Today we’d like to introduce you to Haylee Handly.
Hi Haylee, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Of course, and thank you so much for having me! I’ve been in the wedding and hospitality world since I was a teenager—helping open restaurants, managing a small catering company, working in a floral design studio, and eventually serving as a regional director for a national wedding venue group. Creatively, I come from a background in ballet and briefly studied fashion design, with the intention of having my own wedding gown label. I’ve always been drawn to structure and artistry — discipline with allowance for instinct. That combination shows up in how I plan today. So weddings were always the common denominator — not just the events themselves, but creativity, the emotion, and the logistics behind the scenes.
While working in venues, I had a front-row seat to hundreds of weddings in a short period of time. I saw what worked, what didn’t, and where couples were often underserved and just didn’t know what they didn’t know. I also saw how copy + paste weddings had become. Beautiful, sure, but often interchangeable. I cared deeply about and advocated for the clients, sometimes more than my role technically allowed. After a few years, I was notified that my position had been “dissolved,” at which point my then-boss suggested that I get out of the wedding industry for good, because I “couldn’t put the client first and the business’s bottom line second.”
That moment clarified everything.
I said F-it and dove in deeper, starting Water to Wine Events the same month I left that job — with the intention of doing this work differently. With more integrity, more creativity and artistry, and more respect for the couples trusting us with something that matters.
Eight years later, Water to Wine Events has grown into a design-led planning studio known for refined style-forward aesthetics, grounded processes, and a calm, collaborative approach to planning. And we’re just getting to the good part.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not always, but how would we ever grow without a little adversity?
The very early years were scrappy. I worked too much for too little, said yes too often, and learned boundaries the hard way. I went full-time within a year of starting the business, and while the momentum was exciting, it was also exhausting. Like many creatives, I dealt with imposter syndrome — especially when my ideas felt ahead of what the local market or vendor pool was ready or willing to execute.
Then COVID hit. Weddings paused, rescheduled, or disappeared altogether. And shortly after, I became a mother. That season brought joy, perspective, and a complete reordering of priorities — along with exhaustion and postpartum challenges that forced me to slow down and reassess how I was running both my business and my life.
Those years weren’t about growth so much as recovery and recalibration. But they shaped me as a leader. I learned how to protect my energy, refine my focus, and build a business that could support the nuances of real life — not compete with it. They also taught me that life is too damn short to live trying to appeal to the masses. I’ve learned who I want to serve in this business, and to only take on what is going to create more of the work I love.
As you know, we’re big fans of Water to Wine Events. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Water to Wine Events is a wedding planning and design studio rooted in artistry, clarity, and collaboration. We specialize in intentional, design-driven weddings that have style, feel personal, elevated, and emotionally resonant — not copy-and-paste.
We’re design-led and client-driven. That means our work is informed by fashion, art, travel, and lifestyle — not trends or previous weddings— as well as the life experiences and personalities of our clients. We care about substance as much as style. A little edge. A little restraint. Beauty with <i>backbone</i>.
What sets us apart is how we lead. Our process is structured and transparent, our communication is honest, and our presence is calm — especially when things get complicated. Clients trust us to make thoughtful decisions, advocate for them, and execute with precision and poise.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the trust and reputation we’ve built — with our clients, our vendor partners, and within our own team. I’ve intentionally stepped more into my voice over the last few years, and Water to Wine now reflects who I actually am: a designer with a point of view, a business owner with integrity, and a leader who values clarity over chaos.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
That saying yes to everything means saying no to the right things.
Early on, I believed I had to be everything to everyone to succeed. Over time, I learned that clarity is what creates momentum — not overextension. It’s okay to build a business around the work you want to do and the clients you want to serve. In fact, it’s necessary.
Now, I trust that specificity is a strength. I don’t need to be the planner for everyone. I need to be the right planner for the right people — and when that alignment is there, the work is better for everyone involved.
Oh, and that if you’re anxious to present a creative idea out of fear that it will be rejected…. do it anyway. It’s probably going to be some of your best work.
Pricing:
- Full Planning + Design: $9,500-$20,000+ (or about 10% of the total wedding spend)
- Guided Planning + Design: $5,500-$6,500
- Wedding Management: $2,800-$3,800
Contact Info:
- Website: watertowineevents.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/watertowineevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/watertowineevents
Image Credits
Anna Haile Photography RKM Photography Studio B Photography Emily Fuselier Photography April M Payne Photography
