K&R | May 2014 | Fireseed | Whidbey Island Wedding Planner

2014 has brought many changes for me - challenges, transitions, and exciting opportunities have been thrown my way but one thing has stayed consistent... I love my job and I love my couples!

That being said, I could not have asked for a more perfect wedding to kick off the 2014 Koordination by Krisanna wedding season. From the moment I first met Kristin, I felt as if she was a long-lost friend - so many laughs and so many things in common!  And Reid? Well, he is one entertaining, charismatic dude who clearly adores his lady (I mean, an end-of-the-night serenade for his new bride in front of all of their guests!? Only true love inspires that). Kristin & Reid are not only one of the most beautiful couples on the face of the earth, they're also unimaginably fun & sweet.  Their wedding encompassed the essence of the philosophy behind KbyK - it was full of laughter, joy, and, most importantly, it was the ultimate celebration of love.

K & R had already chosen Fireseed as their venue (and caterers) before I met them and as soon as I saw the grounds, I completely understood why. Gorgeous gardens, pristine lawns, a wooden swing hanging from a willow tree, and a private boardwalk by the pond... not to mention, the newly renovated reception barn. What's not to love!? Plus, owners Dave & Dawn provided a calming presence and consistently went out of their way to be there for anything the bride and groom may need.

I hope you enjoy the perfectly captured moments by the awesome & talented Michael of Stadler Studio as much as I did! Keep an eye out for all of the personalized details throughout the day - "Aviator's Addiction" coffee for guests to take home, hand-written chalk signs (by a friend of the bride & groom), and monogrammed mustache napkins, to name a few.

 I am truly over the moon for these two lovebirds - Congratulations again to Lieutenant & Mrs. Reid Smith!!

Venue: Fireseed Event Gardens, Whidbey Island, WAWedding Coordinator: Koordination by KrisannaPhotographer: Michael // Stadler Studio PhotographyFloral Design: Tracy // Farmhouse FlowersCatering: Fireseed CateringCake & Cupcakes: Fireseed CateringDJ/MC: Don // Music Man, Inc.Hair Styling: Second Street BoutiqueMakeup Artistry: Friend of the BrideBride's Dress: The Dress TheoryFavors: Useless Bay Coffee Company

—————————————————–I’d love to collaborate with you in your wedding planning adventures – let’s connect!

www.koordinationbykrisanna.comkoordinationbykrisanna@gmail.comLike KbyK on FacebookFollow us on Instagram {kbykweddings}

A Wedding Planner's Job Description

Sometimes it's hard describing what exactly I do... I mean, as a wedding planner, I don't usually have a physical product (i.e. photos, cake, food, instruments, flowers) to show off in pictures - I'm behind the scenes, running around & making sure everything is PERFECT for my beloved couples. I'm a stand-in attorney, janitor, therapist, negotiator, personal assistant, mover, designer & professional perfectionist. Essentially, I try to be the closest thing to superwoman. Being a wedding planner means being on your feet for 12-14 hours on the day of the wedding and after the day is done, I often feel like I literally cannot move... but seeing the smiles on my couples' faces and knowing that they just had the time of their lives is the most rewarding feeling I have EVER experienced in my life. I wouldn't trade the hard work, sweat & tears (literally) for anything in the world - I am SO lucky to have found what I am passionate about and can't wait to see where Koordination by Krisanna takes me!

- Krisanna, Owner of Koordination by KrisannaCurious about my adventures? I'd love to share them with you! Follow me on Facebook or Instagram {kbykweddings}.

S&C | November 2013 | Seattle Aquarium | Seattle Wedding Planner

Stephanie & Chad were one of my 2013 couples who found me very early on and decided to take a chance on me. Stephanie had emailed me, wanting to know if I was available for her November wedding (off-season is my favorite so heck yes!) and then she told me that their wedding venue was at the Seattle Aquarium and it was a done deal. I mean, how awesome would it be to coordinate a wedding at the place where so much of my childhood was spent!? (For those of you who don't know, I am a MAJOR animal lover so the Aquarium = pure awesomeness). And so began my adventure with this lovely couple!

Stephanie is a highly intelligent and thoughtful woman who knew exactly what she wanted for her wedding day. Chad was so sweet and supportive throughout the whole process - one of the more involved grooms I've worked with! Together, they make a perfect team and I feel so honored that I was able to take part in the beginning of their forever.

I knew that their wedding would be spectacular but I was honestly not prepared for how out-of-this-world it turned out to be when it all came together. Every detail had so much thought put into it - from the hand-made escort cards that Stephanie crafted (color-coded to show what dinner choice each guest had chosen!), to the intimate candles that lined the front of the giant fish tank to the radiant orchid & turquoise uplighting. Not to mention the amazing set of vendors that Stephanie & Chad put together!!

Huge shout-out to the lovely Nicole of Nicole Goddard Photography for being so much fun and, of course, for allowing me to show off her fantastic photos of the day!

I couldn't have asked for a better way to finish off the 2013 wedding season! Congratulations again to the wonderful Mr. & Mrs. Johnston!!

    

{If you ever need a live band, The Nines are simply fantastic.}

    

All photos © Nicole Goddard Photography.

Venue: Seattle AquariumWedding Coordinator: Koordination by KrisannaPhotographer: Nicole Goddard PhotographyCaterer: Seattle AquariumDessert: GelatiamoFloral Designer: Melody of West Seattle ThriftwayMakeup (bride): Hayley Van CleaveDress: Pearls & LaceBand: The NinesUplighting: Wavelink MusicHotel: Hotel Alexis

Time Flies When You're Celebrating Love

Today marks 6 months since Koordination by Krisanna was created. Wow. As cliche as this sounds, it really does feel like it was just yesterday when this all began.

Although the beginning of Wedding Season for KbyK is about to begin on Saturday (cue massive amounts of excitement and adrenaline!), I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the progress I have made during these past 6 months. Here are just a few of my favorite KbyK endeavors so far (in no particular order):

1. Less than 3 weeks after I decided to take the leap and create this business, I went to Lairmont Manor to introduce myself in the hopes that I would someday be able to work at such a gorgeous venue. When I walked out a couple hours later, I had a job offer. Never in a million years did I expect to have the opportunity to be a venue coordinator at such a prestigious venue so early on.
I have worked 5 weddings & 1 prom event so far at Lairmont and it has been such an amazing learning & growing experience (13 more to go!). I cannot thank the people there enough for having so much faith in me so early on.

2. Through my "free promotion" (in order for me to gain more experience during this first year), I was hired by 5 beautiful couples in less than 1 month. 6 more lovely couples found me not long after, bringing my 2013 total to 11. So humbling - I will be forever grateful for all of the couples who took the leap with me this year.

3. I have networked with upwards of 60 other wedding professionals since KbyK began and many of them have become friends - people I probably never would've met if I hadn't started this journey. I am so grateful for all of the hope, support, advice & encouragement I have received from these amazingly talented people. It is an honor to have met all of you and I hope to be lucky enough to be able to work with every single one of you at some point in the future.

4. I had the opportunity to be involved in a stunning styled photoshoot & have since began directing & coordinating one of my own in the near future.

5. I have completed my branding (for now!). My business cards went from a generic FedEx Office background to a creation of my own. The ring, heart & ladybug all stand for something and the colors and style of my logo and website portray my personality & what I want my business to be: stylish but fun.

6. I have created a contract... which, let me tell you, is a scary and very time-consuming adventure!

7. I have had my fair share of "freak out" moments, when I've questioned what the heck I'm even doing ... Is this the right career choice? Will my business flourish? Did I choose the right colors for my business? Did I make the right decision in that situation!? Taxes!?!?!? ...My poor boyfriend ; )

8. I was featured in my university's newspaper a month after I started KbyK. Such a lovely mixture of nerve-wracking, exciting & humbling.

9. I have already experienced "learning the hard way" and I truly believe that will continue for the rest of my life. For instance: almost nothing ever goes as expected - it's my job to have a Plan B, C, D, E, & F.

10. I have fallen more in love with this career than I ever thought I would. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is the kind of job that doesn't even feel like work because it makes me so happy & it's so fun. I love helping other people. I love planning. I love LOVE. Wedding planning is my dream job and I am so lucky to have the opportunities that I have this year.

THANK YOU to all of my family, friends & fans who have supported me in anyway... it truly does mean the world to me and I can't wait to show you the outcome of all of my preliminary work this year, starting on Saturday!!!

I don't need to hire a planner, my aunt can do it!

If I had a penny for every time I heard that sentence...It's not that I have any doubt that your aunt/sister/mom/cousin, etc could do your planning & coordinating duties for you, but let's be honest: does that designated person (or people) REALLY want to spend your ENTIRE wedding day running around, answering questions, and solving any issues that may come up?Typically, the wedding planner or coordinator (see my previous post for details on the differences between the two) is one of the first vendors to get cut from a couple's budget, especially while the economy is on the fritz (and with Pinterest around, it's become so much easier to assume you can do everything "DIY"-style! Don't get me wrong, I think Pinterest is fantastic for many reasons, but I don't think there's any category on that lovely website that trains your loved ones how to take on a coordinator's job without sacrificing way too much at the same time ;) ) Even though wedding planners are increasingly sought after by the couples who simply do not have the time or knowledge to plan and coordinate an entire wedding on their own, hiring a planner is often still thought of as a luxury and an extra cost.Pricing for day-of coordination (and all other packages offered) is generally based on how many hours the planner estimates they will have to spend preparing for your big day. Let's break down day-of coordination hours & pricing. We'll say that one planner's day-of (which really should be called MONTH-of because it usually starts 4-6 weeks before your wedding) package costs $1,000 and includes very typical aspects: an initial consultation (1-2 hours), two more consultations to discuss wedding details and/or do a venue walk-thru (2-4 hours), a final details meeting (1-2 hours), 2-4 additional hours spent coordinating with your other vendors/tying up loose ends, attending the rehearsal (1-2 hours) and 8-12 hours on the day of the wedding (depending on how many hours the planner has been contracted to be there). So "day-of" coordination can range from approximately 15 - 26 hours (usually the latter) spent by the coordinator (a range of $38.50 - $67 per hour in this scenario - depending on all of the variations). Really not that bad when you break it down, huh? And that doesn't even factor in the checklists & emergency kit that your coordinator will provide + the priceless fact that your Aunt or cousin or best friend or mom will be able to sit down, relax and have the peace of mind that everything is being taken care of by a professional who has spent countless hours learning how to make your wedding day go smoothly behind the scenes.Now, you may say that I am biased because I AM a wedding planner, however if you ask any of your other wedding vendors, they will almost always encourage you to hire (at least) a day-of coordinator. Vendors appreciate having that one designated professional who they know they can go to with any questions or concerns instead of bothering you (the bridal couple) or a designated family member. In fact, many times when there isn't a coordinator present, the day-of duties fall to one of the other wedding professionals, which is not part of their job description and may interfere with what they were actually hired to do.I also want to clarify that I am not saying that you need to spend tons of money on a full-service planner, especially if that is not within your budget***. If you and your close friends/family members feel comfortable doing the majority of the pre-wedding planning, that is a great money saver! However, it is important that the general public realize that "day-of" coordination exists and use it to their advantage. This component of a wedding planner's services is tailor-made specifically to allow you to have someone manage your wedding, without requiring you to spend money on all of the preemptive planning.The bottom line is this: you and your loved ones deserve to have a completely stress-free day. Hiring (at least) a day-of coordinator will provide you with a relaxed environment AND Aunt Sally won't be frantically running around for 10-12 hours, making sure that nothing goes wrong. That's where me and my fellow planners excel! Let one of us take care of it for you so that all you need to do is focus on your celebration of love. After all, that's the way it should be.

***NOTE: by all means, please do NOT go into debt due to your wedding!! This goes for any vendor you are hiring - going into debt is not a good way to start off your journey with your other half. Let your vendors know that you are working within a budget and generally they will do everything they can to help you stay within that price range.

"3 Things I'm Well-Known for: My Love for Sparkly things, Helping People & my Obsession with Planning"

I'm not going to lie: I woke up several times early this morning to check the Western Front website for a link to my story. You see, last night, the reporter who wrote a story about Koordination by Krisanna had tipped me off that my story would be running in today's newspaper and I was too excited to sleep. I am so honored to post about my featured story in Western Washington University's (my alma mater!) newspaper, the Western Front [www.westernfrontonline.net/]!! Allana, the reporter who interviewed me for the story, writes beautifully and told my story with such flair. I can't believe that only a little over a month into my Koordination by Krisanna endeavors, my business' story is in a published newspaper!

I am so excited and, as always, so humbled by the support that I continue to receive from my family, friends, the community & my lovely bridal couples. Thank you to everyone who has stuck by my side!

xo, Krisanna