Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christy Lizana. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Christy, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?
It truly is an honor every time a bride allows me to partake on one of the most important days of their lives. However- my first bride will forever hold a special place in my heart. It was two weeks after I had my appendix removed and to be honest I was a bit blue. I was marketing and still had not had my “big break”. So, you can imagine my excitement when I received my first DM on Instagram. First of all, fun fact my FAVORITE holiday is Thanksgiving and of course we had our first call the day after Thanksgiving. My first conversation with her just flowed from color schemes, to guest counts, to location. It was one of the most important conversations I had in a long time. The excitement I felt, the nerves were unreal, it was Euphoric really. At the end of the conversation, I remember her saying I can’t wait to see what magic we create. I booked her, received my FIRST dollar and I must admit I cried. It was a full circle moment. I had finally booked a bride! Since then that specific statement has remained with me. Most of my brides can attest that in various emails I always say “I can’t wait to see what magic we create.” I will forever hold her with me. I am grateful to her for finally giving me the opportunity to create magic.
Christy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Christy Lizana. I came into this industry in 2020 after my older brother’s wedding. I had gotten married in 2018. It was the most amazing time of my life. I enjoyed the planning, the meetings, the emails, everything that entailed a wedding. I literally ate, slept, and planned my wedding. Then it came to an end. Then my brother proposed to my amazing sister-in-law. It was of course my chance to get involved and help her. We planned her entire wedding up into the month-of. She had decided to hire a wedding planner who was exceptional and took care of all of the logistics during her wedding. I was beyond impressed. I remember after the wedding ended, I was so sad. The planning had come to an end. One day, while talking to my husband and “I said I want to be a wedding planner.” He said FINALLY! I was in shock by his response. I said really? His reply was “YES” do what you love! I had been in the medical field since I was 20 years old. It was truly all I knew. I worked as a clinical manager for a concierges Spine surgeon. My customer service truly took on a mind of its own due to everything I learned while working there. I understood how to speak to people, how to understand and have empathy. The word “NO” was not in our vocabulary. Everything was always solved for our patients. My communication skills are what really sets me apart. I genuinely care. I understand time management and the importance of organization. I also make everyone feel important as this isn’t a me thing it’s an us thing. All of the vendors I use for a wedding matter. I currently provide day-of and month-of coordination. I also provide partial planning and full planning packages for my brides who need a little extra TLC. Once you become an Events by Christy bride you can guarantee an extreme precision to detail but most of all you can guarantee you will be HEARD. We can’t create magic without having communication.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Many new clients have actually found me on Instagram. Of course- I also have referrals from past vendors I’ve worked with which I’m thankful for. However, most of my clients have definitely found me on Instagram. Many brides find me from being reposted by a previous bride or past vendors. It’s a great way to get out there. It’s definitely worked immensely for me.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Becoming a wedding planner was a huge decision. I wear different hats one of them being a mom. I have three wonderful girls. I quickly understood my new career choice would take me away from them some nights. However, I knew in my heart the time was now or never. Pivoting into this new role has been challenging. For the first time in a long time, I am doing something that makes me happy professionally. My life has changed but I have accepted those changes and embraced them. The time is now and I’m just getting started.
Contact Info:
- Website: weddingsbychristy.com
- Instagram: Eventsbychristy_
Image Credits
Dani Parada Photography Christy Clark Photography Danielle Margherite Photography