Erika O'Brien Events Reviews
Reviews
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Rozanne Sent on 05/13/2023Wedding Weekend
Wedding weekend May 4, 2023 - May 7, 2023
When my son and future daughter in law set their wedding date and location in St. Petersburg, FL, I knew immediately that we would need help in planning all of the fun parties I had been dreaming about for years. My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Erika O’Brien Events in a unique way. I am the Mother of the Groom and typically the only event planning for the groom’s family is the rehearsal dinner. However, we wanted to do so much more since many family and friends from both “sides” of the bride and groom would be traveling to Florida from throughout the country for this long awaited celebration.
After doing quite a bit of research and reading countless reviews of various “wedding planners”, I narrowed the list to four “possibles” and forwarded the names and information to the bride’s family and to our son and his future bride. We all agreed that Erika was the perfect fit for what we all wanted and needed.
This is where we did something a little unusual. Erika contracted and worked with the bride and groom and the bride’s family on the multitude of to-do’s for the wedding celebration (venue, catering, invitations, photographer, flowers, etc.). My husband and I then contracted with Erika separately to work with us on all of the pre and post wedding day events. Both contracts worked harmoniously but separately. This review addresses the assistance and planning by Erika O’Brien Events as it relates to that arrangement.
Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in St. Pete was reserved as soon as the wedding date was confirmed so we knew that box was quickly checked. We planned to have a rehearsal dinner for immediate family and the wedding party one evening (approximately 30 guests), a full invite of guests to a Welcome Party on the eve of the wedding (80-120 guests), and finishing off with a newlywed brunch (50-60 guests) for all guests who were able to join for one more celebration. The guest counts were tricky as invitations had not even been mailed, so we all sort of made “guesstimates” just for preliminary planning purposes. And, we needed Erika’s expertise as my husband and I live six plus hours away in northwestern Florida, the bride and groom live in Cincinnati, and the bride’s family live just outside of Tampa. Additionally, we preferred to have all the events either within walking distance of the selected hotels or within a very short drive.
Nearly ten months before the wedding, Erika swung into gear helping us find hotel options for guests and doing some preliminary site reviews for the rehearsal dinner, welcome party and newlywed brunch. Shortly thereafter my husband and I met with Erika over the course of several days, really getting to know her and attending all the appointments with her. She had the days planned so efficiently. Communication with all parties was exceptional. We never felt rushed or wondering which options we should pursue. Questions were asked and answered. Her insights were so helpful in our decision making. Before we left St. Pete on that first visit we had the block of rooms at two hotels, and the rehearsal dinner and the pre/post party locations confirmed. We were so pleased with the range of options we looked at and even more excited once we made our selections. Erika was instrumental in all of this! I never had a doubt that we had made the right decision to have Erika help us.
Over the course of the months, Erika and I were in constant communication. Every email and phone call was answered in hours if not minutes. Never did I feel as though I were “waiting” to hear back from Erika about one of my countless questions. I made two additional trips to St. Pete to meet with the hotel and venue coordinators. At every meeting, Erika was by my side, prepared and ready to go. She helped me select menus at the restaurant and select the appropriate foods and decor for the two other parties. We finalized everything with the coordinators and felt confident that each venue was the perfect setting for what our vision was for each event. No detail was left up in the air.
Several weeks before the wedding weekend, my husband unexpectedly asked if Erika could find a photographer to capture the moments at the Welcome Party. Finding an event photographer for a few hours at the last minute is not an easy ask. Erika once again came through with flying colors, giving us options (and pricing) and her suggestions. In the end we chose Erika’s husband who has experience with photo shoots at engagement and other party types. He was the perfect fit since we wanted candid, fun pictures of everyone having a good time! (I received a file with all the photos within three days of the party and they are great!) A big shout out and thank you to Hunter O’Brien!
Erika was with us at each of the three events from the set up to the take down. She even spent one of the mornings shortly after we arrived in St. Petersburg for the wedding to help with putting the welcome jute tote bags together and delivering them to the hotels. Many of our family and friends were anxious to meet my “Wonder Woman” as I had spoken of her numerous times. When they met Erika, they were so impressed with her, as I was every step of the “wedding journey”. Erika has such an easygoing manner; she’s a calming influence at a time when emotions can, and frequently do, run high. Her communication was always excellent and timely- with the coordinators and with me. I cannot recommend her more highly. If you are a mother of the groom (as I was) trying to figure out where you fit into all the wedding planning, or the bride and groom, or the parents of the bride, you will not be disappointed if you choose to work with Erika. I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to work with Erika and even more proud to say that I found a friend in her.
Wedding Weekend Events Planned by Parents of the Groom and Erika O’Brien Events:
HOTELS: Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront Hotel
Hampton Inn St. Petersburg
REHEARSAL DINNER: Sea Salt Restaurant, St. Petersburg (an absolutely fantastic choice!)
CHURCH: Saint Mary Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, St. Petersburg
WELCOME PARTY: The Birchwood, 4th Floor Ballroom (coordinators, service staff and bartenders, food and location unbeatable-everyone raved about the food and views!)
NEWLYWED BRUNCH: The Birchwood, Rooftop Canopy (rented all the cabanas and skywest lounge-food, service staff, and rooftop views were superb!)
FLOWERS: Trader Joe’s (the best for orchids, protea, and hydrangeas! So inexpensive, fresh and beautiful.)
(The Wedding Reception was held at NOVA 535, which is a fantastic and beautiful venue!) -
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Hannah Sent on 02/03/2026
Pearson Wedding 2025
We had the opportunity to work with Erika this past December 2025, and we would recommend her services to anyone considering a wedding planner! She made all the difference in the final weeks leading up to the wedding day, and especially on the wedding day itself! We didn’t have to worry about last minute tasks and details, like setting out the place cards, setting up the welcome signs, and any other tasks needed to make sure the venue looked perfect on the day of. Erika made it so much easier to relax and enjoy ourselves! She went above and beyond, even offering to let us use her decorations she had purchased herself. Beyond just the day itself, Erika provided so many resources to help us make sure we were always on schedule with what needed to be done in the months prior to the wedding. She provided us with a timeline that outlined everything that should be accomplished in each month leading up to the wedding. She was easy to communicate with and always made herself available to schedule check in meetings and answer any questions we had. If you’re considering hiring a wedding planner, we cannot recommend Erika enough!! -
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Brianna Sent on 12/29/2025
Best Wedding Planner Ever!!
I cannot imagine our wedding without Erika. From the moment we spoke with her, I knew she was the perfect fit for us. We spoke with several coordinators before her, but none of them even came close. Erika was warm, confident, incredibly detail oriented, and immediately made me feel calm and excited instead of overwhelmed.
She stayed in constant communication leading up to the wedding, checked in regularly, and made sure every single detail was covered well in advance. She coordinated seamlessly with our vendors and was always thinking three steps ahead. Anytime stress popped up, Erika handled it with such calm and reassurance that I never once felt panicked.
On the wedding day, everything went off flawlessly. I was able to fully enjoy every second because I knew Erika had everything handled. If you are looking for a planner who truly cares, who is on top of every detail, and who will make your wedding day seamless, Erika is absolutely the person you want by your side. She is exceptional and worth every penny and more. Hire her, hire her, hire her!! -
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Brooke Sent on 06/07/2025Hire erika!
WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN!!!! From literally the first second I spoke with Erika, to the last moments of my wedding, she was the most caring, helpful, personable, and calming person I could have asked for. It was literally as though she cared about my wedding just as much as I did. She quite literally took the vision I had of my day, and brought that vision to life more than I could have ever imagined.
She will be your right hand woman, hype woman, and anything you need her to be. She handled all communications with vendors and pointed them in every single direction throughout the entire process, taking it off my plate. She took all my crazy ideas (timing the exact amount of seconds each bridal party couple got to walk down the aisle so I could walk out at a very specific time, hanging every luggage tag I had made for every guest in alphabetical order, picking up last min things I forgot, and everything in between...), and brought them all to life with a smile on her face!
I had several vendors reach out to me and tell me she's the most organized and fun planner they have ever worked with, and I can see why! If you're thinking of hiring Erika, DO IT. I did not have a stress in the world the entire day because I knew every single detail I had planned was going to go perfectly because of her, and it actually did. There was not ONE single thing during my day that went wrong and I got everything I envisioned and it's truly because of her. HIRE THE PLANNER!!!!!!!!
ALSO - we had Erika's husband, Hunter, as our photographer and LET ME TELL YOU that if you're thinking about hiring the two of them together, DO IT!!! They coordinated our timeline and worked SO WELL together - we had guests tell us all night how much fun our photographer was and how amazing our planner did.
We LOVE you Erika, and are so thankful for everything you did for us!!! You might say... we were Enchanted to meet you 🥰🫶🏼 -
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Chrystin Sent on 05/20/2025Couldn't have done it without Erika!
I can't say enough good things about my experience with Erika! From our first chat to the wedding day, she was a wealth of knowledge and a constant calming presence. As a full-time working mom of three teenagers, my time is precious. While I loved planning, the extra work was a lot. Erika made it effortless, answering every question and providing all the resources I needed.
In the final month, Erika handled all vendor communication, which was a huge weight off my shoulders. It meant I could focus on fun details and DIY projects. She kept everyone on track during the rehearsal, and on the wedding day, Erika and her assistant brought my vision to life. Everything was under control, allowing me to savor every single moment.
Seriously, if you're thinking about it, hire Erika! You won't regret it. I floated on a cloud all day, and I know it wouldn't have been the same without her. Thanks to Erika, I had the wedding of my dreams and got to enjoy every second. For a stress-free, magical wedding day where you feel like royalty, just hire Erika. You deserve it! -
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Ashley Sent on 03/08/2025
Best wedding planner in Tampa Bay!
Seamless, organized, strong vendor recs, reachable, happy & excited to help -
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Angelica Sent on 01/14/2025We love erika
Erika is THE BEST decision we made, aside from marrying each other, bahahahah. She addressed our questions thoughtfully, without patronizing or dismissing our ideas, which we quickly came to find was incredibly refreshing when meeting with potential vendors. As first-time planners, her guidance and enthusiasm while listening to our ideas was AMAZING. She helped lay out table settings, coordinated all the arrivals & take downs of the day perfectly, and we didn't know of anything that went wrong.. We recommend her to everyone—if you're considering hiring Erika, DO IT!!!! -
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Brooklin Sent on 11/17/2024Don't Go To Anyone Else!
Hiring a wedding coordinator (especially a day-of) was very daunting. I searched for what seemed like months and decided upon working with Erika for our wedding and it was the absolutely best decision I could have made. Erika was very helpful even when I reached out earlier than our contract began. She was there for me and my needs and problems...and boy were there problems...but she magically solved them before I even knew about them. She was extremely communicative, helpful, resourceful, respectful, optimistic, friendly, and best of all - calm. The day of our wedding she made sure everything was accomplished and matched up with my vision and was on the move all night for us and her calmness definitely allowed me to lighten up and enjoy our wedding day. I don't know how she coordinated as much as she did in such a short period of time but she was very organized and on top of everything in order to make the wedding as smooth for my husband and I. Thank you so much Erika!!! -
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Sydney Sent on 11/14/2024Excellent!
It's hard to put into words how incredible Erika was to work with for our wedding this past week in Winter Park, FL. We had to plan our wedding from afar, as we live in Virginia - which is no easy task! From the first time meeting Erika virtually to our wedding day a year later, she was meticulous in ironing out all of the important details in the wedding planning and day-of coordinating process. We truly had the best day ever, and it would not have been possible without Erika's guidance and attention to detail. Her kind and positive spirit also made such an immense impact on us as well. I would highly recommend Erika for planning your special day or your next event! -
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Victoria Sent on 10/31/2024Absolute best!
Erika was nothing but supporting, efficient, hardworking, calm, and just AMAZING! I suggest anyone planning a wedding to hire Erika for their special day. We had a Airbnb micro wedding and we hired Erika as a day of coordinator but it was far more than the day of. She set up meetings throughout the planning process to check in and keep us on track and when it came to the day of she was amazing. she showed up and immediately went into preparing mode by setting up our ceremony space and reception. I gave her an idea of what we were looking to have it look like and she took it and made it exactly how we imagined! When we had some time constraints due to our photographers Erika saw how I was becoming frustrated and immediately stepped in and helped keep it organized. I truly think without her we probably wouldn’t have gotten most of the shots I wanted. We didn’t have a dj so Erika helped us run all of our music for our ceremony and dances and it took so much stress off of us. She even started cleaning up the ceremony space for us before she left. She was a calming presence in what can be a very stressful day. Anything from a huge wedding to a micro wedding having someone like Erika there to organize and help execute the day is the best investment you can make. And Honestly i would of paid 3x what i did for her services. We appreciated her hard work and dedication she gave to our day as if it was her own. You will not regret hiring Erika! -
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Branyon Sent on 10/30/2024Organized and GREAT to work with!!!!
Erika was the BEST choice!!! She is detail-oriented, always prepared, and so enjoyable to work with. I never felt stressed or overwhelmed because she was always calm - it gave me such confidence! I did the month-of package which is great for the bride that still wants to be mostly planning it but does not want to handle all of the details the month of. It was the perfect package for me to be stress-free in knowing she was following up with every vendor. Honestly though, working with Erika was so smooth, I probably would do her full-service package if I were having a do-over. I genuinely cannot recommend her enough. Even my guests were coming up to me and speaking so highly about how well she handled the weather issues and little things. All a bride wants is a stress-free experience and you will get that with Erika! -
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Brady Sent on 06/27/2024Stress gone!
We were stressing out the few months before our wedding, we felt like we weren't doing what needed to be done but didn't know what needed to be done. Erika came in and helped my wife throughout the process and eased so much of our worries! Our wedding day went even better than we could've hoped thanks to her help, everything was coordinated and we didn't have to worry about a thing on the day
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Jessica Sent on 02/05/2024Hire erika!
First off, absolutely worth it! I wanted a full time wedding planner, and I struck gold with Erika O’Brien! My husband Frank and I got engaged on Christmas Day 2022 and we were lucky to have found Erika just a few days later since we wanted to get started on planning our November 2023 wedding right away. There are so many reasons I could recommend Erika to plan your wedding, but here are my top five: #1: Erika was so flexible with our planning calls/meetings! My husband and I have such busy work schedules, so finding time to plan our wedding was sometimes challenging. Thankfully Erika was always down to chat after-work hours - which was SO helpful! #2: Erika made my classic meets modern wedding come to life! She has an amazing eye on making sure everything we picked was on theme from table setting to signage. She handled everything that I needed every time I needed. She even broke up with a vendor for me (huge source of anxiety). #3: Erika’s transparency was a breath of fresh air! She keeps it real and honest each time we had to make a decision towards wedding planning #4: Erika is great at working with all kinds of people with her exceptional organizational skills and emotional intelligence. All my family and friends loved how organized our whole wedding day was - from photos, to reception, to the party! Everything was planned down to the minute and Erika did it all with grace and a smile :) #5: Last but not least...what I appreciated the most about Erika was that she was ALWAYS 2 steps ahead of me - so no matter what random question I threw at her, she had an answer ready! If you are a bride that wants to stay on task, wants to be organized and doesn't know where to start? Erika is your fairy godsister. She will help you get your dream wedding, while being realistic about your budget. I still can’t believe that we were her first full time planning wedding clients and honestly 10/10 recommend going full time planning with her. HIRE ERIKA! She's reliable, fun, experienced, sweet and an all-around girl boss!!! -
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Victoria Sent on 11/08/2023Clearwater Wedding Reception
We cannot imagine planning or having our wedding reception without Erika!! Planning a "destination" event was a daunting task since we weren't very familiar with the Clearwater area, but Erika made the process easy and enjoyable. Through in-person, virtual meetings, and emails, she kept our planning timeline on track. Her vendor recommendations were always on point! On the day of the reception, she made everything run smoothly. From decorating the venue within 2.5hrs to being one-step ahead with every aspect of the schedule to wrapping everything up at the end of the night, she didn't miss a single detail. Above all, she was a joy to work with - kind, even-keeled, and talented. We cannot recommend Erika enough!! (It was also really fun to work with Erika and Hunter together - they make a great team!) -
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Alma Sent on 06/15/2023Got Hitched Without a Hitch!
I thought I was organized and on top of things, but then I had Erika coordinate my wedding! I got married in New York City in June 2023 and opted to plan the big parts (venues, menu, specialty things my fiancé and I wanted like musicians and our getaway car), but I couldn't have pulled it off without Erika. She was there to remind me of the little things that often get overlooked like syncing up with vendors prior and during the wedding day, setting up the tables at the reception, and acting as emcee at said reception. She made sure no rock was unturned in terms of anything we may have wanted.
All in all, my wedding - which was a "destination" wedding for around 90% of guests and brings its own unique set of worries - was a smooth sailing success thanks to Erika's coordination and communication skills. She was ultra clear in emails and calls and was thoroughly wonderful to work with start to finish.
PS: Her husband, Hunter, took photos for our reception and did a beautiful job! He knew exactly how to pose us to capture those glowy, in-the-moment shots and shared in our excitement all throughout. I would totally recommend them as a package dynamic duo if you're also looking for a great photographer. -
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Amanda Sent on 12/22/2022
Cannot recommend Erika O’Brien Events enough!!
Erika O’Brien Events did a spectacular job throughout my entire wedding planning process. Like many others, I have not ever planned a wedding and had no idea all the details involved in the process. Erika was quick and thorough to reply to my questions, kept me involved in every step, and kept me calm when I got stressed. Erika knows the ins and outs of the wedding industry and diligently works to meet the needs and requests of her couples. Erika’s passion shines through in her work and in the end result of your big day. My wedding day could not have gone more smoothly, all thanks to Erika O’Brien Events! -
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Lauren Sent on 11/27/2022Best wedding ever!
Erika helped make this process the least stressful it could be! Even with us being in Kansas, she made our dreams possible, and we couldn’t have asked for anyone better. I didn’t once feel stressed on the day of my wedding. We had a lot of anxiety about the day of, but it actually was a breeze. It was almost so easy that we forgot the amount of planning that had gone into it. Erika was doing so much behind the scenes that we didn’t even notice what was happening. She’s always thinking ten steps ahead. Thank you Erika! :) -
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Jessica Sent on 10/24/2022Erika is the BEST!!
Erika is truly the best!! We could not have asked for a better coordinator for our wedding. She was so calming and reassuring throughout the process of planning the day and the execution on the day of. We didn’t have to worry or stress about anything! She made our day SO special! -
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Christopher Sent on 03/24/2024Amazing month-of coordination!
I had a wonderful experience with Erika O'Brien as my wedding Coordinator. While she was our month-of coordinator, she helped us months out from the date to ensure we were on track and had everything squared away. All of the work she did behind the scenes did not go unnoticed, and we had such a beautiful and perfect wedding day. I appreciate all she did for us.
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