What makes the difference between a laid-back, enjoyable wedding day and a stressful, hectic one? Having the right vendor team! Today on Wedding Secrets Unveiled!, Carissa Corsi of Carissa Corsi Events joins us to guide you in assembling your ideal network of supportive vendors for your wedding day. Whether you have a planner assisting you in vetting vendors or you’re doing it on your own, Carissa shares tips and tricks for finding the perfect vendors who align with your vision!
Meet Carissa.
My business name is Carissa Corsi Events and my team serves New England – now branching out to Italy! We do full-service wedding planning and design, with a couple from start to finish when it comes to building their wedding day. From creating the most efficient vendor team through executing their design on the day of and making it the most memorable day of their lives – we do it all.
Italy! Can we talk about that?
Yes, we just booked our first 2025 wedding in Italy in October and we’re really excited. That is new to the portfolio, but we’re super excited about it. We hope to expand in that area afterwards.
I lived in Italy for a year! Now I don’t travel there as much because I have three kids. But I would, ha!
Now’s the time for me to do it before I have my own kids.
Right? I mean, I know we live in the mecca of weddings. Having so beautiful places around here, I don’t need to travel anymore, but I will travel to Italy, ha!
So how many years have you been in business for?
I have been full time almost four years, but my career really was centered around corporate events before that. So I have a ton of experience: from project management, logistics management, marketing, management, all the things… In 2020, I decided to embark on this journey and really it was an impulse decision to go full-time. But it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made yet. My business has really grown since then. I’m really, really happy about that.
I was going to ask what made you go from corporate to the planning side of things… but like so many of us, the lovely pandemic was part of it!
I like the intimate side of things. I’m very much a magnetic connection girl. So, I love making special connections with people and really learning in them inside and out versus just being there to do a job. I like to make it a collaboration and have fun with it. So, the intimacy part of this work really drew me in.
I love that concept: “magnetic connections”. That resonates with me a lot.
How many weddings or events do you do every year? What’s your cap?
So right now, we’re netting at 10 per year. In 2022, we had about 15. But now that we’re gearing our business more towards full-service planning, we’re really trying to stick between the 8 and 10.
And for people who don’t understand, in your terminology, full-service means what when it comes to wedding planning?
I’m running a full-service business, so we’re starting with a couple hiring us a full-service wedding planner. We kickstart things with their budget, their top priorities in terms of vendors, then we book those vendors, and getting a venue booked. We’re really carrying them through that process. So, we have a pretty steady connection with them and guide them through everything. But you can really envision it as us doing everything for them in a collaboration. We really want them to still feel like they’re a big part of the process, while we’re just guiding them along the way and building those great connections with their vendor teams. And really streamlining everything and setting them up for success on the day.
That leads me to another question I wanted to ask: why are those connections so crucial? How do you navigate meeting and forming relationships with people in the industry?
We form our vendor relationships in multiple different ways. The last two years, we hosted our own vendor events. We also try to keep up with attending networking events and participating in collaborations. So, any type of editorial or collaborations we can do to stay connected with people whose work we love is great. We also just reach out on social media if there’s someone whose work we love. We’d love to work with them, but also want to connect with them on the value front. We’re really just building relationships in those ways. And then we’re carefully curating a preferred list that we can give our couples so that they can have the utmost experience when it comes to building a real supportive team for their big day.
How do you, as a wedding planner, start to navigate all of those relationships and finding the perfect match for your couples – instead of just suggesting a bunch of them?
Yeah, so we seek out the vendors in those different ways and part of that is hearing more about their businesses and what they offer, so we can really pinpoint what their range of pricing and services are. With our couples, we need to know what they value and what they’re really looking for so we can find a good fit, so that when someone comes and asks for a hair vendor, we know who does that style of work. So, with the vendors, I’m really getting to know them – a Zoom or coffee date – so I can really hear about their services.
For couples without a planner who are looking to form those connections with your vendors, just reach out and book a consult call. It’s really important to get on calls and talk to your potential vendors so that you know the vibe. You need to vibe with the vendors that you’re booking. They’re supposed to be a reflection of you – so you want to be really in sync with them. And really the only way to do that is to have that connection.
Yeah, I agree that hopping on a call is important. An email for pricing and looking at someone’s website really isn’t enough. My initial calls are 10 minutes.
Yeah. I love that keeping it short and sweet.
In the beginning, it really is just talking. We want to make sure we’re a good fit.
Now, take me through some of the pros of having an amazing wedding vendor team for your big day.
If you’re really going into the day with a good team that you’re confident in, you’re going to feel more confident yourself. Plus, if your team is organized and knows the ins and outs of your day, they’ll be ready for anything. Then if you do have a planner, they’ll have everything covered when it comes to logistics and having all of your vendor team on the same page. But, if you don’t have a planner, I always suggest working as closely as possible with someone at the venue to ensure you’re covered for the day. Being in sync and having everyone on the same page is so important. Having some type of logistics to guide them is helpful – but the biggest thing is that you can just a stress-free day because you know everyone’s going in and doing what they set out to do for you.
I also want to stress that as long as you are working with professionals, you don’t have to have a team that has already worked together. There is a difference between having a good team and one that’s worked together. It’s not necessary to make your day go smoothly.
Yeah, and I know when I haven’t worked with a vendor before, I get on a call and chat with them. It helps me understand what it’s like working with them and me and what they need from me. Again, it really is a collaboration, and you get to form that relationship. Before you even get there on the wedding day. I think that’s so important. I’m just kind of feeling them out.
Honestly, we get a lot of emails from couples asking if we’ve worked with a particular videographer. And while it’s nice, we don’t have to have worked together to be able to do our jobs for their wedding day. I don’t want people stressed about it, you know? But, I always appreciate that introduction to connect again with a vendor so we can make your day cohesive.
I liked what you said about photo and video having a quick conversation. It helps them both understand how they can work best together to make it flow for the couple. It’s similar to a planner and the venue. Being a full-service planner and a venue coordinator are two completely different roles. But we work together to manage the day. I hate to sound cheesy, but teamwork makes the dream work!
Totally. What happens when a vendor team doesn’t sync up like you’re describing?
I think the biggest one is that it’s more likely there will be some serious mishaps with the overall timeline. If vendors aren’t prepared beforehand and they’re not on the same page with the flow of the day, it could get messy. Yes, there’s always room for improv and adjustments on a wedding day – but having a set plan matters.
Something I’ve started to do is create a logistics dock that involves the design of the entire day. It helps everyone be on the same page and ensure there’s no overlap of roles that could get confusing.
So, I think it’s just so important to avoid those mishaps and also just avoid the overlap of roles throughout the day. Those are just two of the cons that can come up without an aligned vendor team.
Being a full-time wedding planner, how do you handle booking vendors and referrals to your couples?
I know I mentioned a preferred vendor list, but really it’s just a list of the professionals we’ve worked with or have a strong relationship with and feel comfortable recommending to our couples. Of course, this is always taken with a grain of salt because we’re open to working with other vendors. Some couples come in with a set list of people they want to work with – and that’s completely fine.
But, with full-service planning, we really are kickstarting the conversation with them – from their budget and top vendor priorities. When I say their priorities, I mean their “must have” vendors. Once we know that, I usually try to suggest two vendors for each category to get us started on the process. We can get on the consultation calls, talk with the vendor, catch the vibe, and decide what feels good to them. I always encourage my couples to do that with their vendors. Although, I know getting on lots of calls can feel tedious or even unnecessary, but the goal is to book people you’re really connected with.
I love that you said taking it all with a grain of salt. Because, even if you get a preferred vendor list – from your planner or not – you don’t have to follow everything on it. It really is about building those connections.
I like to encourage my couples to really base their vendor decisions on priority – the break it down from there. Because, if their priority is a really kick ass photographer, I truly believe it’s worth that money. I try to emphasize that and then help them adjust the budget in other ways. We’re really helping them align the items in a way that makes sense to them. So, that’s part of why I say the vibe of your vendors is really important. Just get on the call with them, hear more about what they do, and decide if they’re a good fit for you.
Tell us more about what happens when you suggest vendors – are you talking about what they can do or something else?
Yeah, so when I’m suggesting new vendors, I’m really thinking through their qualities more so than anything. I want to know if a vendor is responsible and approachable. Approachable is a big one – because you really want to have mutual trust and understanding between the two of you. You want to see eye to eye and have mutual respect if you don’t see everything that way. So, mutual trust and mutual respect to be able to approach one another.
Also, along those lines – willingness to collaborate. You want your vendors to be organized. Their job is to be on top of their work. So, my job as a planner is to be on top of my work so I can help the other vendors on the day of your event do their thing and be focused on their craft. That’s something couples should be asking their vendors: why do you do what you do or why do you love it? It’s important to dig into that passion piece, because that’s what’s going to shine on your day.
I love that. I don’t know the last time I was asked that question by someone interviewing me. But, I think that’s a great piece of advice to take from this episode. It’s a great question and you’ll learn a lot.
It can go in a bunch of different directions, too. You can uncover things that you might have in common. So I think it’s just so beautiful to ask that questions.
I think it’s part of what creates that “magnetic connection” you mentioned earlier. I get asked a lot of logistics questions – which is fine, that’s why we’re talking. But, you can make such a good connection with your vendor by asking why they do what they do.
Have you ever had a wedding where there were still issues, even with an amazing vendor team? What do you do?
Yeah, so I had one wedding where the DJ and I did not see eye to eye. As you might know, like a photographer, the entertainment is a huge part of the timeline creation and execution for a wedding day. So it’ really important for us, as a full-service planner, to hop on a call with the DJ to understand the formalities they’re a part of at the reception especially. I always let all the vendors review the timeline and provide feedback, too. But this DJ completely crossed the line on the wedding day and shifted the timeline on me. It was a lot to deal with – there was no improv at the point, more like letting it unfold the way it was going to unfold.
As planners, we align with our couples and want to do what’s in their best interest. So, I had this couple coming up and asking why we changed things. It wasn’t a great look and not ideal. So, I really cannot stress enough, like please – if you do not have a planner, make sure you work with the venue on a timeline to align with your vendors.
Did you ever get to the bottom of what made this DJ go rogue?
I think his expectation of what someone doing event management was really doing. I think it was a misalignment in terms of expectations of our job. The venue was also private, so we didn’t have an operations or venue manager to fall back on, which became tricky as well.
Why is it important for couples to trust their wedding planner and their help choosing the right vendors?
I would say it’s important to trust your planner because if they’ve vetted who you’re hiring, they’re aware of what someone needs to do to do their job well and get their job done. Not having that guidance could stunt your choices because you just don’t know what’s needed. I also think you need to know which questions to ask. As planners, we’ve made those connections and asked those questions.
Your vendor team is made up of your people. They’re there to support you and feel like a good fit – which requires a good understanding of your personalities and needs. A planner should be handling situations on your wedding day through the lens of what you would want – not what they think is the best option. I think you have to ask questions about whether or not a vendor understands you, respects you, has a good communication style and your best interests in mind. You want to know if they’re really trying to get to know you and digging deeper.
What is some advice that you can tell newly engaged couples when it comes to getting started on this entire vendor booking process?
First, I think the biggest thing I’d tell people before even jumping into the booking process, is literally just take a few months just to enjoy the process. Just enjoy being engaged before you’re diving in because if you don’t, you’re just going to hit tons of frustration right off the bat. You get into that huge checklist and when things have to be done. But take a moment to breathe and take it all in.
After that, the biggest thing is to get on those discovery or consultation calls. Find out the vibe, ask the right questions that we talked about, and pick vendors that are going to be a reflection of you. You want them to make your day special and focus on all of the details you so carefully picked. Leave room for open communication and don’t be afraid to tell vendors what it is that you might need or want.
And that’s huge: just letting us know what you want and need.
Wrap Up Question
What are some key points that couples should be asking their wedding planner, when they are inquiring to make sure that they are working with a professional company to ensure that their wedding day is a perfect event?
Tell your planner and vendors who you are. Don’t be afraid to ask them the same questions and get to know them before getting into any logistics.
Ask about their experience – including how they’ve handled certain situations with vendors or the timeline.
If you’re booking a wedding planner, ask them about their touch points through the planning process. Don’t just focus on the price or bullet points of that service. Understand the high level pieces of the planning process with them.
What We Discussed
Meet Carissa (2:46)
Building connections through networking and marketing (5:57)
Why having a wedding vendor dream team matters (11:33)
Aligning with your vendors (21:50)
Building trust and rapport with your vendors (25:44)
The importance of trusting your vendors (30:13)
Wrap Up Question (40:03)
Links Mentioned in the Episode
Find Carissa Corsi Events at Website | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest
You can subscribe to this podcast from wherever you’re listening so you never miss an episode. And, we would so appreciate it if you left a fabulous review for our show on Apple podcast! Even better, share it with a friend. It’s a great way to show your support and let us know what you think. Thank you so much for listening!
