Cora Bella Weddings & Events Reviews

Reviews

Awards

18

+18 User photos

• Sabera H. Sent on 07/20/2022
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  A dream come true!

  Kristan will be your right hand throughout your entire planning process. She is so incredibly thoughtful, kind, detail-oriented & will have your back no matter what. She really takes the time to understand you and exactly what you're looking for through multiple meetings and takes all the hard work off of your shoulders. She's like the best friend that comes with your wedding who you can just text whenever with whatever problems or concerns you have. A truly wonderful person to work with. I can't speak highly enough! Oh and she has a fire team who is on point on the actual wedding day.

  Kristan will be your right hand throughout your entire planning process. She is so incredibly thoughtful, kind, detail-oriented & will have your back no matter what. She really takes the time to understand you and exactly what you're looking for through multiple meetings and takes all the hard work off of your shoulders. She's like the best friend that comes with your wedding who you can just text whenever with whatever problems or concerns you have. A truly wonderful person to work with. I can't speak highly enough! Oh and she has a fire team who is on point on the actual wedding day.

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Sabera! "Fire Team" is Team Cora Bella's favorite new catch phrase. We are thrilled to know you felt taken care of from planning all the way through wedding day. We always advocate for our couples and have their backs, at every step along the way and it delights us to know you felt taken care of in that way! Wishing you both all the best!
• Jamie V. Sent on 08/22/2022
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  Kristan is the best!

  We had a great experience working with Kristan and Cora Bella! Kristan helped us to plan our California wedding when we both lived across the country. I cannot imagine planning our wedding without Kristan's coordination and support. Most of our planning was done remotely and Kristan was able to capitalize on the times when we were able to make it out to California. We had an especially difficult time finding a wedding venue, but Kristan really helped us to figure out what was important to us and she was able to navigate difficult situations with potential venues.
  
  Kristan also helped us to find an amazing vendor team and she helped me to articulate my vision. Kristan's vendor relationships and industry contacts really are a testimate to her skill as a planner, because we were able to create a fantastic vendor team full of such kind, and creative people. On the day of the wedding, I was able to really just sit back and let all our wonderful vendors work their magic. As a bride, I wasn't stressed out at all!
  
  So much work goes in to planning a wedding, but Kristan navigates all of this with professionalism, clear communication, and efficiancy. I wouldn't change anything about how our wedding turned out and I'll be recommending Cora Bella to all of my California friends who are getting married in the future.

  We had a great experience working with Kristan and Cora Bella! Kristan helped us to plan our California wedding when we both lived across the country. I cannot imagine planning our wedding without Kristan's coordination and support. Most of our planning was done remotely and Kristan was able to capitalize on the times when we were able to make it out to California. We had an especially difficult time finding a wedding venue, but Kristan really helped us to figure out what was important to us and she was able to navigate difficult situations with potential venues.
  
  Kristan also helped us to find an amazing vendor team and she helped me to articulate my vision. Kristan's vendor relationships and industry contacts really are a testimate to her skill as a planner, because we were able to create a fantastic vendor team full of such kind, and creative people. On the day of the wedding, I was able to really just sit back and let all our wonderful vendors work their magic. As a bride, I wasn't stressed out at all!
  
  So much work goes in to planning a wedding, but Kristan navigates all of this with professionalism, clear communication, and efficiancy. I wouldn't change anything about how our wedding turned out and I'll be recommending Cora Bella to all of my California friends who are getting married in the future.

  • +4 photos

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Jamie! I agree the Cora Bella preferred vendor team is top notch; it's lovely to know you feel the same about the preferred team we curated for you and Kevin. We always aim to deliver stress-free, fun and professional service. I am so glad we provided that experience to you both! Best wishes for a wonderful, love-filled live together.
• Patt L. Sent on 06/07/2022
  5 out of 5 rating

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  Outstanding Wedding Planner!

  Our experience working with Kristan was a dream! Thanks to her planning and execution, our wedding day was fabulous. She worked with us all along the way- meetings with the venue and caterer, helping to source photo, cinema, flowers, DJ, musicians, etc. then working with them on contract details. We especially appreciated her design eye- the décor for the wedding came together beautifully. She met with us regularly and kept us on schedule for the activities we needed to do in preparation. This continued through the wedding weekend. Everything was handled- if there were problems, it wasn’t evident to us- she handled it. Our getting ready rooms were stocked by her with anything you might need in an emergency. All of this was done with an unsurpassed level of friendliness and professionalism. So great!
  

  Our experience working with Kristan was a dream! Thanks to her planning and execution, our wedding day was fabulous. She worked with us all along the way- meetings with the venue and caterer, helping to source photo, cinema, flowers, DJ, musicians, etc. then working with them on contract details. We especially appreciated her design eye- the décor for the wedding came together beautifully. She met with us regularly and kept us on schedule for the activities we needed to do in preparation. This continued through the wedding weekend. Everything was handled- if there were problems, it wasn’t evident to us- she handled it. Our getting ready rooms were stocked by her with anything you might need in an emergency. All of this was done with an unsurpassed level of friendliness and professionalism. So great!
  

  • +4 photos

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Patt! I’m always thrilled to hear that our commitment to fun, friendly and professional planning is reflected in the experience a couple has working with us. Designing your special day was, truly, our pleasure. It's an honor to have our client’s trust throughout the process, and you and Jon were lovely to collaborate with.
  
  Our wedding party kits are becoming quite the hit with our couples and their VIPs! I am so glad they brought peace of mind.
  
  I wish you, Jon, and your wonderful family all the best as you turn the page and continue writing a beautiful love story. Congratulations again and thank you for allowing us to be part of your special day!
  
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• Booski F. Sent on 05/28/2021
  5 out of 5 rating

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  Super thankful for Kristan during COVID-19

  We are so incredibly thankful to have Kristan and Cora Bella on our COVID-19 wedding journey! My wife and I first started working with Kristan in 2019, and she was highly organized, thoughtful, reassuring, and instrumental in the planning process. She kept us on track in our planning meetings, and assigned us tasks that made all of the overwhelming details seem more manageable. She even helped us craft emails to vendors when we had no clue what to say :).
  
  As we were approaching our wedding date at the end of March 2020, we felt completely prepared for our big day. As you can imagine, my wife and I had a complete MELTDOWN with the beginning of the pandemic causing us to postpone our wedding not once, but twice! Kristan was invaluable in guiding us through these postponements, and she continues to keep us up to date with all of the industry changes, restrictions, and safety measures. We would have had no clue about how to go about our postponements without her, and she worked with us to develop a solid plan to rebook our vendors and keep everything updated, so that we have very little to do for our rescheduled date. Kristan was originally our “month of” wedding coordinator, but she worked with us to be more hands on in the postponement process by contacting vendors and updating contracts when we didn’t have the emotional energy to do so ourselves. We will forever be grateful to her help in this process, and we are absolutely certain that we would have given up and cancelled without her support. We did decide to have a small zoom wedding to make it legal last year (woohoo!), but we are soooo very excited to continue working with Kristan in the coming months, and we know we will be in excellent hands on our big day in September!
  
  We would also be remiss if we did not share about how comfortable we feel with Kristan as a lesbian couple. In our interview with Kristan, she treated us with so much respect, understanding, and knowledge. She didn’t bat an eye with some of our non-traditional plans and even took the time to update the pronouns and other language on her planning software to reflect our relationship (we use bride/maid of honor/bridesmaids and broom/best lady/broomladies).
  
  Thank you so much Kristan, and we are so happy that you have helped us stay on track throughout this wild process! You have truly taken so much off of our plates over the past two years, and I can’t wait for the celebration that we’ve been working so hard for!!!
  
  *This is our post-wedding update for Cora Bella Events*
  
  We’re so thrilled to write our review for Kristan and Cora Bella Events! If you read our first review, you saw the journey that we went through to get to our big day, and we’re so glad we worked with Kristan through this process. In the final lead-up to the wedding, she gave us incredible guidance, recommendations, and answered our MANY questions with grace. It was also invaluable to seek her input when navigating some tricky COVID-related situations with family members. There was never any doubt that she always put us and our interests first. It truly made this very complicated process go so smoothly!
  
  During our rehearsal, she gave us so much reassurance and made sure we had everything ready to go for our big day. She also gave us two massive emergency kits that proved so useful! Without it, my wife’s mother would have walked her down the aisle without a sole on her shoe! It’s pretty unbelievable, but we actually had a good night’s rest the night before our wedding, since we knew every checklist item was crossed off, and we had full trust that Kristan would take care of everything. We built such a trusting relationship during our planning process, that we never had to worry about forgetting something or missing an important detail.
  
  During the getting-ready portion of our wedding day, Kristan also set us up with a wonderful getting ready liaison , Lindsay, who helped us with so many things that we never even knew we needed. She made sure that all of the bridal party had lunch (and snacks) while we waited for the festivities to begin. I also don’t even want to know how many times she had to run up and down the stairs at our venue to grab random things that we needed. It was so wonderful to have Kristan and a supportive team available so our family and bridal party didn’t have to take on that role. Kristan also set up the flow of our day and timeline in a way that went magically! She even re-worked our planned sparkler exit to be a bubble exit since our postponement moved our wedding to fire season. The pictures were incredible, and it meant the world to us that we had someone on our side who cared so much about making our day perfect! We can’t thank Kristan enough, and we feel incredibly lucky that she came into our lives at such a stressful time, to help us breathe a little easier. Thank you so very much!

  We are so incredibly thankful to have Kristan and Cora Bella on our COVID-19 wedding journey! My wife and I first started working with Kristan in 2019, and she was highly organized, thoughtful, reassuring, and instrumental in the planning process. She kept us on track in our planning meetings, and assigned us tasks that made all of the overwhelming details seem more manageable. She even helped us craft emails to vendors when we had no clue what to say :).
  
  As we were approaching our wedding date at the end of March 2020, we felt completely prepared for our big day. As you can imagine, my wife and I had a complete MELTDOWN with the beginning of the pandemic causing us to postpone our wedding not once, but twice! Kristan was invaluable in guiding us through these postponements, and she continues to keep us up to date with all of the industry changes, restrictions, and safety measures. We would have had no clue about how to go about our postponements without her, and she worked with us to develop a solid plan to rebook our vendors and keep everything updated, so that we have very little to do for our rescheduled date. Kristan was originally our “month of” wedding coordinator, but she worked with us to be more hands on in the postponement process by contacting vendors and updating contracts when we didn’t have the emotional energy to do so ourselves. We will forever be grateful to her help in this process, and we are absolutely certain that we would have given up and cancelled without her support. We did decide to have a small zoom wedding to make it legal last year (woohoo!), but we are soooo very excited to continue working with Kristan in the coming months, and we know we will be in excellent hands on our big day in September!
  
  We would also be remiss if we did not share about how comfortable we feel with Kristan as a lesbian couple. In our interview with Kristan, she treated us with so much respect, understanding, and knowledge. She didn’t bat an eye with some of our non-traditional plans and even took the time to update the pronouns and other language on her planning software to reflect our relationship (we use bride/maid of honor/bridesmaids and broom/best lady/broomladies).
  
  Thank you so much Kristan, and we are so happy that you have helped us stay on track throughout this wild process! You have truly taken so much off of our plates over the past two years, and I can’t wait for the celebration that we’ve been working so hard for!!!
  
  *This is our post-wedding update for Cora Bella Events*
  
  We’re so thrilled to write our review for Kristan and Cora Bella Events! If you read our first review, you saw the journey that we went through to get to our big day, and we’re so glad we worked with Kristan through this process. In the final lead-up to the wedding, she gave us incredible guidance, recommendations, and answered our MANY questions with grace. It was also invaluable to seek her input when navigating some tricky COVID-related situations with family members. There was never any doubt that she always put us and our interests first. It truly made this very complicated process go so smoothly!
  
  During our rehearsal, she gave us so much reassurance and made sure we had everything ready to go for our big day. She also gave us two massive emergency kits that proved so useful! Without it, my wife’s mother would have walked her down the aisle without a sole on her shoe! It’s pretty unbelievable, but we actually had a good night’s rest the night before our wedding, since we knew every checklist item was crossed off, and we had full trust that Kristan would take care of everything. We built such a trusting relationship during our planning process, that we never had to worry about forgetting something or missing an important detail.
  
  During the getting-ready portion of our wedding day, Kristan also set us up with a wonderful getting ready liaison , Lindsay, who helped us with so many things that we never even knew we needed. She made sure that all of the bridal party had lunch (and snacks) while we waited for the festivities to begin. I also don’t even want to know how many times she had to run up and down the stairs at our venue to grab random things that we needed. It was so wonderful to have Kristan and a supportive team available so our family and bridal party didn’t have to take on that role. Kristan also set up the flow of our day and timeline in a way that went magically! She even re-worked our planned sparkler exit to be a bubble exit since our postponement moved our wedding to fire season. The pictures were incredible, and it meant the world to us that we had someone on our side who cared so much about making our day perfect! We can’t thank Kristan enough, and we feel incredibly lucky that she came into our lives at such a stressful time, to help us breathe a little easier. Thank you so very much!

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you Katie! Working with you and Ninette for the past two years has been such a joy. I cannot believe your big celebration is just one week away. Its going to the be most amazing day ever!
• Lisa P. Sent on 09/22/2021
  5 out of 5 rating

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  MOB perspective

  The team at Cora Bella did a phenomenal job, leaving me with NO COMPLAINTS at all. As the MOB, she made my job easy and allowed me to enjoy the day to its fullest extent. I HIGHLY recommend this team and hope to use her again in the future when my son eventually gets married!!!

  The team at Cora Bella did a phenomenal job, leaving me with NO COMPLAINTS at all. As the MOB, she made my job easy and allowed me to enjoy the day to its fullest extent. I HIGHLY recommend this team and hope to use her again in the future when my son eventually gets married!!!

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Lisa! The Cora Bellas strive to provide exceptional service for our clients and their guests. I am delighted to know we hit the mark for you and Chelsea. I cannot wait to have the opportunity to hit the mark again for your son's wedding.
• Lauren W. Sent on 11/01/2021
  5 out of 5 rating

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  Exceeded our expectations!

  This is a long overdue review. Kristan helped us with our wedding in August and we could not have had the wedding experience we had without her. Before working with Kristan, I was stressed because I knew there was so much that I didn't know when it came to wedding planning. Adding COVID and 2 postponements to the mix, I was so relieved when we made the decision to work with Kristan. Not only did she make us feel organized and on track throughout the entire journey, she also became a friend during the process. She was always so professional, personable, genuine, inclusive, open-minded and thoughtful, while being clear, concise, and structured as well. I struggle with indecisiveness and procrastination, so Kristan was a lifesaver in making our planning process as low stress as possible.
  The weeks leading up to the wedding were so easy for us as Kristan did every bit of communication with our vendors. I had asked her to cc me on all emails, and I was reminded every single day how much work Kristan was putting into our wedding. I kept thinking to myself...I could not be doing this without her!
  The wedding day went more perfectly than we ever imagined or envisioned. Seeing everything come together in real life was breathtaking and I was speechlessly thankful for all of Kristan and her team's hard work behind the scenes to make everything run so smoothly. We couldn't stop talking about how surprisingly smooth and perfect every part was.
  Side note - she even took time out of her annual family camping vacation, where she had no service, to walk somewhere to find service to call me the day the mask mandate went back into effect so that we could make modifications to the layout two weeks out from our wedding. She went above and beyond to make our dreams and priorities come to life and I truly felt like her only client! I cannot recommend Kristan enough...you will not regret working with her!

  This is a long overdue review. Kristan helped us with our wedding in August and we could not have had the wedding experience we had without her. Before working with Kristan, I was stressed because I knew there was so much that I didn't know when it came to wedding planning. Adding COVID and 2 postponements to the mix, I was so relieved when we made the decision to work with Kristan. Not only did she make us feel organized and on track throughout the entire journey, she also became a friend during the process. She was always so professional, personable, genuine, inclusive, open-minded and thoughtful, while being clear, concise, and structured as well. I struggle with indecisiveness and procrastination, so Kristan was a lifesaver in making our planning process as low stress as possible.
  The weeks leading up to the wedding were so easy for us as Kristan did every bit of communication with our vendors. I had asked her to cc me on all emails, and I was reminded every single day how much work Kristan was putting into our wedding. I kept thinking to myself...I could not be doing this without her!
  The wedding day went more perfectly than we ever imagined or envisioned. Seeing everything come together in real life was breathtaking and I was speechlessly thankful for all of Kristan and her team's hard work behind the scenes to make everything run so smoothly. We couldn't stop talking about how surprisingly smooth and perfect every part was.
  Side note - she even took time out of her annual family camping vacation, where she had no service, to walk somewhere to find service to call me the day the mask mandate went back into effect so that we could make modifications to the layout two weeks out from our wedding. She went above and beyond to make our dreams and priorities come to life and I truly felt like her only client! I cannot recommend Kristan enough...you will not regret working with her!

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Lauren! Part of the Cora Bella mission statement is fun, detailed planning. I am thrilled to know we provided that for you and we exceeded your expectations!! Your big day was so magical and it was an honor to play such an integral role in that magic. Thanks again, Lauren!
• Julia R. Sent on 08/21/2021
  5 out of 5 rating

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  Best Wedding Planner EVER!!!

  Kristan Shamus, the owner of Cora Bella Weddings & Events, was an absolute godsend. When my husband and I started planning our wedding in the Fall of 2019, we had no idea that she'd have to see us through an extra year of planning due to our pandemic postponement. She held our hands through the planning process and made sure that we were getting exactly what we wanted! And sometimes we didn't even know what that was - we'd never planned a large scale event before, and she had to do so much patient explaining of what was traditional, what our more modern options were, and let us decide what would fit us best as a couple :) We wholeheartedly recommend working with Kristan, the sweetest, funniest, kindest, and loveliest event planner in the Bay Area! She made our special day absolutely perfect, and we can't thank her enough for all her hard work!

  Kristan Shamus, the owner of Cora Bella Weddings & Events, was an absolute godsend. When my husband and I started planning our wedding in the Fall of 2019, we had no idea that she'd have to see us through an extra year of planning due to our pandemic postponement. She held our hands through the planning process and made sure that we were getting exactly what we wanted! And sometimes we didn't even know what that was - we'd never planned a large scale event before, and she had to do so much patient explaining of what was traditional, what our more modern options were, and let us decide what would fit us best as a couple :) We wholeheartedly recommend working with Kristan, the sweetest, funniest, kindest, and loveliest event planner in the Bay Area! She made our special day absolutely perfect, and we can't thank her enough for all her hard work!

  • +3 photos

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Julia. While the path we walked together was not one we would have chosen, you navigated it with grace, kindness and empathy. Your special day is right around the corner and it will be a beautiful day with safety and science at top of mind. I am beyond excited for both!
• Catie W. Sent on 04/27/2020
  5 out of 5 rating

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  An Unforgettable Experience

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events is a true gem of a Bay Area wedding planner! I have worked with Kristan at a Gardener Ranch wedding in Carmel Valley, California and she made the day flow so smoothly. Her attention to detail far exceeds any that I have experienced before. The care she provides to her clients and vendors alike is incomparable. Kristan truly makes the Cora Bella Weddings & Events experience unforgettable by bringing your dream wedding to fruition. I look forward to working with her later this year for a Livermore wedding at The Club at Ruby Hill. Do yourself a favor and contact Kristan NOW. I guarantee it will be the best decision you make for your wedding day!

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events is a true gem of a Bay Area wedding planner! I have worked with Kristan at a Gardener Ranch wedding in Carmel Valley, California and she made the day flow so smoothly. Her attention to detail far exceeds any that I have experienced before. The care she provides to her clients and vendors alike is incomparable. Kristan truly makes the Cora Bella Weddings & Events experience unforgettable by bringing your dream wedding to fruition. I look forward to working with her later this year for a Livermore wedding at The Club at Ruby Hill. Do yourself a favor and contact Kristan NOW. I guarantee it will be the best decision you make for your wedding day!

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Catie for your kind words and lovely review. It was a delight to work with you and I look forward to bringing more dream weddings to fruition in Livermore, Carmel and beyond!
• Jen S. Sent on 06/01/2021
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  Excellent!

  It is hard to know where to begin with Kristan - She is just simply the best! I had planned a wedding for May of 2020 which of course got postponed by Covid. Kristan was with me every step of the way through our planning, re-planning, venue change, 2 date changes etc. She was so knowledgeable and organized throughout the entire process even with all the roadblocks we hit. She has an eye for pretty and helped me make so many decisions. She knows all the answers to all things wedding. But it went beyond wedding knowledge. Kristan went above and beyond when it came to keeping me updated with all county restrictions / Covid requirements when it came to gatherings / weddings. She was 100% my go to person. She is cool, calm and collected and kept me the same. I ended up having my wedding in the mountains an cut my guest list by 75%, and unfortunately could not have Kristan be there for our special day. She still did not give up on my day. She continued to support me in any way she could. A true wedding planner hero!! I cannot recommend Kristan enough to be your wedding planner.

  It is hard to know where to begin with Kristan - She is just simply the best! I had planned a wedding for May of 2020 which of course got postponed by Covid. Kristan was with me every step of the way through our planning, re-planning, venue change, 2 date changes etc. She was so knowledgeable and organized throughout the entire process even with all the roadblocks we hit. She has an eye for pretty and helped me make so many decisions. She knows all the answers to all things wedding. But it went beyond wedding knowledge. Kristan went above and beyond when it came to keeping me updated with all county restrictions / Covid requirements when it came to gatherings / weddings. She was 100% my go to person. She is cool, calm and collected and kept me the same. I ended up having my wedding in the mountains an cut my guest list by 75%, and unfortunately could not have Kristan be there for our special day. She still did not give up on my day. She continued to support me in any way she could. A true wedding planner hero!! I cannot recommend Kristan enough to be your wedding planner.

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Jen, it brings me such joy to know I was an anchor for you during the rough seas of lock down and postponements. I was so delighted you and Wes were able to have a micro wedding and that I was able to join via Zoom. I wish you both all the best!
• N. S. Sent on 05/26/2019
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  Bay Area Wedding Planner

  We had our wedding at The Club at Ruby Hill in Pleasanton and hired Kristan from Cora Bella Weddings & Events as our month of coordinator. Even though we only hired Kristan for month of planning, she helped us a lot more than just the month before the wedding. It was definitely a lot less stressful to have Kristan by our side and be our go to person. She kept us on track throughout the planning process. She offered her advice and expertise, but if we wanted to do something different than what she suggested, she let us make the final decision. We were able to have meetings in person and also via skype. The skype meetings were convenient especially on weekdays after work. Initially, my fiance/now husband did not see the value of hiring a coordinator. After he saw all the planning and work that Kristan did, he understood the value Kristan provided. We are both happy we hired her!

  We had our wedding at The Club at Ruby Hill in Pleasanton and hired Kristan from Cora Bella Weddings & Events as our month of coordinator. Even though we only hired Kristan for month of planning, she helped us a lot more than just the month before the wedding. It was definitely a lot less stressful to have Kristan by our side and be our go to person. She kept us on track throughout the planning process. She offered her advice and expertise, but if we wanted to do something different than what she suggested, she let us make the final decision. We were able to have meetings in person and also via skype. The skype meetings were convenient especially on weekdays after work. Initially, my fiance/now husband did not see the value of hiring a coordinator. After he saw all the planning and work that Kristan did, he understood the value Kristan provided. We are both happy we hired her!

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Noelle! It was wonderful to see you fiancé/now hubby's appreciation for having a planner onboard turn around during the planning process. Thank you for mentioning that in your review. It was my pleasure to work with you both! I wish you both every happiness together! With love and good cheer, Kristan
• Danielle Sent on 12/08/2019
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  Absolutely incredible!

  Kristan is the epitome of everything an incredible wedding planner should be. She is highly organized, professional, efficient, dedicated, responsive, and delightful to work with. We hired Cora Bella Wedding & Events to assist us with decor design and coordination for our big day. During our wedding planning process we felt completely relieved with Kristan at the wheel. She made herself available at times that worked for us and she met with us more than enough times to give us full confidence that our wedding day was completely under control all at a very reasonable rate. Kristan and the Cora Bella team executed our wedding day perfectly and went above and beyond to add additional design aspects that added even more beauty to our ceremony and reception spaces. I would highly recommend Kristan for any of your wedding planning and management needs. She is truly a gem and we are so thankful to have had her expertise.

  Kristan is the epitome of everything an incredible wedding planner should be. She is highly organized, professional, efficient, dedicated, responsive, and delightful to work with. We hired Cora Bella Wedding & Events to assist us with decor design and coordination for our big day. During our wedding planning process we felt completely relieved with Kristan at the wheel. She made herself available at times that worked for us and she met with us more than enough times to give us full confidence that our wedding day was completely under control all at a very reasonable rate. Kristan and the Cora Bella team executed our wedding day perfectly and went above and beyond to add additional design aspects that added even more beauty to our ceremony and reception spaces. I would highly recommend Kristan for any of your wedding planning and management needs. She is truly a gem and we are so thankful to have had her expertise.

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Danielle! I think you listed all my self-ascribed descriptors. I am delighted to know I "walk the talk." Your wedding was beautiful and I was honored to help bring your vision to life.
• Alyson Sent on 08/13/2018
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  We booked Kristan’s Full Planning package for our 130-person wedding in San Jose. She was on top of every detail, pricing and booking and coordinating all of the vendors for us. Our wedding went off beautifully, and many guests commented that it was the best wedding they had ever attended!
  
  We knew we wanted to incorporate Star Trek into our wedding, but we also wanted to maintain a traditional wedding feel. She talked to us about our likes and dislikes and what we were hoping to see at the wedding. Kristan took our ideas and flew with them at warp speed. She designed everything from the lighting scheme and linen colors to the physical layout and gobos. She introduced us to the perfect florist for our style, and she found us an amazing caterer who was able to make the entire reception gluten-free for our dietary needs. She even managed our RSVP list!
  
  We appreciated Kristan’s friendly personality, professionalism, and calm demeanor. She made our wedding as stress-free as it could possibly be, and the day turned out to be magical. The wedding and reception were elegant and still really felt like us. Kristan and her team exceeded our expectations, and we recommend her to anyone planning an event!

  We booked Kristan’s Full Planning package for our 130-person wedding in San Jose. She was on top of every detail, pricing and booking and coordinating all of the vendors for us. Our wedding went off beautifully, and many guests commented that it was the best wedding they had ever attended!
  
  We knew we wanted to incorporate Star Trek into our wedding, but we also wanted to maintain a traditional wedding feel. She talked to us about our likes and dislikes and what we were hoping to see at the wedding. Kristan took our ideas and flew with them at warp speed. She designed everything from the lighting scheme and linen colors to the physical layout and gobos. She introduced us to the perfect florist for our style, and she found us an amazing caterer who was able to make the entire reception gluten-free for our dietary needs. She even managed our RSVP list!
  
  We appreciated Kristan’s friendly personality, professionalism, and calm demeanor. She made our wedding as stress-free as it could possibly be, and the day turned out to be magical. The wedding and reception were elegant and still really felt like us. Kristan and her team exceeded our expectations, and we recommend her to anyone planning an event!

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you for your wonderful review, Alyson! More than anything, we here at Cora Bella Weddings & Events strive to bring every client a bespoke wedding that is unique to them while staying on top of all the details . I am so pleased that we hit the mark for you and Richard! Thank you again for sharing your special day with us.
• Sarah Sent on 08/13/2018
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  Kristan was a lifesaver! We hired her late in the process just for the ceremony coordination (only 3 months left til the wedding) and she was so helpful in taking so much off our plates. She took care of all the decor and set up at the ceremony on the day of and during the planning process, she was very available and willing to answer any wedding related questions even about the reception (even though we only hired her for the ceremony). Kristan is very friendly and encouraging as well and put us at ease very early on. She will help you have the perfect wedding that encapsulates your vision and style. Thank you Kristan!

  Kristan was a lifesaver! We hired her late in the process just for the ceremony coordination (only 3 months left til the wedding) and she was so helpful in taking so much off our plates. She took care of all the decor and set up at the ceremony on the day of and during the planning process, she was very available and willing to answer any wedding related questions even about the reception (even though we only hired her for the ceremony). Kristan is very friendly and encouraging as well and put us at ease very early on. She will help you have the perfect wedding that encapsulates your vision and style. Thank you Kristan!

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Sarah for the lovely review! We love to bring our clients' vision to life and let them focus on their special day. I am so glad we were able to do that for you and Evan! Thank you again for sharing your big day with the Cora Bella Weddings & Event team here in Livermore!
• Kimberly Sent on 06/07/2018
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  Kristan was such a lifesaver when my husband and I threw an intimate brunch for our family after we eloped a month prior. Originally we were going to take care of everything ourselves because we thought it would be easy but even a brunch for 40 people at a restaurant needed a lot of coordination and knowledge that I just did not have. It started when I asked her to take a look at the the food and beverage proposal and right away she was able to see that we were being overcharged and she stepped in to manage that whole process. From there she took care of flower arrangements, managed our photographer, got the restaurant to create a Mimosa and Bloody Mary bar for us that was not on their menu, and arrived early/stayed late to set up/put away the decor. One of the things that stood out to me the most that day was during toasts. When she indicated to my FIL where to stand so the camera would see him best and the photographer gave her a grateful smile, I thought, “I would never have even thought about that”. This is what makes Kristan such a great planner - her attention to detail!
  
  We are so grateful to her for taking the weight of the planning off our shoulders and just letting us relax! And it was way more beautiful then we would have ever been able to do ourselves :)
  

  Kristan was such a lifesaver when my husband and I threw an intimate brunch for our family after we eloped a month prior. Originally we were going to take care of everything ourselves because we thought it would be easy but even a brunch for 40 people at a restaurant needed a lot of coordination and knowledge that I just did not have. It started when I asked her to take a look at the the food and beverage proposal and right away she was able to see that we were being overcharged and she stepped in to manage that whole process. From there she took care of flower arrangements, managed our photographer, got the restaurant to create a Mimosa and Bloody Mary bar for us that was not on their menu, and arrived early/stayed late to set up/put away the decor. One of the things that stood out to me the most that day was during toasts. When she indicated to my FIL where to stand so the camera would see him best and the photographer gave her a grateful smile, I thought, “I would never have even thought about that”. This is what makes Kristan such a great planner - her attention to detail!
  
  We are so grateful to her for taking the weight of the planning off our shoulders and just letting us relax! And it was way more beautiful then we would have ever been able to do ourselves :)
  

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Hi Kimberly, thank you for your review! I had such a wonderful time working with you and planning such an intimate and beautiful brunch reception for you and Jon. I wish you both all the best. ~Kristan
• Lauren Sent on 11/29/2013
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  Hiring Kristan as our day of wedding coordinator was the BEST decision my husband and I made during our wedding planning process. Kristan's professionalism, passion and dedication to making our wedding day exactly what we wanted made all the difference in the world. I knew there was no need to stress over anything the day of our wedding because Kristan was there behind the scenes making it all happen. During the planning process, I really felt Kristan did a great job of listening to exactly what we wanted and expected for our big day. She is VERY organized and she made sure all the vendors were on the same page throughout the whole process.
  We also had some weather issues that brought some unique challenges but she had a plan B already mapped out for a worse case scenario. Luckily, the weather cooperated an hour before our outdoor ceremony so she didn't need to go to plan B (but at least she had one :) It was truly a wonderful feeling knowing we had someone at the venue in our corner calling all the shots. We really loved working with Kristan and we would highly recommend her to any bride looking for a day of coordinator!!

  Hiring Kristan as our day of wedding coordinator was the BEST decision my husband and I made during our wedding planning process. Kristan's professionalism, passion and dedication to making our wedding day exactly what we wanted made all the difference in the world. I knew there was no need to stress over anything the day of our wedding because Kristan was there behind the scenes making it all happen. During the planning process, I really felt Kristan did a great job of listening to exactly what we wanted and expected for our big day. She is VERY organized and she made sure all the vendors were on the same page throughout the whole process.
  We also had some weather issues that brought some unique challenges but she had a plan B already mapped out for a worse case scenario. Luckily, the weather cooperated an hour before our outdoor ceremony so she didn't need to go to plan B (but at least she had one :) It was truly a wonderful feeling knowing we had someone at the venue in our corner calling all the shots. We really loved working with Kristan and we would highly recommend her to any bride looking for a day of coordinator!!

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Lauren for your kind review! I will never forget the on and off downpours that day and how many times we thought we'd be moving on two Plan B. I am so glad, to this day, that the clouds parted in the knick of time for your outdoor ceremony. I wish you and Michael all the best!!
• Deeana Sent on 06/05/2019
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  from a retired Certified Wedding Planner, she's my pick!

  I, as a blissfully retired professional wedding planner, offer one bit of advice to anyone involved in planning a wedding (or any event where emotions are involved)....hire a professional! Better yet, hire Kristan, to handle the details. Even though I had been in the industry myself for many years, when my son proposed, I knew two things...it was going to be a fun yet stressed filled year and that even though all of us were completely capable of choosing the venue and hiring vendors, I knew there would be the time to hand all the details over to someone I trust. I remember first meeting Kristan at the ACPWC (Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants) and thinking to myself....when the time comes, she will be my choice! Kristan is on it! No "i" was left without a dot, no "t" was left uncrossed. Not only did she keep us organized, she also offered solutions to some of our vendor relationship issues. We did have to substitute out both our caterer and our florist close to the wedding day and she guided us beautifully to more appropriate (for us) professionals. But her true talent made its appearance the month of...keeping us on track! Kristan also managed the "excited" group of bridesmaids and groomsmen perfectly during the rehearsal and wedding day. It's only been one week since the wedding and I'm still not firmly planted back on Earth, but as the photos are making their way to social media, I am reminded that none of that "perfection" would have been possible without the help of the incomparable Kristan Shamus. She's my pick!! (our son's wedding was held at the incomparable Gardener Ranch, in Carmel Valley)

  I, as a blissfully retired professional wedding planner, offer one bit of advice to anyone involved in planning a wedding (or any event where emotions are involved)....hire a professional! Better yet, hire Kristan, to handle the details. Even though I had been in the industry myself for many years, when my son proposed, I knew two things...it was going to be a fun yet stressed filled year and that even though all of us were completely capable of choosing the venue and hiring vendors, I knew there would be the time to hand all the details over to someone I trust. I remember first meeting Kristan at the ACPWC (Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants) and thinking to myself....when the time comes, she will be my choice! Kristan is on it! No "i" was left without a dot, no "t" was left uncrossed. Not only did she keep us organized, she also offered solutions to some of our vendor relationship issues. We did have to substitute out both our caterer and our florist close to the wedding day and she guided us beautifully to more appropriate (for us) professionals. But her true talent made its appearance the month of...keeping us on track! Kristan also managed the "excited" group of bridesmaids and groomsmen perfectly during the rehearsal and wedding day. It's only been one week since the wedding and I'm still not firmly planted back on Earth, but as the photos are making their way to social media, I am reminded that none of that "perfection" would have been possible without the help of the incomparable Kristan Shamus. She's my pick!! (our son's wedding was held at the incomparable Gardener Ranch, in Carmel Valley)

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you, Deeana for your wonderful words. It means so much to me knowing the peace of mind my services provided you as a former planner. It was so fun working with you, Kyle & Alissa to bring everyone's vision to life. I am thrilled to know my organizational skills and task management skills are appreciated and valued. Thank you! Thank you! I wish Alissa & Kyle every happiness.
• Caitlin Sent on 09/12/2018
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  Where do I even start. Cora bella Wedding and events was the best decision that I made to help my big go smoothly. I met Ktistan about a year before my weeding. From the beginning she was amazing. She met and my mom at a location that wasn't even close to where she lives. She was nice, respectful and very knowledgeable. She seemed to know what she was doing :-) I loved every minute working with Her and her crew. The crew that was with her on the day of the weeding were always there when you needed them. They are organized, very respectful to how the venue was sent up. they nailed it. I highly recommend Cora Bella wedding and events to anyone. I would definitely keep them in my book for future events.

  Where do I even start. Cora bella Wedding and events was the best decision that I made to help my big go smoothly. I met Ktistan about a year before my weeding. From the beginning she was amazing. She met and my mom at a location that wasn't even close to where she lives. She was nice, respectful and very knowledgeable. She seemed to know what she was doing :-) I loved every minute working with Her and her crew. The crew that was with her on the day of the weeding were always there when you needed them. They are organized, very respectful to how the venue was sent up. they nailed it. I highly recommend Cora Bella wedding and events to anyone. I would definitely keep them in my book for future events.

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Hi Caitlin! Thank you so much for the 5 stars. We had so much fun working with you and planning your Disney Livermore Wine Country Wedding. I wish you and Ronnie all the best!
• 
  User1407008 Sent on 10/28/2013
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  Kristan came highly recommended by other wedding vendors in the south bay area. She was beyond organized and spent a lot of time with me going through all the details before the day. Besides the direct contact I had with Kristan I heard from many of the other vendors that I had picked that Kristan had been in contact with them as well and had sent them multiple emails about the timeline and set up etc. The day went very smoothly and I only heard about a few minor hiccups after the fact, but I feel like that is inevitable with any wedding. Overall Kristan did a great job and I was so happy to have had her on my wedding day.

  Kristan came highly recommended by other wedding vendors in the south bay area. She was beyond organized and spent a lot of time with me going through all the details before the day. Besides the direct contact I had with Kristan I heard from many of the other vendors that I had picked that Kristan had been in contact with them as well and had sent them multiple emails about the timeline and set up etc. The day went very smoothly and I only heard about a few minor hiccups after the fact, but I feel like that is inevitable with any wedding. Overall Kristan did a great job and I was so happy to have had her on my wedding day.

  Cora Bella Weddings & Events's reply:

  Thank you for your wonderful review! It was a pleasure working with you Rachel. Your wedding was beautiful and i'll never forget it, but most of all i'll never forget the love you and Josh shared. I wish you and Josh every happiness.

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