It all started with a texas girl, with California style, attitude and sensibility. Christy, was forced to establish herself in a new market when she moved back to her home state of Texas after living and planning events in California, and we wanted to help her do just that, with a brand that completely represented her personality and vision as a planner. During our first meeting Christy brought us paint swatches that she loved (and coincidentally had selected while designing her new home that was being built). The paint swatches were a great jumping off point, and really helped direct us to the very clean line, sophisticated, not-so-girly, metallic identity and website you see below. Take a look!
Here’s a look at the finished product! A modern, simplistic brand and website that makes a statement and is sure to stand out in the wedding and event industry!
Take a look inside the site!
Be sure to stop by the new site and take a look at the finished product here – but before you go – get to know Christy, as the Texas Event Planner that she is today!
1. What is the name of your business? Christy Matthews Events
2. How long have you been in business? Been planning weddings since 2009, certified wedding planner in 2008. Opened CME in the DFW metroplex in January 2015!
3. What do you do? I plan weddings and other special events. I created my Luxury Month of Planning package for couples that have hired their vendors and venue and need full coordination during the last part of the planning process. I take over 6 weeks before the wedding day and am a planner, liaison, advocate and coordinate all the details leading up to the big day. On the wedding day, I am the first one there and the last one to leave.
4. Why did you start your business? I started a theater company with friends after college and we worked our tails off to get on stage in San Francisco and to find out audience. We learned quickly – it was like baptism by fire. If we wanted to be actors, we had to create our own theater productions and handle every aspect ourselves from start to finish. The multi-tasking and organization was intense! I found out during that time that I am really good at putting productions together and seeing the overall picture. I knew I wanted to own my own business one day and weddings have always been a romantic ideal for me, so between my skills as a planner, being a trained improvisor (people person, problem solver, quick on my feet), and my personal love of weddings…I jumped into the wedding industry and started as an intern, worked my way up and in.
5. What is unique about your business? My Month of Planning package is more inclusive and hands on than other similar packages offered. My clients get ME for 6 weeks and I only take a certain amount of events a year so that I can give my clients my full attention. I specialize in destination weddings in Northern California, so that is a unique niche for a Texas wedding planner. And the LGBT community is extremely important to me and I am a huge supporter of same-sex marriage. My company stands with marriage equality, absolutely.
6. What is the process like to work with you? Fun! Easy.
7. Why did you decide to work with Doodle Dog? I had a few requirements for the website designer I was going to hire. This is my first site to do all on my own, and CME is a direct representation of me, so I wanted to work with someone that had an office in DFW and who I could meet with IN PERSON throughout the process. Nikki is well connected in the wedding industry here and all over the country. So in addition to knowing how to create gorgeous sites for wedding professionals specifically, she has also been able to connect me with other pros here and that resource has been awesome. Lastly, a flexible payment plan – huge.
8. What’s your favorite part of your new look? My logo and font! We tweaked that so many times and in the end, it looks exactly like the magical image I had in my head all along. I worried that I was sending too many teeny tiny edits throughout the design process, but Nikki never let me down and never told me to go away.
9. What advice would you give to someone considering a rebrand or relaunch? Look at 300 other websites, in and out of the industry you are in. Write down what you love and what you hate, what ‘pops’ and what annoys you about other sites. Go to Home Depot and grab paint chips that appeal to you for your branding. Sketch sketch sketch. The more you can show your web designer, the better. (In a concise, organized manner, of course…)
Also, a small business action plan of some sort (I walked through Sage Wedding Pros workbook as I worked with Nikki on my site) will be extremely helpful in distilling what exactly you want to say as a brand. I had a really clear idea of what I wanted CME to represent, then Nikki and I worked together to translate that in a website.
10. Tell us about your family. One great husband, two great sons – 5 and 1.5 years old. Once we move into our new house here, we have ‘plans’ for a dog. And a cat.
11. What’s on your Playlist? Bruno Mars right now! And probably some old Missy Elliot, some older Janis Joplin, Journey, Lady Gaga, Guns and Roses…stuff to work out to! And some Disney songs just in case the kids need some entertainment in the car.
12. Where do you like to shop? Nordstrom (Rack), Ann Taylor Loft, Gap, Zara
13. Describe yourself and your style. I’m pretty down to earth. I like classic little black dresses, riding boots, dark skinny jeans. I’ve had a great little grey sweater since freshman year and I wear it often. When it finally dies, I’ll probably cry.
14. Where do you find inspiration? Interior design centers and catalogs, gardens, kid’s art, modern architecture