Hi, I'm EJ!
You may find I answer to many names: EJ… Emily… Emmie… Em-Dash… Stout… Gandalf…
Call me whatever feels right
I’m the same gal who's spent over 20 years turning chaos into celebration, whether you met me as the hotel manager drawing maps of all the best spots in Ann Arbor, the graphic designer who created the logo and apparel for your Women in Conservation Leadership conference, the Web Store Wizard who built an international uniforming and fulfillment empire from the ground up, or your bestie’s bestie who made that slick spreadsheet for our bachelorette retreat in Mexico.
I'm an event planner, wedding coordinator, graphic designer, and certified sassafras. You won’t find my degrees in graphic design and business management hanging in my office – instead I’ve got Charley Harper’s Isle Royale National Park poster hanging behind me, and Anthony Bourdain flipping me off above the monitor. Balance, baby.
I'm naturally cool under pressure, obsessed with systems and logistics, and genuinely jazzed about turning curveballs into happy little accidents.
Put me in, coach!
Why I do this work
I've been designing invitation suites and organizing events for family, friends, and clients for as long as I can remember, but something shifted when I decided to launch Wild Fox full time. The world is heavy. It can be hard to escape. But I believe joy is an act of resistance. Celebrating the people we love, building intentional community, and carving out space for whimsy and joy? That's how we fight back, to protect what matters.
I'm not interested in weddings built on meaningless (if not misogynous) traditions, or in corporate events that take themselves too seriously. I want to work with creatives who have big ideas but need someone to execute them, and with hosts who want to show up and enjoy their party without worrying about vendor schedules or when to turn on the string lights. Let me do all that – it’s my jam.
Why work with me?
When folks are looking to hire an event coordinator, they consistently tell me they’re looking for the same things: detailed organization, clear communication, proven expertise, and the personality to solve problems with ease.
I’ll let them tell you how I did:
I consider myself a Type A planner, but EJ took my planning to the next level.
Our anxiety level was reduced to zero.
Because of Emily, I was fully present at my own wedding and didn't bother with any details the week and day of. She understood what I was hoping for and I was confident she would execute it… I just got to be present and soak up the day. I am grateful I didn't waste energy thinking about things like who was bringing over the flowers or if the DJ got tipped.
Emily was incredibly organized and orchestrated both our welcome party and wedding reception. Emily did an amazing job coordinating with a wide variety of people and managing a lot of different personalities. She is fun to work with but also no-nonsense when it comes to getting things done. She navigated the interpersonal tensions that weddings naturally bring up just beautifully.
Emily is efficient and effective. She took the time to really understand my hopes for the day and then made it happen.
She organized everything for us and sent specific tasks for us to work on at any given time, keeping all the timelines straight on her end. This allowed me to focus on one thing at a time and feel less overwhelmed about the big picture. When it began to look like a heat wave might make our un-airconditioned reception venue unbearably warm, Emily had a list of potential solutions within the afternoon. I had confidence that Emily could navigate anything that came up, so I was so much more relaxed leading up to the wedding. I have absolutely no complaints.
I have worked with Emily twice now. Once for my daughter's wedding and the second time for a 50th anniversary party. Both events were just magical! She was the single most important factor in the success of these parties. It's so much more than having a great menu or lovely decorations. You need someone to help execute the entire event and work to make all the elements come together. Think of Emily as your head coach who coordinates all the various players and helps everyone perform at a high level. Most importantly, hiring Emily meant that I could really enjoy all that we had planned. I knew she was always working in the background to trouble shoot any problems and ensure the timeline of each event unfolded beautifully.
I can't recommend Emily highly enough. She's just delightful andv really fun! I've never met someone who is so calm and attentive to detail. Starting with vision boards that perfectly capture your ideas, Emily has the on-the-ground logistical chops to make things happen. During our daughter's wedding, we actually had two major parties: a Friday night welcome party/dinner as well as the Saturday wedding and reception. Emily helped us to capture the exact vision we had for each event. After the wedding reception, several of our vendors raved about working with Emily and asked where we had found her. Emily diffused a particularly stressful situation between two vendors beautifully and I never knew about it until after the reception. Our guests continue to rave about the weekend and how calm I was. I had a secret weapon: Emily!
Your wedding or special event is likely a one-time, unique event in your life. You want to enjoy it and focus on your loved ones. These events go by so quickly and being fully present is worth its weight in gold. Emily is the perfect person to manage and coordinate your event. I wish I had brought Emily into the planning process sooner!
I'm a spreadsheet enthusiast and team player who takes pride in finding ways to highlight your magic. I'm here to eliminate headaches and breathe life into your vision, so you can focus on celebrating with your people.
What makes Wild Fox different
Most month-of coordinators step in 30-45 days before your event, and day-of coordinators require you to do all of the work leading up to the event and just execute the plans day-of. I start working as soon as you hire me, whether that’s 18 months or 6 months out. The earlier you book, the less you have to tackle alone – and the more time I have to work my magic.
I'm your creative collaborator, your vendor liaison, your timeline builder, your scapegoat when family dynamics get weird, and your backup officiant if needed (that’s right – I’m ordained!). Plus, I’m a one-stop shop: You won’t need to track down a separate graphic designer or wonder what type of paper to use for your invitations. I’ll design a custom suite that spans from Save the Dates to those little Love Notes we’ll leave on the tables for your guests.
I'm sassy, skilled, and eager to celebrate life with you. If you want someone who takes your event seriously but doesn't take themselves too seriously, we'll get along just great.