SoCalGal
Wedding: Last year
Reviews:
1
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Evonne Wong is the worst wedding planner I could have ever worked with. She was the MOST stressful part of planning our wedding.
I am giving only a few examples of our extremely unpleasant experience. I feel compelled to tell others about our experience so they can decide for themselves.
We lived in Santa Monica, and we hired Evonne based on meeting her when we were in Maui on vacation 1 year before our wedding. She seemed very nice at the time and touted her credentials. Biggest mistake we ever made. We had to pay 50% of her fee up front, which was over $1500, and once we did everything went downhill. From her taking 3 days to return urgent phone calls (I only called her 6 times in 11 months), to the many unacceptable vendors she recommended, we were in a constant state of stress every time we had to respond to an email or speak to her. My parents and my fianc? and I flew out for a special trip 7 months before the wedding to do tastings, meet with vendors, etc. First she said she only had 1 hour out of the 5 days we were there to spend any time with us. And when she finally met us, she had us meet her in a crowded, loud coffee shop and she was completely rude to my parents. We were shocked and embarrassed. We didn?t say anything to her at that point because we had paid her a lot of money already and were hoping things would improve.
Our original agreement was that we only wanted her to recommend vendors to us and that we would do all the work. This was extremely important to us based on our budget. She said ?no problem?, but when the estimates started to come in much higher than we anticipated, we figured she must have been arranging kick-backs from the vendors she recommended to us. All of a sudden everything had to ?go through her? because it was obvious to us that she padding all the estimates we got. We couldn?t believe it.
Most of her vendors were below par, and she only had a few that she considered ?approved by her?. What that meant was that she had personally met and/or worked with only the few that she had on her list. So there were many other vendors that we never even knew about because of her lack of connections. And I had already found 50% of the vendors on my own and was telling her about vendors. Bottom line is that most of the ones she recommended were problematic. We also asked to have everything worked out 7 months before the wedding, so we wouldn?t have to deal with things closer to the time. When we flew out to meet her vendors, we were blown away at how terrible most of them were. It was choosing the best of the worst at that point, because we were running out of time.
After heated discussions about the florist she recommended (because we were very worried about the quality of work), we ended up not being able to use this florist after seeing a mock-up of the worst arrangement we have ever seen in our lives. So 3 months before the wedding we had to start from scratch with a whole new florist.
Her cake recommendations were unacceptable, and we had to seek out our own cake maker, (Pat at Cravings Bakery who was terrific) and so on?
When she came to do our rehearsal with our wedding party, she was worthless. She had no idea what was going on. My parents asked her where they should stand and she said ?it doesn?t matter, just over there somewhere?. Unbelievable. My fianc? and I ran the rehearsal at that point because she couldn?t handle it.
The day of our wedding was truly shocking. My entire wedding party couldn't believe how little she did and her attitude. Our friends & family were running around doing everything, while Evonne, her ?assistant? (who I had never heard of until then) and Evonne?s husband sat on the patio and watched. So many of my guests commented on how terrible she was, and we were mortified. I've never met anyone so unprofessional in my life. Needless to say, just thinking about how horrible she was will always a bad taste in my mouth.
Lastly, she made us pay in full for everything 6-weeks in advance. At that point, our hands were tied since we were having a destination wedding. We?ve never heard of anyone having to pay in full until a service is performed. Ridiculous, but the chance she might ruin our wedding if we didn?t pay in full was too great a risk to take, so we paid. We wanted to fire her months earlier and just hire someone for a ?day of? planner, but we had already paid such a substantial amount of money and deposits. There was no recourse and we were completely at her mercy.
Horrible, horrible, horrible!
I would strongly urge anyone to not use Evonne Wong. She has no business in this business!
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Reviewed On:
08/27/2009
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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HAP2bmrd
Wedding: 05/16/2009
Reviews:
1
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 | This review is currently being verified. |
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Reviewed On:
07/12/2009
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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LilMich
Wedding: 04/25/2009
Reviews:
1
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Planning a destination wedding (Maui) from a different country probably would have been as painful as putting ourselves through some medieval torture device if it weren't for Evonne. From the get-go, she was dependable, trustworthy, and organized. Aside from a scouting trip, we did all the planning via e-mails and phone calls, and it worked seamlessly because of her responsiveness. Furthermore, she always put out the fires that we brought to her attention.
Evonne was receptive to our ideas and worked with us to fine-tune the details by contributing her own ideas. The entire process was very collaborative and, dare I say it, fun. Evonne is not only a planner who can achieve your visions, but she also clearly cares about her clients. Her demeanor is always friendly, helpful, and calm, the last trait being incredibly important in potential high-stress situations such as weddings. We would highly recommend her services to any couple looking for a planner for their special day.
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Reviewed On:
08/07/2009
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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Jaime
Wedding: 12/31/2008
Reviews:
1
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Absolutely the best wedding co-ordinator on Maui! From the moment you meet Evonne you feel as if a friend you've known for ages is going to make your special day fabulous.
Although much of the wedding was planned before Evonne got involved, she quickly jumped in with both feet and took control! From contacting vendors to making wedding day timelines Evonne does it all! She was always very responsive to e-mails and phone calls. Her attention to detail is incredible and because so, the wedding day flowed seamlessly.
She is passionate about her work and it shows. You will not regret hiring Evonne, she is a superstar!
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Reviewed On:
03/12/2009
Services Used:
Flowers & Decor, Event Rentals, Wedding Planning, Unique Services (Other)
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ketty
Wedding: 10/15/2008
Reviews:
1
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We hired Evonne as our wedding coordinator for our October 2008 wedding in Maui.
From the very beginning, Evonne was really great to work with. She was warm, very helpful and friendly.
Since my husband and I live in Boston and Evonne in Maui, we conducted the entire planning via e-mails. Evonne always responded to our e-mails promptly.
She also always tried to accommodate all our requests. For example, just one week before the wedding, my mom suddenly decided to include a Chinese tea ceremony in our wedding. Evonne helped us incorporate the addition without any questions. She wants her brides and grooms to have the day of their lives and she really means it!
Thanks to Evonne, our wedding day went smoothly and beautifully. Thanks for everything, Evonne!
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Reviewed On:
02/17/2009
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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LakeTahoeLes
Wedding: 09/23/2008
Reviews:
1
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Evonne was my savior. I was very nervous about planning a wedding in Hawaii while living in Lake Tahoe. I had researched wedding coordinators for months, but when I spoke to Evonne, I knew I didn't need to look any further. She was professional, friendly, knowledgable, creative, and boy did she know her stuff. I felt confident with her on my side that everything would be handled and that I could rest assured, I was in good hands. I would highly recommend her services and knowledge of the island and other venders. Everyone she recommends and works with is fantastic!
I was very lucky to have found such a GEM to help me plan the most magical day of my life! Thank you Evonne, my friend. My family and I will always appreciate what you did for us.
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Reviewed On:
02/16/2009
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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Angela
Wedding: 09/13/2008
Reviews:
1
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Evonne is a wonderful wedding planner. She is incredibly attentive and very focused on what the bride wants. She is very organized, and everyone loves working with her. She makes you feel like you are her only bride!
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Reviewed On:
02/22/2009
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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MaryB
Wedding: 08/09/2008
Reviews:
5
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Evonne is the consummate wedding professional. From planning to execution, she has been an invaluable resource for us on our wedding day. She has expert local knowledge, excellent customer service and is highly responsive by e-mail and telephone.
Throughout the planning process, she was aware of all aspects of the program and notified me immediately of any conflicts. She attended meetings with me and asked questions that were significant to the planning process.
On the day of the wedding, I put no thought into the plannig or execution of the wedding day. I went into my wedding 100% confident that she would handle my event successfully. My focus was on enjoying my wedding day. And enjoy it I did.
I highly recommend her to anyone in need of a wedding coordinator!!
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Reviewed On:
08/21/2008
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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Zannis
Wedding: 08/02/2008
Reviews:
1
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I wanted to have a destination wedding and finding a wedding planner was the first thing on my agenda. I found Evonne on www.theknot.com. Evonne was the only planner that contacted me right away (that was a good sign). She was one of the few that based her cost on our needs and not our budget. Evonne quickly responded to e-mails and phone calls. She was always so professional and had such great ideas. She was also aware of our budget and helped us choose vendors wisely. I knew my wedding would not be the typical "cookie cutter" wedding. She had many different vendors to choose from with all wonderful references. Since I was unable to do a scouting trip, Evonne sent me sample pictures of what I should expect. You can count on Evonne to ensure that all of the small details are thought of. She brought my vision to life and it was more than I imagined. I would highly recommend Evonne. You cannot go wrong.
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Reviewed On:
02/14/2009
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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Elizabeth
Wedding: 05/27/2008
Reviews:
1
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Events by Evonne - From the moment I first contacted Evonne Wong from Events by Evonne to interview her over the phone, I was beyond impressed. Her communication skills, both verbally and written on email are exceptional. Her responsiveness is second to none. I never had to worry about following up with her or keeping her on task. Instead, she was keeping me on task! I could not have had the most wonderfully orchestrated and beautifully decorated ceremony and reception without Evonne. My husband and I wholeheartedly believe that the money we spent on hiring Evonne was the smartest wedding related decision we made. She made my vision a reality. She is such a perfectionist and makes each and every detail the most important. I can’t praise her enough. My destination wedding on Maui was a dream come true. I am getting teary eyed just writing this review!
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Reviewed On:
06/18/2008
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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Ashlee Ann
Wedding: 02/14/2008
Reviews:
1
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My wedding was everything I'd dreamed of and more, thanks to Evonne. She is truly passionate about weddings and very detailed oriented. I planned my wedding from the East Coast so it was extremely helpful to have Evonne help with all the details. She is prompt with her response either by phone or emails, and she has an amazing network of vendors to choose from. I couldn't have done it without her that's for sure!
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Reviewed On:
06/30/2008
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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anna
Wedding: 09/15/2007
Reviews:
1
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Evonne was the best vendor that we booked! I've never known anyone to be so on top of things, organized and informed of all the wedding vendors. She is exceptionally creative and wonderfully sweet. We're so glad she helped make our wedding a magical one.
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Reviewed On:
01/25/2008
Services Used:
Wedding Planning
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4.5/5.0
