I am struggling to put into words how to thank Lindsay Gaeta and her team and acknowledge every…read moresingle detail she knocked out of the park and executed on our wedding day! Throughout the planning process there were so many little behind the scenes details she saved me time on which I am so appreciative! I will miss seeing her monthly on our planning calls! I don't plan to get married again anytime soon but I do hope our paths cross again! I am speechless about her help from the rehearsal to the very last minute of shutting down the after party!! The top 3 highlights that people mentioned to me on the wedding day were 1. Dad's speech, 2. Florals, 3. How hard she HUSTLED!!! My bridesmaids and close family constantly approached me on the wedding day with sentiments of "wow, she's good!!" She exceeded our expectations and anticipated our every move! I have close family in the hospitality business (who are the harshest critics about everything in the event planning world) and were over the top satisfied with her commitment and follow through to make the day as seamless as possible! I am sure there were many hiccups that day that were not brought to my attention and for that, I give Lindsay full credit! I was able to relax, be present and have a B+ personality that evening instead of my typical A- for all things attention to detail! I felt completely comfortable 'handing Lindsay the reigns' and entrusting she would handle everything as necessary, which she did!!!

We are beyond grateful for Kim Weinberg of LivenUp Events! From the very beginning, Kim was the…read moreultimate professional, so patient, kind, and supportive, even when I, as the bride, was feeling overwhelmed. She has this incredible ability to stay calm, cool, and collected no matter what comes her way, always finding solutions effortlessly and proactively preventing issues before they even arise. Her industry knowledge is unparalleled, and her planning experience truly shines through in every detail. From her amazing vendor connections to her creative, thoughtful ideas, Kim went above and beyond to make our wedding not just beautiful, but absolutely seamless. She kept us organized, on track, and stress-free throughout the entire process. But what really sets Kim apart is her heart. She genuinely cares about her couples, listens with empathy, and makes you feel supported every step of the way. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding planner. She is a true gem, and we feel so lucky to have had her by our side. Kim Weinberg didn't just plan our wedding; she made our dream day a reality, and we will be forever grateful.

Even weeks after our multi-day Indian wedding finished, we are still receiving heaps of praise…read more Multiple guests told us that not only was it the best wedding that they have ever been to, but it is also going to be the best wedding that they will EVER experience. People constantly mentioned the attention to detail, and one guest even highlighted that the most impressive thing about the wedding was not the extravagance but rather all the logistics, how everything operated so precisely. All that praise is due to Michelle, Kristy, and the entire LOLA team. Our wedding was from Tuesday through Sunday morning, with four large events in four separate venues and numerous smaller rituals and mini-events, involving over twenty separate vendors. Calling it complex would be a massive understatement. Yet, nothing fell through the cracks. We are in the process of building a house, and we half-joke that we should hire Michelle and Kristy to run that project even though it is so out of their ballpark simply because we don't know what to do without their organization. On our wedding ceremony day, we were faced with torrential downpour and unpredictable weather. From the beginning, our biggest desire was to have our ceremony outdoors. Michelle and Kristy worked tirelessly, fighting for our dream to somehow make that outdoors wedding a reality, coming up with some brilliant ideas with the help of Lori. See, they didn't take the easy route of just sticking with the rain plan. They cared. They cared a lot. We can't stress this enough because you can't figure that out by looking through portfolios or interviewing planners. It is found in all those moments where Michelle and Kristy picked up on one of our discomforts and gave us some quiet space, where they understood what we wanted (sometimes even better than we ourselves realized), where one of them would dive to the ground to look through their bag for a pair of scissors or to help place dance shoes on the bride right before she had to go onto the stage, where they literally helped rig an important décor installation when a venue installer did not show up. When the wedding was over, the saddest realization that dawned on us was that we were not going to be able to spend as much time with them. Michelle and Kristy helped us build a team of all-star vendors and venues for our wedding. They have the best connections in the Chicagoland area, but it never felt like they were pushing anyone on us. Instead, it really felt like they were understanding our needs and guiding us to the vendors that best fit those needs. They would always give us a list to choose from and never influence our decisions unless we explicitly asked for guidance. They helped handle all the communication with these vendors so that we did not get stuck with small details and logistics that were unimportant for us. There were so many conversations that happened in the background between vendors, venues, and LOLA that we thankfully did not have to join. As decisions started to mount, Michelle and Kristy were extremely organized and helped keep us on track with a planning timeline and a plethora of spreadsheets. We cannot stress how high our bar for organizational excellence is, and somehow, they managed to exceed it. We had over seven permutations for guest invites, tons of boxes that had to be delivered to different venues, multiple outfit changes, and so many different rituals that kept getting added on throughout the process. One of the best testaments to their level of organization was their four separate minute by minute timelines. Our families never run on time, but that weekend, everything ran like clockwork. On the day-of, they were everywhere all at once, in the hotel, at the venue, working with our family, working with vendors. They knew exactly what to escalate to us and which things to handle themselves. That week, we got to know more LOLA members. Shout out to Nicole who had the arduous task of dealing with both sets of parents, and she handled all their requests and worked extremely hard. Sanja was responsible for transportation, and despite all the intricate logistics, everyone was at the right place on time without any issues. Lori worked with us, helped attend to some of our last-minute emergencies, and shepherded us to where we needed to be, really freeing us to be in the moment and relax. Damina and Morgan helped answer questions for our guests. It was a whole team effort that put LOLA's best values on full display. Our wedding week, despite its intricacies, felt flawless to us. We literally could not have asked for anything better on any of the days. That is thanks to Michelle and Kristy's impressive work ethic, battle-tested experience, relentless pursuit of perfection, and simply their desire to make our dreams come true.

Working with Lori was a dream! We did the full planning package with Lola based on a recommendation…read morefrom a friend who had worked with Lori to plan his own wedding. She also planned his brother's wedding...then his other brother's...we were sold. Lori and the Lola team have all their ducks in a row. They have the tools, templates, and timelines needed to plan and execute a successful wedding. But more importantly, they have the many years of vendor relationship-building, the hard-earned knowledge of what works and what doesn't, and the unfaltering dedication to making your vision come to life that takes your wedding day from special to stratospheric. Of course there are many (manyyy) decisions for the couple to make when planning a wedding, but Lori put in so much of the back-end work to help streamline them for us. Her vendor recommendations were top-notch and our regularly scheduled meetings were as pain-free as they can be for two people who aren't "into" event planning. The day-of support was critical - I think we would have been 2 hours behind had Lori not be ushering us through the timeline like the pro that she is. Lori also gets an A+ on vibes: she's like your planning bestie that is your biggest cheerleader or your sage reality check depending on what you need in the moment. She also has a great eye for design, color, florals, etc. and was an invaluable input for those types of decisions. Multiple guests came up to us at our wedding and said it was the best wedding they had ever been to. Maybe everyone says that but if it's true (we think it is!), we have Lori to thank for it. We had the time of our lives at an absolutely stunning ceremony and reception, and we couldn't be more grateful.

Where to even begin?! From the FIRST meeting with Arin, I knew this was going to be a special…read moreexperience- she had pre-reserved our dream venue (The Field Museum!) just in case we wanted to get married in November... which we did! Arin is so full of ideas, kindness, and energy- she took my vision of color and RAN WITH IT... leading all of our vendors to create the absolute night of my dreams. Arin is incredibly responsive (nights, weekends, ALWAYS), organized, and creative. She wished me luck and sent me coffee before my dress shopping, asked for updates during my bachelorette, and even texted mere DAYS after giving birth to wish me well on wedding day. Arin shines so bright - and is a safe space in what can be a crazy/confusing industry. I am so thankful to Arin for the happiest night of my life- looking back, there isn't ONE THING I would change. It was perfect.

If I could give BCB 10 stars, I would. They are amazing!…read more We recently worked with BCB to plan and execute my son's Bar Mitzvah (they do more than just weddings!). We had the privilege of working with Susan and Johnna. Susan is a visionary who can help you dream big and tap into your imagination, and Johnna makes all your dreams realities. Our event was held at 1970 N Lincoln (formerly Stanleys), which has been closed for almost a decade. Susan and Johnna were magicians and made the venue come to life, ensuring we had the epic dance party we envisioned. No detail was left unattended, from the creative catering to the security to the coat check to the lighting, the DJ, the party's flow, and then some. After the event, there was an issue with our bus company in which one bus never arrived. BCB was able to get a last-minute bus to come, all without letting me know, so that I could enjoy the party and not stress. I cannot recommend them enough. I only wish I had another party to throw so I could work with them again. If you're looking for an incredibly creative, thoughtful, detail-oriented, fun-loving, caring team to throw your next big event, look no further than Big City Bride. They are THE BEST!

We had an absolutely wonderful experience working with An Event Less Ordinary for a birthday…read morecelebration. From the planning process through the event itself, the team was kind, responsive, knowledgeable, and incredibly easy to work with. They helped us think through details we never would have considered on our own, offered thoughtful advice and support, and brought so much expertise to the overall planning. On the day of the event, they made everything feel seamless. It was such a relief to know they were managing all the details and making sure everything went according to plan. The decor they created was truly magical. When I came downstairs after getting ready and saw what they had done with the greenery, candles, and overall setup, I was blown away. They added beautiful touches I never would have thought of myself. It completely transformed the event! Most importantly, they made the actual celebration happen without a snag. We truly could not have done it without them, and I'm so grateful for the care, creativity, and hard work they brought to such a special day. Highly recommend!

Martha was incredible! She was detailed orientated and so warm. Her calm demeanor and organization…read moremade this process so easy! highly recommend AELO. I do not know what we would have done without her!

Working with Art of Imagination and Deborah was a dream come true. They were so easy to work with…read moreand truly cared about us as people and our wedding. The venue we chose, The Rookery, works with them, and once we saw their work, we were sold. They know the venue inside and out and even gave us great recommendations when we needed vendors! I would highly recommend Art of Imagination for their professionalism, artistry, thoughtfulness and kindness!

Deborah and the decorating team at AoI were amazing to work with! Communication was clear and…read moreprompt both in-person and via e-mail. She provided recommendations, explained pricing, and was very familiar with the venue space. We were blown away by how beautiful our ceiling decor and chuppah were, and the guests were raving about it as well! Overall pricing was very reasonable, and Deborah is also extremely sweet and supportive. I can't recommend AoI enough!

We worked with Kerrie from Citygirl to plan our fall wedding. I was super worried about planning a…read morewedding while living in a different state and time zone. You can easily get overwhelmed when planning a wedding in a big city as there are so many great vendors and venues to choose from. Citygirl has an incredible network of vendors that they work with all the time. I loved that I was able to send Kerrie a few photos of say floral or stationary, and she was able to give me a list of 3-4 spot on vendors in different price ranges. It was such a relief to know that the vendors were reliable, professional and had experience working with Kerrie. I am super indecisive so I can't tell you how much time this saved me. The end product was beautiful, classy, and more stunning than I could have imagined. Everything flowed perfectly so that our families could just enjoy the day without worrying about any of the behind the scenes details. My parents said they were bombarded with calls, texts, and letters for days and days after the wedding from guests saying how it was the most beautiful event they had ever been to. Thanks ladies!

I cannot recommend Shar and citygirl enough!! Seriously, I would give her 100 stars if I could…read more From start to finish, Shar left no stone unturned when it came to planning the wedding of my dreams. She truly gets to know who you are as a bride, like what stresses you out or what is especially important to you, and she tailors her approach to each wedding she plans. Shar made sure everything went PERFECTLY on our wedding day so I was truly able to enjoy the day and not worry about the small details or something going wrong. Not only is she a fantastic wedding planner, she is also a genuinely kind and thoughtful person overall. I consider myself extremely lucky to have met her almost five years ago as my wedding planner and to now also consider her a friend.

The team at NYE events was fantastic to work with from start to finish. I had a great first…read moreconsultation on what I was looking for and was paired with Tempris, who I cannot say enough good things about. She is kind and thorough and truly made me feel supported and confident that all of our plans would be executed. She is both professional and warm and it was a true joy to spend the day with her! I wholeheartedly recommend NYE and am so grateful to Tempris and the rest of the team.

Best money spent! I highly recommend Naturally Yours Events…read more Kristen was our event coordinator and she executed our day with perfection. 10 out of 10!!

Outside of probably having children, getting married is arguably one of the most important/special…read moreday's of your life. If you are looking to hire someone to help make that day less stressful - I would NOT hire Misse Daniel. She may be organized, but her overall demeanor and delivery throughout the whole wedding planning process - including the DAY OF wedding - was unacceptable. From family to vendors to guests - I was given negative feedback, mostly around how rude she was. I don't care how much experience you have, you should never treat people like that. Not to mention, when our trolley broke down after the ceremony in front of the church, she nor her assistant was there to assist with a solution, so luckily one of my bridesmaids (who is a wedding planner) stepping in. Hiring Misse for our wedding was a huge mistake, so sharing my feedback so others don't do the same!

This wedding wouldn't have happened without Misse. There were so many moving parts and she handled…read moreit like a champ. My husband and I had families with big personalities and they were all corralled by the Honey Bee team.

There are not enough characters or words in the world to explain how absolutely BEYOND INCREDIBLE…read moreSweetchic Events, specifically our wedding planner, Courtney is!!! I originally thought that I could plan a wedding on my own and just hire a day of coordinator. When I realized I just didn't have the capacity to do that, I knew I needed to hire a wedding planner. I didn't want just any wedding planner though- I wanted someone who had a similar personality to mine, who could match my energy and really elevate my ideas and execute the vision I had for our big day. My now husband and I met with several planners. I am a huge 'vibes' person, and all of the planners I met with just didn't seem like the right fit. I felt like I was just another wedding to them and didn't feel like the attention to us would be individualized or prioritized. That is, until we found and met with Courtney from Sweetchic Events!! From the very start, it felt like I was catching up with an old friend. Courtney is so kind, super knowledgeable in what she does, and is honestly one of the coolest people I have ever met. At our initial meeting, we joked and laughed as my husband and I shared our ideas, and she immediately had some incredible ones of her own! Courtney was a calming presence to my chaotic mind, and immediately made my husband and I both feel at ease. We knew we had to have her on our team- she was the PERFECT fit and we both were so excited to start working with her! Courtney is a true professional in her work. She has connections with some incredible vendors, who like herself, have insanely creative minds. Together, we were able to turn our wedding into more than I ever thought possible! Courtney is also EXTREMELY organized, detail oriented and always prompt. She is also one of the most reliable people that I have ever met!Throughout the wedding planning process, there was never a time that I felt like Courtney wasn't there for me. In fact it was truly the opposite- she continuously went above and beyond for me, making sure I felt comfortable and ready for the big day in any capacity she could. She constantly checked in, listened to my crazy ideas while keeping me grounded, connected us with some of the absolute BEST vendors, reminded us of due dates and deadlines, and made sure that both my husband and I were feeling good throughout the whole process. On my wedding day I was jumping out of my skin because I was so ready to see Courtney and watch the magic we created together unfold! She of course brought such calm, positive vibes and joined in my excitement for the day that was to come!! I had been so impressed with her and her work thus far that I didn't think it could possibly get any better. When I tell you she CRUSHED the entire day, she honestly CRUSHED IT!!! From the second she walked in the door to the second she (sadly, haha) left, she was a well oiled machine. Literally. A machine! She never stopped- she was so prepared, like a level of preparedness I'd never witnessed in anyone and I was really just completely blown away by her and her assistant, Mia throughout the entire day! Everything was ACTUALLY PERFECT (from my eyes and that's why she is so good at what she does) because I never knew about any little mishaps or minor issues, because there weren't any by the time Courtney arrived to the scene! Mia was also SO great!! She was always there when I needed something, and was also such a calming presence for me which was so appreciated! One of the most memorable parts of the day was my entrance to walk down the aisle. I had chosen a Taylor Swift orchestral mash-up and wanted to enter at a VERY specific time. Courtney had already explained to me that timing these things can be very very difficult, and that it might not happen at the exact moment I wanted it to. I went forward with the plan because in my mind, I had no doubts- I knew she would do whatever she possibly could to make it happen and that it would look amazing regardless. Times like these are the reason why we leave things up to Courtney, because it was literally SPOT ON!! It was so incredible! I am still getting text messages from friends about how awesome the timing of the entrance was! It is a feeling I will never forget and I owe it all to Courtney. I honestly didn't want the day to end, and Sweetchic Events made it all possible!! It truly says something that I was always SO excited to see Courtney. Planning meeting days, tastings and walk throughs were always something I looked forward to because I got to spend more time with her! I feel like it is rare to find someone like Courtney not just in the wedding industry but just in life in general. She truly feels like a best friend to me now, and I am so beyond grateful for her, Sweetchic, and everyone who she brought on to help us make this day so memorable. Thank you Courtney, to you and your team! If you need a wedding planner RUN don't walk to Sweetchic's inbox!

As a guest at a wedding coordinated by Courtney of Sweet Chic, I was surprised by the level of…read moreunprofessionalism I witnessed throughout the event. The coordinator came across as condescending and dismissive when interacting with both guests and vendors. Rather than helping create a welcoming and organized atmosphere, her attitude often felt rude and unnecessarily abrasive. There also appeared to be significant communication issues with vendors. Several moments throughout the day seemed disorganized, and it was evident that vendors were not always clear on their specific responsibilities. This led to confusion and delays that could have easily been avoided with proper coordination. Courtney's response when asked for clarification of duties was " It was not her job." And "I have a contract in writing if you need to see it." Perhaps most concerning was that the Courtney left the event before the evening was over, leaving others to manage issues that arose later in the celebration. For a service that is meant to ensure a seamless experience from start to finish, this was disappointing to witness. The guests were left helping the vendors clean up the event so that the happy couple could enjoy their evening. The bride and groom deserved a coordinator who would help make their special day stress-free and enjoyable. Unfortunately, based on what I observed as a guest, Sweet Chic Wedding Coordinators did not deliver the level of professionalism, communication, or customer service that I would expect.

Where do I even begin? My night was perfect thanks to Row 24. I was looking for a space that fit my…read morevibe and the vision I had for my 30th, and the event space EXCEEDED my expectations. The communication start to end, the bar packages that are available, and the willingness to help when one of my vendors didn't show up. The area is great and has tons of parking (paid and unpaid) nearby, safe for guests to arrive, and they provide security. They were there every step of the way and so kind. If I have any events in the future, this will always be top of my list. Here are some photos of how the space was set up for me. Hopefully this helps someone else.

I love this place, security is great, music lit, food is good and the bathroom is clean!!read more