TEAM
Meet The J. Marie Team
With a goal to create something that would have a lasting impact on the wedding industry, I founded and launched J. Marie Weddings in 2013.
Since then, my team and I have been planning and coordinating weddings of all sizes here in beautiful Cape Breton.
Our couples are always partnered with an experienced, professional Lead who is trained in the J. Marie Weddings planning process that our entire team uses to take you from where you are to where you want to be.
Jenna Sampson, WPICC, CWD
Founder & Lead Planner
l'm Jenna, the Founder and Lead Planner of J. Marie. I'm a wife, and a mom to the sweetest little boy, and girl, and I am so fortunate to do what I love here in Cape Breton.
For the last ten years, I’ve put this passion to work as a Certified Wedding and Event Planner and Designer, and have recently expanded J. Marie to include the wonderful team you’ll read about below.
Our goal is to bring your wedding vision to life through an experience that is both exciting and relaxed. Our time in the wedding industry in Cape Breton has afforded us many opportunities, but the ones we cherish most are the building of relationships – with our couples, their families, and local vendors and venue operators.
My team and I bring knowledge, experience and a positive attitude to each wedding we're involved in and we promise that you'll be fully present on your day, as every moment unfolds – both planned and joyfully unexpected.
Why do we love what we do? Because there is nothing that genuinely brings us more joy than seeing your happy face on your wedding day.
Emma Drohan
Lead Wedding Coordinator
Emma has always loved organizing and helping people, but it wasn't until she assisted on a wedding day that she discovered her passion for wedding coordination. Her calm and sweet personality shines in everything she does and her couples often say how easy she is to work with.
Emma's favourite wedding day moments include seeing her couples fully experience the day that they have worked so hard to plan, and seeing the unique details that each couple infuses into their wedding designs.
Emma services the central and west sides of the Island and you will often see her at weddings in the Inverness, Baddeck, and St. Peter's / Ben Eion areas.
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Holly Chisholm
Lead Wedding Coordinator
Holly brings years of event planning experience to every wedding she has the pleasure of coordinating. She feels it is an honour to be a part of her couple's celebration of love and encourages them to celebrate and enjoy every moment on the wedding day by leaving the details to her.
Holly loves thrifting and DIYing party decor, and also runs a podcast in her spare time.
Holly services the east side of the Island and you'll often see her at weddings in the Ingonish and Sydney areas.
Jenna Lavery
Lead Wedding Coordinator
Tell us about yourself.
-I would love to visit Greece! Especially Santorini.
-I have one dog, a labradoodle named Benny!
-Hobbies of mine: Crafting, working out and spending time with my family.
Three favourite things about a wedding day:
The vendors. Working together to make couples' day exceptional!
Details and Design. I love all of the small details that make each wedding special and unique.
Coordinating. Being able to help take care of each couple and reduce their stress on their special day is a great feeling!
Why do you enjoy coordinating weddings?I love the wedding industry. I enjoy meeting new people and making excellent connections with everyone! Seeing the couple's visions come to life is such an exciting, beautiful thing to be a part of.
Kristin Wilton
Lead Wedding Coordinator
Where do you want to visit: My bucket list destination is Bali!
Do you have any pets: Yes, I have a Boxerdoodle named Roxy
What are your hobbies: I'm a Spin Instructor at R&R Studio! I love to live a healthy, active lifestyle so making time to move my body is always a priority!
Any tips for worried couples? Identify your priorities early on! Always remember what is most important to you and your partner and let that guide your decision making.
Why do you enjoy coordinating weddings? I love logistics! I'm a planner through and through. I really enjoy getting into the small details and helping my couples execute their vision as smoothly as possible. At the end of the day, I want to see my couples truly enjoying their day, stress-free!
Kristin Williams
Lead Wedding Coordinator
Words of Thanks
Looking back at our wedding day this past Summer, there's one thing I know for sure that I wouldn't change, and that was having Jenna and her team. When we started to plan there were only a few things that I knew I 100% needed, and Jenna was one of them. As soon as she was booked, a weight lifted off my shoulders. There was so much I didn't know about throwing a wedding, especially one that was mainly DIY, but I knew that anything I didn't think of, she would. She literally does think of everything! And she did that and more. If you're not really sure what Jenna and her team do on your big day, the answer is they take care of everything. She approaches every situation with so much confidence and professionalism. From detailed lists, right down to moral support, not just for us, but for our families as well. Just like the Wizard of Oz, Jenna and her team are the magic behind the curtain. They are what kept the day worry free, and running smoothly.
- Faith Farrel
