Meet Mackenzie Stokx | Wedding Planner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mackenzie Stokx and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mackenzie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
As a new small business owner, my thoughts were all over the place before officially deciding to jump into the wedding industry. When I started Stoked Weddings, I was incredibly nervous and scared of what was going to happen and what people were going to think. I kept asking myself, “Can I even do this? What if I fail?” and as someone who has been an over-thinker all my life, the thoughts didn’t stop there. Most of my life, I’ve struggled with anxiety and the constant fear of not being good enough. It has discouraged me from doing so many things and has caused me to turn down numerous amazing opportunities. That’s why starting Stoked Weddings was such a huge accomplishment for me. I needed to take my life back! I knew that I loved organization, weddings and helping people, so what better career than to become a wedding planner. I had a gut feeling that I’d never had before when I first started tossing around the idea of starting my own business. I knew deep down that this was what I was meant to do, and even from the very beginning, I knew I was going to be great at it. My thought process behind starting my own business was that, for the first time in my life, I was going all in. No overthinking, no turning back, no listening to other peoples’ opinions. I wanted to do this for myself, because I knew that I had it in me to be strong and successful, and so far, it’s been the best decision I could’ve ever made.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Stoked Weddings is a wedding planning and coordination service, which, without knowing the meaning behind my mission, sounds like every other wedding industry job. Even though I absolutely adore all things “Wedding”, I truly believe that the purpose of why a couple gets married gets lost in translation a lot of the time. The wedding industry tends to create an atmosphere for couples to feel as though this big day needs to be a massive party for all of their guests to drink lots of fancy cocktails and eat great food. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am all for amazing weddings like this, especially if guest entertainment is one of the couples’ main priorities. However, I started Stoked Weddings, because I want to be the voice that reminds couples why they are doing all of this in the first place: their love and devotion to each other. A wedding is more than a party; it’s a celebration. It’s the beginning to the rest of their lives together. The wedding is one day, but the marriage that comes after lasts forever. I am excited to be the person that reminds them of that.

As my business is still new, my challenges are probably a little different than someone who has had their business for 5+ years, and that’s okay. The challenges that I have had to overcome are almost strictly internal battles. Imposter syndrome, anxiety, overthinking. They are the challenges of almost all new business owners. Slowly but surely, I’ve seen the return to my investments and realized that hard work does truly pay off. I’ve learned that it’s okay and it’s normal to feel discouraged, but leaning on your loved ones for support and realizing that you are stronger and more capable than you ever thought is what will help others push through the new small business challenges.

All I want the world to know about me and my story is that there are always going to be things that try to hold you back, whether it is internal or external challenges. The true testament of strength is pushing through, not looking back and thanking God for the opportunities that you are presented. I woke up one day and decided that I was going to live the life that God blessed me with to the fullest, and now I’m here, and I am beyond thankful for what I have and what the future holds.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oooh this is a hard one! I currently live in Lake Kiowa, Texas, a small lake community about 20 minutes South of the Oklahoma border, but my parents live in Frisco, so we are down in that area all the time. (There’s much more to do down there than up here in what feels like the middle of nowhere!) I would suggest visiting Shops at Legacy/Legacy West for all your weekend fun. There are a ton of adorable boutiques and stores to go into along the strip. I definitely suggest going during Christmas time when all the trees are decorated with lights and the giant Christmas tree is put up! For some nighttime entertainment, I would visit Legacy Hall, which is a giant food hall with 20+ restaurants, lots of bars, live music and a brewery! There are concerts and events multiple weekends a month, which is so fun. Also, near Frisco in The Colony, you should visit Grandscape, which has a very similar feel as Legacy West. There are some great restaurants, cute stores, wineries and breweries, live music and some super fun entertainment. I suggest checking out Andretti Indoor Carting and Games if you like go-carts and arcade games or the Truck Yard if you like food trucks, listening to live music and watching sports on numerous TV’s. The Truck Yard is a great option during the Spring or Fall when the weather is nice.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband, Craig, for always being the person who supports me and sees the potential in me, even when I can’t see it in myself.

Website: www.stokedweddings.com

Instagram: @stokedweddings

Facebook: @stokedweddings

Other: Pinterest: @stokedweddings

Image Credits
@epic.productions @bluknotweddings