MEET THE TEAM
ELLEN THOMAS
OWNER & LEAD DESIGNER
We work alongside extremely talented vendors, and we pride ourselves in making sure you are paired with the perfect creative team. There is no dream too big or small, and we work to prove that in every area of our planning process. At Ellen Thomas Event Design, our team is comprised of talented designers dedicated to each of our client’s. While your day to day correspondence will be with Ellen or one of our designers, it takes a team to bring your vision to life.
Ellen Thomas’ passion for event planning started at a young age. After graduating from the University of Mississippi in hospitality management, Ellen began her career in Nashville, Tennessee, where she planned weddings, corporate events and music industry events for some of the top music labels and artists in the United States. After four fun-filled years, she felt the call to come back home to Mississippi and start her own company. Thus, Ellen Thomas Event Design was born.
With nearly 10 years of experience in the event industry Ellen thrives off of creativity and delegating. She values her teammates, clients, vendors, family and friends. Planning and executing multiple events a year requires a great team and leading that team to great success. Simply put, Ellen’s mission is to make her clients’ dreams come true. With impeccable attention to detail, Ellen makes sure that every aspect is planned to perfection. She loves getting to know her clients and working with them to make their vision come to life. In Ellen’s spare time, you will catch her sipping a freshly poured prosecco and traveling to the next destination on her bucket list!
Maddie Rankins, a graduate of the University of Mississippi, holds a bachelor’s degree in integrated marketing and communications with an emphasis in public relations. Maddie joined the ETED team following graduation in 2021. She has always felt a connection to the inspiration and creative components of weddings. She guides each client to their vision with her unique designs and artistic style. Maddie brings the spunk to our team with her lively personality. Her favorite thing about event planning is creating intentional relationships with her clients, perfecting the small details and logistics, and delivering direction with vibrance and a positive outlook. When she isn’t working, she loves to have drinks with her friends, go on long runs, and read a good book.
Maddie Rankins
Event Designer
McKenna Goddard is a senior at the University of Mississippi gaining a Bachelors of Business Administration in Digital Media Marketing and a minor in Entrepreneurship. McKenna joined the team as our Social Media and Marketing Manager in 2023. She is a great addition as she is extremely organized, driven and is always bringing new ideas to the table with her eye for unique social media techniques and her professional demeaner. McKenna is a lover of all things beauty and owns her own business as a professional makeup artist. Whenever she is not creating social media content or glamming a new client, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her friends or experimenting with new makeup products on herself. McKenna’s favorite part about working at ETED is connecting with our clients by showcasing their events through our social media outlets.
