Luxury Isn't Cheap - Madison Elyse Events

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided by Qiana Turner

Qiana Turner is known as the “The Bride Whisperer”. The highly sought-after Event and Design Planner is the owner of Madison Elyse Events, a luxury wedding and event planning firm based in Chicago, IL. Madison Elyse Events is dedicated to mastering the details of every event while providing an assortment of services which include all aspects of planning, coordinating, and executing lavish weddings, posh social gatherings, and upscale corporate and private events.

While they offer Full Wedding and Event Planning Services, Madison Elyse has a partial and wedding management package for couples who want to plan their day themselves. These services include Discovery Consultation, Budget Development and Analysis, creation of theme, colors, design, and decor, assistance with selecting and booking all vendors, Menu and bar planning, and more.

Qiana shares that her company takes pleasure in wedding event planning for all couples. “We embrace every culture, ethnicity, religion, and tradition. Most important, we put our clients’ wishes at the forefront, and every detail is paramount and customized to create magical memories,” she says.

Qiana is a native of Chicago and attended William Howard Taft High School before graduating from Proviso West High School. Later Qiana obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Robert Morris College. In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, she has enjoyed 11 years of marriage with her husband, Kenneth. Together, they share four children.

So how did Qiana get started? She started her first event planning company, Proposed This Event Planning in 2011. “Like a lot of entrepreneurs who are excited about creating something, I jumped in head first, planned events for a short while, and fell flat on my face. I had no vendor relations or any experience, no anything. I thought that everything would be great, and I failed,” she says.

Qiana didn’t allow her failed attempt to stop her from continuing her journey. In 2013, she gave birth to her daughter, Madison Elyse. In 2016, she had the itch to get back into the field. She educated herself, attended conferences, and built relationships, and in 2017, Qiana was ready to start again. She named her new company after her daughter, Madison Elyse, which means “A Noble Gift of The Lord”.

The way that Qiana does business now is not how she started. “At one time, I would offer my services at a low cost or sometimes at no cost at all, mainly because I was trying to get clients under my belt and show others what I could do. That has changed for sure. Now, my typical clients are seeking a more elegant or luxurious experience. These are couples in their thirties and forties and would like to have a beautiful wedding,” she says. Qiana has even conducted an event in Green Bay, WI, at Lambeau Field, the home of the Green Bay Packers professional football team.

Like most professions, Event Planning comes with its unique share of challenges. Some of the ones Qiana has faced have been separating herself from the competition. “I genuinely love what I do. It is my heart for people and my desire to see others happy. It is not so much the money because I know it will come. Each client is a relational experience, and not transactional,” she says.

Qiana shares that her friends Tawanda Sims, an event planner based in Florida, and Cathy Ramero, her business coach, significantly impacted and inspired her. In 2018, she admitted that she thought about quitting her business, but Tawanda encouraged her to keep pushing. “I was given sound advice by someone who saw something in me. She repaired my broken wing and helped me to fly,” Qiana says. Cathy has shared the knowledge she has about business with Qiana, information she says that has helped her to make her initial investment many times over.

For those who may follow a path similar to her, Qiana’s advice is “do what you are God-led to do.” “I am a firm believer in God, and I believe that every step is strategically ordered. If you feel this is where you should be, I encourage you to do so. If not, then I will encourage you to do something else. When God blesses me, He expects for me to bless someone else, and that is one of my ways of doing that,” Qiana says.

Qiana says the only thing she would have changed about her journey is investing in herself initially. “I didn’t realize how important that is. I wasn’t making a lot of money in the beginning. I was fearful, and that may have slowed me. However, I am grateful for where I am now,” she says.

Qiana plans to get a certification to become a women’s enterprise in the future. That will help her to conduct and host more corporate events. She also plans to acquire her own venue. For the most part, Qiana desires to be an even greater person, mother, and wife. By the sounds of it, she is well on her way to accomplishing all of her dreams.

Please visit her website to learn more about Madison Elyse Events.

www.madisonelyse.com