I'm a Chicago gal who was trying to plan a wedding in SW Michigan (or anywhere between Detroit and Chicago) to keep it close to home and family. I was initially reluctant to use a wedding/event planner for several reasons - wanting to save money, being fairly crafty/creative myself and having confidence in handling on my own details in pursuing something less "traditional", and being pretty resourceful. Shortly into the planning process, I realized it was going to be harder than I thought. I then met Mandi Buckland of Element Design (her home base is Northville, MI, but she travels back and forth and does a lot via web and phone).
What sealed the deal was her calm energy and diversity in events she's worked on (weddings, parties, festivals, including "green" fests/events). She was great in identifying several unique wedding location options in Southwest and Southern MI, including a fabulous barn, a garden, and a super cool lodge (we ended up at a mansion in Holland). When I asked her to design the invitations with a "modern art nouveau theme" using a peacock to match the theme of a mansion built in the early 1900s (not easy!) - she provided several fabulous sample designs within a short period of time. Our final invitations were really unique and fun! After our invites went out, I received an unexpected amount of of great feedback ("I love your invitations!" "They are so unique," etc.) and I could tell they made people look forward to the wedding.
I felt like Mandi figured out my sense of my style quickly, and she was able to identify options that fit that were creative, cost-conscious (extra plus) and didn't compromise on quality. At the same time she was working with me, she was helping a friend design invitations for a wedding at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, so her range of work can be simple, arty/less traditional, to more traditional/upscale. Pretty impressive!
Mandi is professional, efficient, super creative, and I would recommend her to anyone in Chicago, Detroit (or anywhere in between the two cities in Michigan or Illinois) who is planning a wedding in Southwest or Southern Michigan! read more