Skip to main content
Weddings

What is the story behind Willow and Waylon Events?

Based in Downers Grove, Willow + Waylon Events offers wedding planning and wedding coordination services for couples in Chicago and the Chicago suburbs, including Naperville, Oak Park, Aurora, Joliet, and Elgin, as well as Milwaukee, WI. This planning firm is owned and operated by Katie Jensen, a nuptial specialist who strives to curate exquisite events with a flawless flow. Katie works to take care of the details, allowing you to relax and focus on creating memories with your loved ones. Whether you are planning an intimate gathering or an extravagant affair, she can assist with events of all sizes.

Services Offered

Willow and Waylon Events can offer coordination services for rehearsal dinners, ceremonies, and receptions. This planner will be a source of support in the lead-up to your day, meeting you for a walkthrough of your venue and creating a timeline for the wedding. On the day, she will liaise with your chosen vendors, and take care of the setup and breakdown of your event. Katie will strive to ensure that everything goes according to plan throughout your nuptials, taking care of the unexpected and keeping an eye on the details.

  • Woman-owned
illustration popular

Vendors you may like

See other vendors that are popular with couples right now

What are Willow and Waylon Events's coordination packages and rates?

What is the starting price for day-of wedding coordination?

$1,995

What is the starting price for partial wedding planning?

$1,995

Do you offer an hourly rate?

No

What wedding events do you provide services for?

Ceremony
Reception
Rehearsal Dinner

What wedding planning services do you offer?

Day-of Coordination
Partial Planning

What weddings do you have experience planning?

Cultural
Destination
Non-Religious
Religious

What are real couples saying about their experience with Willow and Waylon Events in reviews?

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

Reviewers say the planner was indispensable—organized, detail-oriented, calm, and professional—guiding couples through planning and rehearsals. She coordinated vendors, handled setup/teardown, and resolved issues so couples were stress-free and could enjoy the day. Multiple couples called her the best investment and highly recommend her services.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Reviewers say the planner was indispensable—organized, detail-oriented, calm, and professional—guiding couples through planning and rehearsals. She coordinated vendors, handled setup/teardown, and resolved issues so couples were stress-free and could enjoy the day. Multiple couples called her the best investment and highly recommend her services.

H
H. S. Sent on 06/13/2023
5 out of 5 rating

The Best Wedding Planner in Wisconsin

I cannot recommend Katie enough as THE wedding planner/coordinator you should get for your wedding day. Katie had an impossible job - trying to unify my and my husband's visions (which were usually almost opposite of eachother) into a cohesive event, in a very spatially restrictive venue, with very unique components (turning our ceremony space into a surprise rock band performance and back into a reception/dance floor). Not only did she do it flawlessly while having us both feeling heard and represented, but she also had things under control in such a way that I felt not one single, solitary, SPECK of stress on our wedding day and was able to be carried away by the bliss and serenity of the best day, evening, and night ever (and that is a huge feat as I can confidently say I've never NOT been stressed a single day or hour in my life). Katie knows her stuff, can anticipate potential problems and comes up with creative and effective solutions, and goes above and beyond to help bring our visions to life. And, she's an all-around lovely person. If you choose Willow and Waylon Events for your wedding day, you won't be disappointed!

(all photos courtesy of Joe Hang, photographer)
Alex
Alex Sent on 11/09/2026
5 out of 5 rating

You won't regret it!

Katie was absolutely essential in making our wedding day go as smoothly as possible! If you are on the fence about a wedding planner don't be. It is worth every penny and you should 100% book Katie. She is thorough, reliable, and just an all around great person!
J
Jocelyn Sent on 11/06/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Best investment we could have made!

If you want someone who is organized, detail-oriented, and will execute your wedding day, Katie is your girl! I knew early on during the wedding planning process that hiring a wedding coordinator was a must for me but that finding the perfect person would be tricky. From the first meeting I knew she would help ensure our wedding day ran smoothly and she certainly exceeded our expectations. After every planning meeting I felt reassured with what had to be done next. Any hiccup that may have come up, Katie was already on top of. When decision fatigue kicked in, Katie stepped in to provide her insight and opinion without ever overstepping. We could not be more thankful for all her help in making our wedding day one of the best days of our lives. We could not recommend Katie enough to future couples!
J
Jodi Sent on 10/19/2026
5 out of 5 rating

5 Stars All Around for Katie

Katie Jensen at Willow and Waylon events went above and beyond to make sure that our wedding day was seamless and stress-free. Her attention to detail, organization, and calm presence allowed us to be fully present and enjoy every moment of our day. She handled countless behind-the-scenes details (including set up and take down), coordinated vendors, and always seemed one step ahead of any potential issue. Knowing she was there gave us complete peace of mind which was priceless. Our wedding day ran beautifully, and so much of that was thanks to her professionalism and hard work. Would recommend Katie to any bride/groom who wants to ensure they have a stress-free wedding day and all of their family and friends are well taken care of.
K
Kelsey Sent on 10/03/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Katie is the best! The Best Decision We Made for Our Wedding!

We went back and forth for a while on whether we really needed a day-of coordinator, but ultimately decided we wanted someone there to help make final decisions and make sure everything went smoothly. Looking back, hiring Katie Jensen with Willow and Waylon Events was hands down the best decision we made for our wedding!

We chose her Wedding Management Package, which included an initial meeting, venue walkthrough, two-month and one-month meetings. From the beginning, Katie was incredibly helpful. She helped me work through decisions, brought up details we never would have thought of on our own, and made sure we were completely prepared going into the wedding weekend.

Katie also ran our rehearsal, and on the wedding day she truly handled EVERYTHING. She was the main point of contact for our vendors, family, and wedding party, which meant we didn’t have to worry about answering questions or figuring out logistics. She took care of setting everything up and has such a great eye for detail—everything looked absolutely perfect.

Katie was truly the rock of our wedding day and the months leading up to it. She kept everything organized, made sure things happened when they were supposed to, and allowed us and our families to actually enjoy the day instead of worrying about what needed to happen next.

Before the wedding, some of our family members didn’t think we needed a coordinator or that the added expense was not necessary. By the end of the night, every single one of them was saying that Katie was the best investment we made! She made the entire day run so smoothly and took so much stress off of all of us.

If you’re debating whether you need a wedding coordinator, hire Katie. You will be SO thankful you did. We genuinely can’t imagine our wedding day without her!
K
Kaitlyn Sent on 07/07/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Katie is a lifesaver!

Katie was our day of coordinator on 6/13/2026 and I cannot say enough good things about her and her services. She shows up to every meeting with a smile and great knowledge. From the detailed timeline she created, to the many emails we shared back and forth, she was very professional, warm, and easy to work with. Having her with me on such a big day relieved so much stress and made my day go so smoothly. She cares about her couples and it shows! I would highly recommend Katie!
Kate
Kate Sent on 05/21/2026
5 out of 5 rating

The Reason our Wedding Ran so Smoothly!

My husband and I could not have asked for a better wedding planner. Katie coached us through the process, provided recommendations on industry standards, and thought of details that would allow our wedding to run smoothly. Her organization and thoughtfulness quite literally made our wedding run smoothly. We are so incredibly grateful. We would HIGHLY recommend!

Thank you so much Katie for all that you did to make our wedding as magical as it was. We are so thankful for you and all of the effort you did to make our day so special!
Esteban
Esteban Sent on 03/21/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Excellent planner!

Katie did an incredible job as our wedding planner! Our wedding was around 125 people at our local nature center. From the time we started working together to the night of our wedding, she made sure every detail was perfect. She checked in with us routinely to make sure we were staying on track and on schedule. She had great recommendations for venders as well. She made our wedding night as stress free as possible! We wholeheartedly recommend her!
K
Klairissa Sent on 12/04/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Thank you Katie!

I would recommend Willow and Waylon Events to absolutely anyone planning a wedding!

Not only was Katie an absolute JOY to work with, but she demonstrated everything you would want in a wedding planner. She was extremely organized and professional, never letting us settle for anything other than exactly what we wanted, and she was also extremely kind, never pushy or judgmental, and above all else always assured us that our day would be celebratory and stress free.
Katie is exactly the type of person that you can trust with one of the most important days of your life. Everyone remarked that I was an exceptionally “chill” bride, and I owe my ability to be relaxed, present, and enjoy my day to Katie.
If you have the opportunity to work with Willow and Waylon Events, you will not be disappointed!
Lauren
Lauren Sent on 10/26/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Detail Oriented Wedding Coordinator

Katie at Willow and Waylon Events exceeded our expectations! She was so helpful throughout the planning process and made our wedding day completely stress free. She thought about every little detail and streamlined communications between all of our vendors. I would recommend her to anyone seeking a wedding coordinator as she was an invaluable part of creating our wedding day.
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

What awards has Willow and Waylon Events won?

71
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2026 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2025 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2024 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner

Where is Willow and Waylon Events based?

Addresses map
Next Wedding Planners: Just Peachy Occasions

Other vendors in Chicago Suburbs for your wedding

Wedding Vendors