This past June, I helped Katarina and Matthew with their wedding at Hyde Hall in Cooperstown. They are two lovely people with an amazing family and wedding party, making my job rather easy. We had a great time on their day, so I asked them to answer some questions about my services:
How would you describe your overall experience working with me as your wedding planner?
1000/10 – hiring [you] for the month-of coordination was one of the best things we did for our wedding! [Your] organization, attention to detail, and communication skills put us both at ease, enough so that we actually enjoyed the wedding planning process. On the day of the wedding, [you] exuded total control and confidence, interacting with our vendors seamlessly (even with an impending thunderstorm on the horizon). At the same time [your] excitement for the celebration was infectious and [you were] a constant source of joy for us and our parties throughout the course of the day.
What were your initial expectations, and do you feel those were met or exceeded?
We had initially sought a wedding coordinator to help take some of the pressure off the day of the wedding – to have someone in direct communication with the vendors, the decor setup, and creating a timeline to have the day flow smoothly. [You] did all of these things and more! While we had hired [you] for only the month-of, [you] continued to check in with us once a month to see how we were doing and if there was anything else she could help with. [You] made us feel so comfortable and truly showed how much [you] cared for helping our dream wedding come true. [You] took the reins on all of our vendor contracts and communications, which was a complicated process due to having a venue located within a State Park. And [you were] sure to stay on top of all vendors (even when some were a little slower in responding). Fast forward to the day of the wedding, [you] executed our design plan flawlessly! The entire ceremony and reception spaces were stunning and decorated just as we had discussed. There are countless other small details that [you] attended to throughout the day (i.e. helping with the dress bustle, cleaning a wine stain out of the wedding dress, directing the parties and families, keeping a seamless timeline, replanning around the thunderstorm coming in, etc.) and many more details we’re sure we don’t even know about. We are so grateful [you] took on those responsibilities fully as in doing so allowed us to fully enjoy our day and be present with our friends and family.
Were there any surprises—positive or negative—about my services?
We think the best surprise was how much [you] cared about us and our dreams. We never felt like “just another client” or that any of our ideas were too much or that we were rushed. We’ve been to plenty of weddings where we see the coordinator running around in chaos, but [you were] always collected and a true joy to be around. [You] had us laughing, pumped us up, and at the end of the day felt like a true friend. We are so thankful for [your] services and the amount of care [you] put towards us and our wedding day.
Was there anything in the planning process that particularly stood out to you as helpful or valuable? How did you feel about the level of organization and attention to detail in the lead-up to your wedding?
The customizable digital timeline was a true lifesaver, especially in the week leading up to the wedding. [Your] past experiences and knowledge were very helpful in crafting a timeline for our wedding weekend, and it was wonderful to be able to customize it to what we were looking for as well! We were also very appreciative that [you] took control of the communications with all of the other vendors. It took so much of the pressure away from us to be able to have [you] as our main contact and to have [you] then relay any changes or request further documentation from the other vendors. As for attention to detail and organization, [you are] a true professional! [You] made sure to catch anything that seemed unfinished, or questioned the correct people if further clarification was needed. [You] treated the day and the month before with the utmost care and attention to detail.
Did I provide enough guidance and flexibility to ensure the event was unique to you?
Yes! This is one of the parts of your service that we most loved. We could tell you were very organized, knowledgeable, and experienced from our first meeting, yet you never made us feel boxed in or that we couldn’t have a say. We felt fully supported by you when we discussed our vision and felt encouraged by your thoughtful advice and insights. We felt like you were part of our team and that you would do everything you could to make all our unique requests included (i.e. the hundreds of books you displayed for the reception/gifts, decorating with all of the signage, artwork, and flowers we provided on top of the rentals, coordinating the ice cream cart arrival halfway through the reception, working with the MOH with her surprise during the speeches, and more!). We are so appreciative of everything that you provided in your services!
Would you recommend my services to others? If so, why? If not, what could be improved?
YES! If we could, we would scream from the rooftops to hire [you] for your wedding! Her organization skills, past planning experiences, communication skills, and amazing personality make her an incredible coordinator. We would 1000% recommend [your] services!
