Janet Sent on 08/12/2021

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Best Planners to Have

Peyton and Karin were amazing in helping us plan our wedding! They made sure we understood everything and were very helpful in helping us find other vendors to work with. Not only were they there every step of the way from the beginning, they made the day of so easy so that we didn't have to worry about a thing. They made sure the ceremony and reception flowed smoothly and on schedule.

Katie Sent on 07/24/2019

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October Wedding

My husband and I used encounters to help plan our beautiful October wedding. I cannot say enough good things about our experience working with Karin and Peyton! They were so accommodating, patient, and responsive. The connections they had and savings they got us more than paid for their services.

We had an unbelievably beautiful wedding, and I know it would not have gone as smoothly, or looked as perfect without the help of encounters.

If you are considering using an event coordinator, DO IT! I cannot overstate how amazing it was to have them on board when planning my wedding.

I regret not posting this review sooner, but somehow forgot in the midst of married life and new job and grad school.

Renee Sent on 07/01/2017

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We knew that in planning our own wedding, we’d need help at least “managing” the logistics of The Big Day. Karin and Peyton did that and so much more. Our wedding ceremony was a small private affair, but the party would be a big do-it-yourself event. We didn’t want a typical venue because we wanted control of the choice of caterer, the timing, the bar, the music – in short everything. We decided on an outdoor event, under a tent in the yard of our best friends. From recommending and coordinating the various vendors, negotiating the fees, and following through on the details, Encounters did it all. They knew we wanted to control some things, and made recommendations, but followed our lead if we wanted to do something different. We went with their recommendations for the cake, band, tent rental, restroom trailer rental, and transportation from a nearby hotel where many guests stayed. I was so glad they were insistent on staff – when I saw how smoothly it went without our having to think about it, I realized it was the only way to go. We got a lot of comments about how wonderful a party it was. Guests talked about how much they loved food, band, everything, but I know the biggest part of what made it a success was the work being done that was “invisible” – that is Karin and Peyton and the wait staff. Karin had to make adjustments to timing when tables were delivered late, and not having paid for set up, we had to rush to get them in place and decorated. Plus I made some last minute changes to the layout, but Karin was on top of it. Peyton had to rush out to get sterno for the buffet when the vendor did not provide it. All was done with a smile. One thing I would do differently is to set extra plates aside so they wouldn’t be opened right away. For efficiency the wait staff opened all the packages at once, so there was no way to return unused items. But that was such a small thing in the scheme!
I highly recommend Encounters Event Planners. Thank you both!

Kari Sent on 07/01/2017

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Best decision we made for our wedding was hiring Encounters. If anything went wrong the day of, I don't know about it! They handled everything and we had such an amazing time. Planning was easy as well, they provided a lot of suggestions and have so much experience and stories to share that helped me make decisions.

Chuan Sent on 08/04/2016

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Peyton and Karin are very professional and responsible wedding planners. We scheduled our wedding ceremony only one month after we reached them and surprisingly they gave us a very good and unforgettable wedding plan, everything looked very well planned, and we are 100% satisfied with their help!

Judy Sent on 07/15/2016

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When the wedding venue my daughter chose, told us that we should hire a wedding planner to help us with the "day of" arrangements, my daughter and I were worried about the cost and if we would be able to work with someone we didn't know. After reading reviews on Wedding Wire, we contacted Peyton and Karin Craig of Encounters and set up a meeting. From the first meeting my daughter and I felt confident that we had made the right decision to go with Encounters wedding planning. We used their services to help us find some of the vendors and keep us on track with all the pieces of the wedding planning that we needed to do. They responded to all emails quickly and gave us really good suggestions regarding caterers and favors. On the day before and the day of the wedding, they made everything go so smoothly we didn't have to worry about a thing. It was a glorious day and a fabulous celebration. Peyton and Karin are wonderful planners and I highly recommend their services.

Emily Sent on 06/20/2016

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Absolutely LOVED Karin and Peyton!! They are so personable and they know their stuff! My wedding was absolutely flawless thanks to them. Everything ran smooth and it was stress free. They reminded me that it was our weekend and they just wanted us to enjoy our day and they handled everything else! I do not know what I would have done without them!

Laurie Sent on 05/01/2016

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Not only were Karin and Peyton fantastic to work with during the wedding planning process, but their attention to detail and expertise during the wedding ceremony and reception resulted in an amazing event.

We got married in NC and even though Karin and Peyton were not familiar with the area, their connections and knowledge in the process provided us with exactly what we needed in wedding planning services. They were meticulous and kept us on track with decisions and scheduling even when we were struggling to figure out what we wanted. They were able to get to know us and offer suggestions that really matched our style and theme.

After almost a year of planning, it was incredible how smoothly the entire day went due to this dynamic duo's efforts. They handled unexpected situations so quickly that neither we nor our guests knew anything had happened. As a nervous bride, it was a relief to know they were in the driver’s seat and had everything under control. Their involvement allowed me to relax and be in the moment of our special day. They worked very well with the venue and managed all of the external vendor operations.
In addition to the wedding ceremony and reception, the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner were a huge success due to their planning and diligence.

We have attended several events they have planned. Every single one of them has been unique to the couple’s styles, but all have been fantastic. They set the bar very high in event operations. If I had to give advice to anyone who was about to plan an event or wedding I would recommend they hire Encounters. We appreciate everything they did for us and would work with them again in a heartbeat.

User2580892 Sent on 04/19/2016

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Karin and Peyton of Encounters were instrumental in our daughter's gorgeous wedding on April 9th, we can't thank them enough! This was our second wedding event with them, and they again were there every step of the way. The wedding was not held in a traditional venue, we held it in our home over 4 floors, with an amazing vintage Miami theme, and they ensured that our guests and more importantly our brides would have a great experience. Their attention to detail and relationships with vendors were key, from the caterer, to the lighting, to the sound and photographer, and our last minute tenting due to unexpected cold/snow they worked diligently to have everything in place. We heard countless comments from guests that they had been to many weddings over the years, and this was one of the best, and one that they will always remember. And most importantly, Karin and Peyton always take great care of the wedding couple, throughout the planning and especially on the day of. Our brides were thrilled with their big day and we thank Karin and Peyton for that!!

Mary Sent on 12/25/2015

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Honestly, if it weren't for Peyton and Karen, I think my husband and I would have been in divorce court. From the instant we met them we knew it was a great fit for us and our daughter and her husband. They were consistently professional and always available for any of us. It was almost like they became "one" with our family during this process. Both Karen and Peyton are excellent listeners, empathetic, caring and kind. With their many contacts in this business they were able to find many discounts that served us very well. At the last minute one of the vendors (who we had found) backed out of our arrangement, and Peyton was quick to find a solution. We miss talking with them and hope we can get together soon as friends. Truly a wonderful experience.

User2477233 Sent on 12/14/2015

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My husband and I were living in 2 different states in the Midwest while planning for our wedding in MD. We were glad to have Peyton & Karin as our wedding planners. They were really helpful throughout the process and especially the last-minute things few days before the wedding and on the wedding day!

User1867219 Sent on 10/08/2015

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When I think about my wedding, I think about how hiring Karin and Peyton was one of the best decisions that I made. I work full-time, my husband has a completely erratic schedule, and my mom doesn't live in the area, so I knew I needed help in choosing vendors and logistics for my wedding. So I interviewed numerous wedding planners, after meeting with Karin and Peyton, I knew they were who I would work well with. And I made a great decision. They recommended great Baltimore area vendors for my desserts and flowers, were very responsive, and had some great ideas and suggestions - particularly on things that I, as a first-time bride didn't even think about. I was especially happy that they were there to handle setting the schedule and the logistics with the vendors, as well as any issues that arose (I don't even know if any did because they handled everything)! Overall, Karin and Peyton made the wedding planning not nearly as stressful as I was worried it would be, and they helped make my wedding day a stress-free event that I could sit back and enjoy!! I cannot thank them enough for their wonderful service!

User2199735 Sent on 06/27/2015

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This is second wedding we have used Encounters as our wedding planners. The first time around I was skeptical about the need for a wedding planner. I am the father of the 2 brides. After my first daughters' wedding September 13, 2014 I became totally convinced that wedding planners are amazing and worth every penny we paid them. Encounters negotiated contracts with our vendors and saved us money for those contracts. I admit I am not very good at negotiating so their help was very significant. Responsive?? Texting, emails, phone calls went on constantly. They responded on weekends late at night and whenever we had questions. The timelines they setup were incredibly helpful. And on the day of the wedding, you want Encounters on the job. You want someone to tell people what they need to do and when they need to do it. The reception was in a large tent at the National Aquarium. A storm moved in and forced everyone to evacuate the tent and go inside the NA. Encounters handled this crisis such that no one knew it was a crisis. All our guests raved about how seamless the transition of moving from the tent to inside went. Encounters worked with the vendors to setup inside NA and everyone had a blast. Encounters saved what was potentially a disaster for my daughter and her new husband. And I repeat everyone had a fantastic time at our reception. I'm glad I don't have anymore more weddings to pay for!! :-) But if I did, I would use Encounters again in a heartbeat!! Peyton and Karin are awesome!!

User1764928 Sent on 08/14/2014

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Amazing planners. Super friendly and extremely professional. As a professional working full time it was very helpful to have Karin and Payton to assist us in finding vendors, negotiating prices, and expecially setting everything up. It was very calming to know that if something went wrong and a vendor fell through they knew a list of people who could jump in last minute.

User1497317 Sent on 01/06/2014

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Karen and Peyton are amazing!! They were recommended to us by my mom's next door neighbors, and we got everything we asked for with them! Crazy me thought it would be a great idea to get married the day after Thanksgiving. If we hadn't had Karen and Peyton, the reception would not have been decorated at all. We couldn't get in until like 12 pm the day of the event, so Peyton set up the reception and Karen was with us while getting ready and at the ceremony. They recommended top choice vendors, and our guests were very excited and still talk about our wedding.

User1488754 Sent on 12/30/2013

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My husband and I would highly recommend Peyton and Karin for any wedding planning services! They were so knowledgable on every aspect of the process and have a great repertoire with many different vendors. We honestly could not have pulled off our big fat crazy indian wedding without their help, especially planning from out of state (married on the eastern shore, live in NYC).

We had countless vendors that were so impressed (or relieved they were helping out with our plans) with Peyton and Karin and how well versed they are in the business.

Peyton / Karin were there every step of the way, from the very beginning to the end - they were instrumental on the wedding day dealing with all of the vendors (and our demanding family), so we could enjoy our wedding day!

Steve Sent on 06/05/2013

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We recommend Encounters enthusiastically and unequivocally. We went with Karin and Peyton after a work colleague raved about them. They are calming and patient, very parental and caring, and complement each other and work wonderfully as a team. With both our parents up in NY and us in Baltimore, it felt like we had a constant ectopic source of support for our wedding. Whenever something came up, they had seen it before. Nothing phased them.

Karin and Peyton have decades of industry experience between the two of them and have run a successful joint event planning company for many years now. They've gained experience with hundreds of vendors in the Baltimore/DC/Annapolis area and every time it came time to choose a new vendor, they tailored a perfect, short list that took into account our style and budget. As the planning went on, they knew us enough to zero in on the one or two vendors per category that they thought we'd love, which we did. I can't say enough good things about all the vendors they helped assemble for us. They made for us a superstar team, with everyone on the team dedicated to making our wedding awesome.

In the end we had a beautiful waterfront wedding on the Eastern Shore with a wonderful ceremony, reception, photography, flowers, and a wonderful weekend planned in Annapolis complete with rehearsal dinner and Sunday brunch. Once again, they were wonderful in helping to plan and actually execute the weekend, especially the day of. They really took care of us behind the scenes and made sure we were fed and calm and enjoying ourselves! The wedding and whole weekend went beautifully and it is all thanks to Karin and Peyton.

Eric Sent on 05/04/2013

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We highly recommend using Encounters for any event planning, they did an outstanding job for my wife and I wedding. They use their expertise to plan every detail to our liking and desire. I would recommend them to anyone and would use their services again for any future events I may have.

Tiffin Sent on 02/24/2013

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When my now husband and I began to plan for our wedding, we realized that the task was going to be too large to do on our own with both of us working full time jobs and me going to grad school. We heard about Encounters and sent an email for a meeting. Right away Karin and Peyton responded and were ready to meet and begin to plan. They continued that responsiveness throughout the 6 months we had together of planning. They always listended to what we wanted and gave suggestions based on our vision. They were more than happy to work with our budget (which wasn't a huge one). Based on our personalities, our budget, and our vision; Encounters created a wedding day that (one month later) I am still glowing over. The Encounters team is amazing and I will spread positive words about them to all planning for their big day!!

Al Sent on 01/01/2013

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Peyton and Karin were absolutely fantastic! We could not have done it without them. Our only regret is not having them with us from the day when we got engaged! They were prompt to answer all our questions, to give us fine recommendations, and they were spectacular during the day of the wedding making it enjoyable for us and taking all the worry away on our special day. The whole thing went so smoothly! We were really really happy with them! They also worked our friend's wedding and they were great as well, so I can say that by having them on my own wedding and watching them in action at another, I have no doubt that they would excel and would provide an outstanding service again and again and again!

Samantha Sent on 12/25/2012

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I am not exaggerating when I say hiring Karin and Peyton was the best decision we made when it came to our wedding. My husband and I both work full time so it was extremely important for us to find someone who was helpful, responsive, flexible & organized since we were planning 170 person wedding over an entire wedding weekend. Karin and Peyton went above and beyond this and made our wedding the most memorable experience. If there were any issues that arose during the wedding, we never noticed because everything was perfect. It's been a year and half since our wedding and people still come up to my husband and I and say our wedding was the best wedding they've ever been too. I have to attribute this Karin and Peyton's expertise and service. If you are looking for a wedding or event planner you should definitely hire Encounters as your coordinators. There is no one more I trust!!! Thank you Karin & Peyton!!!

Jackie Sent on 10/27/2012

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It was a pleasure to work with Karin and Peyton Craig, and I would definitely recommend them to anyone planning a wedding or other event. They always responded quickly to telephone calls and e-mails, recommended excellent vendors and provided helpful advice and input regarding everything from the dinner menu to the typeface on the wedding invitations.

They also did an excellent job on the day of the wedding, keeping everything organized at the church for the ceremony and making sure the reception went smoothly. The Craigs are very professional, and selecting them as our planning team was one of the best decisions that we made in preparing for the wedding.

Lindsay Sent on 10/17/2012

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Karin and Peyton are absolutely wonderful to work with. They each have their own specialty areas troughout the planning but work together as the perfect team. They think of all the little, but important details that come up that you never even think of. Wedding planning can get really stressful! They lead you to the right people to work with based on their experience in the business that will get the job done right. The most important thing to me was that they were never pushy and listened to what I liked with open minds and helped figure out a way to make it work for us. They will do as little or as much as you need them to do. When my wedding day came and they showed me around the ballroom before the guests entered I was in awe of how beautiful and perfect everything was. When all the fine details and what seemed like the little stuff came together it was just stunning. I could never have done it without them! All we had to do on the wedding day was try to relax and enjoy ourselves, they took care of everything, and I mean everything else. Peyton even got my husband and I a drink when we were taking photographs during the cocktail hour. I have had so many compliments from guests that I don't even know how to respond anymore. Encounters helped me create the wedding of my dreams, it was a fairytale come true that never would have happened without them!

Rachel Sent on 10/30/2011

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Karin and Peyton are an outstanding team and hiring them was the best thing we did for our wedding. Although we planned from a distance, everything went very smoothly. All the vendors they recommended were exceptional. Karin and Peyton worked very hard on the wedding day and it was noticed by all. We could not have asked for better planners. We felt very comfortable with them. The service they provided was personable, professional, courteous and accommodating. I would highly recommend them to anyone.

Jessica Sent on 10/24/2011

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Karin and Peyton were awesome! We couldn't believe how smooth the wedding day was, all of the details were taken care of and we just had an amazing time. The vendors that they helped us choose were all 10's. If we ever get married again (joke!), we would definitely go with Encounters.

Denise Sent on 10/22/2011

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Karin and Peyton were there whenever we needed them. They provided quality resources and kept us moving to the next decision. Planning a wedding is an enormous undertaking but having the support of Encounters made the whole experience wonderful. The day was perfect, the memories are wonderful.

Meredith Sent on 01/25/2011

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BRAVO!!! I absolutely loved working with Encounters. They are true professionals with years of experience. They attended to every detail, and have an extensive network of already existing vendor relationships. They were thorough, friendly, and just a joy to work with.

On the day of my wedding, they were there right there with me thinking about all of the things I didn't want to be thinking about so I could just enjoy the day. They made sure that every detail was accounted for. I was so blessed by having them there. I'd highly recommend them!

Jessica Sent on 12/13/2010

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I had a really bad experience w/ my first wedding planner. I am not a demanding person, but my venue was a blank slate and required complete planning and organization by someone other than myself. We hired Encounters on the fly, 2 weeks before my wedding. I have to mention it was in Pennsylvania and they are in Maryland. They were my life savers. They handled everything w/ patience and graciousness. Nothing was overlooked and the wedding went off without a hitch. These 2 professionals are worth their weight in gold!!!! If you need organization, professionalism and kindness Encounters is the place. I cannot say enough good things about them.

Amanda Sent on 11/30/2010

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Karin and Peyton were fantastic! They helped us plan a beautiful wedding in Annapolis in 5mos time. We made it even more difficult for them as we and all of our guests are from out of town. I was extremely busy with work, but they worked around our schedule. With one week's lead time and some discussion on my "vision" of the wedding, they arranged a power packed day for my mom and I to meet with our major vendors--we picked our reception site, flowers, photographer in one day.
They were great the weekend of the wedding as well, doing small errands for us to give us more time with our friends and family.
Our wedding ended up being 175 people and it was amazing. People danced all night and had a great time. They are still talking about it.
Although the initial price for the full wedding planning service seemed steep, I ended up feeling like it was a bargain. The Craigs are repeat business that we brides (hopefully) are not. They were able to barter prices that more than covered their cost. The headache and time they saved us during the engagement and the wedding weekend further added to their value.

Frances Sent on 11/30/2010

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Peyton and Karin are a topnotch wedding planning team whose services were absolutely indispensible. With incredible patience and forbearance they managed to have all tasks completed down to the minutist detail well within the appropriate timeframe. Their knowledge-pool of advice was endless, and provided a tremendous amount of comfort to all of us. Ours was a unique and rather complicated wedding but the Craigs took it all in stride. The end result was a wedding to be remembered by all for a very long time to come!

Laura Sent on 11/30/2010

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Encounters was the most important vendor that we selected to plan our wedding and they had the biggest impact overall on our amazing wedding day! From the beginning to the overwhelming vendor selection of band, caterer, officiant, florist, even seamstress for the bridal gown, they were there with top notch recommendations and we were so pleased with all their recommendations. Each vendor was outstanding and with Encounters referrals we were able to secure amazing vendors with much welcome discounts. Encounters developed a timeline for our wedding planning leading up to the big day, and event were there for any issues such as the mis-engraving on the wedding band, they had a jeweler that could help out to fix it last minute! They ensured the wedding day went so smoothly and most importantly they did a beautiful job of making sure always that the Bride and Groom had a very special day, and always put them first and ensured they were free to enjoy each and every moment. I can't recommend them enough to any future brides!

K Sent on 09/06/2010

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Karin and Peyton truly went out of their way to make our wedding a special and memorable event. They took away all the stress associated with the wedding planning process, and I had literally nothing to worry about during the days leading up to the wedding, other than enjoying time with friends and family. Karin and Peyton also had a great vision for the entire look and feel of our wedding. They have great connection in the wedding industry in the Washington/Baltimore area. They found us wonderful, reliable vendors at very reasonable prices. Without their guidance and help, we would have never been able to create the wedding we had (which we absolutely loved). They have the ability and experience to figure out where your money is best spent, and they truly made our wedding look two or three times more expensive than it actually was. They are absolutely wonderful wedding planners, and we couldn't be more grateful for their help.

Krystal Sent on 06/04/2010

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AMAZING coordinators!! My husband and I loved Peyton and Karin like they were part of our family. I was so afraid that I would have coordinators that were pushy and telling me what to not...NOT the case AT ALL! They were so accomodating and really wanted it to be the best day of our lives. They helped in all areas and kept me on a timeline and let me know what needed to be done next. They made suggestions and took every request I had and tried to make it work. I would HIGHLY recommend Encounters to any new bride out there!!!

Mary Sent on 05/31/2010

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Karin and Peyton are awesome! They made sure everything went smoothly, from the planning, to the rehearsal, to the setup, ceremony, and reception. They took away many of the worries that go along with planning a wedding. Anytime we had a question, whether it be on etiquette, how to handle something, or needing another vendor, they quickly responded and gave us guidance. The vendors they recommended also worked out very well.

They are truly a pleasure to work with. Our pastor commented how smoothly the rehearsal and wedding went and how nice it was to have Karin handle all the wedding party coordination and getting everyone, including 5 flower girls, down the aisle. Karin and Peyton worked well with all the other vendors and made sure that all our plans were carried out.

We had a number of family and friends comment how relaxed and fun the wedding was and that it was the best they ever attended. Because we knew Karin and Peyton were there to handle any issue that might come up, my husband and I could relax and enjoy the time with our guests. We highly recommend Karin and Peyton to anyone planning a wedding or other event!

Jennifer Sent on 04/08/2010

5 out of 5 rating

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

Encounters is a great vendor! They helped me with so much, from wedding ideas to ensurinng that the wedding was stressfree. They also helped with the other vendors. Not only were they helpful but they also helped me with cost savings from the wedding cake, photographer, and limo. I recommend Karin and Peyton to any Bride. Their services were wonderful!!!!!!!

~very happy bride~

Deanna Sent on 02/27/2010

5 out of 5 rating

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

Karin and Peyton did a wonderful job with my wedding. I was on a tight budget and planning the wedding from afar. They did a wonderful job helping get in touch with the different vendors, the final decision making, and making sure my mom was there to view the stuff I couldn't. I thought I'd be more stressed about my wedding, but it was so stress free it was great! My husband and I had a wonderful time and so did our guests. It was truly a great experience working with Karin and Peyton.
Deanna

Jennifer Sent on 10/24/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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

Karin & Peyton are the perfect team! They were an absolute pleasure to work with. From our first meeting, to the last minute of my wedding, seeing the last of the guests off, they were 100% professional and followed through on every detail we ever discussed and more. My wedding was in Maryland at my parents home and I live in California, so my time was very valuable when I made trips to the east coast for wedding planning. Karin was wonderful scheduling vendor appts, taking notes, and following up on all my requests. Peyton worked very well with my parents, making several trips back and forth to the house and attending vendor meetings. They were great communicating through email with me. The wedding turned out absolutely beautiful. It exceeded my expectations. I could have never done it without them.

Ann-Louise Sent on 10/20/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating

Encounters helped make my wedding planning a breeze. The wedding went off without a hitch. They were well worth the cost and more. Thanks Karin and Peyton!

Amy Sent on 06/08/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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

Encounters provided us with extremely personal service, and felt more like family than a company we hired. We would not have achieved the wedding experience we had without them!

Becky Sent on 06/07/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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

The vendor was an advocate for us. They were creative and professional. They made helpful and useful suggestions. They resolved issues. The evening of the affair they were superb and orchestrated every detail to perfection.

Lia Sent on 06/06/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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

These planners are excellent. They did a great job of working with me to find out exactly what I wanted (and didn't want) for my wedding. They were easy to reach throughout the entire planning process and very responsive. They cared more about my wedding than I did. They planned a better wedding than I ever imagined I could have for the amount I wanted to spend. The vendors they suggested were excellent--perfect location, delicious food, friendly service, excellent music, beautiful flowers, and beautiful photos. They planned all this in four months and kept it in my price range. My wedding was a fairytale wedding that went off without a hitch, thanks to them.

Lauren Sent on 06/03/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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

Our wedding would not have been anywhere near as wonderful as it was without the help of Encounters. The vendors that Encounters found for us were amazing and gave us wonderful deals for their services. We were planning our wedding long distance and there is no way that we would have been able to do it without the help of Karin and Peyton. They were such a pleasure to work with and even if we had to pay them double, they still would have been well worth the money.

Danielle Sent on 06/02/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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

We had a wonderful experience with Encounters as our wedding planners. They brought the wealth of their knowledgable and experience and helped create our perfect wedding. They had extensive contacts with local vendors such as venues, bands, flowers, and cakes. They did the leg work and brought us the best to chose from. The day of our wedding, all we had to do was sit back and enjoy!!!

Laura Sent on 06/02/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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

We love Encounters!!! We can not imagine having our wedding without the help of Karin and Peyton of Encounters. Along with keeping us organized and on track, Karin and Peyton found wonderful vendors for us from their wide network at very good prices. Their attention to detail was awesome. Their attitude was always upbeat and optimistic. We felt so calm just knowing they were "on our side" as we planned our dream wedding. We recommend them highly and we wish we could have checked more than 5 stars!

Nicole Sent on 06/02/2009

5 out of 5 rating

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

I may still be on a wedding-high for how perfect my wedding turned out after more than a year of planning but I really want to make sure I give credit where credit is due. Karin and Peyton (from encounters) were the first vendor we contracted and they helped us through every detail of the planning. The wedding could not have been nearly as amazing without their help.

Just to give you a taste of my experience with encounters wedding planning:

1) They are very personal - adjusting to your vision/style.
Clearly they adjusted their involvement to our particular style - my mom, my husband and I were all very hands-on involved with the planning of our wedding. For example - We like to shop EVERYTHING for the best deal and best value BUT with weddings these days there is just TOO much information to sort through. For selecting each vendor Karin and Peyton would provide us a short list of recommended suggestions. Then, we researched, previewed, interviewed and shopped to select whomever we were most comfortable working with.

2) They've been in this business for a LONG time - they know all the other vendors.
I mentioned we liked to shop but there in the few cases Karin and Peyton mentioned a favorite; they were always right. We shopped a few other bands but the one they recommended was the BEST! Everyone danced all night - it was almost awkward when our guests demanded an encore...how many wedding bands get that! But - More importantly - they know vendors who are great value - very talented and very affordable. You'd be surprised at the money you can actually SAVE by hiring a wedding planner (that is one who knows the right people and some of the tricks of the trade)

3) They make the wedding day details Stress free
Finally, on my wedding day I didn't have to worry about ANY details, and neither did my mom or husband, or anyone else in our wedding party. It was great just hanging out with my bridesmaids getting our hair done - knowing that someone else was making sure that the florist DID come and that the flowers were exactly what I had ordered. (I would hate to arrive in the room and discover that my flowers were somehow wrong!) Everything that we had worked so hard on, the whole "vision" for the wedding came together.

I am sure that we could have planned a nice wedding without anyone's help, but what we had surpassed my wildest dreams.

Kristi Sent on 02/04/2018

4.9 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
4.5 out of 5 rating
Average response time
5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating

Karin and Peyton were indispensable to us they made our wedding. They helped us from start to finish to make everything run smoothly they organized our vendors and coordinated with all of them. Helped facilitate everything with our vendors saving us time and ensuring that everything would work together seamlessly. We seriously could not have pulled off this wedding without them! They always were very responsive to any all of our requests everything we wanted they made sure happened. Plus their services were extremely affordable.

The day of for us went very well everything seemed to go very smoothly although the timeline seemed to change spur of the moment which we had no issue with it we assumed this was to make sure things went well we just went with the flow and had no problem.

We would have given 5/5 across the board but our wedding party had a very different experience then us many of the party felt very lost/confused on roles and on what to do and when to do it since so much of the day of schedule shifted. If they would have felt better about their roles we would have given them a perfect recommendation.

+8 photos

Lynne Sent on 07/28/2014

4.9 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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4.5 out of 5 rating

If you are looking for hard working, dedicated, personalized, professionals Encounters is the best. They were there for me every step of the way, had quick response / follow up and were cost effective. I trusted all of their vendor recommendations since I did not have time to research ones on my own and all were perfect! My flowers were amazing. Karin and Peyton felt like family. They did not jack up the prices if I asked for extras and I felt they really cared about me and my husband, as well as got to know our families. I cannot say enough great things about them!!! You won't go wrong in their hands!

Kathleen Sent on 01/06/2014

4.9 out of 5 rating

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

We selected Encounters after we were 4 months into planning. We already had the dress and selected the venue, but had not signed a contract. We realized we were in over our heads with so many decisions still to be made. Karin and Peyton provided recommendations for all ofour vendors. They made the arrangements to meet with the vendors and always attended the meetings with us. They came to the food tasting and offered suggestions on food/appetizer selections based on their past experience. They were able to negotiate additional services without added cost and had discounts with many of their vendors. Their knowledge of the industry was invaluable. We were pleased with all the vendors that they suggested. Though they have many vendors to suggest, you are free to also use your own and Karin and Peyton will still help you through the process. We were in regular contact with them in person by email and by phone. On the day of the wedding Karin was at the church and Peyton was at the venue. Both giving direction and making sure everything was perfect. They go the extra effort. Karin was drench from the rain as she was trying the keep my daughter’s wedding dress train and veil under the umbrellas as she made her way up to the church. One of the advantages of using Encounters is you get two planners for the price of one. They take care of everything while you enjoy the wedding and reception. Thank you Karin and Peyton.

Christina Sent on 12/29/2013

4.9 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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4.5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating

Peyton and Karin were great. Any additional vendor questions we had Peyton was quick to respond and very helpful. Had to change our table layout last minute which resulted in us needing different linens and Peyton was amazing helping out and putting it all together the day of. Karin was great helping w the schedule and making sure the day ran smoothly-if anything went wrong we have no idea!

Terri Sent on 06/03/2009

4.9 out of 5 rating

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5 out of 5 rating
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4.5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating

I had a wonderful experience with Encounters. I had an amazing wedding with no worries. They helped me every step of the way. I really miss them now that my wedding is over. They felt like friends to me!!

Andrea Sent on 07/02/2009

4.8 out of 5 rating

Quality of service
5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
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5 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4 out of 5 rating

Karin and Peyton were amazing! Communication was easy, things were done in a very quick manner and I dont think our wedding would have been half as wonderful if they werent there the entire time. Anything I needed, they were there, even on the wedding day. Everything was clear and layed out and there was never any confusion. I highly recommend!

Encounters Weddings & Events Reviews

Reviews

Encounters Weddings & Events