About Us
IMPACT Collective is an award-winning global wedding company located at the District Wharf in Washington, DC. We have 2 particular sets of skills that we have acquired over a very long career: EVENT MANAGEMENT & VENUE MANAGEMENT!
Since 2009, IMPACT has won 14 “Couple’s Choice Awards,” 7 DC Capital Corporate Awards, and 3 “Best of Weddings” Awards. With more than 500 combined five-star reviews, we are currently ranked #1 on WeddingWire, #1 on The Knot, and #10 on WeddingPro in the USA.
As true lovers of combining music and celebration, IMPACT manages several wedding musicians and dance party bands. From strings to jazz to popular cover songs, we’ve got your musical needs handled for ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and the reception.
Why IMPACT? Because we do what we love and we love what we do. For a joyful and seamless wedding day, contact us and we’ll guide you from your vision through the finish line. We can’t wait to elevate the best day of your life!
The Collective
The IMPACT Collective team specializes in gorgeously designed and expertly executed weddings. Their work speaks for itself, having won Wedding Wire’s Couple’s Choice Awards seven years in row. Their teamwork makes your dream work on your Big Day! IMPACT is ready to help you with your timeline, layout, vendor recommendations, guest experience, and all the other details that goes into your wedding day.
In 1997, Eddie began his career in event management as a student at George Mason University where he booked The Roots for one of his first music festivals. In 2000, Eddie signed a local band named SEV to a major record deal with Jimmy Iovine and Geffen Records. This landed them a commercial for Pepsi Blue which aired during the MTV Music Video Awards. In 2001, Eddie helped coordinate a fundraising campaign for Coptic Orphans which generated more than $1 million dollars for vulnerable children in Egypt. In 2005, Eddie was selected for Bono’s ONE Campaign to serve as a US Delegate at the G8 Summit to promote the “Commission for Africa”.
As Eddie continued to excel in his career, he decided to create his own event production company in 2009 – IMPACT Collective. Humbly starting his business from the inside of a Panera, Eddie began managing several types of events such as weddings, galas, concerts, conferences, corporate, and non-profit fundraiser. Eddie’s greatest passion is serving as the Founder of Meant 2 Live Foundation, an organization that has impacted more than 2,000 impoverished youth in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Zambia, Africa. Eddie also launched a ministry called Splendor Music which utilizes the universal power of music to inspire individuals living in poverty, addictions, and prisons around the world.
Christine thrives on the unequivocal pace of new ventures as well as organizing the chaos that ensues. With over 16 years of experience in business operations and human resources, she is an operational veteran. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and criminology, as well as Master’s level certificates in project management and homeland security management. As IMPACT’s Director of Operations, she is excited to use her expertise in workflow analysis and business strategy.
Christine’s motto: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:9,10) Christine uses this as motivation in her service as Operations Director of Meant 2 Live Foundation.
Tigre (pronounced like “Tiger”) graduated from George Mason University with her bachelor’s degree in Tourism & Events Management and has spent the past several years honing her skills and contributing to the events industry in various positions. Her career kicked off as an Event Associate of IMPACT Collective and Meant 2 Live Foundation where she fell in love with planning events and helping others. She has since worked for various large venues and associations to plan and manage many types of events including weddings, galas, meetings, trade shows, conferences, and more. She enjoys building a relationship with her clients and truly exceeding their event expectations. Just like her unique name, her unique talents, and creativity do not go unnoticed when she is organizing and executing events. She will go above and beyond to make her client’s special day even more special than they dreamed.
Trish started her career in meeting and event planning over two decades ago with American Express Executive Services and has since gone on to work with corporate clients such as IBM, BET and Morgan Stanley, planning everything from executive meetings to summer festivals. It was after her corporate client increasingly requested to plan more of their social events (and weddings) where she fell in love with helping couples tell their personal story through their celebrations.
Michelle, who is originally from England, moved to the Washington, DC to pursue a career in the hospitality and event industry. With more than 20 years of experience, her clients receive their own unique look for each based on her creative approach to projects and design expertise. Every event she plans is successful because of the commitment and compassion that she presents to her clients. Michelle has a passion for planning events of all kinds, both social and corporate-related. Her well-known style and dedication ensure nothing less than perfection for special occasion that she plans for IMPACT clients.
Hannah is an accomplished wedding & event planner with over 10 years of experience transforming spaces into unforgettable celebrations. From luxury weddings to military galas and upscale corporate events, she’s known for making the magic happen. Her clients don’t just get a planner; they get a visionary who knows how to bring every dreamy detail to life. With a knack for logistics, she balances the big picture and the little things – like knowing precisely where to place that perfect decor piece for maximum impact. As a Marine wife herself, she has a soft spot for service members and takes pride in honoring tradition with style. Her sense of design and love for all things elegant and modern make her the ultimate contribution to any bride needing support in navigating the complexities of event planning.
A Georgia native and a southern girl at heart, Haley has worked and excelled in the events and hospitality industry for over a decade. Her passion began at a young age as she watched her mother plan weddings. Haley began her career in Nashville, Tennessee, working on events in the country music industry with artists such as Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, and Florida Georgia Line. She was later recruited to manage events for multiple well-known venues and made a name for herself as a luxury wedding and event planner. Soon, she has recently relocated to the DMV area with her husband and puppy, Presley. From the planning stages to execution, Haley provides IMPACT clients with individualized services as she creates events that guests will be swooning over for years to come.
With over a decade of experience in event management, project management, consulting, organization and leadership, Maria utilizes these skills to deliver unmatched attention to detail. She brings an extensive knowledge of vendor options and is a fierce negotiator for her clients, ensuring they receive the best price and service available.
As an expert in event management, clients value Maria for the quality and delivery of her events. Her approach brings calmness and assurance to her clients throughout the planning and execution process. Her ability to incorporate even the smallest details enhance each event and highlight Maria’s passion for taking an event from “good” to “great.” Maria is known for her creative flair and ability to design and execute one-of-a-kind events that reflect the values of her clients. She has a passion for perfection and unique talent for creating individualized and memorable events.
Over a decade ago, an opportunity to serve as a committee chair for a conference unleashed Starvel’s passion for event planning. Since then, she has created and managed multi-day celebrations and destination events. She has also partnered with local companies to plan pop-up weddings, speed dating soirees, and New Year’s Eve celebrations. In addition to her experience with weddings and social events, Starvel has worked with non-profits, corporations and government agencies to plan and implement events that hosted U.S. elected officials, celebrities and foreign dignitaries. We call her Star because of her name and talent!
Julie has been as an event planner since 2012. From an early age, she recognized her love for creating memorable moments and experiences while playing the piano for weddings and special events. She went on to develop strong communication, project management and customer service skills in the corporate setting. She has first-hand experience with weddings, concerts and fundraisers.
Julie’s diverse background uniquely positions her to provide creative solutions and quickly address issues that may arise throughout the course of an event. Her organization and attention to detail provides a stress-free experience while her creative background ensures your day is uniquely special and exactly as you want it!
Ari’s passion for event planning was born from her personal journey as a cancer survivor. While home recovering from Metastatic Papillary Thyroid Cancer, Ari made it her mission to help other survivors by supporting fundraising events for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This work led to a six-year full-time job in event planning with a non-profit founded by Washington Redskins Coach, Joe Gibbs, called Youth For Tomorrow, a home for at-risk children. Ari soon realized that she loved the fulfillment that came from creating custom celebrations for social and corporate events. Today, Ari and the IMPACT team help clients celebrate and commemorate life’s most joyous occasions. Each event is a direct reflection of her mantra of living life to the fullest!
Throughout her career, Kadzo naturally gravitated towards opportunities in the service industry, where her passion for taking care of others resulted in an illustrious career with some of the top names in retail. She seamlessly transferred those skills into Wedding Planning & Coordination, where she has been helping couples plan and execute the wedding of their dreams for the past 7 years. Kadzo sincerely believes her calling is to be of service to others, and supporting couples on one of the most important days of their lives is truly a labor of love for her.
Keshia has more than 12 years of event/project management experience. She has successfully led the event planning and execution of countless weddings, conferences, meetings, social outings, team building functions, and formal galas. In 2017, Keshia became a licensed and certified wedding and event planner with the intent of taking her experience and expertise to the world. Keshia has also served on active duty in the Army National Guard for more than 19 years. Keshia holds professional certifications from QC Event School, Project Management Institute (PMP), Society of Government Meeting Planners (CGMP), All Seated, Timeliness Genius, and an Accredited Event Designer (AED) from the Institute of Wedding & Event Design. Keshia is best known for her meticulous attention to detail and whimsical knack for creativity.
Stephanie has been in the Wedding and Event Planning industry for over 20 years and has planned weddings all over the country as well as in the Caribbean. With her “bubbly” personality, she demonstrates her love for the business and adds that personal touch and expertise to every project! Her ability to manage, coordinate and multitask has afforded her the opportunity to work on both local and corporate events. She prides herself in offering the “Wow” factor and assisting to capture dreams and turning them into reality! Her philosophy is providing a “Stress-Free Experience” and well-deserved attention required for a successful Wedding or Event.
Morgan graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts, Art History, and Entrepreneurship. She has always been passionate about decorating for events and holidays, and is known to start decorating for Fall as early as July. Her professional and educational experience in the art world has shaped how she views events and allows her to identify and manufacture show-stopping moments for her clients and their guests. Morgan has seven years of experience designing, coordinating, and executing events as intimate as a 20-person dinner and as large as a 3,000-person corporate celebration. Her focus on detail and preparation ensures that her events run smoothly and effectively, and allows her to quickly respond to any unexpected issues.
Born in the beautiful island of the Dominican Republic, Jenny is our in-house dedicated bi-lingual planner specializing in Destination Weddings and Quinceanera’s. Jenny has had the honor of representing The Dominican Republic at The White House, Organization of American States, World Culture Festival in DC, and The Bible Museum. She has had the privilege to also represent the DR as a performer in Morocco in the celebration of the Heroic Green March. This was a monumental opportunity as this was the FIRST Cultural Festival, Marroqui Latinoamerica, to coincide with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of His Majesty, Mohamed VI.
Anna is a local Northern Virginian who has gained exceptional skills in her 10 years’ experience as a wedding and portrait photographer. She is passionate and knowledgeable in wedding coordination and applies her skills and creativity to enhance our clients’ experiences. Her attention to detail supplies clients with a secure and seamless personal experience, and support and assistance. As a Lead Coordinator, Anna utilizes her skills to manage, resolve and multitask organizational functions and event details. She enjoys building individually unique relationships that are specific to all client expectations. Her goal is to use her creativity and hospitable adaptability to assure all clients’ needs are supported and achieved to their satisfaction.
Linda brings over 15 years of experience supporting C-level executives and business owners as an Online Business Manager and Business Strategist. With her expertise in managing complex projects and exceeding client expectations, Linda seamlessly applies her skills to the realm of wedding coordination. Currently, Linda excels as an Event Support for the IMPACT Team. Her primary focus is creating comprehensive Run of Show plans for weddings, meticulously crafting timelines that encompass every detail and ensure a seamless flow of events. Linda’s ability to multitask, anticipate challenges, and develop contingency plans guarantees that each wedding she coordinates is executed with precision and excellence. She approaches each wedding with empathy and strives to make every element of the special day a true reflection of the couple’s love story. From creating wedding questionnaires to coordinating with vendors for their arrival times, Linda’s attention to detail ensures a flawless and unforgettable wedding experience.
Gloria started her career producing Pageants. After 10 years of experience, she migrated into the wedding market. Having the opportunity to be part of the most special day of someone’s life is her biggest motivation. Gloria devotes a great deal of her time to volunteering and giving back to her community in her home country, Ghana. Currently, she serves as the President of Passion for an African Child Organization, which is a Christian-based, non-governmental organization working to improve the lives of underprivileged children on the continent of Africa. Gloria serves through advocacy, funding their education, and providing their everyday needs. A philosophy she lives by, is that “there is nothing that makes one happier than to see others happy.” Gloria’s love for planning and helping her community has been in accordance with her values since the beginning of this journey and continues to transcend through her work ongoing.
Susan started her career almost 25 years ago as a Corporate Event Manager for American Management Systems. At AMS, she was responsible for planning over 50 events each year including industry trade shows, user group conferences, new hire training classes, and executive level events. Through the years, Susan has been dazzling her clients (media organizations, non-profits and associations) with her event management acumen. She is known as a logistics “Wonder Woman” with a vibrant personality, who is results-driven and has the ability to collaborate with diverse stake holders. Her success is attributed to building strong relationships with her team, vendors and clients. She remains calm on-site and works efficiently to solve any issues that are destined to arise. Susan has produced multi-day conferences reaching as many as 14,000 in attendance all over the US, Europe, and South America.
Services
The IMPACT Collective team specializes in gorgeously designed and expertly executed weddings. Their work speaks for itself, having won WeddingWire’s Couple’s Choice Awards 11 years in row. Their teamwork will make your dream work on your Big Day! IMPACT is ready to help you with your timeline, layout, vendor recommendations, guest experience, and all the other details that go into your planning your big day. From intimate weddings to full-service planning and everything in between, IMPACT will bring your vision in to fruition.
View our wedding services Schedule a complimentary consultation!
Finished making all your big decisions but need help finalizing the details? Are you excited for your big day, but worried about all of the moving parts coming together the way you had envisioned? A wedding is a big investment and we will be there to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch. Consider us as your insurance policy. As the day draws near, this package will ensure that the only thing on your mind is walking down the aisle in front of all your family and friends and the BIG celebration to follow.
View our wedding services Schedule a complimentary consultation!
Interested in having a hands-on planning experience without the stress and uncertainty? Have you secured your venue and now need recommendations for other vendors? With this package, we will step in and build upon the foundation that you have already laid out. Wherever you are in the planning process, we will customize a proposal for you based on your needs, vision and goals. No matter how far away it may seem, we will cross the finish line together.
View our wedding services Schedule a complimentary consultation!
Ready to plan your wedding but overwhelmed with the amount of time and attention required? Do you have a vision but don’t know how to make it a reality? With our full service package, you call the shots while we handle all of the heavy lifting. From start to finish, our Dream Team will be there providing you with our expertise and exceptional service. Enjoy your engagement to the fullest as we create, manage and produce your one-of-a-kind wedding.
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“Aruba, Jamaica, oh I want to take ya…” to your dream wedding destination. From the Caribbean islands to the French Riviera, our destination package includes all of the benefits of full-service planning with the added bonus of orchestrating travel accommodations, resort packages, and wedding logistics. Imagine having all of your loved ones together in one place, sipping on mojitos and celebrating your special day with breathtaking views and everlasting memories. If you’re looking for an intimate yet exquisite destination wedding experience, renew those passports and lets see where this collaboration takes us.
View our wedding services Schedule a complimentary consultation!
Do you have a specific design in mind for your wedding invitations or ceremony program for your special day? Our in-house design team has all of your creative elements covered. Click here to learn about our design services which include customized wedding websites, couple’s branded logos, save-the-date cards, invitations, programs, menus, and escort cards.
Gallery
Case Studies
Case Study 1: Intimate Wedding — Love is Never Canceled
Victoria and Scott
Wedding Description:
Victoria and Scott tied the knot at the beautiful, historic Poplar Springs Manor on Sunday, September 6, 2020. It was the perfect and quaint outdoor space for their socially distanced ceremony and the ideal space for their reception festivities.
Challenges and Resolution:
Victoria and Scott were overwhelmed by the restrictions that the pandemic was placing on their wedding plans. The couple was forced to change their original July 2020 wedding date and cut their guest count from more than 100 to 50 guests. Additionally, the couple had a specific deadline for the groom’s military deployment that was already planned so the show had to go on. IMPACT worked with the venue and vendors to regulate a safe and sanitary environment for attendees to successfully avoid a “Super Spreader” of the Covid-19 virus. Victoria and Scott’s wedding turned out to be as special of a day as they hoped it would be.
Testimonial & Love Notes:
“IMPACT went above and beyond what I ever imagined. Eddie was a phone call away any time I needed advice amid COVID. They are very responsive, and the wedding day is like having your own personal concierge. They were more like friends than a vendor.”
Case Study 2: Destination Wedding — The World Awaits
Monica and Dave
Wedding Description:
Monica and Dave had always envisioned having a destination wedding and the IMPACT Team was delighted to help give this beautiful couple the celebration of their dreams. The two were married at The Paradisus at Playa del Carmen, a beach spa and resort in a city along the Caribbean Sea of Mexico. The resort was on a sandy white beach, surrounded by the Caribbean jungle next to a quaint fishing village. Puerto Morelos was exactly the type of beach atmosphere that the couple had imagined. Instead of one magical day, this wedding cerebration was a 4-day exotic gathering of close friends and relatives.
Challenges and Resolution:
A destination wedding is a family reunion and vacation at the same time. Many extra details had to be considered such as finding airfare options for guests. IMPACT also coordinated additional activities for the wedding party such as ATV, sports, and parasailing. Miscommunications with the venue representatives due to language barriers and the inability to tour the venue because of distance were some of the greatest challenges. Throughout the process, IMPACT was there every step of the way by organizing a detailed walk-through with all key players and making sure everyone was on the same page for game day.
Testimonial & Love Notes:
“Eddie and his team were on the phone countless hours gathering information and speaking with different vendors in order to get us the best of the best. Because of IMPACT’s experience in the destination wedding world, Eddie was able to get us an amazing resort, which guests are still raving about.”
Case Study 3: Industrial Wedding — Traditions Live On
Joshua and Sarah
Wedding Description:
Joshua and Sarah had their wedding on Saturday, May 25, 2019 at Union Stage, located in the heart of the District Wharf in Southwest DC. The couple’s deep connection to music drew them to this underground rock club instantly. Sarah and Joshua’s special day was filled with elements of live music and Jewish traditions. The couple had an absolute blast starting the reception with their song “Hooked on a Feeling” together and danced the night away!
Challenges and Resolution:
With their Union Stage wedding venue situated on the building’s lower level, the vendors were challenged in moving their equipment in and out of the Wharf’s extremely busy and congested loading dock. IMPACT managed the load-in and load-out process in the midst of the crowded streets and strict security next to the venue.
Testimonial & Love Notes:
“From start to finish, IMPACT treated us like people instead of paychecks. I’ve seen a commercial lately that has a line that stuck with me, “People don’t remember what you say, they remember how you make them feel.” It was the most fantastic night of my life. Because of their efforts, I will forever look back at our wedding and feel warmth, happiness, and love.”
Case Study 4: Cultural Wedding
Toral and Shaun
Project Overview:
Toral and Shaun came to us searching for a large outdoor wedding venue during the COVID pandemic with a capacity availability for 250 guests for a traditional Indian wedding.
The couple envisioned elaborate florals and a Barat with a horse and a dhol player which was a highlight at wedding. Their Friday night Sangeet featured an Indian marketplace with bright colors while their reception has muted tones and a more elegant look.
Support Provided:
For the Friday night outdoor celebration, it down poured with aggressive torrential rain but yet the amazing couple and their families continued to dance non-stop and enjoy the night to the fullest. While the celebration was spectacular, we had a few minor hick-ups. The escort mirror broke so we had to go around at cocktail hour with a print out of the guest list to notify each guest about their table assignments. We had to rent a Mobile Barat unit as power wouldn’t reach to the pond area. Indian catering companies often just provide the food and not the service or rentals so we needed to hire 2 different catering companies to pull together the service staff, bartenders, tables, chairs, and linens.
Project Size and Scope:
Cultural Indian wedding with 250 guests from around the world
Duration of Project:
August 2020 to August 2021
Benefits to Customer:
IMPACT Collective provided a Dream Team of 6 seasoned wedding planners to cover 3 days of special events, rituals, and traditions with hundreds of moving parts to make the magic happen. The final outcome was a tremendous success!
IMPACT Review by Client:
“We were introduced to the IMPACT team through our venue and were so pleased with their hard work leading up to and over the course of our wedding weekend! Ours was a multi-day / multi-event Indian wedding and the IMPACT team did a great job managing all the little crazy details that come along with that type of weekend. Ari worked her butt off for us and we definitely couldn’t have gotten through the weekend without her or the rest of the IMPACT team! Thanks so much for everything! ~ Shaun, Groom
Awards
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Testimonials
Contact
IMPACT Collective
800 Maine Avenue SW
Unit 200
Washington, DC 20024
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