Cloud 9 Events Reviews
Reviews
5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
117 Reviews
100% recommend it
Awards
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Sam P. Sent on 03/09/2024
Cloud 9 gave us our dream wedding on Lopez!
Hiring Olivia & the team at Cloud 9 Events was the best decision we made when planning our wedding. We had our ~100-guest wedding at my wife's family's property on Lopez. Olivia seems to know everyone on the San Juans, which made picking caterers and vendors exceptionally easy. Additionally, through video calls once per month, we were able to really iron out details ahead of time so that not much was left up to chance by the time the wedding rolled around. Olivia's planning allowed us to make our wedding feel like us through so many personal touches.
When the actual event came around, Olivia was calm and collected even when things went awry (as they inevitably do). For example, when we saw that the sites we picked for our ceremony and reception were infested with wasps, Olivia was somehow able to get pest control out from San Juan to Lopez and saved our original plan. The whole event really would not have been the success it was if it weren't for Olivia and the rest of the Cloud 9 team. My wife and I are so grateful to have had them help us with our wedding and would highly recommend them to anyone, especially those with events on the San Juans!
Photo credits: Robert S. Harrison Photography www.islandweddingphoto.com -
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Hannah M. Sent on 09/06/2023
Best wedding planner!!
The first vendor I booked after getting engaged was Olivia with Cloud 9 Events. After a meet and greet phone call, I immediately felt at ease and excited to begin the wedding planning process because she gave off enthusiastic energy and knowledge of Orcas Island. My husband and I got married on our family. Since we did not have an already established venue, we had to start from scratch and outsource EVERYTHING. Olivia helped us come up with a comprehensive plan that fit our budget, thought of details that I would never have come up with on my own, and kept us on track with her wedding planning program to ensure our wedding would be perfect. Since we do not live on the island, Olivia would go to the property with vendors in our place and coordinate with the rentals company our requests. She always answered texts and phone calls, emails, and questions within a timely manner. During the week leading up to our wedding, we unexpectedly had to get a new photographer due to a medical emergency. Olivia found us a local photographer within a day, set up transportation and made all the arrangements for us so that we did not have to stress. Olivia's recommendations for local vendors was honest and she gave insight about vendors that you can't get from websites or reviews.
The Cloud 9 events team came for two days ahead of our wedding to set up and arrange all the decorations so that my husband and I could relax and enjoy our family and friends arriving.
On the wedding day, she kept us on schedule and coordinated with all the vendors to set up according to our plan. Her team cleaned up, put equipment away, and coordinated all the rental pick up so I didn't have to clean or worry at all the day after. If you want a stress free wedding so that you can enjoy the time with your family, friends, and new spouse, I highly recommend Cloud 9 events! -
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Elwyn P. Sent on 11/03/2023100% Worth It
Olivia puts tremendous care and attention into her work. She guided us through every big and small decision - it felt as if we were her only customer throughout the process.
She is an islander through and through. She knows the best businesses, locations, activities, and travel options available - even on short notice. Every vendor we worked with told us “Oh, we love working with Olivia”. It just made everything run smooth as could be.
Logistically, her team is extremely efficient and professional. On top of that, she made time to include personal gestures and details to make our wedding day feel special and truly our own. She put us at ease. I thought that I would become more stressed the closer we got to our wedding date. It turned out to be the opposite - I felt more relaxed each day because of how thoroughly we had planned.
Even if you tend to be a DIY type of person I cannot tell you how much our decision to hire a planner / day-of coordinator paid off. I promise that the peace of mind alone is worth every penny. You will have a day full of love, a killer party, and the best memory of your life. -
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Anna H. Sent on 03/21/2024The only choice for a wedding in the San Juans!
Olivia and the team at Cloud Nine events were instrumental in us pulling off our wedding weekend with multiple days of events on San Juan Island where 90% of guests were traveling from out of state. Her intimate knowledge of Saltwater Farm and relationships with all of the local vendors who work there often was a huge advantage of hiring her over other planners who may not be based in the islands. She was incredible to work with and provided the level of communication and handholding that we needed, while also letting us take the reins where we felt excited or passionate about something. As we got closer to our wedding weekend, Olivia got even more involved in the details and ensured that so many elements were progressing smoothly that we would have never thought of without her. The weekend of our wedding, she handled every issue or snafu that came up, big or small, including chartering a backup barge to get our band from one island to another when the interisland ferry threatened to cancel. She was able to head off issues before they happened, and when they did pop up, handle them without us even knowing, which is exactly why you hire a full service planner. We LOVE you, Olivia!!!!!! Thank you for making our wedding weekend so magical and our vision come alive in so many ways. You are the best! -
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Riki R. Sent on 10/07/2022A Stress-Free Island Wedding
Literally the best decision we made for our wedding was hiring Olivia and Cloud 9 events for day-of coordination. We got married on Orcas Island in September, and about 3 months out from the date realized we needed some extra support to bring our vision to life (this is code for me freaking out about how to hang string lights and fold napkins on my wedding day). My husband and I were impressed with Olivia from our first call - she was professional, responsive, creative, and extremely knowledgeable about all things Orcas Island. She managed our contracts, timelines, decor rentals, etc. leading up to the wedding weekend, getting to know our vendors and ensuring everyone knew where to be and when. The day before the wedding, a ferry carrying many of our guests was canceled, and within 10 minutes, Olivia used her connections on the island to help us secure a van and personally shuttle walk-on passengers from the terminal to our venue. On our actual wedding day, she was somehow everywhere - keeping things moving, reassuring nervous family members, and anticipating needs before they happened. I'm pretty sure she worked with the airport to pause air traffic during our outdoor ceremony. Her familiarity with Orcas and the community there was invaluable throughout the whole process. We had the BEST time, and that's because I never had to worry with Olivia on our team.
Stop considering and hire Olivia and Cloud 9 events. You won't regret it. -
Rachel F. Sent on 12/23/2022
Besides the person I chose to marry, hiring Cloud Nine Events was hands down the best decision I made
I recently had the pleasure of working with Olivia and her team at Cloud Nine Events for my wedding in September 2022 on Orcas Island. Olivia was an absolute dream to work with as my spouse and I planned our Orcas island wedding remotely from the Olympia area.
First and foremost, Olivia is extremely professional, both leading up to and during our wedding weekend. She was able to handle all of our requests or question with ease. When we didn’t purchase enough of certain things before coming to the island, Olivia was able to procure what we needed so we didn’t have to take time away from spending time with friends and family. As a couple navigating wedding planning during the pandemic, Olivia was able to adapt to the constantly changing offings and availability of vendors on the islands, ensuring we had the best information to help us make plans. She was a true partner in planning our wedding, always offering helpful ideas coupled with her local knowledge while still being respectful of our vision for the big day.
Olivia is also an expert at navigating the often-stressful vendor scene. She was able to recommend and secure vendors for everything from the flowers to the catering. She was able to negotiate contracts on our behalf, more than paying for her services with her valuable connections and expertise. When an issue with a vendor came up on the day of our event, Olivia deftly navigated it without me noticing or getting stressed out.
In addition to her professional skills, Olivia is also an absolute joy to be around. She is kind, discreet, and always has a calm and collected demeanor, which was a welcome presence during the sometimes-hectic planning process. She truly went above and beyond to ensure that our wedding day was perfect, including responding to my late-night post-wedding text of “I didn’t eat enough food at the reception, can you drop off some catering leftovers?” and within half an hour, an extra plate AND cake was left at the door of our airbnb.
Finally, as a local to Orcas Island, Olivia has a deep knowledge of the people and places on the island. This was especially helpful for our out-of-state guests, as she was able to provide guidance on navigating the ferry system and finding accommodations. When it came time to pick locations for photos, Olivia was instrumental in figuring out where to go for the perfect PNW backdrops.
Besides the person I chose to marry, hiring Cloud Nine Events was hands down the best decision I made regarding my wedding. If you are planning a wedding or event on Orcas Island (or anywhere else in the San Juans, for that matter), do yourself a favor and give Olivia a call. -
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Kevin A. Sent on 10/04/2022
A perfect Orcas Island Wedding
We contacted Olivia with Cloud 9 Events just days after our engagement. We happened to be visiting Orcas and decided to consider it as our wedding destination.
Olivia responded right away and we set up an initial meeting over a holiday weekend. Olivia’s professionalism and courtesy were immediately apparent. She provided us with venues to go look at, and her fun and down to earth attitude was a perfect match for what we wanted our event to be.
We went with the unlimited package and couldn’t recommend it’s value highly enough. Olivia found us amazing local vendors we would never have known about if we searched ourselves, managed the details of our wedding day and decor with ease, and handled every challenge that came up during planning with multiple options and graceful pivots when needed. She was always accessible throughout the whole process, and went above and beyond in answering our many questions about throwing such an event.
She even helped us set up some details for our welcome dinner the day before the main event and checked in on our dogs for us while we were whale watching.
Her team for the wedding day created a beautiful setting that brought our vision to life, and gave us an unforgettable day that was absolutely perfect. Once again, they even took care of getting our dogs home from the venue and feeding them dinner.
We are so grateful to Olivia and her team for all they did to make our event seamless and spectacular, and feel like we’ve made a great friend in the process.
If you’re thinking of having an event on the San Juan islands, Cloud 9 Events is absolutely the way to go. -
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Kameron W. Sent on 10/04/2022Incredible!!
When we chose our wedding venue, the only date available was 8 weeks out. We decided to go for it and crossed our fingers we could find a wedding planner that could work that short time frame. We found Olivia at Cloud 9 Events and she saved us! We had no idea what to do and we didn't know any vendors on Orcas Island. She immediately made us feel calm about everything and had vendors lined up for us in no time. She is very well connected and we ended up with an incredible photographer, videographer, caterer, florist, a band, and baker all willing to work with us on short notice because they all knew and worked so well with Olivia and Cloud 9. She went above and beyond in a millions other ways and we had a blast planning it with her. Our wedding weekend and day was perfect. We are forever grateful to you! Thank you for everything! ❤️ -
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Megan U. Sent on 05/24/2022The Perfect Wedding!
Olivia and her team were amazing! Our daughter was married on Orcas Island in May of 2022 and everything was spectacular, allowing the bride and groom and their families to focus on celebrating the beginning of their new lives together and not the minutiae of their wedding. As the mother of the bride, I brought Olivia in early on in the planning process because I recognized that I needed her local knowledge and years of experience. Her professionalism, attention to detail, and connections to vendors in the area are unmatched, plus, she’s just fun to have around. I have no doubt that there were a number of hiccups that she just handled without my even knowing. (Looking at you, WA State Ferries!) Because she is so good at her job, I was able to outsource all my stress to her and focus on my daughter, her new husband, and visiting family. I really cannot say enough wonderful things about her. You should hire her!
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Maggie V. Sent on 09/06/2020The Best of the Best!!
When we hired Cloud Nine Events/Kimaya in September of 2019 to help us with our Orcas Island Wedding for late August 2020, we had no idea just how valuable Kimaya would be to us. Not only were we planning the wedding from out-of-state but in March of 2020 COVID hit. If I were to detail all the ways Kimaya was crucial to pulling off our wedding, this review would be 10 pages long. So I’ll stick to the highlights.
Kimaya started to help us back in September and was always very responsive and made sure to check in with us through the winter months to make sure we were on track with vendors. At that time she provided a helpful list of recommendations and put us in contact with vendors such as the caterer, venue, transportation, and music. She allowed us our creative freedom, made suggestions, and coordinated with many of the vendors we initially decided to go with. She provided us with reminders for when we needed to “lock-down” a vendor because the services on the island can be scarce. It was common for vendors to ask, “What wedding planner are you working with?” When we said Kimaya, vendors always responded with a sense of relief. The logistics for an Orcas Island wedding can be tricky and she provided essential information that we needed to get out to friends and family regarding the ferry schedule and travel to/from the airport.
When March of 2020 rolled around our 150 guest wedding plans quickly started to change due to Covid-19. Kimaya stayed positive and SO supportive as we navigated uncertain territory. By April we were already discussing postponing but, for personal reasons, that wasn’t an option for us. Kimaya was understanding and not-at-all judgmental. Kimaya advised us to avoid making rash decisions, and that it was not yet time to panic. She encouraged us to think about what was important to us as a couple. We decided to go on as planned with the idea that we would comply with all state and local ordinances, and adjust accordingly. We also assumed that by August 22nd, things would settle down (we were very wrong). Kimaya kept a pulse on the “culture” and vibe around the island throughout the pandemic and her involvement in the community was invaluable to us.
Looking back, what was so impressive regarding Kimaya’s approach, in my opinion, was that she did not try to predict the future. Instead she reacted with the information that was available at the time (she even called state and local governments for clarifications on guidelines and ordinances). Kimaya coached us on what we needed to take care of (calling vendors, lodging, transportation, etc.), what could wait, and then she rolled with the punches. When a new problem came up, she helped us create a new plan, executed the plan, and made necessary adjustments.
Most importantly Kimaya communicated early and often. She was direct, honest, and above all KIND! She was available by phone and email; she replied to messages and phone calls promptly, and communicated when she would not be available.
My goal of this review is to highlight the fact that we put Kimaya/Cloud Nine Events in a very challenging situation. Despite this, she was able to turn a wedding that appeared doomed, and almost everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, into the most beautiful and happy day of our lives. Imagine the magic Kimaya can help you to create when there is no pandemic and if you are planning your wedding during these crazy times you are in good hands with Cloud Nine Events.
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Kylie K. Sent on 08/02/2021Orcas Island Dream Wedding
I'm so lucky we were able to work with Kimaya on our Orcas Island wedding. When we did the site visits she brought me to a venue that wasn't on my radar because I hadn't seen photos of the entire property. She knew it would fit my vision perfectly and I was blown away during the site visit to Turtlehead Farm. Kimaya was so amazing throughout the entire planning process and brought together the best vendors and staff the island has to offer. Our servers and bartenders were absolute pros and every rental from the lounge furniture to the restrooms and lighting were just perfect. Kimaya organized absolutely everything and even did a lot of the setup for the wedding herself because she's a total rockstar. She also was so good at calming my "worst case scenario" fears like what if it rained on the wedding day, etc. and assured me everything would be fine (and she had a backup plan). The wedding was more beautiful than I could have imagined and all of our guests said it was the best/most beautiful wedding they have ever been to! I am biased but I have to agree. Could not have had such a special day without Kimaya, my husband and I are so grateful for her. If you're looking to get married on Orcas Island I would 100% recommend Kimaya Cloud 9 Events! -
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Luke K. Sent on 06/30/2020Summer 2019 Wedding - Orcas Island
Kamiya was great to work with throughout the entire process. She demonstrated her depth of experiences in doing weddings in the San Juan Islands by helping us in all facets and especially with the logistics of guest travel to and from the island. We found her to be very professional, yet fun at the same time. We highly recommend working with Kimaya for your wedding :)
Thank you Kimaya for playing such a big role in our special day! - Luke and Tiffany -
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Danielle D. Sent on 07/12/2021
The best decision we made for our wedding
My partner and I decided to cancel our original wedding and elope to Orcas Island last minute. We had never been there and knew nothing about the island. Within a few days Kimaya helped us put together everything we needed for our day. She made recommendations, connected us with vendors and made sure everything ran smoothly. Even when curveballs happened (my hair person's ferry got cancelled the morning of) she calmly made a call to a hairdresser on the island and had it all sorted. We're so grateful for her help and the poise she brought throughout the entire process. We can't thank her enough! -
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