My Experience with Happy Planning Events: A Cautionary Review…read more
I am writing this to share my honest experience with Tanya from Happy Planning Events, in hopes of helping others avoid the stress and disappointment I went through.
My wedding venue was ultimately canceled due to poor communication on Tanya's part and her failure to clearly explain basic contractual terms. As a professional planner, she should have guided me through the process with clarity and transparency--but instead, I was left confused and misinformed. What was promised to be a "stress-free" planning experience turned into the opposite--Tanya created more mess and work for me than she solved.
She lacked basic organization and attention to detail, especially on the day of the wedding. Rather than focusing on ensuring my day went smoothly, she appeared more interested in networking with my vendors for her future business than in making sure my event was successful. She failed to keep track of our pre-planned schedule, which led to major moments being missed--including my father-daughter dance and bouquet toss. Throughout the night, she seemed more concerned about eating and staying in the air-conditioned venue than checking in with me or my husband or making sure the timeline was on track.
From the beginning, Tanya made promises she didn't deliver on. I hired her as a day-of coordinator six months before the wedding. While I only paid for day-of services, she insisted on helping earlier in the process--which I initially appreciated, since this was my first wedding. However, within just two months of giving her contact information to my venue, she had already caused enough frustration with the property manager that I had to step in myself. By that point, the damage was done--he canceled our contract two months before the wedding. Thankfully, I was able to find another venue, but even then, Tanya again managed to upset the new property manager.
Multiple vendors and both venue managers told me the same thing: "Your planner is very unprofessional and doesn't understand the basics of wedding planning." Despite their warnings, I held onto hope that she would follow through on the day of. Sadly, she didn't.
When it came to execution, there was no flow. As the officiant, she failed to ask the DJ for a microphone (which was readily available), resulting in guests not being able to hear the ceremony. She also forgot to ask guests to stand when I walked down the aisle--something we specifically discussed in advance. A guest had to step in and call it out.
Tanya is what I would call a "yes" planner--quick to agree, but slow (or unable) to follow through. I constantly had to remind her of things and even suggest solutions myself. Her behavior lacked professionalism at every turn, and she did not have the knowledge or presence of a competent wedding coordinator.
What's more, Tanya was seen vaping in front of my guests--completely unprofessional and inappropriate. When she finally did get on the microphone, instead of sharing important timeline information, she spent her time talking about moving cars--something that could've easily been handled off-mic and by someone else.
In the end, my experience with Happy Planning Events was full of broken promises and unnecessary stress. Tanya appeared more focused on building vendor relationships than prioritizing her client's experience or staying within budget. I strongly urge anyone looking for a true professional to look elsewhere. Don't be fooled by the branding--this service has a long way to go before it lives up to the name.
