Heather was an amazing coordinator. She was so professional, met us where we were and made everything on our day feel seamless. The value delivered for the price seemed very fair and well worth the fee. I would use her services again in a heartbeat and couldn't recommend her more to friends.

If you're on the fence about hiring a wedding planner, hire Heather.

She was the difference between a stressful wedding and one we were able to enjoy. From the start, she was organized, responsive, and clearly in control of the process. She handled an enormous amount behind the scenes--vendor coordination, timelines, logistics--so nothing fell through the cracks. She also took care of details that me and my wife didn't even think of.

What really sets Heather apart is how she handled things the day of our wedding. She was calm, decisive, and completely on top of everything without ever being intrusive. For example, I left my tie and cummerbund for my tux at home. I texted Heather the morning of the wedding and they took care of it. Overall, the planning that went into the wedding and then the execution throughout (rehearsal dinner, welcome party, ceremony, reception) showed a level of competence that is hard to find and matters a lot more than people realize going into this.

Everything ran so smoothly, and me and and my wife were able to be fully present because we trusted her to handle it. Looking back, her services were worth every penny.

If you want a planner who is professional, proactive, and genuinely makes your life easier, you won't regret hiring her.

We are beyond grateful for all of Heather’s hard work planning our wedding. We gave her vibes and vague ideas, and she created something magical and perfect for us! The weekend was absolutely seamless and no stress thanks to Heather, and the months leading up to it were so much more manageable because of her. She was on top of everything (big items and all the small details I never would have thought of) and super responsive/easy to communicate with, really taking everything off our plates so we could just enjoy our wedding. Truly could not have done this without her and everything at the wedding was more beautiful and seamless than I could have imagined.

We could not imagine planning our wedding without all the hard work, attention to detail, and earnest care Aris Kelly brought as our coordinator. We’d heard the Hive was a terrific group to work with and Aris fulfilled that expectation and then some. Aris went above and beyond in planning several calls and meetings to get to know us and make us feel comfortable. They kept in touch with check-ins prior to our 90-day coordination time, and were ready to go full steam ahead when we were three months out. They encouraged us to share our vision for the event, but brought ideas and recommendations based on their experience at the right times. They facilitated contacts with some fantastic vendors! They took over vendor contacts well in advance of the wedding and helped with vendor details we never would have thought of ourselves. On the day of, Aris made sure we were well taken care of at different getting-ready venues, made sure our vendors had all the information and tools they needed, and kept everyone calm, organized, and happy. We felt very well taken care of across our entire wedding weekend. We highly recommend The Hive and Aris in particular when looking for a wedding coordinator in the Richmond area!
Photos courtesy of https://vnessphotography.com/

The best decision I made in the wedding planning process was hire Anne Michelle Forbes from The Hive for event management! I try to be specific when writing reviews, but honestly that would make this post a novella because she was SO helpful at absolutely every stage of planning. Having a knowledgeable, experienced person to guide us through the last 14 months of planning was invaluable. She provided an in-depth list of advice and vendor recommendations at the beginning, really taking into consideration who would work with our style, venue, and budget. Every vendor I booked came from her list and they were all 10/10. She was super responsive any time I had a question, and drafted a seamless timeline to make the whole wedding weekend run smoothly.

I kept telling people how stress-free I felt through the whole wedding process, and I owe the vast majority of that to Anne Michelle! She is so good at her job, and made sure my wedding day was absolutely perfect and even more than I envisioned.

We said it many many many times throughout the planning process, but booking with Melissa Vine at The Hive Wedding Co. was THE best decision we made. I know people tend to say that in reviews, but I truly mean it. She was the legitimate glue to our wedding day. I am extremely indecisive, and the planner was an area I was having a very hard time deciding on. In my mind, I could plan most of the wedding and I didn't think I needed someone to do any heavy lifting. My now husband also didn't want to adhere to a strict timeline or to feel like someone was calling all of the shots or herding us around at our own wedding. We wanted someone who would still let us feel like we were just living in the moment of the day. I don't even know how to describe it, but Melissa was literally the perfect fit for us. She was somehow there exactly when we needed her, but also felt like she gave us space to just enjoy our day. She had a super detailed timeline for all of the vendors, but during our wedding she always checked in with us to see if we were ready to move on to the next planned item. She is extremely organized and kind. She is also gentle and compassionate and knows how to approach and deal with every kind of guest. She set up our event flawlessly. She had so many ideas that elevated everything and literally brought our vision to life WAY above and beyond what I could have ever envisioned myself. We had a surprise white elephant gift exchange, and she set up the gifts on the shelves so nicely that people thought they were decorations done by the museum. How incredible. She was the perfect planner for what we wanted for our wedding, but I also know that she would be the perfect planner for anyone. I know she would deliver how much or how little involvement a couple wants, how strict or how loose a couple wants their timeline, and I know she would execute it with grace. On top of this she is truly just the best human. She made each planning conversation so fun and easy. She also took over all communication with our vendors in the weeks leading up the the wedding, which takes off SO MUCH stress. I would have items on my list of people I needed to reach out to, and when I checked me e-mail it was like she could read my mind and had already e-mailed them. She was also always upbeat, on time, and available. She is the best. I could write a novel on how awesome she is but I will leave it there. If this post alone does not convince you, set up a call with her and see for yourself! You will not regret it!
Also! Every single vendor we worked with (hair, make-up, venue, etc.) said how amazing the vendor packet was and that it was the most detailed, well put together packet they have ever received.
If I was planning my wedding all over again, I would book her sooner.

We had a year and a half long engagement and Heather was with us every step of the way. Our wedding was so chill and basically perfect thanks to her thoughtful planning, diligence, and attention to detail. I cannot thank Heather enough for her hard work during our wedding planning process and the day of. She is such a wonderful person and a delight to work with, guiding us when we needed it and always trying to make sure my big ideas came to life. Without her partnership, we would not have been able to create such a beautiful, elegant day out in the middle of the woods. She understood exactly what I wanted and the artistic direction I was going in which helped ensure the vibes were always right. Heather also handled some delicate situations with different vendors with a professionalism I really admire. Not to mention, I do not think I would have gotten my dress bustled without her!

My daughter's wedding went off perfectly. Everyone gave me all the credit but Lindsay was the one who did it! She listened to everything my daughter wanted and had good ideas to make it work. She was such a calming influence on my daughter and me. We did not have to worry about a thing! Lindsay worked with the vendors we hired, she guided us to create the timeline, she handled the rehearsal and she organized the wedding and reception setup. I had thought we could handle the wedding by ourselves but I can't imagine doing it without Lindsay. Getting Lindsay on board was the best decision we made!

We hired Anne Michelle for 90 day coordination for our wedding and it is hands down the best vendor decision we made. From the very beginning, Anne Michelle was the best resource and my go-to for all the random questions I had through out the planning process. She always responded promptly and was so helpful. The 90 days leading up to our day, I was overwhelmed by last minute logistics, and Anne Michelle eased my stress and anxiety, and any time we got off a video call or meeting, I immediately felt better. I thought the day of I would be anxious and stressed, as is my personality type, but I was calm, and I think that has so much to do with her. Our day start to finish went smoothly and I know we couldn't have done it without Anne Michelle. Her skill, along with her upbeat personality and positive attitude truly made her my favorite vendor turned friend.
If you're considering wedding coordination or planning, The Hive Wedding Collective and Anne Michelle is your girl.

Anne Michelle is truly amazing at what she does! I could not ask for a better person to help me plan my wedding. I was interested in having someone support me beyond just day of planning and decided to do the event management package 90 days leading up to my wedding. I booked most of my wedding vendors myself and Anne Michelle helped me to bring it all together. She reviewed contracts, created timelines, and worked with my florist and venue to bring my design vision to life. When it came to the day of my wedding, Anne Michelle was all over every single detail and kept the day flowing so smoothly. She worked with the venue to hold off on executing a rain plan, and I’m so glad she did because we ended up having the most beautiful ceremony outside! I was able to completely relax and enjoy my wedding day because I knew I was in good hands with Anne Michelle. After the wedding, she packed everything up for us and placed my flowers and other items in our car so we could easily pick it up the next day. Her attention to detail meant so much to us and it did not go unnoticed. I highly recommend Anne Michelle and The Hive Wedding Collective to plan your wedding. They are the best in the business and I’m forever grateful for their support leading up to our wedding and everything they did for us the day of.