Peyton Sent on 03/16/2020

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Carolina Event Design Review

Heather and the whole Carolina Event Design team were absolutely incredible in making my wedding dreams come true, and made the day/weekend so perfect without a stress or worry throughout the whole weekend. Best money we ever spent, and you will not regret it if you do the same!

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Madison Sent on 06/05/2019

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The Best Planners in Charlotte!

Heather and her team was such as easy choice for us to make (and one of the best choices we made in the wedding planning process). She's an expert in planning, knows how to bring your vision to life, is professional, will let you call or text her with questions, and truly is there to guide you through the entire planning process.

My husband and I were looking for someone who we knew we could trust with the small details and lean on for guidance when it came to the big decisions. Heather keeps you on schedule throughout the whole process to ensure you're not stressed weeks before the big day. When you choose Carolina Event Design, you're allowing yourself to rest knowing your wedding is going to be beautiful and flow perfectly.

We planned a small wedding around 80 people, and Heather helped us make it a fun and intimate event with all of our family and friends. (not to mention it was also beautifully put together). One of the saddest parts about our wedding being over is we miss getting to work with Heather! Absolutely recommend her and her team to anyone in the Charlotte area, they are the best!

Sarah Sent on 05/21/2019

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10/10 would recommend!

Without Heather, I don't think our wedding day would of went as smoothly and perfectly. She was amazing to work with!

Michele Sent on 04/06/2019

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Outstanding - a consummate professional

Heather and the Carolina Event Design team exceeded our expectations for service, wedding planning and execution in EVERY way! First, she's a lot of fun and easy to work with but more importantly, she is an expert and has a great way of serving as a needed coach and trusted advisor while letting us make the decisions.

Our daughter's' wedding was a fairly large affair (200 guests) at both church and reception venues and we planned it from across the country. In addition, our original wedding planner needed to withdraw from our contract for personal reasons, so we connected with Heather just two months before the wedding date. From the get-go, Heather instilled confidence! Her style is an incredible combination of highly efficient execution and necessary assertiveness, coupled with constant attention to our style, needs and desires.

I especially appreciate the way Heather worked with all our vendors, including the band manager, caterer, florist, etc. She also ran the rehearsal. Heather has a great sense of style; leading the design of our venue (Uptown Mint), and even grabbed a curling iron and touched up the brides hair just before the ceremony.

Weddings are such a significant financial and emotional investment, and having Heather directing the day changed our entire demeanor and made the planning and day of activities seamless. We were able to revel in our daughter's wedding without stress or worry. It was such a joyous and impeccably orchestrated day - I can't imagine the wedding without Heather and her team's (we loved Hannah, too!) leadership.

Hannah Sent on 02/03/2019

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Amazing service, amazing people!

Hands down the best money we could have spent on our wedding weekend! Heather and her team seriously take care of everything and truly allow you and your groom/family/friends just show up and enjoy the weekend. After all that planning, who wants to stress during the actual events? NOT ME! If anything went wrong, I had no clue, the CED team took care of it. They were extremely professional, knowledgeable and a great resource for any question or decision we had to make along the way. They always went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfect and exactly how I'd imagine it to be! Not only would I recommend/strongly suggest them for wedding planning, but any important event I would highly recommend! They are truly the best! :)

Carol Sent on 01/30/2019

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Beautiful Rehearsal Dinner and Weekend

We can not say enough wonderful comments about Heather. Heather did an amazing rehearsal dinner for my son and his bride. She handled everything from helping us find a venue , invitations, design, flowers, music, handling contracts,, making phone calls, and creating the most beautiful evening for us. Heather does all this with such grace and patience. She makes the experience so easy for everyone. She is extremely gifted and talented with every aspect of planning an event. The whole weekend was wonderful and perfect with Heather and her team handling everything. We can not thank her enough. So Grateful, Carol and Tom

Allison Sent on 01/23/2019

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The Best Team for your Perfect Day!

There is no one else I would’ve wanted to help us plan our wedding weekend. From the beginning, Heather was always a step ahead which made us actually ENJOY our engagement and planning process.
I have worked in the wedding industry for several years – Heather was one of the first wedding planners I had the pleasure of working with at my current property and she completely blew me away with her services and what she designed for the clients. 4 years later – I was engaged and my first email was to Heather and her team to make sure they were available! From the beginning, she sat down with my family and fiancé and we walked through our budget and walked us through the process and what to expect. She managed our budget to ensure we stayed within our budget and helped get the best ‘bang-for-our-buck’ where it really mattered to us. She had so many resources at her disposal and knew the right people to work with to make sure our vision was complete. Working in the event industry – there are a lot of things you see and I really wanted to do a fully designed wedding where it was unlike something I had seen before. Heather worked her magic and did above and beyond what we asked. More importantly – she was a great person all around and would check in on us and how we were feeling throughout the process. She handled my crazy (very late night) emails with grace and could immediately calm me down with how detailed she was and had it all handled. Planning a wedding (big or small) – you always need someone who is going to be honest and realistic for you – this was Heather.
Our wedding weekend came – Heather was such a reliable and FUN resource for our family. As we all know how overwhelming and fast things start to go once the wedding week is upon us – Heather made sure we were enjoying ourselves and that things were flowing perfectly. The day of went by so quickly – but she was with us the whole time making sure we were not only on time and truly enjoying ourselves. We would turn around and there was Heather already anticipating what we may have needed! What an incredible team to work with and they are so talented at what they do. My Dad even toasted to Heather in his welcome speech! I would highly recommend Heather and her team for ANY type of event. No. Questions. Asked.

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Courtney Sent on 09/25/2018

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Heather and her entire CED team are seriously the BEST in the industry. Heather and Hannah worked so hard to make every detail of my wedding so perfect. I couldn't have dreamt of a more perfect day. It was MAGICAL. It sounds so cliche, but it's seriously the truth. MAGICAL. Heather is so experienced and talented with design. I told her I wanted modern, chic, and upscale and she overdid herself with everything that I envisioned. It exceeded my expectations. They are so honest and patient with you, yet give their best knowledge and opinion about every aspect of your day. Heather knows how to work with a bride/family and make your day top notch. She coordinated, planned, and designed my entire day and I wouldn't have had it any other way. What I loved most about the Carolina Event Design team is they seriously became family throughout the wedding process. We left our wedding with the most amazing memories and new friends. If you are in search of a wedding/event planner, you won't regret the CED team. They are truly the best! I look forward to future events, showers, parties with them in the future! You will leave your wedding SO happy and SO grateful you chose them to help plan your day! I am forever thankful for Heather and her amazing team!

Robin Sent on 08/11/2018

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Totally recommend Heather Bryson and her team. She was very through and used excellent vendors. Everyone was prompt, attentive and excellent to work with. The quality of flowers, decore and food was impeccable. Could not have been more pleased!!! Wonderful experience on our wedding day!

Autumn Sent on 10/24/2017

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My husband and I were married in October of 2015 and looking back we were so blessed to have Heather as our wedding planner. Not only did she come in and rescue the planning from the original planner(which we fired) but she did so with such high professionalism and can do attitude, all the while in her third trimester! On top of that, we had an outdoor
wedding and it rained 4 inches on our special day! The wedding was such a huge success and we couldn’t of been happier! She is THE best planner and she amazed us with her team and positive attitude. We highly recommend her and wouldn’t think twice if we had to do it all over again

Tara Sent on 09/26/2016

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If you want to actually ENJOY your wedding planning process and not stress out through the entire journey, hire CED! These ladies are truly talented and I felt like I was their only client. It's by far the best money we spent and by the end of it all they felt like family! We're planning to get together for Thanksgiving. :) Do yourself a favor, make life easy on yourself and hire CED! You won't be disappointed!

Martha Sent on 09/18/2016

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Thanks to Heather and Gina, our daughter’s wedding at the Duke Mansion was amazing. Heather met with us a few times and listened to what we all wanted and expected. With so many out of town guests and family attending, we wanted to be sure everything was covered. I can’t say enough about her expert coordination of vendors during the “month-of” planning as well as the attention to detail during the rehearsal and especially on the day of the wedding! We didn’t have to worry about a thing – Heather’s competence shined through. When we asked a question – Heather had the right answer! Her “day of” timeline was concise and made the day go smoothly. From gathering groomsmen to helping the bride and bridesmaids get ready – Heather and Gina were there. They made sure we were always where we needed to be before, during, and after. We counted on their expertise to ensure the day went smoothly – ceremony and room setup, flowers, cake, photographers, dj, etc. – Heather had listened to us and made sure all was done right. I’ve had many compliments from guests who enjoyed the event from start to finish. And here’s a big shout-out to Heather and Gina for gathering all gifts, flowers, etc. and securing in a safe place post-wedding. Heather and Gina anticipated our every need. I would highly recommend Heather!!! It was the wedding celebration our daughter and husband dreamed of – thank you.

Levar Sent on 03/30/2016

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Being a vendor in the wedding industry for over 10 years, having a solid team to help plan our wedding was extremely important. Heather and Erin basically made our dream become our reality like I knew they would!! So many of our friends and family are saying that this is the best wedding that they have ever been to and this is largely due to the Carolina Event Design team!!!

User2586427 Sent on 03/15/2016

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My wedding weekend was the most fun, special, exciting days of my life and I owe a lot of that to Heather! I was a bride that needed a lot of suggestions/ideas, help deciding on things and help getting things done/scheduled. I am not very creative, I had no preconceived notions on what I wanted and I have a full time job which all would have made it impossible to plan and execute a wedding on my own. I was so thrilled with the way everything turned out and I felt like I barely had to lift a finger throughout the process. I am still consistently getting compliments on my wedding and I know it is because everything was well-done, well-thought out and well-executed (all by Heather) and the guests could tell. My dad was very hyper-sensitive about the logistics of the day and had a few very specific ideas and Heather did a great job of going above and beyond to listen to his concerns/ideas, come up with solutions and follow through to make sure they were addressed and communicated well before wedding day. I have already and will continue to recommend Heather to all of my engaged friends. She made the most special day of my life up until this point just that - special!

Eneida Sent on 01/08/2016

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Heather and Erin were absolutely AMAZING. They made sure everything ran smoothly. From the planning to the day of. They helped make our night perfect. We didn't have to worry about a thing. Carolina Event Design is perfect for any budget. They make it happen. I highly recommend them. Thank you ladies!

Amber Sent on 12/13/2015

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The moment I got engaged I knew that I needed to find the perfect wedding planner who could plan and execute the wedding I had been dreaming about since I was little. I contacted between 7 to 8 wedding planners and as soon as I talked to Heather, we connected right away. I soon realized how this was the best decision I made throughout the entire engagement season (with the exception of saying yes to my groom!) Heather made the entire process a DREAM. She was always available, set up and accompanied my mother and I to every vendor meeting with her incredible list of vendors and kept us excited, on budget and on target. I had a very short engagement and on top of that I wanted to have the wedding at my parents home, which complicated my wedding, but Heather and her team never complained and exceeded every expectation. I really cannot stress to future brides how extremely vital it is to have a wedding planner and how it made the entire process so precious and special. The day of the wedding was so relaxing knowing that Carolina Event Design was taking care of everything. The wedding was everything I ever wanted and more! Heather and her team even surprised my husband and I with sparkler cannons for our exit. Every time I talk about the wedding with anyone, I always rave about Carolina Event Design and their perfection, professionalism and posh style! I really can't say enough about this amazing team of people! Do yourself, your wedding, your budget, your fiance and your family a favor and hire Carolina Event Design for your wedding!

Neesha Sent on 12/11/2015

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I am SO grateful to Heather Bryson and her team at Carolina Event Design. I had been planning our Indian/ American fusion wedding long distance for almost 6 months when I realized that I needed help. I found the CED website and filled out the online contact form assuming that I would not hear back for a couple of weeks. Much to my surprise a few hours later Heather Bryson was calling me on my cell phone! I immediately clicked with Heather over the phone. It felt like I was chatting about my wedding with one of my best girlfriends. I knew instantly that this was the team that I wanted to work with on my wedding...and let me tell you... BEST DECISION EVER. From the unique floral design, to our fusion Indian wedding altar, to the statement head table of my dreams....Heather and her team went above and beyond our expectations! And it doesn't end there! CED is the absolute best when it comes to wedding coordination. The month of the wedding, I was pretty much sitting back and just waiting for the big day to arrive. Our wedding was four months ago and our guests are still commenting on how beautiful the decor was and how smooth the entire day went! By the end of the wedding planning process my family and I were actually sad to say goodbye to Heather and her team! We miss you Heather! :)

Moral of the story: Hire Carolina Event Design. They will make all of your wedding day dreams come true!

Cassie Sent on 09/09/2015

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Heather Bryson of Carolina Event Design made my daughter's wedding a worry free occasion. My daughter lives out of town and I work a more than full time job. We knew that we would not have the time to plan a wedding and relied totally on Heather to guide us through the planning process. We also had a budget to work within and Heather provided us a beautiful wedding right on budget! We had a fabulous reception and even though the power went out while the band was playing we never knew it! Heather and staff had the power back before anyone realized it was ever out. All of the vendors that Carolina Event Design works with are awesome as well and strive to meet your vision for your special day.

Belinda Sent on 06/30/2015

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Erin and the entire team of Carolina Event Design made my big day an absolute dream come true! Throughout the entire planning process, we felt like we were in great hands with their team of quality and experienced planners. Erin Hunter-Watters, my personal planner from CED, was one of the kindest, most hardworking people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She was responsive to any question or concern that I had and always sent emails and texts or set up personal meetings to let me know where we were in the planning process. We were sent monthly lists of items that we were to complete, both together and individually, and Erin did an amazing job of walking myself and my family though anything that we needed to do. CED also did an amazing job with helping us find the best vendors for our look and budget. We couldn't have been happier with who we used and it was all because of CED's experience and their stellar reputation. Their experience in the industry is evident in their execution both in the planning process and on our big day! Our wedding day was executed flawlessly and Erin along with the owner of CED, Heather, had everything running like a well-oiled machine. I couldn't be happier with our experience with Carolina Event Design and with our planner Erin. I would highly recommend them to anyone getting married! As a bride who was unsure if I needed a planner at first, I can say now that I don't know how I could have made it and had a fabulous wedding if it were not for Erin and CED. They took all the stress out of the planning process and allowed me and my family to have fun in the months leading up to the wedding in addition to our big day. I would recommend any level of planning, but for us, full planning was the best choice we ever made! Thank you to Erin and CED for all that they did to make my wedding the best day of my life! I will miss them and all of the fun of planning my big day!

User2164496 Sent on 06/04/2015

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My now-husband and I worked primarily with Heather Bryson at Carolina Event Design. As a bride who hasn't been dreaming of her wedding day since she was five, Heather gave us plenty of options and made sure we had a unique, personalized wedding day. Heather was both prompt and proactive, offering ideas, support, and solutions. Rather than asking us to do any research, Heather would narrow down the most appropriate vendors/designs based on the overall vision/theme and have us go from there. This made it so easy and greatly reduced our stress and pressure, because we really just had to go with our personal preference or instinct and I just had to create a halfway decent Pinterest board. I grew up in Charlotte but live in the Southwest now, so having the flexibility to schedule a lot of appointments over several weekend trips helped us so much. Heather also scheduled based on my husband's availability, since he wouldn't be able to come out on each trip given job constraints. We were so grateful that Heather went above and beyond to schedule with those factors in mind. Her relationships with vendors also helped significantly, because they were willing to accommodate us and our many redeye flights and seventy-two-hour trips. As for the day itself, our wedding was gorgeous and downright stunning. Heather and the Carolina Event Design team knocked it out of the park! We were blown away by how beautiful our venue looked, from the lighting to the place settings. It literally brought tears to my eyes. Without Heather and Carolina Event Design, we never could have had such a beautiful, memorable day. Brides and grooms, congratulations on your engagement. If you want your big day to be extra special, you can't go wrong with Carolina Event Design!

Ashley Sent on 06/02/2015

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Working with Carolina Event Design, specifically Heather Bryson, was literally the best decision I made in my wedding planning process. Not only was Heather and her team worth every penny (seriously!), but they went above and beyond to make sure I was taken care of and that my wedding day was everything I hoped it would be and more!

I was one of those brides who thought I could do all the planning on my own, and ended up 6 weeks out and completely in over my head! I hired Heather late in the game and she TOTALLY saved the day! She was sensitive to my remaining budget and was able to work with what I had already planned, as well as bring new ideas to the table in a short time frame. Also, her extensive network/relationships with local vendors made everything so much easier. She knows the wedding industry inside and out! Once all the planning was done, Heather and her team executed everything during the wedding week! I didn't have to worry about anything other than just enjoying getting married. It was so great to sit back and know that everything was off my plate. Totally worth it!

I think the things I loved most about working with Heather was her fun personality, her honesty and her willingness to listen. She really cared about me, my fiance, and our dreams for the day, and that made it easy to trust her when making important (and expensive) decisions. It felt like planning a wedding with a true friend!

If you want a team of professionals who truly care and are committed to your day going off without a hitch, hire Carolina Event Design!! They are the BEST.

Charita Sent on 05/31/2015

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When our daughter got engaged, the first wedding decision we made proved to be the most important....we hired Heather Bryson and Carolina Event Design. Heather met with the couple to determine how they envisioned their wedding. Then she worked tireleslly to create that vision. Her experience allowed her to respond to the pros and cons of our ideas, handle all the contracts, and supply us with vendors and services which we would not have found on our own. Heather created a timeline and knew which "the best go fast" services needed to be booked early. She did not make any decisions without the couple's imput; when choices need to be made, Heather would recommend several vendors whose past work fit in the couple's vision and let them interview each to see which they preferred. As parents, we liked that Heather supplied us with a spreadsheet so we always knew where our wedding money was being spent. We had no harried, last minute decisons which had to be made. As a matter of fact, the last few weeks before the wedding, Heather was doing all the work and giving us daily updates. The day of the ceremony, one of Heather's associates was with the wedding party the whole day - keeping us on schedule - with Heather popping in occassionally with updates on how the wedding/reception venues were progressing. The venues were absolutely gorgeous, Heather wove together a variety of personal touches coordinating with all the vendors to give everything a polished, fluid look. We were relaxed and able to enjoy the moment. The father of the bride and I were extremely proud of giving our daughter and new son the perfect wedding to start their new life together....all thanks to the hard work of Heather.

Brenda Sent on 01/15/2015

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Heather was the most amazing wedding planner. I came to her in April with nothing but a venue and a dress for an October wedding and she pulled off a miracle. Everyone who attended said it was one of the best and most beautiful weddings they have ever been to.

Summer Sent on 01/05/2015

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My husband and I were married on November 15, 2014. Our guest list was growing by the minute and I was becoming overwhelmed. This is when I reached out for help, Heather was highly recommended by numerous individuals and vendors. She exceeded my expectations as a wedding planner and really listened to our needs for our special day. I love that she was willing to take risks and to find a way when I suggested something out of the ordinary. All of the vendors she introduced us to were very professional and followed through accordingly. When the big day approached I knew I was in good hands, I was totally blown away by her team and organization of the whole event. It is true that our wedding day was the best day of my life and I am so thankful it was so enjoyable and stress free. Heather created a wedding beyond my dreams and I will forever be grateful for that!

User1968494 Sent on 12/14/2014

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Carolina Event Design was the best choice I made for my Wedding. Everyone always prepares you that something will go wrong on your wedding day whether it is small or big it really doesn't matter because its your wedding day. I will say that I had a FLAWLESS wedding day from the start of the day to the end. This would not have been possible without the team at Carolina Event Design.

Lisa Sent on 11/23/2014

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I couldn't possibly express all of our gratitude for Carolina Event Design in mere words but for the purposes of this review, I am going to try!

My initial contact with CED was with Cortenay. What impressed us from the moment of inquiry was how quickly CED responded to our initial interest. We got a response within hours from our inquiry, which stood out in comparison with other planners/companies we contacted - this really had a big impact on our decision because we were trying to plan a wedding from a different state. Courtney answered all of our questions with patience and was honest up front about general expectations for our big day with our budget, and because of this interaction, we knew we had found the right people to plan our wedding.

Our main planners were Erin and Heather - and from the initial interaction, we immediately loved working with them. They helped us stay on track with important deadlines and our budget throughout the entire process, helping us with their expert advice based on many years of experience in this industry. They got to know us well initially which really helped to incorporate our personalities and our tastes into the planning for the big day - we were so impressed by all of their recommendations for all the details of the big day, which told us that they really knew who we were and what we wanted. They were professional, maintained great communication and were honest and realistic.

On the big day, Erin and Heather knew down to every minute what was supposed to be happening where. They were incredible and amazing and helped us stay on track with the big day's schedule, from the moment we woke up to even after the reception ended. They kept everything running smoothly throughout the whole day and our family and even our guests complimented their dedication and work ethic.

No more room in this review - but in short, we're blessed to have had the chance to work with CED!

Jennifer Sent on 09/22/2014

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I will always remember my 9 months planning with Heather from CED. When Heather and I met for the first time to go over initial plans and vendors, she answered any questions and talked through any reservations I may have had. She always made sure to remind me that this was MY wedding and developed a design through our conversations, our senses of style, and a shared Pinterest board. As the weeks and months went on, Heather guided me through the planning process by setting up meetings with venders, giving me monthly to-do lists to keep me on track, and keeping all lines of communication open.While many brides get to the point when they can't wait for the planning to be over, Heather created a wedding planning experience that I never wanted to end. Heather really made me feel like a top priority. She would text with me late at night when I was tossing and turning over how I wanted my hair, scheduled her day around my 5 minute alterations appointment so I wouldn't be alone, and expressed such genuine excitement building up to wedding day. On my wedding week, there were forecasts for rain, and Heather immediately had a plan A, B, and C lined up for any weather scenario. While Mother Nature kept playing mind games with us, Heather always reassured us that the wedding would be beautiful no matter what plan had to be used. Now to talk about my wedding day. It is a day I can only describe as magical. Every vendor Heather recommended was incredible and went above and beyond all expectations. Getting ready felt like a spa day, with Heather constantly checking in and giving me little sneak peaks of what was being set up in the reception space. It was a dream I could have never dreamed up on my own. Not just for me, but for my husband, my family, and everyone in attendance.Heather was the perfect wedding planner and will always be a friend. Heather created magic that day; magic that I would wish upon any bride.

User1822887 Sent on 09/22/2014

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Without question, the best decision I made in planning my daughter's wedding was to use Heather Bryson of Carolina Event Design as our wedding planner. We could not have been happier with her ideas, recommendations, organization, and professionalism as well as her winning personality which made the process so much fun and stress free for both my daughter and myself. She has the upmost respect from the vendors in the community and from the beginning I was confident that our decision to have her plan our wedding was absolutely the right one. Not only did she deliver on all of her promises, she exceeded our expectations and created the most beautiful wedding we had ever seen while being respectful of our budget. We also greatly appreciated the great discounts from the vendors that she passed on to us! Without hesitation, I HIGHLY recommend Heather Bryson as a wedding planner who will do everything in her power to create a wedding of your dreams.

Tiffany Sent on 08/05/2014

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Hiring Heather Bryson was the single-best wedding planning decision I made. Here’s why:
Great Design: So fortunate that she has a great sense of style to help ensure my wedding was as beautiful! Heather assured me the draping color and fabric she recommended would be amazing and she didn't disappoint. So happy I trusted her vision. From linens, to floral arrangement, to wedding programs, she can see things in isolation and know how it fits into the overall vision. Extension of me: I trusted and felt confident that Heather would do a great job of representing me and my vision and most important, my price point. A month prior, I took the trip of a lifetime and my wedding was the last thing on my mind. I had no worries because Heather had it all under control. There were certain things my wedding venue agreed to only to later back out. Without worrying me, Heather went to the ends of the Earth to make sure they delivered on previous agreement at no extra cost. Collaborative: I threw a lot of things Heather's way, in addition to different personalities. My dad being one of them. Love him but he’s a bit of a challenge and Heather was great with him. Very patient and collaborative, both my father and I had ideas for the wedding and she was very helpful in brainstorming ways to incorporate our culture. Well respected: Heather has a reputation of executing w/ excellence. Whether it was the meal tasting or floral visit, all vendors had all positive things to say about Heather. It was said in a way that made it feel real and true. All spoke highly of her design aesthetic and her ability to get things done, and done well! Real friend:The most important quality is that by the end of the process, Heather and I became friends. She's been so great to work with, but also just have fun with. I enjoyed our chats about the crazy Real Housewives franchises and pure ratchetness! Planning a wedding can be a stressful time, but with Heather, every step of the way was enjoyable.

Kristen Sent on 07/26/2014

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What I didn't know before I got married:

There are so many big and little details that go into a wedding. Every decision feels huge because it's your one and only wedding, and you want it to be perfect. And after you make all your decisions, you have to coordinate 15 different vendors who only see you as just another bride so maybe they'll call you back in a couple weeks, maybe in a month. Sometimes you get so exhausted that you just want to give up on trying to get exactly what you want for every part of the wedding. And that's just the prep. The wedding day itself has it's own set of details and timelines and must-dos.

If you just want to enjoy the fun planning stuff (flowers, colors, etc.) then you have to have someone else handle all the un-fun stuff like what time the groomsmen have to be dressed and whether the venue is going to let you stake the tent to the ground instead of making you use ugly water barrels to keep it from blowing away.

Once we realized the stress of planning was making it more un-fun than fun, we hired Cortenay with Carolina Event Design. I can say without a doubt that she is the reason we had a spectacular wedding day that was stress-free and beautiful. The first time you meet with her you'll realize she knows what she's doing, you don't, and that you would be lost without her.

Just hire Cortenay. It will be the best money you spend on your wedding. You'll be able to look back and remember how much fun you had and how you didn't have a care in the world that day. And after the honeymoon, when you hear stories about how the venue manager was being difficult, you'll realize if you didn't have Cortenay, it would have been you standing there in your beautiful wedding dress fighting about tent stakes.

Seriously getting a little teary just writing this review... that's how perfect our wedding was and how grateful I am for Cortenay.

Kristen Martin
Married to Kirk in June 2014

Erin Sent on 07/05/2014

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Wow! What a fantastic wedding! We're still in awe of the events of the past couple of weeks, but we can't say enough about how awesome and helpful CED (especially our gal, Erin) was in making this a memorable occasion. Our wedding was at a private family-owned property, and Erin & Co. foresaw potential issues (Plush Flushes are great!) we'd have and didn't miss a thing! They hooked us up with Best Impressions catering of Charlotte and the food was amazing - they have a lot of hook ups at CED (mad props to Lavar and Split Second Sound) and can really work with you in regard to what you want vs. what you can afford or what is available (very helpful mediating with the florist as the bride altered the color palette a little late). Erin made our wedding special by retaining the personal touches we wanted and adding the profession touches we needed. Erin also made sure I was hydrated the day of and intuitively took notice of the details that were important to us and our families. The wedding ceremony & rehearsal went flawlessly; Erin also made sure we were hydrated and having fun during our awesome reception. Everyone we spoke to said they had a fantastic time, from our friends to my (hard to please) 90 year old grandmother. I already miss Erin's to-do emails! Planning a wedding is easy with the ladies at Carolina Event Design - I (and my mother and now husband) recommend CED for your event or wedding design, hands down. Thank you CED!
- Erin & Joey Schumacher & their Families

Amy Sent on 06/24/2014

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As Mother of the Bride, I can honestly say that the hardest thing I had to do to prepare for this gorgeous wedding was to find my dress. At our first meeting with Heather, she told us her goal was to have the wedding/reception so well planned and executed that we would feel like welcome guests at our daughter's wedding. She did not disappoint!! She took care of all of the MANY contracts that must be negotiated (and she was able to negotiate better prices!), she handled all the details of planning that cause tremendous stress to those of us without connections or experience, and she gave us and our daughter a beautiful wedding and amazing reception that our guests are still talking about. Just what we wanted!

Liana Sent on 05/13/2014

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Hiring Carolina Event Design specifically Heather Bryson to help in planning my wedding was by far the best decision I made. Heather was absolutely amazing throughout the whole process from recommending the best vendors for our budget to always being flexible and answering our questions immediately. She made this process as stress free as it can possibly be and I always felt like I could trust her 100% with her recommendations. I was able to give her a vision of what I wanted my wedding to look like and she made that vision come alive. I can't tell you how many compliments I received on my wedding from our friends and family. Not only was she an amazing wedding planner but she was also such a pleasure to work with. I would absolutely recommend using Heather and Carolina Event Design to plan a wedding!

Georgina Sent on 05/08/2014

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As the mother of the bride the best decision I made was to hire Heather Bryson early in the process to plan our daughter's wedding. Heather handled all aspects of the wedding with incredible attention to detail and provided a timeline of when things needed to be done. My daughter had a vision of the wedding she wanted and Heather achieved that goal 100%. Throughout the process all issues and questions Heather handled right away and put us at ease. We put our trust in Heather and she did not let us down. Most important the day of the wedding was flawless. Thank you Heather for making the most important day in our daughter's life amazing. Could not have done it without a wedding planner with your talent.

Bill Sent on 12/12/2013

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My husband Bill and I were so pleased with the professionalism and the service that Cortenay provided for us.

Carol Sent on 10/24/2013

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When my daughter and son-in-laws plans for a destination wedding started to crumble I found Heather of Carolina Wedding Design. What a find!! Just our first telephone conversation put me at ease and I knew I had found a great planner that my daughter would connect with. Well they had a venue, photographer, dj and officiant within a week. From there my daughters description of a intimate and romantic wedding came to life in the most perfect wedding. Heather did not miss any detail. She remained professional even at the most relaxed meetings in our home. She was in constant contact and keep us all up to date on everything. She was great at staying on my daughter and son-in-law as far as things they needed to do on their timeline. The day of the wedding she never stopped. Her and Erin were at the venue working before we even arrived. Even the guests commented on how wonderful she was.
As far as the parents paying for the wedding: she knew the ins and outs and saved us money everywhere she could. The cost of her services was so worth it in the time and money she saved us.

Kristi Sent on 07/23/2013

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I dont even know where to begin with the shouts of praise I have for Cortenay Matters and Carolina Wedding Design! Working with Cortenay was hands down the best decision we made in the wedding planning process. Theres no way the day would have turned out the way it did without her expertise!

My now husband has rather fancy taste, I on the other hand, wanted a barn wedding in a field some where. The thought of combining the two seemed impossible. Then came Cortenay to the rescue. She managed to create the most beautiful wedding I've ever seen -- and we both got what we wanted.

She paid so much attention to the details and brought her all to each phase of the planning process. And the dynamic was great -- she didn't come across as the planner that you were just one of many weddings she was planning. It was like she was a good friend that really cared how your wedding turned out. She brought ideas to the table that I never would have thought of myself -- it took the wedding to a whole new level. And there were so many personal touches that reflected things that were important to Mark and I.

The best part of it all, was actually being able to enjoy my wedding day. I got to kick back and enjoy a day with my girlfriends and not worry about if the flowers were in the right place and if things were set up the way they were supposed to be. I knew Cortenay had it all under control and everything would be just perfect. And it was. We literally gasped when we saw the reception set up for the first time. It was like something out of a fairy tale.

Its been two months since our wedding and people are still telling us and our family how great it was. I've heard 'this is the best wedding i've ever been to' over and over again. And to top it off we just found out our wedding is going to be featured in a magazine! So yeah, let Cortenay plan your wedding...you'll end up in a magazine. :)

Kelly Sent on 06/23/2013

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Oh my gosh!!! Could not have been happier with our wedding! We have been told over and over and over how perfect it was!! Most of our guests say it's been the most amazing wedding they have been to and it all because of this wk fearful company!!! They are the BEST OUT THRRE!!! Don't think twice about using them!!!

Stephanie Sent on 06/11/2013

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Heather Bryson is the very reason my daughter's wedding was such a wonderful day! I live in Tennessee and my daughter lives in South Carolina. The wedding was in Charlotte. There is absolutely no way the wedding would have been anything but a chaotic mess if I'd tried to do it myself. I hired Heather and she took total responsibility! She kept everything on schedule and she made everything seem easy. She had the best contacts for the things we needed...ie: DJ, Cake, Venue, Dress Shop, Etc. The day of the wedding, she did all the work, and I just enjoyed the day!!! So many people have told me "That was the most beautiful wedding I've ever been to." We owe it all to Heather and Carolina Wedding Design. I can't tell you how thankful I am that she was there every step of the way! We love you, Heather!!

Larry Sent on 05/15/2013

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Heather,
Carol and I want to thank you and your staff for performing beyond our expectations from the
planning phase throughout out the wedding and evening celebration. The schedule of events could
not have been executed more smoothly and perfectly. Thank you for providing our daughter Ashley with your personal touch throughout the entire experience. You were a major part of this special event and certainly made the experience a memorable one. We would not hesitate to recommend you and your firm to any interested parties in the future. We hope we can see you again upon our return to Charlotte...
Your the Best..
Love, Regards and Thanks from the Borello's

Carol Sent on 05/15/2013

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I was worried how everything was going to turn out. Thankfully everything was totally amazing. I've never
Attended a more perfect wedding thanks to Heather and all she did. A plus. She really knows what she's doing and is extremely professional.

Tim Sent on 05/09/2013

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The event was flawless - Heather's team was absolutely unbelievable. We couldn't have done it without her. I would strongly recommend her to anyone I know planning a wedding.

Jenn Sent on 09/25/2012

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I honestly cannot say enough wonderful things about Heather Bryson! Having Heather be a part of my wedding day was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Working with Heather allowed me to be calm and relaxed and enjoy the process. She made everything SO easy and a lot of fun. I really feel that she went above and beyond to make sure that my day was amazing. She is super organized and has a great relationship with like every vendor you meet. Everything turned out so beautiful and better than my wildest dreams!!

Ashlee Sent on 09/13/2012

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My husband and I worked with Cortenay to plan our dream wedding in Charlotte, North Carolina. When we first became engaged I had felt that I would be able to take care of the wedding myself without the help of a wedding planner. After talking with my mother, we decided that hiring a wedding planner couldn't hurt and we made the decision to hire Carolina Wedding Design. It was by far the best decision I made throughout the entire wedding process.

I cannot begin to explain how amazing and talented Cortenay is at her job. She took care of everything and made the whole wedding planning process an actual joy. As much as I loved working with her during the whole wedding planning process, I have to say that her services during the days surrounding and including the wedding were invaluable. I am a very high strung individual and had already accepted that I would most likely be freaking out on the day of the wedding with whatever issues would arise. I could not have been more wrong. I was more relaxed on my wedding day than I am on a day to day basis! I knew after over a year of working with Cortenay that she could handle anything that happened and she did. Everything was flawless and I did not have to worry about one little thing the entire day. Not to mention that everything we had worked on turned out beautifully and that our wedding was a huge hit with all our guests!

I could go on and on about how it would be a huge mistake not to choose Carolina Wedding Design as your wedding planner but I will stop here! I HIGHLY recommend you do yourself a huge favor and pick them though :-D

John Sent on 09/04/2012

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As the "father of the bride", my involvement picked up in intensity down the stretch. Our daughter Jessica was more involved with Heather throughout the process (over several months) than my wife and I were. As the weekend approached..and as all of the details had to be finalized..I was in contact with Heather quite a bit.

We coudln't have been more pleased. She is truly a "pro's pro" and her advice and counsel to our daughter Jessica was invaluable. In addition to the professional side of our relationship, she became a family friend. We recommend her with the utmost confidence that others would be equally as pleased.

John and Donata Phillips

Elizabeth Sent on 09/04/2012

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The best decision I ever made during the course of planning our wedding was to hire Carolina Wedding Design and Cortenay Matters. Shortly after I became engaged, I relocated 600 miles from my hometown of Charlotte to be closer to my fiance. While this could be a little nerve wracking for any bride, Cortenay kept me organized, relaxed, and on top of things. She is talented, creative and made all of my hopes and dreams for my wedding come to life while still helping me make responsible choices regarding our budget. She was involved in every aspect of planning, from negotiating vendor contracts to helping me choose the perfect dress. On the day of the wedding, she greeted me bright and early in my suite to make sure I was as relaxed as possible for my big day and she made sure the night went smoothly and that I was able to enjoy every minute - from bringing me my sandals when my feet were tired from dancing to making sure that I always had a drink in my hand. I didn't have to worry about any of the business that comes along with wedding planning on my wedding day and I was able to relax and know that everything would be perfect at the reception. All weddings have hiccups and little things that go wrong during the day - but if you hire Carolina Wedding Design you won't know it. At least not until you get back from your honeymoon and have time to chat and debrief! And that feeling is priceless!

Jessica Sent on 08/28/2012

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I can't say enough positive things about Heather, Cortenay and Carolina Wedding Design. They exceeded my expectations in every respect and helped make my wedding day gorgeous, classy, seamless, and stress-free. Heather was always very responsive and as my mom said "worth her weight in gold". She incorporated all of my must haves, but at the same time provided great advice and recommendations. Her personal touches, especially on the design front, made my wedding one of a kind. CWD's vendor contacts were all great and I had no complaints - from the officiant, photographer, DJ, ceremony musician, and florist. The industry connections are a big plus because it saves time, money and the headache of doing your own research. Looking back, I can't imagine planning my wedding without Heather and Carolina Wedding Design. Heather is not only an awesome planner but the utmost professional, and most importantly, a great friend. I highly recommend CWD!

Kate Sent on 07/13/2012

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Let me open my letter by saying that my wedding day was the absolute best day of my life. Carolina Wedding Design, and specifically Cortenay Matters, had everything to do with making that day magical, and completely stress-free. As a Project Manager at a large financial institution here in Charlotte, I am very focused on both the details, and flawless execution of any initiative on which I am working. I also have pretty high expectations, and am not always easy to please. Cortenay’s attention to detail, her creative touches, and unmatched communication and organizational skills impressed me, and gave me the confidence to fully put the planning into her hands. I was able to just relax and enjoy that very special engagement period with my husband.

One of the things I loved about working with Cortenay was the fact that she gave me “Type A” personality results, but delivered them with a “Type B” kind of calm. Cortenay was always tee’ing up my wedding chores for the week, and sending me gentle reminders about what deliverables were around the corner. She never let us slip off of our timeline, but she did this all with a composed, relaxed demeanor. She was such a joy to work with!

The theme of our wedding reception was “Romantic English Garden,” and was held at my now husband’s private residence. The décor was absolutely outstanding, and Cortenay pulled it all off in less than 4 months (from planning to execution). My favorite touches included the vintage books that Cortenay ordered as part of our center pieces. She selected works that represented our education, travel experiences, and hobbies. She also hung delicate bird cages on a few of the trees in the backyard near the tent and had the florist fill them with roses and peonies. It was so beautiful. Our wedding guests were most complimentary of the wedding details, and I heard from many friends/family members that it was the best wedding that they had ever attended.

Furthermore, the vendors that Cortenay helped me select were top-notch, and because of her established relationships, I also received discounts for their services. Since we condensed our wedding planning from the normal 12 months, down to just 4, this was obviously a pretty hectic time for us. I can’t tell you what a benefit it was to be able to interface with only one main contact (Cortenay) vs. having to coordinate separately with our florist, photographer, cake baker, rentals rep, DJ, caterer, make-up artist, church coordinator, bridal shop, etc. My husband has said that hiring CWD was the best money we ever spent, and he wishes he could have “a Cortenay” to help manage the other major projects in our lives!

In closing, I would just like to say a heartfelt “thank you” to Cortenay and Carolina Wedding Design. I will always look back on June 8th (wedding day) with such joy and happiness, and I am ever grateful to Cortenay for her sage advice, hard work, and for caring about our big day as much as we did.

Katherine Jones Moore

Courtney Sent on 06/26/2012

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Hiring Carolina Wedding Design was the best decision my husband and I made during our entire wedding process. We knew Cortenay and Heather were amazing planners due to a friend's recommendation and flawless wedding that they had planned. What we were not expecting was how much attention was paid to every detail of our wedding and how much less stressed we were immediately after hiring them. Cortenay and Heather truly took the time to know us during the process, as evident our event was beautiful and uniquely "us." The big day was perfect and relaxing. With the expertise of Carolina Wedding Design my husband and I were able to enjoy the best day of our lives without a worry.

Kimberly Sent on 06/26/2012

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With my busy schedule and being relatively new to Charlotte we thought it would be good to hire a wedding coordinator. From the minute we met Cortenay we knew she would make our wedding special but I honestly had no idea how amazing it would turn out thanks to all of her hard work. We described to Cortenay what type of wedding we wanted in the beginning and from then on she exceeded all of my expectations. She has an incredibly positive, calm and upbeat personality which when combined with her professional business savvy ways makes her the answer to every brides prayers. She has great contacts in the industry and you know when you hire them you are getting the best of the best. Because of Cortenay I was able to have the wedding of my dreams while staying within budget at the same time. She helped us through every step of the wedding planning process and was even more priceless in the month leading up to my wedding. She went above and beyond in every aspect. I can not even begin to describe how reassured I felt knowing that she was handling all of the final details of the wedding, meeting with vendors to make sure everything was on schedule, and at the same time being such a wonderful friend to us with all of her love and support. Throughout the process she has become someone that is like family to us. Not a day goes by that I don't think back to how wonderful my wedding day was. It was everything I ever wanted and more thanks to Cortenay.

Amber Sent on 04/09/2012

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Hiring Heather Bryson and Cortenay Matters with Carolina Wedding Design was THE ABSOLUTE best decision my fiance' and I ever made when it came to our wedding! After getting engaged and starting the process of planning our wedding, we thought we could save money and plan it ourselves. That thought lasted about 5 minutes. I was completely overwhelmed and didn't have a clue where to start. So, we looked into hiring a wedding planner, met with a few, and just completely clicked with these two women. These girls know what they are doing!!! I trusted them so much that I was willing to just show up that day and get married. Her vision and creativity for our multi-cultural wedding was second to none. I cannot say enough good things about CWD...not to mention, they saved us thousands of dollars in the process! We worked mostly with Heather, who is just a doll! We had a blast every time we got together to do wedding stuff. Seriously, if you are engaged and planning the most UNFORGETTABLE day of your life, CWD can take your dreams to the next level. I cannot imagine our wedding without them. They will always be a part of our life! BEST MONEY EVER SPENT! hands down. So happy to be able to write a review on their behalf. THANK you CWD! Love you girls!

Megan Sent on 04/01/2012

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Carolina Wedding Design is more than just a company...they are family, your confidant, and friend through the entire wedding planning process. They really care about their brides and take time to get to know you personally to make sure your wedding is catered to what you like.
I cannot imagine planning my wedding without Cortenay Matters! She made the process so painless and REALLY fun! All of the stress of planning a wedding never phased me because I completely trusted Cortenay and the Carolina Wedding Design team. Hands down best experience possible! They go above and beyond and I would recommend them to any bride! They are the BEST in Charlotte and made my fairy tale wedding come true!!!

Debbie Sent on 11/30/2011

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Cortenay Matters, a partner of Carolina Wedding Design, was our wedding coordinator for my daughter's wedding. As the mother of the bride, I can say that she is an absolute pleasure to work with. She is professional, detail oriented, listens to your ideas and vision for your wedding, will bend over backwards to fulfill them, and will guide you and make suggestions if you need some ideas. She keeps you on track with timing and budget, is always upbeat and genuinely excited about your wedding and devotes 100% of her attention to you, especially in the 2 weeks before your date, finalizing all the last minute details. Cortenay truly takes all the worries "off your plate", handles everything you wish her to handle, and keeps the whole experience positive and happy. The vendors she recommends are excellent and that alone is a relief knowing that those people are known by her and will do a good job for you. As a mother of the bride who really wanted to enjoy the whole wedding planning experience, I do not think I could have coordinated such a beautiful, elegant wedding without her expertise. Many days she kept me sane and worry free, and that to me is priceless! I would highly recommend Cortenay Matters and Carolina Wedding Design.

Maneesha Sent on 11/16/2011

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Heather was amazing to work with. We started planning our wedding long distance, and once I finally moved to Charlotte, I was extremely busy in my new job as a physician. Heather did EVERYTHING in her power to coordinate and maximize the productivity of the time we could actually work on the wedding. I cannot recommend Heather enough - she is PERFECT for the busy bride who has limited time for wedding planning. She utilizes your time efficiently, turning even car rides into productive meetings. She understands when things come up and you're busy. Heather quickly and easily grasped what was important to us in our wedding day, so I could completely trust her with our vision. It allowed me to focus on my family, my friends, my fiance, and my job. And, I got to relax and enjoy the wedding itself and the creativity of our vendors without managing anything - because Heather was already doing that! And our wedding was MORE amazing than I could have imagined it.

Heather also had amazing contacts and helped us get top notch vendors. But she wasn't limited to what she already knew, she's willing to be flexible and try different things to make her bride and groom (and mother of the bride) happy. We actually went with a fabulous venue that she hadn't worked with previously. Additionally, she was a great resource when we had trouble making our decisions. She never pushed her opinions - instead, she'd thoughtfully reflect back comments we'd made and helped us make decisions based on what we had already told her about our vision for the wedding.

Finally, Heather is a great person, a great friend, and a great human being. I don't think she's ever met a stranger. My entire, VERY crazy family loved her. She's extremely personable and made the entire process very fun. On one of our more crazy wedding planning days, Heather made a point to pull over and help out when we witnessed a car wreck on - proof that Heather's generous and kind spirit isn't just an act - it is who she is.

Robin Sent on 11/14/2011

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Heather thought of details that we never would have thought of. She was adept at keeping the event moving at a great pace. Such a pleasure to work with. Amazing job!

Liz H. Sent on 11/01/2011

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Hands down, the best first decision my husband and I made together after we got engaged was to hire Heather Bryson to plan and coordinate our local wedding. We chose the full service package and cut back in other areas of our budget to accomodate because we knew we wanted someone other than our mothers (and us) to "stress" over all of the details so that we could just enjoy the experience. Never once did I see Heather seem stressed over anything and it freed us all up to focus on the things we really wanted to. For that alone, Heather and her team were worth more than what we paid. We had peace of mind the entire time that everything would turn our great, and it truly was beyond our expectations. Kirk and I highly highly recommend the full service package, but at minimum the mend-the-end service. You won't regret it for a second. Heather did everything she possibly could to make sure Kirk and I had the best experience leading up to the wedding and on the day of, and we couldn't be more thankful. Aside from all of that, we definitely benefited from vendor discounts and favors because of Heather! Worth every penny.

Ron Sent on 09/21/2011

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CWD made my daughter's wedding a fairy tell that surpassed even our expectations. No one likes the expenses that are associated with wedding these days but Heather and Courtney brought great value for the entire experience.

Sarah Sent on 09/20/2011

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Wow were to begin to express how we feel about the amazing job that Heather did for our daughters wedding. From the first time that we met we felt so comfortable with her and already felt as though the stress had been lifted. The whole process of planning the wedding was so much fun, and we feel like Heather always was very professional, understanding, and gave us honest and great advice, she always listened to our opinions and guided us as made our choices. Always a pleasure to work with her. We were even more than happy when the "Big Day" arrived, everything went so smooth and in fact we think that the day from beginning to end was PERFECT!!! Thank you Heather for giving our daughter a true "Fairy Tale Wedding".

Talisha Sent on 08/28/2011

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Two of the best decisions that we made for the wedding were #1 choosing to have a wedding planner and #2 deciding to work with Cortenay Matters from Carolina Wedding Design. When we first met Cortenay we knew immediately that she was the right fit for us. The reason we chose Cortenay was because she had a great personality, lots of energy, full of ideas, very professional, and seemed very determined to keep us on budget : ) When me & my now husband first started working with her a little over a year ago we knew we wanted the wedding to have a modern feel, be lots of fun, and have great food. Cortenay pretty much took it from there. Her relationships and connections with vendors were great. Wedding day was amazing. One of the things we were apprehensive about initially was the idea of a "reception style" reception with food stations but we knew we could trust Cortenay so we stuck with the idea and I'm so glad we did. It was a hit. Everyone commented on how amazing the food selection was and how much fun they had. The dance floor stayed full the entire night. We had so many guests coming up to us commenting on how impressed they were with our planner and the CWD team. (Their attention to detail, timeliness, professionalism). And all we have to say is "that's our Cortenay". So a big thanks to Cortenay Matters and Carolina Wedding Design for a stress free year and a Wonderful Wedding Day!!

xoxo,
Talisha & Brian

Karen Sent on 08/23/2011

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Carolina Wedding Design provided us with the wedding of my daughter's dreams!!!! Heather was a dream to work with..her vision, knowledge, organization, and communication made planning our daughter's wedding both FUN and stress free! When we first met with Courtney and Heather, we were immediately impressed and put at ease. These girls work with the motto "Get the most bang for your buck!"

Kathy Sent on 08/23/2011

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Carolina Wedding Design made this the most wonderful day imaginable. It was definitely the right choice in choosing CWD for the planning and implementing of our daughter's wedding. Everything was perfect from the first day we started working with Cortenay Matters through the end of the evening of the reception.
Cortenay listened to what our daughter wanted on her special day and made it come true. CWD is fabulous and we could not have done it without them. Thank you for making this day one we will never forget.
Wayne and Kathy Johnson

Kellyn Sent on 07/13/2011

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A close friend referred my family to Carolina Wedding Design when I got engaged last summer. We could not have been happier! We selected the “Marry Me” package and would not have known what to do without Heather Bryson. She went above and beyond with everything and made our wedding the most incredible/STRESS FREE day of our lives. I would tell Heather an idea and she would pull it together with detail in such a way that I could never have imagined. We were engaged for ten months and in that time Heather felt like family. My entire family is forever grateful for all that she did – there are just no words to describe the top notch service that both Heather and Cortenay provide. Thank you both for everything!!!
Kellyn McLamb Harrod

Beverly Sent on 05/22/2011

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Our wedding was above and beyond our wildest dreams and that was because of CWD!! They preformed as promised in every area and then so much more! Heather made the wedding planning process easy and so much fun for all of us. Heather is an incredibly talented young woman who gave us fantastic ideas to make our wedding so special ! All of their vendors were fabulous to work with. The vendor discounts she was able to get more than made up for CWD's fees. We most highly recommend CWD!!!

Joyce Sent on 05/17/2011

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CWD

When we first got engaged we were so excited to start planning our wedding. Soon we realized the amount of work and level of details set before us and decided to hire an expert. In discussing our intentions with several vendors, the name Carolina Wedding Design came up multiple times. The first meeting was a bit daunting, and my husband had his doubts, but when they laughed at his dumb jokes we were sold! Once we described our vision of a fun, yet elegant, cherry blossom theme, they embraced it with enthusiasm and there was no looking back. Cortenay Matters is the perfect balance of professionalism, organization, and personality, all wrapped up in a highly energetic bundle of fun. Even the nitty gritty details were addressed in a manner that made the entire process enjoyable, and we looked forward to every meeting with Cortenay. (I think my husband is a bit sad now that we don't get to hang out her on a weekly basis)
March 19th was upon us in no time, and CWD brought in reinforcements for the big event. Cortenay was on point, focused and determined to make this an unforgettable day for us and our guests. She rolled in with two way radios, headset and utility belt, as if ready to lead a platoon of pink commandoes into the jungle of matrimonial ceremony. Not only was the venue breathtakingly beautiful, the entire wedding was perfect down to the last detail. Everyone had a grand time. When we had originally talked about a cherry blossom theme, Cortenay designed the most incredible cherry blossom vision. She planned our cherry blossom arbor, custom cherry blossom cake, and our amazing cherry blossom decor for our reception. We had so many compliments on how beautiful the wedding was and we owe it all to Cortenay and Carolina Wedding Design. Thank you for making our wonderful day so much greater.

Much love,

Joyce and Chris Bettini

Erin Sent on 05/05/2011

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Cortenay was amazing to work with as a wedding planner! I honestly can't say enough about her and the services at Carolina Wedding Design. I had come to them thinking I had most things done and really needed help on the planning piece, but I was so unaware of the time how much more there was to do. Even after hiring her, she was able to cut some things from my budget, and I actually ended up paying less for my wedding and added several vendors I didn't think I could afford (transportation, video, etc.). When I started working with Cortenay, I honestly didn't even realize how involved she would be (because I asked her to) and she went with me to dress fittings and hair trial runs. She was even there the entire day of my wedding which was such a comforting feeling. She treated every question or request I had as if it were the most important thing she had on her plate, and would respond to my frantic late night emails as well. I only wished I had hired her sooner in the process before signing with any vendor so she could help me make the best decisions (I started working with her with about 4 months left before my wedding).

THANKS CORTENAY!!

Terry Sent on 04/19/2011

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A MAGICAL DAY…..that is only one of the many ways to describe my daughter’s and her husband’s wedding day on April 8, 2011! THE most beautiful, lovingly, well planned day with attention to every detal that I could ever hope to imagine! All due to Cortenay Matters, a partner of Carolina Wedding Design (CWD), who patiently and expertly guided the couple from the planning stages to the most well organized and beautifully orchestrated day and evening imaginable!

I cannot recommend enough Cortenay Matters and Carolina Wedding Design! With her partner, Heather backing her up on THE DAY, they make a great team! Thanks so very much, Cortenay…. you and CWD are PRICELESS!!

Janice Sent on 02/04/2011

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Working with Carolina Wedding Design and Cortenay Matters was by far the best decision my husband and I made in planning our wedding! I personally didn't want to stress about one of the most important days of your life, and I put full trust in CWD and Cortenay! Throughout our planning process we had a few hurdles to get over with our reception location and Cortenay handled the situation with professionalism. She handled every detail with such focus and passion. It was a pleasure to work with Cortenay and CWD for our December wedding! Both my husband and I were pleased with the service we recieved for the value. And will always call Heather Bryson & Cortenay Matters our friends.

Kristen Sent on 12/08/2010

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Working with Heather at CWD was such a joy. She made the last month of my wedding planning a breeze! She handled everything. I couldn't have done it without her!

Beth Sent on 11/18/2010

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Hiring Cortenay Matters at CWD was the best wedding decision we made! Not only was our wedding PERFECT, but our engagement was fun and stress free. For seven months, we had the best time with Cortenay planning our wedding. She is extremely organized, professional, and efficient. It is amazing how much progress we made month after month, week after week. Cortenay is also tremendously creative and skilled at turning wedding dreams and visions into reality. She is someone you can trust to make your BIG DAY better than you've ever imagined!

S Sent on 10/29/2010

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The wedding was wonderful due in large part to Carolina Wedding Design's involvement. The event would not have been the same without them. Their recommendations and ability to pull everything together and make it happen in a very professional way sets them apart. It removed much of the pressure from the wedding party and the result is a lot of great memories. We cannot thank them enough.

Arlene Sent on 10/22/2010

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Heather and Courtney were the BEST ! I don't know what we would have done without them. They helped make the wedding wonderful !
ARLENE Hidalgo

Faye Sent on 10/21/2010

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Hiring Heather was the best decision we have ever made. It took the burden off us (the family) and put it on Heather. She did a fantastic job.

Rebecca Sent on 10/18/2010

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Absolutely awesome! We worked primarily with Cortenay. She is extremely organized and took care of every last detail. She was professional, sweet, kind and everyone loved her! THANK YOU Carolina Wedding Design!!! You gals are fabulous!

Nikki Sent on 10/17/2010

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Rev. Shirley Anne was full of energy and love! She fit the mood of our casual wedding and provided her services with charm and all smiles. I would HIGHLY recommend her officiant services to anyone planning a wedding in OBX! Fantastic!

With Love,
Nicole and Jonathan

Carlin Sent on 09/16/2010

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I could not have gone through the wedding process without Heather and CWD. I was so overwhelmed at the beginning of the planning, but Heather made it easy and managable. I was living out of town planning my wedding and Heather always had an organized schedule for me when I was in town so we could get things done. The day of my wedding I was completely stress free... everyone was coming up to me saying they had never seen a bride as calm as I was. I knew Heather and the CWD team had EVERYTHING under control. They were so prepared for any "surprises" that could have come up. Heather even ended up sewing a rip in my dress at the reception. It was SUCH a relief the day of having a great team handling my wedding details. There was no stress on my mother or any of my family and we were all able to actually enjoy the day. CWD goes above and beyond for your wedding day. We LOVE CWD!

Kelly Sent on 09/14/2010

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Joe and I had a wonderful experience with Carolina Wedding Design. We chose the “Mend the End” package which basically meant that CWD took over contact with our vendors four weeks before the wedding date. We were both afraid that we would have an issue with letting go – but I am so glad that we did. Cortenay was the lead on our wedding, and as a result of her professionalism and impeccable coordination, our wedding was a fantastic event. The best part was that because Joe and I didn’t have to worry about vendors, coordination, or set up, we were free to entertain our guests and enjoy our wedding weekend.

I want to give a couple of examples that illustrate how CWD went above and beyond to make our wedding a success. Like all brides, I had labored over the colors, décor and vibe of our special day. On the Wednesday before the wedding, Cortenay came to our home to pick up all the decorations and beverages for the wedding. When I walked into The Dairy Barn on wedding day, it was truly seeing my vision come alive. Everything looked beautiful!

Cortenay created a detailed wedding day itinerary which was distributed to all the vendors. Now, I have been a part of many weddings, and typically, the wedding party is stressed and rushed. Not with Cortenay at the helm. We were relaxed and ahead of schedule the entire day. As a result, I was cool and composed when I walked down the aisle. The entire wedding day, Cortenay was right there when I needed her. From reapplying lip gloss, to wrangling drunk guests, to making sure that my Grandma’s antique cake topper made it home safe, Cortenay and her assistant Sarah did it all!

Of course, no wedding is perfect. I found out the day after that there had been some issues with the catering. We had no idea. Cortenay and Sarah completely shielded Joe and I from any drama that was going on behind the scenes. We ate, danced and mingled with our guests without a care in the world.

Truly, the money we spent to hire CWD was our best wedding investment. I can honestly say that we couldn’t have done it without her. Words cannot express the gratitude we feel for everything Cortenay did to make September 5th the best day of our lives. Thank you!!

Carol Sent on 08/26/2010

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I began planning my wedding thinking I could do it all. As the time drew near, I quickly gained a new understanding of what it means to plan a wedding! I was given Cortenay Matter's name by a friend who highly recommended her. Cortenay helped me organize the details of my wedding and was there to assist my guests and I with anything we needed all the way until the last guest left the night of. If you are looking for a professional to help you organize and plan the details of your wedding while providing excellent customer service, I would highly recommend Cortenay Matters with Carolina Wedding Design. You will not be disappointed!

Marye Sent on 07/13/2010

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As we sit and write this three months later, we have only happy memories of every aspect and every detail of our daughter's wedding. And from a mother’s perspective, it was literally “a dream come true for me”. Heather arranged everything and all we had to do was sit back, choose this and that, and enjoy the process. Every detail was like a story-book memory; shopping for Georgia’s wedding dress, sampling menus, meeting entertainers…. We were having fun while Heather did all the work. We depended upon her expertise for everything. And it all came without an ounce of stress!

If we could give only one piece of advice to the bride and parents of the bride… it would be to hire Heather Bryson and Carolina Wedding Designs as their wedding planner. After doing so, move forward with confidence that you have hired the most energetic, competent, organized, confident and incredibly loving individual possible. Do not micro manage her… she is an expert, professional and the best at what she does. She will take the reins and guide you step by step…. And that’s the way it should be.

To conclude:

We gave ourselves and our daughter the gift of working with Heather and her Full Service “Marry Me” Package. What Heather gave us in return will never be forgotten… a perfect, stress-free three months of wedding planning…. and a Perfect Wedding Day.

Thank you Heather!
We Love You!
Marye Jo and Greg Hartley
703-966-2014

Lydia Sent on 06/30/2010

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Carolina Wedding Design was absolutely amazing to work with!! They made my wedding more beautiful, special, and perfect than I ever could have imagined. They took away all the stress of planning, and made the whole experience fun and enjoyable! Carolina Wedding Design was always available to answer questions whenever I needed help. They were worth every penny spent!

Georgia Sent on 06/29/2010

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Heather handled everything from making appointments to helping change my shoes when my heels began to hurt at the reception. She was worth every penny we spent. We pulled together our wedding in 3 months and it almost felt as though we had time to spare. She worked around my husband and I's hectic schedule (I worked two jobs in NC and he lived and worked in GA). She was worth every penny we spent (and they were very reasonable pennies!!). Even though Heather was planning many other weddings, it felt as though I was her only bride!

Kim Sent on 06/29/2010

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Carolina Wedding Design FAR exceeded anything that we could have hoped for or imagined! Because of Heather, we were able to relax and enjoy every step in the process and the outcome was perfect too. As my daughter stepped into her dress on her wedding day we were all so happy and relaxed and she said to me, "WHAT would we be doing today without Heather?!" EVERY detail was covered for us includng many things that we would have never thought of doing. As a bonus, we grew to love Heather and Courtney as people and dear friends-LOVE them-they are truly the best!at what they do! Carolina Wedding Design was a gift to us for which we will always be grateful.

Leslie Sent on 06/29/2010

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I contacted several wedding planners in the beginning and was immediately impressed with the timely and friendly manner that CWD responded. It only took a few minutes in our first consultation to know that I would use them for my wedding. Not only were they extremely easy to work with, but really listened to my wishes for my special day. I informed them of my budget and we were able to get everything that I wanted and more. Cortenay Matters was my direct contact and by the end of the first few weeks, I felt I had made a friend for life. She was very professional and easy to work with. Cortenay is very percise and a stickler for detail. My wedding day was beautiful and I was able to enjoy it completely. I want to thank Cortenay personally for all her hard work in making my wedding such a special and memorable event.

Amanda Sent on 06/07/2010

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Carolina Wedding Design was amazing to work with! I would highly recommend this team to any bride that needs help planning from the beginning or just "Mending the End." Cortenay was very responsive and always went above and beyond. Thank you, Carolina Wedding Design for making sure my special day was perfect!

Shannon Sent on 05/12/2010

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Cortenay was AWESOME! Living in Los Angeles while planning a North Carolina wedding, Cortenay took care of everything. Her ideas for our wedding perfectly matched what we wanted. Besides being an awesome wedding planner - Cortenay is an awesome person!

Jessica Sent on 04/17/2010

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You'll soon figure out that planning a wedding requires that you make thousands of decisions, big and small. Hands down, the best decision that we made for our wedding was hiring Heather Bryson with Carolina Wedding Design. Not only did she prove herself to be the absolute best in her field, but she also became a good friend and a very dear person to us. Because of Heather, the wedding planning process was fun and enjoyable, our wedding day was orchestrated perfectly and we have wonderful memories from this special time in our lives. Do yourself a BIG favor and put your wedding in Heather's capable and loving hands. You can thank me later. :o)

Sarah Sent on 04/05/2010

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Heather received one of the first phone calls when I found out I was engaged because I knew she had to be a part of the big day. She was also the wedding planner for my sister's wedding two years ago so I was familiar with her work and knew we couldn't survive without her.

I really cannot say enough great things and thank the CWD team enough for pulling off an amazing event. I have said it time and time again, if I could go back and change anything about my wedding it would be to have them as full service planners from Day 1 instead of just the last 30 days to help me pull it all together.

Heather is amazing. She is always there to help you make decisions, answer a frantic phone call, and help you be excited for your big day. Knowing that the CWD team was in charge brought such a sense of peace to both Clark & I and allowed us to truly enjoy the weekend instead of worrying about all of the details. CWD always has the well being of their clients in mind at all times and will do what it takes to ensure things get taken care of properly & stressfree.

I can't thank these ladies enough, all I can do is send all of my friends & family their way because I truly feel CWD is the best and know they will be in great hands.

Love, love, love...
Sarah Clark Hopfer

Dalton Sent on 03/16/2010

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Heather and Cortenay were amazing. I wish I had hired them sooner. However, I thought that I would be fine planning the wedding on my own. However, a month before the wedding, I was about to go insane with all the details, and I was no longer enjoying being a "bride-to-be." As a result, I contacted Heather and Cortenay and purchased the "mend-the-end" package and had them handle all the details for the last four weeks before the wedding. They wrapped up all the loose ends, coordinated vendor payments, schedules, and just generally kept me sane. On the day of the wedding, rather than having to worry about making sure everything was taken care of, I was able to relax and enjoy the experience. My father and stepmother said they were thrilled that they were able to enjoy the reception, dance, and visit with their friends and family, instead of having to rush around fussing over details, distributing payments to the vendors, supervising vendor breakdown and transporting all of the gifts back home after the bride and groom departure. The value received was far in excess of the price and without Heather and Cortenay, I am sure I would not have enjoyed the wedding nearly as much. I highly recommend that you consider using them.

Stephanie Sent on 08/24/2009

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Heather is an accomplished multitasker who sees everything threw to perfection. Her personality was made for wedding planning and you can tell that all of the vendors look to work with her. She was completely organized, creative and helpful with the entire production even offering advice on last minute changes the night of that created a once in a lifetime event. She is so personable that I heard many praising complements from other guests about her. I owe so much of the succes to her and all of her time and energy. Anyone can truly trust that Heather will deliver an unforgettable day!

Lindsey Sent on 08/23/2009

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating

Heather was absolutely wonderful to work with. I had nothing to worry about the weekend of my wedding. She had everything completely orgainized and not a thing went wrong. She did a great job of communicating with my vendors and orgainizing the wedding party.

Meredith Sent on 08/22/2009

5 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating

Heather Bryson is an exceptional wedding coordinator. I could not have been more pleased with the service and expertise she provided me. She took over the wedding responsiblities about 30 days before the event. She took away all the stress I think many brides feel the month before their wedding. I was totally relaxed before my wedding and for the entire wedding weekend. The execution of the wedding and reception was perfect - it could not have run more smoothly. I absolutely enjoyed the entire wedding weekend and I can not thank her enough for the work she did for me.

Naz Sent on 11/08/2011

4.9 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
5 out of 5 rating
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4.5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
5 out of 5 rating

CWD and Heather were FANTASTIC. Heather planned my entire wedding. She took my words and thoughts and turned them into an amazing wedding ceremony and reception. My husband and I had so much fun at the wedding and its all thanks to Heather!! CWD has great relationships and strong work ethic, which made the planning process seamless. Thanks again CWD!

Kelsey Sent on 09/13/2011

4.9 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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4.5 out of 5 rating

LOVE LOVE LOVE you guys! I had great service from Heather Bryson, and I feel like we became great friends! The only reason they didn't get a 5.0 is because of my schedule mixed with Heather's schedule sometimes didn't work out. But I feel like Heather went above and beyond on me and my hubby's wedding and I wouldn't have been able to do any of it without her. She made me and the entire wedding party feel comfortable and relaxed all day long! I'm so grateful for all of the hard work of Heather and her team! Thank you Carolina Wedding Design for making my wedding day amazing!!

Linda Sent on 07/14/2011

4.8 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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4 out of 5 rating

CWD is professional and creative. They base decisions on a combination of client needs/wants and their knowledge of what works. The entire planning process of 18months went smoothly and the day of the wedding, the CWD team was outstanding. Many of our guests mentioned the attention to detail that made our wedding just perfect. We couldn't have asked for a better firm to work with!

Morgan Sent on 07/15/2011

4.7 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
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4 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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4.5 out of 5 rating

Heather was great to work with, she was very creative, knowledgable about what would work and what wouldn't work and had great relationships with vendors (which led to some discounts!).

We had our dream wedding and she helped bring our vision to life, I would definitely recommend Carolina Wedding Design for planning your wedding!

Jaya Sent on 09/08/2010

4.6 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4.5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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4 out of 5 rating
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4.5 out of 5 rating

I'm was an out-of-town bride, we got married in my hometown but I live 1000 miles away right now. Leading up to the wedding, CWD was very organized and helpful. I could have gotten away with using them only during wedding week but that said, their recommendations along the way and their connections with vendors saved us time and money.

Heather and Courtenay were invaluable on Wedding Day! They were very organized, on top of everything and seemed to be in 3 places at once. Our family commented so many times that my (now) husband and I were so calm during the day and relaxed at the reception - I owe this to CWD!

Brittany Sent on 02/14/2016

0.5 out of 5 rating

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0.5 out of 5 rating
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0.5 out of 5 rating
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0.5 out of 5 rating
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0.5 out of 5 rating
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0.5 out of 5 rating

Absolutely terrible experience! My fiancé and I were looking forward to finally planning our dream wedding when we made the mistake of contracting with Carolina Event Designs (CED). If you want to be involved in your wedding planning, at all, then CED is NOT the place for you! – Just 4 months prior to our wedding date, we were left scrambling, trying to find a new wedding planner! 4 months from our big day, Heather, our planner with CED, no longer had time to provide us with the “one-on-one attention” we were wanting so she gave us 2 options: (1) be transferred to her partner who had “a smaller client load and may be able to give [us] more one-on-one attention that [we were] wanting” or (2) “part ways” and “handle it on our own or find someone who may better align” with what we were looking for. Apparently, this is not the first time this has happened with this wedding planner and unfortunately, those other couples did not take the time to share their stories on the reviews. I don’t want anyone else to have to experience what my fiancé and I experienced during a time that should be filled with fun memories!
We spent 8 months telling ourselves that once our wedding date drew closer we would start to feel like more of a priority to our planner, we were sure we would start getting the attention and time we needed to finalize our plans and vendors. Unfortunately, that was not the case. And instead of feeling like a priority we felt abandoned. When we brought our concerns to Heather’s attention, her response was completely defensive, unprofessional, and ended with her giving us the ultimatum, mentioned above.
Bottom line, we were lucky enough to find other fantastic planners, they do exist! Do not settle for less! If you choose CED, good luck...I hope they treat your wedding like a priority. Oh yeah, and if not, good luck getting your money back! - From one bride who learned the hard way, to another who can avoid the disappointment, steer clear of CED!

Carolina Event Design Reviews

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Carolina Event Design