It's another wedding planning vendor feature today on this fine Monday morning. I would like to introduce you to Melissa, owner of Eco Chic Affairs located here in beautiful Victoria, BC Canada. I've known Melissa for about four years now, meeting first at Parkside hotel as her role/ job title was event coordinator. She's since opened her very own event planning company here but with a really unique twist on event planning. Her core values speak loudly and I admire her take on planning and absolutely adore working with her! She's always giving me quite a challenge with floral design (a good challenge of course!). Melissa prides herself on creating eco friendly events that correlate with the environment, meaning she hopes everything "be sourced locally avoiding the shipping processes and helping our Earth stay clean". I also love that she supports our local wedding event industry working closely with so many local suppliers. So without further ado, let's discover a little more about her company and view some of her favourite work.
1. How long have you been in business and why did you choose to be an event planner?
"I have been in the wedding industry for almost 5 years working as a sales and event coordinator for venues where I planned and managed weddings and events on behalf of different wedding venues in the city. Working in different venues in this role showed me how much I love this industry...so much so that I became a certified Wedding Planner through the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada as well as a certified Event Manager through Vancouver Island University. Most importantly it inspired me to start Eco Chic Affairs which I have been running since late October 2016."
2. What makes your company unique, inspiring or different?
"Eco Chic Affairs works with couples and vendors to ensure that each wedding is as ethical, local and sustainable as possible. I work to lower the wedding industry's carbon foot print by educating couples and vendors on sustainable alternatives and sourcing items for the big day using local companies where possible. I am passionate about what I do and I love working with different couples to make their day unique with an eco friendly spin on it."
3. Who are your ideal clients and why?
"I love the non-traditional but most importantly I love working with couples who are passionate about the environment. (A good sense of humour never hurts either!)"
4. Why should couples planning a wedding hire you?
"Having a planner goes beyond having someone along for the ride to assist with planning the wedding. I offer couples support, guidance and sustainable tips during a busy and often stressful time. Planning a wedding can be difficult, time consuming and costly. I help to alleviate the stress of planning while providing professional advice, tips, and tricks to make the day as seamless as possible. I am a great resource and make it fun for the couple. I have been everything from the voice of reason when needed, to the go between when all the family members suddenly have an opinion...basically a planner has your back for everything!"
5. If there's one piece of advice to your prospective clientele to give, what would that be?
"Hire a planner...no, really just do it! If you are feeling overwhelmed or lost, having a planner is one of the best things you can do."
6. Describe your design style when approaching events!
"I can't pick one style so I have 3...West Coast, eco chic, simple. My favourite style is a combination of the 3, simple yet chic while taking advantage of the natural beauty in which we are so lucky to call home. Using naturally beautiful venues, bringing the outside in and locally foraged greenery are some of my favourite ways of achieving this look. Of course to make it eco, I source everything as sustainably as possible and go with the "less is more" saying as much more often than not...with all the beauty surrounding us, it's typically true!"
7. How far in advance should people contact you to work with?
"I offer 3 main packages; Full planning, Partial planning and Month of planning. Depending on how much assistance you need, I recommend connecting 1 year to 6 months prior to the wedding...or sooner if you are feeling stressed."
Melissa's amazing! If you would like to reach out to Melissa, please do so! You won't regret it. Check her social media handles out below and give her a follow too!
778-678-3431
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