We were lucky to catch up with Jessy Folkema recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jessy, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
Our resilience as event coordinators at Stori Events comes from a few deeply rooted places. We borrow strength from our couples’ stories. When timelines implode, weather turns, vendors are late, or plans shift (sometimes minutes before guests arrive), we’re grounded by why we’re there. We’re holding space for someone’s once-in-a-lifetime moment. That responsibility fuels us to stay calm, resourceful, and steady, even when things get chaotic behind the scenes.
We’re built on preparation, not panic. Resilience isn’t just grit, it’s systems, foresight, and experience. Our timelines, backup plans, vendor relationships, and run-of-show documents allow us to adapt quickly. Because we plan so thoroughly, we’re able to pivot with confidence instead of stress.
We trust each other. At Stori, resilience is collective. We know that no one is carrying the weight alone. There’s an unspoken understanding that someone always has your back, whether that means stepping in, solving quietly, or simply grounding the room with calm energy. That trust creates emotional resilience as much as logistical resilience.
We lead with empathy. We understand how much emotion, meaning, and vulnerability are tied to weddings and events. That empathy helps us stay patient, composed, and generous, even when things are hard. We don’t take pressure personally; we translate it into care.
We’ve lived it. We’ve weathered long days, late nights, tight turnarounds, and unexpected curveballs. Each event adds to our confidence. Resilience grows from knowing: we’ve handled worse, and we’ll handle this too.
And honestly? We love what we do. Passion is a powerful stabilizer. Even in the hardest moments, we’re reminded that we get to create beauty, connection, and memory for a living. That joy carries us through.
In short, our resilience comes from purpose, preparation, partnership, and heart and from knowing that every challenge we navigate quietly allows someone else’s story to unfold effortlessly.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
At Stori Events, we design and plan weddings as well as corporate and social events that are deeply personal, intentional, and rooted in meaning. At our core, we’re storytellers, our work is about translating who our couples and clients are, what they value, and how they connect into an experience that feels effortless, thoughtful, and unmistakably them.What feels most exciting and special about what we do is the balance between structure and soul. Events are complex, high-stakes productions with countless moving parts, and our role is to hold all of that, the logistics, timelines, vendor coordination, and contingencies, so our clients can be fully present. Beyond the operational side, we’re deeply invested in the emotional experience. We care about how a space feels, how moments unfold, and how guests are welcomed into the story. When everything aligns, the result is an event that feels calm, grounded, and genuinely joyful.Stori was built on the belief that there’s no single “right” way to celebrate. We work with couples and clients who value authenticity over tradition for tradition’s sake, and who want their weddings, corporate gatherings, and social events to reflect their identities, relationships, and priorities, whether that means an intimate, minimalist celebration or a layered, design-forward experience. Inclusivity, trust, and collaboration are fundamental to how we work, and we’re proud to support clients from all backgrounds, professions, and communities.Professionally, we’re currently focused on refining and expanding our planning experience by offering deeper design guidance, more intentional touch points throughout the planning journey, and continuing to build strong, values-aligned vendor relationships. Looking ahead, we’re excited about growing sustainably, expanding our corporate and social event work, and taking on fewer but more thoughtfully curated weddings, while continuing to elevate how events can feel when they’re approached with care, clarity, and heart.At the end of the day, Stori Events isn’t just about producing beautiful events; it’s about creating space for people to feel seen, supported, and genuinely celebrated during some of the most meaningful moments of their lives.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Emotional intelligence and empathy. Events, especially weddings, are deeply emotional, high-pressure environments. The ability to read a room, understand what someone needs (sometimes before they say it), and respond with calm and compassion has been invaluable. For those early in their journey, our advice is to listen more speak less, stay curious about people, and practice seeing situations from multiple perspectives. Technical skills can be learned, but emotional intelligence is what builds trust and longevity.
Systems, organization, and follow-through. Creativity alone isn’t enough in this industry. What allows us to execute beautiful events is structure, timelines, checklists, processes, and clear communication. Early on, invest time in learning how to plan thoroughly, document everything, and follow through consistently. The more organized you are behind the scenes, the more freedom you’ll have to be present and creative on the day of an event.
Resilience and adaptability. No event ever goes exactly as planned. Weather changes, vendors run late, timelines shift, and unexpected challenges arise, often in real time. Learning how to stay calm, solution-oriented, and grounded under pressure has been critical. For those just starting out, remember that confidence comes from experience. Every challenge you navigate adds to your toolkit, so don’t be afraid of mistakes, treat them as lessons.
If we could offer one overarching piece of advice, it would be this: focus on building both skills and values. Know what kind of professional you want to be, how you want people to feel when they work with you, and let that guide your decisions. Growth doesn’t happen all at once, it happens through consistency, integrity, and a genuine commitment to doing the work well.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
One of the biggest challenges we’re currently facing is perception and visibility, particularly when it comes to expanding our corporate and social event work.
Our portfolio is heavily weighted toward weddings, which has been incredibly meaningful and foundational to our growth. However, that visibility can sometimes make it difficult for corporate and social clients to immediately see that the same level of strategy, precision, and creativity we bring to weddings translates seamlessly into corporate and social events as well. In reality, many of the skills required , complex logistics, multi-stakeholder coordination, brand alignment, guest experience design, and flawless execution, are exactly the same.
To address this, we’re being more intentional about how we position and communicate our work. We’re actively seeking opportunities to showcase corporate and social projects, refining our messaging to clearly articulate our capabilities beyond weddings, and building relationships with brands, venues, and partners in the corporate and social space. Internally, we’re also developing tailored processes and offerings that speak directly to the needs of corporate clients, while maintaining the same level of care and detail that defines our wedding work.
Ultimately, our goal is to help corporate and social clients see that while weddings may dominate our visual portfolio, our expertise is broader. We’re focused on ensuring that our brand narrative reflects the full scope of what we do, thoughtfully designed, expertly executed events of all kinds, and that our work continues to evolve alongside the types of clients we’re excited to serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.storievents.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stori.events
- Other: https://ca.pinterest.com/storievents/
Image Credits
Please reach out for credits. Each event has multiple vendors. Ie.
Venue – @cruickstonpark
Event coordinators – @stori.events @jessyfolkema @laurencediotte
Photography – @jennifermoher @wildpeachphotography
Florist – @fablefloraldesign ⠀
Rentals – @element_event_solutions @simplybeautifuldecor
Catering – @richmondstation ⠀
DJ – @johnkong ⠀
Musician – @stringinghimalong
AV – @clarkproaudio
Venue – @thegreathalltoronto
Coordinators – @stori.events
Photographer – @mangostudios ⠀
Catering – @devlinscountrybistro
Band – @davemurphyband
Florist – @whiskeyjackflowers
HMU – @jiefanbeauty ⠀
Rentals – @element_event_solutions
Client – @livebathorium
Venue – @shangrilato
Photographers – @jialiou @nelshuang
Videographer – @flavrfilms
Event coordinators – @stori.events
Drummers – @korokorotaikoduet
AV – @epiqvision
Stationery – @detonategroup
Photobooth – @mdrnphotoboothco
Popcorn – @eatableinc
Event Coordinator & Designers – @stori.events⠀⠀
Venue – @evergreenbrickworksevents⠀⠀
Catering – @fooddudes⠀⠀
Photographer – @scarletoneill⠀⠀
Videographer – @storytellersfilms.ca⠀⠀⠀
Florist – @narcissusandechofloral⠀⠀
Stationery – @paperpalette⠀⠀
Hair and Makeup – @bangtoronto @brittany.sinclair⠀⠀
Dance Floor – @eventgraffiti⠀⠀
DJ – @delvinyl⠀⠀
Harpist – @denisefungmusic⠀⠀
Officiant – @themarryinglady⠀⠀
Baker – @velvetlanecakes⠀⠀
Photobooth & Audio Book – @photoboothto⠀⠀
AV – @epiqvision⠀⠀
Food Truck – @nanisgelato⠀⠀
Rentals – @element_event_solutions⠀⠀
Transportation – @allurelimo⠀⠀
Venue: @thegreathallto
Photographer: @whimandwillowphoto ⠀⠀
Event Coordinators: @stori.events @jessylalancette @laurencediotte @lucysantosangel ⠀
Catering: @thefooddudes ⠀
Floral installation: @tsemko_decor ⠀⠀
Videographer: Dario Nouri⠀⠀
Band: @staceykaymusic ⠀⠀
HMU: @lacandco ⠀
Officiant: @xolifecelebrations ⠀
Rentals: @chairmanmills ⠀⠀
Photobooth: @highlitetoronto
Event Coordinators/Event Designers – @stori.events @jessylalancette @laurencediotte
Venue – @ricardas.to
Photographer – @norrstudio
Videographer – @sdeweddings
Florist – @leafandbloom
DJ – @scottifyevents
Musicians – @wellington.music
HMU – @lilyhobeauty @allyssahelm
Stationery – @designsbymk.to @paperpalette
Rentals – @tabletalesinc @chairmanmills @divinefurniturerental
Stori Events | @jessylalancette & @laurencediotte
⠀
📷 @tompowellweddings
📷 @mangostudios
etc
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
