my power back and found a way to make my business. Great too assist my client and let them know they were the first of my concerns and their events and their visions for their events for my first priority
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The biggest lie in the WEDDING industry is is the big celebrity wedding gurus saying that this is easy. It’s easy to fill your venue with clients is easy to get clients. It’s easy to keep clients that is far from the truth. Every business owner needs to have structure they need to have Good dependent workers a good marketing and advertising for the business in a prayer life and to show transparency.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
What I am doing today to withhold my legacy 715 years from now is showing there the breakdown and structure of this industry how to get into this industry and stay in this industry how to have longevity with your clients and their kids and their legacy how to sustain in this industry. I pray 7 to 10 years from now that I have franchises in different states and people will know about larger than life, Event Planning, custom designs, and Treats.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.largerthanlifeevents03@gmail.com
- Instagram: Largerthanlifeeventplanningfl
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/Shaquilla Shannon
- Facebook: larger than life event planning custom design and treats
