Ask Tony Conway, founder of Buckhead’s award-winning special event company Legendary Events, what he sees as his own ideal event, and his answer may surprise you.
“Being by the fire in my North Georgia house with wine and a new book to read—that’s the perfect event,” he reveals. “I can go there for a day or three days, and it’s a place where I can reenergize.” With Conway and his team planning and executing around 600 spectacular occasions each year, the need for some relaxing downtime makes complete sense. In fact, Legendary Events, which Conway launched in 1997 after more than a decade in the luxury hotel industry, has become one of Atlanta’s most renowned special events enterprises, planning everything from elegant weddings and chic cocktail parties to lavish galas and high-profile celebrity functions. In addition to providing a full suite of catering, floral, decor and design services, the company hosts events at two exclusively owned Buckhead venues, The Estate and Flourish. In 2018, Conway celebrated his company’s 20th anniversary with the release of the fine art photography book Tony Conway | Legendary Events, which highlighted past events.
Which recent event stands out for you?
We have so many great events, but being part of producing the Tyler Perry Studios opening last year brought everything full circle for us. Mr. Perry wrote the forward in the book, and we’ve been planning events with him for the last 11 or 12 years. It was an honor to be selected. It was months of planning and hard work, but it was all worth it to see him—and everyone—enjoying it.
How do you juggle all the events you plan?
I have an amazing team— the best in the special events industry. We have about 50 people and hundreds of independent contractors, freelancers and part-time workers. They all are the best at what they do. So juggling for me is not hard because we’re all juggling together. I love being the conductor of the orchestra.
What is a typical day like?
There really isn’t a typical day. We may arrive in the morning and then go into a staff meeting. We have a lot of conversations about our clients, floral, how trucks are getting packed, financial topics and more. That lasts until about 4 p.m., and then we’re off to executing the events. When your job is celebrating, the day doesn’t become too long. It’s the best job in the world.
What is your favorite color palette?
If you go into my venues, my office or my kitchen, you’ll see the color that really resonates with me is red. It’s energizing and bold. It’s a happy color. And my favorite color is black. It’s neutral and leads you to all kinds of other colors and ideas.
You’re an avid collector of cookbooks. Why?
I have around 3,000. What I love are the stories associated with them. For me, it’s not about the recipes—I love the story behind each book.
What’s next for you?
Once this pandemic has passed, my goal is to reconnect with our team and discuss what their goals are. We want to do what our company does so well. We will continue to focus on the attention to detail. We are going to be ready for the next opportunity in this world. And we will look forward to opening a third venue down the road.
LEGENDARY EVENTS
404.869.8858
legendaryevents.com
