We thought that hiring a wedding planner would alleviate some of the stresses of planning a…read moredestination wedding. Unfortunately, that was not the case in this situation. We're getting married in December on Kiawah Island. I grew up going there, sometimes spending entire summers there, so I know the area like the back of my hand. However, considering that neither one of us had any wedding planning experience, I thought that we would greatly benefit from the help of a professional. We hired Katherine Miller events because I liked her portfolio, the proposal sounded great, and she seemed very detail-oriented. Boy, was I wrong. She presented us with a wedding checklist, which was something similar to what you would find on The Knot, but it was never really discussed. I let her know that I'm used to deadlines, yet I rarely knew what she was working on, if anything at all. As the client, I didn't feel that I should micromanage the process, but I can't just blindly trust that things are getting done. This led to me doing most everything on my own and occasionally providing her with updates. When you're spending 20% of your budget on a full service wedding planner, it makes sense to be disappointed about this. Communication was sparse and haphazard-- an example of this was when she let me know that she would check on a tasting date with the caterer the next day (6/29), and I didn't hear back from her until 7/13. When we addressed these issues, she acted defensive and inflexible. She never even picked up the phone to call us. I really do believe that she thought she was working hard, and maybe our definitions of working hard are just different. At the end of the day, I never felt that she took the time to get to know us. I'm not sure if it was the fact that we were "out of sight, out of mind," or if our budget was too small for her to concern herself with. (She said that she discounted the cost of her services to fit in our budget. That's not something that I would tell a client.) To recap: When the wedding planner is the most stressful part of wedding planning, it's time to cut ties. Even if that means only getting a refund of $500 and being out the remaining retainer of $1,500.

If there was the option to give more than five stars to Katherine Miller events, I absolutely…read morewould. My husband and I were planning a destination wedding and were having trouble keeping our hands around everything. We had a hard time conceptualizing everything we wanted to do and really needed help -- LOTS of help. When we found Katherine, everything changed. Our loose ideas about what we wanted on our wedding day were transformed into cohesive, beautiful concepts. She helped us with everything, from proofreading our invitations to keeping us on track with to-do lists. Whether it was flowers, linens or which table to remove from our floor plan, Katherine had a recommendation. She was flexible to be a part of our planning meetings anytime we came to Charleston and was more than happy to talk by phone at any hour of the day when we needed her. One of the most valuable things to me was that our wedding coordinator get to know both me and my husband so that our day was a reflection of us, specifically, and our relationship. Katherine made sure that everything (right down to our wine-cork-handle cheese knife favor!) perfectly reflected us as a couple. I found Katherine to be really helpful with making sure things kept moving. She kept us on task about when we needed to make final decisions on things, when our next payments were due to vendors, when we needed to confirm headcounts -- anything. If ever I felt stressed out, I called her and we'd talk about whatever was concerning me. When my husband wasn't sure what he needed to do and when, she made sure he picked out his tuxes, vests and ties before they needed to be rushed. She was there no matter the emergency (like when our rehearsal dinner venue told us they'd double booked our date) or the need (like navigating through the floral requests of my mom and aunt). She's quick to respond on email or by phone. I never had any issues communicating with her about anything, even minor stuff like "Where can I get maps of the area for my guests?" (In fact, when I asked that, she shipped us 100 guide books on Charleston to include in our welcome bags!) During our wedding weekend, Katherine was at her best. No matter the challenge (like when rain caused a reception tent gutter to collapse during our cocktail hour or set-up being delayed a day because of high winds), she handled it flawlessly. When a bridesmaid called the morning of the wedding because her dress was the wrong shade of green, Katherine calmed her down and helped her find one in her size in the right shad. I was clueless about any hiccups during our wedding day -- I didn't even know rain was predicted! -- because Katherine made sure that I enjoyed and soaked up every second of the day. Looking back on our wedding, there is absolutely nothing we would change. We had a flawless wedding day that reflected us perfectly (and an enjoyable, fun time planning!) because of Katherine. I would recommend her without hesitation to anyone planning a wedding in the Charleston area.

Aaron Nicholas Photography was absolutely fantastic. We honestly couldn't have asked for a better…read morephotographer. We thoroughly enjoyed the company of Aaron and Jill during our photo-shoot -- completely no awkwardness; something one might expect from engagement photos. Actually, we had a blast! They accommodated all of our requests with an extremely positive attitude and their suggestions proved to the best photos we had during the shoot! Their choice of location for our shoot was stunning - a place they scouted in advanced and personally picked to "match our style and personalities." Ha! Their responsiveness was amazing. Jill responded to all calls/texts/emails within minutes. Even the turn-around for the photos post-shoot was super quick! The quality of the photos were AMAZING! And I'm not sure what they did to touch them up... but Stella and I looked FINE! Aaron and Jill are truly masters. Without hesitation, I highly recommend Aaron Nicholas Photography for your next event.

We are completely blown away by Aaron & Jillian! They photographed our brother and sister in laws…read morewedding and had the BEST experience and UNBELIEVABLE photos. They told us we HAVE to have them photograph our big day, we won't regret it, and it's so worth it. We are so so so happy we did and couldn't have thought of our wedding day without them. Jillian is so quick to respond, give amazing suggestions, and help with everything wedding related. She feels like she is your bestie from day one! Aaron is super chill, talented and all of the guys loved him! They make an amazing team!Every picture looks like it is out of a magazine and they are all completely stunning! They made us so comfortable in front of the camera and we genuinely enjoyed Aaron & Jillians company the entire day, they're the best and so personable! If you want photographers you can trust, choose them! We can't say enough about A&J. We love you both!

I wanted a photographer to capture my proposal, and Lindsey absolutely crushed it. We're nearly 7…read moremonths pregnant, so Lindsey not only captured the proposal without my fiancee suspecting - getting tons of amazing candid shots - she basically set us up with engagement photos and maternity photos all in one. We were visiting Charleston for the weekend, so Lindsey helped me plan every detail down to a location in the heart of the city at the perfect time of day. She is personable and so easy to work with. We emailed, texted and jumped on the phone to discuss logistics over the two months leading up to the proposal. During the session, she suggested different poses and locations and never once made us feel rushed. She even made a couple restaurant suggestions for us as we parted ways. Lindsey has a great eye, and we are blown away with everything. My fiancee is so excited - not only that I had the wherewithal to plan this without her knowing a single detail, but also that I selected an awesome photographer. Lindsey has given us a very special way to remember this moment, and we can't thank her enough!

We hired Lo to take photobooth shots at our wedding and couldn't be happier! She was great to work…read morewith, very responsive, and even revised contract language to fit our needs. She also took the initiative to visit the venue on her own time to know what she would be working with. She arrived with plenty of fun props and our guests had a ton of fun. We would highly recommend her to anyone!

Creating core memories!…read more Chris, Steve and the team at Fox Audio Visual helped our neighborhood host a seamless block-tactic movie night on a LED screen! Chris assisted in finding the best location not only for viewing but mindful of sound projection (pointing away from homes) and shade/tree coverage for viewers. Many neighbors, friends, and families came out to watch the movie under the oaks and created core memories to last for years. The service requested was for Fox Audio and Visual to provide audio and visuals for a movie screening. This was the neighborhood's second movie screening with Fox Audio Visual and they delivered excellent service again! Whether for a corporate engagement, a party with friends, or a community event, Fox Audio Visual will assist in the finding best screening options and pricing for your budget. The team also provided creative suggestions on best platforms and alternative viewing options.

Wow - what a great find! We were looking to find some speakers to use to play some background…read moremusic at a party venue downtown. Steve promptly returned my phone call and gave me great advice on what he recommended I get, once I described the party and the venue space. Payment was exceptionally easy to do right on my phone. I picked up in the window he gave; he gave a quick, but complete, lesson on how to set up the speakers and all and even loaded everything in my car. I had a question the next day when I was setting them up, but made a quick phone call and was given the info I needed quickly and they were good to go. It seems like all their equipment was very high end stuff. Pricing seemed fair to me. The return was equally quick and professional. They are a great professional outfit with great equipment and I definitely use them again.

I can't say enough amazing things about Sean!!!! My fiancé…read moreand I are planning our dream wedding with her and she has gone OVER AND BEYOND to make this process as stress free as possible for the both of us ! We just had our engagement party which she totally rocked ! There were bumps in the road of course but she handled everything we didn't have to worry or stress about any of it ! Most importantly she cares ! She's become like family and we are so honored and happy to have her be apart of this process with us ! I highly recommend Sean for any event planning / wedding planning needs ! Right down to the detail her vision and making your visions come to life are exceptionally perfect !!!

I cannot express how happy I am that we chose Sean as our officiant for our wedding ceremony! We…read moregot married at the Mission Inn and she was very professional and knowledgeable as well as helpful when aiding us during our last minute decisions. I love the fact that our ceremony was made extra special with all the input that we received from Sean. As soon as she arrived she arrived to our rehearsal and coordinated with the wedding coordinator I was at ease since all of my questions where answered and I knew the plan for our ceremony. I highly recommend using her services.

Truly enjoyed working with Thomas. I needed photos taken for a website for my tour company. I…read more didn't have enough free time to walk with him to show him the locations. With a quick email and a few minutes of my time to get the idea of what I was off to get the job done. The photos are perfect and such quick turn around! Will definitely use him in the future.

We loved having Palmetto Wedding Films be a part of our micro wedding at The River House at Lowndes…read moreGrove in May 2019. Jessie was a true pleasure to work before, during, and after our big day. We selected Palmetto Wedding Films because of the drone footage & two cameras throughout; videos that include vows, speeches, toasts, and music; that you receive both a short-film (~3 minutes) and a full-length film (~1 hour) - both in high and standard resolution formats; and last but not least, the reasonable price point. Jessie also went above and beyond by returning all of our videos within our short eight-week window. We loved Palmetto Wedding Films and would highly recommend!

Had two bites of their pulled pork sandwich at the Mt. Pleasant Farmers Market and I gotta say it…read morewas pretty delicious. Almost pulled the trigger on getting a plate, but I'm saving my Charleston BBQ cherry for Home Team.

Charleston Bay helped make our wedding fabulous and uniquely Charleston! Their onsite staff were…read morewonderful additions to our evening, and the menu and logistical planning was thorough and painless. The food was absolutely delicious, and our guests raved about it all night. We are so grateful for their service and would happily recommend them to anyone!