I'm having a hard time putting into words how incredible my wedding planning experience was with…read moreTerry. Wedding planning is so multifaceted and Terry and her team hit the ball out of the park every single step of the way. From the moment I first met Terry, we hit it off. Not only is she wonderful at her job but she is an amazing person, which is so so important. She gives great advice, is always there to listen to you and seems to always know how to get you in the right direction. I am someone who gets overwhelmed when there are unlimited options and decisions to be made but Terry made it all easy. She caught my overall vibe so quickly and knew exactly what I would like and wouldn't like. She has so many resources and lists that help keep you organized and on track. She is a mind reader and has amazing taste! I truly cannot thank her enough for helping me plan the wedding of my dreams. THEN THE DAY OF THE WEDDING!!!!! I did not have one worry the entire day. Like AT ALL. Every single team member I walked up to on my wedding day, knew exactly what was going on, where my stuff was (this is huge because I lose everything), what needed to happen next, etc etc. I actually had some down time on my wedding day - which I feel like is unheard of!!! I got to sit and hang out with my bridesmaids and have FUN before walking down the aisle because Terry and her team kept everything on time and had everything moving behind the scenes flawlessly. All my guests have RAVED about Terry and her team. It just goes to show what a fantastic, flawless and professional job they did. In the end, words can hardly do justice to the gratitude and awe I feel for Terry and her exceptional team. From the moment we met to the magical day of our wedding, they were there, guiding us with their expertise, unflinching support, and flawless execution. I can honestly say that my wedding day was everything I had ever dreamed of, and more, thanks to Terry's unwavering commitment to making it perfect. If you're searching for a wedding planner who not only excels in their profession but also genuinely cares about making your dreams come true, look no further than Terry. She is an extraordinary person and an unparalleled wedding planner. Terry, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for creating the most memorable day of our lives. You and your team are simply the best.

Working with Karen on my wedding in October of 2022 was a DREAM come true! My venue of the Omni…read moreHomestead Resort in Hot Springs VA. Karen did an incredible job seamlessly meshing the decor and space with my vision. Speaking of vision- Karen is absolutely WONDERFUL and took my vision (that I struggled to describe in words) and brought it life! Karen was extremely thoughtful in her design and communication. Karen helped me create the wedding of my dream, even encouraging me to lean into my love of color, emphasizing how your wedding is a reflection of YOU and your partner. Karen did such a fabulous job that our wedding was actually chosen of the Virginia Living Wedding edition in Feb 2024. I cannot recommend Karen and her suggested vendors enough!!

My fiancé and I had a very disappointing experience working with Karen Duckett Events…read more When we first hired Karen in late 2022, there were immediate red flags that I ignored, thinking that maybe we started planning too early or that I'm an over-communicator.  However, as time went on, working with her only became more difficult.   Her partial planning package offered three in-person meetings, with unlimited communication via text/email/calls. But when I did reach out to her with questions, my messages could sit for weeks without a reply. It seemed as if they were going into a black hole. She even forgot about the date and time of one of our early meetings. There were other problems.  Two months passed without her sending us the design/mood board she was to prepare based on a Pinterest board I had submitted (at her request).  She changed her cell phone number without letting us know via her website, an email, or a text; we ran across the new phone number in an Instagram story.  And she sent us budget advice without looking back to see what our budget actually was; her advice assumed a budget that was $20k off the actual amount. After a month passed without her responding at all to my Pinterest board, I decided to reach out to some of Karen's other customers to find out if my concerns were justified or if I was just not accustomed to how wedding planners work.  My concerns were validated by the first former customer I spoke to.  We then decided to terminate our contract. While we regret having chosen Karen as our wedding planner, we are fortunate to have terminated the relationship far enough out from the wedding date to choose someone new.  In the process of canceling, we also found out that Karen has been removed from the list of wedding planners that our venue recommends. I hope this review helps others avoid what we went through.  So far, Karen has been the most stressful part of our wedding planning experience. We initially ended our contract amicably, with Karen agreeing to refund $1,200 (half our retainer) if she could fill our wedding weekend with new clients.  She would still keep $1,200, which we felt was more than adequate for the minimal services she had provided.  Later, Karen walked back our agreement, based on a contract provision that says the retainer is non-refundable (as if she hadn't breached the contract herself). We now believe it was well worth the $2,400 we lost to end the frustrating and stressful experience of planning a wedding with Karen.  After working with our new planner for two months, we know we made the right decision.

Seems like they're on Groupon all the time. Our horseback ride started about 1.5hours late. I…read morewasn't happy about this at all. Not simply because he was running late, but because the house (castle/waiting room/party room) was absolutely filthy. I was really taken aback by a business looking like this, even if it's a business that works w/ animals. When we got there, the owner and assistant were on a ride w/ another group. Then the group we were supposed to be riding with were an hour late, so we had to wait for them. It was just annoying, although Steven (owner) was friendly. When we walked into the empty house it looked like a construction space, a hen was walking around the inside and I even saw it poop IN THE KITCHEN! Things finally turned around when I hopped on Sherman (my white horse w/ black spots). He was a greedy little thing and ate up all the grass but he was a great horse. Steven immediately put ppl on the horses and taught us while we were riding. He was a straight to it teacher and I liked that. He definitely knows what he's doing when it comes to animals. He took a bunch of pictures and videos and sent them to everyone in the group. I'm thankful to have such awesome pictures that didn't cost us extra. I'm giving 4 stars despite the filth because Steven was friendly, welcoming, and I enjoyed the experience. Tip: -don't eat there if germs bug u -don't arrive early, there's no point -yes, you're in the right spot, even though it looks a little funky on the outside

It's funny this guy is trying to say we never went when we did - I'd love to see what evidence he…read morehas considering during our entire time there he never once asked for our names or checked that we even had a reservation. He also never redeemed our Groupon. He has repeatedly messaged me and begged me to remove this review and has even reported it to Yelp to try to get it removed. Not only do I stand by my review but this Steven Strasburg owner has proved himself to not only be completely unprofessional but also desperate and dishonest. My advice: TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY for your business instead of accusing people of posting fake reviews or saying "it must've been another place". This is the ONLY time where an owner has not only not apologized but tried to say I'm posting for the wrong Castle Strasburg. How many Castle Strasburg horseriding places are there in Midland, VA? SHAME ON YOU!

We hired Shovanna for my sons 1st birthday party. Only one word to describe , it was Fabulous!! The…read moremoment my guests entered they were only talking about the decorations and how beautiful and mind blowing they were!! We thoroughly enjoyed our sons birthday. It's going to be a life long memory for us. Thank you Shovanna Williams for making our day more memorable!!

First time using Extravagant Affairs. Had a small family gathering and needed a tent, lights,…read morechairs and linen. The Project Manager communicated well, the tent was set up where and how I wanted it, and everything was clean. Price was reasonable for the quality of equipment I was looking for. Highly recommend and will use again.

Minister Major, Jen and Melissa were fantastic! I would highly recommend their services if you are…read moremarrying in the area. Highly attentive and responsive!

Major and Jen were fantastic! We did a very last minute booking, same day. They helped us with all…read moreof the logistics so that our nuptials would be special just for our family of 4. Mind you we had no idea what/ where/ how & we only spoke a few hours before we were officially married. We are so blessed to have meet them!