Full Transcript for Come Hell Or High Water

someone to come do it. 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:29.839 And I mean, I would like to build a greenhouse. 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:35.040 I don't have the first clue as to how to build a greenhouse, but I want one so bad, Christina. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:38.639 Uh, and and here's kind of what got me on this kick. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:44.959 And I don't know if you're familiar with it, if you've seen it, but I've been watching Homestead Rescue, uh, the one with the Rainey family. 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:45.839 Have you seen that one? 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:47.279 No, I haven't. 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:50.480 Oh, girl, I have become slightly obsessed with it. 00:04:50.560 --> 00:05:04.959 I'm fascinated because they go in and they build entire structures from the ground up for these homesteaders, people that live off the grid, out in the middle of nowhere, with almost nothing to work with, and they just know how to do it. 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:06.879 So it's so amazing. 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:16.319 And every single episode, I'm just sitting there on the edge of my seat going, How in the world are they doing this and pulling so much of this off? 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:18.000 And I just find it really impressive. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:24.560 So, yes, drop that knowledge into my brain overnight, and I would be thrilled to pieces, to be honest. 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:26.319 Yes, that's amazing. 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:31.519 What would you wish that you knew if you could wake up an expert at it? 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:33.519 Do you have anything off the top of your head? 00:05:33.680 --> 00:05:36.720 I would say being fluent in every language. 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:44.879 I love traveling, I've lived in a few different countries, and I just think there's something special about being able to like connect with someone and their language. 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:47.839 And I love that one. 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:53.519 You're right, because then you never have to wonder what to say or to do. 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:56.800 You'd be able to get directions very easily if you needed. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:03.600 In case I always think about emergencies, if I'm in another country, would I be able to explain what I need? 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:04.720 I love that. 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:06.319 I love that. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:10.959 So I've had a lot of people share that exact same wish that you have. 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:11.839 That would be amazing. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:13.839 Do you know any other languages? 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:19.040 I dabbled in like Spanish and Italian in high school, but not conversationally. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.439 And of course, if you don't keep it up, you start losing it. 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:29.920 And so I say a few words here and there that my grandma used to yell in Italian, but other than that, just the grandma yelling words. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:32.720 Manja, manj, eat your food. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:34.480 This is great. 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:35.839 So you're gonna always remember that. 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:38.240 Do you probably even say that to your kiddos? 00:06:38.639 --> 00:06:39.680 I do, I do. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:42.000 I think that's awesome. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:50.560 Well, you know what that's really interesting is kind of wanting to understand how things are built or understand new and better things for our minds. 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:54.399 It might be the most wedding planner and coordinator answer on the planet. 00:06:54.720 --> 00:07:02.319 To me, it's pretty hard to expect perfection out of any weddings, right? 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:17.199 And I think that that's a really important thing to think about because you actually had a night, and it happened to be the very first wedding of your entire career, that the whole thing nearly came down around you. 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:24.000 So let's go back to that night all those years ago, as your very first wedding as step events. 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:34.959 It's not your first wedding in the industry, but it's, you know, when when it's your first wedding for your own company, there's a lot going on in your mind and in your heart, and you just want it to go so, so well. 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:36.879 You have such high hopes for everything. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:38.480 So let's kind of go back to that night. 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:42.480 And before anything ever went wrong, I want you to set the scene for us. 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:43.680 You know, where are we? 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:44.639 What's the vibe? 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:49.040 What kind of day did you think that you were gonna be walking into? 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:50.319 Yeah, of course. 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:53.600 Definitely not that, but I mean, we checked the weather, right? 00:07:53.680 --> 00:08:00.800 We're wedding planners, we checked the weather a week in advance, five days, three days, two days, the day before, you know, the hourly, right? 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:03.360 And so it was on a golf course. 00:08:03.519 --> 00:08:05.040 It was raining all morning. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:11.759 It wasn't as heavy as I thought it would need to be to create the situation, but there was rain. 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:19.839 Our biggest goal at the time was my bride really wanted to walk down the aisle without an umbrella. 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:22.000 So she was coming out of the venue. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:27.519 Her ceremony took place outdoors, but we did get a tent a few days prior because we saw the weather. 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:32.240 So we did a tent over the ceremony, but she did not want to carry an umbrella out with her dad. 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:36.080 She she really wanted just to be able to walk with him and enjoy her moment. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:40.559 And it honestly, the rain held off just long enough for her to do that. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:44.240 It did not rain during her walk down the

aisle. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:48.080 She was able to make it all the way to the tent during the ceremony. 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:50.879 It started raining a lot harder after that. 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:54.960 After the ceremony completed, they had their family photos outside. 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:57.919 Now it was a golf course, so they had to be a little bit careful. 00:08:58.080 --> 00:08:59.519 There were more puddles, right? 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:04.559 The venue manager was like, Well, don't go, you know, off the tracks because you're gonna sink into the ground. 00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:06.639 It's quite wet out there today, right? 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:10.240 So just you know, a few precautions in place. 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:13.679 We had our cocktail hour. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:18.639 Uh, that took place outside under a gazebo as well. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:27.840 So the entire reception was actually outdoors under a second gazebo, basically right across from the parking lot of the venue. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:31.919 So we could really see everything that was going on around us. 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:42.879 So we of course started checking the weather and we had our introductions, and I was standing at the DJ booth, and brain was just coming down so hard, and the gazebo did not have sides. 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:46.879 So we moved his DJ booth up because he was getting just drenched with water. 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:47.440 Oh, wow. 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:50.240 Um, and so we kind of scooched, scooched that up. 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:58.960 I personally, Christina, love that you were thinking in the moment, okay, I see this little breach where water is getting through. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:01.759 I'm gonna make these small adjustments mid-plan. 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:03.279 I love that you were doing that. 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:09.039 I think that's exactly what planners and coordinators are supposed to be looking at is oh, you know what? 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.279 We don't want our DJ to be electrocuted. 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:14.799 Let's make sure that we keep this person safe. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:16.399 It's such a good thing. 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:24.000 You know, and you started all of the dances, and then, you know, the fire department shows up during the father-daughter dance. 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:30.879 I need you to kind of walk us through that moment because I don't think a lot of planners and coordinators can even picture it. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:34.159 What's going through your head, Christina? 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:39.600 What's happening inside of your mind when you look up and you see the fire department there? 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:42.320 Oh my gosh, my my heart sank, right? 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:49.120 Like normally, if it was if the reception was inside, you wouldn't have been able to see it. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:56.799 But because it was outdoors, they pulled up, the the the sirens were going, the lights were flashing. 00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:59.039 It was so distracting. 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:02.320 It was hard to even get the guests' attention. 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:06.559 They they pulled up, they walked out, the venue manager walked directly into them. 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:08.080 You know what I'm thinking of? 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:11.360 I'm thinking of the poor bride. 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:18.240 You know, she cared so much about making sure she had her moment prior to the ceremony with just her and her dad. 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:31.279 Now she's having her her next great moment, which is with her dad dancing, and the fire department comes down with flashing lights and sirens right in the middle of her dance. 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:32.480 That breaks my heart. 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:34.320 Was your heart broken? 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:37.679 It well, I just was like, okay, what's next? 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:38.080 Right? 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:43.600 Like, we're not at the the photographer came up to me, like, okay, so we're leaving, like, this is it. 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:45.600 And I was like, no, no, no, no, no. 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:55.279 We're we're going to just stay put, we're going to come up with a solution and we're just going to take it one step at a time, but we're going to do this quickly because the rain is not stopping. 00:11:55.440 --> 00:12:04.879 So I think you mentioned that there was 120 people at this amazing wedding, a celebration that's already started. 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:06.480 We're in mid-celebration. 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:11.759 How do you even begin then to understand what's going on? 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:19.360 Did the fire department say, Hey, we need this changed, we need you to move, or did you just instinctively know to do that? 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:24.080 The fire department wanted us to evacuate immediately. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:25.360 Evacuate. 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:32.240 Evacuate the venue because the roads surrounding the venue they didn't think would be safe at the end of the reception. 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:49.519 The cars that were parked in the grass all had probably two, one to two feet of water around the tires that some of them couldn't even get out at that stage because of how much the water had bucketed down between like cocktail hour and when we were at like the point we were at. 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:54.960 So we were not aware with of how much water was on the other side with all of those cars. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:57.360 And so they wanted us to evacuate immediately. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:12:59.919 We told them, give us five minutes. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:08.080 We need to tell 120 people, their vendors, we need to relocate dinner, decor, flowers, favors, all of that. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:09.759 Um, give us five minutes. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:11.759 They weren't very happy about that. 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:21.519 They wanted their first

reaction, obviously, was to just guest safety, which I highly understood, but we needed a place to communicate and to move those guests. 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:23.440 So there really wasn't time to panic. 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:24.960 We got on the phone. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:27.200 The venue manager and I got on the phone. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:29.120 We started making some calls. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:35.200 The kitchen was instructed to start preparing the dinner that they were about to serve to 120 people to go. 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:38.559 We called the surrounding venues to see who had availability. 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:42.960 I called the guest transport company for the bus to return to get the guests. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:48.879 And after several non-available venues, we did find a venue that could accommodate us. 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:53.759 But they only had one staff member working and they were planning to close in an hour. 00:13:54.000 --> 00:14:04.559 So we asked basically, like, can we bring our flooded venues catering team, our bartenders, food for 120 people, and 120 guests to your venue in the next five minutes? 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.440 Oh thankfully, they said yes. 00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:08.480 Oh my gosh. 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:11.919 Now, first of all, was what kind of venue was this secondary venue? 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:15.840 Was it like a restaurant, uh an old older style hotel? 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:16.399 What was this? 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:20.240 So it was more like a restaurant inside. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:39.679 And so it was kind of tight when we did move it, but it accommodated 120 people, and they had a bar and a makeshift dance floor area, and we kind of just moved some tables as when we arrived and started placing the decor. 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:42.480 And honestly, it was like a full team effort. 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:48.720 And we actually within 32 minutes, we wrote relocated the entire reception. 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:52.320 Christina, that is impressive. 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:54.320 Impressive. 00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:58.879 How did the guests, how did you inform all of the 120 guests? 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:03.120 Was it just the DJ making an announcement of exactly where that's what I would do? 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:05.519 I was wasn't sure what you ended up doing. 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:28.960 Yeah, so the DJ got on the microphone and explained the situation and said that we were relocating to a venue that was 10 minutes down the road, that the bus was on the way, but we did during during that, during all of the coordination within that 10 minutes, the bus actually did call us back and let us know that he could not stop. 00:15:29.360 --> 00:15:33.279 He could not get to the venue because of all of the flooded roads. 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:39.200 Uh, he said that was his first time ever not being able to get back to the place of drop-off. 00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:47.120 Um, so he um we were kind of on our own at that point and had to utilize vendors' vehicles, carpooling allure. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:49.279 Um this is crazy. 00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:57.279 This is out of the realm of normal on a level that I don't even know how to describe. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:04.080 I want those who are listening who might be thinking about getting into weddings, please don't allow this story to scare you. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:13.919 But I love that you had such quick thinking, Christina, and you kept everybody kind of on task and everything was gonna be calm. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:18.879 You went into problem solving mode rather than panic stricken mode. 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:20.559 That's a big deal. 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:22.159 Don't get me wrong. 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:23.279 I was I was terrified. 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:25.840 Inside, yeah, inside. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:32.879 But I learned something really important that day that being calm doesn't mean that you aren't scared. 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:33.519 Right. 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:35.919 You're scared, but you still have a job to do. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:36.320 Yeah. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:38.080 Like not only would this happen. 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:39.440 What are we going to do? 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:41.679 But what is what we need to solve? 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:42.159 Right. 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:43.519 It's it's about being brave. 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:46.240 Being brave means that you're scared, right? 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:47.360 But you're doing it anyway. 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:49.600 You're you're showing up, you're stepping up anyway. 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:50.399 I love that. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.480 So, okay, so you got everyone moved. 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:54.960 The celebration miraculously. 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:59.360 I I literally still that was you deserve a medal. 00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:02.399 I think I'm actually gonna present you with a medal one day. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:04.240 You kept that celebration going. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:18.319 You saved the wedding day for your couple, and honestly, the fact that it kept going at all is kind of the whole point where I kind of want to take this next because I don't want us to just sit in this wild story. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:22.960 It is wild, but I want to pull the useful part of it out. 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:34.400 You've already now touched on the fact that you were just absolutely frightened, scared, worried, but you stepped up, you still kept calm. 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:44.880 And like you said, calm doesn't mean that you feel like you had it all together, but on the outside, people were looking to you and you showed them the way, Christina. 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:57.680 You worked really great with all these professionals, and the professionals you know really stepped up for you, no pun intended there because the name of your company is Steppy Banks, but uh but everybody

did step up. 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:07.839 Uh, but here's something that I really believe all the way down to my core, and it's something that we teach really, really hard here at the CWP Society. 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:12.480 Weddings never go exactly as planned. 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:13.039 Not ever. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:23.039 I mean, there are weather factors, sometimes it's a vendor factor, timelines kind of slip out of place, somebody's uncle goes rogue, right? 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:34.079 A great planner reacts fast when that happens, but a master planner, well, we don't just react to a crazy situation. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:45.759 We've already built the flexibility in before the day actually arrives and the confidence that you see in a planner or a coordinator who stays calm when it all goes sideways. 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:47.359 It's not bravado. 00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:51.839 It's it's that we've got backup plans for our backup plans. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:19:03.759 And that's sometimes we have to pull these backup plans out of thin air when a weather event happens that took everyone in the area by surprise. 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:28.559 So, what I want to ask you is because every single one of us has honestly a version of the night that you just explained, when you look back at it now with the eyes that you have today as a master certified wedding planner, was there any piece of that night that could have been maybe prevented or that you could have maybe seen coming? 00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:30.640 Obviously, not the flood itself. 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:35.839 There's literally no way that you can schedule a flash flood and put that in your itinerary, right? 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:36.799 That's not gonna happen. 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:45.279 But that little sliver that knowing what you know now that you could have maybe built in prior. 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:46.559 Oh, for sure. 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:46.960 Yeah. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:53.359 I mean, there is a huge difference between knowing weddings can have problems and then actually standing in the middle of one. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:20:04.000 Like you can have the perfect timeline, the perfect floor plan, the perfect vendor team, the perfect weather plan, and then Mother Nature has other plans, right? 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:12.319 So sometimes our job is to look at a completely unexpected situation and say, like, okay, this is not what we planned, but what can we do from here? 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:16.559 Uh and that mindset has completely changed the way I plan weddings today. 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:18.319 So I love that. 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:33.839 I love that you took something that I mean, I I'm not gonna say it was a bad evening because the truth is I think it was probably the best possible outcome for that couple because the weather was gonna happen regardless. 00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:42.640 You helped save that entire evening because of your quick reaction to I'm gonna

solve this problem. 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:51.359 So, you know, I just love that you uh have that mindset and that you are a problem solver and you do it with the most beautiful grace. 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:55.039 So you almost make it look too easy, I think. 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:56.640 Uh, but that's exactly it. 00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:13.599 And I kind of love how you're honest about things and transparent about it because here's the truth none of us thinks about half the stuff that could go wrong until the wedding teaches us how it could really, really go terribly, terribly wrong. 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:15.039 To me, that's not failure. 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:18.799 That's it's the question is just what do you do with the lesson? 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:27.039 So let's get really practical for everybody that's listening here, because I think this is where the gold nuggets are going to land. 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:39.039 One of the things that I teach our wedding planners and coordinators is I I talk about carrying what I like to call a flexibility toolkit into every single wedding that we do. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.400 And it's four things. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:46.559 The first thing is you already know who your backup vendors are for maybe critical stuff. 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:48.799 I mean, you guys have a vendor team. 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:59.599 A lot of planners and coordinators today, Christina, they don't really have an approved team of people that they can consider like those they can call in case something crazy. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:01.440 Goes down, right? 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:06.960 So I think that that's a really important thing and a lesson that planners and coordinators need to be thinking about. 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:08.640 That's why we have approved vendors. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:18.000 Uh the second is you've got to have a kind of an alternative timeline structure ready for delays that happen at basically every single wedding. 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:30.240 The third thing would be, and this one's yours, Christina, is you have to have an idea or the trust that you'd have in yourself to think about a plan B. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:32.960 We all like to have plan B's way in advance now. 00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:37.599 But anytime I have an outdoor wedding, we're gonna have a plan B, regardless, right? 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:40.480 But you didn't just have that. 00:22:40.640 --> 00:22:48.000 Like you had to figure out a way to get people to safety because they would not have been able to get out later on that evening. 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:51.200 That is a totally different plan than a plan B. 00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:54.799 So, and the fourth thing would be you've got the diplomatic language. 00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:59.359 You need to have all of that because you have to be ready for curveballs that are going to be coming your way. 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:10.000 So that toolkit is the difference between what will eventually become a disaster and what will, in your case, Christina, be a really great story that had a wonderful outcome. 00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:12.880 So I'm really, first of all, proud of you for the way that you handled it. 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:16.559 And I just want to publicly say that so that everybody can hear. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:18.319 Now, thank you so much. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:21.119 It was definitely not a solo job. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:24.880 I will, I will tell you, the vendors was huge, right? 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:34.079 Having a team of wedding professionals that understood that we were all responsible for helping the wedding continue successfully and safely. 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:37.759 It was phenomenal because the catering team, right? 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:42.640 They went from going to serve dinner in 20 minutes to prepare it to go in 20 minutes. 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:46.400 They, the photographer was driving people in his cars, right? 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:52.240 The DJ was taking like the whole cigar booth and favors and flowers along with his equipment, right? 00:23:52.319 --> 00:24:09.759 Like it was truly a team effort and um one that I was really thankful that I did have a good team of vendors because it could have, especially because it was my first wedding and you know that I I didn't at the time have an assistant, uh, which I do now. 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:13.200 And so it could have looked different, right? 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:15.039 If I had another set of hands. 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:24.640 But luckily, my vendor team was so phenomenal that it was truly I was truly blessed to have them by my side with the team effort that we were able to. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:28.960 You were so, so blessed that you had that team. 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:32.400 And because not everybody would do that, to be quite honest with you. 00:24:32.480 --> 00:24:42.559 Some people are so in it for themselves that they don't see the bigger picture and how if we just band together, we can really make this something special. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:45.119 And you mentioned that you didn't have an assistant at the time. 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:55.440 I can honestly say a lot of people starting out when they are at their first wedding, they don't necessarily realize that they should have or need someone to have next to them. 00:24:55.599 --> 00:25:01.039 Is that something that if you could go back in time, that you would have done that completely different as well? 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:02.160 Definitely. 00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:04.640 I would have definitely had an assistant with me. 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:09.839 It would have just allowed the venue manager to step into her role more, right? 00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:20.319 And and direct the kitchen staff and things happening behind the scenes uh and allow for me and my assistant to direct the the wedding professionals on the on the outside and the guests. 00:25:20.480 -->

00:25:23.200 So it truly would have made a difference. 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.559 I actually love that. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:35.839 I think that that's important for those planners and coordinators who are listening who think to themselves, oh, I don't need an assistant, or maybe this wedding is on the smaller size, so I don't really need to have somebody. 00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:39.200 We can't be in more than one place at one single time. 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:47.119 And this is a kind of a thread that I hear from every single one of my podcast guests is oh, no, you have to have an assistant. 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:52.480 And we all make that mistake in the beginning of our careers, but it's not a mistake that we repeat on a regular basis. 00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:57.920 And so I think it's really important that our planners and coordinators who are listening hear. 00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:58.640 I really do. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:03.200 Now, you talked about how that night changed the way you do things, right? 00:26:03.440 --> 00:26:11.599 Knowing about backup plans and you scouted backup venues on the fly that night, right? 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:17.039 You were in a very unique, probably once-in-a-lifetime scenario. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:28.000 To be quite honest with you, you were scrambling to find a safe place to bring, you know, 120 guests plus all of the vendors and everybody else, right? 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:36.079 So tell me how that actually shows up now with the new way that you kind of put everything together, how it's kind of changed the way you prep. 00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:43.279 Tell me how that shows up in your processes and how early does that type of homework actually happen for you inside of your business? 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:45.519 The homework definitely begins straight away. 00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:55.759 So right when I right when I book a new wedding, um, I have like I see that their venue, or if they don't have a venue, we're constantly in venue search. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:27:08.160 I now, because of my PTSD from this wedding, we'll call it that, I now have very strange questions that I asked the venue manager, right? 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:10.240 Like, what is around the venue? 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:11.680 Is there an event space? 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:13.920 Or I do the research myself, right? 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:18.160 And find that space and find out what they have going on. 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:26.640 There was a lot of spaces, not a lot, we were in kind of a remote area, but there were a few spaces that I called and they had like bar mitzvahs happening or reunions. 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:30.079 And I was like, oh, like, okay, no worries, we'll we'll call someone. 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:34.400 So now I like to know what venues are available and what events they have booked. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:37.279 So if we need to pivot, they have these rooms available. 00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:45.119 It's just bizarre that I, when I tell my couples or explain the situation that this is what I do behind the scenes. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:45.759 Right. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:50.720 Because they're just blown away by like, wow, you really do have everything thought about. 00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:52.880 And it truly allows them to relax. 00:27:53.119 --> 00:28:03.359 My couple on the wedding day, it was truly amazing that they were just so comfortable and confident because they just trusted their vendor team around them. 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:10.240 And they just were so happy that we continued the celebration, didn't care where it took place, it's just that they could continue it. 00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:12.640 And it was, yeah, truly incredible. 00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:15.039 I think that's actually really beautiful. 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:16.160 I love that. 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:31.839 I and I think that what I want a lot of listeners to hear out of what you just said was the importance of making sure that your couples can relax and knowing there's something magical about giving the gift to your couples of I've got this. 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:36.559 I've thought of everything that you wouldn't even dream of having to think about because I've seen it all. 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:49.200 And I love that you bring that to every wedding that you do now and really make sure that your couples can breathe that sigh of release, relief, going, you know what, Christina has this. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:51.279 I don't have to worry about this anymore. 00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:57.200 I know that if she could go through that crazy event, she's gonna have ours, you know, in the bag. 00:28:57.279 --> 00:28:58.480 This isn't gonna be a problem. 00:28:58.799 --> 00:29:04.720 So here's, you know, a real standard that we hold here at the CWP Society. 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:09.359 And I really do want to make sure that I say this as plainly as I possibly can for anyone listening. 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:12.480 And it goes back to your assistant situation. 00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:17.839 No planner should ever be the only set of hands on a wedding day. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:28.480 Even the smallest, simplest wedding definitely deserves at least two professional minds and four professional hands up to a certain number of guests. 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:28.880 Okay. 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:33.200 And after that guest number, uh, typically it's around 200. 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:37.200 Uh, between 200 and 300, you're gonna need an extra set of hands. 00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:41.359 From 300 and 400, now you're gonna need a couple of extra sets of hands. 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:44.559 But we should always have one built into our packages. 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:48.079 And I feel like a lot of planners and coordinators don't think about that. 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:57.359 The documented timeline that every single vendor has a copy of, the the contact list, uh, the weather call that you

typically have to make. 00:29:57.519 --> 00:30:03.920 And I like to make it as early as possible, but sometimes we have couples that are like, nope, I don't want to make that call until the very last second. 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:07.359 We need to determine, of course, when that last second is. 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:08.160 What is that? 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:09.759 Is that six hours before? 00:30:09.839 --> 00:30:10.799 Is it the day before? 00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:14.480 Every planner and coordinator has a different viewpoint on that. 00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:17.920 But we also need to make sure that we have contingency plans. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:23.279 And those plans need to kind of be built right into our full schedule. 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:26.640 I kind of call those the crisis reliability protocols. 00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:32.559 You kind of decide what you'll do for common emergencies before they ever happen. 00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:36.160 You did not have a common emergency, Christina. 00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:41.599 This was not normal, but it still was a crisis and you handled it beautifully. 00:30:41.839 --> 00:30:48.720 And I want to make sure that planners and coordinators listening think about what are your protocols? 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:53.440 What do you guys need to make sure that you put in place so that you're prepared and ready to go? 00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:59.519 So, talk for a minute about the importance of making sure that you have an amazing vendor team. 00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:04.720 You were kind of baptism by fire, right, on wedding day, without a doubt. 00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:16.319 But now you realize the importance of having a vendor team that you can trust with a crazy wild story and event like you had. 00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:20.640 What stood out the most to you about that amazing vendor team? 00:31:20.880 --> 00:31:25.519 Yeah, I think just their willingness to jump in without even second guessing it. 00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:27.039 That wasn't even a question. 00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:31.920 The DJ was like, okay, then when I put my equipment in, what else do you need in my car? 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:35.759 It wasn't like, I have my equipment, I'm gonna get going to start the music. 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:37.119 It was what do you need? 00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:47.920 And I feel like a lot of that, not that they're trying to go around you, they're just straightforward focused on their job to do, just not thinking about anyone else or the situation at hand. 00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:51.599 And in that moment where I had vendors, what else do you need? 00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:52.640 I'm about to take off. 00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:55.519 This is what I have in my car, just the communication. 00:31:55.680 --> 00:31:59.599 It was just, it was truly incredible to have that team around me. 00:31:59.839 --> 00:32:02.559 I don't know if you could have gotten luckier about that. 00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:03.839 I honestly don't. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:07.759 I really, really don't, because it doesn't always work out in that way. 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:09.039 I love what you said. 00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:11.279 It's they said, What more do you need? 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:13.519 Is there anything else I can do? 00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:20.000 They were thinking beyond themselves, and I don't know how anybody can train that into anybody. 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:21.279 I don't think you can, right? 00:32:21.599 --> 00:32:25.680 The planner cannot be the entire emergency response team, right? 00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:32.240 She they need to rely on their wedding professionals, the whole team that truly is exactly right. 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:45.839 And that's why it is so important for whether you're a wedding planner without certification or you are certified, or like Christina, who's a master certified wedding planner, the approved vendor team means that you have vetted these people. 00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:55.519 Part of the vetting process is not only just to verify that they are talented, but what do they do in a case of an emergency? 00:32:55.680 --> 00:33:17.759 Or how do how is their communication protocols and making sure that they are the whole package because it's supposed to be a dream team, not just random 15 to 25 vendors all working independently and not taking in consideration what the whole team and the wedding, you know, couple and all the guests, and they all need something. 00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:25.279 We all have to kind of pull together, and your wedding proves that this is exactly why it is so viral. 00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:32.000 One of the biggest things I would tell a new planner is don't try to prove that you can handle everything yourself, right? 00:33:32.720 --> 00:33:37.279 Like being the person who knows how to delegate is part of being a great planner. 00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:37.920 Yes. 00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:41.920 I'm gonna say amen to that, like a hundred percent. 00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:58.319 No, I kind of want to land us on the part that I think matters so so much for the person who's listening who might be early in their career with all this, because I know that there's someone who's kind of quietly terrified that something is gonna go wrong. 00:33:58.480 --> 00:34:06.480 And I and I want them to really hear this from both you and I, Christina, because one of the biggest shifts that I ever teach is a simple reframe. 00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:10.639 Instead of, oh, such and such is late, this is a disaster. 00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:14.719 It's important that you kind of train yourself to hear, okay, such and such is late. 00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:20.639 And that means that I can do this or I'm going to, I have this under control. 00:34:20.800 --> 00:34:22.400 I know exactly what I'm going to do next. 00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:25.440 It's a completely different mindset. 00:34:25.760 --> 00:34:40.159 And you've mentioned mindset a little bit earlier, and

that's why I love that we're kind of bringing things around here because the obstacles stop becoming burdens and they become puzzles that we have the honor of solving so that the couple doesn't have to. 00:34:40.320 --> 00:34:45.840 So I want those who are listening to not be frightened but be prepared. 00:34:46.079 --> 00:34:55.920 So for those who are bracing for a what if moment, like Christina went into, what do you, Christina, feel like you want them to know? 00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:57.519 And I want you to be honest with them. 00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:00.320 What do you want them to hear from you? 00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:05.519 Yeah, I would just say first stop and take a deep breath. 00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:06.000 Yeah. 00:35:06.159 --> 00:35:08.960 You don't have to solve everything in the first 30 seconds. 00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:09.440 Yeah. 00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:11.760 Safety is usually first, right? 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:15.519 Nothing about the timeline matters more than people being safe. 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:17.920 Then assess the actual problem. 00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:18.880 What is happening? 00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:19.599 What do we know? 00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:20.880 What do we not know yet? 00:35:20.960 --> 00:35:23.119 And then establish your priorities. 00:35:23.360 --> 00:35:25.440 Like what needs to happen immediately? 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:27.280 What can wait 10 minutes? 00:35:27.920 --> 00:35:29.199 Then delegate. 00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:33.840 Don't become that person that's carrying 15 problems simultaneously. 00:35:34.239 --> 00:35:35.519 Communicate calmly. 00:35:35.679 --> 00:35:37.920 Your energy becomes contagious. 00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:41.599 If you're panicking, everyone else will start to panic. 00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:44.079 Then of course, protect the couple, right? 00:35:44.239 --> 00:35:46.880 Give them the information, not the chaos. 00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:50.079 And remember that guests don't know what was supposed to happen. 00:35:50.239 --> 00:35:54.800 I mean, in this case, they didn't think that they would be moved to a new venue. 00:35:55.119 --> 00:36:02.639 But in if you quietly, in most cases, if you quietly change the plan, guests often don't know that there was ever a plan A. 00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:06.480 The goal isn't necessarily for the guests to know that something went wrong. 00:36:06.639 --> 00:36:09.360 The goal is for them to feel like they're taken care of. 00:36:09.599 --> 00:36:12.000 Yeah, I could not agree with that more. 00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:12.960 That is so good. 00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:14.159 That was delicious. 00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:19.199 And to everybody who is listening to that, I need you to take that piece of advice to heart. 00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:27.599 If you've ever had your own flood or your own fire truck moment and walked away shaken and wondering, you know, if you were cut out for this. 00:36:27.840 --> 00:36:34.239 Because I see so many planners and coordinators on Facebook forums and just, oh, maybe this is just too hard. 00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:34.880 It is hard. 00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:36.480 We're not gonna lie to you today. 00:36:36.639 --> 00:36:37.280 It's a hard job. 00:36:37.519 --> 00:36:40.719 We're rated the third most stressful job in the world for a reason. 00:36:40.960 --> 00:36:45.599 But you're not alone and you are not behind the eight ball here. 00:36:45.760 --> 00:36:54.719 That's the whole reason the CWP society community actually exists, is that planners who look unshakable, well, they didn't skip the hard night. 00:36:54.880 --> 00:37:00.320 We had to all go through these hard, difficult moments that you can't plan for necessarily. 00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:05.360 But we just make them a little bit different in our mind, right? 00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:11.280 They just let it prepare them for the next situation that they might be running into. 00:37:11.519 --> 00:37:20.239 So the one thing that I want our listeners to take away from this whole conversation is this preparation is what buys you your calm. 00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:20.800 Okay. 00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:35.280 And Christina, you took your very first wedding, the flood, the fire truck, 120 guests being moved to a completely different location, and you let it build the planner that is ready for anything now. 00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:38.239 And gosh, that's the entire game, right? 00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:41.920 So I just want to thank you for sharing this beautiful moment. 00:37:42.239 --> 00:38:05.119 And I know that it, you know, when we look back on it, it was a crazy wild ride, but it also was a beautiful experience at the same time because the couple got to have vendors who are not related to them, but they all just showed up for this couple, and all of their guests were able to surround this couple with love. 00:38:05.679 --> 00:38:12.400 I think that's just such a neat experience where we can all walk away with a smile, going, Okay, we did it. 00:38:12.480 --> 00:38:13.280 That's amazing. 00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:15.199 So thank you for sharing that. 00:38:15.519 --> 00:38:16.159 Of course. 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:26.000 And the bride after the wedding actually wrote me this glowing review, and the end of it said, if step can handle a flash flood, step can handle anything. 00:38:26.320 --> 00:38:31.920 And I had that review actually has come up in some of my consultation calls. 00:38:32.079 --> 00:38:38.239 It's like it was honestly the best compliment I could have received because they weren't complimenting my timeline, my design. 00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:42.800 They were saying, like, I trust you when things don't go according to plan, right? 00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:45.760 And that's really what I want my couples to feel. 00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:48.400 So it was truly, truly special. 00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:57.119 I even had the photographer of the day write me an email after and tell me that his wedding, his wife actually is a wedding

planner. 00:38:57.280 --> 00:38:59.039 They they usually work together. 00:38:59.280 --> 00:39:10.800 And she was so impressed by how calm I stayed under the under pressure that with the story he was telling her, that she started referring some couples to me when she was booked, which was truly phenomenal. 00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:17.519 She never met me, but because of how I handled the situation, she was she was impressed and trusted that I could handle it. 00:39:18.000 --> 00:39:26.559 You got it, and what a lesson for our listeners to take away here at the end, because I want people to really, really hear what you said. 00:39:26.719 --> 00:39:36.639 Because, see, the way I see things, Christina, is every single wedding that we do is basically us being a walking billboard for our business. 00:39:36.880 --> 00:39:38.400 How are we handling things? 00:39:38.559 --> 00:39:39.519 How do we come across? 00:39:39.599 --> 00:39:41.440 How do we make people feel? 00:39:41.679 --> 00:39:51.920 And every single guest, every single family member, every single person in the wedding party is either a potential client for the future or a potential referral source. 00:39:52.159 --> 00:39:54.000 And yours went a step further. 00:39:54.079 --> 00:40:11.360 It was a vendor's wife as that does exactly what you do, but heard the story and was so impressed by you that she says, I am going to send, I trust Christina so much that I'm gonna send people that I can't handle directly to her. 00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:21.360 That right there is the moral of this story, is it's not if something's gonna go crazy, it's when it goes crazy, how are you gonna handle it? 00:40:21.519 --> 00:40:23.679 And I love that you handled it so beautifully. 00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:36.639 So before I let you go, for everyone who would like to follow you and to learn a little bit more about you, can you tell everybody your website address and how they can find you on social media real quick? 00:40:36.960 --> 00:40:44.639 Yeah, so my website is southern tier eventplanning.com and I have Instagram and Facebook. 00:40:44.719 --> 00:40:55.119 So Instagram is S period T period E period P underscore events, so step events, and then Facebook is just Southern Tier Event Planning. 00:40:55.360 --> 00:40:56.239 I love this. 00:40:56.400 --> 00:41:04.159 And make sure that you guys are keeping an eye on her because she's got exciting growth happening on the horizon, which we are all so very excited about. 00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:11.840 And to everybody listening, if this conversation lits something up in you, that is exactly what the CWP Society is here for. 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:19.679 We are the world's premier wedding planner and coordinating certification and membership program, as well as the largest community of wedding pros anywhere. 00:41:19.840 --> 00:41:24.400 And we have a place for you no matter where you are in your planning journey. 00:41:24.559 --> 00:41:32.719 So come elevate yourself, come elevate your business, visit our website, cwpsociety.com to learn more. 00:41:32.960 --> 00:41:36.719 And our socials are at CWP Society. 00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:39.440 We are your people and we are your tribe. 00:41:39.519 --> 00:41:44.480 And until next time, happy planning and thank you so much for being here today, Christina. 00:41:44.719 --> 00:41:46.559 Thank you so much for having me.