the person behind the plan

You don't need someone to just agree with you.

You need someone who knows what to ask next.

meet staci

I'm Staci Mandikas, the design-first planner, creative director, and operational brain behind UNIQUE Weddings + Events.

Creative by nature.
Organized by necessity.

I can plan my ass off, but I have been a creative since birth.

I see the room as a whole. Scale, proportion, lighting, movement, timing, hospitality, and how people experience it all come together.

Details matter. So do people.

Details
matter.
So do
people.

Experience that
knows what to look for.

I've been in enough rooms to notice the detail nobody else sees. I know which decisions deserve attention and which ones will make or break the experience.

EXPERIENCE THAT KNOWS WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Founded in 2008, UNIQUE Weddings + Events has planned more than 400 weddings across Tampa Bay and beyond. That experience matters because wedding planning is not just about knowing what looks good. It's knowing what breaks, what gets overlooked, what slows down a timeline, what affects guest comfort, and what decisions cost more than couples expect.

We combine creative direction with practical execution, so your wedding is not only personal and well-designed, but also functional, organized, and supported from the first conversation through the final send-off.

Why couples hire unique?

  • Not interested in cookie-cutter weddings. Never have been. Never will be.
  • Best fit for couples who value expertise, trust the process, and want a wedding with personality, not a template.
  • From $5K backyard celebrations to $300K ballroom blowouts, we approach every event with the same goal: creating an experience that feels authentic, thoughtful, and uniquely yours.
  • From intimate dinners for 8 to celebrations for 400+, every wedding gets the same level of attention and care.
  • From private estates and backyard transformations to some of Tampa Bay's most recognizable venues, we've probably planned something similar. And if we haven't, we're excited about that.
  • Licensed, insured, and unapologetically type-A. Timelines, vendor wrangling, backup plans, and logistics are our love language.
  • We don't start with trends. We start with you. Every design decision is filtered through your personality, priorities, and how you want the day to feel.
  • We intentionally limit the number of weddings we take each year because great work requires time, attention, and creative energy.
  • Yes, we've handled family dynamics, last-minute surprises, weather pivots, timeline meltdowns, and that one aunt who thinks she's running the show.

For couples who want more than a wedding planner.

The best weddings don't happen by accident.

They happen when creativity, strategy, logistics, and experience all work together to create something that feels personal, memorable, and completely your own.

If you're looking for a planner who will guide the decisions, challenge ideas when needed, manage the details, and help bring your vision to life, we'd love to hear from you.

READY TO START PLANNING? LET'S TALK.

start the conversation