Planner - Kasie Donoghue
- Business: EFD Creative - Event Planning & Design
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts MA
- Experience: 11 Years
- Profile: EFD Creative - Event Planning & Design
- Website: www.efdcreative-events.com
1. Introduction: What's your story?
Hi, I'm Kasie Donoghue, the Managing Director / Lead Planner at EFD Creative - Event Planning & Design. I started planning events in 2010, after meeting my friend and business partner, Edna Dratch-Parker, at a wedding networking event in the Berkshires. For more than a decade, Edna and I have had the pleasure of working with couples to showcase their unique style, personality, and relationship through the planning and design of their wedding celebration. When visiting our website, you will notice that no two events look / feel the same just as no two couples are the same. Personalizing events (from the logistics to decor) is our passion!
2. What's your experience as a wedding planner? How many weddings have you planned?
My career began at a nearby venue where I worked as a Special Events Coordinator and had my hand in hundreds of events. Now, at EFD Creative, we limit ourselves to 15 full service events a year due to the depth of our involvement and the complexity of each celebration.
3. What sorts of services do you offer (month-of coordination, full-service planning, or à la carte planning)?
All of the above! For years our national award winning team has offered full service planning to create luxury events and now we offer "Mini Packs by EFD" as well! Our new packages allow brides and grooms to get wedding planning support at any stage of the planning process without breaking the bank.
4. How do payments work (a percentage of the wedding budget, a flat fee etc.)? What are the different packages that you offer and which one is your most popular package?
We quote all of our couples a flat fee depending on the package(s) they are interested in.
Our most popular package is our Timeline Development Mini Pack which is $575. Couples who select this package work with an experienced wedding planner to create the flow / timing for their big day. Discussions cover every detail from the moment they wake up to end-of-day wrap-up. Couples are able to learn about the “traditional” flow of events while sharing their own vision / preferences on how they’d like the day to go. Then, they receive a personalized timeline that outlines everything that was discussed and includes tips and advice (to keep their timing on track) as well as notes and “to do’s” (that help them share and confirm the information with their vendor team).
5. Who else is in your team and how many people on your staff will be at the wedding?
Our full-time team consists of myself (as the planner / director of logistics) and Edna (as the creative director and designer). Then on the day of, the number of part-time / support staff we have present depends on the details of the day.
6. What happens if you're sick or otherwise unable to be there on the day of the wedding?
Luckily in my 10+ years of planning this has never been an issue! However, this is why Edna and I feel networking is so important. We at EFD Creative are part of 3 different networking organizations (Association of Bridal Consultants, Boston Wedding Group, and National Association of Catering & Events) and we attend their meetings regularly. Forming relationships with other vendors in the industry (who we can call on at any moment) is so incredibly valuable. We are so truly grateful for the wonderful community within the Boston wedding industry!
7. How many meetings will you have with the couple and how will they be involved?
This depends on the wedding package selected. Our full service planning packages include unlimited communication / meetings. We're available to these couples via phone, email, video, and of course in person. The entire process is incredibly organic and is different from couple to couple as it's based on their own personal preference and style.
8. Will you handle the invitations, from wording and ordering to the addressing and mailing? What about guest list coordination and RSVPs?
We can be as involved (or as uninvolved) as the couple would like. However typically, we oversee the design, wording, and ordering of invitations while our couples manage the mailing, guest list coordination, and RSVPs.
9. Do you handle rentals? Will you coordinate delivery, arrival and set up times with the photographer, the florist, the musicians and the caterer/banquet manager?
Yes, our full service package includes the management of all rentals as well as the communication / coordination with all wedding vendors.
10. Can you create a timeline that tells everyone involved in the planning process (other pros, members of the wedding party, to-be-weds and families) what to do and when to do it? How will you make sure everyone sticks to the schedule?
Yes, this is our specialty! We create the most detailed timeline that you'll ever see (often they are 10+ pages long).
The secret to creating a timeline that everyone will follow is... Include them in the planning process! For example, instead of telling a photographer when to arrive and where to be, we connect with them well in advance, share some of the wedding day details, and ask them (based on their style / pace) when/where to include them in the schedule.
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