Best way to do a wedding!
When I first contacted Taren, my husband and I had been engaged for nearly a year with absolutely nothing decided except our colors. It wasn't that we couldn't agree on anything, it was that we both didn't want to make decisions when we weren't the professionals. Taren said that she could do everything (within reason) and that we wouldn't have to worry about anything. I immediately booked her.
Over the next few months, she short listed venues based off our interests and needs and we settled on the Highland Manor in Apopka. While it didn't have our favorite ballroom (another choice Taren gave us), it had the prettiest spot for ceremony, several rooms for us to get ready in, multiple bathrooms, multiple bars, and everything we could want for our guests (a hotel next door, peacocks on property, and a suitable place for ceremony if it rained). She even took us to Dubsdread to try out the food so we could make our decision.
She then spent a few months researching our theme. When Ren Faire season started up again, she came with us to a few to gauge her understanding of our theme and find little things that would fit in the decor. It was at one of these that she shared that she had been in talks to do something so over the top and wonderful, but because of cost and wanting what was best for the wildlife on property, decided against it. It was at this moment that we knew that our wedding was going to be perfect. Anyone who spends time with us will quickly find out that while we love a spectacle, we want everyone involved to be happy, including the animals that may be a part of that show. Taren got us!
After we had the big ticket items bought and booked, she sat down with us and explained her vision in pictures. We said yes and let her do her thing. She took care of contracts, payments, our invitations and tracking, all the decisions, everything. She asked for a bit of money to do a few surprises for us, and we agreed.
At rehearsal, she told the entire bridal party what to expect and what they needed to do to make sure the day went off without a hitch. She had us rehearse twice, told us where to go in the morning, and sent us off.
The day of the wedding, I walked into a getting ready room that looked like something straight off of pinterest: a long dining table set and decorated was in the middle, ready for lunch, we had four stations for hair and makeup, one with a plush faux fur rug for comfort, an entire tea, coffee, and mimosa station, etc. When I saw it, I started crying. I don't see myself as someone who knows how to prioritizes the esthetic (hence our need for a full service planner), and to know that my bridal party and moms would be in such a beautiful room and that they would be happy and cared for gave me such joy!
After we had hair and makeup done, Taren and our photographer and videographer whisked us to the venue next door. Taren made sure we didn't see anything and spoil the surprise. When it was time for ceremony, she set us up for procession and went off to make sure the guys knew what they were doing (they went in a different way). Our first surprise was that my husband walked in to bagpipes! It perfectly pulled our theme together (he was in a kilt) and I had tears before even starting my walk.
When it was my turn, I walked outside to a completely transformed wonderland. She brought in potted ferns and trees as decor! Perfectly sustainable, gorgeous greenery with lights twinkling our wedding colors. Let me tell you, I was crying so hard I was so happy. It was breathtakingly beautiful. But let me tell you, when we did photos, she and her team used all of that greenery from the ceremony in reception so that nothing was wasted. And our reception looked like a forest at night (she faked moonlight with LEDs, put trees on tables, used candlelight lighting, and made our sweetheart table look like a throne! See the before and after photos)! I cannot stress enough how beautiful everything was, how flawlessly everything seemed to run that day, and how happy we were to have hired Taren! Thank you!