Testimonials 2007

Photo by Aga Images

Jennifer & Larry
12.28.07 – Tribeca Rooftop

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

An absolutely amazing job done by Christine, she was so patient, just an awesome person and a friendly face to have around on “wedding day”. She did a great job of coordinating all my vendors, my guests, wedding party, etc, etc. The day flowed beautifully with Christine in my corner. I would highly recommend her to any of my friends or family looking to plan an event.

Photo by A. Perry Heller

Kate & Alex
12.01.07 – The W Hotel-Union Square

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

"Day-of-Coordinator – Christine Viola, Exquisite Affairs Productions: A+

Hiring Christine was probably the best single decision we made! She was an enormous help and our day ran so smoothly! She attended to a million details and kept everything moving. I HIGHLY recommend hiring a day-of-coordinator (even for budget-conscious brides) and can’t imagine anyone doing a better job than Christine."

Photo by Angelica Glass

Kristin & Rick
11.24.07 – The Metropolitan

Coordinator: Hollie

"Hollie, I cannot thank you enough for the amazing job that you did at our wedding! From confirming with vendors before the wedding day, to carrying my train all morning while at the park (in the freezing cold!), to calming my nerves before I walked down the aisle, you were right there when I needed some extra help. Throughout the day you always made sure that I was ok and made sure I didn’t need anything. Not only are you a wonderful coordinator, you are also such a great person, and I would highly recommend you to any future brides! Thank you again for all your help! "

Nicole & Richard

11.23.07 – Fox Hollow

Coordinator: Christine

You can’t go wrong with Christine Viola and the entire staff at Exquisite Affairs Productions.

I couldn’t have been any more pleased with Christine throughout my entire planning process, and she really went above and beyond in all aspects.

I’ve recommended her to many many brides to be, and I will continue to do so.

Looking forward to seeing her at my sister’s wedding, too!

Photo by Danny Weiss

Sarah & Matt
11.17.07 – Terrace on the Park

Coordinator: Christine, Tara & Irina

"DOC: A
Exquisite Affairs Productions

ChristineV@ExquisiteAffairsProductions.com

I’m a believer. Christine was helpful in the 8 months before- checking in, being friendly, doing a little bit of research. Then in the 2 months before she kicked it into high gear, even when I had the littlest family drama or was feeling stressed… she’d coach me. She removed stress from my life. Just took care of everything, mediated crises, made great suggestions. It was so helpful, when you are suddenly struggling to make the stupid decisions, she’d just swoop in and fix it. One month before she came to our house for 4 hours and interviewed us on absolutely everything to get a sense of our judgment so she could take care of everything at the wedding. And she did. I am sure tons of stuff went wrong at our wedding- there were 300 people and a million rooms to pull together, a band and a dj etc etc, and she took care of everything. She even brought someone to man the guestbook table. I worship her. I would trust her with anything. "

Liz & Mike

11.11.07 – Woodbury Country Club

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

Day of Coordinator – Christine Viola of Exquisite Affairs Productions A++++++++++
Last but not least was my DOC Christine Viola. The first time I met with Christine I knew I was going to like her. She was so down to earth and what I liked was that she started her business after planning her own wedding. I didn’t know at first if I wanted a DOC and if in the long run it would be worth it. She wasn’t overly expensive, not like other DOC’s that I have seen and inquired about, and she was so nice and easy to talk to. I booked her for my wedding and at first, I didn’t really utilize her services much. It wasn’t until about a month before the wedding that I really needed her help and she was my life saver.

I had become so wrapped up in my job that all the DIY projects that I had planned to do for the wedding fell to the waste side and pushed to the back burner. I knew that I wanted to do donation favor cards since we had made a donation to the MS Society (in honor of my mother) in addition to our favors and I also wanted to make menus for each table and table names for each table, instead of the table numbers used by the hall. Thank Goodness for Christine. For the price of only the supplies, which I would have had to buy on my own anyway, she was willing to do all of those for me so that I wouldn’t have to. I was super relieved. This way, I would be able to have the special DIY projects that I wanted but since I didn’t have the time to do them, Christine would do them for me. It was such a weight off my back. I also was going to make a card box for the wedding but again, Christine came to the rescue and told me that I could borrow her bird cage for the day of the wedding for all the cards. Again, Christine saved me. A month before the wedding, she came over to my house to go over the run down of my wedding day. She was so professional but at the same time, she was so cool to just sit and talk to. She was very organized and had everything all together for my special day. She was also the one who suggested that I have Mia put the extensions in my hair the day of the wedding so that my hair would look more full and stay curly all night like I wanted despite the japanese straightening. She called all of my vendors weeks before the wedding to ensure that everything was good to go and that they understood the run down of the day. This took A LOT of pressure off of me since I was still stressed out about work as well as getting ready to become a Mrs. Her suggestions were more than helpful. She was also a life saver, as I explained before, when the disaster struck and we had to change the “bridal getting ready spot” from my mom’s in Brooklyn to the 4 Points Sheraton in Long Island. She contacted every vendor, while also keeping me sane, and told them about the change and everything worked out smoothly. She worked every last detail out for my wedding and I couldn’t thank her enough. Looking back, I wish I had hired her to run the rehearsal too since the woman who did clearly had no clue and I know that Christine was on her game and understood how these rehearsals worked. But hindsight is 20/20.

The day of the wedding, she was on time and ready to get to work. She helped the girls with whatever they needed, she brought some food with her I believe and kept forcing me to eat and yelling at me if she didn’t see me eat, which was very sweet even though at the time I found it annoying since everyone had been hounding me that morning about eating. I gave her the money envelopes for all the vendors and I had complete faith in her. She had done nothing to make me not trust her and this was her job and she was very professional about it. As we were leaving the hotel, I freaked out because I hadn’t really packed all of my stuff and I was scared that we had forgotten things and then I didn’t see everything and I totally had a panic attack. However, my bridesmaids informed me that Christine was on top of it and she had grabbed everything and put it all in the trunk of the limo and in her car. I was so relieved. Christine was always by my side for the remainder of the day, making sure that we had everything and that I was ok. She even joked with me at one point and said that I was one of the most self sufficient brides since I didn’t really need much help. She helped coordinate the girls during the ceremony line up and again once they were all outside. She handled all of the tips and payments for the day and I never even noticed that it was being done. I kept asking my vendors to see Christine before they left and they kept telling me that she had already taken care of them. I was super happy with that. She helped me take my veil off after the first dance and placed it in the wedding dress bag so that it didn’t get lost or ruined. She told my MOH to keep the lipstick for me in her bouquet so that if I needed to freshen up, it was close by so I could have access to it quickly. This kind of backfired a little because the suggestion gave way to my other bridesmaids placing their cigarettes in their bouquets which in turn started to turn their bouquets brown from the tobacco.

Christine was awesome and she was so helpful throughout the day. I thought a DOC was a luxury and an extra that wasn’t completely necessary but it was nice to have. Well, I feel very lucky to have had her and if it hadn’t been for her, things may not have run as smoothly as they did that day! She is great and is highly recommended. She has inspired me and now I want to become a wedding planner…maybe she’ll hire me! LOL.

Photo by Duet Photography

Kathy & Scott
11.02.07 – Jericho Terrace

Coordinator: Hollie

"Yesterday was one of the funniest and best days of my life. I’m finally Mrs. N!!!!!!
I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful Hollie Pena Holmes (Day of Coordinator) was! She is the perfect mix of professional and down to earth. I recommend her to any bride to be for a stress free wedding. Hollie you are AMAZING!!!! "

Guadalupe & Adrian
10.20.07 – Dante Caterers

Coordinator: Hollie

DOC – Hollie, Exquisite Affairs Productions A+++++++++++++++

The best, for last – There are no words to describe my gratitude towards Hollie and what she did for me that day. She popped in while we were getting Hair & Make Up and snapped away, asked if I was okay, offered to get me anything that I needed, was totally accommodating. I met up with her again at church and again, she did it all. Aisle runner, petal cones, touching up on decoration, cry packs, she really made sure all of the touches that I worked on were there and noticed. At the reception hall, she made sure everything was as planned, really took over making sure I felt comfortable, always one step ahead, really just doing everything that I couldn’t cause I was greeting family and catching up with everyone. The very next day I had over 200 pictures emailed to me that she had taken throughout the day. She took care of all the tips, final payments, everything! She made sure whatever I took off (veil, shoes) was stored and packed ready to go home. Nothing was left behind and everything is accounted for, thanks to her attention to detail. Seriously girls, if you are even considering a DOC, Hollie is your girl!!

Photo by Kenny Pang

Kathleen & Andrew

10.13.07 – Tribeca Rooftop

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

"DOC: Christine Viola, Exquisite Affairs – A+

Christine is a life saver. I loved having her around all day! Really, truly, a fabulous vendor. She and Tara showed up right on time and were on top of things from the moment they walked in the door. They split up duty and Tara went and manned the hotel where most of the guests were staying and taking car service and shuttle buses back and forth to the venue. Thank God she did, because I totally underestimated the number of people that would be taking the shuttle and it had to make multiple trips. Christine and Tara handled it beautifully and it was, at least as far as I knew, no big deal. Christine took an ungodly amount of crap over to Tribeca for me… bridesmaids clothes, flower petals, etc. She went over early while we did pictures and handled everything! She really saved me from killing my mother on a few occasions and I just know that there were issues she took care of without my even knowing. Having Christine around all day was like having a good friend around that just knew what I was thinking all day! She really put my mind at ease with a few things and I can’t stress enough the importance of having a DOC. It was one of the best decisions I made. Thanks Christine and Tara!"

Photo by Duet Photography

Danielle & Joseph
10.06.07 – The Royalton

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

"DOC – Christine and Tara, Exquisite Affairs, www.exquisiteaffairsproductions.com, A+

Of course, Christine was amazing. She showed up around noon with her assistant, Tara (I didn’t even know Tara was coming, so that was a great surprise!). From the minute they walked in the door, my entire BP did not stop calling for Christine. I swear that girl’s ears must have been ringing after she left us!! Every little problem we had, we called for Christine. I thought she would get a little overwhelmed considering once she got there we all simultaneously all-of-a-sudden became completely incompetent and could no longer figure out anything for ourselves, but she just took it all in stride and handle each mini-crisis like a pro. One small example – literally the second Christine and Tara walked in the door my mom came out of her room with her dress on, and discovered for the first time that her bra stuck up out the top of her dress. Christine grabbed a needle and thread and sewed my mom’s bra down. Literally – within minutes of her arrival. Also, by the end of the night, I was suffering from a full-blown cold/sore throat/general sickness which started at the cocktail hour and got worse as the night went on, and I felt like crap. Before the after-party, Christine produced a Tylenol Cold from her bag of wonders which I took and was able to make it through till the end of the party.

There were definitely things that went wrong throughout the day, but honestly they were not things that Christine had any control over (buses getting lost and being late, the priest skipping part of our ceremony, the venue making the wrong flavor wedding cake, etc…) But each time something did go wrong, Christine (or Tara) was either already on top of it, or got on top of it as soon as I told them about it. They were a humongous help and a reassuring presence on our day.

But I think the BEST part about Christine is that she is such a huge help BEFORE the wedding, as well. Just knowing she was there if I had a problem, and was going to be there on the big day, and knowing that I could email her at any time if I had a problem or just needed to talk, was HUGE for me. She was an invaluable part of my planning process, and helped me keep what little sanity I had left, so that I could actually enjoy my wedding. If you are on the fence at all about hiring a DOC, you really must do so, and I cannot recommend the personalized and professional service from Christine and her team enough.

A tip if you are using a DOC (any DOC) – if you are having the world’s longest wedding, like I did, your DOC will probably leave before the end of the night. Christine left with about one hour left of our after-party (after working a 12 hour day!). Unfortunately, there were problems with the last two vendors of the night (a late bellydancer, and missing shuttles) and we didn’t have those vendors’ phone numbers. Thankfully, I have internet on my phone and was able to find their numbers anyway, but it would have been much easier had I gotten the numbers from Christine before she left. I was in such a “Christine will handle it” mode all day, I forgot that things could still go wrong after she left and then I’d actually have to deal with them! So, that is my advice for brides-to-be – if your DOC leaves before the event is over, remember that things can still go wrong, so make sure you have all relevant phone numbers handy!"

Photo by Willi Wong

Bonnie & Paul
10.05.07 – The Metropolitan

Coordinator: Christine

"DOC – Christine Viola, Exquisite Affairs – A+

From the very beginning I knew I wanted a day of coordinator. I’m not that detail oriented and knew it would be helpful to have someone with me the whole day to help me out if a problem popped up or if I forgot something crucial or something. First of all, if not for Christine, I’d STILL be trying to button my gown! I forgot my gown had buttons and I knew when my MOH got married her mom had the toughest time buttoning her gown up and needed this big sewing needle! My mom would never figure it out so I asked Christine about it. Using a letter opener (I think that’s what she used) and her skill she buttoned me right up! First potential disaster averted ? The second slight bump in the road was that I asked my florist to provide two roses to use during the ceremony but I totally forgot to specify which colors (my bad!) so they came, but they were white. In the ceremony reading, my officiant refers to them as red roses. Whoops! So I told Christine and she pulled some red roses from the bouquets, replaced them with the white and re-wrapped them. They looked gorgeous! Christine was there for everything and anything that I needed and always available if I emailed her a question. When I ran into an issue with my BM dresses, she stepped right in and went above and beyond to help solve the problem. And again, (you’ll notice a theme here!) from the minute we met I felt like I was working with a friend. That was so crucial for me. We clicked, she was so much fun, and made me laugh. I knew I would be Ok with her by my side! I cannot say enough how “above and beyond” she went!"

Photo by Kenny Pang

Tara & Ash

09.28.07 – C.V. Rich Mansion

Coordinator: Christine

"Christine from Exquisite Affairs A++++++++++. I can honestly say that hiring Christine as my DOC was the best decision that I ever made. She was able to keep me calm throughout the day and made sure that the whole day ran smoothly. She made sure that a microphone system was set up when the band forgot to do it and was there for all the minor snags that happened. Christine is a great person and my friends and family loved her! Everyone was saying that they loved her and when they get married they want her number! She was really on the ball and never lost her calm. I will give a more detailed review to give Christine full justice but she is a great person and did a wonderful job . i highly recommend her to anyone looking for a DOC."

Photo by Kenny Pang

Sarah & Keith

09.16.07 – Bryant Park Grill

Coordinator: Hollie

"I used Hollie from Exquisite Affairs Productions.
She was awesome!"

She executed all my details perfectly and also listened to me complain about a couple of things during the wedding day. She helped me maintain my sanity! Really really great, A+++.

She cleaned up my apartment, helped keep the bridal party in order, picked up my personal flowers on the way into the city and has a great happy personality that is fun to be around. Even though her grandma was sick on the day of my wedding, she still was there for my every need. She was such a trooper. My bridesmaids knew they could go to her with anything. She also came back to my apartment before the reception started (I think she ran by the way, since she could not find a cabby!) to get our marriage license. I cannot believe I forgot it.

She was in contact with me often before the wedding and was always checking in to see how I was doing.

Seriously, this will be the best money you spend because she is great. Book her now! I think her schedule is almost full for next year! www.exquisiteaffairsproductions.com

Dora & Angel
09.15.07 – Beckwith Pointe

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

"We had the pleasure to work with Christine (CAEid) and Tara. Despite being our day of coordinator, Christine was always very responsive to any wedding-related question that I posed during the planning process and stayed as long as necessary during our in-person meetings. Additionally, she stepped in a few times when I need her help with some vendors who were being a tad difficult and needed a neutral person to mediate. She has a lovely personality as I’m sure you can all tell from her posts on this board. Love you!

Tara attended and coordinated our rehearsal. Our familes and bridal party lined up like little ducks all in a row for her! I need her at home!

By way of background, our ceremony was at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and reception at Beckwith Pointe in New Rochelle. Christine was there bright and early on the morning of the wedding and saved us all on a number of occasions! Examples: (1) She had ENVELOPES in her mighty box of day-of trinkets that I used to put vendor payments in because I forgot them. (2) She helped with emergency BM dress alterations (My top-heavy BMs, all neglected to get their dresses appropriately fixed in advance despite prior instructions). (3) FI/now DH was truly touched and impressed that Christine sewed his jacket button back on after it popped off!

You may be thinking "these people are easy to impress." Not so! As the name implies, I’m an attorney. Prior to this career, I was actualy in special events planning (with public relations and marketing degrees). My younger brother was my right hand doing the planning process (also has a marketing degree and works for a major fashion company). Despite all of this, Christine and Tara’s help was invaluable!

When Christine arrived on the morning-of, she had an added bonus: Tara was also going to assist at the ceremony! Surprise! Two for the price of one! Additionally, I searched high and low for many weeks for a unity candle holder but couldn’t find one that I liked. Finally, 2 nights before the wedding, I texted Christine on the off-shot that she had one just laying around. Ding, Ding, Ding! I win! She had one and was more than happy to let us borrow it for the ceremony!

I have no doubt that there were probably other catastrophes that she took care for us and just don’t know about it. That’s the beauty of it all: if anything went wrong that day, WE STILL DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT! Which, I think, is the greatest testament to them! As a result of their hard work, not only did DH and I have a great time, but our guests all had a lovely time! Everyone to date has RAVED about how smoothly everything went and meshed together.

So, if you’re looking for a FANTASTIC coordinator and/or planner, do yourself AND YOUR GUESTS a favor and hire Exquisite Affairs Productions! All of the ladies there are equally talented and their pricing can’t be beat!

Did I mention that I LOVE EXQUISITE AFFAIRS PRODUCTIONS? "

Photo by Julia Newman

Gabrielle & Michael

09.14.07 – The George Washington Manor

Coordinator: Christine

“Christine from Exquisite Affairs Productions was all that I could have asked for and more, in a Day Of Coordinator. She also painstakingly designed and created my pocketfold invitations, menus, table numbers, votive placecard holders, ceremony programs and childrens’ gift bags! Her attention to detail, calmness under pressure and organization is unparalleled!! I highly recommend Christine and all of the ladies at EAP without reservation!! A+++++++++++++ “

Jessica & Ariel
09.08.07 – Astra NYC

Coordinator: Hollie

“Hollie – I have not had a chance to email you and the vendors to say thank you for the great job everyone did. The honeymoon was great, very relaxing and we did have a great time. Hope things are well and THANK YOU for such a wonderful job and being on top of things.”

Vita Marie & James Patrick
09.08.07 – Villa Lombardi’s

Coordinator: Christine

"Dear Christine: I do not know what I would have done without you. Without you we would not have been able to enjoy the beginning part of our wedding. From the very first email I received from you, it felt like you were more than a vendor, more like a friend. You helped us with last minute invite issues. Petal cones, donation cards and programs that I would have liked to make myself but didn’t have the time you came through for us and we appreciated it more than you’ll ever know. Thank you for helping us out with our limo problems. We probably wouldn’t have been able to take any pictures at OWG without you and would have most likely missed our cocktail hour arguing with them. But you were able to handle all of it for us. There really are no words to express how grateful we are that you were there. Thank you so much and I look forward to seeing you at other friend’s weddings!!!"

Photo by Karen Wise

Janice & Chris

09.02.07 – Angel Orensanz Foundation

Coordinator: Christine & Lauren

Hi Christine: We just wanted to thank you again for a seamless wedding. We LOVED working with you. And you made our night so wonderful and easy."

Jennifer & Sean

08.25.07 – Bridgewater’s

Coordinator: Christine

"Day of Coordinator: Christine Viola,
Exquisite Affairs: A++"

"When I first spoke to Christine about being my DOC, she described her role as advocate for the bride and groom. She certainly was that to us on our wedding day. She was easy to work with, very well organized and a great comfort to have there. Between fixing my bustle at least 5 times, rounding up and organizing the 23 members of our bridal party and, at the end of the night, lugging all of the MANY items back to our hotel (at 1:30 in the morning to boot) that we had asked her to, she was invaluable to us. Although Bridgewaters provided us with a captain, maitre d’ and a bridal attendant (and thus some would say a DOC was not necessary), we are so happy that we hired Christine. She was the only person there from the start of the day (i.e., while we were getting ready at the hotel) till the end (as mentioned, until she had brought every last item back to our hotel). I would DEFINITELY recommend Christine to any bride who wants to enjoy her wedding and not have to concern herself with anything but having a great time."

Photo by Gulnara Samoilova

Pascale & Colin
08.18.07 – Majestic Star Yacht

Coordinator: Christine

"Hi Christine: I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated all of your hard work to make our day so special not only for us but also for our guests. They all seem to think that they have attended a "Platinum Wedding" and one month after, I am still getting calls thanking us for the invitation. All of this would not be possible without your attention to detail, accepting last minute projects that truly added to the beauty of our wedding. Your organizational skills really kept me on track so once again thank you very much. "

Photo by Something in Blue

April & Cassell
07.28.07 – Habor Club

Coordinator: Christine

"Day Of Coordinator-A+++++
Christine @ EAP was the BOMB!!!!!!!! She totally rocks. She calmed me down in my bridezilla meltdown about 3 weeks prior to the wedding. She answered all my questions and concerns. It was so nice to hear “I’ll take care of it” “Done, Take Care of”. She created our programs, votive place cards, memorial candle and bar menus. She directed the RH and came through at the 11h hour with favor tags, petal cones and cake topper. She was my insurance for the wedding. Love her personality and she is fabulous at what she does."

Photo by Brett Matthews

Renee & Dwayne
07.07.07 – deSeversky Mansion

Coordinator: Christine

"Day Of Cordinator; Christine Viola A++++++

Oh… Where do I start. Christine was one of the first brides I met on here at an 06 GTG… yep that’s right… there were hardly any 07 brides on LIW when I first joined so I crashed the 06 boards and their get-togethers! Christine was hysterical, we got along great! We always kept in touch thru LIWeddings, and when she became a DOC and since I needed a DOC I felt she was the perfect match for me, seeing her plan her entire wedding and her attention to detail matched my anal retentiveness perfectly!

On the day of the wedding, she showed up right on time, was there to help me get dressed since it was a mad chaos at my house, and just was by my side throughout the entire wedding. I really had no worries the entire day, that’s exactly why I wanted a DOC, I didn’t want to worry about anything (well except the White Castle which was over when it showed up). If I were to ask Christine I think she would say I was pretty easy to work with… maybe too easy because I was so laid back I think she kind of had to keep on top of me since I was pretty much… “ahhhh whatever happens happens, I am not going to stress today…” but I also think this is why I was late for the Church, and probably would have been later if it wasn’t for Christine pushing my a$$ to move!

I absolutely love Christine, I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to do the job, and I know that I will keep in touch with Christine from time to come. I honestly was so thrilled and honored to work with such a talented woman. She is just “Exquisite”!"

Erin & Jaime
07.01.07 – La Piazzetta

Coordinator: Christine

"Christine Viola: Exquisite Affairs: What can I say about Christine? I only needed her for a couple of hours on the day of–or so I thought! If I could go back in time I would have hired her for the whole day because my BP turned into a bunch of ditzes on the day of and I think I could’ve used someone to give a little direction to all of the people traveling from the church to my Mom’s and then to the restaurant. But that is neither here nor there… Anyway, I originally heard about Christine and inquired about her services for the day of. I really needed a woman’s touch at the restaurant and someone who could make sure things went smoothly over there. Upon meeting with Christine, DH and I were thoroughly impressed. She is highly professional and well prepared. we booked her for three hours on the day of. Christine handled all of my questions as if I had hired her a full fledged planner! She responds to all e-mails with lightning speed and as a fellow Brooklyn girl, she knew all of my vendors and my concerns for each of them. I met with Christine a couple of days before the wedding and she totally calmed my nerves. Christine handled my unusual reception very well and I have nothing but praise for her. She met me at the limo, gave me a kiss, brought me to the back to bustle my gown, fixed a table that was put in the wrong place, set up the guest book etc. She was just what I needed. Also–her creative work is outstanding! If you need someone to design programs, menus etc, she’s your woman. She did my programs which brought tears to people’s eyes and my menus, which were gorgeous and so very useful. I was so happy at the reception when I saw people studying the menus and talking about the choices. She also made my matching placecards and table numbers. So lovely! If you don’t need a DOC, and you are DIY challenged, reach out to her. She’s a master of all things wedding related. "

Photo by Danny Weiss

Brie & Brian
06.30.07 – The Westside Loft

Coordinator: Christine & Qiana

"For the year and a half leading up to the wedding, our family and the two of us had been working every detail possible to make our wedding perfect for us. We had so many different vendors and so many different ideas that at times it felt overwhelming to say the least. Thankfully, Christine was able to tie everything together for us and really allow us and our loved ones to enjoy our special day. Whether it was split-second email correspondence or calling our vendors when we just couldn’t get to it, or even tying the groomsman’s bowties while taking calls from the event site, she really knew how to make our lives easier. The culmination of all this was the exact wedding we envisioned, and we couldn’t have done it without Christine’s help.
THANKS CHRISTINE!!!!"

Stephanie & Ash
06.23.07 – Crest Hollow Country Club

Coordinator: Christine

All I can say is that all the services rendered by Exquisite Affairs were phenomenal!
They truly went above and beyond the call of duty not only for the day of but way before it had even started.

Let me start out by saying we had a pretty big wedding. 1 maid of honor, 9 bridesmaids, 1 best man, 9 groomsmen, approximately 120 family members combined from both sides, and about 275 guest, a total of 416 people to be exact- Exquisite Affairs followed through with grace and elegance through any trouble faced that day- and we definitely did have our share. I was just so happy to have Christine there- she helped us stick to our time schedule and delivered an excellent performance throughout the day with supernatural powers.

Christine was there for me from the minute I started getting ready for my wedding to the church, during the ceremony and all the way through seating, dress changing, eating, and drinking and dancing at the reception a full twelve hour day.

Above And Beyond: Last minute, literally 2 days to go, I needed 65 boutonnieres and 46 corsages for family on both sides, to please both moms- Christine came through with her recommended florist, no fuss, no push backs, no questions, just helped in the only way she could which was to place the order for me and pick them up on the day of on her way to me.

Duty Calls: After the ceremony my photographer had made us make a list of pictures we needed taken with family along with our bridal party. With 120 family members you can’t pick and choose which one of your mom’s or your dad’s brothers and sisters will you take pictures with- it was all or nothing. So Christine stood there for about 1 hour and a half helping call out families and cousins with names hard to prenunciate off of the lists and made it go very smoothly and successfully. We finished 1 hour before we had projected.

Phenomenal: The day of, my maid of honor and her sister, also one of my bridesmaids, realize they forgot to pick up their dresses to change into for the reception after the bridal party had taken pictures. At that point, I said just forget the dresses and stay in your gowns we’ll be fine, Christine offered to go and pick them up while the bridal party enjoyed our share of appetizers and drinks in our bridal suite.

Exceptional: Christine made it back in plenty of time from picking up the dresses my maid of honor and my bridesmaid had forgot to pick up. She got back and she was ready to resolve seating chart issues- I mean dealing with 416 people and seating we knew we were going to have some unhappy people stealing seats. As mentioned earlier Christine came through with grace and elegance and I honestly wouldn’t have survived without her.

Initially we had wanted to hire Christine for her services to yell(I mean voice our opinions) at people (photographer, bridal party, family) on the day of our wedding to keep us on schedule and keep things moving, because we didn’t want to look like the bad guys and seem upset on our day. It turned out she assisted us in so many ways that truly my husband and I feel we will always be greatful for her being there on our wedding day for the rest of our life! Everything done by Exquisite Affairs was excellent and handled with a fabulous professional attitude!
They truly are EXQUISITE!

Photo by Lauren Rutten Photography

Camille & Anton
06.22.07 – Battery Gardens

Coordinator: Christine

"Day of Coordinator – Christine Viola of Exquisite Affairs – A+++++++++++++++++++++++
I couldn’t have done it without Christine, she was absolutely PHENOMENAL!!!! She gave me great advice throughout the planning process, was always there to calm me down in the midst of freaking out about little stuff, and kept me focused. The day of was the first time that I met Christine in person but I felt like we were old friends!! She took care of everything on the day of and was a true GOD SEND!! I would recommend her with ALL MY HEART, she was such a sweetheart and organized everything to a tee!! To the point that she even had my slippers waiting under the table when I finally sat down to eat a little bit!! Absolutely outstanding, great job, you get the point,
she was ALL THAT!!!"

Tamra & Noah

06.16.07 – Stewart Manor Country Club

Coordinator: Hollie

"Hollie from Exquisite Affairs Productions A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Words cannot describe how great Hollie was on my wedding day. She came to my hotel room hours before the wedding and worked non stop to make sure everything went smoothly. She went way above and beyond what I imagined a DOC would do. From steaming the BM dresses and ironing their shawls to making sure I had a bite to eat at the cocktail hour, bustling me when my bustle kept breaking, and ensuring that my husband and I were having a good time. She is also a nice, sweet person who helped me keep my cool when people at the wedding tried to stress me out.
After the wedding I had many family and friends tell me how great she was, weeks later people still raved about her. Hollie helped to make sure that my wedding was the best day that it could be. She also took a TON of great pictures that she emailed to me right after the wedding. My mother in law even stated that she should go into a photography since the photos looked so professional. Hollie was an excellent DOC and I highly highly recommend her!! "

Lorena & Pierre
06.09.07 – The World Yacht

Coordinator: Christine

"Dear Christine, We just wanted to say thanks for everything. YOU ARE THE BEST and much more then that…our wedding wouldn’t be possible without you.

Our family and friends truly think that you are terrific and all of my single friends that are thinking of getting married already have your phone numbers.

Once again THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!"

 

Kristy & Russell
06.08.07 – Chateau Briand

Coordinator: Hollie

"Hi, our names are Kristy & Russell, we were just married on June 8, 2007 at St. Dominic R.C. Chapel in Oyster Bay and our reception was held at the Chateau Briand in Carle Place, NY.

We had the pleasure of having Hollie Pena Holmes of Exquisite Affair Productions as our “Day of Wedding Coordinator”. Hollie was by far such an extraordinary lady who worked so hard every step of the way, making our wedding day a “Dream Come True”. Her care and concern for us that day by far exceeded all of our expectations. When we ran into a major dilemma or two the day of our wedding, which did happen, she was there to make sure it was taken care of, letting us enjoy our “Magical Day”. We couldn’t imagine having "Our Wedding Day" without her, either could my mom who is still raving about her. This puts the biggest smile on all of our faces and she will ever hold a special place in our hearts. Thanks again for making our Wedding Day a “Love of a Lifetime"

 

Photo by Leli Photography

Jennifer & Christopher
06.03.07 – Chateau La Mer

Coordinator: Christine

"Exquisite Affairs Productions, Christine (DOC) – A+

We booked with Christine only a few months before our wedding when we had to cancel our original DOC. Christine was so sweet and answered every question and email right away. When we finally met I absolutely loved her – so fun and adorable…and organized like me. I felt so comfortable leaving everything in her hands.

The day of the wedding she picked up lunch for everyone. She arrived a tiny bit late due to traffic, but she made up for lost time quickly. She fixed my MOH’s dress, helped me dress, took our photographer to see the guys, set up the church, and took care of the bridal party until we arrived at the hall. She stayed with us through all the pictures and even re-curled my hair after it rained. She was everywhere – I honestly don’t know how she does it. She gave me piece of mind that day. I didn’t worry about ANYTHING! "

 

Giselle & Timmy
05.27.07 – El Caribe

Coordinator: Christine

"DOC- Christine- Exquisite Affairs Productions A+++++
When I announced my engagement, one of my aunts told me that I should hire a coordinator, she told me “You can’t do it all and you need that shield.” I am very happy I listened, you need that DOC to ensure all goes well, to ensure everything that you planned is in place and to iron out all the kinks and no wedding day is without kinks. A DOC was the second best investment for my wedding day (the hall was the first). I got to enjoy my day without the stress and worries of what went wrong.

I had never met Christine but via FMs had asked her questions and she was always quite helpful, when I heard she went into business I contacted her immediately (1) to congratulate her and (2) to hire her for my wedding. I had two meetings with Christine the first she went over her packages and services I booked her on the spot (but IMO she provided more services to me that the package I picked), she really had herself together (like she been in business for 10+ years) and her personality was just amazing, I was impressed. The final meeting we met for three hours maybe more and not once did I feel rushed she sat there patiently going over detail after detail with me. On the day of my wedding Christine was like superwoman, she arrived on time, ensured that I ate breakfast and drank lots of water. She went to the church a little before I did, took the guys boutonnieres and MOG corsage and pinned them all at the church. DH told me after that someone had walked on my aisle runner and ripped it but by the time I got to the church it was all fixed up I did not even notice Christine had taken care of it. After the ceremony, we went to take pictures she went to the hall to make sure things were perfect. When I arrived at the hall Christine took me to my bridal suite and helped my sister bustle me up, my sister could not remember how to bustle me up (we were doing shots all day) Christine did all she could even brought out a kit with some huge safety pins and pinned up the rest (the pins did not even show).

Although I hired Christine for my DOC, I asked her questions throughout the remaining portion of my planning process and she was always prompt to get back to me, she even answered once from her vacation. Family members even commented on Christine’s professionalism and how much she was on top of things. I honestly feel I could not have hired a better woman for the job. Anyone looking for a DOC Christine is the way to go and if you are already booked with her you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

 

Photo by Jennifer Davis Photography

Chantal & Ken

05.26.07 – Angel Orensanz Foundation

Coordinator: Christine

"I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for everything on our wedding day. Ken and I were talking this week and we both agree that you were so invaluable to us.

You were so on the ball with all the little details. Because of you, we were able to relax and have a blast, dancing and eating. My family is still raving about how efficient you were.

I said it before and I’ll say it to you, I don’t think you charge enough for such an important service. You are really great at your job, and I will definitely recommend you to everyone I know who’s getting married.

Thank you again"

Photo by Kenny Pang

Bethany & Mihai
05.26.07 – Branch

Coordinator: Hollie

"Hollie Pena Holmes of Exquisite Affairs Productions,A+

Hollie MADE our wedding. Without her, I don’t know what we would have done. She says we would have gotten married. I say yeah, but that’s about it. I ain’t gon’ lie, the day of was very, very stressful! If Hollie hadn’t been there I think I would have broken down. I’m sure she was a little freaked out too because things were kind of all over the place, but she never let on. She was cool as a cucumber throughout, running the show, and tossing everything into place, turning a maddening event into the most beautiful day of our lives.

I laugh whenever I think about how I was about to not hire a DOC. Seriously, I laugh. Things did go wrong throughout the day, vendors had questions, people were running a little wild…if I had to be the go-to person at my own wedding I would not have been happy. If you can AT ALL afford to hire a DOC, I say do it!

Hollie also ran our rehearsal, which I don’t think I could have done on my own. My wild bridal party would not have listened to me. She did a great job.

Finally, this woman is also just a total sweetheart. I felt throughout the process that she was genuinely there for me, that she would do anything to keep me happy and at peace. Sigh, she’s the best!"

Emily & Brian
05.19.07 – Fox Hollow

Coordinator: Christine

"I used our very own Christine from Exquisite Affairs Productions (chrissynricky on here). She was amazing! Even though I technically only hired her for day of coordination, she was more than available for pre-wedding issues. She saved me thousands upon thousands of dollars on everything from menus to invites to the rehearsal dinner location. And I don’t have enough words for her on the day of. Seriously – this girl singlehandedly ironed all of my bridesmaid dresses, made sure the ceremony was exactly right, and made sure I got to attend the cocktail hour when the photographer was getting greedy.

The entire day was perfect and so much of it is because of the professional, wonderful nature of Christine. Seriously, you all need to hire her right now."

Susan & Gary
05.05.07 – Columbus Citizens Foundation

Coordinator: Christine

"Christine, Just wanted to thank you so much for all the work yesterday at our wedding. Everything was wonderful, and you were a big help for me. Appreciate it. Hope you have great success going forward with your new business."

Juliana & Robert
04.29.07 – Flowerfield’s

Coordinator: Christine

“Dear Christine,

There will never be enough ways or words tot hank you for everything you did for Bobby and I throughout all of the wedding planning. I instantly knew when I met you that I wanted you as my DOC. Your warm and kind words made me feel at ease and very comfortable to have you with me on my special day. You were always there for me with the right answer and the best advice when I annoyed you a million times in the day. Without you, my wedding day would have not been possible and that is the truth.

You were an amazing DOC who always made me feel as if I were your only client. You weren’t just my DOC, you were my “wedding planner” in so many ways. You gave me great advice and sent to me to some awesome vendors (Nicole D’Angio, Flower Michelle, Leli Photography.) You gave me your honest opinion when I switched photographers, did an amazing job with my placecards and rose petals and made sure John at Flower Michelle had my centerpieces in the main room before I even went in it. I am so glad that I had you as my DOC and wouldn’t have h ad the perfect day without you.

I couldn’t ask for more or better. You are an amazing person with huge talent and will be very successful with your business. You should be very proud. I wish I could do it all again – I wouldn’t change a thing. Bobby and I greatly appreciate everything and we want you to know how very thankful we are. We are and always will be forever thankful.”

Christi & Brett

04.28.07 – Timber Point Country Club

Coordinator: Christine & Hollie

A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ok yes they get all those pluses and MORE… just keep imagining more and that’s how great they were… best vendor by far.

The week before I didn’t have to stress , Christine was on top of everything… I never actually met her before the day of the wedding but we chatted on the phone.. I had another DOC hired but I had “that” gut feeling, there was a lack of communication and such so had to let her go.. she didn’t do anything horrible just didn’t feel comfortable with her anymore.. so I went with Christine about 2 months before the wedding… I sent her all my spreadsheets (im biiig on spread sheets) she didn’t think I was nuts! That’s great right there…

Day of the wedding Christine and Hollie showed up and just took control of the show… I have no idea what I would have done without them there… they made everything work and work perfectly…. I can’t even start to describe everything they did for me and my husband.. and my bridal party and fam… my mother thought I was nutty for hiring someone since I was so organized; 1 hour in she’s like wow now I know why you did…. They were there to fix my dress when I broke the hook/eye while breathing haha, fixed two or three bridesmaids dresses , a tux button, the list goes on and on…. Hollie was there at every turn with a camera too, that was awesome especially after my sister busted my camera… that really meant a lot… she also had me putting on lipstick , helped me go to the bathroom… all those fun things!

Christine and Hollie really went above and beyond what I could have even imagined they would do and they did it all without breaking a sweat it seemed…. I could honestly go on and on… Kudos to them….. The matr’d even gave them a huge compliment when we were done.. he said ‘’I usually haaate coordinators b/c they are pushy and horrible to deal with, but your ladies were fantastic”…. So everyone from me and my husband, to my family/bridal party to the hall LOVED them… "

Mary & Brian
03.17.07 – The Swan Club

Coordinator: Christine

"Hello Christine, Thank you again for all that you did for us that day. I can honestly say that I got to enjoy every part of the day. Not once did someone ask me for clarification or anything. We got to enjoy our cocktail hour, dance, and talk to each table. Not too many people can say that. Again thank you. Things went very smoothly for us."

Photo by Lilian Haidar

Ray & Peter
01.20.07 – The W Hotel

Coordinator: Christine

"Where do I start? Christine was a godsend. I had strong misgivings about the ability of the staff at my venue to properly handle anything, given our catering manager’s flakyness, so when my mom suggested we needed a DOC (Day or Coordinator) because she actually wanted to be able to enjoy her day, I was not about to argue. And honestly, things would have been NIGHTMARISH if we hadn’t had a DOC.

From making me an adorable little card box to running interference between our photographer and our church (who suddenly didn’t want photos taken during the ceremony??!) and keeping on top of the schedule of events for the reception and I’m sure TONS of little things behind the scenes that I was thankfully never aware of, it was one of the best investments we made.

Not to mention, Christine is a doll. She is sweet yet totally willing to be tough if she has to be. She is great with communication; e-mails get answered nearly instantly. Friends and family both raved about how nice it was having Christine around. I only regret that she may well have seen some of my worst moments, being a stress monkey. But if she did, she never let on. And I love her for that, too.

Photo by Aga Images

Jennifer & Larry
12.28.07 – Tribeca Rooftop

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

An absolutely amazing job done by Christine, she was so patient, just an awesome person and a friendly face to have around on “wedding day”. She did a great job of coordinating all my vendors, my guests, wedding party, etc, etc. The day flowed beautifully with Christine in my corner. I would highly recommend her to any of my friends or family looking to plan an event.

Photo by A. Perry Heller

Kate & Alex
12.01.07 – The W Hotel-Union Square

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

"Day-of-Coordinator – Christine Viola, Exquisite Affairs Productions: A+

Hiring Christine was probably the best single decision we made! She was an enormous help and our day ran so smoothly! She attended to a million details and kept everything moving. I HIGHLY recommend hiring a day-of-coordinator (even for budget-conscious brides) and can’t imagine anyone doing a better job than Christine."

Photo by Angelica Glass

Kristin & Rick
11.24.07 – The Metropolitan

Coordinator: Hollie

"Hollie, I cannot thank you enough for the amazing job that you did at our wedding! From confirming with vendors before the wedding day, to carrying my train all morning while at the park (in the freezing cold!), to calming my nerves before I walked down the aisle, you were right there when I needed some extra help. Throughout the day you always made sure that I was ok and made sure I didn’t need anything. Not only are you a wonderful coordinator, you are also such a great person, and I would highly recommend you to any future brides! Thank you again for all your help! "

Nicole & Richard

11.23.07 – Fox Hollow

Coordinator: Christine

You can’t go wrong with Christine Viola and the entire staff at Exquisite Affairs Productions.

I couldn’t have been any more pleased with Christine throughout my entire planning process, and she really went above and beyond in all aspects.

I’ve recommended her to many many brides to be, and I will continue to do so.

Looking forward to seeing her at my sister’s wedding, too!

Photo by Danny Weiss

Sarah & Matt
11.17.07 – Terrace on the Park

Coordinator: Christine, Tara & Irina

"DOC: A
Exquisite Affairs Productions

ChristineV@ExquisiteAffairsProductions.com

I’m a believer. Christine was helpful in the 8 months before- checking in, being friendly, doing a little bit of research. Then in the 2 months before she kicked it into high gear, even when I had the littlest family drama or was feeling stressed… she’d coach me. She removed stress from my life. Just took care of everything, mediated crises, made great suggestions. It was so helpful, when you are suddenly struggling to make the stupid decisions, she’d just swoop in and fix it. One month before she came to our house for 4 hours and interviewed us on absolutely everything to get a sense of our judgment so she could take care of everything at the wedding. And she did. I am sure tons of stuff went wrong at our wedding- there were 300 people and a million rooms to pull together, a band and a dj etc etc, and she took care of everything. She even brought someone to man the guestbook table. I worship her. I would trust her with anything. "

Liz & Mike

11.11.07 – Woodbury Country Club

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

Day of Coordinator – Christine Viola of Exquisite Affairs Productions A++++++++++
Last but not least was my DOC Christine Viola. The first time I met with Christine I knew I was going to like her. She was so down to earth and what I liked was that she started her business after planning her own wedding. I didn’t know at first if I wanted a DOC and if in the long run it would be worth it. She wasn’t overly expensive, not like other DOC’s that I have seen and inquired about, and she was so nice and easy to talk to. I booked her for my wedding and at first, I didn’t really utilize her services much. It wasn’t until about a month before the wedding that I really needed her help and she was my life saver.

I had become so wrapped up in my job that all the DIY projects that I had planned to do for the wedding fell to the waste side and pushed to the back burner. I knew that I wanted to do donation favor cards since we had made a donation to the MS Society (in honor of my mother) in addition to our favors and I also wanted to make menus for each table and table names for each table, instead of the table numbers used by the hall. Thank Goodness for Christine. For the price of only the supplies, which I would have had to buy on my own anyway, she was willing to do all of those for me so that I wouldn’t have to. I was super relieved. This way, I would be able to have the special DIY projects that I wanted but since I didn’t have the time to do them, Christine would do them for me. It was such a weight off my back. I also was going to make a card box for the wedding but again, Christine came to the rescue and told me that I could borrow her bird cage for the day of the wedding for all the cards. Again, Christine saved me. A month before the wedding, she came over to my house to go over the run down of my wedding day. She was so professional but at the same time, she was so cool to just sit and talk to. She was very organized and had everything all together for my special day. She was also the one who suggested that I have Mia put the extensions in my hair the day of the wedding so that my hair would look more full and stay curly all night like I wanted despite the japanese straightening. She called all of my vendors weeks before the wedding to ensure that everything was good to go and that they understood the run down of the day. This took A LOT of pressure off of me since I was still stressed out about work as well as getting ready to become a Mrs. Her suggestions were more than helpful. She was also a life saver, as I explained before, when the disaster struck and we had to change the “bridal getting ready spot” from my mom’s in Brooklyn to the 4 Points Sheraton in Long Island. She contacted every vendor, while also keeping me sane, and told them about the change and everything worked out smoothly. She worked every last detail out for my wedding and I couldn’t thank her enough. Looking back, I wish I had hired her to run the rehearsal too since the woman who did clearly had no clue and I know that Christine was on her game and understood how these rehearsals worked. But hindsight is 20/20.

The day of the wedding, she was on time and ready to get to work. She helped the girls with whatever they needed, she brought some food with her I believe and kept forcing me to eat and yelling at me if she didn’t see me eat, which was very sweet even though at the time I found it annoying since everyone had been hounding me that morning about eating. I gave her the money envelopes for all the vendors and I had complete faith in her. She had done nothing to make me not trust her and this was her job and she was very professional about it. As we were leaving the hotel, I freaked out because I hadn’t really packed all of my stuff and I was scared that we had forgotten things and then I didn’t see everything and I totally had a panic attack. However, my bridesmaids informed me that Christine was on top of it and she had grabbed everything and put it all in the trunk of the limo and in her car. I was so relieved. Christine was always by my side for the remainder of the day, making sure that we had everything and that I was ok. She even joked with me at one point and said that I was one of the most self sufficient brides since I didn’t really need much help. She helped coordinate the girls during the ceremony line up and again once they were all outside. She handled all of the tips and payments for the day and I never even noticed that it was being done. I kept asking my vendors to see Christine before they left and they kept telling me that she had already taken care of them. I was super happy with that. She helped me take my veil off after the first dance and placed it in the wedding dress bag so that it didn’t get lost or ruined. She told my MOH to keep the lipstick for me in her bouquet so that if I needed to freshen up, it was close by so I could have access to it quickly. This kind of backfired a little because the suggestion gave way to my other bridesmaids placing their cigarettes in their bouquets which in turn started to turn their bouquets brown from the tobacco.

Christine was awesome and she was so helpful throughout the day. I thought a DOC was a luxury and an extra that wasn’t completely necessary but it was nice to have. Well, I feel very lucky to have had her and if it hadn’t been for her, things may not have run as smoothly as they did that day! She is great and is highly recommended. She has inspired me and now I want to become a wedding planner…maybe she’ll hire me! LOL.

Photo by Duet Photography

Kathy & Scott
11.02.07 – Jericho Terrace

Coordinator: Hollie

"Yesterday was one of the funniest and best days of my life. I’m finally Mrs. N!!!!!!
I cannot even begin to tell you how wonderful Hollie Pena Holmes (Day of Coordinator) was! She is the perfect mix of professional and down to earth. I recommend her to any bride to be for a stress free wedding. Hollie you are AMAZING!!!! "

Guadalupe & Adrian
10.20.07 – Dante Caterers

Coordinator: Hollie

DOC – Hollie, Exquisite Affairs Productions A+++++++++++++++

The best, for last – There are no words to describe my gratitude towards Hollie and what she did for me that day. She popped in while we were getting Hair & Make Up and snapped away, asked if I was okay, offered to get me anything that I needed, was totally accommodating. I met up with her again at church and again, she did it all. Aisle runner, petal cones, touching up on decoration, cry packs, she really made sure all of the touches that I worked on were there and noticed. At the reception hall, she made sure everything was as planned, really took over making sure I felt comfortable, always one step ahead, really just doing everything that I couldn’t cause I was greeting family and catching up with everyone. The very next day I had over 200 pictures emailed to me that she had taken throughout the day. She took care of all the tips, final payments, everything! She made sure whatever I took off (veil, shoes) was stored and packed ready to go home. Nothing was left behind and everything is accounted for, thanks to her attention to detail. Seriously girls, if you are even considering a DOC, Hollie is your girl!!

Photo by Kenny Pang

Kathleen & Andrew

10.13.07 – Tribeca Rooftop

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

"DOC: Christine Viola, Exquisite Affairs – A+

Christine is a life saver. I loved having her around all day! Really, truly, a fabulous vendor. She and Tara showed up right on time and were on top of things from the moment they walked in the door. They split up duty and Tara went and manned the hotel where most of the guests were staying and taking car service and shuttle buses back and forth to the venue. Thank God she did, because I totally underestimated the number of people that would be taking the shuttle and it had to make multiple trips. Christine and Tara handled it beautifully and it was, at least as far as I knew, no big deal. Christine took an ungodly amount of crap over to Tribeca for me… bridesmaids clothes, flower petals, etc. She went over early while we did pictures and handled everything! She really saved me from killing my mother on a few occasions and I just know that there were issues she took care of without my even knowing. Having Christine around all day was like having a good friend around that just knew what I was thinking all day! She really put my mind at ease with a few things and I can’t stress enough the importance of having a DOC. It was one of the best decisions I made. Thanks Christine and Tara!"

Photo by Duet Photography

Danielle & Joseph
10.06.07 – The Royalton

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

"DOC – Christine and Tara, Exquisite Affairs, www.exquisiteaffairsproductions.com, A+

Of course, Christine was amazing. She showed up around noon with her assistant, Tara (I didn’t even know Tara was coming, so that was a great surprise!). From the minute they walked in the door, my entire BP did not stop calling for Christine. I swear that girl’s ears must have been ringing after she left us!! Every little problem we had, we called for Christine. I thought she would get a little overwhelmed considering once she got there we all simultaneously all-of-a-sudden became completely incompetent and could no longer figure out anything for ourselves, but she just took it all in stride and handle each mini-crisis like a pro. One small example – literally the second Christine and Tara walked in the door my mom came out of her room with her dress on, and discovered for the first time that her bra stuck up out the top of her dress. Christine grabbed a needle and thread and sewed my mom’s bra down. Literally – within minutes of her arrival. Also, by the end of the night, I was suffering from a full-blown cold/sore throat/general sickness which started at the cocktail hour and got worse as the night went on, and I felt like crap. Before the after-party, Christine produced a Tylenol Cold from her bag of wonders which I took and was able to make it through till the end of the party.

There were definitely things that went wrong throughout the day, but honestly they were not things that Christine had any control over (buses getting lost and being late, the priest skipping part of our ceremony, the venue making the wrong flavor wedding cake, etc…) But each time something did go wrong, Christine (or Tara) was either already on top of it, or got on top of it as soon as I told them about it. They were a humongous help and a reassuring presence on our day.

But I think the BEST part about Christine is that she is such a huge help BEFORE the wedding, as well. Just knowing she was there if I had a problem, and was going to be there on the big day, and knowing that I could email her at any time if I had a problem or just needed to talk, was HUGE for me. She was an invaluable part of my planning process, and helped me keep what little sanity I had left, so that I could actually enjoy my wedding. If you are on the fence at all about hiring a DOC, you really must do so, and I cannot recommend the personalized and professional service from Christine and her team enough.

A tip if you are using a DOC (any DOC) – if you are having the world’s longest wedding, like I did, your DOC will probably leave before the end of the night. Christine left with about one hour left of our after-party (after working a 12 hour day!). Unfortunately, there were problems with the last two vendors of the night (a late bellydancer, and missing shuttles) and we didn’t have those vendors’ phone numbers. Thankfully, I have internet on my phone and was able to find their numbers anyway, but it would have been much easier had I gotten the numbers from Christine before she left. I was in such a “Christine will handle it” mode all day, I forgot that things could still go wrong after she left and then I’d actually have to deal with them! So, that is my advice for brides-to-be – if your DOC leaves before the event is over, remember that things can still go wrong, so make sure you have all relevant phone numbers handy!"

Photo by Willi Wong

Bonnie & Paul
10.05.07 – The Metropolitan

Coordinator: Christine

"DOC – Christine Viola, Exquisite Affairs – A+

From the very beginning I knew I wanted a day of coordinator. I’m not that detail oriented and knew it would be helpful to have someone with me the whole day to help me out if a problem popped up or if I forgot something crucial or something. First of all, if not for Christine, I’d STILL be trying to button my gown! I forgot my gown had buttons and I knew when my MOH got married her mom had the toughest time buttoning her gown up and needed this big sewing needle! My mom would never figure it out so I asked Christine about it. Using a letter opener (I think that’s what she used) and her skill she buttoned me right up! First potential disaster averted ? The second slight bump in the road was that I asked my florist to provide two roses to use during the ceremony but I totally forgot to specify which colors (my bad!) so they came, but they were white. In the ceremony reading, my officiant refers to them as red roses. Whoops! So I told Christine and she pulled some red roses from the bouquets, replaced them with the white and re-wrapped them. They looked gorgeous! Christine was there for everything and anything that I needed and always available if I emailed her a question. When I ran into an issue with my BM dresses, she stepped right in and went above and beyond to help solve the problem. And again, (you’ll notice a theme here!) from the minute we met I felt like I was working with a friend. That was so crucial for me. We clicked, she was so much fun, and made me laugh. I knew I would be Ok with her by my side! I cannot say enough how “above and beyond” she went!"

Photo by Kenny Pang

Tara & Ash

09.28.07 – C.V. Rich Mansion

Coordinator: Christine

"Christine from Exquisite Affairs A++++++++++. I can honestly say that hiring Christine as my DOC was the best decision that I ever made. She was able to keep me calm throughout the day and made sure that the whole day ran smoothly. She made sure that a microphone system was set up when the band forgot to do it and was there for all the minor snags that happened. Christine is a great person and my friends and family loved her! Everyone was saying that they loved her and when they get married they want her number! She was really on the ball and never lost her calm. I will give a more detailed review to give Christine full justice but she is a great person and did a wonderful job . i highly recommend her to anyone looking for a DOC."

Photo by Kenny Pang

Sarah & Keith

09.16.07 – Bryant Park Grill

Coordinator: Hollie

"I used Hollie from Exquisite Affairs Productions.
She was awesome!"

She executed all my details perfectly and also listened to me complain about a couple of things during the wedding day. She helped me maintain my sanity! Really really great, A+++.

She cleaned up my apartment, helped keep the bridal party in order, picked up my personal flowers on the way into the city and has a great happy personality that is fun to be around. Even though her grandma was sick on the day of my wedding, she still was there for my every need. She was such a trooper. My bridesmaids knew they could go to her with anything. She also came back to my apartment before the reception started (I think she ran by the way, since she could not find a cabby!) to get our marriage license. I cannot believe I forgot it.

She was in contact with me often before the wedding and was always checking in to see how I was doing.

Seriously, this will be the best money you spend because she is great. Book her now! I think her schedule is almost full for next year! www.exquisiteaffairsproductions.com

Dora & Angel
09.15.07 – Beckwith Pointe

Coordinator: Christine & Tara

"We had the pleasure to work with Christine (CAEid) and Tara. Despite being our day of coordinator, Christine was always very responsive to any wedding-related question that I posed during the planning process and stayed as long as necessary during our in-person meetings. Additionally, she stepped in a few times when I need her help with some vendors who were being a tad difficult and needed a neutral person to mediate. She has a lovely personality as I’m sure you can all tell from her posts on this board. Love you!

Tara attended and coordinated our rehearsal. Our familes and bridal party lined up like little ducks all in a row for her! I need her at home!

By way of background, our ceremony was at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and reception at Beckwith Pointe in New Rochelle. Christine was there bright and early on the morning of the wedding and saved us all on a number of occasions! Examples: (1) She had ENVELOPES in her mighty box of day-of trinkets that I used to put vendor payments in because I forgot them. (2) She helped with emergency BM dress alterations (My top-heavy BMs, all neglected to get their dresses appropriately fixed in advance despite prior instructions). (3) FI/now DH was truly touched and impressed that Christine sewed his jacket button back on after it popped off!

You may be thinking "these people are easy to impress." Not so! As the name implies, I’m an attorney. Prior to this career, I was actualy in special events planning (with public relations and marketing degrees). My younger brother was my right hand doing the planning process (also has a marketing degree and works for a major fashion company). Despite all of this, Christine and Tara’s help was invaluable!

When Christine arrived on the morning-of, she had an added bonus: Tara was also going to assist at the ceremony! Surprise! Two for the price of one! Additionally, I searched high and low for many weeks for a unity candle holder but couldn’t find one that I liked. Finally, 2 nights before the wedding, I texted Christine on the off-shot that she had one just laying around. Ding, Ding, Ding! I win! She had one and was more than happy to let us borrow it for the ceremony!

I have no doubt that there were probably other catastrophes that she took care for us and just don’t know about it. That’s the beauty of it all: if anything went wrong that day, WE STILL DON’T KNOW ABOUT IT! Which, I think, is the greatest testament to them! As a result of their hard work, not only did DH and I have a great time, but our guests all had a lovely time! Everyone to date has RAVED about how smoothly everything went and meshed together.

So, if you’re looking for a FANTASTIC coordinator and/or planner, do yourself AND YOUR GUESTS a favor and hire Exquisite Affairs Productions! All of the ladies there are equally talented and their pricing can’t be beat!

Did I mention that I LOVE EXQUISITE AFFAIRS PRODUCTIONS? "

Photo by Julia Newman

Gabrielle & Michael

09.14.07 – The George Washington Manor

Coordinator: Christine

“Christine from Exquisite Affairs Productions was all that I could have asked for and more, in a Day Of Coordinator. She also painstakingly designed and created my pocketfold invitations, menus, table numbers, votive placecard holders, ceremony programs and childrens’ gift bags! Her attention to detail, calmness under pressure and organization is unparalleled!! I highly recommend Christine and all of the ladies at EAP without reservation!! A+++++++++++++ “

Jessica & Ariel
09.08.07 – Astra NYC

Coordinator: Hollie

“Hollie – I have not had a chance to email you and the vendors to say thank you for the great job everyone did. The honeymoon was great, very relaxing and we did have a great time. Hope things are well and THANK YOU for such a wonderful job and being on top of things.”

Vita Marie & James Patrick
09.08.07 – Villa Lombardi’s

Coordinator: Christine

"Dear Christine: I do not know what I would have done without you. Without you we would not have been able to enjoy the beginning part of our wedding. From the very first email I received from you, it felt like you were more than a vendor, more like a friend. You helped us with last minute invite issues. Petal cones, donation cards and programs that I would have liked to make myself but didn’t have the time you came through for us and we appreciated it more than you’ll ever know. Thank you for helping us out with our limo problems. We probably wouldn’t have been able to take any pictures at OWG without you and would have most likely missed our cocktail hour arguing with them. But you were able to handle all of it for us. There really are no words to express how grateful we are that you were there. Thank you so much and I look forward to seeing you at other friend’s weddings!!!"

Photo by Karen Wise

Janice & Chris

09.02.07 – Angel Orensanz Foundation

Coordinator: Christine & Lauren

Hi Christine: We just wanted to thank you again for a seamless wedding. We LOVED working with you. And you made our night so wonderful and easy."

Jennifer & Sean

08.25.07 – Bridgewater’s

Coordinator: Christine

"Day of Coordinator: Christine Viola,
Exquisite Affairs: A++"

"When I first spoke to Christine about being my DOC, she described her role as advocate for the bride and groom. She certainly was that to us on our wedding day. She was easy to work with, very well organized and a great comfort to have there. Between fixing my bustle at least 5 times, rounding up and organizing the 23 members of our bridal party and, at the end of the night, lugging all of the MANY items back to our hotel (at 1:30 in the morning to boot) that we had asked her to, she was invaluable to us. Although Bridgewaters provided us with a captain, maitre d’ and a bridal attendant (and thus some would say a DOC was not necessary), we are so happy that we hired Christine. She was the only person there from the start of the day (i.e., while we were getting ready at the hotel) till the end (as mentioned, until she had brought every last item back to our hotel). I would DEFINITELY recommend Christine to any bride who wants to enjoy her wedding and not have to concern herself with anything but having a great time."

Photo by Gulnara Samoilova

Pascale & Colin
08.18.07 – Majestic Star Yacht

Coordinator: Christine

"Hi Christine: I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated all of your hard work to make our day so special not only for us but also for our guests. They all seem to think that they have attended a "Platinum Wedding" and one month after, I am still getting calls thanking us for the invitation. All of this would not be possible without your attention to detail, accepting last minute projects that truly added to the beauty of our wedding. Your organizational skills really kept me on track so once again thank you very much. "

Photo by Something in Blue

April & Cassell
07.28.07 – Habor Club

Coordinator: Christine

"Day Of Coordinator-A+++++
Christine @ EAP was the BOMB!!!!!!!! She totally rocks. She calmed me down in my bridezilla meltdown about 3 weeks prior to the wedding. She answered all my questions and concerns. It was so nice to hear “I’ll take care of it” “Done, Take Care of”. She created our programs, votive place cards, memorial candle and bar menus. She directed the RH and came through at the 11h hour with favor tags, petal cones and cake topper. She was my insurance for the wedding. Love her personality and she is fabulous at what she does."

Photo by Brett Matthews

Renee & Dwayne
07.07.07 – deSeversky Mansion

Coordinator: Christine

"Day Of Cordinator; Christine Viola A++++++

Oh… Where do I start. Christine was one of the first brides I met on here at an 06 GTG… yep that’s right… there were hardly any 07 brides on LIW when I first joined so I crashed the 06 boards and their get-togethers! Christine was hysterical, we got along great! We always kept in touch thru LIWeddings, and when she became a DOC and since I needed a DOC I felt she was the perfect match for me, seeing her plan her entire wedding and her attention to detail matched my anal retentiveness perfectly!

On the day of the wedding, she showed up right on time, was there to help me get dressed since it was a mad chaos at my house, and just was by my side throughout the entire wedding. I really had no worries the entire day, that’s exactly why I wanted a DOC, I didn’t want to worry about anything (well except the White Castle which was over when it showed up). If I were to ask Christine I think she would say I was pretty easy to work with… maybe too easy because I was so laid back I think she kind of had to keep on top of me since I was pretty much… “ahhhh whatever happens happens, I am not going to stress today…” but I also think this is why I was late for the Church, and probably would have been later if it wasn’t for Christine pushing my a$$ to move!

I absolutely love Christine, I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to do the job, and I know that I will keep in touch with Christine from time to come. I honestly was so thrilled and honored to work with such a talented woman. She is just “Exquisite”!"

Erin & Jaime
07.01.07 – La Piazzetta

Coordinator: Christine

"Christine Viola: Exquisite Affairs: What can I say about Christine? I only needed her for a couple of hours on the day of–or so I thought! If I could go back in time I would have hired her for the whole day because my BP turned into a bunch of ditzes on the day of and I think I could’ve used someone to give a little direction to all of the people traveling from the church to my Mom’s and then to the restaurant. But that is neither here nor there… Anyway, I originally heard about Christine and inquired about her services for the day of. I really needed a woman’s touch at the restaurant and someone who could make sure things went smoothly over there. Upon meeting with Christine, DH and I were thoroughly impressed. She is highly professional and well prepared. we booked her for three hours on the day of. Christine handled all of my questions as if I had hired her a full fledged planner! She responds to all e-mails with lightning speed and as a fellow Brooklyn girl, she knew all of my vendors and my concerns for each of them. I met with Christine a couple of days before the wedding and she totally calmed my nerves. Christine handled my unusual reception very well and I have nothing but praise for her. She met me at the limo, gave me a kiss, brought me to the back to bustle my gown, fixed a table that was put in the wrong place, set up the guest book etc. She was just what I needed. Also–her creative work is outstanding! If you need someone to design programs, menus etc, she’s your woman. She did my programs which brought tears to people’s eyes and my menus, which were gorgeous and so very useful. I was so happy at the reception when I saw people studying the menus and talking about the choices. She also made my matching placecards and table numbers. So lovely! If you don’t need a DOC, and you are DIY challenged, reach out to her. She’s a master of all things wedding related. "

Photo by Danny Weiss

Brie & Brian
06.30.07 – The Westside Loft

Coordinator: Christine & Qiana

"For the year and a half leading up to the wedding, our family and the two of us had been working every detail possible to make our wedding perfect for us. We had so many different vendors and so many different ideas that at times it felt overwhelming to say the least. Thankfully, Christine was able to tie everything together for us and really allow us and our loved ones to enjoy our special day. Whether it was split-second email correspondence or calling our vendors when we just couldn’t get to it, or even tying the groomsman’s bowties while taking calls from the event site, she really knew how to make our lives easier. The culmination of all this was the exact wedding we envisioned, and we couldn’t have done it without Christine’s help.
THANKS CHRISTINE!!!!"

Stephanie & Ash
06.23.07 – Crest Hollow Country Club

Coordinator: Christine

All I can say is that all the services rendered by Exquisite Affairs were phenomenal!
They truly went above and beyond the call of duty not only for the day of but way before it had even started.

Let me start out by saying we had a pretty big wedding. 1 maid of honor, 9 bridesmaids, 1 best man, 9 groomsmen, approximately 120 family members combined from both sides, and about 275 guest, a total of 416 people to be exact- Exquisite Affairs followed through with grace and elegance through any trouble faced that day- and we definitely did have our share. I was just so happy to have Christine there- she helped us stick to our time schedule and delivered an excellent performance throughout the day with supernatural powers.

Christine was there for me from the minute I started getting ready for my wedding to the church, during the ceremony and all the way through seating, dress changing, eating, and drinking and dancing at the reception a full twelve hour day.

Above And Beyond: Last minute, literally 2 days to go, I needed 65 boutonnieres and 46 corsages for family on both sides, to please both moms- Christine came through with her recommended florist, no fuss, no push backs, no questions, just helped in the only way she could which was to place the order for me and pick them up on the day of on her way to me.

Duty Calls: After the ceremony my photographer had made us make a list of pictures we needed taken with family along with our bridal party. With 120 family members you can’t pick and choose which one of your mom’s or your dad’s brothers and sisters will you take pictures with- it was all or nothing. So Christine stood there for about 1 hour and a half helping call out families and cousins with names hard to prenunciate off of the lists and made it go very smoothly and successfully. We finished 1 hour before we had projected.

Phenomenal: The day of, my maid of honor and her sister, also one of my bridesmaids, realize they forgot to pick up their dresses to change into for the reception after the bridal party had taken pictures. At that point, I said just forget the dresses and stay in your gowns we’ll be fine, Christine offered to go and pick them up while the bridal party enjoyed our share of appetizers and drinks in our bridal suite.

Exceptional: Christine made it back in plenty of time from picking up the dresses my maid of honor and my bridesmaid had forgot to pick up. She got back and she was ready to resolve seating chart issues- I mean dealing with 416 people and seating we knew we were going to have some unhappy people stealing seats. As mentioned earlier Christine came through with grace and elegance and I honestly wouldn’t have survived without her.

Initially we had wanted to hire Christine for her services to yell(I mean voice our opinions) at people (photographer, bridal party, family) on the day of our wedding to keep us on schedule and keep things moving, because we didn’t want to look like the bad guys and seem upset on our day. It turned out she assisted us in so many ways that truly my husband and I feel we will always be greatful for her being there on our wedding day for the rest of our life! Everything done by Exquisite Affairs was excellent and handled with a fabulous professional attitude!
They truly are EXQUISITE!

Photo by Lauren Rutten Photography

Camille & Anton
06.22.07 – Battery Gardens

Coordinator: Christine

"Day of Coordinator – Christine Viola of Exquisite Affairs – A+++++++++++++++++++++++
I couldn’t have done it without Christine, she was absolutely PHENOMENAL!!!! She gave me great advice throughout the planning process, was always there to calm me down in the midst of freaking out about little stuff, and kept me focused. The day of was the first time that I met Christine in person but I felt like we were old friends!! She took care of everything on the day of and was a true GOD SEND!! I would recommend her with ALL MY HEART, she was such a sweetheart and organized everything to a tee!! To the point that she even had my slippers waiting under the table when I finally sat down to eat a little bit!! Absolutely outstanding, great job, you get the point,
she was ALL THAT!!!"

Tamra & Noah

06.16.07 – Stewart Manor Country Club

Coordinator: Hollie

"Hollie from Exquisite Affairs Productions A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Words cannot describe how great Hollie was on my wedding day. She came to my hotel room hours before the wedding and worked non stop to make sure everything went smoothly. She went way above and beyond what I imagined a DOC would do. From steaming the BM dresses and ironing their shawls to making sure I had a bite to eat at the cocktail hour, bustling me when my bustle kept breaking, and ensuring that my husband and I were having a good time. She is also a nice, sweet person who helped me keep my cool when people at the wedding tried to stress me out.
After the wedding I had many family and friends tell me how great she was, weeks later people still raved about her. Hollie helped to make sure that my wedding was the best day that it could be. She also took a TON of great pictures that she emailed to me right after the wedding. My mother in law even stated that she should go into a photography since the photos looked so professional. Hollie was an excellent DOC and I highly highly recommend her!! "

Lorena & Pierre
06.09.07 – The World Yacht

Coordinator: Christine

"Dear Christine, We just wanted to say thanks for everything. YOU ARE THE BEST and much more then that…our wedding wouldn’t be possible without you.

Our family and friends truly think that you are terrific and all of my single friends that are thinking of getting married already have your phone numbers.

Once again THANKS FOR EVERYTHING!!!"

 

Kristy & Russell
06.08.07 – Chateau Briand

Coordinator: Hollie

"Hi, our names are Kristy & Russell, we were just married on June 8, 2007 at St. Dominic R.C. Chapel in Oyster Bay and our reception was held at the Chateau Briand in Carle Place, NY.

We had the pleasure of having Hollie Pena Holmes of Exquisite Affair Productions as our “Day of Wedding Coordinator”. Hollie was by far such an extraordinary lady who worked so hard every step of the way, making our wedding day a “Dream Come True”. Her care and concern for us that day by far exceeded all of our expectations. When we ran into a major dilemma or two the day of our wedding, which did happen, she was there to make sure it was taken care of, letting us enjoy our “Magical Day”. We couldn’t imagine having "Our Wedding Day" without her, either could my mom who is still raving about her. This puts the biggest smile on all of our faces and she will ever hold a special place in our hearts. Thanks again for making our Wedding Day a “Love of a Lifetime"

 

Photo by Leli Photography

Jennifer & Christopher
06.03.07 – Chateau La Mer

Coordinator: Christine

"Exquisite Affairs Productions, Christine (DOC) – A+

We booked with Christine only a few months before our wedding when we had to cancel our original DOC. Christine was so sweet and answered every question and email right away. When we finally met I absolutely loved her – so fun and adorable…and organized like me. I felt so comfortable leaving everything in her hands.

The day of the wedding she picked up lunch for everyone. She arrived a tiny bit late due to traffic, but she made up for lost time quickly. She fixed my MOH’s dress, helped me dress, took our photographer to see the guys, set up the church, and took care of the bridal party until we arrived at the hall. She stayed with us through all the pictures and even re-curled my hair after it rained. She was everywhere – I honestly don’t know how she does it. She gave me piece of mind that day. I didn’t worry about ANYTHING! "

 

Giselle & Timmy
05.27.07 – El Caribe

Coordinator: Christine

"DOC- Christine- Exquisite Affairs Productions A+++++
When I announced my engagement, one of my aunts told me that I should hire a coordinator, she told me “You can’t do it all and you need that shield.” I am very happy I listened, you need that DOC to ensure all goes well, to ensure everything that you planned is in place and to iron out all the kinks and no wedding day is without kinks. A DOC was the second best investment for my wedding day (the hall was the first). I got to enjoy my day without the stress and worries of what went wrong.

I had never met Christine but via FMs had asked her questions and she was always quite helpful, when I heard she went into business I contacted her immediately (1) to congratulate her and (2) to hire her for my wedding. I had two meetings with Christine the first she went over her packages and services I booked her on the spot (but IMO she provided more services to me that the package I picked), she really had herself together (like she been in business for 10+ years) and her personality was just amazing, I was impressed. The final meeting we met for three hours maybe more and not once did I feel rushed she sat there patiently going over detail after detail with me. On the day of my wedding Christine was like superwoman, she arrived on time, ensured that I ate breakfast and drank lots of water. She went to the church a little before I did, took the guys boutonnieres and MOG corsage and pinned them all at the church. DH told me after that someone had walked on my aisle runner and ripped it but by the time I got to the church it was all fixed up I did not even notice Christine had taken care of it. After the ceremony, we went to take pictures she went to the hall to make sure things were perfect. When I arrived at the hall Christine took me to my bridal suite and helped my sister bustle me up, my sister could not remember how to bustle me up (we were doing shots all day) Christine did all she could even brought out a kit with some huge safety pins and pinned up the rest (the pins did not even show).

Although I hired Christine for my DOC, I asked her questions throughout the remaining portion of my planning process and she was always prompt to get back to me, she even answered once from her vacation. Family members even commented on Christine’s professionalism and how much she was on top of things. I honestly feel I could not have hired a better woman for the job. Anyone looking for a DOC Christine is the way to go and if you are already booked with her you have absolutely nothing to worry about."

 

Photo by Jennifer Davis Photography

Chantal & Ken

05.26.07 – Angel Orensanz Foundation

Coordinator: Christine

"I just wanted to take a minute to thank you for everything on our wedding day. Ken and I were talking this week and we both agree that you were so invaluable to us.

You were so on the ball with all the little details. Because of you, we were able to relax and have a blast, dancing and eating. My family is still raving about how efficient you were.

I said it before and I’ll say it to you, I don’t think you charge enough for such an important service. You are really great at your job, and I will definitely recommend you to everyone I know who’s getting married.

Thank you again"

Photo by Kenny Pang

Bethany & Mihai
05.26.07 – Branch

Coordinator: Hollie

"Hollie Pena Holmes of Exquisite Affairs Productions,A+

Hollie MADE our wedding. Without her, I don’t know what we would have done. She says we would have gotten married. I say yeah, but that’s about it. I ain’t gon’ lie, the day of was very, very stressful! If Hollie hadn’t been there I think I would have broken down. I’m sure she was a little freaked out too because things were kind of all over the place, but she never let on. She was cool as a cucumber throughout, running the show, and tossing everything into place, turning a maddening event into the most beautiful day of our lives.

I laugh whenever I think about how I was about to not hire a DOC. Seriously, I laugh. Things did go wrong throughout the day, vendors had questions, people were running a little wild…if I had to be the go-to person at my own wedding I would not have been happy. If you can AT ALL afford to hire a DOC, I say do it!

Hollie also ran our rehearsal, which I don’t think I could have done on my own. My wild bridal party would not have listened to me. She did a great job.

Finally, this woman is also just a total sweetheart. I felt throughout the process that she was genuinely there for me, that she would do anything to keep me happy and at peace. Sigh, she’s the best!"

Emily & Brian
05.19.07 – Fox Hollow

Coordinator: Christine

"I used our very own Christine from Exquisite Affairs Productions (chrissynricky on here). She was amazing! Even though I technically only hired her for day of coordination, she was more than available for pre-wedding issues. She saved me thousands upon thousands of dollars on everything from menus to invites to the rehearsal dinner location. And I don’t have enough words for her on the day of. Seriously – this girl singlehandedly ironed all of my bridesmaid dresses, made sure the ceremony was exactly right, and made sure I got to attend the cocktail hour when the photographer was getting greedy.

The entire day was perfect and so much of it is because of the professional, wonderful nature of Christine. Seriously, you all need to hire her right now."

Susan & Gary
05.05.07 – Columbus Citizens Foundation

Coordinator: Christine

"Christine, Just wanted to thank you so much for all the work yesterday at our wedding. Everything was wonderful, and you were a big help for me. Appreciate it. Hope you have great success going forward with your new business."

Juliana & Robert
04.29.07 – Flowerfield’s

Coordinator: Christine

“Dear Christine,

There will never be enough ways or words tot hank you for everything you did for Bobby and I throughout all of the wedding planning. I instantly knew when I met you that I wanted you as my DOC. Your warm and kind words made me feel at ease and very comfortable to have you with me on my special day. You were always there for me with the right answer and the best advice when I annoyed you a million times in the day. Without you, my wedding day would have not been possible and that is the truth.

You were an amazing DOC who always made me feel as if I were your only client. You weren’t just my DOC, you were my “wedding planner” in so many ways. You gave me great advice and sent to me to some awesome vendors (Nicole D’Angio, Flower Michelle, Leli Photography.) You gave me your honest opinion when I switched photographers, did an amazing job with my placecards and rose petals and made sure John at Flower Michelle had my centerpieces in the main room before I even went in it. I am so glad that I had you as my DOC and wouldn’t have h ad the perfect day without you.

I couldn’t ask for more or better. You are an amazing person with huge talent and will be very successful with your business. You should be very proud. I wish I could do it all again – I wouldn’t change a thing. Bobby and I greatly appreciate everything and we want you to know how very thankful we are. We are and always will be forever thankful.”

Christi & Brett

04.28.07 – Timber Point Country Club

Coordinator: Christine & Hollie

A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ok yes they get all those pluses and MORE… just keep imagining more and that’s how great they were… best vendor by far.

The week before I didn’t have to stress , Christine was on top of everything… I never actually met her before the day of the wedding but we chatted on the phone.. I had another DOC hired but I had “that” gut feeling, there was a lack of communication and such so had to let her go.. she didn’t do anything horrible just didn’t feel comfortable with her anymore.. so I went with Christine about 2 months before the wedding… I sent her all my spreadsheets (im biiig on spread sheets) she didn’t think I was nuts! That’s great right there…

Day of the wedding Christine and Hollie showed up and just took control of the show… I have no idea what I would have done without them there… they made everything work and work perfectly…. I can’t even start to describe everything they did for me and my husband.. and my bridal party and fam… my mother thought I was nutty for hiring someone since I was so organized; 1 hour in she’s like wow now I know why you did…. They were there to fix my dress when I broke the hook/eye while breathing haha, fixed two or three bridesmaids dresses , a tux button, the list goes on and on…. Hollie was there at every turn with a camera too, that was awesome especially after my sister busted my camera… that really meant a lot… she also had me putting on lipstick , helped me go to the bathroom… all those fun things!

Christine and Hollie really went above and beyond what I could have even imagined they would do and they did it all without breaking a sweat it seemed…. I could honestly go on and on… Kudos to them….. The matr’d even gave them a huge compliment when we were done.. he said ‘’I usually haaate coordinators b/c they are pushy and horrible to deal with, but your ladies were fantastic”…. So everyone from me and my husband, to my family/bridal party to the hall LOVED them… "

Mary & Brian
03.17.07 – The Swan Club

Coordinator: Christine

"Hello Christine, Thank you again for all that you did for us that day. I can honestly say that I got to enjoy every part of the day. Not once did someone ask me for clarification or anything. We got to enjoy our cocktail hour, dance, and talk to each table. Not too many people can say that. Again thank you. Things went very smoothly for us."

Photo by Lilian Haidar

Ray & Peter
01.20.07 – The W Hotel

Coordinator: Christine

"Where do I start? Christine was a godsend. I had strong misgivings about the ability of the staff at my venue to properly handle anything, given our catering manager’s flakyness, so when my mom suggested we needed a DOC (Day or Coordinator) because she actually wanted to be able to enjoy her day, I was not about to argue. And honestly, things would have been NIGHTMARISH if we hadn’t had a DOC.

From making me an adorable little card box to running interference between our photographer and our church (who suddenly didn’t want photos taken during the ceremony??!) and keeping on top of the schedule of events for the reception and I’m sure TONS of little things behind the scenes that I was thankfully never aware of, it was one of the best investments we made.

Not to mention, Christine is a doll. She is sweet yet totally willing to be tough if she has to be. She is great with communication; e-mails get answered nearly instantly. Friends and family both raved about how nice it was having Christine around. I only regret that she may well have seen some of my worst moments, being a stress monkey. But if she did, she never let on. And I love her for that, too.