Podcast Summary: The Messy Parts with Maryam Banikarim

Episode: Celebrity Wedding Planner Marcy Blum Turned Fun Into a Million-Dollar Business

Date: November 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this candid and energetic episode, Maryam Banikarim talks with legendary celebrity event and wedding planner Marcy Blum. Blum, known for creating unforgettable, fun events for stars like Kevin Bacon, LeBron James, and Billy Joel, opens up about her unconventional path to the top, the messy realities of building a business, and the secrets behind turning fun into a unique, million-dollar differentiator. The conversation traverses Blum’s Bronx childhood, professional pivots, early struggles, the gendered challenges she faced, and her philosophies on business, networking, money, and success.

Major Discussion Points & Key Insights

1. Roots: Bronx Beginnings and a Love for Theater (01:41–03:38)

• Early Aspirations: Marcy discusses her childhood desire to attend performing arts school, choosing it over a more conventional route, and her parents’ confusion.
  • “I knew I wanted to act at that point...there was no question that's where I wanted to go.” (Marcy Blum, 02:03)
• Performing Arts School Experience: Lived out the "Fame" high school dream—described as fun, wild, full of creative types.
  • “It was exactly as you see in the movie Fame. We smoked dope and danced in the cafeteria.” (Marcy Blum, 02:24)
• Transition Away From Acting: Participated in street theater, but by late teens, she moved on.

2. A Commune, Setbacks, and the Value of Messiness (04:02–06:39)

• Counterculture Leap: At 16, Marcy co-founded a commune in Vermont with friends, seeking belonging and independence (04:02–04:39).
• Failure, Reflection, and Mental Health: After the commune dissolved, Marcy returned home and spent a year isolated, openly calling it a “messy” and depressive time.
  • “It's never as bad as you think it is...I really thought life was over at 16, 18.” (Marcy Blum, 05:25)

3. Discovering Passion for Food & Culinary School Trailblazing (06:48–11:35)

• Food as Salvation: With encouragement from family, she enrolled in Cordon Bleu in Paris, despite hesitance and ongoing depression.
• First Wave of Women: Attended the Culinary Institute of America as one of the first female students.
  • “There were no women. First class of women? Yeah. 50 of us.” (Marcy Blum, 09:35)
• Sexism in the Kitchen: Faced blatant gender discrimination—including being told jobs weren’t available to women.
  • “We don't hire women. I mean, they may still not hire women, but they wouldn't put it in writing.” (Marcy Blum, 11:04)

4. Building a Career: Serendipity, Networking, and the Path to Events (11:58–13:18)

• Eclectic Early Jobs: Worked as a sous chef, teacher, and consultant, feeling lost and dissatisfied.
• The Power of Connections: Key career breaks came from her brother, a New York Times journalist, and political connections—especially with Ed Koch.
  • “Nobody wanted to mess with Ed [Koch]. So he hired me as a food consultant.” (Marcy Blum, 12:16)

5. Perseverance, Imposter Syndrome & Finding the ‘Fun’ Niche (13:18–15:56)

• Grit in Unhappy Jobs: Stuck with difficult positions to prove her reliability to herself.
• Battling Imposter Syndrome: Even after being honored for her achievements, Marcy felt out of place.
  • “If imposter syndrome were fatal, I would have died today.” (Marcy Blum, 14:46)
• Transition to Event Planning: Personal experiences (like her own DIY wedding) revealed the need for professional planners, sparking her business idea.

6. Starting the Business and Learning to Value Yourself (17:53–23:18)

• Tony Robbins Influence: Principles from Robbins—specifically, not repeating patterns that bring only pain—inspired her leap to entrepreneurship.
  • “Do what you’ve always done, you’re going to get what you’ve always gotten.” (Marcy Blum, 18:05)
• Weddings as a Differentiator: Realized there was a unique market need for wedding planning specifically (19:04).
• Financial Lessons: Admitted it took 25 years to find true profitability. Relied on friends’ tough love to overhaul her pricing model from flat fees to a percentage of total spend.
  • “There's 10 of us... I've been doing, you know, 5 million, $20 million weddings. So, makes a big difference. I have a house.” (Marcy Blum, 21:49)

7. Women & Money: Charging What You’re Worth (22:00–23:51)

• Industry Standard: Most planners now charge 15–20% of total event spend; distinction between herself (sometimes drawing a line on what to charge for) and male colleagues.
  • “Most of the guys in the business charge their full percentage...I think it's piggy.” (Marcy Blum, 22:58)

8. Generational Differences & Managing a Team (23:55–25:26)

• Team Building: Discusses managing a mix of full-timers and permalancers, noting she pays well because she expects a lot.
• Gen Z Observations: Notes young people’s connections to grandparents and a focus on inclusivity in events.

9. Marcy’s Unique Selling Point: Fun (25:26–26:45)

• Reputation as ‘Queen of Fun’: Colleagues acknowledge her events are legendary for joy, vibrancy, and surprise.
  • “You're known as the queen of fun. Like, nobody can sell against you because my parties are fun.” (Marcy Blum, 25:47)
• Why Parties Fail: Many planners obsess over perfection but neglect guest experience—Marcy zeroes in on making everyone feel seen and delighted.

10. Business Wisdom: Success, Marketing, and Staying Relevant (26:45–30:19)

• Defining Success: Contentment with home, family, and health; not being sick, loving her husband.
• Client Focus: Keeps the guest experience at the center, often pushing back on clients’ personal biases.
• Staying Current: Stays curious and active, despite feeling her age with trends and new music.
  • “I think I'm chronologically damaged. I really still think I'm like, maybe 28. And I go out a lot. I read a lot...” (Marcy Blum, 30:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Industry Reputation (00:00–00:34):
  • “You’re known as the queen of fun. Nobody can sell against you because my parties are fun…not everyone’s parties are fun.” — Marcy Blum, 00:01
• On Why Other Events Fall Flat:
  • “They’re more concerned about the perfect napkin than where guests are getting their next drink or…dancing on the tables.” — Marcy Blum, 00:16
• On Gender Barriers:
  • “We don’t hire women. I mean, they may still not hire women, but they wouldn’t put it in writing.” — Marcy Blum, 11:04
• On Financial Transformation:
  • “If you do what you’ve always done, you’re going to get what you’ve always gotten.” — Marcy Blum (Tony Robbins principle), 18:05
• On Fees and Values:
  • “I think it's piggy.” — Marcy Blum (re: charging percentage on high artist fees), 22:58
• On Networking and Asking for Help:
  • “I thought it was unseemly to be as pushy as I should have been…nobody cared.” — Marcy Blum, 17:02
  • “You have to bring something to the table.” — Marcy Blum, 33:01

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------|-----------------| | Childhood, Acting, Performing Arts School | 01:41–03:38 | | Commune in Vermont, Setbacks, Reflection | 04:02–06:39 | | Culinary School, Sexism, Early Career | 06:48–11:35 | | Entering Events, Early Networking | 11:58–13:18 | | Imposter Syndrome and Resilience | 13:36–15:56 | | Starting Marcy’s Business | 17:53–19:56 | | Money Lessons, Charging What You’re Worth | 21:10–23:51 | | Gen Z and Team Management | 23:55–25:26 | | The Power of Fun in Events | 25:26–26:45 | | Defining Success, Marketing Philosophy | 26:45–30:19 | | Rapid Fire/Personal Insights | 30:41–34:17 |

Rapid-Fire Session (30:41–34:17)

• Curiosity and Relevance: Maintains youthful spirit and interest in trends.
• Messiest Moment: A year of panic attacks and personal struggle post-commune.
• Bad Career Advice: Interning with a planner won’t teach true event skills—learn a facet of the business instead.
• Coping with Crisis of Confidence: “Xanax.” (31:24)
• When She Last Cried: Previously day, reflecting on her husband’s health (31:36).
• One Thing Never to Do Again: “Acid.” (32:02)
• Best Way to Reach Out for Advice: Be specific, bring value, and don’t expect a generic “pick your brain” session.

Takeaways & Tips

• Success isn’t linear or tidy—it’s full of “messy parts.”
• Differentiation is crucial: Marcy’s focus on fun set her apart in a crowded market.
• Owning your value (and learning to charge it) is a journey, especially for women.
• Networking pays off, but so does thinking about value in relationships, not just extraction.
• Transparency, candidness, and authenticity are strengths in a client-based business.
• Younger generations bring new values and expectations—listening and adapting is key.

Marcy’s parting wisdom:
“You have to bring something to the table…It is a quid pro quo, you don’t just get to walk into someone’s office and take up their time if you have no connection.” (33:22)

Host’s Sign-off:
Stay tuned for more honest, vulnerable conversations about the messy parts behind extraordinary careers.

For listeners:
If you enjoyed this episode, share it with friends and leave a review to keep the real talk—and the invaluable career lessons—coming!