Stacey Sent on 05/21/2022

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A+ Day of coordination was a must and wow did Anjie step up and handle it like the professional she is.

My daughters wedding was last Saturday and we hired Anjie as a day of coordinator. She was there more than just the day of abs went above and beyond that day to make my daughters wedding day the “best day ever”! Anjie put in a 15 hour day and was there for any and all things! She’s not only a great wedding planner but just an awesome person all around! I truly enjoyed working with her and she meshed so well with our family! Can’t recommend her enough and trust that you will enjoy working with her as much as we did!

Girlygoat123 Sent on 05/13/2022

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Great day-of coordinator

Anjie was awesome! I would highly recommend her as a day-of coordinator. She kept everything running SO smoothly. Thank you!

Blaine Sent on 01/17/2022

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Anjie Henry/Blue Canary Events

Don't think twice-hire Anjie now! She is amazing. Truly couldn't have imagined the day without her and her help. Not only is she fantastic at her job, she is a wonderful person! She went above and beyond what her job entailed. You need Anjie!!

Tricia Sent on 12/16/2021

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Rebecca was great to work with

Blue Canary, specifically Rebecca O'Donnell, were great to work with and extremely helpful while we navigated rescheduling our wedding due to COVID. Rebecca always had helpful advice and recommendations when we were stuck and had no idea what we were doing. She was on top of all the little details that we hadn't even thought of (who knew you needed a cake cutting song). Day of, she made sure everything ran smoothly and on time. There is no way things would have gone as well as they did without her assistance. We would recommend her to all of our family and friends.

Molly Sent on 10/01/2021

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Blue Canary/Anjie is the BEST!

If your budget allows for a coordinator, you will NOT regret going with Blue Canary and if you can get Anjie, even better. She truly is the VIP! We hired her as a month-of coordinator, but then the pandemic hit and we postponed twice. She helped us with so many things over the 2-year planning process, in addition to coordinating with our vendors the month before. When our wedding day finally arrived, Anjie ran our rehearsal, then took care of all of the little details on our wedding day - including setting up and taking down all of the decor, bringing us drinks, having us stay on track with timing and being on top of every little thing. She is truly amazing! AND I didn't see her get flustered once, I mean wow. She took care of everything, which allowed us to really sit back and enjoy. We couldn't be more thankful for her and her services!!!

Irene Sent on 08/03/2020

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Great experience with Rebecca O'Donnell

Our wedding was a fusion of two cultures - South Indian and American. Rebecca held it all together across our many vendors, kept the whole event moving in a timely manner and held true to our requests, even if other vendors forget. Would completely recommend her over & over again!

Kim L. Sent on 12/15/2019

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Wow! We Couldn't Be More Impressed!

My daughter's wedding was at Mt. Harmon Plantation, a beautiful historic mansion on the Sassafras River in Cecil County. It was a big property and the event was spread out over 3 locations. The wedding was on the lawn in front of the house, the cocktail hour was in the Boxwood Garden behind the house and the reception was in a tent up on a hill by the carriage house. These 3 locations were far enough apart, that managing all the details and ensuring that everything ran smoothly was difficult at best. Our wedding planner was the owner of the company, Anjie Henry and she was outstanding! In addition to the size of the property, there were other unforeseen circumstances that made Anjie's job even more difficult. Anjie was professional, efficient, competent, and thorough, all while maintaining a smile on her face! She saw to every detail and anticipated some issues that we would never have thought of . Everything about the day was perfect and much of that was due to Anjie!
Not only was our day everything we could have hoped for, but the planning process the month leading up to the wedding was so much easier because Anjie was involved. Our wedding was over 200 people and we had to rent almost everything we needed for the event. Anjie helped us coordinate all of the details, and she was available to chat or help with concerns anytime something came up.
Overall, our experience was very positive and we truly can't say enough about Anjie and Blue Canary Events. Our daughter's wedding was a huge success and we could never have pulled it off without Anjie and her expertise!

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Michelle Sent on 08/17/2019

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Worry free wedding day!

Anjie at Blue Canary Events was amazing to work with. She was my month of coordinator and made sure every detail was settled. She called each vendor and made sure each vendor knew exactly what to do so I didn’t have to spend all month on the phone. She worked seamlessly with my photographer and band to make sure everyone was working together. She made necessary adjustments to make the day perfect! I recommend this company 1000%

Marisa Sent on 07/07/2019

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Couldn't have done it without Anjie!

In an attempt to save money, I had planned to attempt everything myself. At the request of the groom (who wasn't much interested in planning) I gave in, and we opted to hire a wedding planner for the 'month of' services. I spoke with a number of planners, and Anjie seemed friendly, approachable, and unfazed by our nontraditional idea, and even lack of a clear picture of what we wanted. Even prior to the month of, she would reach out to see if we had any questions, needed recommendations, advice, etc. She was able to help us avoid a few disasters (we didn't even THINK that getting a bus might be difficult, and had planned on doing that last, until Anjie pointed out it was prom, graduation, and Preakness weekend!!) Furthermore, I ended up with pneumonia about a month before our wedding. Anjie put together a timeline for us, took care of details, and asked us to look it over (which I didn't, I just told her it looked great!!!) Needless to say, it was. When some things then came up on the day of, Anjie went with it, kept everyone informed, and everything went smoothly! We couldn't have done it without her, and would recommend her without reservation to anyone looking for a month of planner... and even to those who aren't! :)

Matt Sent on 04/15/2019

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Fun, VERY HELPFUL and focused/supportive

Blue Canary was amazing. Rebecca was responsive, hard-working, and SO HELPFUL. I was against a wedding planner at the start of the process, but it's hard to overstate what an amazing job she did. For example, we were overwhelmed with finding a venue (esp. at our price range), and she had a list of 10 places that were roughly in our price (some over, some under). We looked at them, figured out what we liked/didn't, and she came back with another list based on our feedback. I think we looked at around 25 places in the area overall, which was so helpful. She was also very helpful about keeping us moving and focused on the things that MUST get done.
She was also our day-of coordinator, and there were several issues that we only heard about after she had dealt with them (smoothly, quickly, and without an hassle). She was amazing!
She also seems to know everyone in the wedding business, which was great for working with vendors. Lots of long-time friends there!

Kai Sent on 09/20/2018

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OUTSTANDING!! It was a real pleasure working with Ryan and Delaney on our wedding day! They made quite the impression on our guests, as several of them said it was the best run wedding they had ever had the pleasure of attending. Both my wife and I plan events as part of our job responsibilities, and it could have been easy to say "Let's try this on our own". But having Ryan, helped fill in all the gaps and details we would have missed. He was so completely and thoroughly prepared, and program timing was exceptional. My wife had an early mishap with her dress train getting stained from walking during our first look, and Ryan and his team had it cleaned and crisp before the ceremony. Last but not least, Ryan's buoyant personality, and infectious smile, make it impossible to not to have fun working with him! Whoever has the pleasure of working with Ryan and his Blue Canary Team in the future, will be gaining a new friends. Ryan, Delaney, thank you.

All our love,
Kai & Lindsey

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B Sent on 11/02/2017

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Rebecca O'Donnell is AMAZING! She took over our wedding from our initial planner who is expecting a child. She picked everything up and just ran with it. She is incredibly detail-oriented, but her best quality is that she's very honest. She'll tell you her advice and opinion, but then always respects your decisions and does everything in her power to make your vision happen. She is a great choice! Rebecca, we love you!

Julia Sent on 07/12/2017

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We absolutely loved working with Felicia from Blue Canary! We had initially hired a different coordinator from Blue Canary, but when she unexpectedly had to move for a new job, Blue Canary offered us the chance to switch to Felicia. At first, we were nervous about switching to a new person only a few months out from our wedding date, but Felicia was so professional and immediately put us at ease. Felicia took care of so many details in the month leading up to the wedding and on the big day- everything from setting out table decorations to picking up 150 cupcakes to cleaning up flowers at the end of the night. She was a calming presence who made us feel so confident that our special day would run smoothly. Felicia is a big reason that our wedding turned out just as we hoped and imagined! I would highly recommend Felicia and Blue Canary to anyone planning a wedding in the DC area!

User2958047 Sent on 01/24/2017

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My husband and I cannot say enough good things about Rebecca from Blue Canary Events. She was responsive, helpful, accommodating, and most of all made us feel calm and organized. We never worried that we had forgotten something because we knew Rebecca always had our backs. And she wasn’t afraid to be honest with us, so if we had an idea that wasn’t going to work, she explained why and always had a better alternative. Rebecca would also respond within minutes to our MANY emails, and never ever made us feel like we were bothering her. We hired Rebecca as our wedding coach for our May 2016 wedding, and her vendor referrals were such a help! We loved everyone we worked with and never felt like we were being taken advantage of. Plus, Rebecca went above and beyond her contracted responsibilities and really helped guide us through the whole process. We couldn’t believe how smoothly everything went at our wedding and it was all thanks to Rebecca’s excellent planning. Not to mention that she managed to pull our wedding together flawlessly while planning her own wedding at the same time! We cannot recommend Rebecca or Blue Canary Events more highly!

Sarah Sent on 01/13/2017

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We hired Rebecca 0'Donnell as our wedding planner to work with us on our wedding prep all the way up to the big day. She was indispensable and worth every penny! It helped so much to know that there was a professional keeping us on track, who was there for help, suggestions, advice, tips, moral support, etc. Rebecca helped us with the big projects and then we tackled the smaller projects ourselves with her guidance. She also emailed us monthly to-do lists, so we could feel like we were on target and accomplished, getting a manageable chunk of tasks completed each month. I honestly do not know how the wedding planning process would have gone without Rebecca and Blue Canary Events. Many of our guests said ours was one of the most beautiful, romantic, and well-planned weddings they had ever attended! Thank you, Rebecca!!!

Emilee Sent on 01/13/2017

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Rebecca at Blue Canary was our day-of-coordinator for our Chesapeake Bay wedding in October 2016. I can't express enough how much my husband and I are proud to say that we had her as the ringleader extraordinaire of our wedding day. She brings so much to the table. Not only does she have the best sense of humor, but she is a true professional. She is easily one of the hardest working people I have had the pleasure to work with. When Rebecca signs on to manage your event, she is all in. She takes care of every detail that is important to you and so much more that never would have crossed your mind.

You'll see repeated in all of the reviews on this page that the entire Blue Canary team are highly regarded in the DMV as being the best of the best. This is the opinion of countless couples before us, basically any vendor you talk to in the region, and of course, ourselves. They have their process down to a magical, seemingly effortless science. And yet, the company's approach still feels intimate and personal. Blue Canary's coordinators truly and deeply care about all of their clients, and I think that is just such a tremendous and wonderful attribute to share company-wide. All I can say is that I highly recommend saving room in your budget to hire Blue Canary. It will be the best money you spend on your day.

Grace Sent on 10/08/2016

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We had Anjie as our wedding coordinator and it was one of the best decisions we made. Our wedding was more than we could have ever imagined and it went off without a hitch because of Anjie. Anjie was a dream to work with - from helping us find vendors to sorting out complicated logistical issues to taking over the details of the day itself. On the wedding day itself, we were able to enjoy every moment of it because we knew that Anjie had every last detail taken care of. Beyond how good Anjie is at her job, she is also just an amazing person and that made all the difference. We can't thank Anjie enough.

Brian Sent on 09/30/2016

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Blue Canary (specifically Rebecca) provided day-of coordinator services for our wedding, and I can't emphasize enough how amazing Rebecca was and how much her incredible expertise, knowledge, organization, and level-headedness helped us not only on our wedding day, but also in the month leading up to the wedding. Without Rebecca, I really believe our wedding would've been something of a disaster. She was exceptionally thorough in creating a timeline and helped us consider and plan for literally dozens of things that we would've never thought about.

I won't lie, it was actually my wife that wanted to hire a wedding coordinator at the outset (I didn't see the value initially and figured we could handle it ourselves), but I was wrong. From our very first meeting with Rebecca, before we'd even hired her, she was already making suggestions and it was abundantly clear that we were working with someone who had immense knowledge about what needed to be done, along with a strong commitment to finding out exactly what we wanted to happen during our wedding. For lack of a better example, Rebecca was the artist who took our rough suggestions for a painting and made it into a beautiful finished product.

She also knew almost every one of our other vendors (she's got that much experience in weddings), and had a great rapport with all of them, which speaks volumes to the kind of work she does. Our experience with Rebecca was so great that we've since become friends with her.

I'd recommend Blue Canary, but specifically Rebecca, to anyone without hesitation.

Selam Sent on 05/31/2016

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Anjie was the perfect planner for us. We're both engineers, highly organized and probably pretty demanding :-) and she was definitely our perfect match. Highlights on why we loved her, in addition to just loving her personality:

1. OPEN MINDED. We met with a lot of planners before we met Anjie and found that some of them were stuck in the cookie cutter wedding traditions. We appreciated her open mindedness and enthusiasm for our unique ideas. In fact, she went way above and beyond to help us realize some of our ideas, like offering to receive air shipments of orchid leis from Hawaii for our guests and storing them in her refrigerator the night before our event. Who does that??? She never really felt like a vendor, she felt like an ally in helping us create and execute our perfect day.

2. ORGANIZED PROBLEM SOLVER. There was nothing that Anjie didn't anticipate and handle. She was the consummate problem solver. Need to cut the ribbon off your flowers 3 minutes before your ceremony starts? She's on it. Temperature suddenly shot up 30 degrees? She's on it. Guests show up awkwardly early? She's on it.

3. PROFESSIONAL. Everyone loved Anjie, from our multiethnic relatives who spoke little English, to our vendors (some more organized than others). In fact, when some of our vendors heard that we were working with Anjie, they expressed their relief and seemed more willing to work with us on some of our constraints.

Don't overthink this decision, you'll love working with Anjie and you need to preserve your brain cells for the millions of decisions you'll make over the next few months, like what shade of white you want your plates to be, lol. Good luck and have fun.

Anjie, we'll see you at our vow renewal planning meeting in 2026 :-)

Rebecca Sent on 05/24/2016

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We would not have been able to have the amazing wedding we had without Blue Canary Events. Anjie and Laura (with help from Cassie) took care of EVERYTHING, including things I hadn't even thought of. They kept popping up throughout the day, just when I would start to worry about something, and solve whatever the problem was (or, more often, have already solved it). They made decisions for me when I just couldn't even deal with them on the day of the wedding (inside or outside with the crazy weather!), and executed plans perfectly. And they dealt with the 8 billion kids we had in our wedding very smoothly, and the kids all loved them! They worked closely with our florist to ensure that the reception area looked beautiful, including consistently relighting candles and putting things back up that were blown over by the INSANE wind!!! And at the end of the night, somehow they took care of everything and got it in one place so that it was an easy load up the next day. This team is AMAZING, and I can not recommend them enough!

Liz Sent on 02/17/2016

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We engaged Rebecca from Blue Canary as the "Month of" Coordinator for our wedding. Initially, we didn't think a wedding planner was necessary, but my Mom convinced me and my husband and I agree it was absolutely the right decision and great value for the money. We had already picked most of vendors by the time we started working with Rebecca, but she was really helpful in providing suggestions on DJs, hair and make-up (both companies and specific stylists she had worked with). In the months leading up to the wedding, Rebecca was always available on email for a quick question and she was our go-to resource on all things wedding. There are ton of little things that you don't realize go into making a wedding and Rebecca made every detail was covered - from the day of timeline to the placement of tables at the reception to the moving of all the photos and signs from our hotel to the reception and back. And when things didn't go right - Rebecca was cool under pressure. We got stuck in a elevator right before our ceremony and Rebecca was immediately contacting the fire department and venue staff to get us out and calling her assistant coordinator to make sure our guests were informed of the issue at that right time. Our timeline for the night obviously got pushed back, but Rebecca handled it all gracefully and she made sure we had plenty of time to eat, drink, dance, and just enjoy our wedding. Rebecca also really got the more interpersonal part of wedding planning/coordinating. She made a point to understand all the various family dynamics and made it her top priority both right before and the day of the wedding to make sure my husband and I were stress-free and not dealing with logistical questions from our guests. You end up spending a lot of time with your coordinator and Rebecca was fun person to hang out with too! Rebecca was a great coordinator and I would recommend her and the Blue Canary team to anyone that wants to fully enjoy their wedding day!

Laurie Sent on 10/19/2015

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Rebecca at Blue Canary came recommended to us by a friend, and she completely exceeded every one of our expectations. We booked her about a year in advance, and during the next 12 months she responded promptly and helpfully to every email we sent, from photographer recommendations to worries over how big our wedding party should be. She has an extensive knowledge of DC vendors and is 100% committed to using her experience to help create the wedding that YOU want. Everything on our wedding day went perfectly, thanks to Rebecca and her assistants coordinating with all our vendors, keeping the schedule on track, setting up (and cleaning up!) all our DIY displays, and delivering us cocktails :) And on top of all this, she is a warm, lovely person with an awesome sense of humor about everything. I can't recommend her, and the others at Blue Canary Events, highly enough!!

Dave Sent on 10/09/2015

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We knew from the very start that we had a perfect fit with Anjie Henry as coordinator for our Big Day. As we found with several of our vendors, in her we feel that we gained not just a pro – but an actual friend as well.

Even a seasoned pro at times can be daunted by the literally hundreds of moving pieces and mishmash of various personalities that must come together and align perfectly for a drama-free wedding. But she expertly tackled each hiccup that arose and ensured that our day was seamless from start to finish – so well that we never even learned of most of the obstacles until two weeks later when we returned from our honeymoon.

Anjie went out of her way to be accommodating throughout the planning period, she worked well with every member of our wedding party and offered us plenty of great ideas to help achieve the vision we had. So that by the time our day finally arrived, we were relaxed and fully confident that our event was in good hands. We knew beyond any doubt that we would have the best outcome possible with the circumstances we had, and that no one could have done it any better. And that’s the very best you can hope for, from any wedding coordinator. Well done, Anjie!

Kat Sent on 07/07/2015

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I can say with certainty that without Rebecca's professional, responsive, open, and spot-on guidance, our wedding would not have been a fraction of what it was. When we met Rebecca for the first time, we had already gathered most of our vendors and needed some help bringing it all together. With my busy work schedule, and less than 6 months to go, we needed someone experienced and trustworthy to bring it all together. The "month-of" planning package was right up our alley. Not only was the price right, but even before the "month-of," we could reach out to her by email for anything-- recommendations, advice, opinions-- and get a response in minutes. When our ceremony musicians quit with only a month to go, Rebecca sprung into action, and we had a variety of excellent new groups to choose from. The day of, not only did everything go wonderfully due to Rebecca's expert handling, she took care of everything so me, my husband, and our family could relax and enjoy the day. Rebecca just simply rocks.

Liz Sent on 12/29/2014

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Finding ourselves in a rut with all of the day-of details, we contacted Blue Canary Events 3 weeks before our wedding. Anjie was available for the day of our wedding and was amazing to work with. She helped us to coordinate our rehearsal and created a timeline for the entire day. She also took over setting up all of the little ceremony and rehearsal odds and ends (e.g. favors, aisle runner, rings, etc.) Anjie truly made the entire process go smoothly.

Anjie was very communicative all throughout the process. She was very organized, extremely professional, extremely upbeat, and was a calming force during the last-minute jitters and wedding gown hem disaster. We could not have done it without her. We highly recommend Anjie to anyone!

User1947226 Sent on 12/02/2014

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Blue Canary Events’ Rebecca Dick was fantastic; she genuinely seemed excited to help plan our wedding. Our event had multiple locations and many moving parts, and everything went off with only one hitch—us! The day flowed exactly as planned, with buses, trolleys and vendors coming from every part of the DMV. We had a priest, a rabbi and an accordion player—all the makings of a joke; however, the expertise displayed by Rebecca kept us from being the family laughingstock. The ceremony took place on the National Mall, at the D.C. War Memorial, which is located near the MLK and Lincoln memorials. Well, the date we picked was right smack in the middle of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington events, which increased the traffic and headache associated with planning. However, all parts moved smoothly; we were largely unaffected. Now it's just a cool story—our wedding coinciding with such a major event—and added to the fun for out of town guests, of which there were many. With all potential complications involved, it was a miracle that nothing major happened. That is truly a testament to the work of Rebecca. She prepared a detailed timeline, and we stuck to it. She kept our riled up families in line; even the naysayers, who felt like the whole thing would blow up in our faces, were giddy after the party ended. Rebecca worked with us about a month before, gathering up all the vendor information and making sure everyone involved was in place. She joked with us and kept things lighthearted, which was a huge thing for me—a classic worrywart and people pleaser. I was able to enjoy what was happening without being hampered by what could go wrong. I also don't know how she did it, but Rebecca somehow wrangled the typically sticky and insufferable D.C. August weather. That particular late August day was gorgeous—sunny, low 80s, with no humidity. Perfection. We had some tiny snafus with a missing check and a drunk photographer, but Rebecca handled those. Hire her!

Margaret Sent on 11/28/2014

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My fiance and I had found a place to have our wedding and they provided us with a list of vendors they suggested working with, one of which was Blue Canary. I had contacted several wedding planners on the list, but only Blue Canary offered to meet with me and my husband in person, before we had even hired them, which I felt was really helpful! We met with Rebecca, who we found very easy to talk to, knowledgeable and enthusiastic and knew that she would be the perfect person to help plan our wedding. She was there for us every set of the way--from picking the band and the caterer to the cake tasting to dealing with the crazy church lady at the rehearsal to even running by the store to buy champagne on the day of the wedding because I forgot to bring it to the hotel! Her attention to detail and desire for perfection is what makes Rebecca (and the events she plans) so incredible. Our day went off without a hitch and I have her to thank for that! I would highly recommend Blue Canary (and Rebecca specifically)!!

Jillian Sent on 10/20/2014

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We used Anjie for a customized month and day of package. We didn’t think we needed a wedding planner, but looking back we have no idea what we would have done without her! Anjie is positive, organized, professional, and she always made us feel at ease. She was available to answer our questions, give recommendations, and to meet with us in person whenever we needed. She listened and had an excellent sense of who we are and what we wanted.

Anjie helped us create the perfect day that was a true reflection of “us.” She coordinated with all of our vendors to make a seamless timeline for the wedding day. Anjie was a lifesaver – she stepped in and solved multiple unexpected problems for us – from a bridal gown that didn’t fit two days before the wedding, to missing bouquets and boutonniers literally minutes before our ceremony. All of our vendors loved working with Anjie and our family and friends adored her too. We’d absolutely recommend that any bride and groom add “hire Anjie” to their list of wedding planning “must dos.”

Beth Sent on 08/26/2014

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Ryan Hayes was the wedding planner for my daughter's wedding and he was amazing. He went above and beyond the call of duty and the terms of our contract to make the entire wedding weekend go smoothly. I can't begin to tell you how very fortunate we feel that we found him. Everyone who participated in the wedding and attended the wedding at every venue over the course of the weekend shared with us what a pleasure he was, so gracious and spot on at every turn, through rain and sunshine. He handled every thing thrown his way and guided my daughter and now son-in-law through the planning and execution of a beautiful wedding. The Cathedral staff appreciated our having him and all involved would recommend him without reservation. I don't write reviews but our experience with Ryan Hayes at Blue Canary Special Events made it necessary in this case.

User1738429 Sent on 07/29/2014

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Rebecca Dick was my month-of coordinator (along with one assistant, Anjie, on our wedding day). Rebecca was super responsive to my emails, and provided helpful guidance/solutions/tips in response to my concerns. One month prior to the wedding, Rebecca took over all vendors correspondence to alleviate stress for me. She's detail oriented, thoughtful and incredibly fun to be around. I couldn't have done it without her!

Trish Sent on 10/27/2013

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We hired Blue Canary for our wedding and got paired with Rebecca for the "wedding coach" services. She is fantastic! She was also the only wedding planner that actually wanted to meet with us in person. The other wedding coordinators just wanted to chat on the phone. One of them even stood up our phone meeting. After meeting Rebecca, we felt like she really cared about helping us and was really enthusiastic about the wedding!

She provided us with really good vendor recommendations and really understood our personal style. So the venue, the photographer, the caterer were all perfect! Everything went soo smoothly - I know I had a lot of requests when it came to the decor and the order of events and the wedding was even better than I imagined it. She worked really hard and put in a lot of hours to help me achieve my wedding vision. It was so much fun brainstorming and putting stuff together. We are so thankful to have had her there!

Since we were having a large-ish wedding (160+ guests), we had other day-of assistants and they were all super nice and friendly!

User1380487 Sent on 10/15/2013

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Rebecca was unbelievably good. We live in Pittsburgh but were married in DC. She made wonderful referrals, had all the right opinions, sure of herself without being pushy, funny and smart. A great experience and we could not recommend her highly enough.

David Sent on 09/15/2013

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Working with Rebecca at Blue Canary was perhaps the best wedding related decision we made (other than the actual decision to get married). From the moment we first met her, we knew we wanted her to be our planner. She was down-to-earth, incredibly organized, friendly, and very receptive to our views. Her taste in vendors was impeccable, and very much matched our taste. In fact, the one non-Rebecca approved vendor fell through, and she was able to find a new person to fill in very last minute. Throughout the planning process, she kept us on track and gave us very clear projects when we weren't sure what to tackle next. She advocated for us when our wedding site became somewhat difficult, and dealt with difficult family members (at our request) in a very professional and no-nonsense kind of way. I was actually quite sad when the wedding process was over because it meant having less contact with her. I recommend Rebecca and Blue Canary wholeheartedly, and without any reservations.

Hosai Sent on 09/03/2013

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I hired Blue Canary for Month of Wedding Coordination. I was very lucky to be paired up with Anjie. She is organized, professional, pleasant, punctual, responsive, and gets the job done. I work with people and I know how difficult it is to work with different personalities and get the job done well. Anjie has an amazing talent to do the above with such grace and professionalism. Multiple vendors told me about how they really liked working with her. One vendor mentioned, "Anjie is so great to work with. She is a great reflection of the bride, and makes other vendors want to go above and beyond for you." I thought that just spoke for itself.

T Sent on 06/06/2013

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Tori was my wedding planner and she was truly God sent! I was planning my wedding from 3 hours away, had guests coming from over 5 different countries and I was in school so I was too busy to really do anything. Tori worked closely with my Mom and all the vendors to make sure everything was perfect! I even through some vendors into the mix last minute and she made everything look like it had been planned a year in advance. We had over 300 guests and everything went so incredibly smoothly, all I had to do was show up! If you are apprehensive about the value of having a planner, I can tell you Tori's work with far exceed your expectations and is worth every dime!

Gillian Sent on 01/16/2013

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I wish I could give blue canary 10 stars! We worked with Rebecca and my husband and I still say DAILY how amazing she was and how the wedding would have been so stressful without her. More than that - I not consider Rebecca a friend and I am thrilled to say that. She was helpful, my voice of reason, my cheerleader during frustrating planning times and I could count on her for anything. When I had wacky bridal ideas Rebecca talked me off the ledge and when I had crazy visions Rebecca helped make them come true. This is by far the best value of our entire day. We did only a partial planning package but from start to finish we would have paid double for our fantastic experience. Rebecca answered every question and thought of every problem that could go wrong and fixed them without me even knowing about it. I know that without her the months leading up to the wedding would have been hectic and overwhelming instead of exciting and fun!

Katie Sent on 01/03/2013

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We met Rebecca Dick from Blue Canary Events when she was the planner at a friend's wedding last year. She was highly recommended to me so when I contacted Blue Canary for a month-of planner and they put me in contact with Rebecca, I was thrilled! She did not disappoint! Rebecca was wonderful and helped our wedding (rehearsal, ceremony, reception) go off without a hitch! We first met with Rebecca about 6 months before our wedding to discuss the "month-of" process in detail and to give her a sense of what we wanted our wedding to be. She gave us honest advice and was always available via email to answer questions from the day we booked with her. A month from the wedding, we went to dinner with Rebecca and discussed a timeline, seating chart, the rehearsal, decorations, and every detail that we would have totally forgot about. She took our list of venders off of our hands and dealt with them from then on. She came to our house to get our wedding stuff (programs, centerpieces, decorations, etc) the week before the wedding and we finalized the timeline and last minute details. When our wedding day finally came, Rebecca was an integral part of everything running smoothly. She kept everyone on track and made sure everything and everyone was where it was supposed to be! She set up the reception site beautifully, it was everything I imagined! When the reception ended, she boxed up all our extra alcohol, centerpieces, cake topper, decorations, veil, etc and put them in my mother-in-law's car. She is wonderful! Basically, Rebecca Dick was an amazing planner and our wedding would not have been the same without her! If you are asking yourself if your really need a planner, talk to Rebecca from Blue Canary Events and your mind will be made up!

Kristin Sent on 07/08/2012

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Rebecca was my wedding planner and she was excellent. Her ideas were creative and she always went the extra mile to make sure we were happy.

Kathryn Sent on 11/26/2011

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Steve and I just got married on November 12th, 2011. Rebecca from Blue Canary was our month-of wedding coordinator. We initially heard of Blue Canary from a friend who had gotten married a year earlier and highly recommended their services.

When we reached out to Blue Canary, we were put in touch with Rebecca. Rebecca and I e-mailed back and forth, and I seriously "fell in love" with her over e-mail. It was clear that she had an awesome sense of humor. I joked to Steve that she was my e-mail best friend haha.

We met with Rebecca for the first time (at St. Elmo's coffee pub in Del Ray, VA), and we were thrilled! She gave us SO MANY useful suggestions - that spanned from where we should buy or beer and wine to what materials we should use for our chalkboard menus. We booked with her that night!

About a month before the wedding we met with her again - this time at Del Ray Pizza in Del Ray. We had dinner and talked with Rebecca for almost three hours! She was SO, SO INCREDIBLY helpful. She asked us thoughtful questions that helped us figure out what loose ends we needed to tie up (there were many more loose ends than we thought). Again, she gave us expert advice. She really has such a wealth of knowledge about weddings.

About a week before our wedding, Rebecca met with us at our venue to help create a floor plan and so much more. We were very appreciative, especially because she had to travel quite far to be there.

Now, onto the wedding day! Steve and I got married at a venue that did not have an on-site event coordinator. The venue was pretty much a blank slate. Therefore, a LOT of work needed to be done, in terms of setting up for the event, decorating, coordinating our rental equipment, caterer, etc. Rebecca went ABOVE AND BEYOND in every way. We also had a lot of special things we wanted to incorporate into our wedding day - inlcuding wish lanterns - and our friends planned a flash mob for us as a surprise. Rebecca and her team helped coordinate everything so it went off without a hitch. We were so INCREDIBLY THANKFUL for everything she did.

Steve and I paid for our wedding on our own, so we were very hesitant at first to invest in a wedding planner. However, I can honestly say that it was the best money we spent. Rebecca was funny, conscientious, and organized. She rose to every challenge we gave her, and she executed everything perfectly. We cannot say enough good things about her and Blue Canary - and we HIGHLY recommend them! Rebecca will make your dream wedding come true :-)

-Steve and Katie

Lisa Sent on 11/11/2011

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I have been putting off writing this review since my wedding (in June) because I truly don't know how to put on paper all the amazingness that is Rebecca Dick! A 5 out of 5 honestly just does not do her justice!

I can't speak for all the planners at Blue Canary, but if you have the chance to work with Rebecca, JUMP ON IT!!!!!!
In every way possible, Rebecca was an amazing source of help, knowledge, support, and fun. We booked Rebecca for the partial planning package and she went above and beyond anything I could have ever imagined. With my mother in NY and my husband's mother in KY (and me in graduate school full time), I honestly do not know how this wedding would have happened without Rebecca!!!!
She was incredibly responsive and communicative via email (which was what we needed)-- answering questions, sending pictures of ideas, and helping me tease out the vision of what we wanted (neither of us had any real clue what we were doing! - I was not a bride who had dreamed of her wedding and pictured every detail). Rebecca was able to help us find fantastic deals, was super mindful of our budget in all the decisions, and helped navigate the process so we were never taken advantage of -- she really is AMAZING (times a billion).

Rebecca "got" our vision so well that there was even a time she knew what I was talking about without me even being able to put it in words myself.

With Rebecca, I can honestly say that my wedding, to us, was PERFECT. She coordinated with the vendors (in a way that left me completely out of it -- taking one source of stress completely off my plate). I can't say enough how insanely lucky my husband and I feel that we had her on our team. Even my mother, who hadn't met Rebecca until the day before the wedding was ready to adopt her into the family! She is THE BEST!!!!

Marjorie Sent on 10/09/2011

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Tori Malby of Blue Canary was excellent. From the first time we met with her, she was tuned to what we wanted. Most importantly, she knew what we did not know and saw to every detail.

Weddings can be very stressful under the best of conditions, but it was a perfect day thanks to Tori.

Her recommended vendors were wonderful and as professional and attentive as she was. It was a wonderful experience, tough I do not plan to get married again I will certainly contact them again for other events.

I hightly recommend Tori and Blue Canary!

Meghan Sent on 07/26/2011

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I'm not sure where to start in reviewing Rebecca and Blue Canary - I can't count how many times I said during the planning process, "This is the best wedding expense, hands down," and that was true to the very end of our wedding reception and afterwards.

Rebecca is a fantastic planner AND friend, and I can't think of a better person to have in your corner when planning a wedding. Despite only being hired as a month-of planner, Rebecca was there for us from Day 1, from vendor recommendations and moral support to going way beyond the call of duty to back us up when a vendor wasn't living up to our expectations. When I walked into the wedding I was shocked at how well she had interpreted our vision into reality - everything looked 100% perfect, and any small fires that may have come up during the reception were put out without us ever getting involved.

We originally hired a month-of planner to really just help out with the complicated logistics of setting up and tearing down a largely DIY wedding at Glen Echo Park. While that was definitely worth the cost alone and I can't imagine having pulled off the wedding without Rebecca and her wonderful assistants, we also got way more than that - Rebecca was a consistent presence in the months leading up to the wedding, and seemed 100% excited to be involved - it never felt like just a job to her. She and her team helped make our wedding a reality when I really thought it probably wouldn't come together as I'd imagined, and she was a 100% pleasure to work with throughout. I'd hire her again tomorrow in a heartbeat!

Erin Sent on 06/21/2011

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Allison Ruyak, with Blue Canary Events was WONDERFUL. I got in touch with Allison and Blue Canary Events through a recommendation from a friend from college (who also has reviewed them below, thanks Kate!!) and I am SO GLAD I took her advice and used Allison to help us with our day of planning. She was SO helpful in the month leading up to the wedding. She was always so organized and on top of things. She basically took over everything I would have needed to do, the month leading up to the wedding. The day went off without a single hitch, or if it did, I didn't know about it! Everyone complimented me on how wonderful everything looked, sounded, smelled, tasted, and just came together, and it certainly would not have had it not been for Allison! Everyone also commented me on how wonderful she was specifically. Allison was so pleasant working with the wedding party, the vendors, our family, and everyone involved in the whole day. I cannot say enough about Allison and Blue Canary Events. She truly made the wedding of our dreams happen! Thank you, Allison!

Orialys Sent on 06/10/2011

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What would our wedding have been like without Rebecca and the Blue Canary Team? A disaster! Funny thing is we almost didn't hire a coordinator since of course we were way over budget. But after all the money we were spending to make our wedding everything we wanted but then not having someone to make sure that everything would actually happen, on time, and smoothly started to seem silly. Thank goodness we hired Rebecca!!

My wife and I are from Miami and we had a destination same sex-wedding in Washington, DC. We found Blue Canary on www.soyourengayged.com. Rebecca made a clear timeline up to the minute of our big day. During our last month, she took over all communication with all of our vendors. As soon as we hung up with her during our initial phone call, my wife and I felt an instant sigh of relief. A huge weight was immediately lifted off our shoulders. Rebecca thought of things that would have never crossed our minds. She was there whenever we needed her. She was always positive, extremely friendly and an absolute delight to work with. She even had our back when it came to little situations that come up with vendors. Rebecca and the company’s owner, Laura, went as far as looking into tax laws to make sure we were not being taken advantage of.

On the big day, Rebecca, Tori, and Allison (the intern) helped make our day go by like a dream come true. They were efficient and helped move us along throughout a very hectic and busy day moving us as scheduled from the Capitol to Georgetown to the ceremony, then back on the trolley to see the Lincoln memorial and the Capitol along the way back to our hotel for the party! They were there for us and everything moved very smoothly throughout the day and into the night. It was truly a like dream… our day was just that… a magical fairy tale.

I can not say enough about what a great expense, experience and difference Rebecca and the Blue Canary team made for us. We, honestly, love Rebecca. We are blessed to have had her part of the most special day of our lives and are both honored to now call her our friend.

User531346 Sent on 05/02/2011

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If you're wondering whether you need a wedding coordinator, you do. Because I had a small-ish wedding, I thought there was no way we needed a wedding coordinator plus two assistants, but I tell you, I don't know what we would have done without all the help. The day of the wedding was crazy, and my mind went blank.

Ryan at Blue Canary was so informative and helpful along the way. I knew that he would do a great job at the event. He provided me with countless websites with wholesale wedding goods. He always got back to me quickly and was great in managing last-minute crises. The post-wedding brunch was canceled three days before the event, and he found us another great spot that was arguably better than the place we had first booked. In addition, I sent him many emails asking who would take care of this and that and his answer was always that he would do it.

I'm VERY organized and Type A and Ryan met and exceeded my expectations, which is the best compliment I can give him. The whole day went beautifully. He balanced well making sure he was doing what I wanted and then independently making game-time decisions.

I was impressed with the services that Blue Canary provided. They set up and broke down the wedding decor. Ryan even transferred our table arrangements to the brunch the next day. He returned the leftover alcohol. He took care of all the loose ends.

I have nothing but great things to say about Blue Canary and Ryan @ Blue Canary. Highly recommended!!

Amanda Sent on 04/25/2011

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When planning my wedding I knew I wanted to do most of the planning myself and I had dozens of DIY projects that I crafted, but I knew that since I was working and going to school, AND planning a wedding I would need to enlist a little help. Enter: Laura from Blue Canary Events. We knew instantly after our first meeting with Laura that we needed to book her for our Month of Coordination! She is professional, organized, and incredibly friendly which puts any bride at ease. She came with dozens of great references and when it came to the "month-of" she dealt with every vendor personally, combining their questions into one email, so that my blackberry wasn't constantly erupting and I could focus on the big day. She thought of all the small details and questions to be answered so that when it came to the wedding day everything flowed seamlessly. In addition, on the "day of" she executed the timeline she helped us create without a hitch, organized our huge bridal party perfectly, communicated with every coming and going vendor, and still had time to set up all my little projects and create the perfect dessert table/candy bar - which exceeded my expectations. Most importantly, Laura is the sweet and calming presence that every bride needs around on her day, but she also has the follow-through that every bride wants on her day!

Lauren Sent on 11/03/2010

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Allison is such a gem! She is worth her weight in gold. She was so professional, organized, courteous, and genuine. She kept me true to the timeline on my wedding day as it went by so quickly. More importantly, both moms were able to relax and enjoy the day without worrying about anything. Allison took care of me, and those around me, and truly can't thank her enough. I highly recommend her!

Nicole Sent on 10/08/2010

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Wish helped our overly detailed event seem effortless to us and our guests. It felt relaxed, looked wonderful and tasted/smelled delicious. Our wedding felt like a MUCH fancier affair than it was and I don't think it would have felt that way without Rebecca's (from Wish) keen eye, hard work and thoughtful approach. Wish is the best decision a bride can make!

Casey Sent on 08/18/2010

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Rebecca is amazing. She was not only my planner, but also became a friend I could rely on during the process. She told me exactly what she thought, used humor to calm down situations, and kept everyone smiling. She was on top of everything. We hired Wish for a FULL wedding package, and-trust me- they delivered. I only knew of one mishap the entire wedding, and it was not a thing my planner could control- later I found out how many situations Rebecca diffused and took care of- before anyone noticed. I am thankful for hiring them and for what Rebecca did. I got the biggest gift of all- I could actually enjoy our day and dance at our reception.

Hallie Sent on 08/17/2010

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Rebecca was our "day of" planner for our July 18, 2009, wedding at Glen Echo. She was with us, however, every step of the way leading up to the big day, but for no other reason than the fact that she loves what she does!

Where do we being in singing Rebecca's praises? She is the most organized person we've ever met; off-the-charts creative; an excellent source of knowledge and a sounding board for questions we had about music, food, favors; an absolute sweetheart; patient; passionate; hardworking; funny; extremely responsive; the adjectives go on and on...Over the past year we've relived our wedding night and still cannot think of a single thing that didn't go as planned, mainly because of Rebecca! We are so grateful to Rebecca and to Wish for helping to make our wedding day absolutely magical!

Erika Sent on 07/26/2010

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Allison was our day-of coordinator. She was a good resource during the planning process. On the day of the wedding, she demonstrated professionalism and kept things moving smoothly and efficiently. She helped to make our wedding day a huge success!

Kinley Sent on 07/23/2010

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Laura and Rebecca were fantastic, consummate professionals who handled every detail of my day. My husband and I didn't worry a bit; they took care of final payments, tips, room arrangement, timing, and follow up to make sure that all vendors were satisfied after the wedding. For day-of coordination, you can't go wrong. I don't know what we would have done without them!!

Kate Sent on 06/28/2010

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Allison Ruyak at Wish Special Events was our day of coordinator and was simply fantastic. I have quite the type A personality and have a very "I'd rather do it myself so that I know it will be done right" attitude, but I had full confidence in Allison from day one. Allison was always on top of things (and usually one step ahead!), was quick to respond to my questions and help with any and every little thing I needed in the few months leading up to the wedding, and was SO incredibly helpful in connecting with all my vendors and making sure they all knew what to do and where to go on the day of the event. At the rehearsal and the wedding, she did an amazing job keeping everything running smoothly and was beyond organized. My fiance and I didn't have to worry about a thing, and if anything went wrong we never knew about it! We truly could not have pulled off such an event without her, and the money we spent on her day-of coordination services was worth every penny (and more). I really can't say enough good things about Allison and Wish Special Events!

Melanie Sent on 06/22/2010

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EXCEPTIONAL service. From the first time I met with Laura Auer from Wish, I knew our wedding would be in good hands! I am totally type A and was a control freak about my wedding details, but on the big day, I knew I could relax and not worry about a thing because Laura would take care of it all! I had a lot of special details... DIY projects and little touches... and Laura took care of them and made them look gorgeous as if they were her own! For favors, I had bought a bunch of vintage cake stands to display different flavors of Macarons. Laura set up the table and made it look 1,000,000 times more beautiful than I ever could have imagined! Laura was calm and collected throughout the whole day, which helped me stay calm. Wish Special Events goes above and beyond what you would expect and does it at a very reasonable price. A++++++++++

Dianna Sent on 06/04/2010

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Allison Ruyak was my day of coordinator and we had an amazing connection. She knew exactly what I needed at any given time and all of her help was amazing. She would reply to my emails and phone calls the same day and make sure that whatever I needed was on track. She dealt with all my vendors and made a timeline so we were all perfect and on time. She was the first person I saw when I got to the church and the last person I said good bye too. The company provided quick reciepts and quick responses with everything! We had a few drama moments at our wedding and we all agreed we couldn't have done it without her.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ALLISON! YOU WERE AMAZING!

Neely Sent on 06/04/2010

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I wish I could give Laura and her crew 10 stars for each category. Laura Auer was our wedding planner and she did the best job! We thoroughly enjoyed our planning process and the day of coordination was spot on. She helped us plan the wedding of our dreams and the day of was amazing. Laura made our dream wedding possible and we can't thank her enough. I would recommend Wish Special Events to any bride-to-be!

Noel Sent on 05/28/2010

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I also hired a professional photographer so I requested that Elaine be there for touch ups throughout the wedding. She made sure that my makeup was flawless! I have dark circles under my eyes, but she made those disappeared and even made my eyes looked brighter! My photos came out so well and I couldn’t be happier with her skills and expertise. I got married about 6 months ago but till this day my girlfriends still compliment me on how great I looked on my wedding day and I have the photos to remember!

Robert Sent on 05/27/2010

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I called and met with Laura. Right off the bat, she had great ideas that helped us shape our wedding. It was her idea that motivated us to create an awesome wedding! At the last minute, we decided to hire a day of wedding coordinator and Laura put us in touch with Allison who truly ensured that our wedding was the best that we could ever imagine. She is amazing and did an incredible job with our wedding. I'm not sure what we would have done without her. It is because of Allison that everything flowed and more importantly we didn't have to worry about anything. We didn't worry about anything because she handled it well and to perfection. If anything went wrong, we didn't find out about it because she handled it. Allison contacted all of our vendors ahead of time and she made sure everyone was on the same page. During the wedding, Allison made sure it all ran smoothly. Allison was always there, a step ahead and ensuring that everything went off as we planned. Our wedding was exactly the way we envisioned it and then some! I have to admit, at first I wasn't going to hire a planner but I was completely wrong. Both Laura and Allison are fantastic to work with and truly know the wedding business. They are very responsive and highly organized!! I can't say enough about them and their work. It is well worth the money and I highly recommend them! Thank you Wish Special Events!!!

Julia Sent on 02/15/2010

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Wish Special Events worked really hard to make my day as beautiful and flawless as possible. Thank you! I knew that every event has it's unexpected things, but Wish (specifically Rebecca) was there to make sure that I didn't have to be bothered. She found solutions that worked and I never even noticed!

Knowing that I had someone to lean on for making decisions during the planning and making sure everyone was in their place on the wedding day made my day go smoothly.

Beth Sent on 01/27/2010

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Ryan Hayes was the absolute perfection of wedding planning. He would have things I wouldn't have even thought of done...brilliantly. Our wedding day was beautiful and stress-free thanks to him. We never had to worry about any moment. Our guests were raving throughout the ceremony and reception. Everyone wanted to know who Ryan was and when they could book him for their event. Thank you so much!!!!

Carol Sent on 01/06/2010

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Everything was great, couldn't ask for a better experience.

Ryan is a kick ass wedding planner!!

Aly Sent on 12/31/2009

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Ryan Hayes is the man! He was awesome enough to do "day of" wedding planning for my husband and I, and we couldn't have been more impressed! My husband and I planned every tiny detail of our wedding ceremony and reception- and Ryan executed them both perfectly! He didn't even blink when our picturesque Maine beach wedding turned into a good old fashioned New England Nor' Easter- and again didn't blink when I told him we were still getting married outside, as planned. He effortlessly directed the show in his immaculate (rain drenched) suit, and kept everything running on schedule! We had many moving pieces to our wedding- trolleys to transport our guests from the hotel to the ceremony site and again to the tented reception, another trolley for the wedding party, 2 flower girls and a baby in a wagon to wrangle for the ceremony, wedding pictures in between the ceremony and reception, introductions of the wedding party and family...Not to mention the set up in the tent that took place the day before and morning of the wedding! Lanterns were hung perfectly! Candles lit and romantically flickering as we entered! Parents wedding pictures placed beside our wedding cake- we literally had a billion details such as these that Ryan made happen! I would recommend Ryan Hayes to anyone planning an event- he certainly made our wedding day everything we dreamed it would be and more. We will be forever thankful to him.

Anna Sent on 12/22/2009

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Probably the most important thing I did was hire a day of wedding coordinator. I called and met with Laura. Right off the bat, she had great ideas that helped us shape our wedding. It was her idea that motivated us to create an awesome wedding! At the last minute, we decided to hire a day of wedding coordinator and Laura put us in touch with Allison who truly ensured that our wedding was the best that we could ever imagine. She is amazing and did an incredible job with our wedding. I'm not sure what we would have done without her. It is because of Allison that everything flowed and more importantly we didn't have to worry about anything. We didn't worry about anything because she handled it well and to perfection. If anything went wrong, we didn't find out about it because she handled it. Allison contacted all of our vendors ahead of time and she made sure everyone was on the same page. During the wedding, Allison made sure it all ran smoothly. Allison was always there, a step ahead and ensuring that everything went off as we planned. Our wedding was exactly the way we envisioned it and then some! I have to admit, at first I wasn't going to hire a planner but I was completely wrong. Both Laura and Allison are fantastic to work with and truly know the wedding business. They are very responsive and highly organized!! I can't say enough about them and their work. It is well worth the money and I highly recommend them! Thank you Wish Special Events!!!

Holly Sent on 12/08/2009

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we worked with cristin and she is truly amazing!! first of all, i didn't think i really needed a day-of planner but my mom thought it was a good idea and it was indeed fabulous! cristin was awesome in the truest sense of the word!! from the moment i met her, i knew we were a good match and it only got better from there. we couldn't have done it without her and i know people say that all the time, but this is the absolute truth. cristin created a timeline that made the whole day run smoothly and she always knew what needed to be done and did it! she had quick, helpful responses to emails, creative suggestions, and is a great communicator -- even scheduling phone calls around the world series games :-). she went above and beyond and jumped in whenever necessary, especially when our flower girl needed some coaxing down the aisle. cristin made our wedding a success and i recommend her as highly as i can! i "wish" i knew someone getting married so i could send them to cristin at wish. you need cristin and a day of planner! it is the best money we spent!

Melissa Sent on 12/07/2009

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Ryan Michael Hayes served as our wedding coordinator/event architect for our September 2008 wedding in Seattle, Washington. He artfully, skillfully and professionally led our wedding plans, answered our etiquette questions and allayed our fears throughout the planning process. Ryan was always available by phone or email 24/7 which was helpful. Additionally, Ryan led our wedding spectacularly despite not having seen the venue or worked with our vendors in advance, as the wedding was over 3,000 from home. He drove to pick up linens, returned flowers and many other wedding errands without a hint of stress.

The day prior to our wedding, Ryan led a rehearsal that was concise and on-target. Day of, everything went perfectly- and if there were any snafu�s, we certainly had no idea. He led the vendors, caterers and guests in a flawless event. He even wove in a huge fireworks celebration that was not part of our event, INTO our wedding so well that the guests were wowed we organized the fireworks in celebration of our wedding. I would highly recommend him to anyone planning an event, celebration or wedding.

Maura Sent on 11/25/2009

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Ryan Hayes coordinated my New Year's Eve wedding last year. He was absolutely amazing!!! I could not have asked for a more professional, organized, diligent and friendly person. Ryan even did one of the readings during the mass when my friend who was supposed to do it showed up late! Ryan made my day completely stress-free and truly special.

Erin Sent on 11/21/2009

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Ryan Hayes of Blue Canary Events helped us plan our March 25, 2007 wedding in Jupiter Florida. He was absolutely fabulous!

Ryan was always in contact with us and looking to assist where he could to make our planning easier. He was a great resource for information and was not over bearing in giving advice - always generous with his time.

The day of the wedding was stress-free, thanks to Ryan! We had problems with weather and had to change the venue (within the resort). Ryan was cool, creative and handled a difficult hotel staff with professionalism and ease. We barely knew there was a problem! In fact, Ryan's calm, professional, "can-do" attitude the day of the wedding is his greatest strength and we had no doubts about his ability to manage every detail. He only contacted us when there was a big decision that needed to be made which allowed us to relax and enjoy the hours and minutes leading up to the ceremony. We had a lot of challenges: we had to move the location of the ceremony (beach) at the last minute due to the wind, my aunt had a stroke the night before and my family did not want us to know about it until after the wedding therefore the seating had to be arranged in such a way as to not alert us that there was an issue, and most importantly...the wedding coordinator at the venue did not even show up until twenty minutes before the ceremony.

We were unaware of multiple other challenges that came up throughout the day. We only know about them because in some instances he needed assistance from our family and friends to fix the challenges. The venue was changed to a veranda and was beautifully decorated, neither of us noticed that my aunt's entire family was missing (she has almost fully recovered since then), and although there was no on site coordinator available, Ryan managed the venue's entire team. In the end, we had a perfect day. We were stress free and our pictures prove that.

There have only been a couple weddings that I remember as being "special"...ours was one of them. Obviously we are biased, however, I have very honest friends (too honest sometimes) and everyone tells us that our wedding was one of the greatest they have attended. That is, in large part, thanks to Ryan.

Having a wedding planner there was the best decision we made and Ryan was perfect for the job. Good luck in your search and with the planning of your "special" day.

Christi Sent on 06/04/2009

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I hired Allison as a day of planner. She was AMAZING! I do not know what I would have done without her. I almost did not hire a planner because I thought it was a waste of money. I was totally WRONG! She was worth every penny and more. I did not have a care in the world on my wedding day thanks to her. If anything went wrong I don't know about it because she handled everything. It was exactly how I envisioned my wedding. It was like she read my mind. She contacted all the vendors two weeks beforehand too. I can not say enough about her wonderful services. I honestly don't know how she did it all.

Melissa Sent on 05/29/2009

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No need to look anywhere else...wish special events is wonderful. Laura was AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING! We hired Laura for day of wedding coordination and couldn't be happier. Laura answered emails quickly, offered suggestions and did lots of research for us. Laura ran the entire rehearsal and wedding. She took care of everything and if we needed anything....she took care of it. Laura confirmed with all the vendors so that the week before the wedding we just had to make sure to show up at the right time. Laura made sure that the wedding ran smoothly and we can honestly say there were no problems or hick-ups!! Laura brought us drinks while we were taking pictures and was there every step of the way. Every time we turned around, there she was ready to help and keep everything running!!! We have already recommended her to everyone we know:) Thank you so much Laura for making our wedding day so special:)

Kathryn Sent on 01/28/2009

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Laura did an absolutely wonderful job on the day-of coordination for my wedding. My husband and I were able to completely relax and be in the moment knowing she had everything under control. Laura was the consummate professional from our first email exchange through the wedding day itself. From the ceremony to the reception, everything went so smoothly and know that Laura was a big reason why. I would highly recommend to anyone thinking of hiring a day-of coordinator to retain her services!

Melissa Sent on 12/17/2008

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Hiring Wish Special Events was THE BEST DECISION we made in planning our wedding!!!

We worked with Jessica, who was fabulous. She was professional, friendly, and really fun to work with. We highly recommend her!!!

We did the partial planning package, which worked out great. We were planning the wedding from out of state, and would meet in person with Jessica when we visited DC, and the rest of the time we'd communicate by email. She kept us on track, gave us recommendations, and made sure we didn't forget anything during the planning process.

Having Wish do our day-of coordination was wonderful! The whole day was magical -- everything was taken care of, everything was in the right place, everything happened right on schedule. My husband and I didn't have to worry about a thing, and neither did our wedding party or our relatives. Everything was seamless. The peace of mind that having a wedding planner offers is something that just cannot be beat.

We had a perfect wedding -- and it's because Jessica and her assistants made sure of every detail. We highly, highly recommend Jessica and Wish Special Events!!!

Laurie Sent on 12/04/2008

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Laura Auer's title on her business card says, "Perfectionist," and it's true. I hired Laura for day-of coordination, and she surpassed all of my expectations. She was available to help for a LONG time before the day-of, and even for weeks after, helping me tie up loose ends. To say she knows what she's doing is an understatement. Each email and text message I sent her received a timely, thoughtful response. Her manner is calm and intuitive, and she has a calming effect on everyone. I was generally a calm bride, but fretted over the logistics of the day, a complicated matter for me because almost all of my guests were out-of-towners. Laura offered intelligent solutions to both my real and imaginary problems and concerns. The #1 reason I knew I had made the right choice with Laura is that every time I would tell another vendor that she was my coordinator, they would all have the same reaction: "I LOVE HER!" Everyone looked forward to working with Laura, and her execution on my wedding day was above and beyond. Everyone in the wedding knew their queues, and I'm sure she solved problems that I never had to know about. The fact that I felt like I barely saw her once the ceremony started, yet everything was perfect, meant that she blended in perfectly, while still keeping on eye on everything that was going on. It is not easy for someone to win my professional trust, but Laura had it 100% since our first meeting. I would recommend her to anyone.

Danielel Sent on 11/21/2008

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My husband actually found Cristin and arranged for us to meet as our wedding was getting closer, and it had become apparent that I was not going to be able to finish planning the wedding while working full time and going to school. I knew within 5 minutes that I would LOVE working with her - she was completely focused on finding out about me, and my husband and what our vision was for the big day. She gathered all of the information for our vendors, and a detailed itinerary for the day that I planned out with her, and made sure everything would work in the time allotted. She contacted every vendor and knew every detail for the day inside out and backwards. I had complete confidence in her, which allowed me to relax and not sweat the small things, which in turn made for a very happy bride (and groom!), setting the mood for the entire wedding - which was a blast! She went above and beyond, creating a cake table decoration using my left over pew hangings. She made sure all of my VIPs (family, bridal party) knew exactly where to be, and when, without ever giving off a hint of pushy. She was clearly working from the mindset that this was mine and my family's day, not her production, and it showed. When a few minor things went wrong on the day of, Cristin prioritized perfectly who to call, and reached out to me only when necessary to keep me from getting upset. By show time, everything went off without a hitch and I cannot possibly thank Cristin, Jodi and Wish enough for the excellent quality of work and personalities they brought to my most special day!

Angie Sent on 09/16/2008

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Ryan kept me sane, provided incredible guidance and prevented me from wanting to shoot a few people. Ha ha. No seriously, I highly recommend this company and Ryan in particular.

Neha Sent on 08/20/2008

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We hired Jessica Harris from Soiree Special Events to coordinate the day of the events for our reception. She not only helped coordinate the day of, but also gave us invaluable advice and help on countless other occasions before the reception. She was always very flexible and willing to accomodate my schedule. The event ran really smoothly and everyone including us could not believe how perfect everything was. Everything went according to the timeline.

Jessica was always more than happy to accomodate my special requests, like arranging scrapbooks and pictures that I made along with other decorative pieces. She carried a ton of stuff for us to the venue as well. She was excellent in communicating with all my vendors. In the end she packed up our car with all our stuff and it was ready to go. One thing that I was really happy about is that she and Pete from Elegant Decor made sure that we ate at our reception, and we are so happy that they did that.

Overall, I highly recommend Soiree and Jessica of course!

Meredith Sent on 08/15/2008

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I got married last May and Kim and the team from Soiree were such a big help. I knew that I would need a wedding coordinator since I live in Richmond and the ceremony was in Alexandria and because I am a big time procrastinator. I found Soiree Special Events online and then I was paired up with Kim. From our first meeting I knew that she was the perfect person to help me. Without Kim I don't know what I would have done. She helped every step of the way with ideas, suggestions, contacts for people to help with alterations, photography, flowers, ect. She really listened to what my vision was and helped me make it a reality. She made sure we stuck to our budget and she came up with creative ways for us to do everything we wanted but without paying extra. Whenever I emailed or called she responded right away and I called a lot - I was very anxious leading up to the event and Kim was very calming and reassuring. I had a lot of family drama and Kim figured out the perfect way to work it out. She came to almost all my appointments and was a great sounding board for things like colors, flowers, table settings - which my husband wasn't very helpful with. On the day of the wedding Kim had extra help from 2 other Soiree employees and they helped to oversee every little detail. They brought emergency kits which thankfully I didn't need and helped to make sure that we stuck to our time table. By having Kim as my wedding coordinator I didn't need to worry about all the little details leading up to and on the day of the wedding. I got so many compliments regarding the wedding and the great work she had done. I highly recommend the Soiree Special Event team and if I ever need to plan another party or special event I would definitely use them again. I continue to recommend Soiree to my friends who are getting married.

Danielle Sent on 06/24/2008

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I had Laura as my day of coordinator and she was great! She met with us initally to get an idea of what we wanted and had booked and she responded to a few of my questions that i had until we needed to meet again closer to the wedding. The wedding went off without a hitch and i couldnt have been happier to have her there!

Stephanie Sent on 06/05/2008

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I could not have been more delighted with Soiree Special Events' planning service!! I hired one of Laura's team members to provide me with assistance on the day of our wedding. For a very reasonable price, I received a significant amount of pre-wedding consultation, confirmation with all my vendors, and lots of advice about preparing wedding essentials like the timeline. But Alison really impressed me MOST on the day OF my wedding; she seemed to be everywhere at once: cueing groomsmen, finding grandmothers, pinning my dress, putting out place cards, et cetera. The day would not have come off as well as it did without Soiree's magnificent behind-the-scenes orchestration. Thanks!!!!!

Ritu Sent on 06/04/2008

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Probably the best wedding vendor that I picked and the most valuable on the actual day. Laura was incredibly helpful on my wedding day and I know that the day would not have been a success without her. She remained calm and composed the whole time and was incredibly helpful with keeping things flowing, on time, and the way that I had envisioned things. I highly recommend Soiree, specifically Laura and Mariah - they were so great!

Sarah Sent on 06/02/2008

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Imagine having the calmest, most knowledgeable and centered friend you have ever known by your side the entire time you are planning your wedding--and there you have Laura. I can't imagine having had anyone else help me plan my wedding or run everything the day of--it ran perfectly and smoothly and it was wonderful. Laura (the founder of soiree) is absolutely fabulous--I am a type A personality who is a complete control freak and I was actually willing to hand over my reign of control to Laura for the day of the wedding and I have no regrets. Laura is very detail-oriented and understand your desire to get the "little things" just right. She is easy to get ahold of, flexible, smart, and just plain great. I would recommend her any time! Ryan, who helped us out at the rehearsal dinner in addition to Laura was awesome as well!

Emily Sent on 05/16/2008

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Laura Auer and Jessica Harris were fantastic to work with. They were extremely responsive to all of my thoughts about the wedding and helped provide direction when I was unsure of some of the elements. They lead the charge during the rehearsal and painted a clear picture of what the wedding day would be like. THANK GOODNESS they were there the day-of, because the wedding was such a surreal experience, and they kept me and my husband focused yet moving seamlessly throughout each moment of our big day. You guys ROCK!! :)

Lynette Sent on 11/12/2007

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Laura Auer made my day go so smooth that I would not mind doing it all over again. From beginning to end, Laura met with me when I needed it, answered all my questions (sometimes even twice...sorry :-) Also everybody loved her organization, dedication, and creativity. I myself am inspired by her passion of wedding planning! Thanks Laura for making my day feel like a dream come true.

A2E28378853B5F7B92A9Dbf3Ae5F3372F9Ecc1C1 Sent on 10/16/2007

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I used Laura with Soiree and she was amazing. She was incredibly responsive to any email, phone call or other attempt to get in touch with her. The two times we met with her before the wedding were great- we really clicked and she genuinely listened to what we wanted.

She made the day of the wedding go by so smoothly for my husband and I. We didn't have to worry about a single thing, because we knew she had it covered. I would highly (highly) recommend Laura to anyone planning a wedding.

Laura Sent on 09/09/2007

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Laura is very professional and organized with a great sense of style! She is very friendly and I know of several brides that were happy with her services.

Julie Sent on 07/15/2007

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Laura did a great job keeping in touch before the wedding via email. She was a pleasure to work with and really made the wedding day go very smoothly. At the last minute, we couldn't find vases to do our sand ceremony with and she was able to go out and find us perfect ones to use for the wedding. She did a great job keeping us on schedule and shuffled it around some when it was needed. When the florists forgot the ribbons at the church she was out there helping them put up what they could last minute. She really made it so neither me nor my fiance had to worry about the details the day of our wedding. She made everything go smoothly. Laura was really good and I would recommend her to anyone looking for some assistance for their wedding. My husband and I thought she was fantastic.

Ashley Sent on 07/13/2007

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I really loved working with Soiree Special Events. They were just fantastic. I knew that I would not have to worry about anything because Laura would be there to take care of it. I also knew that I could call her in a panic and she would make it all better! She was fantastic. So professional and she always had the best ideas! One of my favorite vendors!

Heather Sent on 03/27/2007

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Laura and her team are a dream come true. Early on in my wedding planning I knew it was important to have a DOC, to take care of all the odds and ends that a bride doesn't want to deal with. My now husband was not too sure about this idea, and thought it seemed kind of silly...in the end he was one of her biggest fans. Every time I needed something Laura was right there, as if she knew I was going to have a question or concern. She was always two steps ahead of me, and usually my question had already been answered and taken care of. by the end of the night I stopped asking, as I knew that Laura had it under control. On a day that can lead to a range of motions, Laura is the calming force that holds everyone together. Her sweet and subtle nature is ideal for this industry, but she still can make things happen, and does it with a smile on her face. Laura was a lifesaver and my wedding would not have been such a beautiful and memorable day, had I not had her there by my side.

Colette Sent on 03/06/2007

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Laura is a fantastic person to work with for wedding planning. She always has an answer to any question a bride might have. She puts a positive spin on every piece of the planning process! She can even make the seating arrangement decisions more fun. Not only are my family and I aware of all that she did, but the wedding coordinator at the Club and guests at the wedding had the highest praise for her.

I will always recommend Laura and Soiree Special Events to any friends getting married in the future!

Melissa Sent on 03/05/2007

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Laura, at Soiree Special Events, coordinated our wedding from start to finish. She was always available to help via e-mail or phone, and was always quick to respond. She was very organized, and was helpful in keeping me on track as the big date got closer. She had a laid back flexible style that allowed my wishes for our wedding to be the focus, without being pushy about what she thought we should be doing. I had many comments from friends and family saying how calm I was on my wedding day. There is no way I could've been so calm if it had not been for my complete trust in Laura, and the confidence she gave me through her planning and coordination.

Libby Sent on 03/05/2007

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Lauer Auer of Soiree is wonderful. She is responsible, flexible, smart and helped us save money by making suggestions about how to budget when we started to get carried away. She is also incredibly organized. I can't imagine how the wedding would have come together so perfectly if not for her. She and her staff were especially good the night of the wedding--she took care of so many little things without us even realizing it till afterwards.
We contracted her several months ahead of time for a partial package, and she was flexible about what exactly that entailed. She spent a lot of time with us, in person and via email, helping us figure out what hotels our guests should stay at and how to budget. She eventually became our point of contact for vendors as we got closer to the date--and that was incredibly valuable.
My only complaint was that, based on the set-up of the tables and the way the space is configurated, some of the diners were very far from the folks who rose to make toasts at the microphone. In retrospect, I wish Laura and I had anticipated this and done something to fix it, but I don't know if it could have been fixed.

Teresa Sent on 02/02/2007

5 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating

Heather of Soiree Special events came in 2 weeks before my wedding to be the day of coordinator. It was hands down the best money we spent for the entire wedding process. She was GREAT - took care of everything, thought of things I hadn't thought of, and was just stellar on the day of my wedding. I can't say enough good things.

Michelle Sent on 02/02/2007

5 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating

We could not have pulled off the wedding without Laura. She was our sanity during the planning process, remembering all of the details I couldn't have thought of (what will we do with any gifts that come to the wedding?), and keeping things on track. On the big day, she was everywhere at once and she, along with the Washington Club director, made any potential problems disappear before they even occurred. She got me down the aisle, my husband and his attendants into the church, and timed the entire ceremony to the moment.

She is a consummate professional and, on top of it all, a lovely woman. She also went above and beyond, taking my gifts home overnight, so that I could pick them up on the Sunday after my wedding at her home, since she just lived a mile from me. I would highly recommend any level of Laura's services to anyone looking for wedding coordination.

Natasha Sent on 02/02/2007

5 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating

Mariah of Soiree Special Events was our wedding coordinator and my wedding day truly would not have been the day it was without her. I got the partial planning package, mainly because I wanted someone who would be with me throughout the planning to bounce ideas of off and to embrace my vison. Mariah did just that. When I was going overboard...she told me, when she thought my idea was great...she told me, not only was she my wedding planner...but through the process and on the day off she was like an old friend who I could count on explicitly.

I highly recommend her (and Ryan ... who helped her on the day off). It was worth every penny and more!

Kim Sent on 02/01/2007

5 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating

Laura was amazing. I simply do not know what I would have done without her. In the beginning, My husband initially thought I was crazy for "wasting" money on a day-of coordinator. Halfway through the wedding planning, he was "glad we have one", and during the wedding reception and every day since then, he has been singing her praises! There's no better compliment than proving yourself so well that you make someone's head spin. Laura and her team were professional and a joy to work with.

Natalie Sent on 12/13/2006

5 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating

Laura was fabulous. She really took care of everything on our day!

Erin Sent on 11/20/2006

5 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating

Hiring Laura was absolutely the best decision we made regarding our wedding. Our wedding would not have been as great as it was if it wasn't for her; there were so many little details that I never would have thought of. Plus, she and her assistant Kim saved the day when the bus didn't show up. I don't know what we would have done with out her.

Jennifer Sent on 11/17/2006

5 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating

Laura is so nice, professional and really knows how to keep an event flowing. Her demeanor is very calm and she will really carry out your vision for the wedding. We were very lucky to have found her! I really was able to enjoy my wedding day because Laura took care of all the details.

Laura Sent on 11/05/2006

5 out of 5 rating

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Mariah, Ryan, and Amy were all at my wedding and took care of every last detail. Between filling the lemonade jars that I purchased, setting up the chocolate fountain and dipping items, putting out all my jam jar placecard/favors, and handling all the "last minute" emergencies, the three of them were a godsend on the wedding day. I was able to relax and enjoy every second with my dearest family, friends, and new husband. Being able to leave the reception without cleaning up was just great! I'd definitely recommend booking Soiree Special Events for at least Day-of Coordination...the peace of mind is worth every penny!

Catherine Sent on 02/28/2017

4.9 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating

Cassie was our day of coordinator for our November 2016 Washington, DC wedding. My husband calls it the best money we spent on the wedding and I couldn't agree more.

She met with us before we even hired her and was extremely generous with advice even then! She was incredibly organized and helpful throughout the process. She gave us the pros and cons of certain decisions that we felt more ambivalent on, but also listened to our priorities and respected them. I'm pretty particular and we opted out of certain wedding traditions - Cassie had great advice on how to structure around these decisions and never batted an eye about skipping "wedding" things that just didn't work for us. She was a great advocate for us in dealing with our venue and patiently worked through numerous floor plans with them until we found one that could incorporate just what we wanted.

During the rehearsal and the day of the wedding, she was professional, competent and calming - a dream combination to have on a stressful day. We got married in a restaurant and she solved all of the loading/unloading, setup and space issues like a champ. Our guests couldn't believe how seamless it was, even though it was a small space and didn't have all the facilities that a more traditional wedding venue may have built in.

Andrea Sent on 03/02/2014

4.9 out of 5 rating

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4.5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating

We worked with Rebecca Dick on our wedding in August, and she made everything flow wonderfully. We had some difficult family members and vendors, and Rebecca kept everyone in line, and dealt with those personalities for us, which was a huge help. She also coordinated a complicated schedule, with a National Mall ceremony location—during the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington—not an easy feat at all. She was easy to work with and gave her opinions, which was welcome. She wasn't a "yes" person for the sake of saying "yes" to the bride if it was absolutely not doable. Finally, somehow she magically ordered us perfect August weather—low 80s, low humidity. Don't know how she did it, but she controlled the weather ;o)

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