How I got here!

My passion for event planning started when I was very young. I was that little girl walking around with a clip board in hand pretending to have a headset in my ear. As I got older, the passion for the event industry never left me, it grew stronger. So my dream was to have my own event planning business and here I am.

I grew up in a tourism town (shoutout to Cape May County). We thrive on tourists, summer and sunny days. Hospitality has been in my blood since the day I was born. My family owns a hospitality business in Cape May County, New Jersey, for which I am very grateful. It taught me a strong work ethic and how to work for a dream.

My grandfather & grandmother had a dream to have their own business and that is what they did! They packed up their lives and six kids to move to South Jersey. They built the business from scratch. It was literally a dirt road. They are my inspiration everyday and will always be.

My Education

I graduated from Widener University with a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management. During that time, I obtained my minor in Event Management. I completed several internships and studied my butt off! My classes consisted of event management, meeting, exhibitions, food, beverage and many more! Needless to say, I learned a lot through the hands-on classes and amazing professors! Currently, I am in the process of studying my Master’s in Business Administration (concentrated in Event Leadership) at Johnson & Wales University. I am expected to graduate this year!

My Experience

Experience in the hospitality and event industry is crucial. I was fortunate enough to work with many amazing industry leaders throughout my time in college and post-graduation. Some of my positions at different companies included: restaurant supervisor, restaurant manager, event coordinator and banquet manager. Throughout the positions, I learned the importance of personalized service and attention to detail.

In addition to my work experience, I am currently studying to be a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), which will give me even more experience in meetings and events. I will have my CMP by the end for the year! I have been involved with several industry organizations including: Meeting Professional International (MPI) and National Association of Catering & Events (NACE)!

Fun fact about me – I love to learn. You can find me with an iced coffee either studying, reading a book or a blog about event management. I feel that everyday you should learn something that can better you in the future. This industry is evolving everyday (especially after the pandemic), therefore keeping up with the trends and education is very important to me.

The Year of 2020

As everyone can relate to, 2020 was HARD. The pandemic brought the world many losses and lessons.

During this time, I ended up getting laid off & it took a huge toll on me. I learned many hard lessons from March 2020 to January 2021. In a few words, 2020 was a very low time for me. In January 2021, I finally found the courage to make my life the life I want! The pandemic is difficult, but it teaches a lesson – things can change, everyone has low points in their lives, but life is short!

EVENTS by Marisa

Starting a business is terrifying to say the least. In March of 2021, I vowed to myself that I would start living my life to the fullest, which meant to follow my dream. My dream: starting my own event planning business. After many days filled with business planning, budgeting and of course – anxiety, I decided to do it. I started with social media then hired Sarah Laux to do my website. She truly inspired me and helped me take the jump!

Today, I am the Event Planner & Owner of Events by Marisa. This journey will be challenging, but I am doing it! So if you need a sign, this is your sign – take the giant leap of faith and follow your dream!!!

THANK YOU

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for making it this far with me during this journey. All of the love and support has inspired me and keeps me going!

To my mentors, thank you for making who I am today, personally & professionally. Without my mentors in this industry, I would not have the courage and experience to get here. I am forever grateful to all of you!

As you may know, my family and friends are my life (including Milo, my fur baby). Without the love and support from them, I would not be here today. So I thank you all for keeping up with my crazy ideas and being my rock through the past year!

Most importantly, I wanted to thank my Mom. If you know her, you know she is a bad-ass single mother, business leader and the kindest human on this planet. She is the definition of a true business woman and an amazing mother. She inspires me to be a strong woman everyday. So Mom, thank you. Thank you for always being there for me, inspiring me and loving me. I love you!

So, here we go!

Welcome to Events by Marisa!

If you are looking for assistance in planning your next event or meeting, I am your person! I take pride in customizing each package for my clients, because let’s face it – every event is unique and personal!

Let’s Talk!