Working with Lori was a dream! We did the full planning package with Lola based on a recommendation from 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. read more

Even weeks after our multi-day Indian wedding finished, we are still receiving heaps of praise. 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. read more

Michelle and her team are hands down the best decision you can make throughout the entire wedding planning process. Michelle is not only incredibly knowledgeable, well-connected, and professional, but she truly goes above and beyond to make sure your wedding day is spectacular. From helping us create our vibe and vision to answering my panicked phone calls with last-minute questions the week before, Michelle was there every step of the way, making an overwhelming process feel exciting, manageable, and fun. Our wedding took place on August 23, 2025, and even now, almost a year later, my family members and in-laws still talk about Michelle and the phenomenal job she did. Not to mention, we've had countless wedding guests ask us for her information because they were so impressed by how beautiful, seamless, and well-executed everything was. To me, that says everything. But what meant the most to us went far beyond how beautifully our wedding day came together. During the planning process, my family went through a very difficult hardship, and Michelle did not skip a beat. She immediately stepped in and made everything as easy as possible for us during a time when our attention needed to be elsewhere. We never had to worry about whether something was being handled or followed through on because we were able to trust her completely. That kind of support and peace of mind meant more to us than I could ever fully put into words. Michelle genuinely cares about her couples, and by the end of the process, she felt more like a friend than our wedding planner. I truly cannot recommend Michelle and her team enough. If you are considering working with them, DO IT. You will not regret it. We are so incredibly grateful to Michelle and her entire team for giving us a truly perfect day. read more

We had the most phenomenal experience working with Michelle. Michelle designed the wedding of our dreams. She is exceptionally creative, detail-oriented, patient and easy to work with. She interpreted and executed our vision beautifully and seamlessly, while also leveraging her years of experience to make suggestions, show references, contribute ideas, etc. Every vendor Michelle recommended was as fantastic as she is. She truly went above and beyond from the moment we met her until the last person left the wedding. We cannot recommend Michelle highly enough, and cannot imagine planning a wedding without her expertise. read more

Working with Sanja from Lola Event Productions was one of the greatest blessings of our entire wedding journey. From the very beginning, Sanja understood our vision in a way that felt almost instinctive. She immediately grasped what mattered most to us and helped bring it all to life with such elegance, precision, and care. What could have been a stressful process turned into something beautiful, organized, and even fun, thanks to her calm energy and her remarkable ability to anticipate every need before we even voiced it. Sanja's attention to detail is unmatched. She guided us through every decision with patience and intention, making sure that each element felt true to us. On the wedding day, she orchestrated everything so seamlessly that we were able to be fully present and enjoy every single moment. Every guest noticed how flawless everything felt, and that is entirely thanks to her. What makes Sanja truly exceptional is her heart. She genuinely cares about her couples and puts so much of herself into what she does. We always felt supported, understood, and cared for. She was not just our planner; she became a part of our story and now is a forever friend. We refuse to let the end of our wedding day be the end of our relationship. Sanja, thank you for giving us the gift of a day that felt effortless, meaningful, and perfectly us. You made our dream wedding come to life in ways we never could have imagined. For anyone looking for someone who will plan with artistry, precision, and heart, Lola Event Productions is simply incomparable. read more

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As the mother of the bride, I can confidently say that choosing LOLA for our wedding planning was one of the best decisions we could have made. Sanja D. was our planner and were so impressed with her from the very beginning. Her organizational skills and attention to detail were incredible. She was on top of everything and helped up obtain the top local venders in the industry. Also, she reviewed all contracts and helped us meet every deadline throughout the planning process. Sanja was also incredible on the day of the wedding, allowing us to all enjoy every minute of the day without having to worry about the itinerary or any of the details. At the end of the night, Sanja even delivered my daughter's belongings and a piece of wedding cake back to their bridal suite. We highly recommend using LOLA (and Sanja) for wedding planning! -Catherine W. read more

Working with Michelle from LOLA Event Productions was hands down the BEST decision we made for our entire wedding. If I had to plan my wedding all over again, the only thing I'd change is that I would have called Michelle even sooner. She is the best of the best and truly everything you could ever want in a wedding planner!! From day one, Michelle brought a level of organization, expertise, and calm that completely transformed the planning process for us. Her attention to detail is unmatched. She thinks of things you didn't even know needed to be thought about. Her planning docs, timelines, checklists, and weekly guidance made the entire year so much easier. I never felt lost or overwhelmed because she always had a clear plan, helpful direction, and everything ready before I even asked. One of the biggest things that set Michelle apart was her vendor network. She has worked with so many of the top vendors in the industry, and she steered us toward the best of the best. Every recommendation she gave us was spot-on. Our flowers, band, venue team, lighting, rentals, beauty, photography... basically everything that made our wedding what it was came from her guidance. You can tell vendors genuinely love working with her, which made our experience even smoother. Michelle is also unbelievably responsive. Whether it was a late-night text about a detail or a mid-day call to help finalize decisions, she was always available and somehow always ten steps ahead. She never once made us feel like a burden, even when I had a million questions. She truly cares, and you feel that every single step of the way. Beyond everything she handles logistically, Michelle is simply a joy to be around. She brings such positive, fun, easy energy that made the entire experience enjoyable. We looked forward to our calls with her, and my family and wedding party all loved her. She was such a joy to work with that we were genuinely sad when the planning ended, but we know we'll stay in touch far beyond the wedding. And on the wedding day... I cannot emphasize this enough... Michelle made it possible for me to fully enjoy every second. I did not stress about a single thing. She handled every detail, every transition, every vendor, every question before it even got to me. I got to be present on my wedding day because of her. That is the biggest gift any planner can give. Michelle is one of the hardest workers I've ever met. She is committed, reliable, creative, and truly wants your day to be perfect. She goes above and beyond in ways you don't even expect. She took our vision, elevated it, and created a wedding day more beautiful than anything I had imagined. I cannot recommend Michelle enough. She is exceptional at what she does. If you're lucky enough to work with her, you will feel supported, cared for, and confident from the moment you start planning until the very last moment of your wedding night. Hiring her was the best decision we made, and I'm forever grateful. If you're considering working with her, do it. You'll thank yourself for years to come!!! read more

We cannot say enough good things about LOLA!! We booked the "Last Minute LOLA" package and we worked with Sanja Dimitrijevic through the last few months of our wedding planning. She exceeded all of our expectations and really helped to make our wedding day the most perfect day. The whole planning process with her was so fun and we felt really prepared in the week leading up our wedding. No ask was too much and she met with us countless times to make sure all of the details were accounted for. On the day of the wedding, she was on top of everything and did so much behind the scenes work. She took all of the stress out of the day which was exactly what we were hoping for! Booking with LOLA was one our best investments during our wedding planning process and we can't recommend Sanja enough!! read more

Lori did an incredible job shepherding us through the last year and a half planning our son and daughter-in-law's wedding weekend. It was beyond spectacular--people haven't stop talking about how great it was and how much fun they had. Lori steered us perfectly to the best and kindest people who helped create the exact vision the kids dreamed of. We cannot recommend LOLA highly enough. read more

Working with Sanja from LOLA was incredible. Sanja was a huge help from the start - thinking through all of the small details that I would have never considered, joining calls with my vendors and offering great insight, and building/changing my timeline until it was absolutely perfect. On our wedding day, Sanja handled literally everything. Everything ran so perfectly and it allowed me, my husband, and our families to truly sit back and enjoy the day! Sanja is incredibly detail oriented, brings a calming presence, and handled things before I even thought of them. She is incredibly trustworthy and I had no worries about any logistics on the day of because I knew she had them covered. Thank you Sanja!! read more

Working with Lori was an absolute dream. Her extensive wedding planning experience was evident from day one and she made the entire process seamless. On the actual wedding day, Lori was the ultimate hype woman who made sure that my husband and I had the time of our lives while simultaneously ensuring that all the details of the day came together flawlessly. We do not have the words to express our gratitude. Thank you, Lori!! read more

We booked Lola for a last minute business event. Not being from Chicago, we knew we'd need someone to help bring together the vision for the event, and Sanja did not disappoint! From helping to find the perfect vendors, to all the little details that I wouldn't have even thought about and coordinating everything to run so smoothly. I've heard nothing but great things from the guests who attended the event. We'll be working with Lola Events again if we're ever back in Chicago! read more

Lori at Lola Event Productions has been nothing less than incredible throughout the whole wedding planning process. We wanted someone who would work with us to push creative boundaries and give us a truly unique and colorful wedding. Lori was more than capable of taking up the challenge! She worked flawlessly to find us all the vendors we needed, speaking candidly about what was necessary vs. what wasn't, and made sure that all the vendors we worked with kept our goals in mind when carrying out their responsibilities. In all the planning and re-planning that went on, we could NOT have done this without Lori! I would absolutely recommend Lori and Lola Event Productions to anyone who is looking to hire a wedding/event planner, and will turn to Lori first the next opportunity I have to plan something big! Thank you thank you thank you so much for making our wedding dreams come true, and giving us a color-packed and super-fun event that we will remember for the rest of our lives. read more

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Where to begin. Working with Lori & Kirsty for our wedding was one of the best decisions we made. We had to change our date at the last minute due to an injury, and Lori managed all the chaos with so much grace and patience. This wedding literally would not have happened without her! For our reception, Lori and Kirsty listened to our vision for a unique first dance and made it happen despite many doubts from other vendors :) It ended up being our favorite part of the night. You will not regret working with Lola. Thank you Lori and Kirsty for an unbelievable wedding process and wedding day! read more

Lola Event Productions - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I cannot recommend working with LOLA enough. I had the pleasure of speaking with the owner Lori a little over a year before my wedding. I had already booked the venue and was unsure if hiring a wedding planner was worth it or not, and after my phone call with Lori, I absolutely saw the value and knowledge that hiring a planner would bring. She recommended I work with Carly and it was easily the best decision I made in my entire wedding process (besides my husband of course). From our very first phone call, Carly has been beyond incredible. I truly cannot accurately describe the peace of mind she gave me throughout this entire process. I personally get overwhelmed super quickly, never know where to start, and am the biggest procrastinator. From our very first in person meeting, Carly laid everything out in a way that I was able to process and actually be excited for. She asked questions I never would have even known to ask, was able to take my messy brain and aesthetic and put together the most AMAZING vision board of everything I was trying to describe. She created an amazing Google Drive to house all our contracts, our ideas, our timeline, basically our wedding bible. This made it so much easier to see what needed to be done and when, where we were with certain vendors, when payments were due, etc. Despite all of the information being easily accessible and readily available, Carly was CONSTANTLY there to answer my endless questions. I was always able to reach her with whatever question I had, both big and small. I was always met with her patience and knowledge no matter what I needed. She had endless and priceless knowledge on all of the vendors we had to choose from, set up meetings with them and handled all communication, and overall just kept my sanity together. She would do the hard work so I could show up to an amazing and perfect meeting and actually enjoy my wedding process. The entire process was a DREAM and I can solely attribute that to Carly. Every time I saw someone and they would ask how stressed I was, or what else needed to be done, each time people would be shocked at how calm and happy I was with my entire wedding planning experience. Everything was laid out for me in such an easy way, Carly would even send me periodic emails with timely to do's and create to do lists for me. Like I said, I am a self aware procrastinator, and Carly stayed on top of me in a way that did not overwhelm me and always made sure I knew what needed to be done. She designed the most AMAZING timeline down to the literal minute for me, my family, all of the vendors, the guests, everyone. The entire process was a dream which I cannot thank her enough for to begin with, but I have no words for how amazing she was in the final month, week, and even days before. Your wedding week as a bride is quite possibly the biggest week of your life. There are so many moving pieces, so many personal appointments you have, and potentially even people coming in from out of town to entertain, I didn't think I would even have time to sleep. I had so many things for the ceremony and reception to bring to Carly, and she could not have been more accommodating. She worked within my crazy schedule to make sure everything got to her and to the venue. Waking up the day of my wedding, all I felt was excitement. There was not a single nerve because I knew that Carly would make sure everything was perfect. From the second she showed up, I was put at ease. When people were asking me questions, I think my most used phrase of the day was, "ask Carly". And she knew absolutely everything. Her and her assistant made sure that I had the most amazing day of my life. The day flowed beyond smoothly, not a thing went wrong, and even if I did, Carly had a plan B-Z to make sure everything would work. My mom and dad were able to enjoy the wedding and visit with everyone, because they knew that Carly had the day taken care of. My wedding day was easily the best day of my life, my exact vision for what I wanted, and even better than I expected. And I can say without a single doubt, that ALL of it was due to Carly. I could go on endlessly and my attention span is terrible so I truly hope if you took the time to read this entire review, you take away that you should 100000000% hire LOLA as a whole, and you should absolutely request to work with Carly. She was an amazing planner, a perfect resource, and just the best person I have met. I have so many friends and family members that have gotten married and said while it was great, the process was just terrible and they couldn't wait to just have the day be over with. Carly made me enjoy the process, and to be able to look back on this with nothing but a smile and such happiness because Carly made sure that it was perfect. You truly just cannot put a price on what she did for us. Carly, I will never be able to thank you enough for everything. But from the absolute bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. read more

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Where can I even begin with this review. Hiring Lola Planners was the BEST decision we made. We did the Signature LOLA package and it was perfect for what we needed. We were paired with Carly C. since our wedding was in Lake Geneva and she is familiar with the area. Our wedding exceeded every expectation and was the most magical day and we owe it all to Carly C. I was never someone who had a vision of what her wedding day would be and I honestly had no idea about the process. Carly took all of our (my) eclectic inspiration photos and pulled together the most beautiful (and cohesive) mood board. She then curated the PERFECT vendor team to execute the vision and it honestly turned out 1,000,000x better than we could have imagined. We had zero stress throughout the entire planning process because we trusted Carly and the vendors. Carly answered all of our questions and gave sound advice whenever we were on the fence about a decision. She always waited to see our reaction to options or if we had questions before commenting and she (tactfully) guided us when something was worth spending more on versus something that we didn't necessarily need or it didn't make a difference. Every single one of our guests commented that it was the best wedding they'd ever been to and how amazing our coordinator was. No detail was overlooked. There was no way we could have pulled off such an incredible wedding without her. This review doesn't even capture everything that she provided -- there is so much more that she did behind the scenes that I'm sure I will never know about. We cannot thank her enough for being our calm, cool, collected pillar of strength and sanity. read more

If I could give a million stars, I would! The best thing that, my now-husband, and I did while wedding planning was hiring Lola Event Productions. Carly C is an amazing person from top to bottom and was a godsend during the pandemic helping us reschedule our wedding, like so many other couples. We decided to postpone our wedding from 9/5/20 to 9/4/21 pretty early on (April 2020) so it was pretty new territory for all vendors, but Carly handled it with complete calmness and grace. She was able to keep me organized throughout the process and never missed a beat with any deadline, and was always there for any help or advice that was needed. Her expertise was incredibly valuable, especially her hard work with the timeline of the entire wedding day. The timeline was so key for the day to run smoothly, and she nailed it! It was finalized at least a week before our wedding day, and I was able to send it to all of our wedding party so they knew where to be and when. Everyone thanked us for the information and our bridal party said they had never been a part of a wedding so well-timed and thought out... all thanks to Carly! The day of, my nerves were through the roof with anticipation and I truly didn't feel calm until Carly and her team arrived. Her cool and collected demeanor helped me keep it together throughout the day. We had a few last-minute drops due to a guest's family emergency, and Carly went into action to rearrange table seating and table layout so there weren't only two people left at the original table. Even though I was aware of the issue, before I could fret, Carly had it fixed and informed the guests of the table change. We are now 10 days post-wedding, and Chris and I both agree that the best thing we did was hire Carly with Lola Event Productions. I would recommend them over and over again because, without Carly, I don't know how I could have done it. Truly the best spent money in our budget. For all couples on the fence about hiring, do it! You truly won't regret it! read more

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Recommend, recommend, recommend!! We opted for the "last minute LOLA" package and Sanja went absolutely above and beyond. She exceeded our expectations in every way and I would trust her with the biggest and most important events of my life without hesitation. Sanja is organized, kind, so caring, incredibly responsive, clear, and just incredibly helpful. I'm a self-admitted "Type A" spreadsheet guru with high expectations. I have planned large international group trips and tend to ruin my own fun by trying to prep for every possible scenario. Planning a wedding was a huge deal and Sanja handled me and our entire process with so much care and grace. She was a calm force in the midst of the storm that is me. She (and Lori) didn't bat an eye when we needed to pivot (yep, another COVID rescheduling couple) and provided invaluable advice throughout. I feel so lucky to have met and worked with Sanja and LOLA and can't wait to do it again! read more

Oh my goodness I don't even know where to start on just how magical and perfect our wedding day was - it was truly the best day of our lives and it was all thanks to Lori! Every vendor she introduced us to was such a joy and dream to work with. Each vendor also told me how Lori is one of the best in the industry and that I was in good hands, which really felt reassuring. She made the whole process so much less stressful and also so much more fun (especially the tasting!). Before the wedding my mom told me not to worry or stress if something goes wrong, because something will definitely go wrong. After the wedding, my mom told me how perfect the wedding was and how incredible it was that nothing went wrong! Lori was there at every step and it's amazing how smooth everything went thanks to her. Her professionalism, communication skills, dedication, empathy, compassion, and passion truly makes her one of the best wedding planners out there. She makes me want to get married all over again but hopefully my husband and I will have a long and happy marriage haha. Lori if you're reading this, words can't begin to explain how incredibly grateful we are - it was an amazing experience working with you, and we hope you get some well deserved rest!! read more

One month out from our wedding and I'm just now able to put into words how incredible the day was, mainly due to Lori & LOLA Events. Lori goes above & beyond in every single regard -- not only does she facilitate every detail with venues, stationary, band, hair/makeup, etc, she puts so much effort into the small things -- table numbers signs, family photo tables, wedding programs, etc. There will be probably 10 things you had no idea to even think of when planning your wedding, but Lori will make sure you have them all and that they're fabulous. Lori cares so deeply about her clients and it shows in the months, weeks, and days leading up to the big day. She really became part of our family over the last 18 months, and we couldn't recommend her or LOLA any more. THANK YOU LORI & team!!! read more

Just do it. LOLA and specifically Michelle Vining went above and beyond expectations at every turn. Planning my Indian wedding was a two year process that Michelle effortlessly shepherded me, my husband, and my mom through. She has immense attention to detail, anticipates your needs before they happen, and knowledge of the industry. She is truly committed to her brides and grooms and it shows! Would pick her again and again. read more

If you are searching for a wedding planner in Chicago, look no further. Kirsty Basch & LOLA Event Productions are the absolute best!! My husband & I first met Kirsty when she planned our friend's gorgeous wedding in 2019. We were SO impressed with her work and were super lucky to get her to plan our wedding too! Our original date was set for 2021, but of course with COVID there ended up being lots of unexpected considerations, including making the decision to postpone until August 2022. Throughout the entire planning process and pandemic chaos, Kirsty was so warm, professional, communicative, reliable, considerate, intuitive, proactive, creative, fun, flexible, and frankly our steady rock. Kirsty makes it a priority to first really understand the fundamental needs, personalities, and goals of each of her couples. She then uses this formulation to inform her work and guide couples in picking the best personalized options *for them* and their budget. Kirsty & LOLA clearly have tight relationships with the best vendors in Chicago, and she made selecting them a breeze. She stayed in constant contact with them, advocated on our behalf before we even needed to say anything, and somehow knew what we wanted more than we knew ourselves! Kirsty & and our vendor crew basically felt like the Avengers - they were such a strong, cohesive team with immense experience working in the industry and with each other, and we had 100% faith in their expertise. Kirsty was also an expert at navigating the complicated aspects of a large multicultural (Indian-Italian) wedding. As a psychiatrist myself, we often joked that Kirsty must be secretly trained in family therapy! She was extremely interpersonally skilled at navigating our families' different goals and expectations, while also ultimately prioritizing us as the couple. I was particularly impressed with her knowledge and experience with planning South Asian weddings and found that she actually knew way more details about them than I did! She clearly excels at inclusivity and cultural humility and I would trust her to plan any event amazingly. Our wedding day itself ended up being truly stunning and magical, better than anything we could have possibly imagined. We had so much faith in Kirsty that we didn't have to worry about a single detail that day - we just got to fully enjoy it. Hiring Kirsty Basch and LOLA were by far the BEST decision we made for our wedding, and if we could hire Kirsty to plan our entire life we would!!! read more

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To be honest I do not even know where to begin this review except to say that we could have not done the wedding process at all, and certainly not as well as it was done without Michelle! Shortly after our daughter became engaged, we realized we needed a wedding planner to assist us with the process. The engaged couple was too busy with work and life to be able to do this on their own. After interviewing a few wedding planners, they decided on Michelle from LOLA Event Productions. It only took one meeting with Michelle for my husband and I to realize this would be a worthwhile expense for the wedding. Michelle wowed us with her organization and planning skills. It was great for us as parents to understand the timeline, budget and possible options for creating a wedding that the couple would be thrilled with. Michelle really took the time to understand the couple and their personalities. Throughout the process she presented to couple the decisions that had to be made and options that could meet what they were looking for. She was careful not to persuade the couple one way or another, unless she really felt strongly about an option. On the day of the wedding and quite honestly the entire weekend, we were all relaxed and did not worry about any of the details because we had a timeline with details in hand from Michelle. We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend with our family and friends which was so important to us. For the couple weeks following the wedding we basked in the "afterglow" of a beautiful ceremony and celebration for a beautiful couple. We could not have done this without Michelle! read more

Hiring Carly C. from Lola Planners and getting the LOLA Signature Planning Services Package was the BEST and SMARTEST decision we have ever made. We can't say enough great things about Carly, and although words can't even begin to express how amazing she is, we'll give it a shot. From the very beginning, Carly made us feel comfortable and prepared for the journey we were about to embark on. Carly's organization, attention to detail, and style was a perfect match for us. She immediately understood our vision and helped bring that vision to life by answering questions, pointing us in the right direction, and recommending details we never would have thought of ourselves. When planning a wedding, you have to reach out to many vendors and make countless decisions (which can get difficult when you're a slightly indecisive couple). Lucky for us, Carly made that process seamless and ensured that we were happy and confident in our choices. Carly stayed on top of us for approvals and final decisions and handled the execution completely by herself. Her expertise and experience made the vendor selection process a cakewalk and made the wedding planning process as stress-free as possible. Carly handled all communication with vendors, updated budget and payment spreadsheets, prepared a mood board for the wedding, offered up amazing ideas to make the wedding both beautiful and special, and sent out detailed timelines. Carly had every minute of our wedding day planned to a tee, which set us up for success. Carly's coordination with vendors on the day of the wedding was flawless, as everything was perfectly set up and ready to go by the time we got there, and things went according to plan throughout the entire wedding. On the wedding day, Carly made our dream wedding a reality. She made sure we were both doing okay while getting ready, prepared the wedding party and officiant for the ceremony, organized private moments for us to take everything in, was an expert at dress fluffing and bustling, helped us sneak away for our reception outfit change, packed up the bridal suite and returned our things to our hotel room, and constantly roamed around making sure things were perfect. Carly managed requests from family members during the wedding, ensured we were never without a drink in our hand (while also ensuring that we were eating enough and drinking lots of water), helped move us along if a guest was monopolizing a little too much of our time, and checked in with us throughout the night. Above all, Carly made it a priority to make sure that we were the happiest we've ever been and boy did she excel at that. Although it was our day, Carly ran the wedding so well that we felt more like guests because we were able to sit back (well, dance) and enjoy! On that note, our guests kept coming up to us saying they had never been to a wedding that was so well-organized and ran so smoothly. Guests were also raving about Carly, saying that our planner did a fantastic job setting everything up and making sure things went off without a hitch. We can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that we would not have had such a beautiful wedding (or a wedding at all....) without Carly by our side throughout the whole wedding planning process. Carly started off as a planner, but she has truly become one of our good friends and we are forever grateful to have her in our lives. We are the biggest fans of Carly (and LOLA) and will be recommending her and her team to every single person we know who is getting married. Carly, LOLA, and the signature package are worth every cent (and more)! If you want your dream wedding to turn into a reality that is executed perfectly, then you NEED to hire Carly as your planner! read more

Lola Event Productions - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I don't think my husband and I would be able to pull off our wedding without Carly C! We had our original wedding date of April 2020 however right at our walk through (4 weeks prior), COVID was at full force and the shutdown occurred. This was unknown territories for us all of us but Carly never lost her footing rather lead us and the rest of the wedding vendors with confidence, optimism, and persistence. NOTHING phased Carly- she quickly worked to communicate and coordinate with our vendors through the 3 rescheduled dates and answer all of my emails in timely manner. There was never a question that felt like it was a bother to Carly- from how many cocktail napkins should I order to what is limo size we should get? We knew that Carly C was determined as us to make sure we had the day we envisioned--- she advocated for us when we felt uneasy as well as provided insightful feedback on certain aspects of the wedding! I can truly say Carly C is not just a wedding planner/coordinator, she becomes your friend through this entire and often stressful process. You will not regret having Carly C be the head of your wedding dream team. She will lead and execute a stellar event that your friends and family can't stop talking about! Carly C will provide you with a detailed timeline with pertinent details and create a condensed version for your family and wedding party--this was so helpful for everyone involved. It kept me from answering questions leading up to the wedding day- taking away one layer of stress! Additionally, Carly C and her lovely assistant (Hayley M) was with us through the whole day! We loved having this support to gently remind us if we were slowly falling behind schedule or step in when needed (finding a vase for my bouquet before the ceremony so it wouldn't wilt). I can't say enough for how grateful and appreciative we are of Carly C and how committed she is to making sure you love your wedding day! Thank you, Carly! read more

When we first got engaged, we were excited and nervous. We had no idea where to begin, so we thought hiring a wedding planner would help. We came to Yelp, read Lola's reviews, and reached out. Lori was the first and only planner we met with. From the minute we met her it was obvious that she was extremely knowledgeable about not only how to put together an amazing event, but also the city, venues, vendors, etiquette -- everything we were going to need to know. Hiring Lori was by far the best decision we made throughout the entire planning process. Lori is a matchmaker in the best kind of way. She helped us find all the vendors we needed, and they were all perfect for us. We were able to get everything we wanted, even when our requests were a little out there. Lori has an amazing design eye and is extremely talented. She perfectly styled all of our found items and decor the day of the wedding. She even put together our bouquets and boutonnieres, and they were gorgeous! Not only did we hire an amazing wedding planner who helped us create the wedding and day of our dreams, we also found a fantastic friend. Lori is so easy to talk to and get along with -- I can't imagine anyone not feeling like she was a part of the family long after the wedding ends. If you're looking for someone to calm your fears, walk you through the process, and make sure your day goes smoothly -- Lori is the gal you want. read more

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Throughout the wedding planning process, we can't count the number of times we said thank goodness we have Carly! Carly was our wedding planner at Lola Event Productions and we can't say enough good things about Carly's diligence, attention to detail, responsiveness, and organization. We found Carly after we had picked our venue and were in the mix of looking for vendors. We found it challenging finding vendors by ourselves without knowing anything about them. Carly recommended a list of vendors for every need, and they were all the BEST in the industry. They were highly reputable, and vendors Carly had worked with in the past. We were confident with the vendors we selected and sure enough they were all amazing come wedding day! Carly also handled the communication with the vendors and sent out a detailed day of timeline to each of them. I couldn't even imagine trying to coordinate all of the times with the vendors by ourselves! Carly provided every detail to them, handled questions, and communicated what time and where they should be on the wedding day. Throughout the entire wedding planning process, Carly had great detail and kept us on our appropriate timeline and when we should be completing different tasks. She was on top of everything and was extremely responsive. Whenever I had a question, she was quick to respond and always had an answer. It was very helpful to be able to work with an expert in the industry because there is SO much we didn't know about planning a wedding and so many details we otherwise would have missed. Our wedding would have looked a lot different without the help of Carly. She also helped make the process a lot less stressful. When we started planning our wedding, we wanted to enjoy the planning process, as we had many friends that were stressed planning their wedding. We enjoyed every minute. Even wedding week, I imagined it would be a chaotic week, instead everything was in line and it was more relaxing leading up to the big day! Just when we thought Carly's amazing planning couldn't get any better, come wedding day we were truly amazed. Everything was flawless and worked like clockwork! We had 11 girls at my house the morning of the wedding getting hair and makeup done and getting ready. Somehow, we managed to be ahead of schedule and got to the church early! Carly made sure we stayed on schedule--between eating lunch, getting dressed, doing first look pictures with the bridesmaids--she helped us stay within our timeline. The day of, we also had an assistant wedding coordinator who was fantastic. Once the ceremony started, Carly went to the reception location to ensure everything was going smoothly, while the assistant stayed at the church to help things run smoothly there. Having Carly at the reception hall relieved a TON of stress knowing she was there to ensure all of the vendors showed up and the room was looking how it was supposed to. Carly also helped bustle my wedding dress, which caused a lot of stress to my maid of honor, mom, and mother-in-law before the wedding! Carly had the proper tools and helped bustle it without a sweat! At the reception I also felt a headache coming on and Carly checked in during dinner and gave me Excedrin from her emergency supply kit. Carly was so prepared and helped save the day! Overall, the wedding day EXCEEDED expectations. It was the fairy tale wedding we had dreamed of, and we owe that to Carly. She helped make our vision become reality and her coordination and planning is truly unparalleled. I also can't count the number of times throughout the wedding day she just checked in to see how we were doing and if we needed anything. That truly meant a lot and we felt cared for! We heard from many people that it was the BEST wedding they have ever been to. We were blown away by the number of times we were told that. Working with Carly was the best decision we made in our wedding planning process and highly recommend working with Carly and Lola Event Productions as you plan your wedding. You will not be disappointed! read more

Michelle from LOLA is the best of the best - not only because of her work, but also because she is just an all around amazing human. We spent two and a half years together as we navigated COVID, and planned two weddings. Michelle is detailed, responsive, honest (needed when planning the most expensive party you'll ever host), and most importantly, FUN! She is also incredibly creative. I often felt like my husband and I were a waste of her talents, because we were so simple in our vision for our wedding. We would never have been able to have had such a successful event without her guidance. I think it is really telling of both Michelle, and the employees of LOLA the way that they handled their worlds being turned upside down during COVID. While I can only imagine the personal struggle that Michelle may have been dealing with during this time, she never showed it, and only ever brought her best to her time with us. It was evident that LOLA Events was putting customers before themselves when it came to updating contracts due to COVID. We honestly felt that we should have been giving them more money when we extended her contract for another year of wedding planning for everything that Michelle did for us. Sometimes the best review you can give someone is a referral, and I am so happy that Michelle and I will cross paths again next year when she plans my best friend's wedding. I think it's important to mention that my father also cannot stop singing her praises - and he can be a tough one to impress! While there are many things about wedding planning I won't miss (mostly because I don't like to be the center of attention), I can truly say I will miss getting to work with Michelle. I joked with her that my goal by the end of this crazy two and a half years was not only to have a wonderful wedding, but for us to be friends, and I can say: mission accomplished! Thank you Michelle for everything. You really are the best! read more

We could not recommend Lola (and Michelle) enough! We contacted Lola to help plan our wedding (BTW, if you're debating on getting a planner, DO IT!! You'll be so happy you did), and scheduled an initial intro call with Lori. She walked us through the pricing packages and recommended we review the planners' pages to see if we had a preference. We ended up going with Michelle, and she is truly the best. She was extremely organized, had spreadsheet trackers for all of our information and budgets, knows a ton of amazing vendors, and executes everything so well on the day of. Everyone kept asking us if wedding planning had us stressed, but honestly, we weren't stressed one bit through the entire time and even day of. We knew everything was under control with Michelle, and she truly delivered. Michelle was also very fun to work with along the way. We wish we could do it all over again. 10/10 recommend working with Lola and Michelle!! read more

Deciding to work with LOLA was one of the best decisions we made during our wedding planning process! We worked with Sanja Dimitrijevic from start to end - she is the absolute best! Sanja took the time to review potential vendor contracts, provide feedback and really discuss the pros & cons of various ideas we had along the way. She honestly could not have been more helpful, and on the wedding day itself, she had everything under control. We could not recommend working with Sanja enough!! read more

Lola Event Productions is the best in the buiz! I hired them to plan an awards gala and was thrilled with everything. The event was perfect. I specifically worked with Carly C. who is AMAZING. She was so easy to work with, extremely detailed, professional, and communicative. I 100% recommend and will use them the next time I plan an event in the Chicago area. It's worth every penny (and more)! read more

Our dream was to have a wedding at the Field Museum. We had no ideas or plans of how to execute the wedding we only knew that was the venue we wanted. Cue Michelle, our knight and shining wedding planner! One of the main things I heard is that wedding planning is stressful but Michelle made it feel like a breeze! Michelle was very knowledgeable, organized, and creative when it came to planning our wedding. She got to know each of our personalities and help us to plan our perfect day. She is extremely kind, patient, and so very passionate about her work! We have had endless compliments about our wedding and how perfect it was. I loved every second of the planning process and the day. I wish I could do it all over again! Thank you Michelle for all of your amazing help! We highly recommend Michelle, as well as, Lola Event Productions for planning your wedding. You will not regret your decision! read more

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Working with LOLA/Carly C. was the best decision we made when it came to planning our wedding! We first met with Carly after we picked out our wedding venue. After our first call with her we knew she was going to be the one who was going to bring our dream wedding to life. Carly is prompt, resourceful, professional, confident, and has a strong attention to detail and you can tell she's just really amazing at her job. Once we signed the contract with Carly we were set up with a Google Drive that became very helpful throughout the entire planning process. We really appreciated how organized everything was and that was the case with every other aspect of planning our wedding with Carly. When you're in the beginning stages of planning a wedding there are so many decisions to make ahead of you, but it seemed like in the blink of an eye we had just about all vendors booked because of Carly. She offers suggestions, introductions to vendors, answers any questions about the vendors, and makes it an easy process for all parties involved. She always kept us on track and made sure we stuck to our deadlines, which was a HUGE help! When it came to our theme, Carly took all of our inspiration, photos, Pinterest boards, etc. and provided us with a mood board that completely encapsulated what we were looking for. Every little detail was considered, from the flowers to the lighting, creating a wedding day that we're getting compliments on to this day. The day of the wedding could not have gone any better. It really was the perfect day. Everything was seamless and Carly was always prepared to assist with anything we needed. The timeline Carly created for us went exactly as planned and there was not a single hiccup the entire day. If you're currently searching for a wedding planner, you don't need to look any further than Carly! We can say with complete confidence that Carly will make sure your wedding day is everything you could ever hope it would be. We can't recommend her enough. She takes away all of the stress of piecing every part of the day together so you can just focus on the day and enjoy every moment. Everyone we have talked to after our wedding has told us they were really impressed with how amazing the day went and we'd like to thank Carly for being the one who brought it all together. Carly, you have no idea how much we appreciate you and everything you did for us! We will never forget how amazing our wedding day was! read more

Michelle was AMAZING!!! I cannot stress that enough. We had a tall order: Indian-Scottish fusion over the course of 3 days, with a somewhat opinionated Father of the bride who was VERY involved in planning and both the bride and groom working demanding full-time jobs. Not only did she execute everything flawlessly, but exceeded our expectations. I would choose LOLA every single time, particularly Michelle. She's professional, insanely prompt responses to emails, super organized, just amazing to work with. My husband and I were stressed we wouldn't be able to find time to plan, but Michelle made our schedules work and made planning a breeze. All the vendors that came with Michelle were equally as amazing and such a joy to work with. Everyone talks about the wedding blues, I had the wedding planner blues. Michelle, thank you for the best day(s) of our life, we cannot thank you enough. For anyone kicking around the idea of getting a planner, get one! And get a LOLA planner, I promise you will not be disappointed. Best, Jen and Matt read more

Lori at LOLA is amazing!! We interviewed three wedding planners and decided on Lori immediately after the interview. She is extremely organized, experienced, thorough, patient and made the entire process easy and enjoyable. She always paid attention to the details and never got frustrated with any of our questions. Our wedding day was so enjoyable and ran smoothly, we didn't have to worry about anything except the celebration with our family and friends. The wedding day was easily the best day of my life and was the exact vision for what we wanted. We are so thankful that we went with Lori and so happy with how everything turned out!! read more

If you are on the fence about hiring a planner, this is your sign to do it! Do not over think it. Just do it and you can thank me later. Multiple times throughout the process me and my fiancé thought, we need to pay LOLA/Michelle more. Multiple people commented throughout the planning process that I was so calm. I am not that calm of a person. But I was calm because I had experts in my corner. We interviewed 6 wedding planners and in the end went with LOLA and Michelle because of their portfolio, attention to detail, and process. Michelle was absolutely incredible. Our mantra in planning was "In Michelle we a trust" because she anticipated every need, executed the vision to perfection, and She offered opinions when we were wavering and was supportive when we didn't want to do things traditionally or spend extra money on options. She encouraged us when we needed support and told us when it wasn't worth the time/money. The wedding was BEAUTIFUL. Multiple people came up to me and said it was the best wedding they have ever been to. More than what other people said, WE thought it was beyond our wildest expectations. We never thought we could pull off a wedding like that and the only reason we did was because we had LOLA/Michelle. Words cannot express how much Michelle has meant to us in one of the most important times of our lives. She played such an integral part in making it what we had wanted and memorable...and for that we will be forever grateful and indebted to LOLA. 10/10 would recommend to anyone and everyone. If we ever have children, we'll be looking for LOLA and Michelle to plan their wedding. read more

I wish there was a 10,000 star rating on here. If there was, Kirsty Basch would get that a million times over. To say she is the best would not be doing her justice. We started working with Kirsty on our wedding planning back in March 2020. We originally had our wedding planned for July 2021 but pushed it to July 2022 because of Covid. Kirsty was a magical worker during that process. When we told her we were thinking of postponing, she got new dates and availability to us within a few hours. She basically picked up everything we had booked and moved it to the same weekend, a year later. She was seriously a miracle worker. The vendor team she put together for us was incredible. Everyone was so amazing and so fun to work with. She seriously put together our dream wedding. She answered all of our (my) crazy questions and was always able to read my mind and vision. As for our wedding day, there were crazy storms in the morning and we were planning for an outdoor wedding. She made our Plan A happen, even though there were crazy storms still going around our venue the whole night. I swear she and the other vendor teams put out some storm net and physically pushed the storm away. Her and the vendor team worked at turbo speed the whole day and didn't show me or the groom any signs of stress or panic. They made us feel so calm, cool and collected the entire day. If you are looking at other planners, this is your sign to stop. Hire Kirsty and she will plan you your dream wedding! When I was dreaming about my wedding as a kid, July 23rd, 2022 was exactly what I dreamed of. It makes me so sad that I have to write this review because that means the planning process is over. But, I know that I will still keep in touch with Kirsty and forever be grateful to her! Thank you for everything Kirsty! xoxox read more

We worked with both Carly Carynski and Angela Chereso to plan our dream wedding! They are both truly fantastic and we would recommend them to anyone! Carly planned our entire wedding, but we wanted to her to be a guest and have fun at the actual wedding, so we also worked with Angela Chereso at Lola who was our amazing day of wedding planner. Carly - Not only is Carly an upbeat, positive, and organized person, she is extremely professional and gets the job done. She worked with us from day one when it came to finding our venue to suggesting the best vendors to the decor process to the wedding weekend planning and everything in between. She is detail oriented, very responsive to emails, and anticipates your needs in advance. She is always thinking ahead about the next areas that need to be accomplished. Carly's expertise having done many successful weddings was very valuable during the process. She kept us on track with deadlines, knew when to give her opinion and could offer advice when we didn't know the answer. She's a great communicator and committed to making your wedding as stress free and as perfect as possible. Our guests and our bridal party commented on how the logistics ran so smoothly. Carly's timeline set in advance of the weekend was a life saver. Everyone in the wedding party new exactly where they needed to be and was thankful for the organized information. We could not have thought of every scheduling detail without Carly's help and expertise. We would highly recommend Carly and LOLA to anyone planning a wedding! Thank you, Carly, for being an amazing wedding planner, neighbor, and friend. We love you! Angela - Angela Chereso was our fantastic day of wedding planner. She was involved in the timeline process, ran an amazing rehearsal walk through and facilitated the day of wedding. Angela is professional, calm, honest and a great listener. During the day of, she was responsive, kept us on track and was flexible when needed. She was well organized and knew exactly where everyone needed to be to run a successful ceremony, dinner, and reception. She kept our wedding party, families, and vendors on time and on track. We cannot thank Angela enough for all the love and support on our wedding day. We would highly recommend Angela and LOLA to anyone! read more

We used Lola for our wedding this past weekend at the Botanic Gardens. Michelle was our lucky pair and we couldnt be more grateful for the 100/10 weekend she helped us throw. She curated a list of the most incredible vendors that we chose from, all of which were kind, thoughtful, respectful and lovely to work with. Wish we could do all of it over again, and we wouldnt change a thing! Thank you Michelle :) read more

Hiring Michelle was one of the best things about our wedding! She's very well informed about indian weddings and by the time we had our first few initial phone calls with her, we were very confident that Michelle would be able to plan all 4 of our wedding events! We initially started with a mid range budget and Michelle was amazing at providing us plenty of great vendors to choose from that were within our budget. She's worked with plenty of vendors before and all of them only have good things to say about her. Mid way through our planning, my husband and I had a lot of decor changes that we made and Michelle was very accommodating to that and very quickly caught up on what exactly our vision was! Michelle is always very prompt at replying to all our emails and she gets everything done very quickly. a few weeks before our wedding, she was even replying on weekends and late weekdays! Michelle was present at all of our 4 events and it was immensely helpful. She picked up our calls pretty much as soon as they would start ringing! Both of our families were amazed that a non-indian planner pulled off all these traditional events perfectly! We would HIGHLY recommend Michelle to plan your wedding and you will not be disappointed! read more