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Dale Sent on 04/26/2022

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Michelle is more than a planner.

There quite literally aren't enough words to describe how wonderful Michelle is. After our engagement, we knew we needed a planner. We looked around, and saw that one of my friends had used Michelle's services for her own wedding years ago. From the start, we were hooked on her work.

Over the last two years, Michelle gone from "wedding planner" to "family friend." Look, I'm sure a lot of people feel that way about their planner. I'm sure a lot of planners form bonds with their clients. We truly feel that the roots of our bond with Michelle extend far beyond simple "business partners." She went above and beyond to make us feel at ease with wedding planning. Organized, efficient, communicative, loving...the list goes on and on and on.

So when I looked to Michelle on our wedding day, and even up until the very last second of our celebration as we drove away from her, I felt choked up. We didn't want this to be "it."

The fact of the matter is that we love Michelle, and we can't put into words how much we appreciate her friendship and guidance over the last two years. She made our day possible, and she'll go to the ends of the earth to do the same for you.

Kendra Sent on 10/08/2024

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Best Wedding Planner EVER!!!

Michelle’s expertise and dedication made our wedding planning journey an absolute pleasure. If you’re looking for a wedding planner who will go above and beyond, look no further than MAEP! Thank you, Michelle, for making our dream wedding a reality!

Shannon Sent on 09/29/2024

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Highly recommend!

Michelle was AMAZING to work with! She stepped in and made the wedding planning process way less overwhelming. From setting up the decorations, coordinating with all the vendors, creating our timeline, to giving me valuable input and recommendations along the way, Michelle made sure that everything came together. Day-of, she and her assistant, Challise, were a HUGE help. They had everything running smoothly and really allowed us to just enjoy our day without worrying. Michelle came recommended by our venue (The Historic Post Office) and by two different friends who used her coordination services for their weddings. Book with her - you won't be disappointed!!

Quinci Sent on 04/10/2024

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Couldn't have done it without Michelle

I don’t know how many good things about Michelle I can fit into one review but I’ll try! Michelle helped us plan our March wedding and it is not an exaggeration to say that our day wouldn’t have been as wonderful as it was if it weren’t for Michelle! She’s extremely organized, kind and professional! She connected us to our amazing vendor team. We had a dozen little fires to put out the week of the wedding and she handled them with so much grace! I think most importantly, she understood our vision for how we wanted the day to look. I think what attracted me to working with Michelle is that all the aesthetics of the weddings she works on are all very unique! She truly went above and beyond for my husband and I and I am so grateful for her hard work, patience, resolve, and kindness!

Xyrene Sent on 11/16/2023

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Maep is amazing. Best decision

I could talk for hours about Michelle and her team! This past October my now husband and I had the opportunity to work with her for our Chrysler Museum Wedding. We all know how stressful wedding planning can be and throw in moving across country not once but 3 times, Michelle was a life savior. She has an amazing list of vendors and was so easy to get in touch with whenever I had a question or just needed someone to remind me to slow things down and get off pinterest. Planning felt like breeze with her professionalism and organization. Day-of Michelle was AMAZING! As a couple we genuinely felt taken care. Michelle and I were able to share a sweet moment as she was ushering me over to my parents to walk down the aisle, it's honestly a moment I'll remember because I could feel how genuinely happy she was for me and with all the planning her and I did together. It really speaks volumes for how much Michelle cares about her clients. During our reception she never let any stress come our way, constantly checking up on us, making sure we were fed and really helping everything move smoothly making sure we kept with our timeline. We were able to have the dreamiest day because of Michelle and her team and I cannot even begin to thank them enough for all they did.

Megan Sent on 10/23/2023

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Wedding+Welcome Party+Rehearsal Dinner Planner!

Choosing MAEP was the BEST wedding decision we made! Michelle was incredible to work with. Her positive and calm attitude were extremely helpful when things got stressful. She is extremely organized, full of great ideas, and so so so helpful!! She planned our rehearsal dinner, welcome party, and wedding over the course of 8 short months and everything was perfect! I HIGHLY recommend MAEP!!

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Megan Sent on 01/26/2023

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MAEP is the best!!!

Michelle is the sweetest lady in the whole world! She was a huge help in making our wedding day absolutely perfect. She definitely knows what she’s doing when it comes to weddings! She took so much stress off of the whole planning process and made everything run smoothly on our big day. 10/10 would recommend MAEP to anyone looking to hire a wedding planner!

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Anna Sent on 01/24/2023

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Amazing Planner

We absolutely love working with Michelle and her team. She did such an excellent job and made sure our big day went smoothly and stress free. We're so thankful for her and her team and we definitely recommend her. Like what people say.. "you get what you pay for." We love you Michelle! :)

Melinda Sent on 08/19/2022

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Amazing!!!!

Michelle was a pleasure to work with. She always made sure I was on track with my wedding planning. I had trouble with searching for vendors but she was quick to make great referrals to me. She made sure that my wedding went as smooth as possible. Such a positive vibe! I would highly recommend her if you’re planning a wedding in the 757!

John Sent on 06/15/2022

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Absolutely amazing!

You get more than your money's worth using Michelle Amarillo. She is well organized, attentive, and detail oriented. Michelle did an excellent job of incorporating various aspects that my wife and I wanted included in our wedding day. She has the foresight to handle any obstacle before it becomes a big problem. She became a confidant and close friend to my wife and me during the entire process (including two years of COVID delays). Michelle's services are invaluable and will make any event exponentially better.

Jack Sent on 11/15/2021

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The BEST Wedding Planner Possible

Michelle Amarillo Event Planning was the BEST option for our wedding. She was responsive and active when it came to our wedding and answered questions, no matter how silly or numerous, with gusto and attentiveness that we needed. She handled everything we needed and then some. Michelle is very personable and her energy is contagious. Our day was made better by her attention to detail, determination, and willingness to listen. We would HIGHLY recommend Michelle for any event.

Erin Sent on 10/26/2021

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Absolutely the best!

When we started planning the wedding we knew immediately we wanted someone to help guide us and take the stress off our plate and really help execute our vision and boy, oh boy did Michelle and her team do that and beyond!!! Michelle guided us through a 1-year covid delay, negotiated vendor contracts, and took a lot of crazy texts from us like a champ!! Looking back on our wedding we have said many times we would not have changed 1 single thing and we both agree Michelle is the reason behind that. There wasn't ONE thing that didn't go smoothly and I wasn't worried about anything. Michelle is forever our go-to for our future events and we cannot suggest her enough!

Robert Sent on 10/25/2021

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The perfect planner

Michelle was absolute the MVP of the whole wedding planning and execution experience. The amount of work, care, and effort she and her team puts into your event is immense and makes you feel like they truly care. She has literally become family to my wife and I. We would never want to do an event without her assistance.

Brittany Sent on 09/12/2021

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Amazing, amazing, amazing!

Can’t recommend Michelle highly enough! She made sure that our day went so smoothly. And we were actually able to eat our food! She and her team handled everything so beautifully, from setting up the decorations to making sure our vendors were able to arrive and set up in time. Michelle handled all of the millions of little details and last minute decisions that no bride wants to deal with the day of!

Reba Sent on 07/26/2021

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MAEP exceeded all of my expectations!

Michelle is someone that you're going to want to have on your team. She is so committed to making sure that your most special day is about you, your wants and your needs. Truthfully, my groom and I would have been lost without her guidance, her patience, her ears to listen to our concerns and her words of encouragement to get us to the big day. She really is the best! As a Covid-19 bride who was very particular about details, my journey to the alter was very stressful. Yet, even with all the uncertainties, Michelle was ALWAYS positive and reassuring. She was available for us when needed and is extremely professional, but most importantly she is a joy to be around. Our wedding was so much more than I could have ever imagined, and I know that is because I chose Michelle as our planner. We will always be grateful to her for helping us make our wedding day everything that we dreamed of.

Jessica Sent on 06/08/2019

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Would recommend over and over and over again

I feel like my husband should be writing this review. In the early stages of planning, I talked him into hiring someone to help us as we were doing planning from thousands of miles away with little ability to get back to VB. He complained the entire planning process about why I would want to hire someone.

Then the weekend of the wedding came. And he definitely changed his tune. He said, and I quote, "This was the best investment we could have ever made."

Michelle is a doll. She comes with so much experience and made the weekend so painless. She was so easy to work with in addition to being open and available to my husband and our families. Planning from Hawaii was not easy in the sense of planning as we had to heavily rely on our family and friends to be our eyes and accept numerous packages of decorations and other items. Michelle helped us keep track of these, accepted some of the packages, and was always willing to lend an ear to my conundrums. I had an idea of what I wanted the decor to look like, but when i walked into the venue, it was so much better than I imagined. Nick and I were able to enjoy the day because Michelle took all our planning worries away. Our families raved about how kind and responsive she was and went as far as to say she seemed to just fit in to our family.

Again, if you are on the fence about hiring a planner, please invest in having the peace of mind throughout the process and the ability to ENJOY your big day. And if your husbands/fiances have any concerns, just reference my hubs. :) Thank you, Michelle!!

Karen Sent on 06/08/2019

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Perfect Wedding Planner for our PERFECT day!

From the moment we met Michelle, we felt an amazing vibe with her and knew that she was a great fit for us. We just meshed really well with her. She always had such a positive attitude and was very accommodating. Whenever we needed anything, she was there to provide her input/feedback or just an honest opinion. And she did an amazing job with helping us figure out those last minute details. She made sure we didn't stress and that everything was taken care of every step of the way. Thank you , Michelle, for making sure our wedding day was perfect in every way possible! We were honored that we were your FIRST wedding of the season/year! :-D

Shannon Sent on 12/04/2018

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Best Planner ever!!!

Michelle is AMAZING!!!!! By nature I am a worry wart. I get anxiety and stress about everything so I was worried that I would be so stressed with all the details for the big day that I wouldn't be able to enjoy my wedding. With Michelle as my wedding planner that wasn't the case she took care of finalizing all the details and dealing with my vendors and completely took all the stress off me. My day was perfect and amazing thanks to all the hard work Michelle did. She was always very flexible and was quick to respond to all my texts, calls, and emails. As an added bonus Michelle isn't just great at her job, she is also a genuinely awesome person and I always had a fun time working with her .

Kathleen Sent on 10/16/2018

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The Glue That Held It All Together

Michelle didn't know this, but what ended up becoming a dream wedding for us came after some logistical roadblocks and a severe car crash. My husband and I rebuilt our wedding vision in a completely different geographic location (Hampton Roads), after taking a deep breath, and found that we also needed a wedding coordinator, and quickly. I found Michelle on Google, and I was attracted to her clean, crisp marketing aesthetic and friendly vibe. She did not disappoint, either first on the phone or later in person. She is genuinely friendly and supportive of even a very indecisive bride.

While we had already made some of the big decisions when we met her, Michelle filled in the blanks with tried-and-true suggestions (shout-out to Tara Liebeck Photography, Gather floral, and Bella's Custom Cakes), which also came in at great quality and price-points. Her e-mail reminders and ample opportunities for communication kept my head on straight.

I truly understand that Michelle believes in love and in seeing a dream unfold. On the wedding day, she whisked herself in and out of my field-of-view, with cues, treats, and last-minute touches to the day. I am grateful for Michelle's services and genuine nature. It really was a beautiful day. Thanks, Michelle.

Maryann Sent on 08/20/2018

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We used Michelle for partial planning services and day of coordination and she was a lifesaver. At the time of connecting with Michelle, we had already booked our venue which included catering and our photographer. So while I thought I was in good shape having already had a good portion of my planning organized, I didn't appreciate just how much I would need to relay on Michelle in the final stretch to our wedding. Our venue and their event team were really unorganized and difficult to work with but thankfully Michelle mediated, organized, and seamlessly made sure our wedding went off without a hitch. When we had unpredictable weather, Michelle facilitated setting up the outdoor ceremony we dreamed of literally 15 minutes before go time. She is as lovely as can be and we were so grateful for her presence. My only regret was that we did not book her for full planning services!

Leigh Sent on 11/18/2017

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Michelle was recommended by a few of our friends and I definitely understand why. As soon as my husband and I had our first meeting with Michelle, I knew we found our planner. I saw how much hard work she put into all the planning and it definitely showed on our big day. She was there every step of the way. I can’t thank her enough for all she’s done for us!

Richelle Sent on 11/06/2017

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I have always loved Michelle's work with past weddings and I told my fiancé if we ever needed to hire a wedding planner for a big day then it would have to be Michelle. We started planning by ourselves with the help of our family until life events caught up to us and we realized that the time was now to get in touch with Michelle. We had a vision for what our day would be like and working with Michelle to make it come true had been an absolute joy! By the end of our wedding planning journey, out of all the stressful not so fun moments Michelle brought such a positive light and was there for us every step of the way. She not only made everything easier with keeping us track with to do lists, she helped with ideas, day of obstacles and communicating with vendors when I didn't know the answers. She was my shoulder to cry on when I had a wedding dress emergency, I don't know how much I can thank her for being there for me. Our wedding day was everything we wanted it to be and so much more. We wouldn't be able to experience such a magical night with out Michelle.

Abigail Sent on 05/27/2017

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I think I could plan a wedding for myself, but when you add everything else in life - I doubt I could do it without losing my sanity. That's what Michelle is... peace of mind to say the least. We picked Michelle since some of the best weddings we've been to were coordinated by her. Finally, it was our turn to have her!

My husband and I both have busy jobs and it doesn't help that I work crazy hours as a health professional. Michelle is very accommodating to meet with us to the point that when our schedules weren't matching to meet in person, we met by video conference. Michelle is also very flexible in helping a couple find what they want. I say this because I had a vision in how I wanted my flowers to look, but the initial quote at one florist had me worried that it wouldn't happen. Instead, Michelle gave us options on what we would be comfortable with and it turned out even better than I could have imagined.

I also love how organized Michelle is. There is this awesome master google doc she makes that keeps everything in one place for both my husband and I to see. I also love that she keeps all our contracts and details in one spot to easily reference. Other than organization, Michelle helps couples see the big picture. It's easy to get lost in the details, especially when my husband can be nit picky as a graphic designer. If ever there was a debate about design or protocol, Michelle would be the verdict on what was right.

What I value the most about Michelle is that she really becomes your family throughout the process. There were some issues that came up and Michelle would be the one that handled it so we would not have to worry. She was always our advocate throughout the process whether if a vendor was running behind or just keeping us in line for our budget. I am truly going to miss all the time we got to spend with her!

Laura Sent on 11/07/2016

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I cannot say enough about Michelle! She is one of the best people I've met and she was an AMAZING planner. I felt so comfortable on our wedding day knowing she was there. I knew with her there it would be perfect, and it really was! Leading up to the wedding, she met with us maybe 3 or 4 times which meant she had to travel each time. I cannot say how much I appreciate that! She was so helpful each time we met at the venue and then followed up after with what we needed to do next. She was so responsive each time I had a question! She was a perfect match for our big day!!!! I HIGHLY recommend you contact her for you big day!!!!!!!!

Karen Sent on 10/14/2016

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Michelle Amarillo Event Planning was absolutely fantastic! From the first time we talked, until days after the wedding, Michelle was super helpful. Even when she was on maternity leave, she was still communicating with me. Everything went so smoothly the day of the wedding (: I would highly highly recommend MAEP for any event!

Chaz Sent on 10/04/2016

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We got married in Sandbridge and had to plan our wedding remotely from our home in Chicago. Michelle was a HUGE help throughout the process. She was very amenable to evening calls so we had time to get home from work and call her from our Central Time Zone. She visited our wedding venue numerous times to take photos and measurements when we needed. We knew we could count on her to respond thoughtfully and promptly to any of our inquiries. To top it all off she was a wonderful person to work with and it was a joy getting to know her.

Although we only hired her as a partial planner Michelle continually checked in on us as our wedding date grew closer to make sure we were on track. We had a lot of last minute requests and a number of DIY decor projects and Michelle did a great job keeping everything organized. She kept us on our timeline and we even arranged for her assistant to pick up a large order of Taco Bell for a late night snack. I can honestly say the wedding day went perfectly and if there was a problem we had no idea. We were able to relax and focus on getting married without having to worry about a thing.

Michelle Sent on 06/20/2016

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Michelle was amazing! I had looked all over for same day wedding planners and I did not really get a good vibe from any of them that told me they were the one. As soon as I talked to Michelle though, I knew she was it. Not only was Michelle on point when talking to her but she is a partial wedding planner rather than a same day planner which meant she was so much more involved throughout the whole process. Usually in everyday life, I consider myself pretty organized and a planner but not when it comes to planning your own wedding. There are just so many vendors with different payment dates, trying to coordinate the vendors together and filling out all of their questionaires. I really didn't know up from down. That is where Michelle really excelled. She was organized, gave good advice and got things done. You would mention something in conversation throughout the planning and it would be on her list of don't fogets before the wedding. Which by that time I you are like "oh yea I forgot about that." She really listens to what you want and makes sure it happens. If you hadn't talked to a vendor about something, Michelle did it for you so your to do list got smaller. Which is nice because then when your family and friends get into town you can just enjoy their company. Rather than still having to run errands or make phone calls. I know our wedding definitely wouldn't have run as smoothly if it wasn't for Michelle. She is worth her weight in gold and more! Thank you Michelle for an amazing wedding!!

User2653013 Sent on 06/19/2016

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Hiring Michelle was one of the best decisions I made in my wedding planning process--she was the first and last day of planner I spoke with because she just RADIATES competency. Michelle has the rare quality of being able to tell people what to do--aka, boss people around--without seeming rude or condescending. My family and vendors all loved her. She was kind, patient, responsive, and flexible. I didn't have to think about a thing on the day; she handled it all. Oh, and she was seven months pregnant at the time!! Just an amazing and hard working woman.

Jessica Sent on 11/04/2015

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As an out of town bride, Michelle was there to make sure every element of our vision came to fruition for our big day. She kept me calm despite the countless challenges (mostly with my conflicting ideas) and was always ready with creative solutions. She kept all of our vendors, family, bridal party, and peanut gallery focused and did so in the most sweet and kind way I have ever seen. In many cases her assistance was outside the scope of her duties as our partial planner. Even when things were completely out of her control she found a way to get it all back on track.

We had the best night of our lives, her team was amazing, and most importantly our guests have not stopped raving that our wedding was the best they've ever attended. We were not only so grateful to work with such a talented professional but are so thankful to have gained a friend. MAEP is the best around; don't waste your time going to anyone else!

Bernadette Sent on 10/29/2015

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We can honestly say that choosing Michelle Amarillo was one of the best decisions we made while planning our wedding. When we decided to start planning, we were so overwhelmed and had no idea where to begin in the process. Our initial meeting with Michelle immediately put us at ease and lifted the wedding stress from our shoulders. Michelle was very professional and easy to work with. She worked around our busy schedules to set up phone calls and was always available when we had questions for her. She had wonderful suggestions for vendors and offered good advice based on her experiences. She was always open to our ideas or concerns and did an amazing job of executing our vision. On our wedding day, Michelle took care of every little detail. She organized all of the vendors, helped set up the reception, and made sure the timeline ran smoothly. It was such an amazing feeling to truly enjoy the day, without any worries. I would highly suggest anyone looking for an experienced wedding planner at an affordable price to use Michelle Amarillo Event Planning. We could not have done it without her and we are so grateful for her service!

Kirsten Sent on 06/22/2015

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I started out only looking for a "day-of coordinator" last summer when planning my wedding. I had a few vendors already so I wasn't in need of a "full-planning" service and to be honest I was concerned about how much hiring a coordinator for anything more than just one day would cost. Then I met Michelle! We ended up hiring Michelle for a "partial-planning" package, and I'm so glad we did! As an out-of-state bride, Michelle helped with so many things I never would have imagined needing help with when starting out on my wedding planning journey. She stepped in when my flights home were grounded due to snow and went to a vendor meeting with the rental company for me (and did a fab job at picking rentals!), she thought of things that I didn't, and she was completely on the same wavelength as me by the time the wedding day rolled around! She was always so quick to respond to my emails and when we talked on the phone, it honestly felt like we were two friends catching up because we would find ourselves talking about things other than the wedding! My mom has said over and over to friends and family that Michelle is a Godsend, and I 100% agree! (And for anyone who is skeptical...my dad was originally not keen on the idea of hiring anyone as a coordinator because he didn't see it as necessary, but ended up talking about how awesome Michelle was and how glad he was that he didn't have to worry about the details of the wedding day like my family would have if we didn't have Michelle there.) Everyone loved her at the rehearsal and wedding! I had bridesmaids and family members telling us how awesome they thought she was and how impressed they were with her organization! And those comments came after they had only known her for about 30 minutes. There's no way the wedding would have gone as smoothly if we hadn't had Michelle! It was truly the wedding I had always imagined, and I have Michelle to thank for that! :)

Paulette Sent on 05/04/2015

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I cannot say enough great things about Michelle. She and my husband had been friends for years and when we had our initial meeting, I knew that I didn't want anyone else planning our wedding. Unfortunately, she had a scheduling conflict with the date we initially picked, but I was so set on her, we changed our date. From our first meetings, she understood exactly the type of event we wanted. We wanted something elegant, but also something fun and exciting. This was exactly the type of wedding we had. Michelle was never afraid to say no to me and while the idea I had was cute, it was not going to tie into the theme of our wedding. Michelle is very well connected to vendors in the area and if we ever had any questions about which videographer to use or which florist to use, she always had suggestions for us. She also responded in a very timely manner to any emails we sent her and is very up to date with technology. My husband loves his spreadsheets so she created a whole wedding folder for us on Google Docs where we could share budget updates, receipts, to-do lists. Michelle definitely kept us organized and on time when it came to booking vendors and vendor payments. There were definitely a few breakdowns during the process, but Michelle was always there to calm me down and reassure me that everything was going to be fine.

The fact that I was at 0% stress the day of my wedding is a true testament to Michelle's wedding planning skills. I had zero worries that morning. We even had a last minute guest that my husband found out about the day of the wedding and she took care of it with no problem. I didn't even find out about it until it came time for the reception! I kept telling people that I didn't want to do anything on my wedding day except attend my own wedding and that's exactly what I did. I don't know what I would have done without Michelle throughout the wedding planning process, but I am definitely glad she was with us every step of the way!

Liz Sent on 10/27/2014

5 out of 5 rating

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I recruited Michelle for her full-planning services. She made my big day totally fantabulous and worry free. Negotiated with all vendors, was there to help me say yes to the dress and always available.

The reason I chose Michelle is because she has a passion for what she does and it shows. She stays up with newest trends and styles, uses google docs (a gift from above) so the three of us can easily share contracts and information and is well organized. Me and my hubby are silly people and didn't want to be held to old fashioned traditions where we didn't want them either (esp if they just cost more $$$!) and Michelle really vibed with us on that. She'll help your vision come true whether it's a posh event or a small rustic wedding. Hire MAEP!!

Jessica Sent on 10/26/2014

5 out of 5 rating

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I didn't have to worry about a thing on our wedding day. Michelle coordinated with all of our vendors to make sure they arrived on time. Michelle and her assistant took my vision and made it absolutely wonderful! Everything went off without a hitch and we had the most amazing day!

Heather Sent on 09/15/2014

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Michelle was incredible! I cannot sing her praises enough. Michelle was recommended to me by a friend who's wedding she had recently planned. While I had seen the details and checked out her blog for other events, what really drew me in was her personality- it didn't feel like an interview the way some initial vendor meetings can...it felt like I was meeting a good friend for coffee and pastries! She was very responsive and so supportive. My mother and sister live out of state so she was part wedding planner part therapist at times... She was always ready with some new ideas to help my vision come to life and it was more than I ever expected. The venue allowed us to see the space before we were introduced and Michelle took my vision and made it better...it was incredible.
More than the design, Michelle kept our rehearsal and wedding day running smoothly, rain or shine (we had both!)Our priest had agreed to do a later ceremony than he normally would but still had to get back to perform evening Mass-Michelle made it happen, the timing was perfect. My husband commented after the wedding that he knew Michelle was there to help things run smoothly, but he didn't realize it would be absolute perfection!
This review really doesn't even cover half of the service that Michelle provided to us. She truly takes the most joy from knowing she has made her couple happy (ecstatic in our case). Her heart and soul goes into each wedding she does and yet I never once felt like anything less than her absolutely focus of attention.

Annie Sent on 08/31/2014

5 out of 5 rating

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First of all, I am trilled that I decided to hire a planner. Second, I am so lucky that I found Michelle! I couldn't have asked for a better experience with her. She is friendly, efficient, responsive, and detail-oriented. During the several months and multiple meetings before my wedding day, Michelle gave me tips and advice which helped keep my mind at ease. I can't even recall how many times my fiance said to me, "ask Michelle." My mother and I prepared a bunch of DIY decor for the reception, and I knew I needed Michelle's vision to execute it on the big day. When I walked into the reception, I was in awe! It couldn't have been more perfect. I had zero stress before or during the wedding and reception, and I owe it all to Michelle. Book her while you can! You won't regret it!

User1692619 Sent on 07/30/2014

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Nothing about our wedding would have been possible without Michelle. She handled our insane work schedules and habitual procrastination. Everything about the wedding was perfect, and she took all of the pressure off of us. Anytime anything came up, the answer was always to "Call Michelle" and she would take care of it. For weeks after the wedding, I still wanted to call her if a problem came up in my life.
If it had been left up to me, we would have had an empty room with booze and an ipod shuffle. She thinks of everything and then goes out and makes it happen. I was probably the worst bride because I have absolutely no aesthetic abilities, nor did I have a definite idea of what I wanted, but somehow she made it into everything I had pictured in my head. And she kept me sane through the whole process.

She is the most ninja of all wedding planners. Hire her while you can!

Stephanie Sent on 06/07/2014

5 out of 5 rating

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After I got engaged, I thought wedding planning would be a breeze but when I realized it wasn't and that I needed help ASAP, I contacted Michelle and I couldn't be happier with my decision! Michelle was so easy to work with and really kept me on track. Every time I would speak with or meet with her, I would leave with invaluable ideas and advice. On our wedding day, I was able to relax and enjoy the day because I knew Michelle would have everything taken care of and she would handle anything unexpected with ease. I know that my wedding would not have gone as smoothly without her and I'm so glad we chose her! :)

User1638942 Sent on 05/30/2014

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Let me start off by saying, having Michelle Amarillo as my wedding planner was by far the best decision I could have made for my wedding. Michelle is the perfect balance between creativity and control. She takes the time to understand the vision you have for your wedding, incorporating the most important details while contributing her own touches to enhance the artistry, to keep things consistent with the theme as well as keeping things within budget. Michelle went to great lengths to work with vendors and the competitors to get me the best deal and ultimately saving me hundreds of dollars! She used many of her own personal supplies of beautiful vintage frames, chalkboards, and baskets to decorate my venue, which also saved me from having to purchase all these items myself. From the beginning Michelle was always in contact with me, making sure I was on time with save the dates, invitations, dress fittings, scheduling meetings with vendors etc. Michelle has many wonderful and talented vendors that she works with, and works with often, however if you would like to incorporate other vendors she is exceptionally accommodating, making new contacts and getting them up to speed effortlessly. On the day of my wedding, I couldn’t have been more stress free! Any concern, question, problem, went straight to Michelle, saving me the headache, and allowing me to relish the time with the love of my life, family and friends. I cannot say enough great things about Michelle and would, happily, book her all over again!!!

Amanda Sent on 05/28/2014

5 out of 5 rating

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For anyone considering a planner, Michelle Amarillo was amazing. For anyone not considering a planner--rethink that really quickly! My wedding was a great example of why it is so necessary to have someone coordinating your event, and why Michelle is the perfect choice.

I had a wonderful DIY wedding, but when you do a lot of things yourself/have family friends help, sometimes everything doesn't go quite as planned. When my hors d'oeuvres and bartenders didn't show up until much later than expected, Michelle handled it gracefully and secretly, doing everything she could not to burden me or the groom with the extra stress. She was there to coordinate the night and she did it flawlessly, even with the extra snags.

Not only that, but working with her was so enjoyable. She worked her butt off to make our wedding happen, from calming my nerves in the weeks leading up to the big day, to setting up everything in the reception space pretty much by herself the day before and cleaning it up, to actually fronting an incidental cost from one of our vendors while we were on our honeymoon so we didn't have to worry about that until we got home.

For someone who was only supposed to be the "day-of" coordinator, she worked for weeks in advance and after the wedding to make sure it was the perfect day. I felt like I got so much more than my money's worth. Thanks Michelle!

User1622691 Sent on 05/18/2014

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One of the best decisions my husband and I made during the wedding process was hiring Michelle. I was a bride that hated weddings, so she helped me create an event that expressed my husband and I's personality and helped truly make our wedding an unforgettable day. Michelle was a lifesaver before, during and after the wedding. If you want your special day to go smoothly and be everything you want and more - work with Michelle!

Elaine Sent on 02/19/2014

5 out of 5 rating

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I work for a small digital advertising agency in Norfolk. We all work hard and are proud to treat the company of 26 to a huge annual holiday party. In planning this event, every detail has to be accounted for. There was no way I could plan this on my own while having to fulfill my daily duties at the office. I also only had just under 6 weeks to plan everything about the party.

I knew Michelle but never worked with her professionally. From the beginning I knew her enthusiastic and personable personality is what I needed in an event planner during what was going to be a stressful time. Before I called her to ask if she would be interested in working with my company, I looked on her website and was excited see her eye for detail and style was in line with my company.

From day one, she was in and out of my office with ideas, contacting vendors and following up with me on progress. If something didn't work, she had a plan B. She was results oriented, which helped me stay focused on priorities for the party. She always kept our budget in mind and kept all vendors on schedule.

On the day of the event a colleague and I had to tend to some last minute changes, but Michelle thankfully kept the ball rolling with set up. A very brief breakdown of this event included: dinner at one venue, gifts for every employee and his/her date, transportation for 50 people to the 2nd venue, a photo / slow-mo video booth, dj, snacks and an open bar. If it weren't for Michelle, I probably wouldn't have made it to my own event! For the first time in two years, I was actually able to enjoy the dinner and the party without having to worry if everything and everyone was prepared. Michelle went above and beyond and the success of this party is a testament of her dedication and care for her clients.

In my experience of party planning, big or small, you need a planner who is talented, trustworthy, eager and just plain ready. Michelle is all of that and more.

Elizabeth Sent on 02/18/2014

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Michelle was SO helpful during the planning process. We hired her for day of coordination but she was so much more than that. She really wanted to help me with the details and the crazy DIY projects I had in mind. She met with my mom and I often and went above and beyond anything we could ask for. Our wedding had some many details and she set them up perfectly and truly made my vision come to life. I never worried about a thing that day. The whole day ran smoothly. I tell her all the time, I wish we could just do it again every weekend. I would highly recommend her to any bride. In fact, she is planning one of my best friends wedding this year! She not only made us feel comfortable and set up our venue beautifully but she became a friend along the way.

Robyn Sent on 11/20/2013

5 out of 5 rating

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Having planned a wedding from the opposite side of the country, hiring Michelle as our day-of coordinator was one of the best decisions that my husband and I made for our big day! Michelle made fantastic recommendations for vendors, and we assembled our wedding dream team almost entirely from her suggestions.

Thank you, Michelle, for giving us peace of mind on a jam packed day and for allowing us to enjoy our family and friends rather than sweat the little things! We will happily recommend your event planning services to everyone we know in the 757.

We had a lot of guests travel to Virginia for our wedding weekend, which left our families very busy entertaining, but we all felt confident knowing that Michelle would be there to warmly greet our vendors and make sure that every last ceremony and reception detail was set up perfectly.

Khandice Sent on 09/05/2013

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Michelle is extremely creative and was able to tap in my complex ideas and vision. While professional, she is also able to have tons of spunk and fun--even with a large wedding party and guests. My wedding was simply better because of Michelle

User1315105 Sent on 09/04/2013

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Michelle is the only person I would ever trust to plan the most important day of my life...my wedding day! From start to finish it was perfect, even better than I imagined.

Marcie Sent on 08/26/2013

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Michelle was the biggest help EVER and made my wedding day amazing and stress-free. She took care of things I never even thought of and just kept things on track while I was focused on myself ;) I really can't say enough positive words about her and I don't know what I would've done without her guidance and hard work on the big day.

Anne Sent on 06/08/2017

4.9 out of 5 rating

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My husband and I can't thank Michelle enough for helping to make our wedding day stress free and gorgeous! We had a year and a half long engagement and we were in contact with Michelle from the very beginning. We hired her for full planning and design services, so we could just sit back and relax. Her designs were awesome and exactly like my minimalist home decor style. I really didn’t need to make a pinterest board. She kept us organized with every detail and came to every vendor meeting with us. We thoroughly enjoyed the planning process because of her.

When our wedding day finally came, everyone around me kept commenting on how calm I was and how beautiful the reception looked. Our guests had so much fun dancing, winning the table centerpieces, taking photos/videos in the photobooth, eating Westin’s blueberry cheesecake and drinking boba tea! Yeah that’s right, we’re the first to bring out the boba lol. Thanks to Michelle for executing and coordinating the delivery of Jelly Ball. I definitely overestimated the food with too much sugar because we basically took home our 4-tier cake. Our alcohol tab is a different story… but those types of things are so unpredictable and everything else was definitely under control of Michelle and her team.

Michelle will make your planning process so much easier. It can be a big expense to your wedding budget, but it was worth every penny to us. I will truly miss working with her.

User2170548 Sent on 06/09/2015

4.9 out of 5 rating

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Our special day went without a hitch, thanks to Michelle! She made everything so easy for us and we couldn't have gotten through it without her guidance, preparation, and patience!! We are so happy to have used her planning services, and will always count her as one of our friends!

User1817481 Sent on 09/18/2014

4.9 out of 5 rating

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Right from the beginning I knew Michelle was perfect to plan our long distance wedding. Michelle listened to our vision, gave her own insight and expertise, and made us feel confident that we'd make it through this process with encouraging words. She always had great suggestions, but we always felt like we had the final decision and word. Not only does she have a great eye and creative mind...she is tech savvy, which really helped plan our long distance wedding with vendors.
How do I know we chose the right planner? The day of the wedding I wasn't stressed at all and had an AMAZING time! Everything we had planned had came together and we were thrilled to see the final result. So many guests came up to us and complimented EVERYTHING/ONE...including our wedding planner! She made it happen and deserved all the praises for 'best wedding ever' we received from the guests. We also had a pretty low budget that she worked with to make it all happen! Family in the area already have her in mind for their future events.

Joanna Sent on 10/01/2013

4.9 out of 5 rating

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Michelle Amarillo was recommended to me by a mutual friend halfway through our wedding planning, and I wish we had her services from the start. I was a rather laid-back bride and really needed the organization and expertise that Michelle provided. Although we were several hours apart and the venue out of town for both of us, she always kept in touch to make sure we were getting what we wanted and remained professional throughout our conversations and meetings. Additionally, as our day-of coordinator, Michelle made sure our wedding day went smoothly, taking that stress and worrying about the details off our shoulders. Having an event planner, especially one like Michelle, is a very worthwhile investment in my opinion.

Melanie Sent on 01/30/2014

4.8 out of 5 rating

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Michelle is a wonderful planner with a very friendly personality. At our first meeting, she provided us with two different wedding packages including the price. She has creative ideas and recommended multiple resources/vendors. I am personally very happy with the vendors she provided us. We had the ideas of what we wanted and she helped us turn it into a reality! She hand painted table numbers, and even offered to place the sashes around the chivari chairs to help us stay within our wedding budget. Our wedding was held at the Norfolk Naval Base. At the last minute, the security office gave us a hard time in allowing the vendors to enter on base. I believe it was simply a lack of better communication and restrictions. Michelle worked with me and she was able to address the stressful situation. She told me not to worry and she took care of it. Michelle also created our programs however, I don't remember actually seeing it before it was printed. I would have love to see it and possibly have the names of the wedding party included. Also, keeping a good open communication will be very helpful to everyone involved. Such as announcements of delays during our cocktail hour so that guests would be aware. Michelle also creatively displayed our engagement photos and arranged our sweetheart table nicely. Whenever I could not meet with the vendors, Michelle remained flexible and met with them personally. Our wedding turned out wonderful! I believe everyone had a great time and it wouldn't be possible without her. Thank you SO much Michelle!

Michelle Amarillo Event Planning Reviews

Reviews

Michelle Amarillo Event Planning