Christy saved my wedding!
My friends call my wedding the "Lemonade" wedding, because Christy turned lemons into lemonade. We planned our wedding at the Marshfield Fair/Demolition Derby (that was where my fianc? and I had our first date). Due to an unexpected and unusual tropical storm, The Marshfield Fair and the derby were cancelled. If that wasn't enough, the tent that Christy spent the day decorating and preparing, flooded 2 hours before the wedding. Christy was able to leverage all the relationships she made at the Marshfield Fair to secure a roof (awesome barn), a food vendor (all the other vendors left), and an army of gracious Marshfield Fair personnel who were excited to help her transform the barn into what I think was the best wedding venue ever. The wedding and Christy were even covered by The Boston Globe.
Not only did Christy save my wedding, it would never have even gotten to the point of saving without her. About 3 weeks before the wedding, I realized I bit off way more than I could chew, and I needed help. I intended to plan the wedding by myself. Why not? I'm an organized person...I should be able to handle it. NOT TRUE. No matter how smart/organized/together you think you are, planning a wedding is difficult. For one thing, while you might be industrious and orderly, there is a huge possibility that the vendors you choose (despite your investigatory skills) won't be as disciplined. Vendor babysitting and hand-holding is sometimes a necessity, and it's not easy. I was dealing with 8 vendors, and I couldn't do it, but Christy could. Thank goodness our paths crossed.
Christy coordinated and managed all 8 vendors. She became the logistics contact for my bridal party and family, making sure they were all updated on schedule changes and procedures (who stands where/ says what/ does this and that). She orchestrated the pre-wedding practice, the ceremony and the reception. And what I am most grateful for, is that she shielded me from problems, eliminating them before they ever got to me. I was able to enjoy the wedding, and I think my wedding was the best wedding ever!
What amazes me is Christy's ability to juggle everything with a smile on her face. Her demeanor is comforting and calm, and she is able to quell the "bad-tempered" vendors and get what her bride needs. I always felt that Christy's goal was to protect me from unnecessary anxiety, and she did just that. I was lucky to have Christy take care of me and my wedding.
If I had to do it all over again, I'd hire Christy starting on day 1.
From Adrienne:
Christy was amazing and truly pulled me through the last of my wedding details. I had a year engagement and a very opinionated groom and was feeling very overwhelmed! When the last of the details needed to be finished and organized Christy was my saving grace. She had the extra energy and excitement that I was depleted of. She was a wealth of knowledge. She answered all of my questions (no matter how trivial) and provided me with a customized check list putting my mind at ease that nothing was forgotten. She helped me create a beautiful candy buffet for our guests by showing me photos, finding me the best candy wholesalers, and asking me the right questions to execute my vision. Her experience and knowledge of vendors was invaluable. She checked availability and arranged a meeting with an amazing videographer within minutes of us mentioning we were thinking we would like our wedding on a DVD. She even got us a discount! She always was prompt at answering my emails or phone calls and was a great support for finishing all the things left on my "to do" list! I am totally relaxed and enjoying my last few weeks of the summer before the big day!
From Ben:
My wife and I wanted a really unique wedding experience which was fun, quirky, and reflected our personalities. We weren't going to have all the bells and whistles of a standard wedding. I thought it would be simple. I thought it would be easy. I was wrong.
Several weeks before the wedding we were overwhelmed. Both my wife and I have full time jobs and couldn't expend the time and effort to fully plan the event. The tension was getting to us and we were getting worried and bickering about stupid things. Fortunately my wife was wise enough to get help and hired Christy.
I was impressed by Christy at our first meeting. We described what we wanted and where we were in the process. She quickly understood our wants and needs. The detailed questions she asked both highlighted her keen understanding of what is involved in planning a wedding, much of which, I wasn't even aware of. Most of all, she left us with the impression that we were in capable hands.
Over the next few weeks she adeptly coordinated all the vendors and made all the arrangements while keeping us in the loop. About 48 hours before our outdoor wedding at the Marshfield Fair, it looked like we were going to get hit with a tropical storm. Christy helped us organize our back up plans. However, 2 hours before the wedding, the tent, which had weathered the storm all day, became hopelessly flooded. Our first bus load of guests were ready to depart and our planned venue was washed out. Christy kept her cool and worked with the owners of the fair to get access to a barn. During the 40 minute ride over to the fair, she managed to transform a barn into a wedding hall leaving us time to spend with our guests and to take wedding photos.
The rest of the wedding went off without a hitch, and I have to say it was one of the most fun nights of my life. It was just the kind of wedding we wanted: quirky, fun, and memorable for all of us. There is no question in my mind that the Christy saved our wedding. She didn't do it alone, no one could. However I don't know anyone else who could delegate, organize and execute so adeptly.
I have only one regert: not hiring Christy from day 0.
From Diana:
Christy helped me plan a 30th surprise party at a venue in Boston. She took the time to research all of the potential venues, and what extra services the venues would offer. She also came up with the engenius story to get the guest of honor to the party. This was THE biggest challenge of the whole planning process. She also came up with some great centerpiece ideas. I couldn't have pulled this off without her!
From Leah:
I am a Boston-based wedding photographer and I had the pleasure of working with Christy Kahana of CAKE Weddings at a wedding she coordinated in the summer of 2009. As a photographer I have worked with many wedding coordinators, and I can honestly say that working with Christy was the best experience I've ever had with one. She was in tune with the needs of her clients and their guests while also maintaining sensitivity to the vendors. On the wedding day she was adaptable, aware, and advocated for her clients with poise. She was calm under immense amounts of pressure, and had a smile on her face throughout the event. I highly recommend Christy - I wish she was around to coordinate every event I photograph!
