It’s Spotlight Day, where we introduce you to incredible Orlando wedding vendors and share the stories behind these companies who help Wedding Venue Map couples have their best wedding day.
Hiring the right wedding vendors is so important on your wedding day. The vendors help your love story come to life.
It gives us great pleasure to introduce this week’s vendor spotlight, Monica Cullen of As You Wish Weddings & Events.
When people ask “what do you do?” how do you answer?
My team focuses on the details so that our clients don’t have to worry about their wedding day.
We strive to ensure every detail—big and small—is attended to so that on our couples’ special day, they can trust that everything will flow smoothly. We are understanding and creative, so we can help bring a couple’s vision to life, while still staying within their budget. We discuss and plan details not only for the wedding day, but all the important days leading up to it.
We specialize in vendor selection, décor design and selection, and writing and finalizing detailed itineraries for all vendors and clients. We want our clients, as well as their friends and families, to enjoy every moment of their event, so we provide services such as setup and breakdown so that their families can relax and focus on what’s most important.
What did you do before you did this?
Prior to entering the wedding industry, I graduated from the University of Central Florida as a Speech Pathologist. My experience in this field prepared me for my future job as a mom, as well as a wedding and event planner. I care deeply for my clients and love building relationships with them, vendors, and my interns. I have a teacher’s heart, which has allowed me to take several UCF students under my wing as intern planners.
What is your favorite thing about what you do? What’s your WHY?
Happy couples! One of my favorite things about being a wedding planner is hearing the excitement from my couples while planning their wedding day. I love discussing all of the little details and then, of course, seeing everything come together on the day of the wedding.
What motivates you to do this every day?
It’s an honor to be a part of our clients’ planning process and seeing their love story come to life through their wedding makes all of the hard work worth it. Aside from our love for our couples, another aspect of the industry that motivates us is having the opportunity to work with amazing vendors, who all work hard to ensure our couples have the perfect wedding experience. We work with some of the best vendors, who all make our jobs as planners fun and efficient.
What is the best compliment you’ve received from your clients?
It’s so hard to pick one. I love getting thank you letters; they mean so much to me!
The very best compliment I ever received was from a bride that said, “Everyone should have a Monica.” She said that if she could, she would take me and put me in her pocket and carry me around all day. Another lovely compliment was when one of my brides was really sad when the wedding came to an end and the planning was over. She enjoyed our chats so much. I love to keep in touch with my clients!
How did you decide on the name of your company?
The name of my company came to me when I was watching one of my favorite movies, The Princess Bride. Whenever he’s asked to do something, Wesley replies to Buttercup, “As you wish.” He tirelessly does whatever she asks to show his dedication. I could watch that movie a hundred times and I love it every time I re-watch it.
My team is as dedicated to our clients as Wesley is to Buttercup, and we will always be ready to reply “as you wish!” to our clients.
What is important for clients to know about your company before they book you?
We realize our couples have jobs, families, and schedules, so we always stay incredibly flexible so we can meet our couples’ needs when it comes to scheduling meetings and consultations. We also are very flexible in how we communicate, as we realize everyone has their preferred method of communication. We are available for late-night chats, early morning texts, and of course emails.
Why do couples hire you?
We aim to ensure that our couples feel comfortable and can trust us with their special day.
Our reviews really describe how we treat our clients, and how much they mean to us. My team and I are very positive. We always see the glass as half full. I absolutely love planning with my clients.
I’m often asked if I get stressed and the answer is…no! I think I avoid stress by asking all of those important questions before the big day, so I have all the answers and know exactly what my couple wants. I also stay open-minded and flexible, so when there is a change of plans or an emergency, I can think clearly and come up with a solution. We are always happy to help, and if it is something we can’t do, we will help find the perfect vendor who is fit for the job. Our goal is to make planning our clients’ events an easy and enjoyable process.
Name three unique venues that you enjoy working at and why.
Casa Feliz is one of our favorite venues. The romantic atmosphere, historic charm, and beautiful scenery create a perfect space for our couples’ special day. This unique venue is lovely for couples or individuals who are seeking an intimate wedding or event in the heart of Winter Park. We also love that Casa Feliz specifically uses Arthur’s Catering, which is one of our favorite catering companies to work with, due to their phenomenal team and delicious food.
Another lovely venue that we enjoy working at is Lake Mary Events Center. With three unique spaces available to clients, the possibilities are endless. When you first walk into the events center, you’re greeted with beautiful, elegant architecture. As you walk into the rotunda, a gorgeous lakefront view can be seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows, which provides a wonderful background for any event. Finally, when you enter the ballroom, you’ll realize you’ve stumbled upon a spacious room, which is ready for a large event. We have planned and coordinated many corporate events and weddings at this venue.
A hidden gem we delight in working at is Tuscawilla Country Club. This venue is great for events, both grand and intimate. With space both indoors and outdoors, any event is possible, whether it’s a sunny or rainy day. This venue has stunning surroundings such as the golf course and large oak trees, which provide picturesque locations for photos.
What some of their previous couples had to say….
“Monica Cullen was phenomenal during my wedding planning process as well as the actual wedding. She was so organized, efficient, punctual, reliable, insightful, and detail-oriented. I never would have thought about or even known half of the details of what to do without her help. The actual day went off without a hitch; she didn’t skip a beat. I was free to enjoy my wedding and did not worry about one thing all night because Monica and her assistants had it all covered. I would recommend her to anyone looking for guidance during the planning and coordination of the day of the wedding, she was amazing!” – Haley, Casa Feliz
“Monica is FABULOUS! She gives every bride and groom detailed information sheets to fill out and will review them with you both several times before the big day. She asked questions to things I had not even thought of or considered. I appreciated her willingness to do whatever it took to make sure my husband and I had an amazing wedding day. I can honestly say without her, my wedding would not have gone as silky smooth as it did. I have zero complaints. She even ran out the day of the wedding to purchase a guest book that I had forgotten to buy and bring. Monica is wonderful and worth every penny!” – Ashley, Tuscawilla Country Club
“Monica was my saving grace on my wedding day and the days leading up to it. She knew how I wanted my wedding day to look and worked with the other vendors to make sure everything was in place. Using her services as a wedding coordinator saved me and my mother so much stress. It allowed us more time to enjoy the day and our guests versus worrying about the timing of everything and made sure we had the pictures done, cake cutting, all the dances we want. She made my day so smooth and I don’t think it would have been possible without her!” – Jessica, Luxmore
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