Today, we’d like to introduce you to Katy Martin.
Hi Katy, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have been the proud owner of Coastal Coordinating for 16 years now. Anyone who meets me will tell you how much I love event and wedding planning – It is truly my calling and passion. I started my company out of the blue and honestly on accident when a friend reached out to hire me to plan their friend’s wedding.
I had been a planner for six years before I started Coastal Coordinating while working for the Marriott Football Hall of Fame (Yes, I helped plan an event for John Madden and Warren Moon). I have also worked as a Director of Catering for Hilton and at a Private Venue in St. Augustine, Florida. When my friend reached out, I was working for Corporate America in a Human Resources role and had planned to explore that field more, but fate had another plan for me.
When my friend reached out, I referred a few other great planners. Still, they wanted me to do the wedding for them, so long story short, within a year after other vendors found out I was planning this wedding, they started to refer me more and more, and that is how I started my business. In the first year, we did over 40 events, and now we do 10x that on average as a company. We are able to give great service at each and every event due to the wonderful planners I have on the team.
Here are some personal, fun facts about me:
-My favorite part of a wedding day is bustling with the wedding dress!
-My husband and I celebrated our wedding reception dinner unexpectedly at Waffle House due to COVID.
– But honestly, it was truly the best, and I wouldn’t change one thing about it!
-I am obsessed with pool floats (you should see my patio). I just love them all. I think if I could take all my calls in the pool on my float, life would be complete.
-I have two pups that I love more than anything, Hank and Lucy.
-I am a bonus mom to the best girl ever named Marlee. This is probably one of my greatest accomplishments that I never saw coming.
-I really love to take chances and go out on a whim. Life is short, and I plan to make the best of it! I always try to live life with the glass half-full.
-I love love love the color PINK!!
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road in my journey with Coastal Coordinating has been smooth for the most part but there have been some bumps in the road for sure. A few of the major bumps/struggles have been caused by my starting a new branch of coastal coordinating halfway through my journey. Now, I have a few locations, which is a blessing for sure, but it did cause many changes along the way.
The biggest and hardest struggle in my career was in 2020, when COVID hit. During 2020 and 2021, we had to reschedule over 120 weddings, and that was such a challenge. At first, we had no clue what we were doing as it all happened so fast. We honestly had no time to plan for this. We stayed calm, adjusted, and learned to work through it. That was the biggest struggle in these 16 years of owning Coastal Coordinating.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
Coastal Coordinating specializes in creating unforgettable, personalized wedding experiences tailored to each couple’s unique love story and vision. I am known for my meticulous attention to detail, creative problem-solving skills, and the ability to turn dreams into reality.
One of the aspects I am most proud of is my commitment to excellent communication and customer service, ensuring that every step of the planning process is smooth and stress-free for both the couple and their families. I take pride in curating moments that will be cherished forever and creating a seamless and magical wedding day experience for all involved.
I also think one of the things that set me most apart is that I am able to adapt to any type of atmosphere and make any type of event super special. I’m also really good at knowing when someone needs something, and I’m very intuitive, which helps me relate to everyone that I work with and be there to help them through every step of the process.
Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I find inspiration and valuable insights from various resources to excel in both my professional and personal life, especially in wedding planning. Some of the resources that have helped me tremendously include:
Blogs like Style Me Pretty, Green Wedding Shoes, Marry Me Tampa Bay, and Junebug Weddings. These blogs allow me to stay updated on the latest trends, creative ideas, and inspirational real weddings that fuel my creativity in wedding planning.
Local networking events are wonderful as well, and honestly, they are so wonderful for continual learning.
Locally, some of the Networking events I attend are SWEL events, Marry Me Tampa Bay events, and ABC events. Also, once a year, I try to attend a conference and trade show. These are such a wealth of knowledge.
These resources play a crucial role in enhancing my skills, creativity, and overall capabilities as a wedding planner, enabling me to deliver unforgettable experiences for couples and create magical moments on their special day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.coastalcoordinating.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/coastalcoordinating/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/coastalcoordinating/
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@coastalcoordinating
Image Credits
K&K Photography, Carrie Wildes, Amber Yonkers, Lifelong Photography, Kourtney Kaiser Photography, and Taken By Tyra
