Peter Sent on 12/02/2024

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Effortless Events Allowed Us To Be Guests At The Wedding

Cindy and her team helped to make our daughter and son-in-law's wedding the event that our daughter had always dreamed of. We hired Effortless Events to insure that we could actually enjoy the wedding and not be burdened by managing a complex event. No large event ever goes off without a hiccup; Effortless Events handled every twist or unexpected bump in the road with calm and unruffled competence. Beyond the "day of" management, however, Cindy and her team offered suggestions and strategies to help make the wedding reception an evening to remember. That our children look back on their wedding day only with happiness and not with regret speaks volumes.

Jennifer Sent on 11/27/2023

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Second to None

Hiring Cindy and her team at Effortless Events was, without a doubt, one of the best decisions we made when it came to the wedding. I had thought having a Day of Coordinator would be helpful, but even at the time I didn’t realize how invaluable Cindy would be. She knew all the right questions to ask and also knew all the right questions I should ask other vendors. She kept everything on track, both leading up to the wedding and the day of, and I am positive that the reason everything ran so smoothly on our wedding day was because Cindy was on top of it. Especially in the last couple of months before the wedding, at least once a week my fiancé and I would say to each other “Thank God for Cindy, she’s worth every penny”. I even had one of my guests ask for her card at the wedding because they were that impressed with her work! I am so grateful to Cindy and her team for all that they did to make our wedding day truly perfect.

+5 photos

Kelly Sent on 08/08/2023

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Professional Event Experience

As a venue we have the opportunity to work with many event specialists. Emily with Effortless Events was outstanding. She learned the venue provided support and details. Superb and prompt assistance during the entire planning process and all wedding day.

Grace Sent on 09/25/2021

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Best Day Ever!

Cindy helped us to plan the wedding of our dreams. She captured our vision perfectly and connected us with excellent vendors. Her expertise, professionalism, and organization made our day perfect. During the planning process Cindy always advocated for us and made sure we were getting what we wanted. Thank you Cindy!! I would highly recommend Effortless Events to anyone who is looking to plan an event- big or small!

Nao O. Sent on 11/07/2020

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Best Planner

Cindy is the best! Without her and Alex, we had been lost in this pandemic period. Our original venue refused us having wedding in last minute but Cindy found better place just after 2 hours. We will never forget our wedding with effortless events. Highly recommend!!!!

Sandy Sent on 12/31/2019

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The BEST Wedding Coordinator EVER!!

I've never written a review before but I just have to praise Cindy Shanholtz of Effortless Events and her able assistants Tiffany and Alex to the rafters.
I wanted a Day of Planner for my son's wedding and asked Stacey Combrzyinski, of Catering by Michael's who I was working with, for a recommendation. Stacey was a dream to collaborate with, and I had the utmost confidence in her advice. She only had one name for me, and it was Cindy. It took one conversation on the phone with Cindy, and one look at her 8 page sample timeline, and I was sold.
Cindy immediately set up a 3 hour meeting with my husband, our son, his fiancée and me, and the wedding was over 8 months away! Though based in Naperville, she and Tiffany came to our home in Glenview for the first meeting. (Even though she is in Naperville, she knows all the North Shore vendors, so don't be put off by that, if you are a north suburbanite). I had no idea that her "Day of Services" would encompass so much more than just being present the day of the wedding. I also did not expect that she would have 3 people present at the wedding to make sure everything was executed flawlessly.
Cindy gave excellent advice and direction on both the big picture and the smallest detail. While I had booked the venue, the caterer and the band before I hired her, I needed a recommendation for the florist/decor company. She gave me one name, and I didn't look elsewhere, because by then, I had complete trust in her recommendation – she was the consummate professional. Atmosphere Events Group did an amazing job with the flowers and lighting. And, it was such a reasonable price, I couldn't believe it. I never would have found them on my own, and would have spent thousands of dollars more, hiring another company.
No detail was too small for Cindy's input; she even advised on the color of the beverages on the bridal party bus – only clear liquids like water and Sprite, because Coca Cola could stain!
Planning the wedding was extremely stressful for me; the kids are an interfaith couple and the ceremony was in a church, which was a foreign concept to me. Additionally, I am the mother of the groom, not the bride. Cindy prepared me for the very strict rules of the church, which was a godsend...no pun intended. She became my confidant, and I valued her straightforward, candid advice and opinions. She constantly asked me what she could do to make everything less stressful, and what she could do to take things off my plate.
I have to acknowledge Tiffany Beales, her right hand woman, who was incredibly organized and very responsive to my numerous questions (she gave excellent advice, too), as well as Alex Contreras, who was Johnny on the Spot, in making sure the grandmothers had their favorite drinks in hand and appetizer plates filled. I am very thankful to both of them also. You can't hire a better team than Effortless-Events for a wedding, Bar Mitzvah or corporate event, and I am so grateful that I did!

Mandie Sent on 11/03/2019

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Absolutely Amazing!

Cindy and Alex are AMAZING! They both were such a pleasure to work with and helped make our wedding an easy, organized and wonderful event! I can't thank them enough for all the perfect suggestions and for making this bride feel like there was absolutely nothing to worry about! Every detail was exactly as we wanted and the wedding went off without a hitch. Thank you both for such a wonderful, beautiful wedding!

Cherina Sent on 06/20/2019

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All Class and A+ Service

Cindy with Effortless Events was always prompt, professional, responsive, and most importantly ready for any challenge thrown at her. And ladies/gentlemen she even brought sunshine on my outdoor wedding. Effortless Events is all class and provided a piece of mind.

Caitlin Sent on 10/14/2018

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When looking for a planner, we had a pretty strong idea of what we wanted. Having a background in Stage Management, I am very detail orientated and love organization. We started our search by asking planners for a sample of a timeline they’ve created in the past. So many were one page, very basic and felt like something I could honestly do better myself. I was starting to doubt even needing a coordinator. That’s when Cindy and Tiffany came into the picture.

Let me tell you, that timeline was a thing of beauty. Absolutely no detail was left out. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to meet with them. That’s really what sealed the deal. We instantly felt comfortable with the two of them. We left that meeting saying “I can’t believe we thought we could do this by ourselves.” There were so many things we hadn’t even thought of until they asked us. We enjoyed their company so much, one of the meetings was having them to our place for dinner. They never felt like just coordinators to us. They were a crucial part of our wedding. They stayed on top of everything the entire process. They guided us with our own “homework”, and answered any and all questions we had in record timing.

Unfortunately, both my partner and I got sick a week before the wedding. Then our dog was attacked requiring an emergency vet trip. Both Cindy and Tiffany were continuously asking, “What can we do?” “What can we take off your plate?” “What can we cross of your to-do list?” From the very start, we knew they were going to be some of our favorite vendors. I truly can not write enough about these ladies. If you are looking for a wedding planner or day-of coordinator, I promise you that you will not find anyone like them. They LOVE what they do and it shows in every aspect of their work. We nick named them our “Sanity-Savers”. So, so, so much love to these ladies and all the gratitude in the world for giving us the ability to really enjoy a stress free wedding.

Teri Sent on 07/17/2018

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I hired Cindy as my day-of coordinator for our June 2018 wedding at The Langham in Chicago based on recommendations from the venue. Cindy was ultra responsive and organized from the beginning. She came into the city early on so we could meet to walk through every detail about the wedding weekend, which helped me identify all the little things I hadn't even thought about yet. Cindy would check in every so often in the months leading up to the wedding and was always responsive on text or email if I needed to run something by her. She was much more than a day-of coordinator, she was a resource in picking florists, favors, and even saved us a few hundred dollars by coordinating a limo through a company cheaper than what I had found. She reviewed all of our vendor contracts to make sure we were getting a fair deal and provided a guide to help me figure our appropriate gratuity amounts for our vendors. On the actual wedding day, Cindy had 2 assistants with her to help manage everything. Someone was always present but never in the way. She made the day easy and stress free to me, my family, and my bridal party.

As Cindy will tell you, her style is no-nonsense. She isn't afraid to tell you what she thinks while still respecting your opinion. She gave me great, candid feedback on certain vendors when I was making my selections which I found really helpful. She is professional and polite but straight forward. I love her style, especially in the wedding scene where everyone seems to sugar coat everything. Would highly recommend.

Amanda Sent on 10/22/2017

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Cindy and her team worked so hard to make our reception party a major success! They helped us from start to finish to make the entire process as easy and stress free as it could be when planning outdoor reception party for October. Effortless Events made sure that despite 8 inches of rain, the party went off without a major hitch. We enjoyed working with Cindy, Tiffany, and Danielle. Highly recommend!

Izzy Sent on 08/29/2017

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Cindy and her team were truly the BEST decision I made for my wedding. I spoke with Cindy before hiring her and explained my budget and what I needed and she was able to accommodate me very reasonably so that I could get everything I needed and wanted. EE (Effortless Events) had fantastic vendor recommendations, I highly suggest working with only EE recommended vendors, those who weren't fell far short of the standard her vendors set. The EE Team met with me, my mother and the groom to go over the wedding sometime before the wedding, and the knowledge they showed was astounding, the epitome of event professionals. Now for my event, my wedding was PERFECT, and it is all due to Cindy and her team, our venue lost power, they were lighting lanterns and creating ambient mood lighting so good, that by the time the power came on, I asked them to dim it! My florist did not build the arbor correctly and it fell, Cindy's team fixed it. I had a vendor (non-EE recommended) that turned out to be a no-show/scam, Cindy was able to find a replacement for my wedding with barely 48 hours notice. Not only did Cindy and her team solve all these issues discreetly (I don't think our guests ever knew anything went wrong!) but they still took the time to go above and beyond! With such things like our venue being pepsi (oh no!) and her team finding me (the bride) coca-cola to have at my wedding! Cindy and her team were truly an island of sanity for me throughout the planning process, I was able to call and email her regarding any concerns I had and they were always fully prepared with resolutions. As long as Effortless Events is available, I will use them for any event I ever put on, no question. I will be recommending them to everybody I know. Thank you Cindy and Team for making my wedding perfect!!

Isabella Sent on 06/26/2017

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Cindy and her team were truly the BEST decision I made for my wedding. I spoke with Cindy before hiring her and explained my budget and what I needed and she was able to accommodate me very reasonably so that I could get everything I needed and wanted. EE (Effortless Events) had fantastic vendor recommendations, I highly suggest working with only EE recommended vendors, those who weren't fell far short of the standard her vendors set. The EE Team met with me, my mother and the groom to go over the wedding sometime before the wedding, and the knowledge they showed was astounding, the epitome of event professionals. Now for my event, my wedding was PERFECT, and it is all due to Cindy and her team, our venue lost power, they were lighting lanterns and creating ambient mood lighting so good, that by the time the power came on, I asked them to dim it! My florist did not build the arbor correctly and it fell, Cindy's team fixed it. I had a vendor (non-EE recommended) that turned out to be a no-show/scam, Cindy was able to find a replacement for my wedding with barely 48 hours notice. Not only did Cindy and her team solve all these issues discreetly (I don't think our guests ever knew anything went wrong!) but they still took the time to go above and beyond! With such things like our venue being pepsi (oh no!) and her team finding me (the bride) coca-cola to have at my wedding!

Cindy and her team were truly an island of sanity for me throughout the planning process, I was able to call and email her regarding any concerns I had and they were always fully prepared with resolutions. As long as Effortless Events is available, I will use them for any event I ever put on, no question. I will be recommending them to everybody I know.

Thank you Cindy and Team for making my wedding perfect!!

Sahana Sent on 11/21/2016

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If you're looking for an amazing wedding/event planner, look no further. Cindy is, hands down, the most knowledgeable planner in this area and her team is amazing (Danielle and Nicole). I am so incredibly glad that we hired her. Even though we had a 20-month engagement, I knew I wasn't an event planner -- especially when it came to weddings. Cindy, on the other hand, has planned well over 400 weddings (many of them at my venue) and she's an expert. She knows all the best vendors and will not settle for anything less than the best for you. That is one of my favorite things about her. Cindy will be your champion when it comes to vendor interactions, making sure that your day is *your* day and that you get what you asked for.

I could not have imagined that day coming together any better than it did. Leading up to the wedding, I didn't need to feel anxious about anything because Cindy took care of everything -- vendor emails, receiving contracts/invoices, keeping us on track. I didn't feel worried about the schedule on the day of, because Cindy was there with her amazing team, keeping everything moving as smoothly as it was supposed to. I attribute that to Cindy's fantastic planning. Even better, so many of our guests came up to me to tell me that our wedding was the best they'd ever been to. I know that Cindy played a huge role in creating a wonderful experience for our guests.

While she offers large and small packages, I recommend you at least get her partial planning services. You won't regret it. She will help you with vendor appointments if need be, and she will be there for you every step of the way. I have no idea how everything would have come together without her guidance and expertise. She knows everyone in the industry, and you will have access to a whole world of knowledge you never knew existed. I can neither recommend her highly enough, nor thank her enough for giving me a perfect wedding day. She is a rockstar, and a wedding planner to boot.

Sarah Sent on 10/25/2016

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I worked with Danielle from Effortless Events, and she was truly amazing! She made the planning process so much easier- she suggested amazing vendors that I wouldn't have found on my own, kept everything incredibly organized, and offered her honest opinions without being pushy. (And she was fun to work with- bonus!) She and Cindy made the day go so smoothly, and I loved being able to enjoy the wedding without worrying. I can't recommend Effortless Events highly enough!

Eileen Sent on 10/18/2016

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After my daughter got engaged we booked several vendors as we planned the wedding. We decided a planner would be useful to guide us through the process and we were thrilled with the service we received from Cindy and Danielle. We had several meetings and countless emails in the 6 weeks before the big event. They were professional, full of fantastic ideas and saved us so much time with all of their experience to draw upon.
Beginning at the rehearsal Cindy and her assistant took charge. I felt able to relax and be present at the mass and reception. I don't know how a mother of the bride does it on her own. I feel I would have missed so many moments that are now etched in my memory forever. I can even say I felt like a guest at my own party.
It only looked effortless! I truly appreciate all their advice and insight that resulted in a magical event.

Michelle Sent on 09/25/2016

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Cindy and Danielle make for a great team that consistently went above and beyond in every single aspect of planning/coordinating our special day. We could not have entrusted a better duo to make sure every single aspect of the wedding, down to the most granular detail, was well thought out and absolutely perfect. They had solutions to problems we didn't even think we would have and they truly gave us tons of amazing advice. If you are planning a wedding in the Chicagoland area, look no further, Effortless Events more than lives up to its name; Cindy and Danielle will guide you through the entire process and somehow manage to turn a daunting task into a truly "effortless" experience.

Michelle Sent on 09/08/2016

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Where do I even begin with Effortless Events? When I met Cindy, Danielle, Nicole and Dana, I thought these women would just be there to help me plan my wedding. Instead, they became every "person" a bride could ever need on her wedding day and during the time leading up to it. They were friends to share ideas with, sisters to complain to and laugh with, crutches to lean on when you're feeling overwhelmed, and experts who take on a motherly role to advise you in moments of uncertainty. From the planning stages, to the end result, Effortless Events completely exceeded my expectations, and did everything in their power to ensure I had the wedding of my dreams. The moment we started working with Cindy and her team, I was finally able to enjoy planning my wedding. The first time we met with the team, my mom and I instantly felt a sense of relief. They knew exactly what they were doing, what we wanted, and what needed to be done in order to make it happen. My only regret in hiring Effortless Events was that we didn't hire them sooner than 60 days out. My main reason for hiring a wedding planner/coordinator was to ensure that my mom would be able to enjoy herself on my wedding day. I didn't want her to have to run around and keep everything organized. Cindy went above and beyond in every possible way to make sure my day was absolutely perfect. More importantly, she made sure that my mom and I were able to enjoy ourselves stress-free on the big day. Cindy and her team kept every single vendor in check. The day of the wedding, there were several vendors (venue management, photographer, dj) who were not doing what they were supposed to be doing at the correct time. I didn't even have a chance to notice because Cindy and her team had already taken care of it. They made sure that everything was exactly the way I wanted before I even arrived to the reception site. To Cindy and all the girls at Effortless Events, thank you for making my day absolutely incredible.

Kimberly Sent on 07/11/2016

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Cindy and Danielle helped us with our 6/11/16 wedding and they were one of the best decisions we made for the wedding. We chose the partial package. From the first phone call I felt comfortable. We had spoke to other wedding planners prior to our decision but when I spoke to Cindy I knew she was what I was looking for. She was confident, lead the conversation, but in a way that made me feel like we were working together. That is what I wanted. Someone I could trust their advice but yet still give my opinions and questions. They had quality vendor recommendations in a variety of price ranges, many of whom hired. They keep a day of plan that keeps evolving as the day gets closer and something I could refer to when emailing the bridal party or answering questions. The last few months they really took control of managing my concerns and kept me on track with what I needed to complete and what was already completed. By day of, I really wasn't worried about things running smoothly. I appreciate all the time they took meeting with us, the countless emails the answered (and probably re-answered as they wedding got nearer and I got nervous) and the phone calls with random questions. Nothing was missed, forgotten, left out and no person was out of place when it came to that wedding. I highly recommend both of them and would not have changed any part of our experience with them.

Claire Sent on 05/28/2016

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When my fiance and I chose to have our wedding at the Morton Arboretum and started exploring day-of coordinator options, there was one clear choice for who that would be: Effortless Events. We couldn’t have been happier to have found Cindy and Danielle! With over 90+ weddings at the Arboretum under their belt (just one venue where they have significant experience), we immediately felt confident in them. Throughout the planning process, my parents, fiance and I constantly talked about how grateful we were to have Cindy and Danielle. And it couldn't have been truer on the actual day, which unfolded without

Engaging Effortless Events was one of the single best investments in our wedding. They lifted the burden of having to know “what do we do next?” or “where do we go?” and let us fully be present in our wedding day - which is everyone’s dream!

One surprise of the planning process was figuring out all of the transitions and timing of the wedding day, especially as we were hosting 230+ people to our wedding and shuttling 100+ of them to and from the nearby hotel. Lucky for us, we had Effortless Events to advise and revise multiple day-of itineraries - and arrive at was truly a joyful, smooth day for us, the wedding party and all of our guests.

We worked with Danielle Kuhn primarily in planning all of the logistics and vendor coordination as part of the 6 week package, and she is fantastic. Danielle is highly responsive, detail-oriented yet keeps the big picture in mind, patient, flexible, and on top of things. She draws from experience with many clients and can therefore offer input, but is never pushy. Not to mention she is lovely as a person to work with!

I highly recommend Danielle and Cindy to any bride and groom-to-be who want to truly have a day that feels effortless - that elusive quality that is found in their combination of experience, organization, precision, and genuine happiness for their clients on the most important day of their lives.

C Sent on 04/26/2016

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We worked with Danielle Kuhn at Effortless Events in connection with our April 2016 wedding at the Thornhill Education Center at the Morton Arboretum and were thrilled and delighted with their services! I knew I needed someone for "Day Of" coordination because I wanted my family and loved ones to just sit back and enjoy the day without needing to worry about how all the moving parts would come together. I came across Effortless Efforts because they were a recommended vendor of our venue. After an initial inquiry they told me about the "Essentials" package which was really everything we needed, at a lower price point within our budget. But even with the Essentials package, we received a lot more than just Danielle's help on the actual day. Danielle's advice and familiarity with the venue was so valuable to us and we are so grateful to her. Danielle's philosophy is to make sure we are aware of all our options (and potential pitfalls) so that we can make fully informed choices. So she pointed out certain things to us that we might want to consider adding, but then was completely respectful and not pushy at all if we decided against her recommendation. But in many cases we took her recommendations because they were grounded in experience and wisdom (i.e., she recommended we add more appetizers and late night snacks and we were so glad we did because they were gobbled up by hungry guests).

Danielle met with me two times in downtown Chicago (close to my office) to help me with planning (and she offered to meet more frequently if I needed it); she provided us with a detailed Day Of Schedule that I never would have thought to do, and would have needed to do a lot of Googling to put together on my own. On the wedding day, both Danielle and her colleague Cindy were there to help! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

User2351322 Sent on 10/05/2015

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Danielle and the crew at Effortless Events Provided top notch service, we could not have planned the wedding without her help! The day of our wedding, she was the first person at the venue and the last to leave. She was prompt, always available, and the detailed wedding timeline put us at ease that the day of would go without any problems. Without a doubt, I would use Effortless Events again!

Thank you Danielle for all your hard work!!

John Sent on 09/29/2015

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I am the father of the bride for an extraordinary wedding last weekend at Moonlight Studios in Chicago. We worked with Cindy Shanholtz, owner of Effortless Events Chicago.

This was Cindy's 358th wedding. Her expertise was evident. Cindy is thoughtful, cordial, accessible, approachable, communicative, informed, and importantly, well known and respected by the various vendors that have a hand in weddings and receptions.

It’s a challenge to negotiate directly with event vendors because they know they will never see you again. But they know Cindy and understand she has influence over their selection. So they listen to her about how things will be done and what charges are unreasonable.

Cindy is a phenomenal producer, organizer, scheduler and strategic thinker, who used her experience to anticipate what could go wrong and made sure nothing did.

Our wedding party knew exactly when and where they needed to be, and what the big picture looked like during the week of the wedding, for the rehearsal and dinner, and for the big day itself. Cindy was readily accessible if a question came up.

No one likes eating dinner at 10 p.m. at a wedding reception when it's supposed to be served at 7:30. I don't know how she did it, but Cindy kept our reception to within 10 minutes of the minute-by-minute "day-of" schedule. She would have been right on target had I given a shorter welcome speech!

If you want to lower your stress in the wedding planning process, and partner with a talented professional who is easy to work with and can help make your family wedding a huge success, I cannot give a strong enough endorsement of Cindy and Effortless Events Chicago.

Cindy, Caroline, Danielle and Kelsey - you were fabulous. I would give Effortless Events Chicago 10 stars if I could!

We can't thank you enough for making an extraordinary day even better. Thank you! Thank you!

Have anyone contact me directly if they want to hear more. –John Kula

Tami Sent on 09/28/2015

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Effortless Events flawlessly executed our vision for our recent wedding at the Boise Train Depot. I have had many people comment that it was the most beautiful wedding they have ever been to...it was truly amazing & worth every penny. I know it was probably one of the most laborious and complex weddings they have done and they did a great job pulling their team together to make it happen. I am giving 5 stars as they were able to pull it off without a hitch (as far as I know;) and at the end of the day that is all that really maters. I think as their company matures and they have more weddings under their belt, they will become even better. There were a few small things that I may provide feedback on privately, however, overall we are thrilled with how everything turned out. Thank you Stephanie & Cassie for all your hard work and ensuring the decor, schedule and theme were exactly as I had envisioned!!!

Heidi Sent on 09/04/2015

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Our daughter got married August 2015. The smartest thing we did was hire Effortless Events. Because our daughter and her fiancé wanted a specific caterer and a specific location, everything had to be “a la carte.” By that I mean there was the wedding ceremony venue, the reception venue, photographer, 2 caterers, a tent, a restroom trailer, flowers, tables, linens, air conditioning, even a generator! There is NO WAY this event could have taken place without a hitch if it wasn’t for Cindy and her team at Effortless Events. Cindy was out at the venue every week talking with the staff or meeting a vendor out there to look over the place. Cindy has connections with so many vendors that we never would have had. She was able to find an obscure beer that the groom wanted and the main beer vendor couldn’t find. She and her team have so much experience doing these events that it just takes all the worry away from the bride, groom and parents! Again there is NO WAY we could have planned this wedding and put it on ourselves. Effortless Events came through with amazing vendors. REVEL Décor transformed the bare hall into a beautiful room with café lighting and gorgeous flower arrangements. Cindy had worked with REVEL before and knew they were fantastic. Everything Cindy and her team did took stress away from us. We were able to really enjoy the day with our family and friends. Thank you Effortless Events!

Nicole Sent on 08/25/2015

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As the manager of a Beatlea Tribute band that performed at a wedding put together by Danielle Kuhn of Effortless Events, here are our thoughts. Bare in mind that we have performed at many weddings, so we have seen a bit of it all, both good and not so good.

What a beautiful event, and Danielle made our job easy. In the world of weddings, this was one of the smoothest we've ever experienced. So often we arrive to find major complications in set up....ranging from the stage being fully in use with no space left for us to no aisles being available to move our gear through. It can be crazy. But she had everything well planned....it was super easy. Also impressive, the event stayed on schedule. We are used to weddings running severely behind. So kudos to Danielle's planning skills! And the details of the event were equally impressive, in particular the transformation of the a barn/mess hall at a summer camp into a setting worthy of the top celebrity weddings. It would be our pleasure to work with Danielle again in the future.

Rita Sent on 12/06/2014

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I hired Effortless Events this year for my daughter's upcoming wedding in 2015 and am so happy I did! Cindy Shanholtz, the owner, is not only great to work with, she has already saved me so much time and money. Her industry contacts are top-notch, her negotiating skills for contracts amazing and she is the most organized individual I have ever met. Many of my friends said, "don't you want to plan everything yourself?" I am planning it, with Cindy's expert guidance! EE has the leverage to get the best prices because, as Cindy says, EE is repeat business for vendors, unlike using them on your own. EE will actually save me much their fee, due to their expert negotiations. EE does all the research on vendors, sets up your appointments, reviews all contracts and generally keeps you sane and on track. If you do one thing for yourself in planning a wedding, hire Effortless Events...you won't be sorry!

Susan Sent on 07/23/2014

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Planning my daughter's wedding with Cindy was a wonderful experience. We worked very well together. Cindy respected my opinions, and I valued hers. Her attention to detail is second to none. My daughter's wedding was everything I I visioned and more. I have four children, therefore I will be planning three more weddings with Cindy sometime in he future!

User1976698 Sent on 07/22/2014

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Effortless Events is a PREMIER wedding planning company in the Chicago suburbs. We found Cindy and her company by googling wedding planners in Naperville, IL after a day of outrageously expensive planners in Chicago.

When we asked about her pricing and what the full package included, she said she'd do anything we needed, period, no questions asked. Cindy joined us for meetings with vendors, orchestrated contracts with vendors, advised on design and handled any task that was too stressful or time consuming for my mom and I. She answered emails and phone calls at all hours of the night.

And most importantly, she made sure we had the wedding of our dreams and every detail was exactly what we asked for. In the industry, so many vendors like to do things a certain way "because they know best" or "because that's the way it's always been done." We wanted a wedding unlike any other, and that's exactly what we had. Because Cindy made sure every vendor understood this was our wedding, not theirs.

Our wedding was at the Medinah Country Club and because of Cindy's advice and expertise, the manager told us, it was the most beautiful event they have ever hosted.

We love Cindy, she is part of the family now, and days after the wedding, we're still laughing and sharing stories about the perfect day!

Lauren Sent on 01/15/2014

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Where do I begin? I'll start with our original plan to marry in California...then Colorado....then Charleston, SC....then, finally, Mexico! The common denominator along the way, was Cindy. We've said it time and time again, there is no way, not a chance, we could have pulled off our wedding without her. Whether we did local or destination, we needed her. We met her through my friend, who also hired Cindy for her Chicago wedding, and we're beyond grateful we made the decision to do business with her and trust her with our big day. She took care of every single detail and listened to my ideas. She has our wedding day binder to prove it. Not to mention how fun it was to plan the wedding with her. She's fun, has the best sense of humor, knows what's she's doing and doesn't take any you know what from anyone. She's in charge and that's exactly what we were looking for. Planning our Mexico beachy wedding from Chicago was not the easiest task, but Cindy did what she did best and planned it perfectly. I felt so comfortable with her. She knows what works, what doesn't and how to use my ideas. Here's the deal, if you're doing a destination wedding, you NEED a planner. You want to enjoy your time with the friends and family who have spent time and money to come out and celebrate you. If we didn't have our girl Cindy, we would have been inside the hotel going over details, stressing, making welcome bags, everything but being with our guests. She took all of our worries away and we were able to enjoy ourselves. We are forever thankful for her hard work and diligence. If you're planning a wedding (congrats, btw) set up a meeting with Cindy. She is eager, ready to help plan the best party of your life and will help ease the stress. I highly recommend her services, she made planning our wedding so much fun and took the immense pressure off, basically she rocks the wedding planner industry! Oh, did I mention we came in way under budget because of her? :)

Jenny Sent on 11/29/2013

5 out of 5 rating

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Considering today is exactly 48 days past my wedding, I think it's safe to say I'm a procrastinator. Cindy is a life saver, and exactly the kind of planner we needed. I was a bit unorganized, a bit behind (in booking vendors, making decisions, etc) and incredibly overwhelmed until we met Cindy. From our very first meeting, she eased our anxiety and made sure everything was accomplished effectively and efficiently. When my mom and I first considered a wedding planner, we assumed it was a luxury. I absolutely believe today that it was a necessity (with the right planner). Cindy brought her extensive experience to the table and helped us above and beyond making the day perfect. For example, suggesting we ask for 1-2 more hours from the photographer on wedding day in lieu of an engagement session- and an additional hors d'oeuvre instead of the intermezzo (not just for a better value, but because it keeps the dinner service on pace). There are things we wouldn't have been able to think of (or save on) without Cindy. She kept us on pace, made sure everything was done perfectly and on time, and cracked the whip when necessary. :) Making sure family and friends were where they needed to be when they needed to be there would NOT have happened without Cindy. Lastly, I was nervous about the whole planning process since my mom and I have different styles and personalities. I am incredibly impulsive and could see two bouquets, pick one, and be done with it. My mom is thorough and could have met with hundreds of florists. Cindy made sure I took the time and consideration needed to make bigger decisions, at the same time keeping us moving and checking things off the list. She knows her stuff, gets it done, and doesn't settle for anything less than perfect. My wedding day was the happiest day of my life, largely in part to Cindy. I would recommend her to anyone.

Diana Sent on 06/17/2013

5 out of 5 rating

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We love Cindy Shanholtz (owner of Effortless Events)! Our daughter was married on May 24, 2013 at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. We heard from so many guests: “This is the most beautiful wedding we have ever been to!” I can honestly say that I don’t know how this wedding would have happened without Cindy....and I’m being quite serious.

Thank goodness I picked up the phone to call Cindy in January of 2013. My husband and I live 9 hours away from Chicago. But whether you live within the Chicago metro area or in another city as we do, you will want to have Cindy working on your behalf!

Cindy has tremendous expertise, outstanding attention to detail, a wonderful sense of humor, and excellent taste. Though we ourselves had already chosen the wedding venue and several key vendors, Cindy helped us fill in all the other blanks. She made very good recommendations as to some additional vendors. She also gave us many excellent suggestions and tips about the wedding. And we appreciate the fact that she never made us feel bad if we chose not to follow a particular suggestion (however, there are a couple of suggestions that I WISH I HAD followed!).

In conclusion, Cindy went “above and beyond” to make our daughter’s wedding a terrific event. Her “Day Of” schedule is an amazing guide, given all the details involved in today’s weddings. The guide ensured that everything ran smoothly. Cindy promptly and patiently answered our endless emails and inquiries in the months prior to the wedding. She also met with us on several key occasions. We had 160 guests at our wedding, some of whom had travelled to Chicago from as far away as New York and California....and Cindy’s involvement ensured a great wedding experience for all our guests (she is very fair in her pricing and we think of Cindy as having protected our wedding “investment!”). And on top of everything else, Cindy is simply a delightful person to work with!

Monika Sent on 05/27/2013

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I cannot say enough good things about Cindy. She was the day-of coordinator that came with our wedding venue and she was so much more than just the day-of-coordinator for us. Any time I had a question, had a meltdown, had to whine about something, I emailed her and she never made me feel like I was being irrational or out of place. She had great ideas and advice throughout the whole process of wedding planning; she even met with me an extra time just to help make sure everything was mapped out how it should be.

My venue was a little unorganized and I couldn't imagine not having Cindy there to guide me. On the day of, Cindy helped set up and made sure everything looked exactly as it should. Everything looked just how I wanted it to and my day ran so smoothly and it was all thanks to her. There was even a little issue with the linens company and she figured it out and made it all work without me even knowing. It's a couple weeks after the wedding now and I'm still getting comments about how great she was.

I'm very happy Cindy from Effortless Events was my coordinator for my wedding. I would recommend her to anyone!

James Sent on 11/15/2012

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Our daughter was married on November 3, 2012, and this followed her sister's wedding on July 28, 2012. We hired Cindy Shanholtz from Effortless Events for the July wedding, and there was no question about engaging Cindy for the wedding on November 3. As others have said, we would give Cindy 10 stars if we could. Cindy's knowledge, experience and good judgement provided the best possible advisor for every phase of the planning process. As parents, we wanted the perfect wedding for our daughters, and we did not want to have to worry abount any details on the day of the wedding. Cindy created a planning process document, that was easy to follow, clear about next steps, and updated regularly covering every detail. Her planning process confirmed all we wanted with all the venders. She helped negotiate contracts and saved us money. Most importantly, she took responsibilty for all the details for the wedding rehearsal and the day of the wedding...bridemaids and groomsmen schedules and duties, hair and make up, when and where the photographer should arrive, transaportation for the bridal party, and all the details for the reception. Confirming all dieraty requests for each guest, timing and set up for the musicians, toasts, cake cutting, first dance, family photos...all prearrahnged with Cindy, and executed to perfection. Absolutely fantastic. We received so many compliments on both weddings from family and friends, and we owe so much to Cindy and Effortless Events. I have heard from others that have used Cindy in locations throughout the country, and they have all provided rave reviews. She has our highest possible recommendation

Sara Sent on 10/24/2012

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I had Cindy from Effortless Events as my wedding cordinator and it was the best decision I made for my wedding! I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend her to any couple getting married. I did not have to worry about one thing the day I got married - her and her tremendous staff did it all. Everyone has told me that I looked like the happiest bride and was always smiling- this is because of Cindy and her staff. Like I said I had THE BEST time at my wedding because everyone knew exactly what they were supposed to do and when. There were no worries on my part! She had so many great ideas and details that helped during the planning process as well. Effortless Events and Cindy especially are fantastic- book them asap!!!

Lindsay Sent on 10/08/2012

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Cindy was exactly what I needed to plan the BEST day! She relieved me from any concerns coordinating all of the wedding details. This was especially important as we had a destination wedding nearly 1,500 miles away from Naperville, in Tucson, Arizona. Cindy always made herself available for questions and concerns from the day we contacted her, and continued following our event. She is a great listener and offers creative and complimenting ideas. In addition, she is organized and detail-oriented. She and her team were extremely helpful, calming, and very pleasant and personable.
I recommend Effortless Events, and specifically Cindy, to anyone who wants a PERFECT day! No doubt -- she will be involved in many more of my events!

Katie Sent on 07/24/2012

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Cindy Shanholtz is an absolutely fabulous wedding planner. She does a perfect job of listening to what your vision is and also suggesting new and creative ideas that you probably have not thought of. She is organized and keeps on top of all contracts and details for you. I would recommend signing on with her early because the slots go quickly!

Amy Sent on 07/06/2012

5 out of 5 rating

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We heard about Cindy from our venue's list of preferred vendors. When we interviewed her it was clear that she knew what she was doing. She was efficient, professional and recommended GREAT vendors (photographer, DJ, florist, photo booth). I trusted her to make the planning process as well as the day go smoothly, which she did. My father is a difficult person to deal with when trying to plan things and she dealt with him very well. The day of events went very smoothly and I couldn't be happier with the job Cindy did. We had some issues with our venue, and Cindy dealt with them immediately. It took all of the stress off of me so I could actually enjoy my wedding. I don't think I would have been as calm of a bride as I was if it weren't for Cindy! She is worth every penny, trust me!

Beth Sent on 12/07/2011

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If I could give Cindy Shanholtz 10 stars, I would. Thanks to her, my husband and I had the exact wedding we had envisioned, and will remember it the rest of our lives. Cindy is so professional, organized and easy to get along with. She is willing to do anything to make your event a night to remember. Her creative ideas are also fabulous....she leaves no detail overlooked! I also do not know when this woman sleeps, as she always answers my emails within hours. She's not afraid to ask vendors the tough questions in order to get you the best deal possible. After she negotiated our venue alone, she had almost saved us her entire fee!
She also has a group of vendors that she works with on a regular basis. My husband and I have been pleased with every single person she has recommended to us....they all have a high standard of quality.
I love working with her and would highly recommend her to anyone thinking of using a wedding planner.

Matt Sent on 11/08/2011

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We honestly can say that we don't know what we would have done without Cindy helping us plan our wedding. She is extremely detail oriented, and goes above and beyond to make sure that your wedding is the absolute best. She brought vendors to us that we would have never found, and really helped us bring our vision to a reality. She was quick to reply, and very open throughout the entire process.

On the day of, we did not worry about a thing. She helped sort things out with the hotel to make sure everyone was where they needed to be, and made sure that we did not stress one bit. Cindy even helped us get last minute upgrades to our cocktail reception area thrown in the night before the wedding. Who does that?!? If you are not sure if you need a planner, you need one. Talk to Cindy, you will never look back!

Lisa Sent on 09/26/2011

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As a detail oriented person, I never imagined myself using a wedding planner in any capacity. For many reasons that I won't dwell on here, Cindy Shanholtz was a blessing for us!

Cindy does not skip a beat or miss a detail. It was evident the first time we met her that she would be invaluable. She proved to be so time and time again during our months of planning.

We could not imagine what our wedding day and the months leading up to it would have been like without her. Start to finish, she was there giving her opinion and insight when sought, always recognizing that it was our day. She was instrumental in us finding the most amazing florist (Virginia Wollf) and make-up artist (Wendy Woodside of Wendy City Faces). No matter how well thought out you think your wedding plans are, everyone can benefit from working with Cindy - this is her expertise and she knows what she's doing. Our wedding day was everything we could have possibly hoped for - stress free, fun, organized and polished. We will forever be grateful for all of Cindy's hard work and recommend her without hesitation. She is AMAZING!!!

Jackie Sent on 09/26/2011

5 out of 5 rating

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Cindy Shanholtz has made me a zealot about the value of a good wedding planner....my daughter's wedding day was the fun, beautiful, stress-free--yes, magical--day that we all hoped it would be, and I credit much of that to Cindy's involvement. She is creative, professional, a great listener who wants to make the event what you envision it to be, and very experienced and super-organized. We all were confident that she would be able to handle any situation or glitch that came up on the wedding day, and she thought of countless small things like taking the grandparents up to the reception room in the elevator ahead of everyone else so they would not be the last ones straggling up the steps to get there. I am confident that she saved us more money than we paid her as she negotiated the catering contract. It was evident that the caterer, DJ and others involved in the wedding respect and enjoy working with Cindy (our DJ from Toast and Jam had recommended Cindy after working with her on another wedding at Salvage One)--which helps the event go more smoothly. She has the ability to be direct and honest when necessary, but never loses sight of the fact that this is not her event, it's yours. You get the benefit of her experience to help make your event what you want it to be. What a total pleasure to work with such a fun and competent planner and she is a lovely human being too!

Lisa Sent on 02/15/2011

5 out of 5 rating

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Cindy in a word is AMAZING! She made our day PERFECT! Every detail was taken care of, and me and my now husband actually got to enjoy our day, kick back a little and actually have some fun. She helped keep as much stress out of the planning as possible and helped keep things fun. Anything I forgot, Cindy thought of or reminded me of. She is well organized and knows her stuff. If you are looking for an Ace of a coordinator then Cindy is your woman. Thank you Cindy for making our day so special and keeping things running smoothly...we couldn't have done it without you.

Alex Sent on 04/14/2017

4.9 out of 5 rating

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Effortless Events promises phenomenal wedding planning from start to finish. We went with their 6-week-out package and were treated to expert advice, comprehensive coordination and invaluable support every step of the way. Cindy and Danielle are top-of-the-line wedding planners and tailor their services to meet your every need as a wedded-couple-to-be. Whether you book them for 1 week out or 6 weeks out, Effortless will be there to ensure your big day goes off without a hitch. Ours was perfect and it's thanks in no small part to the help of this awesome wedding-planning duo!

Nick Sent on 08/09/2016

4.9 out of 5 rating

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4.5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating

When searching for a wedding planner, we had little information of what we needed and wanted. As a gay couple, it was very important to find a planner that was experienced, flexible and was the right fit. After interviewing several planners, we met Cindy and Danielle and seemed to click right away. We purchased the "six weeks out" package and felt that it was a good value for the money. Both Cindy and Danielle were available before the six weeks to answer the many questions that came up and were happy to offer advice on vendors via e-mail. Overall, they are very professional and were very flexible in helping us find more non-traditional elements to make our wedding more personalized to our tastes. Cindy and Danielle have a great knowledge of the industry and a long list of vendors that were willing to work within our budget.

Cindy and Danielle work wonderfully as a team. Cindy brings an enormous amount of industry knowledge and Danielle adds a wonderful personality and super friendly attitude. Leading up to the wedding, they were very attentive and extremely detail oriented. The day of the wedding, they added an extra person to help coordinate everything correctly. Overall, the wedding ran smoothly and we never had to worry about a thing.

It's important to note, that since we purchased the six week package, vendor selection wasn't included. So we had to do that on our own. However, Danielle and Cindy were both available when we had questions or needed assistance, and even offered suggested vendors to us at no additional fee.

Overall, we were very pleased with the services provided from Effortless Events. I believe it was a good value for the money (especially based on the other planners we interviewed). Both Cindy and Danielle have wonderful personalities and work well as a team. I would definitely recommend them and was happy they helped create one of the best days of my life.

Karen Sent on 09/06/2015

4.8 out of 5 rating

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I planned my Midwest (Wisconsin barn/farm) wedding remotely while living in California, and made two trips back to the Chicago and Milwaukee area to meet with vendors -- during one of the trips, I met with Cindy because I was looking for someone to help with day-of coordination. I was referred to Cindy by the owners of the venue because they said she was extremely organized and had years of experience working with caterers that would be invaluable on our big day. After meeting, I hired Effortless Events for day-of coordination as well as additional coordination (i.e. timelines, logistics) services in the month leading up to the wedding. We were beyond happy to have Cindy and her assistants Danielle and MacKenzie keeping everything running smoothly so we didn't have to worry about anything on our wedding day. In short, my husband and I couldn't have pulled off the vision for the day without Cindy and her team running a tight ship! If there were any issues happening behind the scenes, I didn't know it because they kept things running smoothly and were very calm and attentive -- we loved every moment of our wedding celebration and had a fantastic time! And we heard nothing but great things about the Effortless Events team from our guests, including raves from a very happy mom who had her food cut for her (by the EE team) while she took care of her two-month-old baby in her arms. Everything went so smoothly, and people had an absolute blast and wanted the party to continue! We couldn't have done it without this team!

Heather Sent on 03/01/2022

4.6 out of 5 rating

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Worth Every Penny

Cindy did an amazing job helping us plan our dream wedding. She thought of every detail and kept us organized and on track. She helped us step back and see the whole picture when we were stressing about the details of table settings and linen colors. Best of all, she dealt with absolutely everything the weekend of the wedding so that my parents, fiance, bridal party and I could just enjoy the moment and soak it all in. Definitely worth every penny!

User1042051 Sent on 11/05/2012

3.8 out of 5 rating

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4 out of 5 rating

Effortless Events provided a good service on my wedding day, the day was beautiful and went very smoothly with minimal problems, but it would have been better if I wasn't approached with problems. Also, they could have been more helpful in the final planning stage so I wasn't putting together everything at the last minute.

Jillian Sent on 10/28/2013

3 out of 5 rating

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3 out of 5 rating

About two months out we planned a one month out meeting with all of our vendors and needed to have a pretty close draft of the day of. Reaching out to Cindy I did not get a quick response and the reasoning behind it was that I bought the six week package. She ended up working with me on it but with what seemed like hesitation. What she did do - update the wedding day of; try to get final pricing from the caterer, didn't get there; run the rehersal; get the bride who wed in our location prior to us out; get the venue to change the chairs; start the ceremony on time; get us a few minutes alone after the ceremony and get us and our guests to the first dance close to on time. What she did not do - plan the details of the wedding (not previously agreed to but made her job all about rehersal and day of); show up to meet the guys and send them to the wedding venue; meet the girls and send the to the wedding venue; make sure what came out of the kitchen was acceptable; make sure food was in correct locations - cider and late night snacks were in the wrong spots so no one knew they were there = wasted money; make sure 4 vegetarians got the correct meal; make sure groom got both meals; make sure we got a piece of each cake; gather the wedding things at the end of the night and get them to the hotel. All of these were agreed to; all in the wedding plan. At the end of the amazing night as we, our wedding party and friends were leaving to go to the hotel she stopped my groom and I and said we need to gather all the wedding stuff. Instead of ruining a perfect night we did and handed things to our wedding party and guests. This company has the right idea - make things stressfree and give the couple their perfect day. For me they fell very short o execution. I did not get what I paid for or I severely overpaid.

Emily Sent on 07/03/2024

2.8 out of 5 rating

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2 out of 5 rating

Condescending

Cindy and her team had been okay until the last few weeks. In our last meeting, we were told that they would not be at our wedding and were instead getting an external vendor to stand in. Sure, it's in the contract for the day of coordination service that they might have someone else present, but they had known this for months and chose to keep it from us until the last meeting. Still, I tried to be positive. The real reason for the low score however is the way she talked to my mom, who was helping to plan my wedding. When the external vendor reached out by phone to my mom, my mom had questions for her. Cindy apparently got mad we had questions and called my mom and talked to her in an unprofessional manner. Please do better, you are being paid well and the least you can do is be personable and professional. On another note, we were very happy with the outside team who was sent for the day of the wedding.

Effortless Events Reviews

Reviews

Effortless Events