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Cristina Maria Special Events Reviews

Cristina Maria Special Events

Cristina Maria Special Events

Vienna, VA
4.8 out of 5 rating, 14 Reviews
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Reviews

4.8 out of 5 rating
4.8 out of 5 rating
14 Reviews
97% recommend it
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    4.8 out of 5 rating
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Awards

14
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2012 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2011 Winner
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    Pilar Sent on 10/25/2011
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    Cristina was fabulous from beginning to end. I had never been a maid of honor before and for months before the wedding Cristina helped me with my duties -- from planning the bachelorette party to what to expect the day of with hair, make-up, etc. The day of the wedding, Cristina took care of EVERYTHING from start to finish so that the entire wedding and reception went flawlessly. Also, every detail at the wedding was beautiful and meshed with the wedding theme. I would hire to Cristina to plan any event I have in the future.
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    K Sent on 10/25/2011
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    Cristina is an amazing wedding planner/coordinator. We initially met her 10 months before our wedding date, and she was great during the initial planning stages. As we changed details of what our wedding should be, she was able to incorporate those changes into our vision and be creative on many details that we needed help executing. She did not forget any detail and made our vision a reality. The night was amazing, and there is nothing we would change. The decor embodied our theme, and her vendor recommendations were spot on. She also made us feel at ease as the time got closer because she was on top of everything. She even helped us with various wedding etiquette tips. She thought of it all. Cristina is amazing, and if you want your special day to be all that you imagined and more, choose her to plan your wedding.
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    Kelly Sent on 02/01/2011
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    I was a bride that had some visions but didnt have the time or energy to put together the pieces. After two meetings with Cristina- she understood my desires, added things I never knew I wanted.. .and designed, planned, and executed a remarkable day. I had just started a new job and it was the holiday season, and she made wedding planning in 4 months a very good experience. Loved her ideas, her attention to detail (truly outstanding), her patience and respect with vendors, and overall excellent understanding of the industry!
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    Dorothee Sent on 12/02/2010
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    Cristina was extremely helpful to us. At first, I thought she was too expensive, but she earned every penny, and then some. I can't imagine doing the reception without her. She handled EVERYTHING! No detail was too small for her to take care of. After the reception, I saw her carrying soiled tablecloths herself. She triple checked all arrangements, no matter how trivial, before the reception, gave us references to excellent vendors where she arranged discounts for us, and drew up an elaborate site plan. She accommodated OUR ideas and executed them as if this were her own wedding. I highly recommend Cristina and her staff.
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    Anne Sent on 12/03/2010
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    Cristina provided very short turnaround assistance (3 weeks notice) for our outdoor U.S. wedding reception of 200 people (including 50 kids) in October. She was very flexible (agreeing to meet us when and where convenient for us), professional, courteous and easy to work with. She offered lots of excellent suggestions for colors, scheduling, food, bar, etc., most of which we applied. She provided a beautiful color map and schedule for our party which was very helpful for us to organize our own time as hosts. She was incredibly helpful at coordinating all our vendors, payments and tips...it would have taken us DAYS to do the work she did. On the morning of the event, there was a snafu and Cristina and her staff were not able to access the venue until just an hour before the event. They worked at lightening speed, with grace and poise, to get everything ready and noone even noticed the rush. Having Cristina and her staff allowed us to truly enjoy the event. I cannot imagine having done it without her. We would definitely hire her again for another big event and would recommend her highly to folks in the DC/MD area.

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    Keisha Sent on 03/01/2010
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    I contacted Cristina about my wedding and she was extremely attentive, polite, and had gave me some wonderful ideas. From the beginning, she was very upfront about her rates and since I had a tight budget, reached out to other planners that were better suited to my budget. She was sweet and went out of her way to put me in touch with one of her contacts. I ended up signing a contract, with Cristina's referral! I can't thank Cristina enough for how she went above and beyond for me, someone she had never met or received a payment from. I can only imagine the level of detail and effort she puts into one of her events. I would love to work with her in the future and I strongly recommend you give her a call!
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    Musu Sent on 12/03/2010
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    Cristina, thank you thank you thank you...you were AWESOME and you did an EXCELLENT job by transforming our special day into a PLATINUM wedding. We thank you for your amazing personality, focus, dedication, great initiative, and extreme attention to detail that you put into your work and service. One thing I really liked about Cristina is that whatever issue you threw at her, she will always say “We’ll make it happen”…And yes she always delivered on time and on budget.

    One mistake my wife and I made was hiring Cristina for only 1 month. We hired Cristina to help us coordinate our wedding but because we were on a budget, we hired her for only a month and decided to take care of all the other stuff. I regret not hiring her to plan the entire wedding because we learned a lot with the month of service and Cristina saved us a lot of money and the quality of service was just perfect. I highly recommend Cristina Maria Special Events to plan your entire wedding if you are looking for a wedding planner because you will definitely not regret it.

    Cristina went beyond and above our expectations in the month of planning and execution of our wedding. She even reviewed all the vendor contracts and ensured that obligations were met within the contract. She was constantly on the phone with all the vendors, making sure they understood what was expected of them. She even emailed each vendor with their individual timelines for the day of the wedding. She was very patience with us because we had busy schedules, and for my wife being a very picky bride, Cristina was able meet all her expectations for her dream wedding. She knew what my wife wanted and always looked out for us. She even went to her final dress fitting with her. For Cristina, it wasn’t about making money; she has a passion for wedding planning and it’s all about ensuring her clients are happy at the end of the day. She even played what I call good cop bad cop by ensuring that we were able visit each table without getting caught up in long conversations.

    Throughout the service provided by Cristina Maria Special Events, Cristina demonstrated an outstanding initiative, exceptional judgment, and superb customer skills to us and our family. Cristina is very reliable and the best thing is that she was always available NO MATTER THE TIME OF DAY either on the phone or via email. She is definitely amazing in multi-tasking. Oh by the way, Cristina has all the best referrals and discounts, it was a blessing and helped us to save some money.

    One thing that really touched our heart is that… At the end of the wedding reception about 2 am, she stayed and packed all the rental linens the same night and dropped it off the very next day. She even volunteered and carried all our gifts from the reception hall back to our home. Cristina has a very pleasant attitude that makes you feel very comfortable when she’s around.

    To be honest, we still keep in touch with Cristina because we have established a great relationship with her.

    Cristina, from the bottom of our hearts we say a big THANK YOU and may God richly bless you.
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    Barb Sent on 12/03/2010
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    Cristina was a true blessing to have assist me with my wedding reception. She hand wrote my escort cards. Her attention to detail was impeccable. She listened to my needs and delivered true perfection. Her calligraphy was that of a true professional. Not only did she deliver exceptional product, working with Cristina was a true delight, enjoyable experience and I never felt at any time that I was going to expect less than what I expected.
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    Lauren Sent on 04/07/2009
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    Cristina was wonderful to work with. She was friendly, professional, organized and full of great ideas. I was so grateful to have her at my wedding so I could enjoy the day!
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    Yuriko Sent on 03/31/2009
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    Without Cristina I would never have had such a wonderful wedding. She was vital for coordinating and communicating with other vendors like my photographer, baker, florist and venue. Cristina also took the time to get to know my husband and I to figure out our personalities, due to her diligence we created a wedding that had a perfect vibe and flow to suit us.

    Cristina offers a lot of personal attention and she'll make sure that you get the wedding you want.
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    Meg Sent on 11/23/2010
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    I knew Cristina Maria before we decided to hire her and just her bright personality and calm demeanor made me choose her. I have a demanding job that kept me travveling during my engaagement and Cristina would help me get everything done. She thinks of things I would have never thought to. She helped me follow a time line that made me think wedding planning was easy!

    Cristina Maria was a HUGE part of making my wedding day a success and a beautiful memory. I wouldn't have been able to do it without her:)
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    Cydnee Sent on 12/02/2010
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    • I don't speak 'bride,' I don't speak 'flower,' I don't speak 'party.' It's a good thing I had such a fantastic support team of family and Cristina Curcio of Cristina Maria Events to rely on! Cristina came in a few months before the wedding and immediately scooped all my bits and pieces of planning and found an order for my disorganized thoughts. While I planned my Virginia wedding from my home in NYC, Cristina was an incredible support to my mother, accompanying her to select linens and sending me cell phone pics in the process; coordinating vendors and providing a timeline for me to live by; and providing valuable suggestions and resources for every detail, most notably helping me find a lighting designer who truly transformed our reception! In the final weeks, Cristina was always calm and available. My husband's family is from another country and not familiar with many American wedding customs; where my boisterous Irish in-laws may have filled another planner with nerves, Cristina jumped into the fray, herding reluctant groomsmen and making the flower girls look like pros. On the big day, Cristina and her staff were ready to go, solving crises (limo bus breaks down? No problem, a replacement arrived without us even knowing there was a problem), and keeping smiles on all faces. While it was hard for my friends and family to let go of control on the big day, Cristina gracefully stepped in to lead the way. She was by our side for every moment on wedding day, and if she wasn't, I knew she was only a breath away. Once Cristina and Co transferred all the final bits and pieces, things I wouldn't have dreamed to remember, and had them tucked away in our suite, we managed to coax her into joining our after-party! This isn't easy for a wedding planner - the Irish boys had to firmly sit her down when we started to run low on s'mores kits for our bonfire! But once she was tucked in around the flames, teaching the Irish how to make s'mores for the first time, it was clear to see that Cristina had become a part of our family, which is what she and her team will be for you if you let them! I would strongly reccomend Cristina Maria Events to anyone in need of a guiding hand on their wedding day!
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    Emily Sent on 09/12/2011
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    We used Cristina as our month of planner. She did a great job of taking control and helping to execute our ideas. She was also extremely helpful in finalizing last details and making sure everything ran smoothly. We were lucky to have her!
  • User888774 Sent on 08/05/2012
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    I really enjoyed getting to know Cristina. Our wedding was beautiful-- more beautiful than my husband and I expected. Our reception looked fantastic and the flow of the room worked very well. People really had a lovely time (and so did we!).

    If you are looking for a month-of wedding planner, then I would highly recommend Cristina. She was responsive the month before the wedding and thought of the little details that made our wedding day run smoothly. Also, she is creative and very good at bringing a 'wow' factor to a space.

    If you are looking for a full or partial wedding planner, as we were, then I would have some reservations. Again, this isn't because I don't think she's a nice, creative person-- I do! However, if you're hiring a full or partial planner, you want them to be with you and helping you along your planning process. You want someone who is pleasant and creative. However, I think you expect them to be organized and responsive. I did not always find this to be the case.

    During our time working together, Cristina was not always responsive. I only contacted her when I had questions about a vendor or about a contract. However, there were at least 2 times where she did not respond to me for over a month (closer to 2 months). I understand that life is complicated and that things happen. However, I also expect a quick email saying that she received my message and will respond within a reasonable timeframe. Then, I expect her to follow up without my prompt. This lack of communication often added additional stress, which was exactly what we were trying to avoid by hiring Cristina. I also found conversations about our budget to be difficult. Although Cristina did a good job of negotiating/renegotiating our contracts, especially during the month before the wedding, to get us little details that were fabulous, overall I felt as thought there were times when she didn't respect the importance of our budget and sometimes picked inappropriate times to tell us about additional costs.