Garaneisha "GiGi" McDowell

If you ask anyone who’s known me for a long time, they’ll probably tell you the same thing:
I’ve always been a dreamer.

 

At five years old—while most kids were planning playdates—I was planning weddings. I remember ordering a copy of Brides magazine all by myself, sitting with it like a treasure, completely fascinated by the beauty, the storytelling, the emotion, and the magic of it all. I didn’t have the language for it then, but I already knew: I loved moments. I loved celebration. I loved bringing people together around something meaningful.

 

That curiosity turned into passion… and that passion quietly grew into purpose.

 

By thirteen, I had started my first business. By the time I graduated from Duncanville High School and later Texas State University, I had turned that childhood fascination into a real career—building an events company that would go on to serve couples across the country. Along the way, I lived in Nashville, Oklahoma City, and San Francisco, collecting stories, relationships, and experiences that shaped not only my work, but who I am.

But my story isn’t only about what I built.

 

It’s also about who built me.

 

I lost both of my parents before the age of thirteen, and I was raised by my grandmother and a woman who loved and raised me as her own, Pier Crenshaw—two women who wrapped their love around me, steadied me, and taught me what strength, faith, and family truly look like. Growing up without brothers or sisters, I learned early how to create connection, how to cherish community, and how deeply chosen family can matter.

 

Those lessons live in everything I do.

 

Over the last 20+ years, I’ve built a career in the events industry grounded not just in logistics—but in compassion and integrity. Because beautiful events are never just about timelines and tablescapes. They’re about people. They’re about stories. They’re about helping someone feel seen in one of the most meaningful moments of their life.

 

That philosophy is what led me to create Fêtefully—a wedding planning platform designed to meet couples where they are, blending innovation with heart. Fêtefully connects couples with top planners around the world and uses technology to take them from inspiration to “I do” in a more accessible, inclusive way. Through this work, I became one of the first 100 Black female founders to raise over $1 million in venture capital, with support from many angel investors, Google, and Techstars.

 

Along the way, my work has been honored and amplified in ways that still humble me—featured in Vanity Fair, Brides.com, and by Audemars Piguet, as well as Dallas Innovates, CultureMap Dallas, North Texas Innovation, and Google for Startups. I’ve also had the opportunity to speak at entrepreneurship conferences, including SXSW, sharing my journey and encouraging others to dream boldly and build bravely.

 

But my proudest titles aren’t founder, planner, speaker, or entrepreneur.

 

It's Mom.

 

I welcomed my daughter Zoey in 2022 and my son Cristian in 2025. They are the center of my world. Every dream I chase now is filtered through them. Every space I enter, I ask how it will shape them. Every community I seek, I’m seeking for us.

 

Motherhood didn’t change my passion—it expanded it.

 

I still love creating unforgettable experiences. I still love innovation. I still love bringing people together. But now, more than anything, I love building a life rooted in family, connection, and intention. A life where my children grow up surrounded by love, culture, excellence, and people who genuinely care.

 

My story is one of dreaming early, building boldly, loving deeply, and always believing in the power of community.

 

And I’m just getting started.