Celebrations are one of life’s truest pleasures, but planning them can be a real problem. After all, there are tables to decorate, a venue to secure, entertainment to book–the list goes on and on. Fortunately, Metro-Detroit’s luxury event expert Coralee Hawkins, CEO of Coralee Luxe Events, was on hand to handle one of Detroit most momentous weddings–right down to the smallest details. From drapery to up lighting, Hawkins and her team of qualified experts created the most romantic and beautiful fairytale wedding over the weekend
“My wedding wasn’t only impeccably designed, planned, and executed, it was also a dream come true. It was magnificent and memorable,” said Melanie Bowers (newlywed).
Hawkins’s personal touch of glamour is what makes her designs unmatched. She is known for her luxurious forward event styling; her designs usually feature innovative colors, themes with sparkle and bling. Hawkins sat down with Black Enterprise to discuss how she got her start in the wedding industry, what inspires her, and how she used social media to grow her business.
On how she got started in the wedding industry
“I volunteered to help a friend with her wedding and began to receive rave reviews about the décor. The questions “Who decorated?”; “Can we have their contact?;” spread wildly throughout the wedding party. I began growing a contact list based on word of mouth for a business that was to come. I’ve always been creative; it just took that one event to show myself that I had what it took to become successful.”
On what inspires her
“I find inspiration in the everyday. I wake up happy knowing that I can make clients’ dream event come true. The feeling I receive from mastering a design is an overwhelming rush of risk, excitement, and fulfillment. Witnessing the smiles on my clients’ face after they walk into the room of their fully executed event gets my heart and creativity pumping. I simply enjoy the challenge of coming up with new themes and luxury event layouts and bringing those unique moments to life through style and decor.”
On using social media to grow her business
“Online reputation is where many companies have the most impact on customers. Social engagement, customer reviews, and other aspects contribute to someone’s decision to make that initial purchase. I post all day every day. My social media following looks forward to my posts. I use social media posts to drive targeted traffic to my business. I use it to boost my website SEO. I use it for client leads. A strong social media presence builds brand loyalty, and if done right, repeat paying happy customers. I receive 75% of business through my social media. I am a design artist. My work is visual, and I need a visual platform to showcase my work to the public, and social media is the perfect tool to do so.”
You can learn more about Coralee Hawkins by visiting her website at www.coraleeluxeevents.com and following her on Instagram at CoraleeLuxeEvents.