As with most Wedding Planners and Event Managers - we are very focused on finding the ideal venue,…read morewhich will help us to deliver a beautiful and memorable event for our clients. Our first impression upon arriving at The Cotillion Banquets in Palatine, IL - for an upcoming wedding venue selection visit, was the grand and opulent exterior and ample parking lot. Our team from Luxe Décors and Events, LLC, was greeted by George, the director and information specialist on everything you hoped for, wanted and envisioned to happen, at The Cotillion Banquets in Palatine, IL. George is beyond warm, pleasant, professional, knowledgeable, charming, gracious, efficient, and oh so very skilled at listening to what you would like to accomplish for the event, that you have been hired to do. We hit it off with George IMMEDIATELY upon meeting him. He took us on a guided tour of The Cotillion Banquets, explaining to us in measured detail, what was at our disposal, to ensure that we would be able to do everything that we had planned, and be able to provide our clients - the wedding of their dreams, with regards to their décor and wedding theme. The staff at The Cotillion, under George's dedicated, experienced and genuine love and pride for what he has been doing for so many, many years - also reflects the outstanding service provided by everyone at The Cotillion Banquets. The kitchen staff, is beyond kind, truly professional and obviously loves what they do. The table settings were impeccable. The food - all freshly prepared by The Cotillion staff - is simply AMAZING !!! When we first arrived to meet with George and get to see what The Cotillion had to offer - we had already been informed about the superb level of service and the first class menu selections. The Cotillion DID NOT DISAPPOINT. We were also introduced to the owners of The Cotillion, who were also so genuinely kind and considerate, obviously wanting to also ensure, that we knew they were available, should we have any additional concerns. The Cotillion Banquets in Palatine will forever be Number One on our recommendation list for any and all events, which we are privileged to manage. We cannot say enough about ALL that George did to make this wedding event so beautiful, memorable, classy and successful. No matter how skilled, talented, or experienced an Event Planner is - without directors such as George at the venue site - who can offer their kindness, experience and support - an event will not be as successful and seamless as you may have envisioned. We at Luxe Décors and Events, LLC, are eternally grateful to you George, your staff and the owners - at The Cotillion Banquets in Palatine - for your genuine friendship, guidance and assistance, in helping to make the wedding event on November 22, 2024, the elegant success that it was. THANK YOU GEORGE, FOR MAKING OUR JOB SEAMLESSLY SUCCESSFUL!! Bravo to you George and a special toast as well to you and Everyone at The Cotillion Banquets.

Beautiful Banquet hall in Palatine ideally located just off the highway with plenty of parking and…read morean inviting entryway. The chandelier and lighting make the hall ideal for a wedding venue. Adding on the hall decorator with the smoky mist and abundance of flowers made the evening fairytale like.

We recently attended a wedding reception at a nearby forest preserve that used the services of A…read moreTouch of Elegance. Needless to say, it was an enjoyable experience! The meals came from someone else, but the orderly fashion it was presented and served was duly noted. That goes double for the drink line as well; I ordered non-alcoholic drinks and still felt appreciated. Kudos to the two sisters and Diane D. who worked the event! A Touch of Elegance definitely showed a touch of class!.

A Touch of Elegance was nothing but a disappointment by Denise (Owner) our event executer…read more When reading this review, please realize this was written to help other brides and people who deserve an amazing event planner/executor for their special day. We hired a Touch of Elegance to ONLY execute our designs for our wedding in September 2019. I (The Bride) worked with the owner herself, Denise, who agreed to take on this project. I gave her specific details and instructions on how I wanted key aspects of my wedding to come together which included: putting up a photo backdrop which I designed, placing all tent cards in order on the backdrop, assisting with gathering family members for pictures during cocktail hour, making sure the banquet hall was ready (table numbers, reserved seating, guest gifts) for photography before guests arrive, setting up the memory table, the autograph table, and placing signage. We also had a surprise swing dance number for our guests and I had a dress change, so that is the only thing that she helped us with correctly. Please see the images attached regarding how each part was executed INCORRECTLY as there was not enough room to write it all here sadly. We gave Denise a Call regarding feedback Being the "Hospitality Power Couple" (name given by our family and friends) and myself for receiving a degree in graphic design and hospitality, we were EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED. Learning of some of the issues during our wedding, after our wedding, learning much more from family friends, and the staff of our hotel venue about Denise was hard to take in. Unfortunately, we had to call Denise to ask how she felt our wedding day went as we wanted to hear her side of the story. The best way to sum up the call would be that it showed us who Denise really is. She kept telling us "She DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME". Our first thought was, if you did not leave yourself enough time, why not bring in more of your staff to help you. We placed our trust and faith in her as she reassured us many times everything will be wonderful on our wedding day since we were over organized and too detailed, but it shows that no matter how OCD you may be, it can still be executed WRONG. With Denise knowing all this taking place during our wedding, we feel we wasted our money as we never planned to have an event planner execute our designs but my now husband convinced me that she was worth it. Sadly, we were wrong, and we paid for it as we DID NOT RECEIVE A REFUND from Denise. From one business owner to another (founder of my graphic design company and a nonprofit), I was also DISAPPOINTED that she DID NOT CARE TO CALL us for our feedback. I had to reach out to her to set up a call. As an owner, I would want my clients to be honest with me about my work, my work ethic, and how I am as person when working with clients. I am always trying to be better for my clients, and I hope she does the same going forward because I will never recommend her to family or friends after this experience. I hope Denise learns from our wedding on how not to treat people and their guests when hosting an event. My biggest hope is that she does not cause any of these problems for anyone else's event going forward as no one needs more stress on a big day like their wedding or any special event for that matter.

Very helpful and pleasant to work with again. Good selection of tables and chairs to choose from.read more

Marcus was very rude and condescending over the phone. I asked for dimensions and he told me to…read morelook it up on the website. Not sure if it's because of my feminine voice...

I've been a GNO fan for years! I visited the Chicago location a handful of times, participated…read morevirtually in Game Night In during COVID and last weekend had a game night with friends at the new Hoffman Estates location. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! The new location within the Bell Works Chicagoland campus is a thing of beauty. The design aesthetic is what you would expect from a high end brand like GNO and the best part is that they make it feel inviting and like home. Just like at home, we kicked off the evening in the kitchen area greeting friends and ordering drinks. I really liked that we had the option to cater food through a GNO catering partner or coordinate a pot luck amongst our friends. The hosts were amazing and it was an honor to have the man, the myth, the legend Alex live and in person with us! I am not the type to break out a board game for fun, but my friends and I agreed that GNO is on a different level and has a game to meet the knowledge, interest and physical ability of every player. 2 hours of fun, games and laughs flew by and each of our friends who attended for the first time were raving about their evening and how they were planning to tell their friends, family, and employers about GNO. It is obvious that the owners (Brandon & Aaron) have dedicated their time and talent to curating a unique experience that brings families and friends together. If you are interested in a game night but don't want to go through the hassle of hosting, GNO to the rescue!

What an amazing event! It was like playing games in your living room. The hosts were so fun and…read moreenthusiastic. Would definitely recommend

What a fun performer. I came across him at the Park Ridge Kiwanis annual pancake breakfast, where…read morehe was doing some entertaining mostly for the kids but definitely for the adults as well. It's through him that I heard of the Central Street Busker Festival that took place the next day and his line was loooong! Most recently, we went to his show last week that the Mt. Prospect Public Library held for spring break. That was very very well attended, with a long line of folks waiting to get in (and that's with all of us registered to attend!), but the show was a lot of fun. He did a little magic, a little comedy, and some fun balloon tricks. This guy has been doing this all his adult life--unless that's also a joke and part of his act--but regardless, he's great at his job. I'm looking forward to seeing him again and my little one having the chance to pick her balloon creation on her own.

Smarty Pants was fantastic at our recent event AND each and every time I've seen him perform over…read morethe years - which is many times (because many people see how amazing he is)!! It's not just his talent with super fun and surprising balloon characters but his adaptive nature and outstanding personality, engaging everyone at the parties/events. I would absolutely recommend him for all types of occasions : private or big birthday parties, festivals, block parties, - anywhere there will be children!! He is one less thing at your party you need to worry about because he is a sure thing! Truly, he is a whole family favorite!!

Quick feedback. Asked great questions to help me decide what would work best for me. Went above…read moreand beyond to answer questions. Great experience!

Could not have nicer things to say about working with My Chef and Jamie Walsh for our wedding day…read morecatering. We met Jamie at our venue's vendor expo and were immediately impressed by their services, pricing, and vast food offerings. It was a no brainer to book with their group! We had our tasting a couple months before our wedding day; which is complimentary to the couple and a $50 charge for any additional guest to join. They have you select 8-10 appetizers, 2 salads, and 4 entrees to taste at their Naperville location. They also have displays of china, silverware, glasses and more to help couples select what aligns aesthetically for their special day. Jamie worked with us to make small modifications to their standard offerings to make the food exactly what we wanted! Our wedding day came and we were floored by the quality/presentation of food, level of detail in place settings, and service from all staff members. We had multiple guests say that this was some of the best wedding food they've had, steaks were not over cooked, and food tasted fresh. Jamie also let us add desserts a week out to reallocate money from a couple of guests who last minute were unable to attend. Their team was even nice enough to service items not purchased through their group: disposables for the late night snack, display and refilling of cupcakes, etc. Overall, their group went above and beyond for us under Jamie's leadership. Our tables looked great, our food was wonderful, and their team was fabulous. We truly appreciate all they've done for us and could not recommend them more! Appetizers Selected: Mac & Cheese Bites, Bacon Wrapped Dates w Honey Citrus Sauce, Cocktail Meatballs, Bruschetta Bar Salad Selected: Mixed Field Greens w Pears, Goat Cheese, Pear Infused Vinaigrette. *Alts: Candied Walnuts & Second Balsamic Dressing to offer Dinner Selections: 1. Filet w Red Wine Demi Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, & Asparagus 2. Garlic & Herb Cheese Stuffed Chicken, Vodka Sauce w Bowtie Noodles, & Grilled Veggies 3. Butternut Squash Ravioli w Sage Brown Butter Sauce, Grilled Veggies *Kid's Meals & Vegan Meal offered otherwise at no upcharge Dessert Selections: 1. Mini Cookie Tray- Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Sugar, M&M, Double Chocolate, Peanut Butter 2. Assorted Chocolate Truffles- Oreo, Buckeye, Aztec

Marisue did a fabulous job creating a balloon and plant gift for a friend who just came out of…read moresurgery. I phoned her directly and she was able to deliver next day. I so much prefer to call a florist directly than to go through the national services. Many thanks! My friend loved them!

Marisue is a lifesaver! I had ordered flowers from a big online company and they screwed up the…read moreentire order. They never notified me of non-delivery either. I am so grateful that I called Marisue's shop in Palatine, Bouquets, Baskets, and Blooms, because she was willing to help me in an emergency. She put in extra effort, and went way beyond the normal shopkeeper would go!!! I wish I could give this shop 10 stars! After delivering to the funeral home this morning and seeing there wasn't a visitation, she went to the church and took special care to make sure the beautiful flowers were in a spot the family could see that our thoughts were with them, and that we hadn't forgotten them. I'm so glad this shop was there for us when we needed them. Thank you Marisue! Then after delivering I got a text with a picture and the story behind the delivery so I could rest easier. That's what I call service!!! And the price was very affordable!!

EventZ Brings Details Alive with Grace…read more I loved working with Z on an intimate but detail-filled wedding at The Grove Redfield Estate. Z worked her tail off to make sure that every detail was in place so that when the guests arrived, everything was calm and lovely. There really were a lot of details on this wedding and although I saw how hard she and her team were working, the guests and couple never would have known it. And that is the key to a successful wedding day! Good coordination and planning can make zen out of chaos and Z has got the talent. She was also super fun to work with and as a vendor, a good and fun team makes what is often a hard and stressful day way more manageable and enjoyable. Thanks, Z for taking such good care of your clients and your team! Julie Mikos | Photographer www.juliemikos.com IG: @juliemikosphotographer

Zakiya was the absolute best decision I made for my July 2025 wedding! I initially reached out to…read moreZakiya in November 2024 thinking I only wanted day-of decor help, being that I was a (mostly) DIY bride. However, I quickly realized that Zakiya's partial planning services would be much needed in the months leading up to my wedding, especially given that her rates were competitive given her experience. From our very first screening call to the follow-up on the days following my wedding, she executed everything perfectly. She is organized, detail-oriented, professional, and a great leader. She has professional experience in the event planning industry that shows in the work she does for weddings. I received so many compliments from my family and friends about her! Our planning meetings were productive, and our rehearsal and wedding day went off without a hitch thanks to her perfect day-of timeline and her direction and leadership of my team of vendors. She also has a great eye for design and helped make my DIY visions come to life, both with design guidance in the months leading up to the wedding, as well as physical set-up and break-down on the day of. While wedding planning can always be stressful, it was a lot less stressful after I hired Zakiya. I truly could not have done it without her. I could not recommend Zakiya and Event Z enough!