Melisa Sent on 09/22/2017

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Kia is WONDERFUL to work with and we highly recommend her! We originally looked at her services for day-of coordination, but decided to go with the higher package after speaking to her over Skype. Kia's experience helped us so much in the wedding planning process, from thinking about things that never would have crossed our minds, to helping us select the right vendors, Kia was there with us through it all. She recommended Sweet Rewards by Kelly for our cake (who did an awesome job), and Floral Design by Melissa for our floral needs (who also did an amazing job!). I remember walking into the church for our rehearsal the day before the wedding and seeing Kia, and just sighing audibly in relief knowing that she was there to take care of us! Kia was so helpful in all of the planning leading up to our big day, and she kept everything running smoothly for us day of. She is simply a joy to work with, and we highly recommend Kia!

Kelly Sent on 11/12/2016

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We knew the first moment we met Kia Martinson that she was going to be our wedding coordinator. She is truly the best of the best. I could only wish that everyone could have a wedding coordinator as patient and experienced as Kia is. If there was a time where we felt stressed in the planning process, Kia was there and always eased our worries. We can’t thank her enough for all of her help in making our wedding go smoothly and a day that we will never forget.

Lindsay Sent on 08/17/2015

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I cannot say enough about the wonderful Kia Martinson and her business. From the moment I first spoke with her back in 2013/2014 I felt comfortable and at ease with all of my plans. I'm the kind of person that likes to plan every little thing, so I decided to go with her "Partial" wedding package. It was perfect in that I got to pick out and do all of the little bridaly things that are a kind of right-of-passage, without becoming overwhelmed. Times that I had questions she was a quick text away, and as things got down to the nitty gritty, she was there to save me time and time again with a smile on her face saying "no problem girl that's what I'm here for...now relax and go have a cocktail" lol. She even planned the next morning event for my family!! Kia became more than a wedding planner for me... she is a great, kind person and someone who I am happy to now call a friend. Thank you Kia and ESTOccasions for all that you did for Corey and I. Our dream wedding came true with help from you! XOXO LINDSAY & COREY CRANE

User1898532 Sent on 10/31/2014

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Estoccasions made our wedding day a simple, elegant and joyful event. Not only didn't I have to worry but no one else in my family or wedding party did either. Our concern from day one was hosting a wedding at my parents house was going to be to much. Kia kept us on task, and kept things handled for us all and we were all thankful.

User1898338 Sent on 10/31/2014

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Thank you, thank you, thank you. With your help we were able to plan our wedding; and it was a real blessing to work with you. I think we would have been lost without a planner, and still believe it was some of the best money I spent. Thank you for dealing with my crazy family. My mother and brothers were thankful to have you there and even the band leader said you were awesome. Considering the simple fact that we asked to get married this year, and went from planning a wedding in 6 months to 3 month, you never once seemed scared or frazzled or made us think we were crazy. THANK YOU for that.

User1888425 Sent on 10/27/2014

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Kia, & her staff at Estoccasions and all of the vendors that she provided us with for our wedding were an absolute pleasure to work with. Our wedding was amazing and having a wedding in our own yard was a scary thought. Then we saw it call come together. We owe it all to Kia for all of her hard work. Also on a personal note, Kia is a fabulous person - very professional, personable and a real pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend her and Estoccasions to anyone that wants the best for their wedding day - they will deliver.

User1872861 Sent on 10/19/2014

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As I did with any vendor I heavily researched experience, read reviews, asked for referrals and set meetings. Communication with Kia was constant from the moment we signed on. From doing a walkthrough of our venue, to giving ideas we had never even thought about (or seen on Pinterest!) to letting me know if I ever had a question – even if I thought it was silly – that she was there and able to help, you could not feel more relieved to have someone on your side that has this experience. The month of we had several meetings, she followed up with all Vendors to make sure they were aware of where they needed to be of and when, helped me with any of those silly questions I may have had and also just made me feel so relieved and at ease everything was going to run smoothly. Wedding weekend – she did everything she said she would and more! We have never seen a more efficient rehearsal. Then for wedding day she greeted me with a big hug, helped direct the girls and I to bridal suite, coordinated picture taking and making sure she was in communication with groomsmen so the groom wouldn’t see me, to helping set up ALL of my details, to then getting everyone’s flowers pinned and everyone ready to go! For pictures she was running through the trees and garden at times to help ensure I had something in my belly, had something to drink, and my lip gloss was refreshed for pictures! I mean, how amazing?! I was so nervous at one point she was going to sprain her ankle at how amazing she was being literally dodging large rocks to make sure my veil was perfect or if I needed additional fluffing of my dress for the pictures! You just couldn’t ask for better help with checking in on us, running up to grab my sparkly flip flops for a shoe change, and to always making sure we were having a good time. Oh, did I mention Kia and her team pack up and store your wedding items for you until the next day or after your honeymoon? Hiring Kia was one of the best decisions we made!!

Carrie Sent on 09/28/2014

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Kia did a great job running our wedding day. Everyone of our vendors had great things to say about her. Would hire her again in a heartbeat.

User968249 Sent on 01/23/2013

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Hiring Kia at ESTOccassions was once of the best decisions we made for the wedding. We started off thinking we didn't need a coordinator, but as there were more DIY projects and we realized how much we wanted to be calm and not stressed on our wedding day, we decided to go with a day of coordinator. I scheduled meetings with various coordinators but met with Kia first. She was so easy to talk to and so pleasant, I wanted to hire her on the spot. I sat through the rest of the meeting just to be sure, and there was nobody I liked nearly as much as Kia. Kia always made me feel like I could contact her with small questions even though she was technically only our day of coordinator. We had minor miscommunications with other vendors and she stepped in, confirmed everything, and gave us peace of mind. She worked wonderfully with all of our vendors- some she knew and some she didn't- which I came to realize is so important. When I started worrying about things after the rehearsal dinner and the day of, I could freak out to her and she would calm me down. I emailed her in the middle of the night, the night before, over some small detail, and she somehow answered right away. Kia is exactly the right balance of taking charge but also listening to you. She knows what the couple wants and then makes it happen. While I was lucky to have wonderful vendors, the day truly would not have been the same without Kia; she is responsible for making it all come together, and also letting us be able to relax and be present in the moment to enjoy it all. I cannot say enough good things about Kia and ESTOccassions.

Megan Sent on 11/26/2012

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Hiring Kia and ESTOccasions was one of the best decisions we made while planning our wedding. Kia went above and beyond just being a "Day of Coordinator" and made helpful suggestions and event helped us to finish making table covers when we got too overwhelmed. In the week leading up to the wedding it was a wonderful feeling to be able to hand all of the details over to Kia and know that everything would be in good hands. On the day of, all of our details (and there were a lot!) were executed exactly as we wanted and we were able to stick to our timeline because Kia kept everyone, including our other vendors, moving. While we were on our honeymoon Kia stored all of our leftover items and returned them to us packed away as soon as we returned along with about 100 pictures her assistant had taken, some of which we were able to use on our Thank You cards. If you are thinking of hiring a Day of Coordinator do not hesitate to hire Kia and ESTOccasions- they were truly a life saver!

Allie Sent on 08/13/2012

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I'm a DIY girl and didn't think I was going to need a planner. I changed my mind after I realized I had tons of projects and not sure hw to make them all work. Kia's approach was what my family and I needed. I needed someone who could handle my families sense of humor and was easy to work with but firm and got things done. Having a wedding at home means a lot of work but I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Kerry Sent on 09/21/2011

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Early into my wedding planning process, I was skeptical to hire a wedding coordinator. I read all these blurbs about how "worth it" planners are but I had my doubts. After going to several family and friend’s weddings, I decided to look into hiring a coordinator. I interviewed several and finally decided to go with Kia for the partial planning she offers. Hiring Kia was one of the best decisions we made in that whole year leading up the wedding.

Kia thought of so many small details that we had not. Even better, her organization was incredible. She was great with communication (phone and email). Just days away from my wedding, a few of my close friends and family told me that I was the most "cool and collected" bride they had ever seen; my response was, "thats why I got Kia to come in."

On the big day, my family, friends, and I were able to enjoy the day and the celebration instead of focusing on implementing all of our big plans. I am convinced that Kia is one of the best kept secrets of Connecticut weddings- a true diamond in the industry.

Sandra Sent on 09/15/2011

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We planned to renew our vows and have a grand party at the end of august. Mother Nature decided to plan a hurricane on short notice that same weekend unbeknownst to us. We had planned our event for Saturday and we were so unsure of when Irene was going to hit and what it would do all week we were stressed out. Over 55 of our guests were coming in and staying over at the hotel where we had planned this event. We had to scramble, with Estoccasions, to get the word out to everyone that wasn’t staying to book fast or please not come to be safe. Estoccasions on the fly changed the welcome baskets to hurricane relief bags with all sorts of items to help with anything that might happen, and even got the onsite bar staff to stock and recommend a signature drink called the hurricane.

Estoccasions crew came in like a whirlwind, set up everything and made sure that we were 100% happy with what was happening. We asked them to leave early to be safe since it was already stormy out during the event. While the event was low key, it was perfect for us and all of our friends and family. Special thanks to Estoccasions for helping make it a weekend that none of us will never forget!

Tara Sent on 09/03/2011

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Kia from estoccasions made my wedding nothing short of magical. She is truly my new sister. She took everything that my fiance and I ever envisioned of and brought it to life for one spectalor event. Kia’s eye for detail is impeccable and she even put up with every crazy notion that we proposed to her. I can´t begin to describe what personal service she offers and she made me feel like I was her only bride even though I know she had other weddings going on. She helped me feel like a princess on my wedding day, and everything was coordinated to the minute. Everyone knew where to be, and what to do. No one was ever the least bit confused by what was going on, yet was constantly in awe of the wedding she created. There was so much love and joy surrounding us, and Kia took all the stress away from us and allowed us to enjoy our day and start our life together in peace.

Denise Sent on 09/03/2011

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Wow! Estoccasions is INCREDIBLE!!!! I can't say enough about just how happy we were with the final outcome of my gorgeous wedding! My mother and I went into the wedding planning without a clue as to where to begin, We were in way over our heads! We met Kia at a wedding show in new london, and fell in love. The first question she asked was "How do you envision your wedding?". My mother and I didn’t even have an answer to that. She talked to me about what I loved and liked, showing me what was possible. From the word GO, Kia was "spot on" with answering any questions we had and getting us on track for planning everything from the ground up at that first meeting (while keeping budget in mind). She brought up things we didn't even know would have been issues if we tried this ourselves -- The greatest part about working with estoccasions was their sense of humor! This is what made things click for my mom and I, and we SO loved being able to joke around with her while everything kept moving along with ease and style. Honestly, if there was something that went wrong, we didn't know about it and everything was taken care of behind the curtians. My family and friends were able to enjoy themselves without having to work my wedding because Kia had it all figured out.

Caroline Sent on 08/26/2011

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Kia of Estoccasions is a fabulous wedding planner! I hired her for the day of service. My wedding was entirely done by my friends and I, and I took care of all contracting, little craft projects, and arranging everything before the event. However, Kia was on top if it all, and easily took the reins of the wedding so that I could enjoy it, rather than me running around placing centerpieces or calling the baker to see where the cake was. I was able to just focus on the day, my friends, and my husband. She helped decorate the venue to my needs and wishes, ran the ceremony and reception, took care of final payments, and I'm sure did a million other things that I (thankfully) am not aware of because I was enjoying my day!

If you are a bride that has dreamed of doing all this yourself, Kia is the perfect finishing touch to your wedding - you take care of all the details, and let her make sure they're all put together so you can enjoy all the work you've put into it. I always recommend her to all of my friends that are getting engaged needing help coordinating the whole thing!

Jackie Sent on 08/20/2011

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The wedding planning done by Estoccasions was professional, efficient and truly unforgettable.We got what we desired and more. I loved the communication throughout the planning process, the advice given and the way everything just ran so smoothly. On the day of the wedding all of the vendors and even my brother (she played coy on how she managed that) was on time and there was not one moment of stress. Both families were able to relax and enjoy every moment of the wedding because everything was handled beautifly by kia and her great staff.The center pieces we had them custom create for us were very unique and admired by everyone attending. Plus they were within our budget but didn’t look it. Many guests have told me that this was the best wedding they have ever attended. What wonderful memories thanks to Kia and estoccasions

Carrie Sent on 08/19/2011

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I am always the type of person who thinks I can handle anything all by myself, but this wedding got out of control. I had great friends and family offering to help with anything and everything, sadly this was adding to stress of the whole project and there was no one to coordinate everything without giving me or the people I wanted there, extra work and stress on a day to celebration. My finance and I were hesitant to meet with Kia (because again I thought I could handle it all my self) and we left our meeting with her feeling like a ton of weight had disappeared off our shoulders. She offered services and advice that I never found in a magazine or online. She was there for me when I wanted to tear my hair out in frustration dealing while dealing with the barrage of adivce from others. My finance and I both felt comfortable and relaxed with Kia and her crew; she was amazing and professional. Having a wedding in your backyard is a TON of work and I’m glad that she had a crew to do it. Highly recommended.

Jessica Sent on 08/16/2011

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I hired ESTOccasions for full wedding planning when I had about a year and a half left to plan my wedding. THey went above and beyond anything I ever expected as far as helping me with everything. Kia was always there when I needed assistance, or someone to talk to, or someone to bounce ideas off of.
When it came to the day of my wedding, I had NOTHING to worry about. Kia handled EVERYTHING! She was running around from one place to another, sometimes with her shoes off, running me drinks while taking pictures. She was absolutely fantastic, I couldn't ask for anything more. My friends and family are still talking about her to this day.

Also, I just wanted to add that Kia made us a Custom Cake stand, and a custom card box. They absolutely added so much to our special day! She was reasonably priced for the level of service we received. I am so grateful for everything that Kia has done for us! We will always remember the wonderful things she helped us with!!

Kristan Sent on 08/16/2011

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I wanted a planner who was organized, on top of things, could handle my insane family (who I love), and keep me on budget. My new husband wanted someone down to earth, easy to talk to and someone who keep me from freaking out. Kia was a perfect mix for the two of us. I never thought I would be laughing and having a great time while working on the wedding. She was upfront about the two bad reviews, and explained it from her point of view. CALL her today.

Gayle Sent on 12/28/2010

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I would highly recommend Kia as a wedding planner. I was nervous that a wedding planner would not understand my stylistic wishes and respect my budget needs, but Kia came through on both accounts. Kia was always transparent about budgeting, but worked creatively and tirelessly to make the event classic, no matter what the budget.

Furthermore, Kia made herself exceptionally available to me throughout the process. She wool meet with me on my schedule, and take phone calls and texts at late hours when I was very concerned.

She is a creative and gifted planner and a quality professional. Go with Kia!

Howard Sent on 12/21/2010

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I contracted with Kia at Estoccasions to plan my function. I had specifics in mind and she was very helpful in delivering what I needed at the time that it was needed under a tight budget. Her associates were very helpful in providing bar-tending and setting us up with a caterer.
Very happy with the outcome, and I would recommend them highly to anyone who needs assistance in preparing for an event of any type!

Jonathan Sent on 12/20/2010

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Having been force fed the occasional romantic comedy, one of which being "The Wedding Planner", bringing someone in to make our wedding happen, was a no brainer. I'm really thinking weddings are something you only do once, so while I'm hoping not to be a repeat customer for one, I would absolutely recommend ESTOccasions for anyone else looking to tie the knot and wishing to have hassle free peace of mind...Kia and her team are nothing short of excellent. They handled way more details than I think my wife and myself ever would have had the patience to deal with, especially given all the time constraints we already have in life.

Andria Sent on 10/25/2010

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My husband and I were having problems deciding where to get married and what kind of wedding we wanted. So I started looking for a wedding planner and I found Kia of ESTOccasions. Since I was going to be a destinion bride i was looking for someone to help me plan the perfect wedding, Now since were making the move to CT and didn't know much about the area Kia and her company took all of the stress off of me so that i could focus on what a bride needed to focused on and that was myself. I couldn't have survived my wedding with her. I recommend Kia to everyone that I know, because she takes care of everything and makes sure you have everything in order for your special day. What makes her more special is that we did everything over the phone until we got to CT. and once we were their we were blown away at how spectacular our wedding was. thank you so much Kia for the perfect day of July 17

K Sent on 10/22/2010

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The best decision I made in planning my wedding was to hire Kia from ESTOccasions!! I was a very hands-on bride and did most of the details myself, but did not want to have to worry about getting bogged down in planning/coordinating details the week of my wedding. I made the decision to hire a wedding planner a couple months before my wedding and was skeptical as to whether it was something I really needed to spend the extra money on. Kia was EXACTLY what I was looking for and I'm so glad I came across her company and cannot sing her praises enough!! She was perfect - she has a great demeanor and was calm and not pushy at all...just made sure that everything came together, and let me and my family relax and enjoy our big day! My family couldn't have been happier with everything she coordinated and made happen! She was extremely helpful with some last-minute questions I had the week of the wedding, went out of the way to help us, gave me some great decorating and timeline ideas, and was just incredibly professional and detail-oriented! My family and I still can't stop talking about her and how she helped make sure our day went off without a hitch! Whether you need day/week of help with your wedding, or someone there with you for the long-haul, Kia and ESTOccasions are true professionals and know exactly what it takes to pull of every detail of a successful party! I would 100% recommend them!

Brian Sent on 10/01/2010

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The best decision I made in planning my wedding was to hire Kia from ESTOccasions!! I was a very hands-on bride and did most of the details myself, but did not want to have to worry about getting bogged down in planning/coordinating details the week of my wedding. I made the decision to hire a wedding planner a couple months before my wedding and was skeptical as to whether it was something I really needed to spend the extra money on. Kia was EXACTLY what I was looking for and I'm so glad I came across her company and cannot sing her praises enough!! She was perfect - she has a great demeanor and was calm and not pushy at all...just made sure that everything came together, and let me and my family relax and enjoy our big day! My mom and sister and I couldn't have been happier with everything she coordinated and made happen! She was extremely helpful with some last-minute questions I had the week of the wedding, went out of the way to help us, gave me some great decorating and "timeline" ideas, and was just incredibly professional and detail-oriented! My family and I still can't stop talking about her and how she helped make sure our day went off without a hitch! Whether you need day/week of help with your wedding, or someone there with you for the long-haul, Kia and ESTOccasions are just the best!

Jason Sent on 09/13/2010

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I was pleasantly surprised with ESTOccasions and simply cannot say enough of how happy I was with the services Kia and company provided. Planning a same-sex wedding was filled with difficulty, and Kia was able to be an invaluable help in creating our own rules so that we could have the fun but classic wedding that we were going for. Every person we dealt with had an excellent, friendly manner, and were able to avoid many of the heterosexist mistakes that other businesses made, such as asking who the bride was and where we were ordering the dress. The menu that ESTOccasions helped us create was nothing less than perfect, and the favors that they helped us put together could not have been more perfect. Thank you, Kia, Jess, and everyone else involved!

Suzy Sent on 08/22/2010

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Thank you, thank you, thank you for the best day of our lives. Without the help of Kia and her crew, I know I wouldn't have been able to enjoy our wedding day. ESTOccasions took care of things that I would have never thought about, and added details that made our wedding even better! My whole family, and friends love you all. Thank you for helping them with the shower, jack n jill and rehearsal. We thought the whole wedding process was going to be difficult but with Kia, it was an ease. I love that fact that with the money we saved, we were able to enjoy perks on our honeymoon. Thank you again, best vendor of our wedding for sure!

Jacqui Sent on 06/30/2010

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I can not say enough wonderful things about Kia and ESTOccasions. My husband was VERY hesitant about hiring (paying) a wedding planner because he is very frugal. The budget he set for us was a lot smaller than I expected, and since we were paying for most of it on our own, I had to adjust some expectations. I wanted an eco-friendly wedding - or as much as I could get with the budget we had. (I hate talking about money, but I can tell you, our budget was less than half of the CT average. Very hard to do a full blown organic wedding on that. . . .)

We looked at some venues, we looked at some caterers, we looked online for all sorts of ideas. Nothing matched my vision and still fit in our budget. I had met Kia at the CT Bridal Event at UCONN, Storrs, CT, and really liked her. So, I pulled out my bag of cards from the event and sent her an email. We talked and eventually I convinced my husband to at least meet with her. We could just hire her for day-of-coordination to make sure everything ran smoothly. Well, that was my pitch anyway, and he agreed.

After the first meeting, I was in, and so was he. We decided to hire her for full blown wedding planning! She told us (and showed us) that we could have a beautiful, elegant wedding on our budget, and still incorporate as many eco-friendly things as we wanted. She met with me regularly and was always available to me by email, and sometimes by text. I had a unique situation - all three of my bridal attendants were pregnant at some point during the engagement. On top of that, my matron of honor had dated the brother of my next in line gal, and the third gal married that same brother. These are my best friends, but since my MOH lives in Buffalo NY, the awkwardness was never a problem - until I decided to have them all in my wedding party. Kia was invaluable in helping me navigate this situation, and I counted on her to step in and take over if I needed her too. Luckily, her advice was perfect, and we managed to get these ladies together without any issues. They actually ended up as friends. . . . go figure!

Besides that, my mother-in-law was gunning for a town hall wedding, and my mother was looking for a big-ole-princess wedding. Kia helped us balance these two very different ideas with a medium sized wedding at some fabulously local venues. My husband also had his heart set on getting married at a local winery (church was absolutely out of the question for him) and we were unable to get much information from the owner. Kia was able to get in touch with the owners, negotiate a contract, and give us a beautiful outdoor wedding. Any time there was a conflict or question about this venue, I called Kia and she took care of it. She helped us find a local florist that gave me EXACTLY the kind of look I wanted at the perfect price. Our ceremony was beautiful and we got exactly what we wanted.

She also set up interviews with several different caterers that focus on local food, which was great. We selected one who lives in the same town as the ceremony venue and who also has worked at UCONN and with the Alumni Center many many times. The food was great. My biggest challenge was finding supplies - plates, utensils, etc. so Kia helped us coordinate that as well.

Another big challenge we had was finding invitations that were eco-friendly but still budget friendly. All of the recycled paper or paper alternatives were WAY out of our budget, and the invitations that we could afford were a complete waste of paper products. Kia found a solution to that too - she created a new division of ESTOccasions! Now ESTOprints can meet all sorts of print needs for all of their clients! The graphic designer and Kia really nailed down our theme and colors and we got beautiful postcard invitations that really captured our style.

Another amazing thing Kia did for me was come to a dress fitting. My mom couldn't make it because she had to work late, my friends couldn't come because they had infants or were on bedrest. I asked her I think THAT DAY and she came. It was just nice to have someone else ooh and ahh over me for a minute, and it gave her an idea of my style once again. I tried not to call her for every little thing, but Kia was truly available to me at every turn. Oh yeah, and she helped me find a hair dresser who does a great job with my crazy hair. I have been so happy with her that I decided to keep her as my regular hair stylist!

I can tell you that I didn't stress about the wedding really at all. And anytime I would start to worry about something, I'd tell Kia, and she'd take over and fix it or give me some great ideas to try myself. The ceremony was perfect, the reception was beautiful, and she managed to coordinate different vendors - some she knew and some she'd never met - into the most wonderful day. We have gotten a ton of compliments on our party and I just keep telling people that it was all Kia and her crew. I could've had a wedding without them, but it would NOT have been what I wanted, nor would it have been so beautiful, and so simply elegant. Really.

There is a picture collage of my wedding on the website, and I put a review on her FaceBook page too. I know this is a lot of information, but I truly truly loved what Kia did for us. It really was my perfect fairy-tale wedding, and we did it on a budget AND I got to have a boat-load of eco-friendly options incorporated. If you decide to go with Kia and ESTOccasions, I'm sure you will be pleased.

Cortney Sent on 06/20/2010

5 out of 5 rating

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We contacted her for assistance as a day-of-coordinator, but she provided much more than that. Through her professional contacts and business, we were able to obtain wedding invitations, chairs, and gifts for ushers/best man/matron of honor/reader at a substantial discount. But her services as a coordinator were the best value of all. Every meeting that we had with her was so useful and helped us feel comfortable that we were moving forward and meeting deadlines. Right before the wedding, she coordinated with the hotel, officiant, designer/florist, and dj to ensure everyone was on the same page. We had a very limited budget, and she worked with us to help us find the best vendors in the area within our price range. She is incredibly resourceful and very knowledgeable. She helped save us money in numerous different areas. She was by far the best wedding investment we could have made.

Jessica Sent on 01/14/2010

5 out of 5 rating

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ESTOccasions made my wedding into a dream come true. I had no idea what went into planning a wedding, but ESTOccasions was a knowledgeable, reliable, flexible vendor. Kia was available to answer all of my questions and help me out with everything. I don't think that my wedding would have come together easily, and definitely not as stress free had I done it without ESTOccasions! The cost of the services was worth every dime, because they provided me with the help that I needed to make my dream wedding come true.

Oscar Sent on 08/04/2009

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When we started planning our wedding, all we had were ideas. They were all over the place too. As the groom, I was all for a wedding planner. I didn't want anyone in my family or my brides stressing on the big day. I didn't want any stress to be honest, I wanted to know everything was taken care and that someone else could handle things for us. We found Kia, she came highly recommended and it was perfect. She was able to help us narrow down our wedding, and made it our own. We weren't wasting time interview one vendor after another, they narrowed down vendors that worked for us. It never felt like a cookie cutter wedding and I know this was due to ESTOccasions and their crew. I LOVED the fact that ESTOccasions does not take commissions from other vendors, that says a lot to me. They had all sorts of great one of a kind ideas and they worked with our budget. Most of our friends and family honestly thought we spent way more on our wedding than we did. ESTOccasions brought us in under budget and of course we blew it on a few extras that we wanted because we could afford too. At no point in time did I feel that they were running the show, instead we were working together for a common goal, our wedding day to be wonderful. Thank you Kia and your crew at ESTOccasions.

Cassandra Sent on 07/11/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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Kia (ESTOccations) is amazing!! Its been just about a year since my Husband and I got married and everyone is still to this day talking about it! She made everything so easy and comfortable; I didn't have to worry about a thing. In the beginning I had so many questions and concerns. All I had to do was pick up the phone; she was just a phone call away. Kia was great because she took control of what she needed to take control of, dealt with any issues that came up during the day and kept us updated. I love that she knows all of our vendor details by heart before the event. We felt reassured throughout the process. She really knows what she is talking about! Her creative thinking helped us, stay with-in our budget and actually made it feel like I spent thousands over. I would have never had accomplished the wedding of my dreams without her! Thank you Kia!!!!!

Jodi Sent on 07/08/2009

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I have used ESTOccasions for many of my special occasions. My daughter's wedding was 02/14/09 and it was the best day in our families life. Kia was able to provide us with the wedding of our daughter's dreams while staying within our budget. I loved her idea's and how she was able to pull everything together. Kia was quick to respond to all of our needs small or big, always returned our phone calls, texts, and e-mails very quickly. Our lives are very hectic and we are always on the go. It was wonderful to know that someone was working for us and looking out for us with such care. I am looking forward to having her plan our other children's wedding's. 1 down and 4 to go.

Rachel Sent on 06/13/2009

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I used ESTOccasions to plan my seaside wedding in Southern RI in November 2005. My work schedule is very inflexible, and Kia was extremely helpful in taking care of all the details I needed because I was unavailable to meet with vendors. My venue required outside vendors for everything- food, tables and chairs, etc., and Kia's help was invaluable in contacting, meeting with, and selecting a caterer, rental company, florist, and everything else that was needed. My Sunday brunch wedding was absolutely beautiful- everything was perfectly arranged from the centerpieces to the buffet table, the transition from ceremony to reception was seamless, and guests still tell me what an amazing wedding it was! I tell them I can't really take credit, all I did was show up! I found it extremely easy to work with Kia; she was always accessible whenever I had a question or wanted to make a change, she took every problem in stride and didn't get flustered or let me get stressed out. I would absolutely recommend ESTOccasions for planning a wedding. I can't imagine how frustrating and stressful it would have been without their help!

Roberta Sent on 06/09/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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Having a wedding planner was a wonderful thing. It made my planning and wedding day go smoothly. I am so glad we used EstOccasions to plan my wedding. If I have another event I would not hesitate to use them again.

Jess Sent on 10/30/2010

4.9 out of 5 rating

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Planning a 100 person wedding in 3 months is no easy feat. I was not working and wanted to do it myself with my fiance. But when my parents asked who would keep the "flow" moving at the event and I didn't have an answer, and when I read horror stories about doing your own flowers and other disasters, I decided to hire a day-of planner to help out.

When I met Kia casually at a Dunkin Donuts to discuss what she could offer, I was immediately sold, and wanted her to help for more than the day of. She made me feel at ease and not totally crazy given my timeline. Kia totally "got it" -- the casual outdoorsy ecofriendlyish vibe that we wanted to have for our event -- and she let me continue to do tons of planning while being there for suggestions, accompanying me to a tasting since no one else could come with me, and keeping me on task so that I'd actually have rings, a marriage license and other crucial details. She responded to my emails at all hours of the night. She researched my vendors to make sure they were reliable. She and her crew did a great job setting everything up and coordinating with the caterer.

The only thing I wished I had known was that we were not going to do a true rehearsal to figure out things like exactly where to stand, because the wedding party was expecting it, and the parents got nervous. It all was fine in the end, but I did at one point sink into the mulch unexpectedly and had to switch places with my husband-to-be in the beginning of the ceremony, but perhaps Kia wanted to go with my casual vibe at the rehearsal and not do an all-out run thru. I have no doubt that if you are clear about what you want for this, as I was not, Kia can definitely help!

I highly recommend Kia's services if you want an energetic, helpful, knowledgable, and calming force to help you get to and through the stressful event.

Ashley Sent on 05/19/2014

4.8 out of 5 rating

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I would recommend Kia/ ESTOccasions to any bride out there. I am recently married, but would not hesitate to contact her again for future events.

I began my wedding planning with Kia about a month after I became engaged. A long story short, I very quickly found out that I was in over my head for the wedding planning process. We hoped to fashion a small, backyard-feel for a wedding but still maintain the intimacy and decorum of an actual wedding.

I first came to Kia having interviewed a few other wedding planners. What made Kia stick out to me was her well-honed sense of can-do, humor, lightheartedness, and an impressive automatic draw of inspiration and ideas. Kia immediately understood what I was hoping to achieve with my ceremony and relieved my anxiety. I knew then that I wanted to work with her.

Through a combination of my naiveté and inexperience, there were of course some bumps in the road. (In all honesty though I think this would apply in everyone’s case, period.) I have an exceptionally demanding work schedule, and on top of this I was required to be out of town for the six weeks prior to my wedding. With the exception of a few weekends before, this left little time for miscommunication or errors. Luckily I need not worry as Kia had already considered the MANY “loose ends” and had planned for them.

Kia was more than successful in designing an intimate wedding with a backyard feel. She (and her really, really awesome team!!!) transformed the venue into a very cozy, inviting, and Southern space that perfectly reflected who me and my husband are. It was beautiful. If you choose to work with her and communicate your needs clearly, you will not be disappointed. Unfortunately, she is not a mind reader, but in my humble opinion she came pretty darn close.

Victoria Sent on 06/13/2009

4.7 out of 5 rating

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Having a wedding planner made everything MUCH easier and Kia and her team are amazing! I picked her up wit only a few months to spare and a TON of things unfinished she came right in took charge and made the day absolutely beautiful! and idk what i would have done without her when someone stepped on my dress and snapped all the buttons off my bussel!! She was right there and within seconds it was good as new..with pins..lol I would def use her again for any even im sure shes just as great with regular party's if shes amazing at weddings!! :)

Amanda Sent on 07/31/2021

4.4 out of 5 rating

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Kia runs the show!

Overall, Kia and her team were wonderful to work with for day-of coordinating. Flexibility with rescheduling during covid was a plus. She definitely kept the day moving along to maintain our timeline. She offered great reassurance. However, we would have appreciated a little more flexibility in her organization of the day. For example, we had confetti wands that went completely unused, didn’t want any input on how we wanted the centerpieces to be arranged, my husband was told “we’ve got it” and not allowed to communicated much even though it was needed, etc.

Kai Sent on 03/21/2018

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I planned my own wedding and Kia happened to be contracted with the venue I picked out. All of the vendors she suggested were way overpriced and the ones we tried to use never got back to us. She seemed upset with my choice of vendors and pissed a few of them off. She never showed up to a rehearsal, lacked communication throughout everything, and even tried to interrupt our last dance! We were MAYBE 5 minutes past curfew and said 'it's not my fault if neighbors call the cops'....my family just happened to be the neighbors!! The only useful thing she did was get me some drinks and have her many helpers stand around remarkably useless. OH...and she's using many of MY IDEAS for the weddings she's planned at the venue since mine. She was the only bad part about my wedding experience. My night was blissful but in no thanks to her.

Elysa Sent on 01/06/2011

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I would never use or reccomend this vendor. Interestingly, my event was the same weekend as the other 0.0 negative reviewer for ESTOccasions. Kia made serious mistakes prior to our event that should have prompted cancellation of our contract but I felt I was in too deep and she assured us that she would make up for these failures with a flawless event. She failed to deliver Save the Cards TWICE, failed to appropriately proof, address or place stamps on nearly half of our inviatations requiring my husband and I to have to contact every guest by phone to give the correct event information and follow-up for many guests who never received any invitation. Like the other reviewer, Kia forgot to bring important items that were promised, paid for and an integral part of the design plan to the event. I spent a good part of the event evening troubleshooting and listening to the frustrations of the other vendors including the caterer, DJ, and photographer who could not find Kia and her staff and they were dealing with problems due to Kia's improper planning. Kia's staff were running around to fix problems with the rental company (Taylor Rental) and left me to greet and direct my guests, causing me to miss much of my cocktail hour. After the event, I learned from the vendors that Kia provided less than accurate information about the event to them, leaving them unprepared. The day after the event, Kia had already removed/blocked me from her Facebook. I was so hurst and stunned by her unprofessionalsim. At the same time, she sent us several emails making admissions to her failures and agreeing to a refund. Nearly three months later, despite emails and phone calls, she has not refunded a dime. I have waited to write this review in hope that she would act ethically and professionally. I have little faith that she will do so. I have reported her to the Better Business Bureau and will hopefully achieve resolution. Despite all the positive reviews (and many are dated), it only takes one or two disasters to raise a serious red flag. The next "isolated" disaster could be yours.

Amanda Sent on 10/25/2010

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I would not use estocassions for any event of mine. My wedding was a few weeks ago and they did nothing but dissapoint. They "forgot" certain things they promised, and didn't bring items to my wedding I had bought and made it a fact to let them know how important it was that they be at my wedding. What they promised didn't make it to my wedding and they still expected the money, including more money from what she spent (even though the contract states that the amount contracted for includes rentals/purchases from the company). After coming back from my honeymoon, I found out the owner of the company had contacted my vendors (which she didnt have permission or a right to do) and lied to them. Long story short...I received all my money back and would never refer them to anyone I know! Way over priced and not enough experience!

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ESTOccasions