Simply Elegant was the perfect fit for us. From planning the wedding 1.5 years ago, to the day of, our wedding coordinator Hailey (Chicago based) shined! Simply Elegant provided us the tools to plan our fairly large wedding in Chicago. Their Wedding Workbook are perfect tools for us to help with the day of. Our day of coordinator came in clutch day of the wedding - from continuously fluffing my cathedral veil prior to ceremony, to constantly making sure we were on timeline, and fast-pacing things at our reception when we were starting to get behind, to helping me change into my reception dress, to running to vendors to tip for me, 100% hire this group because they have the best team. Couples should 100% consider a day of coordinator who is there in your corner throughout the day. Fires were taken out without my knowledge, and I realized so many things she did on the back end to make sure I truly enjoyed my day with my husband! I re-live this day over and over again with family and I truly don't think I would have been 100% in the moment if it was't for our SEG coordinator, Hailey.

One of the first things I said to my husband when we got engaged was that, even though a planner isn’t technically a necessary expense for a wedding (as in, people manage weddings without hiring planners), that having a full-service planner was non-negotiable for me. I know myself well enough to know that nothing would have otherwise been done. I’m incredibly indecisive, I always want to see all the options, and I always want input – which does not work when you’re going online to look at the 5000+ photographers in Denver (and that’s just one vendor). So I knew I needed to find someone I could put my trust in to understand what I was looking for, show me a few options that would fit my desires and budget, and help me evaluate and choose one, as well as someone who would keep me on track in terms of time.

The Simply Elegant Group was wonderful to work with, and I truly don’t know how we would have gotten through our wedding without them. I actually had a bit of a rocky start, but they made it up to me and then some.
When I first started with SEG, I was assigned a planner who I wasn’t entirely happy with. She did help to some extent, but I felt like things weren’t moving as quickly as they should, etc. I was then told that she was leaving SEG and I would be assigned a new planner, which I felt okay with – I think she already had one foot out the door when we started working together. The next planner I was paired with seemed to be pretty good, but we had barely started when I found out that she, too, was leaving SEG. I was starting to become concerned and frustrated, but Lindsay got on a call with me and said that this was definitely not normal and they were pairing me with someone who they were sure wouldn’t leave – Ashley Carpenter (now Lytel).

This completely changed everything. Ashley was on top of everything from day one. She was with me every step of the way, calming me down when I was anxious, getting me back on track when I fell behind on my to-do lists, assuring me that everything would come together. She understood what I was saying and wanting, helped me communicate that to vendors, and answered my many, many, MANY questions (sometimes more than once, since I forgot!).

Then, of course, came COVID. Ashley supported us in all of our decisions to postpone and to alter what we were comfortable doing in the midst of a pandemic. She helped coordinate with everyone to find another date that worked, she reached out to learn about changes in policies at our venue along the way, and perhaps most importantly, she was a much-needed emotional support during all of this.

I cannot tell you how many people – vendors, wedding party, and guests alike – noted to me how wonderful Ashley was. On the day of the wedding, she was there whenever something was needed. There were a few small things that didn’t go as planned, but she was like my fairy godmother turning mice into beautiful white horses. How she managed to be in 10 places at once I will never know (as an avid Harry Potter fan, I’ll just pretend she had a time turner).

I would never have been able to pull off a day like ours without a planner. This became even more true in the COVID era. Ashely’s attention to detail, unwaveringly calm hand, emotional support and understanding, quick adaptiveness, and deep knowledge of weddings and event planning is probably the greatest gift I got for my wedding (secondary only to my husband, perhaps).

Emily B was incredible to work with from start to finish! SEG hooked us up with a wonderful planner who executed my day to be beyond my wildest dreams. It was amazing! From putting out little fires to calming my nerves before the wedding, we are so glad we chose Simply Elegant for our wedding. Three cheers for Emily B!