
Freqently Asked Questions
What is Heart of the Island Intimate Events?
Heart of the Island Intimate Events is you "Go To" for all your destination or local wedding and elopement needs. We specialize in planning and custom catering for intimate events of 2-100 people. We are a husband and wife team, who each had their own separate business and decided to team up together under a new name to offer couples a more rounded wedding planning expereince. Paula Kuse is a Certified International Wedding & Event Planner since 2012, and her husband Chef Andrew Kuse has been cooking for almost 20 years and has been through several years of apprenticeship and culinary school in BC.
Where is Heart of the Island Intimate Events Available?
We are located in Charlottetown, PE, Canada and our current focus is serving Prince Edward Island. However, planner, Paula is certified internationally and, if requested, serves the US and Canada wide, with virtual planning.
How are Heart of the Island Intimate Events planning services different from a traditional wedding planner?
We do offer traditional in-person services, however, what makes us unique is our Virtual Planning services. With Virtual Planning, everything is all done virtually and there are no in-person services. Everything is done online or over the phone, via email, chat, social media, text, calls and video calls through the Viber app. Because there are no in-person services included, the virtual planning is a fraction of the cost or traditional wedding planning. We offer 4 Virtual Planning Packages to choose from, Ceremony Only, Reception Only, Virtual Full Service, Virtual Month-of Management. Virtual Planning services are an excellent option for destination wedding planning as well as a local couple who is on a tight budget, but might need a bit of assistance at a lower cost, without sacrificing services.
Why should I use Heart of the Island Intimate Events?
I am not going to list a bunch of reasons why you should hire Heart of the Island Intimate Events over another planner on the Island, because the truth is we are all talented and we all have the same passion for weddings. What I will say is that, you should hire the planner that you feel a connection with, because along the wedding planning journey you will be working closely with the planner. Now, I don't know about you, but I prefer to build a friendship with my clients along the way, a friendship that lasts beyond the reception.
Who are your clients? What budgets do you work with?
Everyone starts wedding planning with a different vision (often no vision at all) and budget and we can make anything work. We set realistic expectations and help couples think through tradeoffs that are inevitable on any size budget. Many of our couples have budgets from $10K to $100K; we can help make a great wedding on any size budget.
How do I get started?
Get started by simply visiting our Book Online page and choosing the option that is right for you. The first step is to schedule your consultation. You will find the planning consultation options at the top of the page and the catering consultation at the bottom of the page.
When should I contact you to get started?
We can help you at any stage of the wedding planning process, but the sooner the better, so we can offer you more assistance.
What if I have questions?
Contact us, we will be happy to chat.
How will Heart of the Island Intimate Events help ensure my wedding day runs smoothly?
For our Virtual Planning Packages, we will provide you with all the comprehensive wedding day information before the big day with every detail the wedding party, venue and vendors could possibly need. We can also provide that same information directly to the venue and vendors. We have a final review call to discuss details. With the virtual services we are not there in person, but we do offer in-person day-of management as an A la Carte option, should you decide you need that service.
Are you a Day-of Coordinator?
Yes, we absolutely can be! Day-of management services are not included in any of the Virtual Packages, but it can easily be added as an A la Carte option.
How much support will I have, while I plan my wedding?
You can call/email/chat/text us anytime, during our normal business hours, with any question. We are dedicated to our clients and their event, treating each wedding as if it were our own. We love sharing our expertise, offering advice and being the tiebreaker in Mother/FMIL vs. Daughter stand-offs (we get quite a few of those, you'd be surprised, or maybe not).
Who will I work with?
For Planning, all of your check in calls, texts, chats, and emails will be with me, personally, unless otherwise stated. I do also have a planning assistant that you may talk to from time to time, or she may sit in on calls or be CCed in emails and such so she is kept in the loop.
Is there a limit to how often I can contact Heart of the Island Intimate Events?
How does the planning process work?
How does Heart of the Island Intimate Events know my style and priorities?
How does pricing work?
We use flat rate fees for our planning and decor services, no gimmicks, no confusion. There is too little transparency in the wedding industry and I am striving to change that. The In-Person Full Service Planning has a flat rate base price, however, we do keep track of wedding expenses and once it reaches a certain dollar amount the planning price would then be 15%, instead of the intial flat rate base price. All planning and decor services are subject to 15% HST. There is a non-refundable booking deposit of 25% and the balance is split into monthly payments.
What do I get for the price?
Customized assistance with planning and design, as well as tools to help you along the way, and ongoing support to plan a beautiful wedding without making it your fulltime job. We work with our clients every step of the way and they have unlimited contact during our regular business hours. We have a great team of people who are dedicated to making your event special and unique to you. We treat all of our clients like they are our only client and each wedding as if it were our own.
Are there any other fees?
What types of payment does Heart of the Island Intimate Events accept?
We accept all major credit cards via PayPal, or Bank transfers via Interac e-transfer or Zelle. Heart of the Island Intimate Events does not keep record of ANY credit card number information on file! We take our client's privacy very seriously and do everything possible to ensure your personal details and payment information is kept secure.
How do I know you're giving me the best recommendations?
What if I'm not satisfied?