Our vision when starting on this venture was to bring to DeKalb County an affordable place of beauty and class

Laurie Wexel laughs when she’s asked about her professional background.

“I was an entrepreneur, built a successful home-based business,” she says before adding, “oh, and I’m a mom to 14 children.” Wexel is the operator of Stone Ridge Event Center, the premiere spot in DeKalb County for weddings, banquets and corporate gatherings. She opened the 20,000-square-foot facility in Tucker’s industrial area back in 2016. Since that time, she’s hosted as many as 15 events per month. “Ninety-five percent of our business is word of mouth,” Wexel explains. “It comes down to hospitality and customer service. Our motto is when someone walks through that door, you treat them like family. ”In addition to an elegant ballroom that seats 400 people, Stone Ridge Event Center features an outdoor garden area that seats 300 guests for weddings. Other amenities include bride and groom suites, a full kitchen, and a pavilion area perfect for evening events. "The Stone Ridge Event Center is one of the greatest assets in the Tucker Summit CID,” says Emory Morsberger, Executive Director of the Tucker Summit Community Improvement District (CID). “They can accommodate anything that we need in a beautiful space, plus they do it fast, efficiently and cost effectively. Simply put, they are incredible! As business booms at the Stone Ridge Event Center, Wexel and her team are garnering accolades, most recently being named the 2018 Business of the Year by the Tucker Business Association. So, what’s the secret to running a successful event space? It really all comes back to motherhood.“I think it perfectly equipped me,” Wexel explains, “because every day was an event.”