Monica Relyea Events Reviews
Reviews
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
18 reviews
100% recommend it
-
![Alex]()
Alexa Sent on 03/14/2020We are unbelievably thankful for Monica and her team
I guess it makes sense to begin with the following: When my husband (then my fiancé) and I began to talk about planning a wedding, I never (never!) thought I would hire a wedding planner. I even remember joking about the idea. I think most people who know me would say I’m a smart, organized, capable person with a good eye for detail who makes difficult decisions all of the time. All of which is to say, when I started this process, hiring a wedding planner struck me as a superfluous expense.
Here’s the truth though: it’s not.
Unless you are planning a wedding at venue where everything is taken care of, you need a wedding planner. This is all the more true for those of us who consider ourselves smart, organized, and capable. For one, you are probably spending a lot of your time using your intelligence, organizational skills, and capability on other things for other people, and planning a wedding will feel like yet another fulltime job. On top of that, because you have high standards and (unless you yourself are in the wedding industry) you probably don’t know anything about planning a wedding, you will not have a clue how to fully realize the wedding day you have envisioned. You have no idea what lighting you need, where to rent tables, how many red and white wine glasses to order, how to set a wedding timeline so that your portraits don’t overrun your ceremony time and you miss the sunset, or how to find a third bus last minute when you realize you don’t have enough shuttles from the hotels. Or, you know, something else. You can’t even imagine what you don’t know about this process, and there will be what seemed, to me, to be an infinite number of things you don’t know, because this is not your area of expertise.
It is, however, Monica’s area of expertise. All of it. This woman is seriously an encyclopedia.
We interviewed a few wedding planners, all fantastic people, but Monica stood out. She is not your typical wedding planner. Sure, Monica has an incredible eye for details and knows how to plan a stunningly beautiful event (indeed, many of our friends and family shared with us that ours was the most beautiful wedding they’d ever attended). But she is also all business, and honestly, that’s what you want on your wedding day, because if the day does not run smoothly, no one will be able to appreciate the beautiful details.
There are a few things that really stand out to me about Monica that I’d want to know if I were a bride (or groom)-to-be hiring a wedding planner:
1) Monica is incredibly accommodating: I am a young healthcare professional who works very long hours, is on call, etc. Monica didn’t bat an eye at this. She made herself extremely available at times (frankly absurd times) that could accommodate my schedule. For example, on my one week of vacation over the summer, which was about the only week where I could dedicate a significant chunk of time to finalizing a series of important wedding decisions, she scheduled multiple hour-plus-long calls with me... at 7 AM! She also helped keep me on track, giving me appropriate deadlines (and just as significantly, helping me to figure out what didn’t need to be done yet so I could put aside the countless other to-do’s that were not urgent).
2) She is multiculturally competent: My husband and I had a multifaith wedding, and while neither we nor our parents would consider ourselves observant, we wanted to plan a wedding that incorporated certain traditions. Although Monica is not of the same religious heritage (at least I don’t believe so), she was extremely knowledgeable. She knew exactly what traditions to ask us about including in our timeline, and made sure we had gathered all of the items we needed for the wedding ceremony. When I forgot something important (a light bulb to break at the end of the ceremony), she had a spare on hand.
3) Monica is detail oriented not only when it comes to aesthetics, but to logistics: My mom uses a cane and one of my biggest priorities on my wedding day was that my mom be happy and comfortable. As my wedding ceremony was outside on a hill, Monica made sure I knew the transport plan for my mom to the ceremony site and back down for the reception. She never once batted an eye when, in the midst of talking about aspects of the wedding, I brought up my mom’s mobility.
4) Monica works with vendors who are as incredible as she is: Every single person to whom Monica referred us was not simply talented at what they did, but genuinely kind and enthusiastic about being a part of our wedding. They made our day personal and special. It was apparent in my interactions with the vendors she recommended that Monica prioritizes developing strong relationships with the vendors with whom she partners in service of her couples. At the same time, Monica was always honest with me about her opinions if she disagreed with a decision, and if my husband or I disagreed with a something related to a vendor, she always went to bat for us.
When it came to new vendors (as we’d hired some before hiring Monica), Monica went out of her way to get to know her collaborators in order to make sure the wedding would go seamlessly.
5) Monica is an incredible listener and has great people skills: Throughout the time I was working with Monica, I really felt she was listening to me. On a number of occasions, I found myself feeling overwhelmed with decisions and confused, and each time, if I shared with her that I was feeling overwhelmed or asked her what she would do, she gave me an honest response. She never forced her opinion on me – indeed, when I’d ask for it, she often initially told me that I should do what I felt was the right thing – but when I reiterated that I wanted her expert guidance, she gave me sound and conclusive advice, which was what I needed to move forward with the planning. She was also very thoughtful in her interactions with my family and in-laws (though, appropriately so, she deferred to me and my then-fiancé for the final decision on anything, prioritizing our vision for our wedding day).
Monica did all of this on top of making sure the day was exquisite. And, down to the most minute detail (e.g., invitation stamps with a custom illustration of our wedding venue – yes, that’s the level of detail), it truly was.
I could say more, but to put it simply: Monica is the best you could ask for in a wedding planner: part designer, part director/producer, part emotional support, part fairy godmother.
Hiring Monica and her team was, without a doubt, the absolute best decision I made related to the wedding (except for the decision to marry my husband, of course!) After getting married in October, my husband and I still look back on our wedding as the most magical, beautiful day of our lives. Certainly, there are many reasons for that – I married my partner of over twelve years on a hill covered in foliage in the country, surrounded by our closest loved ones, and no matter where we were or what happened, it would’ve been a special day. The thing is though, I was able to take it in and enjoy it because of Monica and her team; without them, I have no doubt my wedding day would’ve been overshadowed by trying to make sure everything went according to plan. Because of Monica, I was not only amazed with every aspect of the day, but I didn’t have a single worry; my husband and I just got to enjoy ourselves, which is what you want on your wedding day.
If you are wondering whether to hire her, don’t think twice, just do it!
--
My husband's review: "My wedding was perfect because of my amazing wife – but Monica was a close second! Monica addressed all of our wedding needs and concerns expertly and diligently, not to mention quite a few we hadn’t even thought of. Monica was a point person to email when issues came up, a scheduler who could help us to put together a timeline, and a repository of wedding knowledge who knew who to talk to to find anything we needed. Truthfully, Monica was totally indispensable for us, especially given our busy schedules. I entered wedding planning with little knowledge and even fewer preferences, but Monica helped me to be a more engaged and (hopefully!) useful partner in wedding planning. She made this daunting process exponentially easier for me. I can’t recommend her highly enough!"
-
-
![Daniel]()
Daniel R. Sent on 10/20/2019We Loved Monica
We wholeheartedly recommend Monica for her fantastic wedding planning skills, attention to detail, and ability to take an idea and turn it into an amazing weekend! We are so happy we hired Monica about a year and a half before our wedding to plan and implement all aspects of the weekend. She helped us find and book amazing vendors, make all types of decisions, and coordinate a truly unbelievable wedding weekend in Hudson, New York. Monica was by our side throughout the entire planning process, keeping us sane and ensuring that we were on track. With Monica and her team, we were able to plan and flawlessly execute a beautiful and fun 300-person black tie wedding in a venue in which we were required to bring in every single thing. We simply could not have done it without Monica. Monica is creative, well organized, and compassionate. She has a great eye and incredible attention to detail. Monica thought of everything we could ever imagine and anticipated potential hiccups. She is an amazing problem solver and quick on her feet. Monica’s team is also amazing – every member of her team made us feel special and comfortable throughout the entire weekend. Thanks to the Monica Relyea Events team, we were able to really enjoy our wedding weekend, and to not worry about anything other than having the best weekend of our lives with our friends and family! If we could do it all over again, we would 100% pick Monica to plan this special event. -
![Jes]()
Jes B. Sent on 11/22/2019A Wedding for the History Books!
Words cannot adequately describe the role that Monica played in the best weekend of our lives. Though we hired her to be our “wedding planner,” that title doesn’t come close to encapsulating her role during our wedding weekend. Throughout the planning process, Monica was our north star, our confidant, our rock and she became more than our friend, she became family. Monica made every single vision, idea and dream come true, and built upon them. The MRE team and all of the vendors that Monica brought together executed 4 days of events and activities flawlessly. The attention to detail, willingness and ability to do any task big or small, and handling many curveballs that were thrown our way was all done with the biggest smile. There isn’t anything that Monica and her team cannot do. I dare you to challenge them!
We sure did.
Two months before our big day, due to circumstances outside of anyone's control, we lost our wedding venue. With invitations already in the mail and vendors booked, this would have crippled the average planner. Instead of even suggesting we push our date or find a less-than-prefect venue, Monica singlehandedly found a new venue and moved mountains to accommodate our original vision in an even better and more unique setting. She handled adjusting vendors, hotel blocks and logistics all while maintaining a cool calm composure as we tried not to crumble ourselves. The team of vendors Monica put together weathered the storm with us with no complaints during the many change orders, and that is a true testament to the amazing team and people that Monica chooses to align herself with.
Needless to say, the wedding weekend went off without a hitch and the memories we shared with our closest friends and family members we will cherish the rest of our lives. We just wish we could do it all over again. -
![Samantha]()
Samantha Sent on 07/02/2019Best Wedding Planner Ever!!!!
How can I possibly to justice to the incredible Monica Relyea and her team!! We worked with her for over a year planning our elaborate 3-day wedding weekend and it was such an incredible experience. Monica's thoroughness, attention to detail, and ability to coordinate many moving parts made us feel consistently confident about our wedding coming together. But more importantly than that she is a wonderful person--so warm, kind, funny, genuinely cares about her couples and their families and friends, so easy to be around, puts everyone at ease, and handles everything as it arises as if she was born to do so!
Monica helped us put together an incredible team of vendors. She made outstanding recommendations, and embraced and formed relationships with the ones we brought to the table. We could seriously have a dinner party with all our vendors, we love them so much! She advised us on every step of the way and handled all the annoying nitty gritty that would have been overwhelming to do ourselves. She got to know our dreams, taste, style, vision, and helped us execute something beyond anything we could have dreamed up alone. Her team is also incredible, so responsive and helpful, totally dependable for follow through on every little detail.
What blew us away most of all was Monica in action on wedding weekend. This was a complex event involving international guests, bussing from 4 hotels, 3 days of events and countless moving parts. Monica was relaxed and grounded with an easy smile all weekend long. As my dad said, "She was so comforting, and made you feel like everything was under control at all times." The day of our outdoor wedding there was prediction for "large hail, severe thunderstorms, and damaging winds." Monica had back-up plans for back-up plans. She handled all of this with her team and brought in extra support without stressing any of us out. We were able to surrender to the experience without worrying or frantically checking the weather updates, trusting fully Monica would make the right calls. In the end, we were blessed by being spared the storm, but we knew everything would work no matter what, and enjoyed the whole day without worrying about weather or logistics. Monica is an expert in outdoor weddings and tons of little details we never would have thought of ourselves. There were little details on the wedding weekend that went above and beyond. Our close family and friends who were intimately involved in the weekend were all so taken with Monica, not only impressed with her work, but wanting to take her home and be friends after the wedding!! I certainly feel that way.
I could go on and on about her and her incredibly professional team, but I'll end by encouraging you to book Monica Relyea Events for your next event. So many people told us it was the most beautiful, special wedding they'd ever been to, truly magical. None of this would have been possible without Monica and her team. Many thanks always!!! -
Ann M. Sent on 02/05/2019
Superwoman!
What can we say about Monica? She is really the definition of Superwoman!
We had our wedding December 2018 in Beacon, NY at the Roundhouse. My husband and I had a vision for a winter white wedding that involved transforming the venue space from a rustic/industrial look to more winter glam. We knew it would involve various vendors and new things that the venue space had never seen before.
We searched for a planner knowing we had a vision in mind, we wanted someone that could fully immerse him or herself in the vision and help make sure it came to life seamlessly.
Above and beyond, Monica made sure all of the elements of the wedding were going as planned and had each vendor timed to the minute! But nothing could compare to how incredibly helpful, diligent, and on top of everything she was on the wedding. I ran into an issue with my wedding dress that would have driven most other brides insane! Monica calmed me down and was able to fix the issue within minutes. My husband had a similar wardrobe issue and Monica was there to fix the issue quickly!
She was able to stay with my husband and I through all the photographs offsite and was able to communicate with her team to make sure the venue space looked exactly how we wanted (this is despite some pushback from the venue...she was able to make it happen!)
We can’t put into words how important it is to have an experienced troubleshooter onsite, and that is what Monica was! She made sure our needs and our wishes were always first, and went above and beyond to make sure our experience was memorable. -
-
Adina J. Sent on 01/20/2019
I would hire Monica over and over again
Hiring Monica was one of the best decisions we made during our wedding planning process. We worked with Monica for over a year and I can't imagine having worked with anyone else. -
-
Annie Sent on 11/06/2017Monica and her team provided the highest level of perfection throughout the entire planning process. Her incredible vision and creativity paired with great vendor contacts made for the best weekend of our lives. Organized, proactive, professional, patient - so easy to work with and simply a lovely person. I never dreamed I'd find the BEST planner, but somehow we did!
We knew we didn't have the time or ability to execute our ideal wedding, but we had a very specific vision (which continuously evolved over 9 months of planning). Seamlessly melding our must-haves, families' wishes, and our personalities, Monica created an unforgettable weekend for us and our guests. She effortlessly orchestrated Friday's rehearsal dinner, welcome drinks and bonfire, Saturday's church ceremony, outdoor cocktail hour, tented reception, surprise after-party, and Sunday's farewell brunch. She was instrumental in helping us make bigger decisions like florals & first look location to minute details like the style of water glasses and personally sourcing the accouterments for the build-your-own bloody mary bar at brunch. It's clear she truly enjoys her work and has a passion for event planning. Looking back at the whole experience I can't say enough good about Monica - but what sticks out most is the awesome feeling that you're working with someone AS excited for your event as you are. That's game-changing. -
-
Megan Sent on 11/06/2017There's nothing I can say to explain how integral Monica was to our event. As a creative I had tons of ideas and she helped me bring my vision to fruition. Leading up to the event she was always there to check in with me, answer any questions, give advice, & calm my nerves. Day before & day of she was there to help set up, put out last minute fires, and set the finishing touches so everything was picture perfect. As my maid of honor said "she was everywhere and nowhere" - there was not one moment where I was worried about something going awry because I knew Mon was behind the scenes & we trusted her 200%. Every detail from making sure our bar was properly stocked, to making sure everyone got off the bus & sat for the ceremony (while not wandering off or coming to the bridal suite), and helping flip the chairs under the ceremony tent! No task was too big or small for her helping hand. You will find a true professional, an experienced designer, and a friend in Monica. What more can I say? She's the best!
-
-
Dana Sent on 11/21/2017Monica is fantastic. Her energy and enthusiasm are electric; she instantly felt like a part of our team and family the moment she joined us in planning our wedding. Monica notices every detail throughout the planning process and on the day of, and she is thoughtfully prepared for any unforeseen possibilities. There’s no question that Monica was the best investment we made in our wedding.
My husband and I hosted 200 people for a farm wedding at a venue that had never held a wedding that size nor used their space in the way that we were planning to. We planned our wedding in 5 months and hired Monica three months before the wedding once we had already booked all of our core vendors (venue, caterer, band, florist, calligrapher/invitation designer, photographer, and videographer). Once we hired Monica we breathed a huge sigh of relief; it was clear from the moment we signed the contract that we had made the right choice. Throughout the planning process all of our vendors remarked on how prepared, communicative, and professional Monica was. Monica navigated all of the personalities and relationships (both vendors and our families) beautifully.
Monica was a tremendous advocate for us in finding our last vendors (fancy portable restrooms, bar tender, electricians, refrigeration, ice, etc.), always making sure we were getting fantastic service at a fair price. If you’re planning a wedding where you need to bring everything in, Monica is the person you want to have on your team - she knows all the answers to the questions you might not know to ask.
We cannot speak highly enough about Monica - she absolutely made our wedding dreams come true and she did so with a smile, calm approach, and genuine enthusiasm. We hope that you too will have the great fortune to work alongside this incredible talent. -
Are you interested?
Are you interested?