Catherine helped us plan our wedding in May 2017. The Venue recommended Catherine to us and we're so glad they did. We dreamed of a non-conventional wedding and had a vision of the wedding but didn't really know how to bring it to life. We live in Orange County and selecting a wedding venue in La Jolla an hour and a half away only added to the uneasiness. We needed someone connected to all types of vendors in San Diego who could coordinate and bring together our vision. She did exactly that! Catherine is a good mix of excitement, sweetness and structure. She will tell you what she thinks and whether something will work or not which is what we wanted. We didn't want someone to say yes to every floating idea we had but rather take all our ideas and create the vision. She took calls with us mid-day to answer our questions, replied to emails promptly, connected us with the vendors we were looking for, coordinated payments, she did it all! The thing I'm most grateful of is her poise on our wedding day. The unthinkable happened on our wedding day.....It Rained! Everything was getting rained on outside, the vendor was thinking of pulling her items from the outdoor engagement and setting up in a back-room instead , and some how/some way Catherine convinced her to wait for the rain to pass, calmed her down and set-up the decor again right before the cocktail hour. It was really amazing and everything turned out perfect, thanks to her cool composure. read more

CBS Lifestylist - Wedding Planning Near Me

I typically leave a review as a warning to stay away or watch for poor service or if a business goes above and beyond what would be expected. Catherine definitely goes above and beyond! I'd give her 100 stars if I could! I first came across her services back in 2014 when I scheduled an appointment at Nordstroms for a stylist. I needed very professional wear but absolutely hate clothes shopping. And my sister, who is so good at shopping, was living hundreds of miles away. I didn't realize what a great stylist she was until the following year when I scheduled with a different stylist and received such awful service I had to write the manager of Nordstroms about it. For instance, she was shopping for herself a new pair of shoes while I was trying on clothes! I had to go hunt her down and found her in the shoe department! Anyway, I've since hired Catherine for her services each year to help me add fresh pieces into my wardrobe. What I really like about her is that if you say you don't like something, she doesn't try and goad you into getting it anyway. She makes a mental note and won't use those styles or colors for future outfits. She understands style and also fits with what your personal style and tastes are. She's incredible to work with and I will continue to hire her with confidence to help me with putting my wardrobe together and/or when I need new pieces. She's also cognizant of budgets and will take photos of ideas for you so you can find cheaper versions of the look. I also love her non-judgemental and positive attitude! She won't let you talk shit about yourself! read more

Catherine was the party planner of our daughter's Bat Mitzvah and we all agreed - the best thing we ever did -- was hire Catherine, for the following reasons: 1. Catherine is connected to everyone in the city and therefore was able to hire the best vendors for the best price. 2. Catherine connects with her clients. She recommended the right vendors for our daughter's personality. Catherine's ability to not only connect with our 13 year old daughter but to make our daughter's vision into a reality was amazing. 3. Catherine is extremely well organized and created a timeline, budget and agenda for the day of the event to ensure that all tasks were done in a systematic and calm fashion. 4. Catherine is calm. She helped us keep the party in perspective and knew when we should spend money and when we should cut back. 5 Catherine managed the day of the event, so we could enjoy the party and we had a blast. My family is not one who enjoys planning parties, we would rather be at the beach or on vacation. We are pretty low-keyed and did not want the Bat Mitzvah to get out of hand. Somehow, I don't know how, Catherine made the party-planning fun and not at all stressful. Catherine is now planning our son's Bar Mitzvah. It will be completely different then our daughter's but exactly right for him and the venue is amazing. read more

My wife and I hired Catherine as our coordinator after interviewing several different planners/companies. Catherine's professional approach and genuine attitude went a long way in both how she interacted with us and our families as well as relaying her established relationships with vendors. Since she's been in the industry for years, she not only knows everyone, but has working relationships with them and passes on the discounts she receives to the couple. Catherine's attention to detail and the time she takes to get to know each couple's needs makes for a personalized approach that allows you to not have to stress and worry about the finer points. In the end I couldn't recommend her enough because of the sanity she helped us maintain while going through the extremely hectic process of planning a wedding. Thank you Catherine, and please feel free to use me or my wife as a reference for future prospective couples inquiring about your services. read more

Before I get into it I need to say that I work in a creative field and my (now) wife Nicole works in the wedding industry in La Jolla doing hair and make up. She has literally been involved in hundreds of weddings. This is a long-winded way of saying that we had very high standards when it came to our own wedding in terms of tone, style, look, etc. We picked Catherine and the C.B.S. team because beyond being the most popular in San Diego, their professionalism, experience and creativity were second to none! In a very short time Catherine got our vision, helped us improve it, and started us on the way to what would be literally the night of our lives. We had many meetings during the planning process. She always helped us enjoy the process and keep on track. She recommended and coordinated amazing vendors, all who fit the bill perfectly. The feeling that Catherine was there and had our back helped us stay calm so we could focus on having fun and being creative. Nicole and I had a somewhat different vision for our wedding. We wanted it not to be just another wedding but rather to be a wedding that expressed who we are as individuals and as a couple. We wanted to break some rules, have some fun, be warm, be spiritual, be stylish, be silly, and take a lot of chances. Catherine encouraged us all the way and was absolutely instrumental in capturing our ideas, adding her own, and bringing to life an event that we feel, and many said, was out of this world! The weekend of the wedding plenty of friends and family wanted to help, but Catherine stressed we all needed to enjoy the time. She allowed us all to be so in the moment we actually would forget what was next on the schedule. Our friends and family said we looked so peaceful, happy, connected and in love. We were allowed to feel this way because we had Catherine and her amazing team. We knew everything would be perfect. We could enjoy each other and our guests and Catherine and C.B.S. took care of the rest. To be honest, I never really "got" what a wedding planner would add, but now I cannot stress enough just how important it is to have a great one like Catherine. Aside from helping us craft our dream wedding weekend, her team's flawless execution meant Nicole and I didn't need to worry about the gazillions of details. She took care of it all so we could enjoy every second. And we did! Honestly, I personally expected to have fun at my wedding but I didn't really think it would be literally life changing. We've all been to weddings and we know what's to expect. The ceremony, first dance, cake cutting, dancing, etc. I thought that would be mine. It would hit all the marks and be memorable. What we got with Catherine's help was LITERALLY the happiest weekend of our lives. We keep saying we've NEVER been that happy ever. It was the time of our lives and we know C.B.S. has so much to do with that. We still can't come down from cloud 9! In closing. If you don't get it already. We love Catherine and the C.B.S. team. Start to finish, top to bottom they were wonderful and we give them the highest marks. If you are planning a wedding and think you might need a planner. Guess what? You do! Get Catherine and the C.B.S. team now. Trust us! read more

This weekend we had a pleasure photographing a wedding, which Catherine has planned. It was absolutely outstanding! Catherine's people skills are the best when it comes to coordinating all the vendors and making sure everything runs smooth and as planned. Her style, creativity, taste, and knowledge help brides to make their dreams to become true. Catherine is an amazing person that attracts all the wonderful people. Even if you don't need to discuss a wedding planning, just meeting her will make your day brighter! I highly recommend Catherine for anyone who wants to have a fabulous wedding! Red Trolley Studio approved! read more

I absolutely cannot say enough amazing things about Catherine. She planned our May wedding at L'Auberge and it was absolutely perfect. We asked for a full service planner and that is exactly what she provided. Catherine has connections to all of the greatest vendors and her taste is impeccable. Catherine gave us the wedding of our dreams and we only wish we could do it again! read more

Catherine is one fabulous wedding coordinator. She has style and taste and best of all she has a beautiful heart that is SO helpful when planning for a wedding. She helps you see past the stuff that doesn't always matter and helps you to stay focused on the reason why you're getting married to your best friend. She has a beautiful spirit and heart and we are so grateful to have had her share in our wedding day! We HIGHLY recommend her! PS - I am a wedding coordinator here in San Diego and I chose her out of all the others to be my day of because I know the calmness she brings to any situation, as well as laughter and inspiration. Thank you Catherine! Love, Tracy & Nathan Pavelka read more

We had a pretty unfortunate experience with Catherine; she was unorganized, forgetful, and aloof. This is one of most important events in ones life and support in the planning process in essential. I had such an amazing team of vendors and unfortunately Catherine our wedding coordinator (the person who is there to pull it all together) failed miserably. After having already discussed Catherine once with the issues that I was having with her, I felt it necessary to let her know that I just was not okay with her performance and attitude during and after my wedding. I decided to write her an email and let her know how I was feeling. I was absolutely shocked and saddened, by her vicious response! I was in disbelief and for someone that works in the service industry she should be horrified at her behavior and choice of words. Newsflash - I am a paying customer!!! RUN RUN RUN from this woman. read more

Catherine was extremely helpful throughout the planning process. She is very practical and we loved her attitude - she was very reasonable and worked with your budget, such that she did not try to up-sell you and helped guide as to what is important and what is not worth spending money on. She recommended great vendors, especially our band who turned out to be amazing. She met with my mom and I multiple times and did a great job of balancing everyone's wishes and opinions to create the perfect wedding. It was very easy to work with her and she has a very kind, easy-going, and cheerful demeanor. read more

CBS Lifestylist is a terrific choice for your wedding planning needs. Catherine is a joy to work with; she has great relationships with all the vendors you will need to make your big day a success and is totally professional in her approach and execution of this milestone event! No task is too small or too large for her to remedy quickly and painlessly. Catherine is also a warm and kind human being who truly cares that her bride (groom, wedding party, parents and guests) are all superbly well cared for. Take it from me, the MOB (Mother of the Bride for you new to the wedding planning process), Catherine and CBS Lifestylist is your BEST CHOICE EVER as a wedding planner wizard. read more

Writing a glowing review for my wedding coordinator is like writing a good speech at the wedding: keep it short, keep it honest, and keep it heart felt. So here I go... Catherine was my wedding planner. I knew I wanted her the second my honey proposed. So, I called her, we agreed on a price and the fun began! She kept me on track, she lovingly listened to my wishes and my concerns and then she helped execute all the details required for such a party/event. She offered great advice and all the while keeping my budget on track. She comforted me when I was nervous and was a leader with a smile. She helped me make the choices that not only led to a successful day, but a darn beautiful affair. It's now one month after the wedding and I can't believe that (1) I'm married to my best friend and (2) we managed to have the greatest celebration ever!!! I would like to recommend Catherine because she is smart, kind, and has great style. She's awesome.xoxo read more

Catherine is my stylist for all events - work and play. In my work environment, it's business casual - not stuffy suits - and Catherine is genius at mix and match, creating wonderfully stylish, attractive and imaginative outfits I would never have thought of. For my off time and different events, she knows just the right touch to bring complementary colors and styling to my body shape - making me look chic and, may I say, amazing. You will never go wrong with Catherine. I have recommended her to friends and they love her, too. read more

Catherine is incredible!!! To preface this, I am a 28 year old young professional living in SD, and I first met with Catherine two (2) years ago, when my company hired her to "style" me with a new wardrobe for work. She was so warm, friendly and professional... not to mention a total fashion expert! She gave me the basic 101 rundown, how-to dress and make the most of all my outfits. She also gave me the direction I needed to reach out of my comfort zone and try some new things. We had so much fun with it, and I'm still utilizing these items in my everyday wardrobe two (2) years later. The second time I met with Catherine was about 1 month ago. She came to my house, went through my closet, and in just one (1) hour she was able to piece together at least 27 different outfits for me with all my existing clothes... I found myself suddenly excited to rock clothes I thought I'd long outgrown, or had assumed might no longer be in style. It was amazing and saved me a lot of money. She also made a list of all the things I needed to add to my closet, which was very helpful. My most recent meeting with Catherine was last week at Nordstroms. When I walked in to the dressing room, she already had plenty of outfits sorted and ready for me to try on. She made sure to personalize everything for my own liking/style, while making sure I had a more sophisticated look career-wise. I walked away with an amazing new wardrobe... She spent so much time making sure everything was perfect, and didn't hesitate to go above and beyond for me. I can be very indecisive but she was always patient with me, confident and assuring. I LOVE MY NEW CLOTHES. She will always be my go-to fashionista!!! Whenever I'm in need of anything or have a question about my look, I'm going to Catherine. :) read more

Catherine was a pure godsend for all of our wedding preparation and wedding planning. I cannot thank her enough! Her professionalism and the care she takes for all of her clients sets her above the rest. I had looked around at several wedding planners before choosing Catherine and can't imagine having gone with anyone else. To start, she was helpful throughout the entire wedding planning process and helped us along the way with anything and everything we had questions on. She was always open to answering all my silly questions and never made me feel like I was burdening her with all of the "small stuff" - etiquette, colors, shoes, you name it! She was excellent with style suggestions and helped to create the vision that I had a tough time articulating. She even came to the tux shop to help pick out my husband's suit! As for organization, she gave us a thorough timeline from the start that helped ease a lot of my stress. We always knew exactly when we should be working on details and at what point things needed to be finalized. She kept me in touch with a fanastic team of wedding vendors that she referred us to and made sure that all of the contracts and payments were in place as needed. Her vendors were amazing to work with and I would have been completely lost about deciding what linens we needed, how many lights were necessary, do we need to order chairs, etc, etc, etc without her. I've saved the best part for last ... the "day of". My entire venue could have been up in flames and I would have been none the wiser! Catherine has such an amazing confidence and calming demeanor that I never once would have even known if anything was going wrong that day because she took care of everything without ever letting me get hint of stress. It was wonderful! In the days leading up to the wedding, I was able to kick back and relax spending time with my friends and family - having put everything into Catherine's hands at that point, I knew it would all be taken care of. On our wedding day, I never once had to concern myself with the setup and details. She handled it all so amazingly that the entire night went so smoothly. (And again, if anything did get messed up, I wouldn't have even known! Isn't that what your coordinator is there for??? To keep the stress away from you!) I've spoken to several friends who have had a nightmare of a time working with other wedding planners. People who have hidden upcharges for working with their vendors so they can make a little money off of you. Nickeling and diming for every little thing that they help with if it's not explicitely written into the contract. And ones who just seem to be MIA on the day-of and not able to handle missteps. I would glady recommend CBS to anyone looking for a wedding coordinator who will ensure that your wedding day goes smoothly and is exactly what you had always dreamed of! read more

Catherine is wonderful! She is currently planning my wedding, but she is also an incredible stylist. I was so comfortable with her and found exactly what I was looking for. I would absolutely recommend Catherine to anyone. She is easy to work with, thoughtful, and helped me expand my wardrobe in new ways. I can't wait to work with her again in the future. read more

Catherine was our wedding coordinator/consultant/organiser /you name it Catherine did it with ease professionalism and stunning style. She handled everything from cake and menu tasting to meeting with the floral designers. Catherine listened to what the bride and groom wanted and made it happen. The day of the wedding was stress free, organised and so much fun thanks to Catherine I am the mother of the groom and if I could get her to Boston would use her as a stylist ( and boy do I need a stylist ). Catherine has grace and charm while always looking stunning no matter what she was helping the bride and groom with. We had our wedding at Torrey Pines and Catherine made the resort shine for us. Thank you Catherine for a remarkable weekend. read more

Catherine was such a blessing for us! My husband and I did not have the first idea about planning our wedding and would have been lost without her. I heard about her through a friend of a friend (I actually think it is Samantha S. who posted below) after Catherine planned her wedding. She had nothing but wonderful things to say about Catherine and I feel so lucky I received such an excellent recommendation. From the beginning Catherine was organized, poised, and enthusiastic. We relied on her for most of our vendors and she did not lead us astray. We adored everyone she suggested. She works with you and respects your budget. She pays attention to your concerns and needs. She is responsive when you have questions and helps you make important decisions. She really goes ABOVE and BEYOND. With the hours that she put in (between the repeated meetings with the florist, driving up to us and our venue, helping me dress my family members and picking out a fantastic suit and complete outfit for my incredibly handsome husband, and all the behind the scenes planning and coordination with our vendors) you know that she is absolutely committed to making your wedding day be as perfect and special as possible. She also helps to command the room and the group when your family and friends are taken over by the excitement of the day. She kept everyone on task and everything in order. She transformed our venue so that when I first saw it I was completely taken aback at how beautiful of a scene she had created. Our parents could not stop raving about her and everyone who met her was impressed. The vendors who we worked with (those she recommended and those we had found independently) all raved about her! If you want someone reliable who not only carries out your dream but also enhances your dream, go with Catherine. She is shockingly affordable and worth way more than her asking price. read more

We cannot sing Catherine's praises enough after she recently helped us plan our La Jolla wedding. Throughout the planning process Catherine was very communicative, resourceful, and calming (a much appreciated quality- brides to be will agree). Her confidence, know-how, and recommendations (from vendors, dress shops, wedding etiquette, menu options, flowers, ambiance, etc) prove she's a pro and instilled the utmost assurance that we were in great hands from day one. On the day of, she kept me informed while also reminding me to eat, hydrate and most importantly to enjoy and take it all in. And I was able to do just that because of this wonderful woman. In short, Catherine comes with our highest recommendation. We are grateful to her for making our day far above what we could have imagined. read more

Catherine is the Best Wedding Coordinator!!!!!! There are no words or stars that can give her the credit she deserves. I was an out of town bride planning a destination wedding at the Lodge Torrey Pines and found Catherine through their list of approved coordinators. We exchanged e-mails and from her first e-mail I knew she was the right coordinator for me. She made me appointments with the best vendors and has the best connections. She made me feel secure and confident when I was hundreds of miles away dreaming of my wedding day. When I was scatter brained she was calm and cool helping me navigate through anything and everything. Her style is amazing and her professionalism is spot on. Mostly her kindness and compassion for her craft made me realize how lucky I was to find her on the most important day of my life. Brides it was truly an honor to work with her. You will not regret it. Thank you Catherine for giving us the wedding of our dreams. read more

I am so grateful that we hired Catherine to be our wedding planner. We got married at The Lodge at Torrey Pines in May 2017. Not only did she stay within our budget, she actually went above and beyond to work with our vendors to provide some things that we really wanted that our budget didn't allow for. The best part about Catherine is that as laid back and relaxed as she was (so I didn't feel worried) during the months prior to our big date, on our actual wedding day she work tirelessly and so efficiently behind the scenes that the entire evening and night to follow went off without a single glitch! She impeccable style to boot! read more

Cbs planned my wedding and we couldn't have asked for a better wedding planner. She made the process totally stress free. On the day of the wedding she was everywhere we needed her all at once. And she is a wonderful person too!!! Our saint and savior, cbs!! read more

She got 5 stars because yelp doesn't do 6. Amazing planner, amazing person! I would get married again tomorrow lol

Catherine Bachelier Smith has been my stylist for the past 3 years, and I can't recommend her highly enough. She has an amazing sense of style and her look is always sophisticated, put-together, and updated. I care about how I look, but I am a busy professional who does not want to spend hours poring over magazines and getting inspiration. When Catherine started doing my closet, I got to "borrow" some of her sense of style. She took me from a post-pregnancy wardrobe slump to a place where I get constant compliments on my clothes. I no longer look at my closet full of clothes and think, "I've got nothing to wear!" Catherine's services are a bargain. When I first began consulting with her, I was worried she would tell me that I should go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. I was surprised that she didn't send me shopping (in fact, she helped me get rid of some awful things that were cluttering my closet), but rather took what I already had and helped me create new combinations that I never would have considered. She also helped me figure out how to wear unique pieces that I had bought because I loved them in the store, but when I got home I didn't know exactly how to wear them (so they were languishing in the back of the closet). She also helped me to figure out shopping "mistakes" I was making, like buying pieces that were too similar to each other (who needs 5 pairs of the same black pants?). After she was done, I felt like I had a whole new fabulous wardrobe without actually buying anything new. She left me with photos of about 40 different outfits, all combinations of my own clothes, to reference. The style was all my own and unique to me. All in all, hiring Catherine is the best money you can spend on your wardrobe. For the price of a single piece of new clothing, you can get so much more style out of what you already have. She is a great teacher, and I have learned to shop smarter and to put my own combinations together from her. And working with her is a delight! read more

Catherine met and exceeded all of our expectations for our daughter's recent bat mitzvah. After working with us on a budget, Catherine set up all the vendor meetings and recommended high quality people who actually performed. Catherine was cost conscious and kept the party at or below our budget. The "day of" service was exemplary, all we had to do was show up and enjoy the party. I would strongly recommend Catherine. read more

Catherine is a dreammaker when it comes to weddings. She made the whole process of planning a wedding a breeze and alievated any wedding stress. She was so helpful with recommending amazing vendors who were within my budget. Catherine is also very accessible by email, phone or even in person. No matter the time of the day, Catherine always responded to my questions right away. Catherine has amazing style and is very classy, which was also key when it came to creating the vision of my wedding. Our wedding day could not have gone any more perfect, Catherine took care of every single detail so I could enjoy my wedding and spend time with all of my guests. read more

Catherine at CBS managed the day-of wedding events beautifully at LaValencia. And her fee was very reasonable. She is the loveliest, most elegant, sophisticated, and politely assertive wedding planner. She met with me prior to the wedding to help with some details and referred me photographers, officiants, florists and more. She helped me save thousands through these referrals! She even met me at Nordstrom where she's a personal shopper to help choose ties for the men and rehearsal dresses for me. She took all of the wedding-related items, prior to the big day, so that our car would only hold our personal items. She managed arranging the rental furniture so beautifully, pinned corsages on the men, made sure I had a glass of champagne in hand, and was stealth-like during the event. She would appear at the perfect moment to assist with things like cake-cutting, controlling speeches, or handing out the give-aways, but she was out of view otherwise. She made our day PERFECT and exactly as I had envisioned it. I highly recommend CBS! read more