Zest it Up Reviews
Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
94 Reviews
100% recommend it
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![Autumn]()
Autumn K. Sent on 07/24/2024The absolute best!
As somebody who has worked on hundreds of weddings with a plethora of planners, it's always a sigh of relief when I find out I get to work with Sam and the Zest It Up team. As a vendor, you know you're going to have all the details nailed down before you even have to ask, and you know your couple is always in good hands. Plus, she's an extremely talented designer, so every wedding she has a hand in is absolutely stunning! I highly recommend Zest It Up to anybody who is looking to not have to worry about a thing during their planning process. She's the best! -
![Audrey]()
Audrey Sent on 09/01/2024Wedding Production Perfection!
We were mid-stride in our wedding planning when we realized we needed professional assistance. We feel very lucky to have found Sam and Zest It Up! Sam stepped right in to handle all the details and pulled off a fantastic event with ease. If you are looking for someone who knows everything about the process, and can turn your day into a dream come true, Sam and her team will remove the stress and bring back the joy! -
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![Susan]()
Susan B. Sent on 07/25/2024Samantha Nason of Zest it Up Made the Wedding Planning Process Actually Enjoyable
Book Her! She will make the whole process, which can be daunting, so much less stressful and actually quite enjoyable. Sam has such a calming and reassuring presence. She's incredibly knowledgeable about the whole process. The others vendors we worked with had nothing but wonderful things to say about her. Sam covered so many details, even all the little ones that we would have never thought of on our own. When it came to the big day, you could see Sam's special eye for details everywhere. We absolutely loved our experience working with Sam at Zest it Up, and the results were a truly beautiful and enjoyable wedding day. -
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![Megan]()
Megan M. Sent on 06/28/2024The BEST Wedding Coordinator
Choosing Zest it Up for our wedding coordination was the absolute
BEST decision we made. Going into the planning process, my husband and I were pretty overwhelmed; neither of us had planned an event of this size before. Sam not only helped us develop a clear vision for our wedding, but she helped us execute it beautifully. Throughout the entire process, she was extremely quick to answer questions. She offered much-needed guidance, helped narrow down choices, and kept us on track with our timeline. She never missed a beat. And did I mention this is all while giving birth to her third BABY, who we were thrilled to have as a guest at our wedding. :) Since she was the first vendor we booked, she helped us find all our other vendors, all of which were AMAZING. Then, on our wedding day, she kept us calm and organized so we could actually enjoy the day without having to worry about every little detail. There were also some unexpected touches, including rose petals and cake waiting for us in the bridal suite after the wedding along with a personal note and gift from Sam. While working with Zest it Up, we never felt like "just another client." It felt like we had a close friend planning our wedding - someone who knew us as a couple and whom we could trust. I can't say enough about how professional, efficient, supportive, and kind Sam was throughout the entire process. She gave us the wedding of our dreams, and we will be forever grateful. HIRE HER! I promise you won't regret it. -
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![Samantha]()
Samantha B. Sent on 09/11/2024Fairy Godmother
Sam was my fairy godmother! Before her, I didn’t have a cohesive plan or vision for my wedding. Sam held my hand through it all and helped develop my dream wedding! Not only that but her calming presence was also what I need in those frantic moments of vendors not getting back to us or option overload. She was always available over text and email whenever a random question popped into my brain, no question too small or silly! We had quite a long engagement, and Sam was with us for the entire time. I was grateful that she kept track of everything, made sure we were on time with booking our vendors, and made sure no detail fell through the cracks. She worked with my whole family, including my in-laws and made sure everyone was happy and on the same page. Our wedding was beautiful, fun and everything we wanted and that was all thanks to Sam! -
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![Meredith]()
Meredith Sent on 05/07/2024We love Sam!
We got engaged during COVID, and after taking a few months to enjoy our engagement, we started interviewing wedding coordinators to help with the planning process. we talked with a few, but the minute we talked with Sam, we knew she was the "one".
Since then, she helped us through 2 wedding venues, an almost 2 year-long engagement and helped us juggle all of the moving parts of our wedding, our family dynamics and just about everything in between. She is patient, and she explored and talked through every idea we had. She is well connected and introduced us to so many amazing vendors, and coached us all the way from signing contracts to vendor meetings. She is almost TOO responsive, I am an early morning e-mailer and texter, and Sam would always respond quickly and thoroughly.
Sam was with us through every step of the wedding planning process, and we couldn't have done it without her. Our highs were her highs, and our lows were her lows. She truly cared about our wedding, and while I like to think we're special, I think she is like this with all that are lucky enough to work with her.
There is no one like her. She is incredible. -
Erin Sent on 09/20/2023
Simply the best!
Words cannot describe how happy we are that a random Google search for SLO area wedding planners lead us to Sam/Zest It Up. We booked the full wedding planning package “Have Your Cake And Eat It Too” and are so happy that we did. We also ended up adding on a rehearsal dinner and welcome party package since we had 3 separate weddings weekend events at our venue, Greengate Ranch + Vineyard. Sam put so much love, time, and energy into making our wedding weekend absolutely perfect and we are so so so appreciative of all of her hard work.
Not only is Sam such an all-around kind, thoughtful, and fun person but she is SOOO good at her job. From the start of the planning process, Sam was a great communicator and easy to work with. She connected us with the most amazing team of vendors to help make our wedding weekend a success. This in particular was very helpful because we are not from the SLO/Central Coast area. She was always quick to respond to all of my (many) emails/texts/calls throughout our year and a half long planning process. My husband and I also changed our mind about a few things in the months before the wedding and we greatly appreciated how understanding she was about our indecisiveness and how helpful she was in facilitating our last-minute changes. I felt so relaxed and prepared in the days/weeks leading up to the wedding because Sam was so on top of it. And during the wedding, Sam and the Zest It Up team went above and beyond in ensuring that we did not have to worry about a THING. Our rehearsal dinner, welcome party, and wedding went off without a HITCH in my eyes (even though I’m sure there were probably several fires that she had to put out throughout the weekend), and we received SO many compliments about how the weekend went, and that is all thanks to Sam and the Zest It Up team. Killian and I will miss you dearly!
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![Karissa]()
Karissa W. Sent on 05/15/2023The best!
Sam and her team at Zest It Up created the most perfect wedding of our dreams! Sam was so helpful in every conversation we had from planning, to budget, decor, food, etc. I would not have been able to do it without her. She put me at ease with the stress that wedding planning can ensue on a bride and assured me that everything would be taken care of (and it WAS!). She was very attentive in our planning meetings to ensure my vision would be executed and put together an amazing flroal design package that I could share with my florist. I loved having her take charge on emailing vendors with specific requests for the wedding and coordinating meetings with vendors. She created an amazing timeline and communicated clearly with every vendor I hired. The day was amazing all thanks to her!! -
![Maxwell]()
Maxwell J. Sent on 02/18/2023Unforgettable Wedding Day Thanks to Zest It Up
We recently had the pleasure of working with Sam as our wedding planner, and we couldn't have been happier with the experience. From start to finish, she was organized, responsive, and incredibly skilled at bringing our vision for the wedding to life. She helped us with every aspect of wedding planning from vendor selection, design, budgeting, fine details and day-of logistics.
The planning process was stress-free and enjoyable, thanks to Sam’s clear communication and attention to detail. She took the time to get to know us, and really listened to what we wanted for our big day. She also offered great suggestions and creative solutions for any issues that came up along the way.
On the day of the wedding, Sam and her team were absolutely amazing. They kept everything running smoothly and seamlessly, and we didn't have to worry about a thing. They were always available for any questions or concerns that we had, and they went above and beyond to make sure that everything was perfect. Our wedding turned out better than either of us could have ever imagined.
Overall, we would highly recommend Zest It Up to anyone looking for a talented, professional, and dedicated wedding planner. Sam truly made our wedding day unforgettable, and we can't thank her enough for all of her hard work and expertise.
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![Giselle]()
Giselle C. Sent on 11/11/2022The best decision we made!
I cannot say enough good things about the lovely Samantha and the Zest it Up team! She was amazing, from beginning to end. Sam made planning our event just shy of effortless, and most certainly she took all the worry out of it. Think about that--I didn't have to worry about any detail! It was a relief to be able to lean on her expertise, experience, and connections to have an event surpassing even our best vision. Everything was beautiful! Hire her team. You will not regret it! -
![Rachel]()
Rachel L. Sent on 10/05/2022BEST coordinators in the county
I feel the need to start with the fact that my husband and I were skeptical on whether we actually needed a wedding coordinator for our wedding. However, I was going to school full time and didn’t want the added stress doing it all on my own so we went ahead and booked coordination services with Zest it Up. After the professionalism, attentive, friendly, responsiveness that Samantha expressed from day one (and we had a 2 year engagement) completely changed mine and Evan’s perspective for the best. We are SO happy we booked them. When Samantha found out she was due with her baby boy 2 weeks before our wedding, we still didn’t have a doubt in her ability to make it our dream day. She had so much help on our wedding weekend where my family and friends continued to recognize their hard work and organization. We can honestly say that Zest it Up was the BEST vendor we booked. -
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![Carlena]()
Carlena M. Sent on 11/02/2023THE best decision we made when planning our wedding!!!
I don’t even know where to begin - if you’re in need of a wedding planner who can truly do it all, RUN don’t walk to Sam and her team at Zest It Up!
After booking our venue (CASS Winery in Paso Robles) and securing our wedding date, I reached out to Sam and we truly clicked from the moment that we met. Like many brides, I felt overwhelmed at the start of planning and didn’t have a specific vision in my mind of what I thought I wanted - in comes Sam! The planning process was about a year and a half, and from beginning to end, Sam was there every step of the way answering every single one of my (many) emails/texts/calls. There was never a moment where I felt overwhelmed or stressed - I actually came to really enjoy the planning and design process because of Sam!
We booked the “Just the Icing” package, but in my heart of hearts, I truly feel like Sam and her team went above and beyond our expectations, and I think that’s a true testament to Sam and the passion that she has for what she does. Not only is she incredibly talented and good at what she does, but she’s also extremely thoughtful, kind, detail-oriented, and an all around just wonderful person to work with.
In the weeks leading up to our wedding weekend, I felt so calm and relaxed because I knew that everything was handled and that Sam was truly on👏🏼top👏🏼of👏🏼it👏🏼. The day before and the day of our wedding, Sam and her team had everything dialed in and went above and beyond to make sure that we were not worried about a thing and were focused on soaking in this special time with our family and friends. The entire weekend was so seamless and perfect, and an absolute blast. We received so many compliments from our friends and family afterwards, and all of this is definitely accredited to Sam, her team, and the stellar lineup of vendors that she introduced us to. My husband and I couldn't be more grateful for everything that Sam did to help create one of the most magical weekends that we will never forget. Connor and I are going to miss you dearly, but can't wait for a little reunion next time we're in town! 🙂 -
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![Stevie]()
Stevie S. Sent on 09/07/2022Sam & her team of Zesties are BEST IN CLASS! Look no further for your wedding coordinator/planner!
All I can see is, WOW! We cannot imagine having planned our wedding without Sam by our side every step of the way. From the first time we connected with her over the phone, and after reading through the details included in her packages/proposal, we knew Sam was the wedding coordinator/planner for us. Sam is incredibly experienced, detail oriented, thoughtful, easy-going, and an absolute pleasure to communicate with and work with. Right off the bat she helped us with planning around our wedding budget, proposed incredible vendors within our budget, and set us up on a wedding planning platform with a planning checklist that made the planning process and staying on-schedule a no-brainer. We bounced design ideas off each other, and any time we had questions, Sam would respond to an email/text/phone call right away. When we decided on our caterer and rental companies, Sam took care of all of the rental planning for us based off our planned guest count. This part of the process intimidated us and she made it effortless - glassware for the bar, silverware, linens, umbrellas, questions to ask the caterer around their rental needs...you name it, Sam planned for it. She also provided us with helpful "how-to" guides to help us make decisions with our other vendors and plan ahead for questions to ask. Sam came prepared with questions for us on every regularly scheduled sync call and kept us on track throughout the planning process. She also coordinated with all of our vendors to keep them on track as well. On our rehearsal and wedding days, Sam and her team flawlessly executed our vision and we didn't have to lift a finger or worry about a thing. Trust me, a wedding coordinator or planner will quickly become the most important vendor choice you make during the planning process. Sam and the Zesties are worth their weight in gold! It feels sad to part ways after planning together for so long, but we feel like we found a life long friend in Sam. What more could a bride and groom ask for? -
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![Brittany]()
Brittany D. Sent on 06/20/2022Sam & Zest It Up are AMAZING
Sam and her Zest It Up team are simply amazing! We worked with Sam on planning our wedding for a little over a year and she was so helpful along the way! From vendor recommendations, to double checking contracts, answering all of our questions, and more, she made wedding planning less stressful.
Sam is extremely organized, quick to respond, and very knowledgeable about the wedding industry. She made planning our Paso Robles wedding from Southern California so much easier for us. On the day of our wedding, she had solutions for any little problem that popped up, and solved issues before we even knew they were an issue. She made sure we had enough to eat throughout the day and helped ensure that our day ran as smoothly as possible. Our day would not have been nearly as perfect without her by our sides. We are so thankful for Sam and her team and cannot recommend them enough! -
Kaitlin H. Sent on 06/16/2022
Couldn't have done it without Zest it Up!
Hiring Sam and the Zest it Up team was the best decision we made when planning our wedding! My husband and I were living in Boston when planning our central coast wedding, and Sam was with us every step of the way! She was responsive, supportive, professional, and genuine. She kept our vendors (and us) organized and considered all the small details to make our wedding run smoothly and beautifully. Most importantly, Sam made us feel cared for and listened to. She always took the time to listen to our wants and concerns and was dedicated to bringing our vision to life. I never thought I would say planning a wedding from across the country would be fun, but Sam made it happen! When it came to the wedding day, Sam and her team allowed our families to relax and enjoy the day. I still have family and friends telling me how impressed they were with Sam and her team. The day ran so smoothly and exceeded all of our expectations. Sam allowed my husband and I to slow down and appreciate every moment of our wedding day. We are incredibly thankful we found Zest it Up and couldn't have imagined our wedding day without them! -
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![Kat]()
Kat F. Sent on 05/26/2022Perfect for ALL stages of planning a wedding! We cannot thank Sam enough!
I cannot express just how thankful we are for Sam and the Zest it Up team! They took so much of the stress away from planning a wedding. We spent about a year and a half planning the day, and Sam was there from the very start to guide us through every process. She is prompt and thorough when answering questions, and she is always down to hop on the phone to talk ideas through. Moreover, my husband and I were planning our wedding from out of state (all the way on the East Coast!), so having someone local to the area where we were getting married was essential, since we couldn’t see venues or meet with vendors in person. Sam helped to initiate conversations with our vendors and introduce them to us. When it came time for the wedding, Sam and her team were phenomenal in helping us deal with several last minute changes and putting our minds at ease. We had the misfortune of having multiple immediate family/wedding party members test positive for COVID just a few days before the wedding, but Sam was ready with a backup plan in no time, such that those family members could still be a part of the day. Sam is also detail oriented and very creative; we had a rather different vision for the day (science-themed to reflect where we met), but she was 100% on board with our ideas and helped pull them off. She even improvised with supplies she had on hand to fill out our décor in ways that fit our story and theme perfectly. She is considerate and works tirelessly to help the day move smoothly for the couple, down to making sure you have plenty to eat and drink during the event. Overall, Sam and the Zest it Up team were beyond awesome in helping us pull together not just the big, moving parts of a wedding, but every little detail too. -
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![Jason]()
Jason L. Sent on 10/30/2023Bride and Groom
From the moment we first contacted Samantha "Sam" she showed us we were the most important client she had! For a 9-month period, Sam stayed connected with us almost weekly planning every single aspect of our wedding day at Cass Winery while going above and beyond by helping to work outside of our contract and help plan a few aspects of our rehearsal dinner as well as the brunch and our wine tasting weekend which followed our Friday wedding!
We wanted to take a moment to point out some of the small details we never knew a wedding planner would handle.....
Sam met us for every single meeting with the DJ (which she found), the flower folks (which she found), the chef for tasting, the bartenders, and helped with finding accommodations for all of our more than 100 guests. She even found us the #1 "Silk Dancer" and "Fire Dancer" in San Luis Obispo County who rocked it at our wedding!
Sam set a realistic timeline and offered us "homework" to complete which set us on a path to have the BEST TWO WEEKS to relax leading up to the wedding day.
Sam leads from a position of extreme ownership in the ways that she takes responsibility for everything which has gone right and also the one or two things (out of the more than 100 things she handled) that could have been done just a bit better.
During the wedding, every moment was mapped out. She ensured we had a few appetizers in between the ceremony and our grand introduction, made sure that we were available for sunset photos, ensured all timelines were followed throughout the night, and even coordinated late night pizza for our guests to have as they boarded the shuttle bus at the end of the night. Our wedding was a 10+ because of her. Until you experience it for yourself, you would think we were just kissing up, but we are not. We are truly just being real.
After the wedding, you would think Sam was done, but she wasn't! She helped coordinate the pick up of the extra bottles of left over wine and liquor and then confirmed our check out went smoothly and sent us a beautiful email to wrap up her services with the prettiest and most professional "bow." Sam should honestly be charging double what she charges! Her cost seemed costly at first, but after utilizing her services, we would pay double to use her if we knew what we know now and if we were to do it all over again. We love each other too much to have to do it again, but let us tell you that Sam was a huge highlight to our wedding weekend. We can't thank her enough...
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![Jim]()
Jim L. Sent on 11/04/2021Sam and team are AWESOME!
Sam made us feel incredibly comfortable and supported from our very first zoom call to the dessert and flowers she left us in our room after the wedding night. She's the whole package, a keen eye for details and design (e.g. menus came out beautiful with sprigs of rosemary from her garden), incredibly organized (e.g. juggled 5 parallel threads with vendors during the last couple of weeks) and a warm, generous, awesome human. We went from initial skepticism of whether we needed a wedding planner at all, to regretting not going up to the Central Coast more to spend time with Sam. We recommend Sam without any reservations!! -
