This is our second time we have used Sarlas for our daughter's wedding. The team is so professional and never missed a beat. Their ability to play pop, country, jazz and Greek music is the best I have ever heard. read more

Wow, the Chris Sarlas Band/Orchestra is exceptional! Not only did everyone dance the night away and have a spectacular time, but Chris was also fabulous to work with. We spent time with him on zoom before the wedding, let him know we were throwing a party & celebration, and let him pick the music. The dance floor was packed all night. HIRE CHRIS TODAY! read more

Sarlas Music - Musicians Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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Chris & Carol are a dynamic duo and the whole Sarlas Orchestra knocked it out of the park at our wedding. We used the full Greek American band and guests are still raving about the music and how amazing they sounded and how much it made our wedding. They made themselves available months before our wedding to map out a detailed schedule and make sure that we could not only provide input on music selection, but that all timings, pronunciations and announcements were on point. The voices & rapport the whole band has was incredible. We trusted them to go with the flow with the balance of Greek & American music to cater to guests which went great. Would highly recommend them for either Greek only, American only or combined services when needed. read more

Chris Sarlas and his band were amazing. So so good!! They got everyone up and on the dance floor at my wedding almost instantly. We received so many compliments from our guests on how great they were. We also had a string trio for our ceremony it was lovely. Chris was very responsive throughout the whole planning process. He was always eager to hop on a zoom meeting and walk through what the day was going to look like and what we wanted to hear. They could play pretty much anything we could think of. Would highly recommend to anyone! Couldn't have been happier. read more

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We could not have been happier with the band for our wedding in October 2022. They sounded great, and the energy on the dance floor was all we heard about for weeks after the event. They crushed it! The process was easy, Chris and Carol were great to work with from the very beginning. Can't recommend them enough! read more

Chris Sarlas and his incredible band brought the party to our Chicago wedding! From the initial phone call with Chris, we knew we wanted to work with him. He understood what we wanted out of our wedding and constantly assured us he would deliver--and that he did. Our dance floor was PACKED until the very last moment of the night. The number one comment we have heard from our guests was how incredible the band was. We were so impressed by Sarlas Orchestra and have already recommended them to many friends. Thank you, Chris!! read more

The absolute best wedding band experience. Chris is phenomenal to work with and his musicians are incredible. They look fantastic, sound amazing, and make you feel so special. They bring a reception from good to great. Guests will be talking about them for weeks. read more

Sarlas Music - One of the singers did Footloose and crowd loved it. - Musicians Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

We had the absolute pleasure of working with Artistrings through Sarlas for our wedding in Chicago in May 2023. They were super responsive, professional and easy to work with. We booked a string trio and pianist for our ceremony and cocktail hour. Our ceremony location had a grand piano already in the space that could not be moved so we knew we wanted to incorporate it somehow. I fell in love with a gorgeous piece of classical music by Franz Liszt called Liebestraum (Love Dream) and knew this was the perfect song to walk down the aisle to meet my husband. I still remember the swell of emotion and excitement once I heard the Artistrings musicians playing this piece I had dreamed about for so long. From my layman perspective, it seemed like a complicated piece, but Artistrings played it with seamless skill and artistrty. It was one of my favorite parts of the day. They also played some of our contemporary choices beautifully (e.g., This Must Be The Place by Talking Heads). Artistrings was an absolute joy to work with and we would certainly recommend them for anyone searching for live musicians for their wedding day. read more

Sarlas Music - Musicians Near Me - Highland Park, Illinois

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OUTSTANDING! That is the one word I would use to describe Sarlas Music. We booked The Carol Sarlas Orchestra for our 10.22.22 wedding and we were thrilled to have them! They kept the party going and had guests on the dance floor that normally wouldn't be there! I can't stop smiling thinking about all the fun we had and We owe a lot of that to our band! Both Carol & Chris were amazing to work with during the planning process. They genuinely want you to have the best night ever! They go above and beyond! Do yourself and your guests a favor and book them!!! Thank you, Carol & Chris read more

Chris and Carol Sarlas are the nicest, hard working and best band ever! I had heard them a few years ago at a friends wedding and they were great. So when my daughter got engaged I suggested them. The bride and groom listened to their music and met them and immediately booked them. They got a great package price for an 11 piece orchestra, Artistrings a 4 piece strings quartet that played at cocktail hour and a small jazz band that played at dinner. We decided to get all 3 but you can hire whatever you like. Chris listens to your wants and plays exactly what you like, However he knows the crowd pleasing songs and plays to the audience. The dance floor was packed all night. They only took one short break (played recorded music then). One break is unheard of. They kept playing because the guests didn't get off the dance floor. They are very professional! They always answered questions throughout the planning process immediately. So easy to work with and they know the business. You will be so happy you used them. read more

I would recommend Chris Sarlas band! They are talented and made sure everyone was dancing and having fun. Chris was fabulous to plan with!

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra is THE BEST band for weddings and events in Chicago! My wife and I found Chris by accident because we were looking for a wedding band that could accommodate a Greek (me) and Irish (my wife) crowd. After searching the internet, we came across Chris' website and we immediately contacted him. We were living in Washington, DC at the time and we were preparing to move to Chicago, so Chris mailed us a fantastic press kit with setlists, DVDs of the band, and package rates. After going through all of the information, my wife and I hired Chris on the spot. During the entire planning process, Chris was very professional from the first phone conversation to the day of our wedding. After you meet with him, he works directly with the venue/reception site so that you do not get bogged down and you can move on to dealing with the rest of your wedding details. He tailored the setlist to what music we wanted to hear and he was a master at mixing in just enough Greek music to satisfy my side of the family while not alienating my wife's side. Most importantly, he worked with us (and our budget) to maximize the band's time on stage so that the party would never lose steam. Since our wedding, my wife and I have been recommending The Chris Sarlas Orchestra to all of our engaged friends and family and one of the couples who attended our wedding have already hired him for their special day. Hire this band. You will not regret it. read more

Wow! Where do I begin?! Choosing the Chris Sarlas Orchestra was one of our best vendor decisions we made for our wedding! It's been a month since our wedding and we still have guests raving about our band and asking who they were! Chris was such a joy to work with. He answered every email and call immediately. Chris is so experienced and knew exactly how to play to the crowd. The dancefloor was packed all night which is exactly what my husband and I wanted. We also used their pop string quartet during cocktail hour and their jazz trio during dinner. Both were fabulous and really set the tone for an elegant evening. They really made the night so fun and memorable. I can't recommend the Sarlas Orchestra enough!! read more

Before we get to the music, let me say how wonderful a job Chris himself did managing us throughout the process. From the moment we met with him he made it clear that he had our best interests at heart his main intention was that we get the service we wanted and within our budget. He never once tried to force any additional services on us in order to raise the fee, and we were able to get all of the instruments that we wanted and make it work within our budget. He always responded to all of our inquiries the same day. He was extremely professional throughout the process, especially in the final few weeks when we were finalizing our preparations. Chris was such a calming presence on the phone, ensuring us that everything would go smoothly. He couldn't have been better. Now for the Music. Wow. People were coming to us all night and all said some variation of "Where did you guys find this band, they are INCREDIBLE," and they were. The talent of the musicians was clear, and the dance floor was rocking all night, even our 90 year old grandfather felt the need to get out there. The voices of the singers were amazing, and they really brought so many of our favorite songs to life. I seriously can't imagine how they could have done any better. In addition to the music, they did a wonderful job of interacting with the crowd and making sure that people stayed on the dance floor. This was one of our larger concerns, as there are few things sadder than an empty dance floor at a wedding. They knew how to work the crowd wonderfully, and there was never a dull moment. We only gave 5 stars because we couldn't give 6. If you are considering Chris Sarlas Orchestra, do yourself a favor and sign the contract now. We promise it will be one of the best decisions you make for your special day. read more

This is a truly phenomenal band! I think they may be a little hidden gem right now, but I would jump on the chance to work with them. We worked with Chris on our wedding just a couple of weeks ago and it could not have been executed more perfectly. From the very beginning, he was such a pleasure to work with. I had many ideas and he walked me through countless pricing options, instrument combinations, etc. He also had great ideas for things we were unsure about and is an excellent listener. Chris is exceedingly professional - a dream to work with. We hired Chris and his musicians for our ceremony (cello and violin performed pop instrumental songs), the jazz trio for our cocktail hour, and the 10-piece band for our reception. Chris did a great job MC-ing and he and the band's music was never cheezy wedding band- sounding, just really, really good. All our guests commented on how great they were and the dance floor was full all night! read more

It's only been a month since our wedding, but we have gotten MANY comments about the Chris Sarlas Orchestra at our May 2013 wedding. Comments such as "WOW, that was the best band I've ever heard at a wedding" keep coming! I fully agree. People were even dancing before our first dance because the music was so good! Our dance floor was packed until the very last song. I would highly recommend Chris Sarlas. The band even wore our wedding sunglasses we gave out as favors without us asking, which was a nice little touch! The package rate was VERY reasonable and Chris was always accommodating with meeting my husband and I. Chris is the perfect MC. I am so grateful our guests had a wonderful time and a lot of that is due to Chris Sarlas and his band!! read more

I contacted Chris on a whim looking for what I felt to be an odd request and the first thing he did was reassure me that he would work to ensure my request was met. My girlfriend, now fiancé said she'd always wanted to have a choir at her proposal and her request seemed outlandish, but I wanted to make her wish come true and Chris and Carol were totally on board with that. They were both super accommodating throughout the entire process and always willing to take and receive feedback. It was total team effort and the communication was quick. We built a rapport very quickly and easily. They even went so far as to get in touch with the photographer I'd hired and coordinate the day. The proposal went off without a hitch. I cannot say enough about what they and their singers were able to do to make one of the best days of my life a reality. read more

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra is THE best wedding band in the Chicagoland area. Chris Sarlas is a fantastic bandleader. When my husband Kevin and I were meeting with different bands, Chris asked us what we wanted and catered to both of our favorite genres of music and he had the band learn some hard songs! He also helped my husband with his original song that he had a BLAST performing with his band. He is truly invested in personalizing your evening and putting on a great party that will be remembered for years to come. Not to mention: his musicians are all top-of-the-line. I cannot recommend them enough! read more

We hired Chris Sarlas and his band for our August 2012 wedding and couldn't have been happier. They were spectacular from beginning to end. We had the string quartet for our seating music and processional, and the main band for the entire reception. They were perfect! Chris' introductions and announcments were totally seamless, the band and vocalists were amazing, and all of our guests were dancing until the very end. I cannot count how many people complimented us on the band choice, and people continue to ask me for their info. Everyone was blown away by the variety of songs and the talent of these vocalists. Go to their website to hear audio and see video of this talented group. That is how we first decided to sit down and talk with Chris. Professional, pleasant, experienced, wonderful! Thanks, Chris and crew for an amazing night! read more

If you want the BEST time at your wedding, you need to choose The Chris Sarlas Orchestra to play at your wedding. We had a Greek-Irish wedding and Chris Sarlas was able to accomodate both of our families. His attention to detail and professionalism was not comparable to the rest of the vendors we had for our wedding. He truly is a great and talented person, surrounding himself with great talent. I had so many guests tell me how much they loved the band. read more

THE BEST LIFE BAND EVER!!!!! I got married Memorial Day weekend and Chris Sarlas and his team really made our wedding the BEST party ever! Literally people left our wedding sweating from no-stop dancing! I would refer them in a heart beat! They will give you the best time of your life as well as ahear to any request you desire! It was a honor and pleasure to work with them! read more

Chris and his wife have such a great operation going with Sarlas Music. They were responsive, great at communicating any needs to ensure that my big day was absolutely perfect. My husband and I are big music people, and the band did not disappoint on the big day. The dance floor was packed all night, and I have family and friends still commenting on the wedding band. read more

My husband and I found Chris because he was recommended by the Al Sofia Band, which he used to be a member of in the past. We needed to find a band for our wedding, which we were planning remotely. After checking out the website and the videos, we absolutely wanted to book them so we had my dad meet with Chris. After receiving the big thumbs up from my dad (who was paying) we booked them, as well as Artistrings to play during the dinner portion. Chris was really accommodating with meeting with us when we were in town and keeping in touch via email. He made us feel as if what we wanted was important and actually listened to our ideas. We gave him all our instructions and felt we were in good hands. My husband remarked to me after the one and only meeting with him that even if we didn't tell him anything, you could tell he would still do a fantastic job. When the wedding came around, they were amazing. Everyone raved about the band and one of our Florida guests even wanted them for their wedding! Opal, the lead female singer, was absolutely astounding. Her voice was beautiful and strong; she was a big reason as to why we booked the band. They did a great job for our first dance and then pretty much everyone started dancing. They were that wonderful! I could not have asked for a better performance. So if you are looking for a band to play at that special occasion, look no further. This is it. read more

All I can say is WOW! We booked Chris Sarlas after hearing him at a friend's wedding. Our wedding was a bit smaller than theirs so we were hopeful the band would translate well to a smaller group. Boy did it ever. Chris himself is wonderful to work with throughout wedding planning. He is very responsive, professional, and just pleasant. The day of the wedding he was the perfect MC and really had things running smoothly. But the music was just unbelievable. Our dance floor was packed the entire night. Several guests commented that it was the best wedding band they have ever heard and could not believe the talent of the singers and musicians. They truly made our wedding memorable and special. I am so grateful that we had them for our wedding celebration! read more

BEST BAND EVER. We hired the Chris and Carol Sarlas band for our wedding and they were simply amazing and made our wedding! We got married about 3 weeks ago, and our guests are still raving about them. They choreographed the whole night and it was perfect. My husband and I could not be more grateful for their talent. Our dance floor was packed all night and our friends and family are saying it was the best wedding they have been to. read more

We hired the Chris Sarlas Orchestra for our wedding in late 2012. They were outstanding. Chris is a pleasure to work with- very professional. His musicians are top-notch. So many of our guests were raving about the band. We had them play a couple of Greek dance songs, which everybody loved, and the rest traditional music. Chris does a great job with the MC duties, keeping the reception moving. He's very classy- no cheesy wedding band stories here. One note: Chris posts video on youtube and on his website of actual weddings and dates that his band plays. No studio videos/recordings. You really get a good idea of how they'll sound at your wedding. This takes guts on his part, and to us, it made the difference. We're absolutely thrilled with our choice of bands for our wedding. read more

We cannot say enough wonderful things about the Chris & Carol Sarlas Orchestras. Our guests danced the whole night long and couldn't stop raving about the music! We worked with many vendors for our wedding, but Chris and Carol were our absolute favorite to work with. They made sure we had the wedding experience we wanted, and didn't try to sell us any pre-packed ideas or concepts. They make sure your day is your day and customize everything to what you're looking for. We even had couple last minute requests (and by last minute I mean the night before the wedding) and they were able to accommodate and make it a seamless evening. You don't need to look anywhere else if you're looking to have an amazing musical experience for your special occasion, Chris and Carol have it all. read more

I am writing this review to highly recommend Chris Sarlas after our wedding in late July. We had the Artistrings put together a string quartet for our ceremony and the Chris Sarlas Orchestra had a nine-piece band (or at least we paid for a nine-piece band because we counted like 13 people there, which was awesome). After dealing with other wedding vendors that were not so organized, it was great to know that Chris was so detail-oriented with us, providing us with a song list to pick out songs for both our ceremony and our reception. Plus you can go on his website and actually listen to his groups performing many of those songs. Chris, as well as his wife (for the ceremony), also gave us suggestions in helping to put together the perfect music for what we were trying to capture for our wedding. My family and friends were raving about the quality of the band, and the band had most of us (including my wife and I) on the dance floor the entire three hours that they were performing. With a few exceptions, they stuck to all of the songs that we had identified as favorites. And they even improvised, as dinner was going later than expected, rather than delay the start of the band, they had them perform some of our dinner music songs as we were finishing up with that portion of the reception. Overall, we couldn't have been more pleased with the quality and professionalism of the entire group. They even performed a Greek song to honor my wife's father's Greek heritage. I definitely think that hiring a band for your wedding is a somewhat pricey but worthwhile decision. And I would encourage everyone thinking of hiring a band in Chicago to go with Chris Sarlas. read more

We cannot say enough about Sarlas Music. They made our wedding reception absolutely amazing! Chris and Carol worked with us from the start and spent hours making sure we had the vision we wanted. On the night of the wedding, the band brought so much energy and excitement to the dance floor. We had multiple guests asking "who is this band and where did you find them?!" Every musician in the group is so talented. The most incredible part of Sarlas Music is that they seemed genuinely happy and excited to be celebrating with us. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the most grateful bride and groom! Our wedding would not have been the same without the Chris Sarlas Band- HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more

My now-husband and I agreed: the band we chose would make or break our wedding reception. Lucky for us, we hired the Chris Sarlas Orchestra! From our first meeting with Chris until the last dance of our wedding night, it was a pleasure to work with CSO. After a fun and informative first meeting (which included live videos of the band -- not studio recordings), Chris presented us with a variety of packages and ideas. We spent a lot of time researching and conducting meetings with other bands, but we felt most comfortable with and were most impressed by CSO. Throughout the wedding planning process, Chris was always responsive, accommodating, and friendly. We chose the dinner and dancing format with the full 10-piece band, and CSO absolutely nailed the execution -- the energy in the room was amazing. Chris gave us an awesome mix of songs and music styles, which meant we had a packed dance floor the entire night. I can't count the number of wedding guests who raved, "this is the best wedding band I have ever heard!" We had so much fun at our wedding reception, and we were blown away by the talent of the singers, musicians, and Chris. To summarize, we can't say enough good things about the Chris Sarlas Orchestra, and we are eager to recommend them to anyone needing a live band for any type of event. read more

To quote the yelp machine when you click the five stars: "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" True, 100% true. Had a reception party last Saturday. The band blew us away. Every guest I bumped into during and since has said how awesome the band was, or best band ever. I agree. From planning to setup, to performance; did i mention performance? it was all 5 stars. Chris and his band dial it up to 11. As someone who has never planned a reception before, Chris spent more time on the phone with us than we expected anyone would want to. He walked us through the planning of the songs, through good timing, through...everything. He is super knowledgeable and was basically the coordinator for the evening. Awesome, just awesome. Some guests commented that they didn't realize it was the band playing and not a recording since it sounded so good. read more

We had just about the best experience with Sarlas Music Inc. that I could have possibly imagined! I have always felt you can tell how fun a party is by how much dancing there is and with this bands help our wedding just might have been the best party ever. Our guests spent the ENTIRE evening absolutely tearing it up on the dance floor and I can't even count how many people told us they thought it was the best band they had ever heard at a wedding. Chris was wonderful to work with, he made us feel so comfortable and the process was fun and easy. I absolutely, without a doubt, 100% recommend Sarlas Music, Inc.! read more

My husband and I could not have had a better experience with the Chris Sarlas Orchestra and Artistrings! From the moment we met Chris and Carol, we knew we had found our band. They were so personable and cared so much about us and what we wanted for our wedding music. It was probably the quickest vendor decision we made and we certainly made the right call. From learning Irish songs and our parents' wedding songs to smoothing out our wedding venue timeline, they went above and beyond to make our wedding perfect. Chris carried the flow of the reception perfectly and people were dancing all night long. Numerous guests commented that it was the best wedding band they ever heard- we could not agree more! Chris and Carol, thank you so very much! read more

We hired the Chris Sarlas Orchestra for our wedding in downtown Chicago in June 2014. Living in California, it was extra challenging to plan our wedding in Chicago. Chris Sarlas did everything he could to make the process as smooth as possible. We met with him during one of our visits to Chicago to do the initial planning, and then all details were finalized via e-mail and phone. Chris was extremely responsive and available for any questions. The weeks prior to our wedding, Chris was in touch with us regularly to finalize the "day of" details. It was apparent that Chris wanted us to feel relaxed and have complete confidence in his abilities. We were beyond impressed on our wedding day! Chris was an excellent emcee and set a fantastic vibe for our crowd. When the band started playing, the music was incredible! Our guests were very impressed, and we were 100% happy that we choose a band instead of a DJ. The personal experience and beautiful music made our wedding day magical and unforgettable. We highly recommend the Chris Sarlas Orchestra! read more

I am still recovering from one of the best nights of my life thanks to the Chris Sarlas Orchestra. This past weekend was my sister's wedding and Yelp doesn't give me the option to add more stars to this phenomenal band and orchestra. If you are looking for top quality musicians, this is where you should turn to in the Chicagoland area. Chris and Carol are an absolute pleasure to work with. Whatever requests my sister and her husband had, big or small, Chris and Carol were able to meet that request. I have never seen so many people dancing at any event. I wish I could watch all of the musicians perform every weekend because the show was spectacular! Thank you for making their wedding the success that it truly was. You are the talk of the town! read more

We are going on almost 6 months since our fairy tale day. I guess i waited so long to review because i was in denial that it was all over! There are no words to truly describe Chris and his orchestra unless you experience it first hand but I will try! First and foremost, I had a wedding coordinate for month of who was wonderful BUT having Chris involved was like having another super coordinator by my side. His is fantastically detailed, professional, organized, empathic, kind and concise. I had not one stitch of doubt when speaking to him from the beginning. The band amazed everyone at my reception they are still talking about it nearly 6 months later. I danced EVERY single song as they got better and better through the night. We had a special request for our first dance. A super challenging song by Michael Jackson, a duet called "I just cant stop loving you" they NAILED it. OMG it was just amazing. At the very end they did a little MJ set for my husband as he is a major fan. I have never had so much fun in my life. The whole group was professional and so nice. Especially Mrs. Sarlas! She helped make sure we were getting through the night per the timeline. I can't stress enough how important it is to have great entertainment at your wedding or any event. It is worth EVERY single penny HIGHLY recommended. read more

The number one comment from guests about our reception...."OMG, where did you find that band! They were incredbile!!" I think that says it all! Chris was great to work with and very accommodating. He really wanted to ensure the music reflected our style. Everyone was on the dance floor from the first song to the very end. Chris really knows how to engage the crowd. read more

Chris and The Chris Sarlas Orchestra was a perfect match for our wedding! Not only did they do an excellent job(all members of the orchestra were amazing) , but they navigated through 3 different types of music(Serbian Band, Greek, and American) seamlessly. One of the main things I want to highlight is that Chris Sarlas Orchestra offers more than just amazing music the night of your wedding, but they also offer the ability to manage and coordinate the entire MC/music aspect of the wedding perfectly. We had surprise breakdancers, flashmobs, etc. and he took a hold of those requests and made it happen with such ease. Chris even took the time to call us and rehearse the names of our entire bridal party(serbian and greek names can be quite complicated) because he wanted it to be just right. His turnaround time on any requests were beyond what was expected and he was so organized and easy to get a hold of, it was so easy to trust him. We knew we could count on him to deliver. With so many details during wedding planning and things to worry about, the music was never one of my worries, because I knew they would execute perfectly...... and they absolutely did! We had so many people come up to us commending the band and most of them were musicians as well. The Chris Sarlas Orchestra is the best decision you can make for your wedding! read more

Best.Band.Ever. Seriously. I've never posted a review before, but for this band I created an account because I wanted people to know how good they are. Our wedding was everything I could have hoped for and more. I can't even imagine what it would have been like without the band, they made the wedding. From the second they began playing people were coming up to us asking who they were. Every text we received after the wedding telling us how much fun people had was followed up by, "who was the band? they were amazing!" A few weeks before the wedding we asked them if they could learn a few songs that weren't on their playlist - wasn't even an issue. It made our first dance so special. They learned "Piano Man" and played it as the last song, it was everything I hoped for and more. Everyone sang along in a big circle, it was absolutely perfect. Without question, hiring this band was the best choice we made for our wedding. If you're looking at a few different bands and trying to decide, the decision is easy - choose The Chris Sarlas Orchestra if you want the most amazing wedding ever, and get ready for a ton of compliments! read more

We got married 1 week ago and had the most amazing night ever with an unbelievably perfect soundtrack, thanks to the Chris Sarlas Orchestra. We knew the music would be great, but their performance was far beyond our expectations. From simply sharing a list of our favorite bands and songs, Chris Sarlas was able to create a non-stop, action packed dance floor for the greatest night of our lives. From the first conversation we had, Chris was kind, flexible, encouraging, provided much needed guidance and suggestions and was open to all our ideas and random song requests. We are so thrilled that we got to enjoy this amazing group of musicians for our ceremony and reception. I would happily recommend the Chris Sarlas Orchestra to anyone in need of a band for a wedding or any other event. They made this special event even more special for us and we are forever grateful. I hope to have an opportunity to throw another party (or attend one) with them soon! read more