We love Katie. You don't just get a wedding planner, you get a friend. We live in California, but…read morewas planning a wedding to have in New York. Where do I start? I found Katie and she was amazing. She was a God sent. She gave us options for everything and walked us through everything. The time difference was a struggle, but she was up late repling to all my messages. I'm the type of bride, where I just wanted to show up and everything was taken care of. Since we were planning from a distance, she made that happen. She went over and beyond with great ideas. On our way to the airport to NY, for our wedding, we found out my husband's suit never arrived in NY. Since we were about to get on a plane, I texted Katie our situation and when we arrived in NY, she had taken care of everything and his suit was being sent overnight. She is absolutely amazing with kids. My son and nephew got a bit wild and put their swords on top of the closet and they were told they would get it back once they were done getting ready and behaved. They called her "the boss" and kept telling my sister in law and I that "the boss" took it. We applauded her. My 2 year old grandson was extra crazy and wanted to run around as we were waiting to go into our reception. She scooped him and kept him in line till we were announced. She feels more like family and a friend. When you are planning the most important event in your life, make sure you have Katie on your team.

Without A Lively Event, our 200+ person wedding would not have been the perfect day that it was!…read moreKatie was easy (and fun) to work with, and had tips/tricks that cannot be found on the big wedding blogs across the internet. I live in MA, so I appreciated that she accepted PayPal as means of payment, and was accommodating to communication mostly via email and phone call. Quick anecdote: At the beginning of our reception, my husband and I realized that we forgot to bring snacks for our after party, Katie took the lead on ordering pizzas later in the evening and stayed later than she was scheduled to, to make sure everything turned out okay. We would book Katie again in a heartbeat. Thank you for your enthusiasm, professionalism, and attention to detail!

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Sandra O'Connell or Hudson Valley Ceremonies. Not only did she…read morestreamline the bride's "to do" list by recommending musicians and florists, her excellent knowledge of wedding-day requirements helped ,  my Daughter in Law Amanda immensely, saving her lots of computer search time and false-starts.  Her help walking us through the rehearsal was vital, getting us organized the day of and "on our spots" at the right critical time. It's all such a whirlwind of activity. And the logistics at our farm were challenging, to say the least. I also greatly appreciated how, during the actual wedding and party afterward, Sandra and her assistant were there, in the background, keeping the caterer happy, moving tables, shuttling slightly inebriated guests to their cars, (thank you, especially for that. I think I would still find people walking the horse pasture fence, looking for their cars.) And for doing the behind-the-scenes things that rarely are noticed, unless they're not done. (For example, one of the porta potties malfunctioning). Sandra handled that with quiet speed. And mostly I appreciated how she took care of Amanda's mother's doilies, the family mementoes, tucking things away in the pool house for safe keeping. And for a good, general tidying up at the end of the night.

We were married this past September at Timber Lake Camp and had the wedding (and weekend) of our…read moredreams thanks to Sandra O'Connell at Hudson Valley Ceremonies. If you don't get to the end of this review and only read one thing: Hiring Sandra was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. She is beyond dedicated to giving you the wedding of your dreams, and her ability to execute and make it ALL happen is nothing short of extraordinary. Every wedding needs a Sandra! We had the pleasure of working with Sandra from the beginning of our wedding planning journey all the way through our 3 day wedding weekend. When we were stumped looking for venues that could accommodate our large guest list AND a weekend-long celebration. Sandra approached us with a "think outside the box" venue: Timber Lake Camp, a beautifully serene summer camp nestled in the Catskills. We were unsure about the idea of a summer camp wedding but trusted her instinct - and thankfully we did. The day we visited the camp we knew it was PERFECT. 500 gorgeous acres with plenty of room to accommodate ALL of our guests, that we could have all to ourselves for an entire weekend - camp cabins, facilities, staff, and all! It truly felt like she had pulled a rabbit out of a hat and that was only the start of Sandra's magic! Throughout the entire year and a half long planning process, Sandra lent us her ear and expertise: she listened to our wishes, concerns, thoughts; guided us through a million different decisions; provided alternative options/ideas to meet our budget; and found the perfect vendors to bring our vision to life. She sat in on our calls with the coordinator at the camp, and even made visits to the camp with us - including one visit during a snowstorm! She also managed our multitude of vendors (including 3 separate caterers!) from the initial inquiries all the way through to the end of packing up after the wedding. When the wedding weekend came around, Sandra stayed on site all 3 days and made every event run smoothly - we felt like she was somehow everywhere all at once! We had multiple events, including our rehearsal, a Welcome BBQ, Karaoke Night, late night bonfire, and activities throughout the camp. If there were any hiccups, we didn't know about them! The day of the wedding, between everything she was coordinating and the multiple vendors on-site, she somehow still found time to check in with us to make sure we were okay. But honestly we truly felt at ease with Sandra running the show. Her professionalism, calmness, and get-it-done attitude made every part of the weeknd run seamlessly! And on top of it all, she made our marriage official by signing our marriage license. :) A total bonus that she is ordained and a special memory to share with her as she was such a big part of our special day! Our guests are still talking about how magical the weekend was. Many specifically commented that even with so many events and activities going on, it was one the most well-coordinated and organized weddings they'd attended. It was definitely a huge effort to pull off a 3 day wedding weekend on a 500 acre camp, but teamwork truly made this dream work! We could not be more grateful to Sandra, her team, and all of our amazing vendors for giving us a wedding better than we could have ever imagined! We can't recommend Sandra and HVC enough.

Just had a lovely bridal shower party event at Dukes in June. The catering here was excellent. We…read morewanted a clam bake type event with seafood and I was originally concerned with the quality and amount of food we would receive but it was plentiful and very fresh. Everything from salad to lobster exceeded our expectations. The grounds are so beautiful and peaceful for any type of celebration! It can be decorated or customized in any way you want. There are un limited options. Annette the lovely lady we worked with is better than a wedding planner! She made me feel at ease when I told her my concerns and everything came out perfect! I highly recommend! Thank you Dukes! We'll be back next year for sure for our office party!!

I attended a work picnic at Duke's Grove . The food was great and the staff was greater. They had…read morenice personality and were very pleasant. Everything was on point

Joy married us 9 years ago this summer! We were set for a wedding celebration later but wanted to…read morebe legally married ahead of our military move. However, we didn't want a courthouse vow exchange, but an actual spiritual ceremony. We had no witnesses, so Joy kindly provided her two friends, and even married us in her own home! A tiny intimate ceremony, just us, Joy, and her two friends. Also it was opening day at the races, and Joy agreed to squeeze the ceremony in in the AM. She was SO accommodating, thoughtful, and warm. My memories of that day are wonderful. The reason I'm reviewing her now...9 years later...is that we've started considering options for vow renewal for our 10yr anniversary. And, one thought was...'I wonder if Joy is still in the marrying business? Wouldn't it be special to travel to Saratoga and renew our vows with her?' Ha! We'll see! Oh, and I should mention, we gave the middle name 'Joy' to our third daughter.

Joy is amazing! She knows exactly how to capture a one of a kind ceremony that is perfectly…read moretailored to the couple. She knows exactly what to ask in order to create a perfect summary of each couple's love story. She is patient and has a wealth of knowledge and experience. She is capable of doing all types (religious, casual, personal, ritual oriented, etc, ceremonies). We were in awe of how many of our guests thought she was a friend for years or the pastor of our church!! You wont go wrong with Joy!

I cannot recommend Jacque and Lifetime Events by Jacqueline highly enough! From start to finish,…read moreJacque went above and beyond to create an unforgettable winter ski getaway and an incredible 50th birthday celebration at Whiteface Lodge. Every detail was handled with precision and care--from crafting a daily itinerary of winter activities like skiing, ice skating, and dogsledding, to orchestrating a spectacular birthday bash complete with shuttle service for guests, stunning décor, catering for food and beverages, a fantastic DJ, photographer, and even fun photo booths. The list of what she managed is endless! What truly stood out was Jacque's professionalism and calm confidence throughout the entire process. Even when things were uncertain, she never wavered. Jacque made me feel completely supported, as if I had a trusted partner who always had my back. Her ability to anticipate needs, solve problems quickly, and keep everything running smoothly ensured that I could relax and enjoy every moment knowing I was in good hands. If you're looking for someone who combines creativity, organization, and grace under pressure, Jacque at Lifetime Events by Jacqueline is the one. She turned my vision into reality and exceeded every expectation. I am beyond grateful for her hard work and dedication! Thank you Jacque!! Keisha Grant-Heslop

Jacqueline did it all from finding the venue down to the decor for my 4 year old's fairy themed…read moreparty! It was a gorgeous and fun party and I had absolutely nothing to with most of it which was amazingggg. If you need an event planner because you simply don't know how or don't have the time to plan anything, she's your girl. She will deliver professionally and beautifully!

Norma and One Heart Ceremonies created the most touching and heartfelt ceremony that was…read morepersonalized completely for us. The first time we met with Norma, we were put at ease and confident that she would make our special day that much more special. Norma took the time to get to know us and incorporate our personalities and love for each other throughout the entire ceremony. She assisted us in selecting a reading for my husband's daughter... my new stepdaughter, that was appropriate and exquisite. More than being a consummate professional with a true gift for writing an amazingly personalized ceremony, she has continued to stay in touch with us and check in periodically. I can't even imagine our special day without her being our officiant. Thank you Norma Moutal and One Heart Ceremonies

We had the pleasure of working with Norma for our wedding ceremony and we could not recommend her…read moremore! She developed a ceremony that is better than anything we could have imagined and checked all the boxes of topics/details we wanted to include in a really beautiful and cohesive way. She takes the stress and work out of having to file your actual marriage license since this is something she will take care of post-ceremony. Her husband, Harvey, also accompanied her and passed out bubbles and programs to our guests which was so unbelievably sweet and generous. We were very happy with the value we received, the communication throughout our entire planning process, and the professionalism across the board. If you're looking for an officiant in the Hudson Valley, absolutely go with One Heart Personalized Ceremonies - you will not be disappointed! Our guests are still raving about Norma and our ceremony.

Not totally sure where to begin, but let's just say Jesse is a master of his craft, and is simply…read morean amazing photographer. I found out about Jesse after one of my friends posted her engagement photos - they were breathtaking. Then I also noticed his photos were on a comedian's Instagram whom I follow - John Mulaney. I knew he was our guy before even meeting him. I reached out to him to strictly do our engagement shoot first, and it was perfect. We wanted a winter, snowy shoot and he worked us on the timing and location. He made it so easy! Jesse's style is effortless and he makes you feel extremely comfortable in front of the camera. We had an amazing session and after getting our photos back (he doesn't hold any photo back, FYI - they are all yours) we told him we wanted to book him for our wedding and as soon as we had the date, we secured him. For nearly a year and a half, we had him booked because we didn't want to lose him! Over that time, we communicated on timelines of the day, recommendations on various things, and technical details. He didn't leave any thought unsaid and it made for a day that flowed and provided us everything we would ever want! On our wedding day, Jesse was as professional as they come. You barely knew he was there when we were getting ready, and worked well with all the different personality types in our bridal party. We adventured through town and found some incredible places to shoot! And through our ceremony and reception, he was there for all the right moments, showed discretion where necessary, and blended right in to the fold. Without a doubt, Jesse was by far our golden snitch of vendors, and we are so fortunate to have had the chance to work with him and recommend him to all!

I found Jesse while researching wedding venues and discovered the photos he shot of John Mulaney…read moreand Annamarie Tendler's wedding through Onteora Mountain House's website. I thought they were absolutely stunning and that his work managed to capture the tender moments of such a special day so effortlessly and beautifully. We didn't end up booking Onteora, but I knew we had to book Jesse! When I showed my now-husband Jesse's work, we felt like we were there with the couples and the families - we could feel the magic of the beautiful occasion in a way we just could not with a lot of other wedding photographers. We also loved the way that he paired these couples with the gorgeous landscapes of the natural elements around them. From reading other online reviews about him, we really liked that many people said they felt that they almost didn't know he was there, but that they were left with photographs that perfectly captured their love. We were pretty much sold on Jesse before we even got on the phone with him -- yet, somehow things got better and better from there! Jesse's a breath of fresh air; just a really, really great guy. He managed to take two people who aren't too great at being the center of attention, and somehow make them feel relaxed and comfortable about being in front of the camera for an entire day. After we got off the phone with Jesse, my now-husband and I looked at each other and just knew he was the guy. Our engagement session was amazing -- just my then-fiancé, me and Jesse out in the middle of the Pine Barrens. I left the session feeling so excited about our choice in photographer. And when the photos came?! INCREDIBLE. Jesse made the wedding planning process a breeze. We booked him well in advance (about a year and a half before our wedding date), but Jesse maintained the conversation with us by email and on social media the entire time. He is professional, punctual and organized, and had us feeling well-prepared the few days before our wedding (which is hard to do during such a stressful time!). We trusted him to make it great! The big day was absolutely magical. Jesse shot our wedding solo, and somehow managed to be everywhere at once the entire day! He was warm and friendly to all of our family and friends; his great personality and sense of humor had everyone at ease from getting ready, to the first look, to family photos, to the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception, all night long. Our family couldn't stop telling us throughout the day what a great guy Jesse is, and how comfortable he made them feel. It rained the morning of our wedding day, and I'll be forever thankful to Jesse for convincing us to take the tent down when the sun started peeking out right before our ceremony. (Aside from my own husband, I've never trusted a guy more!) Jesse got the photos to us amazingly fast, and we decided to have a little "viewing party" with our immediate family. Even though we knew he'd be fantastic, his work just BLEW US AWAY. The photos took us on an emotional journey, telling the story of our wedding in the most beautiful way. As we were going through the photos, there was laughter, there were tears, there were exclamations of "how did he get that shot?" and "wow, I didn't even know he was there!" -- and there were sequences where we just sat there in complete silence, in utter awe at what we were viewing on the screen. These photos are truly works of art, treasures of captured memories to cherish forever. There are no words to describe how grateful we are to Golden Hour Studios for making our wedding day nothing less than absolutely perfect.