Today we meet Krysta Cossitt, Owner and Event Planner of Elevation Weddings and Events. Krysta began her career working as a dishwasher at her parents' Washington state restaurant. She worked almost every job within the Food and Beverage industry from bartending to cooking. Working events interested her most. After college and several event industry internships, Krysta headed to Orlando, Florida to work for The Walt Disney Company, and that was where her desire to plan events solidified. Krysta then moved on to D.C. where she coordinated weightless flights for The Zero Gravity Corporation.
She spent seven years traveling the country coordinating and implementing zero-gravity flights for individuals, Fortune 500 companies, and celebrities alike. Some of the more rememberable flights included those for; Make A Wish Foundation, NASA research, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and the first, and to this day, only weightless wedding (see photo below).
She later moved on to sharpen her event coordination skills as an Event Designer for Occasions Catering in Denver, CO. She then moved on to Ouray, CO seeking a slower pace of life. She and her husband's love for the outdoors, backpacking, hiking, and winter sports set the pace for her to open her own company. Read on to find out more about how she and her team plan weddings and elopements up and down Colorado's Western Slope and beyond.
What inspired you to enter the wedding industry?
I always knew I would be an event coordinator. But back then, you didn’t go to college for it. There were no certification courses. You had to piece together academics, internships, and apprenticeships that you thought would serve you well in the industry. I double-majored in business management and organizational communication. And, the university I went to had a two-year entertainment management program I completed. After college, I took on a professional internship with Disney planning events, and it was there that I solidified my passion for event planning. For the next seven years, I worked within the space tourism industry coordinating zero-gravity flights. I finally entered the wedding industry through an event design job with a catering company. Truth be told, I avoided weddings up till then. I didn’t think I’d like to plan them. Boy was I wrong. I enjoy planning weddings the most now!
Why did you start Elevation Weddings and Events?
My husband took a job that moved us to a small mountain town about six hours away from where we resided at the time. I would be leaving my job for the move, so I figured it was a perfect time to start my own business. I was good at event coordinating, loved the creativity the job entailed, and had been doing some business on the side for a couple of years. So I took the leap and moved forward with starting Elevation Weddings and Events full time. Best decision I’ve ever made!
If you could change one thing about the weddings and special events industry, what would it be?
Trends! I feel like trends limit creativity and the ability to express individuality. Pinterest is great - I know, I’m on there a lot. But I find that couples limit themselves to what others have created. Weddings should be about the couple and who they are separately and together. I want to work with couples that want to express themselves through their wedding decor, venue, food, entertainment, etc.
How does using Aisle Planner help you deliver the client experience you want to?
Aisle Planner allows me to deliver a professional experience and service. Today’s couples are looking for quick and easy applications to get the job done. Electronic signatures, real-time notifications, and user-friendly applications all fit the bill.
What is your favorite Aisle Planner feature?
My favorite feature is the Checklist. I love how you can talk with your clients about a specific task and customize each task with an assignee, notifications, and due dates.
If you weren't the Owner + Event Coordinator of Elevation Weddings and Events what would you be doing instead, or what would your life be like?
I would definitely still be an event coordinator of some sort.
As a business owner, what are some of the challenges you’ve overcome and benefits you’ve experienced?
The biggest challenge for me as a business owner is wearing all those hats. Not only do you have to be good at the service (or product) you provide but you also need to be good at marketing it, handling the finances, hiring employees and/or contractors, etc. I’ve overcome that challenge by outsourcing some of the responsibilities. I had to relinquish some control in order for me to focus on what I’m really good at and most passionate about. It’s been a liberating experience. It now allows me more time with my family and doing hobbies I love like gardening, hiking, and traveling.
What are three things you never show up without on event day?
My timeline, my phone, and a big bottle of water. My timeline because anyone could coordinate the event day based on it. My phone because I need to stay connected with all the vendors and my clients. And a big bottle of water to keep hydrated - otherwise I wouldn’t make it through a 12+ hour shift.
What’s your personal philosophy on becoming a great wedding and event planner?
Community over competition. I think many business women get caught up in competition. But, I find that creating a community of fellow industry professionals only strengthens your business. It’s so much easier working together than outbidding each other. My other personal philosophy is that nothing is beneath you. You have to be willing to get dirty sometimes - that’s life. Hard work does pay off!
What’s your trademark in the client or event experience?
I believe my trademark is a smooth experience on the event day. I pride myself on being super organized so that things have the ability to go off without a hitch. But let’s be real, there’s always something. So I try to keep things calm and collected. I want my industry partners to feel like I’ve got their back just as much as my clients.
Is there anything you are particularly excited about working on this year?
2020 weddings and events sure through us all for a loop. I was fortunate to have been able to produce some weddings and events this year but they sure looked different. I can’t say I’m excited for when things go back to normal because I know weddings and events will never look the same. So what I’m excited for are the new challenges we need to overcome within the weddings and events industry. We are creatives and this is what we thrive on. Bring it on!
Just for fun
What’s the most used tool in your emergency kit?
Every year it’s different for whatever reason. But, this year it was my wine opener. It’s actually a pretty handy tool not just for opening wine bottles but; cutting a loose piece of thread, twisting floral wire in place, opening boxes, digging a candlewick out of wax, etc.
I’m dying to design a wedding or event in…
I’m dying to design a wedding in zero gravity. Ok, I actually already have but that was back in 2008 and I’ve learned so much since then that I’m dying to do it again. I have so many cool ideas for floating florals, a zero-gravity wedding dress, and an epic kiss in reduced gravity. Anyone want a wedding that’s out-of-this-world?!
Your favorite shoes to wear on event day?
I wear hiking boots when I’m high in the mountains. But for lower elevation weddings I wear sneakers for setup and then change into some cute Dansko heels right before the ceremony.
If you could go back in time, what’s one thing you would change about your wedding?
I can’t believe I’m admitting this but…I’d hire a wedding planner. 11 years ago I got married and thought I didn’t need a planner because I was super organized. And I was organized. Everything was planned out perfectly. But what I forgot about was the fact that it was my wedding day and I should have been enjoying the moment and being pampered rather than worrying about the timeline, vendors, etc. I needed someone telling me what to do instead of me trying to remember everything.
During your time as a wedding and event professional, what’s the biggest mistake you made and how did you recover from it?
I think mistakes only become big if 1) you don’t own up to them and 2) you repeat them. It’s inevitable that you’ll make a mistake. You recover from them by handling the situation immediately and then you move on, hopefully, to never make the same mistake again. I’ve had lights turned out on an event before because I forgot to call Parks and Rec to keep them on. I once inverted numbers and it directly affected a guest count. I forgot to account for daylight savings when planning the catering for a sunset ceremony. The important thing is that I owned up to these mistakes and never did them again.
Hero image courtesy of Aubrey Beth Photography
To find out more about Krysta or Elevation Weddings and Events visit her website here: www.elevationweddingsandevents.com
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