Out of all of the vendors that helped to make our October 2021 wedding happen, Nicole was by far my…read morefavorite. From our first email exchange to the event 2.5 years later, she was consistently thoughtful, kind, and exceptionally well organized. Nicole beautifully handled any hiccups that cropped up throughout the day, including a brief neighborhood-wide blackout right after dinner. Her calm and genuine energy put me at ease right from the start. I've lost track of how many times guests have reached out to me specifically to say how wonderful the photographer was. I'm so grateful to have found Sweetness & Light Photography. Thank you so much for everything!

Nicole's photos are art. ART, yes I know we all want photos of our day as bride or groom, but it…read moreis amazing when they can also be ART and that is why I choose Nicole, owner of Sweetness and Light Photography. Nicole had photographed a number of my friends' weddings and I had always been mesmerized by the quality. I began enjoying the photos of other weddings, even though I didn't know the folks because she captures the emotions, feel, and reality of the day. Nicole's photos tell a story, and capture the moments you are too busy to notice. I had opted to had an unplugged wedding so I put full faith in Nicole to capture the day. We did not have video or a #hashtag to search later, all photos were grabbed by her. I am so glad I did. The day went by so quick and I really didn't get to see it all or even talk to everyone. Looking back through the photos it was so nice to relive the moments that went by so quick, see the faces and feelings of those I barely got to say hello to, or catch the responses of those in attendance to our toast, ceremony, etc. The best part, I got to relive it, not through grainy photos take from a cell phone. I didn't have to peel through photo after photo that didn't capture the moment but an arm, head or better yet another cell phone. Her photos offered me a front row to a day that took so much time and effort to put together. I am over the moon with quality, # of photos, and feel of every image she captured. Not only that, folks are coming to me to tell me how amazing the photos are. These will be gifts, family heirlooms, and art in your house, so pick an artist for the job. With a great mix of candid, portraits, but a grace and beauty in her editorial style....you can't go wrong with Sweetness and Light Photography.

We couldn't speak more highly of Lindsey and her team at Trunks & Tales! She helped with our son's…read more1st birthday where we had over 100 people. Her ideas were so fun, her communication was clear and consistent, and her calm demeanor throughout the planning process and execution of the party made the day run so smoothly. Her team was top notch too! Many of our guests commented on how all the little details were so thoughtful and how attentive her team was throughout the party. We undoubtedly will be hiring her again for future parties!!

We used Trunks and Tales rentals for our event and Lindsey made sure everything went so smoothly!…read moreHer rental items were in great condition and very clean. Great experience overall!

love.cook.nourish, boy is that a Great name for this company But you should know that, Cindy is…read morealso the Best Coordinator you can find for your events!!! We hired her for our wedding reception, my husband didn't want me to do anything for the reception, he told me to find someone to do it for us. Well I found Cindy, we sat down with her and in 5 minutes I knew she was the right person for our reception. We told her we would like to have a "Western theme" she took the reins () and ran with the idea. Next thing we knew we had the best "Upscale" BBQ for 80 people one could ask for And as advertised with love.cook.nourish, Cindy made our wedding cake also, Very Banana with Cream Cheese frosting and two different flavors of cupcakes for our guest What a fantastic night we all had Thank You Cindy and Staff at LCN

I could write a book on catering parties as a former restauranteur but most of you reading this…read morewould be bored. So I'll just get to the point. I have never hired a caterer for myself because I simply don't trust anyone else to cook for my guests - until now! This occasion was special - my wife and I were throwing our daughter an engagement party for about 70 people. Thank goodness I hired Cindy! Forget the fact there is no way I could have done this on my own for that many people anyway - but what really made the event was the fact she was beyond the ultimate professional she was a better version of me (sorry not trying to brag - just stating facts). She was incredibly prepared (and brought her daughter Ronnie who was an amazing help as well!). She knew her way around my grill as if it was her own. She brought all the right tools and gadgets to ensure every dish came out perfect - which ALL of them did! And she even took the tails off the 10 lbs of shrimp I had mistakingly ordered - in literally minutes - incredible! Everything was cooked, grilled and presented with absolute perfection. Last night was the start of something special between my family and love.cook.nourish. Cindy is now the only person I will trust going forward and is now unofficially an adopted member of our family or should I say my sister from another mother... Love.cook.nourish is hands down the best caterer for your event or party - regardless of how complex or simple, you want to make it! And if you have read this far you better get going and contact her quickly for your party because she is going to be in the highest demand as word gets out about this gem! PS - feel free to reach out to me for more specifics if you wish - always happy to share more details.

We hired A Monique Affair (AMA) just a few days after getting engaged, on our way home from a trip…read moreto Mexico. As a queer Black/Asian couple, finding vendors we trusted to be genuinely good to us mattered a lot -- people who would celebrate our wedding, not just tolerate it. AMA has an incredible track record of working with queer couples and couples of color, and that history gave us so much peace of mind going in. It ended up being one of the smartest decisions we made in this entire process. From those first budgeting conversations all the way through our wedding weekend, Chanda and her team at AMA were with us every step of the way, with our lead planner Tim'mya guiding us throughout. What struck us early was how much of the heavy lifting they quietly took off our plates. AMA found most of our vendors for us, and rather than handing us a single name, they'd come back with a few thoughtful options that fit our vision and our budget. Every vendor they brought us turned out to be excellent. The whole process felt genuinely collaborative: we'd tell them what we were dreaming up, and they'd find a way to make it happen. Between all the vendors and the endless little details, we had a dozen different threads going, and we never hesitated to throw a half-formed idea into one of them in the middle of the night. More often than not, we'd wake up to find Tim'mya already on it. Our wedding was a fusion of our two cultures, Chinese and Black American, and we were ambitious about how that blend showed up in every detail. One of our non-negotiables was a venue that could do a custom menu drawing from both of our backgrounds and actually do it well, since we placed a huge importance on good food. AMA understood that immediately and helped us find exactly what we wanted. When we couldn't track down dumpling baskets at a price that made sense, Tim'mya went as far as sourcing a supplier from China (tariffs ended up killing the plan, but nevertheless this was above and beyond). Nothing was ever met with "we can't," it was always "let's figure it out." That same care carried across a genuinely demanding weekend, because we didn't just have a wedding day -- we had a welcome party, the ceremony and reception, and a farewell brunch across three days, each with its own menu, theme, and dress code. AMA brought a full production team that handled all of our decor setup and kept us on track the entire time; our planner was running around nonstop so that we never had to. It even surprised us how much we loved every single piece of it. After the welcome party alone, we turned to each other and said that if that had been the whole celebration, we'd have walked away happy. Then, the ceremony and reception was where our vision really came to life. A lush greenery installation floated above us during the ceremony, and at the reception our sweetheart table sat beneath a clean white backdrop cut with our family name, a gold dragon centerpiece in the middle, with wild tropical florals spilling over everything: red anthuriums, birds of paradise, and palm and banana leaves all around the room. Between the rattan lanterns, the woven chairs, and the pops of vibrant color, every detail turned out even better than we'd imagined. More than anything, AMA gave us the freedom to be present at our own wedding. While they coordinated the chaos, we got to soak all of it in and just enjoy everything. If you're planning something big, ambitious, or deeply personal, we can't recommend A Monique Affair enough.

Working with Chanda Daniels and her team at A Monique Affair was the best decision I could have…read moremade for my wedding. I had my dream wedding at UC Berkeley Botanical Gardens, and SO many of our guests have been raving about how this was the most beautiful wedding that they have ever attended. My husband and I wanted to be very involved in the planning process and we chose the Wedding Day Direction package, which worked out really well. Chanda was like our Fairy Godmother, providing so much wisdom and guidance for us as we navigated planning a wedding. She was so patient with us and has a really beautiful energy as a human being. Her team was incredible as well on the day of the event, Zeraka and all of the ladies were so kind and encouraging. I felt very supported. Wedding planning is can feel overwhelming, but choosing to work with Chanda was the smartest decision I made for this big day. We are deeply grateful and highly recommend A Monique Affair to plan anyone's wedding! (Especially if you're an anxious person like me haha) This was the best day of our lives. Thank you for an unforgettable celebration! - Jenny and James

By Elise Events & DesignElise planned our wedding at Filoli Gardens in the summer of 2025, and I…read moretruly cannot sing her praises enough. Before meeting her, we had spoken with several planners and were getting the sense that a Filoli wedding might not be possible within our price range. Before we were about to give up on our dream venue, Elise thankfully took our call. From our very first conversation, she immediately put us at ease and reassured us that we could absolutely create something beautiful within our budget. She was intentional from the beginning, taking the time to genuinely get to know us--our personalities and preferences--before diving into the planning process. Because of that, every idea she presented felt thoughtful, personal, and curated to who we are as a couple. Throughout the year of planning, Elise was attentive, patient, and a joy to collaborate with. There were many times when she'd proactively suggest ways to stay within budget, even when it meant prioritizing us over her own bottom line. That level of integrity and care speaks volumes about her character. On the day of the wedding, I was stressed and anxious (as many brides are!), but having Elise at my side helped me find a sense of calm. She has this grounding presence that lets you know that everything is under control. Somehow, she managed to greet guests as they arrived, oversee every moving part of the event, and still remain by my side whenever I needed her. There were countless "save-the-day" moments. One that stands out: minutes before walking down the aisle, I was frantically trying to handwrite my typed vows onto notecards, hands shaking and overwhelmed. Out of nowhere, Elise stepped in and told us there was a printer on the property and promptly took care of the situation, thoughtfully printing my vows in index-card format so I didn't have to hold a big piece of paper at the altar. It wasn't until the wedding day itself that I fully realized just how much coordination she and her team had handled behind the scenes. She had even thought of small but meaningful touches, like IV hydration packets for our guests. Throughout the evening, I kept thinking, "Wow, Elise really pulled all of this off." Friends and family told us that it was the most beautifully organized and seamlessly executed wedding they had ever attended. Many also commented how stressful it must have been for my husband and me to plan a wedding of such scale and beauty, and I'd laugh and say, "Not at all--that was all Elise!". We gave her a vision, and she handled the rest! Our wedding was truly the best day of our lives, filled with joy and memories we'll cherish forever. And it was largely due to Elise and her team, whose kindness, foresight, and meticulous preparation were evident throughout the entire day. All of this is to say that if you are considering working with Elise, know that you will be in the best hands. Thank you, Elise and team!

My wife and I agree-- the best decision we made about our wedding (after choosing each other) was…read moreworking with Elise. Despite all the stresses weddings can bring, we felt assured that Elise was on top of things. Things we appreciated about her: -She took time to understand our vision on both a macro and micro level -Took time to know our famillies and what they valued in a ceremony -Incredibly creative and thoughtful about all elements of design -So accommodating to meeting/talking around our schedule I am very biased, but I think we had the best wedding ever. We thank Elise for it :)

My friend who threw us a baby shower hired Nicole to organized the whole event. Nicole was very…read moreprofessional from the very beginning. She transformed the location into a beautiful setting. Everything was set-up so perfectly that all I had to do was show up and enjoy the good food and my fabulous friends. Nicole is the person to call if you need help in creating a super fun, beautiful and well organized event.

My twin girls celebrated their first birthday at this venue. From my initial meeting to the end of…read morethe event, I could not have asked for a better site manager than Lissi. She was so thorough in her communication, VERY hands on and supportive with vendors, and she ensured our event ran smoothly. For the venue space, there is one restroom and they provide a changing table which is PERFECT for our event. They arranged for bartender service and also helped cleanup and keeping the event tidy with making sure trash cans were managed, dirty glassware was constantly picked up, and venue amenities were running smoothly (music, lighting, fans, clean up). We utilized the parking in the back but it is metered so you have to keep an eye on the meter. However, it was extremely convenient to have for loading and unloading. They will be my go-to venue space going forward.

This is a great spot for an event. Had my baby shower here for about 30 people and it was just the…read moreright size. The team was helpful, attentive, and on top of all the details. They really allowed us to bring in a lot of our own decorations, food, etc. They worked with us on setup and check in with us multiple times ahead of the event to make sure we had everything we needed. They offer food and beverage options, rentals for dinnerware and tables, etc., if you don't want to bring your own. There's lot of street parking and a garage nearby for your guests. There's an alley in the back that makes setup and cleanup really easy. Gather is such a hidden gem and I can't recommend them enough if you need a spot for an event.

We hired Marina last minute to set up an impromtu Tea Party. The party was on Sunday, we spoke…read moreFriday and she was able to transform our living room. I wanted it feel girly and colorful but still tasteful and Marina did just that! She is so sweet and incredibly professionally. She set up the whole thing in just 80mins!