We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristi Collins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristi, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I am a recovered workaholic. Since my husband travels for work and I worked from home, I would find myself working through lunch, pausing for dinner, and then digging back in until bedtime. A few months ago, we moved into an office with a fellow business-owner and it has been the best thing for my work/life balance. I go to the office and then I come home. My files are there so I can’t work on anything from home. This has been a game-changer. I get so much done at the office, without all of the distractions at home. I also have more physical and mental energy. When I get home, I’m able to get more things done around the house and spend more time with my family. For some people, working from home is the ultimate dream. But, I’ve learned that for me personally, I need to separate my home and work environments, and that’s ok. It’s healthier for me and my business.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a Wedding and Event Planner at Coco Red Events, a boutique events company in Atlanta. I also do contract work for several other companies around the country. I’ve been in the event industry for over 20 years and I absolutely love it! From national conferences and tours to music festivals to weddings, I’ve been lucky to do it all, which allows me to bring a fresh perspective to all kinds of events. My goal is to help create and facilitate the most compelling and memorable event experiences for my clients. Coco Red Events is still my main focus and it has grown so much over the last few years. We are so excited to be able to host clients at our new office in Atlanta. It has taken us a little while to get here, but we truly believe this will be a turning point for our company and will enable us to serve our clients even better in the future.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve lived in Atlanta for most of my life, so this is hard because there are so many amazing places to visit! I would start the day at the Civil Rights Museum, grab a quick lunch at CNN Center and then walk over to the College Football Hall of Fame. From there, dinner at Ponce City Market. There are so many amazing dinner options to choose from at PCM. After that, a donut run to Sublime for donuts. The A-town donut is a must-try! A few of my other favorite restaurants are JCT Kitchen, The Optimist, and Mary Mac’s Tea Room. Mary Mac’s is the ultimate southern cooking experience! Other fun attractions are the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Piedmont Park and Oakland Cemetery.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shout out my grandmother, Betty. She was a wedding and event planner herself and has shared so many tips, tricks and stories with me. Every dinner or party at her house has a beautiful table setting and she is such a gracious host. She has definitely contributed to my love of weddings and events!

Website: https://cocoredevents.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cocoredevents/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristicollins1/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cocoredevents
Other: https://Lvimeo.com/showcase/5525890

Image Credits
Garrett Lobaugh Photography, Luna Lee Photography, Some Place Wild Photography