Caterer To The Stars: The Success Story Of Mary Micucci

Through Along Came Mary Events, Mary Micucci has handled more than 400 movie premieres, numerous Academy, Emmy and Grammy Awards and a host of parties for celebrities. This is despite being so overwhelmed by the first big Hollywood job she landed that she went into a tent and burst into tears. It was a Paramount Picture premiere for the 1980 Popeye movie and that was way back when she had started building her empire.

Micucci admits that catering for the stars and planning major events was nowhere near her childhood dreams. In fact, in college, she ended up pursuing a degree in psychology and education. She worked as a cocktail waitress while in college and later went on to work as a flight attendant.

It was only months after her graduation that she decided to start the company that is an events planning and catering success story. And the timing was no better – it was in 1975, at the height of women’s movement and food revolution. The fact that her company was an all-women bartending and waitress service, at a time when women were discouraged to tend bars, only served to set her apart during the formative years of the company.

Through hard work and surrounding herself with the right people, business picked up for the young entrepreneur and with time, she expanded into providing food, décor, lighting and entertainment. This was way before the Hollywood break and the crying episode. But after those, her business skyrocketed and she ended up catering for numerous celebrity events including Barbra Streisand’s wedding to actor James Bolin, Titanic and the Hangover III movie premieres; and the Bollywood-themed Grammy Awards event held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in February.

Over the years, she has had her ups and downs, including taking the hit from the recession. She however currently enjoys success as she perches at the top of her game while overseeing her growing empire. Her advice for writing as good a success story as her’s:

"You're only as good as the people you surround yourself with… That really has held through the years. I'm very devoted and loyal to my vendors. I don't bid out my jobs to a billion people. I know who I like and that's who I use. We all care for and respect each other."

-Mary Micucci, Founder of Along Came Mary Events