Please take a moment to read this before hiring Christine and her planning team:
So tell me…how long have you been doing this, and how did you become a wedding planner?
I became interested in weddings when I worked in a jewelry store part-time while I attended grad school. The engagement ring is such a defining symbol of one’s promise for the future, and I loved working with the groom-to-be about choosing the right ring.
Soon thereafter, I became engaged myself, and found myself dispensing all the information, research and knowledge that I came across in my own planning with engaged couples who’d come into the store. I found myself planning for friends, acquaintances, and family “on the side”, and this started my network of connections. After I completed grad school, I entered “the real world” and went on to become a healthcare executive. I have a passion for helping others, and felt blessed knowing that I was really making a difference in people’s lives. During this time, I was planning my wedding…I was the epitome of the self-motivated, DIY bride, but things did not go according to plan. I was determined to find a way to get started in this industry so that no one else could feel the regret I have felt.
After starting a family, I felt my priorities shift, and in the Spring of 2009, I decided to take a leap of faith in launching my own business as a CT wedding planner. I still tap into my healthcare experiences—my aptitude of managing multiple projects at once, competing priorities and balancing funds within tight budgets, but now instead, I’m helping to change how brides and groom have their wedding experience.
We love your wedding planning services and gallery…So, can you tell me what really sets you apart from other wedding planners out there?
I did not have my dream wedding, even though wedding planning came natural to me. Like many of you, I share in your experience of being the DIY bride. I knew I’d be able to get the details done, but what I never planned for, was what was to happen on the day itself.
This was the “fuel” to get me motivated to make sure this did not happen to other brides out there. There are no “do over’s”—you never get a second chance to have a dream wedding. My approach is different because I have that memory of what it’s like to be the “perfect” planning bride…to not want to accept help because you’re “anal” and don’t want others to help…or that you feel completely prepared, only to find out it were those “little things” that you didn’t know….I still get quite upset when I think about my day, I wish I could re-do it.
But won’t you take over if you help me with the planning?
Not in the least bit. It’s not like you see in the movies! Our mission stems from the belief that each wedding is unique, and that each couple’s values should be reflected in their planning experience, and on their day…
A bad wedding planner is one who takes control away from you, and when you work with us, you can rest assured that you will never, ever lose control. It’s your day. Period. I’m here to help you with as much or as little as you think is necessary.
If you haven’t had the chance to check out this video clip of me being interviewed for NBC’s (now FOX’s) CT Perspective TV, check it out…
All this sounds lovely…But it also seems expensive, an added expense to my already tight budget. Are we going to be able to afford this?
You can’t afford NOT to! The mistake of not having my dream day, taught me that it’s not just about planning the perfect wedding, it’s about the emotions that go with what YOU feel is about having the perfect wedding.
Plus, I’ve had the experiences of hearing from brides who felt we were “too expensive”, but later found out that they went over their budgets (sometimes WAY over), all because they didn’t know what they were doing.
Wedding planning is a journey that will take you to places unimaginable. You will learn more about yourself and your fiance than ever before. Don’t take a chance and make my mistake, thinking you will have everything fully covered. Sit down and really think about what you want for your wedding planning experience…then contact me for your complimentary get-acquainted session…We can share a cup o’ joe (or tea, or wine) and chat options. It doesn’t sound that expensive now, does it?
Do you take more than one wedding a day?
Nope. We even try to not take more than one wedding per weekend. We attend the wedding rehearsal too, so as a CT wedding planner, that usually is a challenging travel feat…And really, there are just too many details to nail down to try to juggle more than one wedding simultaneously on the same weekend. I want to be sure my mind is focused on just your wedding.
Is this your full-time job?
It’s not my full-time income, but it is my full-time passion. Quite honestly, I don’t suffer “burn-out”, and have more stamina for my clientele because of the balance I have.
Whom do you work best with?
You will benefit best from working with me if you are open-minded. I want to dispel the notion that a wedding planner is a luxury rather than a necessity.
Which type of bride would likely not benefit from my help planning their wedding?
I would say anyone who is narrow-minded, experiencing a debt-crisis, or disinterested in working as a partnership, would not be a good fit. Since we only plan one wedding per weekend, we’re quite selective in who we work with. Most wedding vendors work together with the couple in the few weeks prior to the wedding day itself, not several weeks to months before hand.
If you’re considering me to create the most amazing day you’ve ever envisioned, I want to be sure we “click” first, which is why I highly encourage an in-person get-acquainted session…let’s connect!
I know that you are a CT Wedding Planner, but do you travel beyond CT?
We are based in New Hartford/Litchfield County and service all of CT. For an additional travel/lodging fee, we are available to travel beyond CT.
Will you work with the vendors I’ve already found, or do you just work with those you’re accustomed to working with?
Absolutely! We would be delighted to work with the service providers you’ve already selected and we’ll make sure that you get what they’ve been contracted for—we’ve got your back!
It is not required that we only work with people we’ve planned with in the past; however, we do have amazing contacts at our fingertips that we can easily customize a match to your needs. Wouldn’t it be nice not to search The Knot or Google all day for that perfect contact?
But the venue says they have a planner—isn’t that the same thing?
Many venues have a coordinator or catering manager that specializes in sales of their establishment, which they refer to themselves as “wedding planners”. This is slightly misleading, because while you may think you now have a “wedding planner” as part of your venue package, they mainly oversee the internal operations of the venue itself on the wedding day.
On the other hand, when you hire us, we provide order, vendor information, but most of all…peace of mind.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, personal check (on initial payment only), bank check, and PayPal.
We can also work with you in offering you a payment plan. What also makes us unique is that we require only a 1/3 “up front”—not half—for your initial investment and if for any reason you decide to cancel within 30 days, your initial investment is fully refundable.
All of this sounds like everything we’ve been looking for, so now what?
Fantastic! I love helping people! The next step is to contact me or email me at info@downtheaislect.com to set up a complimentary get-acquainted session. I want to hear all about your vision for the most romantic milestone of your life!
May we contact some of your former clients to see what it’s like to work with you?
Yes, absolutely! Our past brides and grooms, family members, and vendors would highly recommend us as a CT wedding planner, and when we meet in person, I will gladly give you a list of references that you can personally call. You can also find out what others have said in working with us by reading our testimonials.
Why not eliminate the stress? I can help, let’s connect!
Cheers!
