Aficial Events Reviews
Reviews
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
-
![Michelle]()
Michelle Sent on 07/22/2026Best coordinator ever!
Karen is seriously the best there is! From the moment we booked her, she made everything so easy and organized. Wedding planning can feel like a lot, but Karen and her team does such an amazing job in making it feel so much easier and smoother. Our day turned out to be everything we wanted and more - thanks to her hard work behind the scenes and on the day of. We were able to just focus on enjoying our day and spending time with our loved ones. -
![Kayla]()
Kayla Sent on 07/13/2026Event Management
Karen and her team were incredible! We had an event management package and I have to say that it was one of the best decisions we made of the planning process. We had a complicated timeline with a lot of things we wanted to fit in and Karen did an incredible job of figuring out how to make everything work. She had incredible vendor recommendations that we used and trusted her team completely. She communicated with our vendors, helped problem solve issues, and helped create our seating chart. Throughout rehearsal and the wedding itself, Karen and her team were organized, calm, and the event ran very smoothly. We cannot recommend them enough! -
![John]()
John Sent on 03/07/2026Fantastic Planning, Beautiful Design, and a Stress-Free Day
We worked with Karen for wedding design and coordination for our Persian/American wedding with about 115 guests at Venue 808 in downtown San Diego. She also helped with additional details like signage, prints, menus, and coordinated closely with all of our vendors.
Karen was great to work with throughout the entire planning process. Communication was excellent and we had many check-ins leading up to the wedding to make sure everything stayed on track. She shared designs through Canva which made it really easy for us to collaborate, and she was very responsive even when we needed last-minute changes. All of the signage and printed materials came out even better than we expected, and every vendor she recommended did an excellent job.
On the wedding day, Kim and Antonio were fantastic. Having both of them there made a huge difference. Everything ran smoothly and they handled any issue immediately, from tracking down family members to helping with wardrobe fixes, which allowed us to just relax and enjoy the day.
We would absolutely recommend Karen and her team to any couple planning their wedding, she was phenomenal! -
-
![Matthew]()
Matthew Sent on 09/16/2025Karen is the GOAT
We hired Karen and her team for the 6-9 month partial planning service. She was recommended to us by a few friends. When shopping for coordinators, Karen was the only one who didn’t treat us like a dollar sign. She genuinely cares about bringing your vision to life. From the design board, meeting agendas, due dates, to vendor recommendations, she is very organized and alleviated a lot of stress. Her and her team made the day SO seamless. The entire day was perfect. I would 100 percent recommend her services for anyone else who is planning a wedding. She easily went from our coordinator to friend after our big day. Thank you Karen!
-
-
![Camille]()
Camille Sent on 08/01/2025Our wedding was even more perfect than we could've imagined thanks to Karen and her team!!
We hired Karen for full planning, end-to-end assistance. We managed to plan a 200+ person destination wedding in under 6 months with curated vendors (desserts, catering, bartenders), hyper-specific creative elements (drapery, floral, polaroid booth), and detailed touches throughout the venue (graphic designs, music produced by friends, a decorated el camino). We had regular calls, and Karen was with us every step of the way to communicate with vendors, manage our budget, and support us in every way we needed her.
The wedding went so smooth - and if there was ever a hiccup along the way, I wouldn't know it because Karen and her amazing team handled everything for me, making the day stress free and so seamless.
The best thing about Karen's services is how much she *genuinely cares*. It's easy to find a wedding planner to plan a wedding, but it's tough to find someone who makes an effort to align with your vision and make sure everything is executed to perfection - especially when your vision might veer from the traditional route (my husband and I are creatives, so we worked with Karen closely to execute on our creative vision).
Without a doubt, I'd recommend Karen to future couples. Massive thank you to her and her team for making my wedding day so so special. -
![Javier]()
Javier Sent on 08/01/2025Best Wedding Planner!
Karen was my wedding coordinator and she was amazing! From start to finish, Karen was punctual and on top of everything for our wedding experience. Karen not only helped with design and organization, but she made our wedding day run as smoothly as we could imagine. Karen answered every question we had during the wedding process and made our wedding planning experience a great success. Karen thrives under pressure and took care of any last minute changes that came up. I could not be happier with the choice to make Karen my wedding coordinator. She is the best! 10/10 recommend anyone looking for a wedding coordinator to book her! -
![Rachel]()
Rachel Sent on 06/24/2025Best Planner Out There
Karen was our planner and coordinator for our wedding, from start to finish she was amazing. The amount of detail and thought she put into helping us have our dream wedding did not go unnoticed. She made our vision a reality and it did not disappoint.
Each meeting leading up to the wedding flowed so well, she set out tasks for us to meet before each meeting which kept us on track and organized leading up to the day of.
She is so kind, fun and easy to work with.
The day of went off without a hitch. She made it so that my husband and I could truly have the best day of our lives with no worries or obligations but to have fun and enjoy the moment! -
![Cynthia]()
Cynthia Sent on 12/06/2024A seamless, magical wedding thanks to Karen's dedication!
Karen is an extraordinary wedding coordinator, and we couldn’t have asked for anyone better to help make our day truly magical. My husband and I got married at Salt Drift Pointe on Saturday, November 23rd, with our ceremony and reception held at the same location from 3:00 PM to 11:59 PM. From the moment she arrived early in the morning to begin setting up until the very last detail was taken care of at the end of the night, Karen was completely dedicated to ensuring everything ran seamlessly.
Weddings are often described as hectic and unpredictable, but Karen turned every challenge into an opportunity for perfection. Her meticulous planning and tireless effort ensured our day was flawless. She coordinated with all of our vendors, making sure everyone was on the same page, and executed every detail to absolute perfection. Thanks to Karen, we didn’t have to worry about a single thing—she was always one step ahead, anticipating our needs and solving any potential issues before they could arise.
What truly sets Karen apart is her passion and creativity. Every idea I had, no matter how big or small, she made happen without hesitation. She embraced every detail with excitement and dedication, never once complaining, and her openness to all my suggestions made the entire process a joy. Karen went above and beyond in every possible way—even stepping in as our photographer at times and capturing some incredible moments! Her photos were stunning, and it was just another example of how she consistently exceeded our expectations.
Karen’s calm demeanor was a gift throughout the day. Her reassuring presence made me feel completely at ease, no matter what was happening around us. It was as if nothing was impossible for her. She poured her heart into making our wedding the best day of our lives, and we could truly feel the love and care in every detail she touched.
We are endlessly grateful to Karen for creating an experience that was effortless, stress-free, and unforgettable. If you’re looking for someone who will go above and beyond to make your wedding day everything you’ve dreamed of—and more—Karen is the one. She is truly remarkable, and we will always treasure the role she played in our special day.
Thank you so much, Karen! Words can't describe how grateful we are for you! -The Chiangs -
![Alexus]()
Alexus Sent on 10/09/2024Highly recommend!
I cannot say enough wonderful things about Karen and Aficial Events! We hired her for wedding design and coordination. From the very first meeting, she brought a wealth of creativity, organization, and enthusiasm that made the planning process enjoyable and stress-free. She took the time to truly understand our vision, offering personalized suggestions that perfectly aligned with our style.
On the big day, everything was flawlessly executed. She coordinated with all our vendors, ensured that timelines were followed, and handled any last-minute hiccups with grace and professionalism. We were able to relax and truly enjoy every moment, knowing that we were in capable hands. She helped bring to life the wedding of our dreams and the best weekend of our lives!
Our guests raved about the beautiful setup and seamless flow of the event. It was truly a day to remember, and we owe so much of that to Aficial Events. If you’re looking for someone who is dedicated, detail-oriented, and passionate about creating unforgettable experiences, look no further! -
![Alexis]()
Alexis Sent on 09/24/2024Best planner everrrrrrrrr
After getting many recommendations from our friends who already had Karen as their planner, we booked her for the 2-month coordination + day of service. Since we figured out pretty much all of our vendors, Karen came in and took care of all the logistics that we definitely wouldn’t have been able to do on our own. From the get-go we really appreciated her super-organized Excel sheets which, acted like a checklist for us throughout the entire process. Her meetings were always efficient and her communication and responsiveness were top-tier (as we’ve learned that not all vendors are like this). We always felt at ease and honestly impressed with her after each meeting.
She created a ‘Day-of” timeline, which was useful to share with our bridal party as well (ie bridal hard-stop for makeup/hair, where to be, what time to leave certain locations, etc.) The actual wedding day went swimmingly with no hiccups whatsoever! She would pop in with us during the reception to make sure we were good and would cue us to get ready for certain things on our timeline such as the bouquet/garter toss outfit changes, cake cuttting, etc all while coordinating with the DJ as well. Even the clean-up process went so smoothly. Our families also commented on how good and nice she was after the wedding. We truly felt taken care of throughout the whole day.
We would 1000% recommend her to anyone planning a wedding! (We know 5 couples who have used her services – including ourselves – and 1 more friend who has her booked for 2025!) Everyone says you need a planner or at least a day-of coordinator, but don’t get anyone else… Karen is your girl. Her professionalism and how she is on top of everything PLUS her kindness and chill personality make her super easy and fun to work with…you won’t regret it!
-
![Jenny]()
Jenny Sent on 09/20/2024Summer wedding in SoCal
Karen was awesome to work with from beginning to end! from the very first meeting, Karen was extremely easy to communicate with. I was literally able to text her at any time… day or night… And without hesitation, she answered my question or if she didn’t know the answer to the question she would research, call contacts/vendors.. etc, and then come back with it within minutes. She worked really hard from the very beginning to help organize my wedding to be as wonderful as it was. Karen was extremely organized, and I felt like everything was done extremely efficiently. I was able to send Karen pretty much my entire wedding Pinterest board… And she made sure that all of those elements happened. My wedding would not have been as efficient or beautiful as it was without the help of Karen and her coordination! on the day of my wedding, I didn’t have to do anything, but walk down the aisle and party! Karen made sure of that. She took care of everything and everything that day and worked really well with my venue and their coordinators… And I couldn’t have asked for a better team to work with! -
![Jaymie]()
Jaymie Sent on 09/01/2024Seamless Coordination
We hired Aficial Events for 2-month coordination for our wedding, and we couldn't be more pleased with their service. From the very first meeting, we felt like we were in great hands. Every meeting leading up to the wedding was purposeful, and Karen was incredibly patient and attentive, taking the time to answer all of our questions, even down to the smallest details.
On the day of the event, the team’s presence brought a sense of calm that was truly invaluable. They coordinated seamlessly with our wedding venue, ensuring that our special day flowed smoothly from beginning to end. They ensured special items during our ceremony were taken care of, worked well with all of our vendors, and helped the order of events during our reception unfold effortlessly. Despite having a large family and wedding party, Aficial Events managed everything beautifully.
We would wholeheartedly recommend Aficial Events to our closest family and friends. We are so grateful we had them part of our special day.
-
Abigail Sent on 08/31/2024
Karen is the GOAT!!!
Detailed, organized, friendly, and just an overall wonderful human being. We hired Karen for 2-month coordination and right off the bat, she was such a thoughtful planner and her willingness to guide us through anything and everything was amazing. I love a good spreadsheet and Karen has the best!!! Every meeting with her was so productive and we left each one with clear next steps/homework.
The day of the wedding, everything went SO smoothly. Karen and her team took care of setting up all of our decor and they did so beautifully! When I arrived to the venue and saw everything, I was taken aback by how stunning everything looked — we had a mix of florals, candles, and fruit for our decor so getting everything set up was no small feat. Karen’s creative eye flawlessly brought my vision to life and I am so so grateful! Outside of decor, Karen’s organization, vendor communication, and speedy cleanup at the end of night was top-notch. We were able to truly enjoy the night, knowing Karen was there. She even took fun videos of the reception on my phone, which were great to watch the morning after to help relive the night :’) Literally each one of my vendors raved about how much they loved working with Karen — if that’s not enough to convince you to hire her for your next event, idk what is! SUCH a pro.
Would 100% recommend Karen to any couple! -
-
Stephanie Sent on 05/17/2024
The best wedding planner!
We just had our wedding on 05/04/2024 and I don't think it would have been possible without Karen! We hired her as a full planner about 1 year before our wedding date. She was organized, helpful, and was really able to bring our vision to life and more! She kept us within our budget, while simultaneously meeting all of our requests!
Correspondence with her was seamless. she would answer text messages and email so promptly. I would get a text back from her sometimes within minutes. She was so easy to work with and really knew what she was doing.
We found some of the best vendors through her and it really made our wedding day so special and stress-free! Karen was pregnant during most of the planning, yet she still delivered both her new baby 1 month before our big day AND when it came to working on our wedding, (yes, pun intended.). She seriously can do anything and was so amazing!
We are so very happy that we chose her to plan the best day of our lives and we could not have done it without her. We were so worried about things going wrong but everything turned out even better than we expected. Even our family members kept telling us how this was the most beautiful and perfect they have been to.
For anything we may plan in the future, we will definitely be contacting Karen and we highly recommend her to anyone trying to plan any beautiful event.
Thank you Karen for your hard work! -
-
Sharlyn Sent on 05/13/2024
Karen is amazing!
Thinking of hiring Karen and her team? Just DO IT! If we could give Afical Events a 10-star rating, we would! Hiring Karen for her 2-month + day-of coordination was the best decision that my now-husband and I could have ever made for our wedding day. From the first virtual meeting, the vibes were perfect. Karen was so professional, yet welcoming and personable. We did not even end the virtual meeting before agreeing to sign a contract with her. Although there was still roughly a year before our actual wedding day, and even though we had only requested coordination services, Karen was available for any questions or concerns that we had related to anything and everything for our wedding. Whether we asked about wedding etiquette, vendor recommendations or design suggestions, Karen was always either a text or email away. And whenever Karen provided advice, she ALWAYS ensured to keep our vision and budget in mind. This was apparent during the wedding, after a few of my cousins even said “this wedding was so ‘you guys.’” Once it came closer to our wedding date, even though my husband and I had very differing work schedules, Karen would always attempt to accommodate both of our schedules so that we would both be able to attend coordination meetings together with her. This really meant a lot to us because we never wanted planning to be one-sided and wanted to ensure that we all were on the same page.
Once the wedding day came, not only did she execute and create such a beautiful reception space with the decor that I provided her, but both my husband and I were completely 100% stress free all day. And… Our families LOVED her. She was so kind and professional with any questions or concerns that our parents had. And our guests are still commenting about how smoothly events transpired throughout the wedding ceremony and reception… We STILL continue to receive compliments about Karen and her assistant, Adrienne’s organization and professionalism! They both were working so hard from beginning to end, that my husband and I had asked once or twice about whether they were able to take a break at some point to enjoy and celebrate too!
We have no doubt that Karen will be that person that will help to create a stress-free, beautiful and memorable wedding day for you, if you choose to hire her! Making important events of an individual’s life truly memorable has become her craft - something that she has perfected. We are so appreciative and thankful for all the work that Karen did for us and would 1,000% recommend her for anyone that needs event planning/design/coordination services.
Trust us, you will be in very good hands with Karen and her team. -
-
![Michael]()
Michael Sent on 02/24/2024Incredible teamwork
I have been a private events and Wedding DJ. Emcee and Officiant for over 25 years.
Karen, with Aficial Events is one of the BEST in the industry!
I have worked with Karen and her team, numerous times over the years. Each time has been seamless, organized, stress-free, timely and FUN!
She makes sure, to pay attention to what YOU want, for your celebration.
Karen and her team really know how to plan every detail of your celebration, so you can do one thing; Enjoy your celebration!
Karen's communication before, during and after the event is stellar. When she communicates, she is clear and kind.
She's incredible at multi-tasking, always knowing who she needs to communicate with and what direction she needs to give them.
If you're looking for someone who knows what they are doing, to orchestrate a wonderful celebration, connect with Karen.
You'll be in very good hands!
Take care and God Bless!
Michael Cabradilla
619-917-1315
Sureflow Entertainment
DJ, Emcee, Photo Booth and Wedding Officiant -
-
![Dani]()
Dani Sent on 12/28/2023Choosing Aficial Events was the BEST decision we made!
Booking Aficial Events for our wedding was one of the best decisions we made! As a couple on a budget, we were a little hesitant to spend what initially felt like excess money on a coordinator but looking back I can absolutely say it was well worth it! Karen truly goes above & beyond in every aspect. Even though we had only secured her day-of coordination package she started communications early on with us during the planning stage, joined some of touchpoint meetings with the venue (both virtual & onsite), provided some great vendor recommendations, and even helped initiate some inquiries for us. I remember being so overwhelmed with our “wedding to-do list” going into each coordination call we had with Karen & leaving it feeling beyond relieved. She took everything off our plate & onto hers without hesitation (or additional charge). Once the day finally arrived, we both were so relaxed & confident knowing Karen had it all locked down. Karen & her team allowed us to both be truly present & enjoy every moment of our day without any worries. Outside of Karen’s amazing planning skills she is also just a great human being to work with. She’s so kind, caring, and is one of those people whose positive energy is contagious to be around. We cannot recommend Aficial Events enough! -
Marissa Sent on 07/04/2023
Karen makes magic happen
Karen made all of our Summer Solstice wedding dreams come true and then some. Recommended to me by a dear friend of mine, as soon as I talked to Karen the first time it just felt like the perfect fit. She’s easygoing, insanely creative and the sweetest! Karen was always easy to get ahold of and responded whenever we had new ideas or any questions. It was very easy to trust Karen so we gave her our interests and let her do her thing and our special day was truly magical — it also went off without a single disruption and we have Karen to thank for that. We were able to enjoy our day and savor the memories without worrying about any issues. -
-
Rhontelle Sent on 08/30/2022
If you're looking for a planner and coordinator in San Diego, you NEED to book Karen!
We hired Karen for Full Event Planning - we live in the Bay Area, but had our wedding in San Diego - and it was the best decision we made in wedding planning!
Her detailed spreadsheets and organized Google Drive folders put this type-A bride immediately at ease, and her broken-down planning schedule kept us on-track and made booking vendors so easy, especially during this busy wedding boom season! We had regularly scheduled video calls, exchanged countless comments in Google documents and texts, and she even made the extra effort to book any in-person meetings/trials/tastings during our scheduled trips back to San Diego, so we didn't need to make additional trips back - she was so mindful of our time and we appreciated it so much!
She helped us fine-tune our vision of a minimal, industrial look, and carried it through to our entire reception venue AND invitations! Yes, in addition to being an amazing planner and coordinator, she can also design your paper elements! It tied the whole wedding together, and the pictures speak for themselves 🔥
She made us feel so comfortable through the wedding planning process and especially on our wedding day. We were able to be completely present during our wedding because we knew we trusted her to execute, and she NAILED it. If you're looking for a wedding planner and coordinator that will completely put you at ease, you NEED to book her! -
-
![Jeremy]()
Jeremy Sent on 08/11/2022We LOVE working with Karen! We can't say enough good things about her.
We LOVE working with Karen at Aficial Events and I seriously can't say enough good things about her! As a vendor, we work with a wide variety of planners and event coordinators and Karen is one of the best. She is professional, punctual, friendly, level-headed, and knows how to do her job well. Many unforeseen problems or issues can arise on a wedding day, and Karen always seems steady and calm as she takes care of business! She's clearly operating in her gifting. Whenever we are working on an event with her, we feel at ease knowing that she has everything under control. -
![Melissa]()
Melissa Sent on 06/17/202210/10 Karen is the best :)
Karen is AMAZING! She was my friend's wedding coordinator & since she had nothing but good things to say about Karen, I booked her for 3-month + day of coordination & for design & I am so happy that I did! We booked pretty early in Feb 2021 when our wedding was planned for June 2022, but Karen was always available & very responsive for vendor recommendations/random wedding questions way before our 3 month mark. I had no idea what I wanted in regards to decor & Karen created a design board for us & everything turned out beautiful day of. Two months before the wedding, my mom was hospitalized & I barely had any time to think about the wedding. Karen took over everything & made sure we were ready day of. From signage to the smallest details of the wedding (ie last min linen rental changes, safety pins for the money dance, cake cutting utensils, etc) she had us covered! We had a multicultural wedding (Filipino & Vietnamese) & Karen was amazing at sticking to our jam-packed timeline. I thought we were going to be fine at the church, but from our rehearsal I definitely underestimated the amount of time it would take to get 10 pairs of sponsors in addition to the bridal party in line for the processional & Karen made it seem like a piece of cake. She is very budget conscious & will be transparent of what is needed/what is not & where you can save money. Literally of the sweetest people I've met, she even arranged some leftover florals to bring home for my mom at the end of the night. I would highly recommend Karen & her team (her assistant Adrienne was great as well!) for all of your coordination & signage needs! -
![Adam]()
Adam Sent on 05/11/2022Karen is the best!
We cannot say enough great things about Karen. We had her on board for 2-month coordination and we were so relieved as soon as she started. Karen was on top of things, super nice and accommodating, and calm throughout the whole process. She was so calm that when we met her for the last coordination meeting the week of our wedding, it helped put our worries at ease. The event went off without a hitch! We've been told to expect the unexpected and roll with the punches but because of Karen we expected everything! Highly recommend Karen; we'd give her 100 stars if we could. -
![Angelica]()
Angelica Sent on 04/13/2022Our wedding was perfect because of Karen!
It’s been exactly a month since our wedding and we miss working with Karen already! We had to change our wedding date multiple times due to the pandemic and I’m so glad we were able to keep her. Planning this wedding, I honestly had no idea what I was doing. Before actually working with Karen she already gave me some tips and guided me in the direction that I needed to start. That alone helped me out so much. Finally, two months away from the wedding and I was so nervous but once we had our first real meeting with Karen, the weight on my shoulders seemed to disappear. She is so sweet and so easy to work with. All I really had to do was give her all the vendor information and specific details of what we wanted for the wedding and she literally made everything come to life. The day of the wedding, we were able to enjoy every second of it and literally had no worries. Karen took care of everything and everyone. Our wedding was the most perfect day and it was because of her. We are forever grateful! -
-
![Julie]()
Julie Sent on 04/07/2022Best Wedding Coordinator Ever!
Planning a destination wedding?! Or want to have a destination wedding?! BOOK KAREN - SHE IS YOUR GIRL!!!! Trust us, you and your s/o won’t regret it! We love her so much and will refer her to anyone we know that is engaged &/or planning their upcoming wedding.
My (now) husband and I heard about Karen while she was planning my (now) brother & sister-in-law’s wedding. We were very impressed with how well she communicated with them whether it was virtually or in-person, and we saw how organized she was with her excel sheets, google docs, and PDF files that were sent to them. Immediately, my husband and I wanted to reach out to her and inquire to see if she would plan our dream destination wedding in Kaua’i!
We wanted to plan a destination wedding in my husband’s hometown in Hawai'i, on the island of Kaua'i, but to be completely honest, it was daunting at first because we had no idea on how to initiate our plans and became extremely anxious. On our first initial meeting with Karen, she asked us about our wants, our goals, and how/what we envisioned for our wedding - we wanted a very intimate, simple, and unique Hawaiian wedding - and Karen reassured us that she would be there to help make our vision come true. My husband and I opted for the Planning and Day-Of Coordination services - this was the best choice for us as we didn't want to stress about anything about our wedding, especially on our wedding day.
Karen is AMAZINGLY organized, the queen of Google Drive! She sent us a checklist of everything that was needed & to be due on within each month to help keep us and her on track with the planning process. She also sent us an excel sheet where each tab was broken down per vendor where we &/or she lists vendors that we could choose from. This was very helpful because we were able to compare vendors that would fit our wedding theme and that were within our budget. It was not easy finding vendors on the island of Kaua’i as it is a small island, plus a lot of business had to close down during Covid but Karen went above and beyond with helping find our perfect team! In the end, all the vendors that we chose executed their part very very well and we are extremely happy with the outcome!
Words cannot express how grateful we are to find Karen as our wedding planner. She completely put our minds at ease throughout the planning process. She listened to everything we were looking for and executed what we had envisioned. I can't say enough how smooth everything went. It exceeded our expectations. Because of her, our wedding was a success. And if we were to relive it again, we definitely would. We miss everything about the planning process and our wedding day, and of course we miss you, Karen! Thank you so much, Karen, for making our dream wedding event come true! We are looking forward to seeing you at our friend’s upcoming wedding in July!
-
-
![Rachel]()
Rachel Sent on 12/08/2021Best wedding planner ever
Karen is the best decision we made about our wedding, hands down. She is organized, creative, communicative, accessible, responsive, extremely talented, and very very kind. She knows weddings inside and out, and she added so many little amazing touches to our event that we didn't even think to ask for! She knows the community really well, also, so any vendors that you need, she's got you. I trust her implicitly, which is exactly who you want running your big day. I simply cannot say enough glowing things about Karen. I cannot recommend her enough!!! -
![Adrianne C Andres]()
Adrianne Sent on 08/30/2021Communicative, reliable, knowledgeable, down-to-earth, present, supportive, and generous of her time and resources!
Couples, if you are looking for an organized queen who is savvy with excel sheets, Google Drive, and easy monthly/weekly virtual meetings - Karen is the one for you. Everything Karen touched/had anything to do with, we had absolutely zero stress with. (I can get stressed easily. Like tears running down my face frustrated - yet not a single stress-tear was shed on the day of my wedding, which was my goal). She was also very responsive by text and email to answer any and all questions I had (even the way she replied to my questions was organized). This says a lot about someone who just had a baby...mamas am I right?
January 2019 is when I first met Karen. As soon as I showed interest, she invited me to meet her in person at a coffee shop of my choice just to learn more about what she has to offer. I was interested in full wedding planning from start to finish because I was in nursing school, had a toddler, my (now) husband was working full time, and I was still working part-time - but still wanted the full experience of a big and traditional wedding that was cute yet affordable. I was surprised to find out that Karen was the most affordable planner, compared to the full service wedding planners that my friends had for their weddings. I'm so happy that I found her on an Instagram hashtag because not only did she walk me & my husband through the first steps of wedding planning, but she carried us through the pandemic to reach our rescheduled wedding day from July 4, 2020 to July 3, 2021.
Right off the bat, she sends us a checklist of everything we need to do in the month we had to do it, and whether it was an "us thing to do", or if it was a "Karen thing to do". This was music to my ears because I am a checklist girl, and crossing those To-Do things was so satisfying...even in the extremely early months of planning.
Now, I have absolutely zero direction when it comes to vision and what I want in design. But if you show me a bunch of cute things, I can pick what I like! And that is how easily Karen helped us choose a mood board that fit us like a glove. After learning more about us, she presented it in a multipage and detailed PDF that is visually pleasing and easily accessible in our Google Drive she shared with us.
It's also how easily she rescheduled all of our wedding vendors for the next year. I'm sure it was not at all easy on her end, but she gathered all of our vendors' availability for a range of dates and color coded the entire excel sheet so we could pick a date with most of my vendors just by glancing at it with one look.
Don't even get me started with her vendor recommendations because my vendor team was a DREAM. If you don't believe me, ask my wedding entourage because we started the day of my wedding on time and ENDED on time. Every. Single. Thing. Planned. on the itinerary that day was on TIME! What does that even mean in wedding-speak? I also had a goal of not spending too much in certain departments like florals and catering. Karen provided me with the most affordable, QUALITY vendors who executed our vision to a tee while being on the cheaper end of it all. She works with these vendors often so I was able to trust that they know exactly what they're doing.
Overall, Karen is caring, organized, present, knowledgeable, down-to-earth, generous and gives you her all from day 1 of planning until the very minute you walk out of the reception (yes she stays, even to give your guest a safety pin for their dress that just broke!). Karen adds her special touch to everything she does, keeps you in mind and is very empathetic to your feelings, and just has so much to offer. My husband and I had the worst separation anxiety parting the night of the wedding because we couldn't believe we wouldn't been seeing or hearing from her on a monthly/weekly basis anymore - we had been through it all with her! Anyway, we get the joy of seeing her again in Kauai, Hawaii next February 2022 for my brother-in-law's wedding she's planning!!!! (Yes, she travels for you too!!) -
-
Rafael Sent on 08/27/2021
Aficialevents was fantastic
AficialEvents was recommended to us from one of our bridesmaids from her own wedding. We booked Karen as our day of coordinator, but leading up to the day, we had regular meetings with her via zoom/phone to discuss details about the wedding day execution. Karen is amazing!!! She manages all of the details using google docs/sheets so it is easy for the couple and her team to coordinate. We planned this wedding remotely from Philadelphia but it took place in San Diego and she made it all that much more easy to feel less anxious about our day.
Her communication was super quick. Because of COVID-19, there was a lot of wedding postponements for many couples, and Karen had to nominate one of her mentors to substitute for our day-of coordination. Because we built so much trust and had such a good relationship with Karen up to this point, we were totally fine with it and her team still delivered the most memorable wedding ever.
If you are looking for a GREAT wedding coordinator, AficialEvents is who you need. We wish we could do this all over again and would have them be our day-of coordinators in a heartbeat. -
-
![Ally]()
Ally Sent on 02/28/20213-months+day-of coordinator
Picking a wedding coordinator is a tough "to do" on the wedding list. You're leaving the success of the wedding flow to ONE person (and the flow of the wedding is something you want to get right). Thankfully Karen nailed the job while... pregnant! Yes, she was full on pregnant! Talk about dedication. She was very helpful and flexible during all of the changes we had to do, due to COVID. I mean, we were deciding things days before the wedding. She was personable, friendly, and great to work with! She was my 3-months+day-of coordinator. -
Marie Sent on 10/27/2020
Go with Aficial Events!
Long story short:
Hire Karen, you won't regret it. Good vendor recommendations/connections. Organized, thorough, easy to work with. Will make sure the big day runs smoothly!
Long story long:
When I began the planning process, I was overwhelmed. We had an idea of a budget, but clueless on what’s affordable, normal, overpriced, etc (ie some venues appear affordable, but charge up the wazoo with their own caterer that you're stuck using). I needed guidance. Is it possible to plan your wedding on your own? Sure. But I work full time and a lot of overtime, and I wanted to keep the stress levels low. The most important thing I needed was guidance, and Karen gave us that. Most places require you to have a day-of-coordinator, might as well add planning services as well.
I gave her details on budget, guest count, main color, and request for venue recommendations, which really isn’t much information.
I was super impressed with Karen on our first official meeting. Our initial hurdle was venue. I was clueless, and she came to the rescue. She came prepared with a detailed spreadsheet of numerous affordable venues in San Diego, to include price, availability on our chosen date (or other dates we could consider should we decide to since our date was so popular, 10.10.2020) and notes about the venues. I was thinking I’d only get a list, but she went in and did a lot of the footwork I did not expect. That’s when I knew we chose the right person to help us through this process. When we toured venues & spoke with vendors, Karen asked the questions that I didn’t even consider or think to ask. Karen not only gives you what you need, she’ll give you that and more.
I am a notorious procrastinator, so having Karen there to make sure I met our deadlines prevented me from getting stressed or overwhelmed. By 02/2020, we had 4 vendors out of the way (3 of the 4 were great recommendations by her). Then COVID-19 came and everything was put on hold.
I thought we’d be fine since our wedding was later in the year. Then came the 3 month mark, and we had to make the decision to cancel our big wedding. I didn’t want to postpone and I didn’t want to cancel and lose out on deposits, so I told Karen that I would like to continue with a micro-wedding. In a little over a month, she was able to find us a venue that would accommodate a ceremony and reception during COVID. With that short time, she was able to find us great and affordable vendors that were available (makeup, hair, florist, officiant, videographer, a new photographer after our original photographer pulled out, and a photobooth that I requested week of the wedding!) She renegotiated contracts with existing vendors to accommodate the new wedding. For decor, the only thing I offered were ZZ Plant cuttings from my mom, and she transformed them into beautiful centerpieces that fit perfectly with the wedding and venue.
I wasn’t stressed about anything the day of the wedding. As our day-of-coordinator, Karen made sure that everything ran smoothly. Karen was there to make sure all the vendors arrived and were set up on time. She coordinated the transition from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception. I didn’t have to ask Karen to do anything, because it was already taken care of. She anticipated the needs of the wedding, the guests, and us. And as busy as we were, she made sure that my husband and I were able to enjoy the food, drinks, and the day.
Essentially, Karen planned 2 weddings for us without complaint. She stepped up to the challenge and worked with us to give us the wedding we wanted and more! She took my lacking details and turned it into something beautiful. I am thankful that she was available and that we were able to work with her. Some people might be hesitant about a planner because of cost, but it’s beneficial to have one by your side for your mind and well-being. I highly recommend hiring Karen. Karen is someone you can trust and rely on, and her prices are reasonable from what I’ve seen in comparison. -
-
Jessica Sent on 10/19/2020
Above & Beyond Wedding Coordinating!!
First of all, if you are getting married....you need to get you a Karen...the good kind;). As a newly engaged bride planning a wedding in San Diego, I didn't know where to start. I was introduced to Karen through a mutual friend, and I have to tell you the best money you will spend on your wedding...truly! From the moment we booked her she was available to us, which is more than most day-of coordinators. She was there to answer any questions big or small, suggestions, and recommendations. Her responses were quick, efficient, and super helpful. She composed a seating chart, a full layout for our reception, and scheduled our day from start to finish. She was in contact with all our vendors so we didn't have to worry about anything for the day. We even had a couple of facetime meetings with her (because we live in LA) and went over everything from visions to concerns. We had one walk through where she met us at our venue and we went over last-minute details before the big day. AND THEN....Covid hit and guess what? We had to do the whole process all over again. We had to rethink our entire wedding from picking a new date to guest count, to the floor plan, to timeline, even a whole new venue. Karen pulled up her sleeves and was right there with us figuring it all out in this new world. She helped us reconstruct a plan that we were comfortable with that was Covid safe for us and our guests. She even jumped in when we needed to find an affordable rental place for flatware and silverware last minute. I provided her with all of my DIY decorations and gave her an inventory list and she put everything into place so perfectly. She even was there the day before to run our rehearsal at the venue. I can't say enough good things and my new husband and I would highly recommend Aficial Events any day. Karen was such a huge support in more ways than one. My husband and I not only walked away happy with our experience but with a new friend in San Diego. -
-
![Jessirae]()
Jessirae Sent on 02/10/2020Best decision we made planning our wedding!
My fiancé and I were married at the Brick in Point Loma this past December. Karen was recommended to us by a family member and hiring her for wedding planning was one of the best decisions we made. Other than selecting the location, we worked with Karen from the very beginning. From our initial meeting, Karen was very professional and organized but still made the thought of planning a wedding enjoyable and exciting. With our particular venue, it was a blank slate, so we had to hire every vendor separately which sounded like so much work. But with Karen’s experience and network of vendors, selecting each vendor from the DJ, catering, rentals, photobooth, and photographer was one of the most enjoyable parts of the planning process. We really appreciated that Karen would give us a few vendors to compare before making our final decisions. We never felt pressured to choose a particular vendor, instead we felt like Karen knew exactly what we wanted and recommended vendors based on our specific needs. Not only did Karen help with vendors, she also created all of our save-the-dates, invitations, day of wedding signage, and name cards. We gave Karen creative freedom when it came to all these details and it couldn’t have come out any better. She also helped create our floorplan and with the size of our wedding we felt like it worked out perfectly. On the day of the wedding, everything went as smoothly as one could hope for. We never felt like Karen was missing on the day of the wedding, instead she was always on top of everything. At the end of the night, all of our guests had nothing but positive things to say about our wedding and all the small details. We couldn’t be happier with our decision to have Karen as our wedding planner. We recommend her to all of our family and friends that are looking for a wedding planner because it was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. -
-
![Rachel]()
Rachel Sent on 10/16/2019Thank you Karen!
Highly recommend Karen for full planning, coordination, and design. Her and team absolutely delivered the day-of and made our wedding day unforgettable. She is very prompt, organized all the while composed and chill throughout the whole wedding planning. She genuinely has a passion for event planning and it shows in her results and relationships with vendors and past couples. Wish we could do this all again! -
-
Kris Sent on 07/25/2019
Aficial Events is the BEST!
Karen is AMAZING! I can't begin to rave how awesome her and her team are. The moment we hired her we knew we were in the best hands. Since our venue was a blank canvas, we knew we needed someone special for the job and Karen was it and more.
We hired her for her FULL PLANNING package and she did not disappoint. She worked around our schedules the whole year and a half of planning and honestly, it was like hanging out with a friend at your favorite coffee shop :) She was organized, knowledgeable, honest and just someone you want on your side when you are planning such a big event in your life. Her full planning package was worth it because she did everything from narrowing down the vendors (there are so many out there so where do you start?), she designed and prepared all our prints (invitation, ceremony program, reception signage), she looked over all our contracts to make sure we didn't miss anything - pretty much designed and executed our wedding from ground up. She came to all our vendor meetings, made great suggestions about different details and is definitely $$ savvy and helps you get the best deal. Our vendors loved working with her. Everyone who came to the wedding had an amazing time and I think a big part of that was thanks to Karen and her team because they executed one kick ass party :) (The wedding guests loved her too because they could see how hard she works to make sure everything goes smoothly!) It's hard to imagine not hiring Karen for the full planning because I don't think our wedding would've been such a success without her.
Word of advice to engaged couples - enjoy it! It doesn't last forever and the ease of hiring someone like Karen to help plan your wedding helps you enjoy your engagement time even more! -
-
Matt Sent on 04/20/2019
Hiring Aficial Events was the best decision we made for our special day.
My wife and I highly recommend Aficial Events to help you plan, coordinate, and execute your special day.
We planned a fairly large wedding with 250 guests, a dozen vendors, and separate locations for the ceremony and reception. The theme we went with was a “tropical modern” theme that included elements from our Filipino and Hawaiian heritage. This entailed quite a bit of coordination and Karen exceeded expectations in helping to ensure that our day was smooth and stress-free.
My wife was reluctant to hire a coordinator because of the costs she had seen and how that would fit into our budget. However, we both also wanted to enjoy our wedding and didn’t want to be burdened by all the details that came in the lead up to our wedding day, such as emailing back and forth with vendors, coordinating design details, and managing personalities. Aficial Events took care of all of that. From a budget and stress standpoint, hiring Karen was the best decision we made.
We went with the “Coordination Package,” which secured Karen’s help for the 3 months in the lead-up to our wedding. This best fit our needs, as my wife and I are planners that organize everything into spreadsheets and keep track of every detail. While we had a very specific vision for what we wanted, we’ve never planned a wedding before., This package allowed us to consult with Karen on details we weren’t familiar with (reception programming, transitions throughout the day, room layout). She gave us the space to define and articulate what we wanted while still adding a tremendous amount of value with her experience and expertise. We had our vision and Karen executed that vision in a pragmatic way.
Also, as you may well know, weddings are expensive. My wife and I tried to cut corners where we could without adding additional stress by DIYing simple details that required investments of time that we didn’t have. Karen helped us to identify how to cut corners with the things we wanted. For example, we wanted an interactive photo booth without paying the exorbitant costs that came with booking vendors. Instead of contracting with a photo booth company, we contracted with Karen and her team to build a tropical backdrop for our guests to take Instax pictures with, that then were placed into our guestbook. They built the backdrop, set up the guestbook table, filled up the Instax cameras, and directed our guests to take their pictures. This made our guestbook fun, interactive, and full of character. This wouldn’t have happened without Aficial Events.
From our perspective, there were no hiccups, no last-minute changes, and most importantly, no stress. Karen and her team were able to run our logistics and reception program to the minute and kept everything on time. Together, we planned for a program that was meaningful, interactive, and fun for all of our guests. She seamlessly moved the program along and checked-in with us to make sure we had everything we needed throughout the day.
We highly recommend Aficial Events for your wedding coordination (or planning) needs. She was easy to work with, was extremely organized, and executed every detail. My wife and I already had high expectations for our wedding, and Karen helped to elevate that experience to another level. Go with Aficial Events if you truly want to make your day a special one.
All pictures posted taken by Dez and Tam Photography. -
-
![Vanessa]()
Vanessa Sent on 04/12/2019Loved team Aficial!
Loved, loved working with Karen and her team. She was transparent with everything from day 1. She was responsive since the day we were in contact with her, our wedding would not have been what it was without Karen and her team. She's also very organized and in contact with you about everything. In addition, she asks questions you'd never think of prior. Team Aficial!! -
![Catherine]()
Catherine Sent on 11/05/2018Karen went above and beyond to execute our wedding!
Karen was recommended by our wedding photographers because she was very well known to be a very organized wedding coordinator and boy! They were right!!! We also hired her as a wedding planner at a good reasonable price. She made sure every month that we are on top of things for our wedding. Our main form of wedding planning organization was her google excel. Up until the day of the wedding, I use her google excel to make sure of our timeline/schedule/things to do. I am usually a type of person who is a perfectionist who tends to get anxious on even the smallest details if it wasn't done right. I know she is a good one when I found myself just enjoying our wedding the whole day through. She executed all of our ideas as a couple into our wedding. She is such a gem and a good investment for our wedding! Thank you so much Karen!!! -
Cheryl Sent on 09/04/2018Hiring Aficial Events as a day-of coordinator was one of the best decisions we made when planning our wedding. Her services went beyond day-of, it began when I was searching for a coordinator and Karen was very responsive over the phone and with email, met us in person to understand what we wanted and provided information on other vendors, gave us some ideas and helped execute my vision with perfection!
Karen was very professional and coordinated with all the various vendors I hired to make sure every detail was in place. We were able to enjoy ourselves without worrying about the details as she discretely kept us on schedule and guided us throughout the day. Everything flowed so smoothly from beginning to end. Karen, you're the best...thank you for helping to make our day truly amazing! -
-
Anna Sent on 01/15/2020
Karen is calm, collected, and kind- everything you'd want in a planner :)
I was introduced to Karen through another wedding planner who was not available on our wedding date. We're so so happy that we ended up working with Karen to put together our dream wedding. She is absolutely amazing, both as a person and at the job.
We decided to hire Karen as a full-on planner because at the time I was living abroad, working full time, and long-distance with my fiance while trying to plan the wedding. I was very stressed out trying to choose the venue and other things from abroad, but Karen's calm energy helped me figure out what I needed to do and move forward with confidence.
She understood that we are a young couple paying for our own wedding, and therefore on a budget. At the same time, she did a great job of explaining aspects of the wedding that we might want to invest more money in. But we never felt pressured into doing anything we didn't want to do.
One of the most important things for us was that our wedding was inclusive of everyone. We didn't want to feel pressured to do any typical American wedding traditions, wanted to include our (Japanese and Korean) cultures in our own ways, didn't want to perpetuate gender stereotypes or heteronormativity etc. We met a few other wedding planners who were not sensitive to our concerns on this matter, so seeing how understanding and supportive Karen was made me feel so much better through the planning process.
We had a relatively small wedding (about 85 guests), so Karen's team consisted of herself and her husband, who we also hired as our officiant. Both of them are very kind and hardworking people. Our officiant personalized his speech to us and it was absolutely beautiful and made so many of our guests cry (of joy!).
This is a list of all the things Karen helped us with... and there may still be some other things missing.
Helped us find a venue and communicate with venue staff
Found vendors: Florist, makeup artist, photographers, Officiant (We found our own DJ, hair stylist but she made the list explaining what vendors to look for)
Printing (Mock invitation for photos, menu signs, seating chart, table games/QR code for speech translations)
Final venue walkthrough together
Rehearsal with officiant and family
Planned day-of timeline, and all the logistics that came with it
Communicated with venue for us when we realized we missed 1 person on the guest count
Decorations (set up and clean up)
Day-of coordination-- made sure everything happened on time, people were all where they needed to be
Kept us calm and happy through the whole process
We are so grateful to Karen and we'll miss working with her like we did over the last year :) -
Are you interested?
Are you interested?