My mother and I hired NoLo for my wedding recently. Nora was my planner and we hired her for the…read more"Month Of" service. The pricing was reasonable and my mother and I agree - WORTH EVERY PENNY. We both are high strung individuals so having Nora there in the last month leading up to the big day was super helpful. We tend to leave things to the last minute but Nora stayed on us and made sure she got everything she needed from us. Nora attended our rehearsal and helped choreograph the ceremony. The day of the ceremony she coordinated with the DJ for all announcements and music cues. As a control freak myself, I wanted everything to be perfect. Because I didn't have to yell, scream, or even think on my big day, Nora MADE my day perfect. One of the other reviewers said they had the ceremony and reception in the same place and were worried about space. SAME HERE. I was ready to help move our rental furniture around in my wedding dress after the ceremony. I was worried I'd have to tell people "Alright we do! Now everyone pick up a chair and take it over to a table..." but no such thing happened. Nora coordinated the catering staff and her assistant/husband to get the ceremony broken down and dinner set up during cocktail hour while the bridal party took pictures. The biggest rave I have about Nora is that about a week before my wedding I sent her a three page email (single spaced) with every anxiety, fear, and wedding nightmare I've had in the past year and a half. It was definitely an unhinged email. Nora gave me the most valuable wedding gift I could have gotten then: Peace of Mind. She sent me a reply that both validated my feelings and helped me calm down a bit. If I ever need to plan another wedding or help a friend/sibling plan a wedding, I'm strongly recommending Nora's services. Next time, though, I may just have to hire NoLo for the entire wedding planning package because I'm sure NoLo will plan a magical wedding!

I hired Nora and Lorinda (NoLo) a few months out from my wedding as I was realizing I needed some…read morehelp and the coordinator that came with my venue was not being as responsive as I would have liked. I just felt like I needed someone objective to keep me sane and help me with the little details. I met with the girls as they offered a "day of" package for a great price that was within my budget. It took about 5 minutes of hellos and small talk to know these ladies were THE BEST investment of my entire wedding! They reminded me of little details I forgot about and helped to handle those little details. I was immediately at ease and didn't worry about a thing from then on. They worked great with the on site coordinator and the day went as smoothly as it could have. If I started to think about something that may have been forgot, they just flashed me a smile to let me know they had already handled it. They were extremely professional but had fun as well because that is the only way I would have it! Even though it was a "day of" package, they took the time to meet with me a few times beforehand to go over things and offered to hold onto any decor I needed stored until the day. If i sent an email about something, they responded immediately. (And believe me, I sent quite a few emails haha). They truly were my little guardian angels that day and I can't thank them enough for all they did for me. I can say with 100% honesty that I had an absolute blast at my wedding and enjoyed every second of it and I truly believe that is because of Nora and Lorinda.

At the start she said all the right things. But as planning picked up, our experience soured…read more We were clear with our budget. We worked together to set item level budgets and design choices (e.g. flowers, printing, etc.). However, each proposal we received was over budget. Communication also became a problem. When she overlooked scheduling problem between the venders and our requirements, she became defensive about her faults. Also, she promised she would only manage one marriage a weekend, but on our weekend she had two weddings. I wish the relationship would have worked better and I hope she learns from our concerns.

Our single best investment of the entire wedding was to hire Diana of Eventi Planning. We hired…read moreDiana to help with wedding day coordination, but in fact she ended up helping with planning, crisis management, and general advice in the months leading up to the wedding. Given that vendors often try to double as event planners (especially caterers, venues, and DJs), Diana had the difficult job of coordinating the coordinators. She did so with aplomb: building positive relationships with the other vendors, soliciting input on the master schedule, maintaining flexibility, and helping cultivate a sense of joy on the big day. She could easily charge double or triple for her services. Diana helped with the following decisions and more: creating a floor plan, hiring transportation for the wedding day (we used three vendors: a hotel shuttle, an all-purpose van, and a limo), hiring and negotiating a better rate for drapes, brainstorming ideas, communicating with other vendors, buying small items that we forgot (tea candles, a car decorating kit, and a guest book), lending us some common wedding items (a ring pillow, candle holders, and a "bird cage" for gifts), delivering ribbons for the wedding cake, and creating a master schedule. We also appreciated that Diana was fine with the unusual gender roles in our planning process, as the groom handled most of the planning. We found that some vendors were quite sexist in this respect, but Diana was fine with communicating with both of us. In short, we can't emphasize enough how thankful we are for Diana's help.

Joyce was the officiant at our wedding in September. She was amazing! We had originally wanted a…read morefriend to marry us but were disappointed when we learned Virginia is very strict as to who can officiate a wedding in their state. However, after having worked with Joyce, I feel like a friend did marry us. I met her at the Washington, D.C. Bridal Expo and my husband (then fiancée), Joel and I met with her a couple of weeks later. We immediately knew she was the person we wanted officiating our ceremony. She is warm, friendly, and extremely prepared. She has mountains of resources to make your ceremony special and she worked with us to make our ceremony unique and 100% us! We are so impressed and appreciative of Joyce's hard work and professionalism. She was just as invested in making our ceremony memorable and heartfelt as we were.

We are so pleased that we hired Rev. Bill Cochran to perform our marriage ceremony! From the…read morestart, he was kind, helpful, and calm (an essential trait when working with stressed brides!). We loved the fact that we could tailor our wedding ceremony to reflect us, not just any other wedding. Bill gave us lots of information about different blessings, readings, how to write our vows, unity ceremonies, processional order, and gave us a nice copy of our marriage license to hang on the wall. He was always willing to answer any questions that arose while we were planning our wedding. Additionally, we participated in the one-on-one marriage counseling that he offers. Though we had been together for over 6 years before getting married, we found the counseling to be helpful in that he gave us suggestions for different ways to talk to each other when we might feel that we're stuck on an issue. We highly recommend that you hire Rev. Bill Cochran to officiate your wedding ceremony! You will be so happy that you did!

My Husband and I worked with Ace of Events for our April 2016 wedding. From the moment we sat down…read morewith Ani & Anjali, we knew that we had found "our" Event Planners to help make sure our wedding weekend was nothing but perfect. Not only was it immediately clear that they possessed the hard skills & work ethics we were looking for in a planner (they are organized, communicative, and knowledgeable about south Asian vendors), but they also made it their first priority to truly understand who we were as individuals, as a couple, and what we were looking for in order for our event to be perfect in our eyes. Ani worked closely with Husband and I to make sure everything was set in place for our wedding weekend. Because of his dedication to us our wedding really reflected our personalities - it ended up being exactly what my husband and I dreamed of. And because of this, we have the Ace of Events team to thank for creating something so deeply personal. We'd heard horror stories about wedding planners from family and friends but with Ace of Events - not only did they exceed our expectations but we actually had so much fun throughout the wedding weekend working with them. My husband and I are extremely picky with how we like things done, but Ani really handled all of the craziness we threw their way with so much kindness. While we must have asked a trillion questions, had to make last minute venue changes due to weather, and much more, Ace of Events was so patient with us and really guided us in a way that all of these tasks created no stress. On the day of our wedding we were hit with multiple curve balls, but Ani always took the upper hand and made it his responsibility to handle everything for us so we (the bride, groom & our families) wouldn't have to stress anything. The wedding weekend was everything we envisioned, and more. I want to end this review by saying, I have no complaints about Ace of Events, they were beyond amazing that even our guests recognized their hard work and were surprised of how well and smoothly they handled everything. Thank you Ave of Events for everything you've done - we would definitely recommend you to anyone who is looking to have the perfect event without any added stress!!

From the owner: Ace of Events is a Washington, DC based professional event management company specializing in…read moresocial and corporate events. At Ace of Events, we create unique, memorable events that you and your guests will appreciate for a lifetime. Let us plan your next event, you name it, we can plan it! *Weddings *Birthdays *Anniversaries *Graduations *Corporate Events/Meetings *Non-profit Events

I worked with a number of vendors that are a part of The Be More Inspired wedding team and could…read morenot be happier with everything! 1. The wedding dress: I got my Martina Liana dress from K&B Bridals and was comfortable every step of the way. This was honestly the thing I was dreading most. I suppose most brides are excited at trying on multiple dresses in front of their friends and family. This is not me. I initially felt very self-conscious about parading around in a fancy dress. Kate was AMAZING and really helped me through this. She listened to my preferences and got a feel for my tastes and was never pushy and always honest. 2. Photographers - Alysia and Jayson were beyond amazing. I could go on and on about them but will save this for another review. They made us feel extremely comfortable and we genuinely had fun with them. The day of the wedding, it was also unbelievably valuable to have their calm presence amidst all the chaos. 3. Faye Daniels Designs - I LOVED the custom jewelry pieces made by Randie and her team! What was very nice was having them available down the hall when I was picking out the dress. Randie came right over and we came up with the perfect rose gold hair piece with pearls and hand-made gold plated leaves to go with the dress. It came out beautiful! I also ended up getting earrings for the moms which were perfect wedding gifts. 4. Travelworks International - With all of the planning that already goes into weddings, I was SO thankful to have Kelly take one more thing off my plate and I could not be happier to leave this part up to her as the professional. I had a misconception that travel agents were also more expensive but this could not be further from the truth! We booked a very reasonable trip to Maui, she worked with us and our budget seamlessly, and it was unforgettable. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

From the owner: Be More Inspired Wedding Studio is a Collective of wedding businesses all sharing one space to help…read moreyou with all of your wedding needs in one convenient location. Home to: K&B Bridals, Moore & Co Event Stylists, Blush Floral Design Studio, Travelworks International, Faye Daniel Designs as well as over a dozen other partners including hair and makeup, photography, stationery, cake, and more. We're here to make your wedding planning and enjoyable and stress free process, helping you with all your needs, all under one roof.

Ellen Dubin is phenomenal…read more We chose her based on a referral from friends who've had her do their various bar/bat mitzvahs and weddings. There were several things that made our wedding planning rather challenging - an April wedding in DC with unpredictable weather, a wedding taking place at a private home requiring everything to be imported to that site, and a bride, a groom, and parents that were in three different locations in two different time zones. Ellen was very flexible and adaptable and cleared her schedule to make the most of the limited time we had with her when all three of us were in town. I think one of the best and most useful things about using Personally Yours was the access that Ellen had to various vendors - three things - the tent, the decor, and the food - were the most important part of this wedding and all three were phenomenal. Our wedding was on somewhat short notice - about 8 months to plan - and she was able to acquire Joel from Occasions and Jeffrey from Fox Ventures and Davis from Sugar Plum Tents. All three were exceptional and made multiple trips to our wedding site to plan and coordinate the event. All three had rave reviews about Ellen and it was clear that the people and vendors she surrounded herself with were all people very familiar with each other and worked well with each other. Ellen was able to provide experience, wisdom, and advice about the way we were trying to shape our wedding. She listened carefully and made significant efforts to understand what we wanted for our wedding. There were certain things she was adamant about that we had never really considered including the flow of the guests, the rhythm and scheduling of the band in conjunction with speeches and meals being served. How to introduce a WOW factor for guests when they stepped into our tent. And she paid close consideration to the theme and atmosphere we wanted to have. We wanted to go for a vintage chic / garden wedding that was intermingled with the natural beauty of the house where we were getting married. She advised us on the position of the tent, the dance floor, ways to accent the natural warmth of the home, and how to make sure everyone was fed and watered without any glitches. Ellen is experienced and has done what I'm sure are hundreds of weddings. Before hiring her we had concerns that since she does bar and bat mitzvahs too, that the wedding wouldn't have the perfect wedding feel- but that was not an issue whatsoever! Our wedding was a dream come true. It was perfect - like a work of art in motion. If wedding planners could be named artists she's a Van Gogh or da Vinci. She works so hard and is brilliant at it too! Ellen listens, executes, is efficient, and gets the job done. She is very much about business and there are some times when she might say some things are less feasible than others. It's not difficult to believe her because for most things she'll bend over backward to execute and have her staff work accomplish. But she is honest and will let you know when she disagrees with a suggestion or would like to tweak something and see if you'd like it better that way. The second place where her brilliance comes in is the day of the wedding and ensuring everything goes smoothly. The order of the ceremony, the flow of guests, collecting gifts, re-bustling my dress as she predicted the bustle would come undone, directing bridesmaids/groomsmen, getting the crowd onto the dance floor, and making sure shuttles are coming and going etc. Things were flawless! We wish we could go back to last weekend and relive it all over again! Thank you Ellen!

Ellen and her team at Personally Yours are absolutely phenomenal! She was the planner for our…read morewedding, and we couldn't be happier with how the event played out. First of all, Ellen was completely dedicated to making sure that the wedding reflected us: our choices, our vibe, our personality. While she has opinions about how to make sure you get the best vendors and the best quality service, she made sure that the event was about us: not about her, not about our parents, but about us. But boy, did she assemble a dream team! Her extensive experience in this industry means that she knows who the best people are, and everyone she chose, from the caterer to the florist to the photographer, were absolutely excellent. I really appreciated how she made a point of figuring out what our vibe was and what we were looking for, and then matched us with a top-quality vendor who could deliver that vibe. We also can't help but mention how organized, thorough, and patient Ellen and her team are. They thought of everything, every little wrinkle and nuance, and they navigated those nuances through a decidedly larger-than-normal planning committee of six people! Not only will Personally Yours deliver an absolutely amazing, personalized event, they'll do it in a way that can make you, your guests, and even your in-laws proud and happy. We can't recommend them strongly enough-: if you want a fantastic event, go with Ellen and her team.

I'm so happy we hired AFA for our wedding a few weeks ago! We hired her as our month/day of…read morecoordinator a year out, and she was so helpful. She helped us navigate all the questions of planning a wedding, and was always ready to jump in for us. She was flexible with our rehearsal too, as we weren't able to have it at the venue due to scheduling reasons, but she was happy to have it elsewhere and work with us. She was very communicative and easy to talk to, and quick to answer all the last minute questions and soothe the final anxieties as we got closer to the day (and there were many, as the forecast was looking quite stormy in the final week--thankfully the rain held off!). She kept us as calm as possible. On the actual day, she was worth her weight in gold, helping to manage everything and make sure it ran as smoothly as it could. We had a small issue with our shuttle vendor, which I didn't know about until it was handled and dealt with, all thanks to Amy. She made sure we knew what we needed to, and that we weren't bothered by the details we didn't need to know. I can whole heartedly recommend Amy for anyone planning a wedding!

From the owner: Amy Frances Affairs LLC is a professional wedding and event planning company serving clients who…read morewant to get wed under the banner of love or celebrate with a bang! As the name suggests, Amy is the proud owner and certified wedding and event planner of this creative business. Whether it's a quaint countryside elopement, a lavish hotel reception, or a good ole celebration party, this professional has you covered! Amy has always had a deep passion for organizing and planning. She loves to collaborate with couples, learn about their stories, and ensure that their dream celebrations are brought to life. With years of experience to her name, Amy has made many great connections with industry-leading experts and vendors. This enables the planning process to run smoothly and stress-free! Amy Frances Affairs LLC offers packages for those needing Month/Day-of coordination, Partial (Peace of Mind) Planning, and Full (V.I.B. Very Important Bride) planning assistance, The V.I.B. option is ideal for those who feel daunted at the prospect of organizing their entire celebration and includes full décor and theme creation. With this option, Amy can guide you through every step of the way. Amy's wide range of décor and her helping hand will leave you breathless and soaking up every moment of your special day. She will guarantee that your wedding will be filled with unforgettable moments and everlasting memories!

I've known Rachael previously before she started her company and when I heard she was starting this…read morebusiness, I was thrilled! I work as an Events Rental Director at a local art center and we host loads of weddings. Rachael is super organized, funny, calm, creative, and a great problem solver. She can handle all the details big and small and makes you feel like someone has your back throughout the planning process. I truly feel like every bride needs an event planner in their life and Rachael is someone I confidently and highly recommend!

We could not have done this spectacular birthday party for our daughter without Rachael! We had a…read morefabulous at 14 birthday party for our daughter Emma at the Goggleworks in Reading. Our daughter wanted to have a "teen nightclub" themed dance party for her 14th birthday! At that age it's really challenging to find a venue for a great party that is safe and supervised, but also, crazy fun! Rachael helped us put together a party that was the "talk of the school" event! Everyone was buzzing about this party! Rachael, with the help of some other fantastic companies, like LEO party rentals, and BELLY caterers put together a very reasonably priced and very trendy dance party for Emma and her friends. It was so easy to plan, and even easier to sit back and enjoy the kids having a fantastic time! We couldn't have planned this terrific event without her! Rachael helped us coordinate with everyone. She sat down with me to brainstorm many times before the party, and took care of everything. The tiniest of details were covered! All of the event was kept within a very reasonable budget! We would also like to send a thank you out to the Goggleworks for their terrific, and very trendy "loft" like room, for the party location. The dj " DJ JG" John Gosselin was also a fantastic addition to the party! He knew exactly what music the kids wanted to hear. Everyone danced the entire night! Thank you Rachael for making this night so memorable for Emma, and us too! If your thinking of planning a party for your teenage daughter you should contact Rachael! She will really impress you!

Elizabeth and her team are truly the best of the best. While sifting through all of the wedding…read moreplanners in the DC/Baltimore area, a friend of mine referred me to Elizabeth Bailey. I went with their Couture Wedding plan and worked with Pam. I couldn't have been more pleased with their services across the board. They work very well with vendors and go above and beyond for their brides. Unfortunately, on the flip side, my wedding didn't happen. They took care of everything when my fiancé left me just a few months before our wedding day. Regardless, I was pleased with their quality of work both in planning and canceling my wedding. While my special day was a no go I'd definitely recommend their services to anyone looking for a wedding planner in MD or DC. They were open to venues everywhere be it Baltimore, Annapolis or DC. Much love to these ladies! Check them out!

Elizabeth Bailey is the best wedding planner in the Baltimore area. Elizabeth's team can handle any…read moreneed and no detail will be missed. When planning a Baltimore area wedding make sure to make them the first call so you can have the wedding day you want.