I had the pleasure of working with Cindy Shanholtz of Effortless Events for our company's 100th…read moreanniversary dinner and celebration, and I cannot recommend her highly enough! From the moment we began planning, Cindy's attention to detail, professionalism, and creativity shone through at every step. Cindy took the time to truly understand our vision for the event and worked tirelessly to bring it to life in a way that exceeded all expectations. She seamlessly coordinated every aspect, from the venue selection and decor to the catering and entertainment. Her recommendations were spot-on, and her organizational skills ensured everything ran smoothly on the day of the event. The 100th anniversary dinner itself was nothing short of spectacular! The atmosphere Cindy created was elegant and celebratory, perfectly reflecting our company's history while looking forward to its future. Our guests were wowed by the thoughtful touches, from the custom table settings to the beautifully designed timeline of our company's milestones. What really set Cindy apart was her ability to handle every challenge with grace and poise. Despite the complexities of planning such a significant event, she kept everything stress-free for our team, managing all logistics and vendors without missing a beat. It was clear that Cindy and her team truly cared about making this milestone event unforgettable. If you're looking for an event planner who can turn your vision into a flawless reality, Cindy Shanholtz and Effortless Events are the way to go. She made our 100th anniversary celebration an extraordinary experience, and I can't wait to work with her again in the future! Holly Both VP Sales & Marketing, Plymouth Tube Co.

This is my 2nd posting for Cindy and her team at Effortless events. I recently hired them for…read moreanother wedding celebration in Chicago for my daughter who got married in DC. Again, they did not disappoint. Cindy's attention to detail is remarkable. She recommended the venue and took the reigns. From the flowers, decor and layout it was perfect. She suggested so many fun things...like a s'mores bar for dessert where guests assembled and "cooked" their own! We had mini individual cast iron skillets with fresh chocolate chip cookies and guests could top them with ice cream. Everyone raved about it and EE did it all...I just showed up and enjoyed it. Thanks Cindy + team!

Fazia, at Rose Lane Styling, is amazing. My son's birthday theme was dog and Fazia had great,…read morecreative ideas. For example, incorporating (clean new) doggie bowls to use as serving ware. She had an excellent eye for detail and extremely organized (she sent me weekly email status updates and action items to do). She was able to negotiate great deals with the vendors and directly dealt with them which was amazing to get off my plate. I also had certain things that I wanted for the party (i.e. i try to be as sustainable as i can do that meant little waste, compostable plates, etc) and Fazia was able to source these items that met this demand (ie the plates matched the color theme and were cute!). Further, Fazia was very responsive. The theme, colors and vision came out so well. I definitely would work with Fazia again.

Fazia at Rose Lane is amazing. My mom found her when we were looking for someone to help plan my…read morebaby shower and although I wasn't hugely on the back end of the planning process she listened to all my ideas throughout the process and helped my dream shower come to life. I wanted it "instagram worthy" and she blew my expectations out of the water with all her little details we would have never thought of. So much so, we will be using Rose Lane for my next event which is my bridal shower.

LONG REVIEW BUT READ BEFORE CONSIDERING USING THIS COMPANY FOR YOUR EVENT:…read more I should start out with saying I have been in contact with the owner Stacie MULTIPLE times and am left with nothing but frustration. Stacie is not a bad person but I do feel she is completely overwhelmed in running this business. I've been dealing with Funtime Services since April 1st 2025 trying to book a mobile petting zoo for my daughter's first birthday planned for June 2025 and the experience has been frustrating to say the least. Communication has been a major issue throughout the process, especially with Stacie herself since anyone else I did get to talk with couldn't help me in the slightest other than they'll leave a message for Stacie and then I never hear from her UNLESS I were to reach out and call and some how catch her available in office. Getting clear answers or even timely replies to emails has been nearly impossible. After multiple attempts to try and talk to Stacie herself once I did reach her two different phone calls I was turned away with "I'm busy right now doing something else , I can email you once I become available" (mind you then I'd never heard back at all) to which I'd have to reach out again and finally durning one of our last conversation, she provided general information she had to text to me at that moment and discussed two different pricing options for a petting zoo. She explained that she would be reaching out to two separate vendors at different price points. I informed her that I was more interested in the lower-priced option NATURALLY, but made it clear that I would be willing to book either one, as my main priority was securing a petting zoo so I would be waiting to hear back from her regardless who she was able to secure but to just let me know. So money was not the problem. Mind you any time I would voice my frustrations she keep reminding me "I don't make much money off doing this you know, at most I make $20" What should have been a straightforward booking has dragged on for over a month, and I'm still left with uncertainty and decided to not continue "service" with the company FunTime Services Event Rentals. If you're even considering Funtime Services for your event, just be aware that it may take an unreasonable amount of time just to start the process of securing your event. I really expected more professionalism and reliability for catering to such a nice suburban area like Naperville. Just leaving this review to show all what i experienced so anyone else out there knows what entails if interested in booking with them. Seriously proceed with caution.

I want to wish these people well in their new location. The two women owners are awesome, great…read morewith suggestions, honest with recommendations, and take a keen interest in customer satisfaction. We did have a slight mishap though and this is a good reason why when running an event it is important to confirm, confirm, confirm. I had suggested to my wife before our event that we call a few days before and the day of the event to ensure delivery. However we were all very busy and neither of us did. Well on the day of our event, the delivery was late. It appears our worst fears occurred and the drivers missed us. I called a half hour before the end of the window and spoke with Stacie. So it indeed was their mistake she immediately got on the case and stayed in touch with me until everything was corrected. Their prices are fair, they have a great new show room on route 59 which makes it so helpful to see tables and options in person. They also have a great selection and great ideas.I give a strong recommendation to consider them for your next party. Just make sure you take my advice and confirm your orders as well as your delivery!

MyChef catered our wedding this past weekend and I have nothing but high praises for MyChef. MyChef…read morehosted a tasting for us prior to our wedding, and they were so kind and gave us a generous tasting of our food options. Our wedding guests had nothing but great things to say about the food and dinner presentation at our wedding. I would highly recommend MyChef for your wedding or event.

Could not have nicer things to say about working with My Chef and Jamie Walsh for our wedding day…read morecatering. We met Jamie at our venue's vendor expo and were immediately impressed by their services, pricing, and vast food offerings. It was a no brainer to book with their group! We had our tasting a couple months before our wedding day; which is complimentary to the couple and a $50 charge for any additional guest to join. They have you select 8-10 appetizers, 2 salads, and 4 entrees to taste at their Naperville location. They also have displays of china, silverware, glasses and more to help couples select what aligns aesthetically for their special day. Jamie worked with us to make small modifications to their standard offerings to make the food exactly what we wanted! Our wedding day came and we were floored by the quality/presentation of food, level of detail in place settings, and service from all staff members. We had multiple guests say that this was some of the best wedding food they've had, steaks were not over cooked, and food tasted fresh. Jamie also let us add desserts a week out to reallocate money from a couple of guests who last minute were unable to attend. Their team was even nice enough to service items not purchased through their group: disposables for the late night snack, display and refilling of cupcakes, etc. Overall, their group went above and beyond for us under Jamie's leadership. Our tables looked great, our food was wonderful, and their team was fabulous. We truly appreciate all they've done for us and could not recommend them more! Appetizers Selected: Mac & Cheese Bites, Bacon Wrapped Dates w Honey Citrus Sauce, Cocktail Meatballs, Bruschetta Bar Salad Selected: Mixed Field Greens w Pears, Goat Cheese, Pear Infused Vinaigrette. *Alts: Candied Walnuts & Second Balsamic Dressing to offer Dinner Selections: 1. Filet w Red Wine Demi Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, & Asparagus 2. Garlic & Herb Cheese Stuffed Chicken, Vodka Sauce w Bowtie Noodles, & Grilled Veggies 3. Butternut Squash Ravioli w Sage Brown Butter Sauce, Grilled Veggies *Kid's Meals & Vegan Meal offered otherwise at no upcharge Dessert Selections: 1. Mini Cookie Tray- Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, Sugar, M&M, Double Chocolate, Peanut Butter 2. Assorted Chocolate Truffles- Oreo, Buckeye, Aztec

BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY…read more Mesón Sabika is a truly beloved restaurant with whom I have a complicated history. ______________________ ***REVIEW #1,300*** ______________________ As hundredth milestone reviews go, this one is deeply personal -- I was supposed to have my wedding & reception here in March 2020.  That never happened due to things far beyond my control (damn pandemic) and I've been not-so-secretly pining for that moment ever since. I wound up tying the knot with the love of my life at a nearby park but without any of the fanfare, guests, food, liquor, live band, florist, or photographer.  We had already placed a sizeable deposit on a food & bev package, so when Mesón management abruptly raised the prices on us by 20% due to "volatile market pricing", we accepted a buyout in the form of gift certificates. Between dine-in and carryout orders, over the next 18 months we ate here a LOT.....I'll admit it was fun treating family & friends to dinner with reckless abandon.  Each experience was great, from the service and ambiance to the small plates and sangria.  We did get pretty ill following one visit, although I suspect it came from another guest in the vicinity, rather than a bout of food poisoning. The picturesque mansion - built in 1847 - is elegant but cramped inside, so I recommend dining on the gorgeous patio if weather permits.  Prices for tapas are the same regardless of lunch or dinner, although they do have entree specials unique to both meals (and their delicious paella is exclusive to dinnertime). Without going into crazy detail about each cold dish (of which there are 15) or hot tapas (of which there are 23), I'll call out a few highlights: the bacon-wrapped dates ($14), the duck confit ($16), the cold garlic potato salad ($15), goat cheese w/poached pear ($15), cured salmon in dill cream cheese ($14) and grilled skirt steak ($19). Their paella is great and feeds 3-4 people; I recommend the 'campesina' ($25 with chicken & chorizo) unless you're big on seafood, in which case the 'mariscos' ($42 with shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops, and octopus) might be up your alley.  Desserts are splendid, especially the crème brûlée ($12) and the pear tart ($12). The servers are all male (it's a Catalan thing) and very attentive.  Order a pitcher of white or red house sangria and let all your troubles melt away until you're set adrift on memory bliss.  Or until they kick you out. * TL;DR * Just like the 'tarta de chocolate' on their dessert menu, Mesón stirs up feelings in me that are poignantly bittersweet. On one hand, I've been here 10 times and have nothing but praise for the kitchen + atmosphere.  On the other hand, whenever I see the staff prepping the adjacent event space for a wedding, I get wistful and cry a teeny bit inside.  Couldn't the COVID outbreak have waited one more month, until after my nuptials? The restaurant biz is tough with plenty of overhead, but Mesón is still chugging along and serving the same excellent tapas since 1990.  Anyone who's ever dined here can attest it's a gorgeous venue with spectacular food and professional service. I highly recommend Mesón Sabika for lunch or dinner, and if you're considering having a wedding here, do it.  Hopefully you'll have better luck than me.

Mesón Sabika has a sense of occasion built into it. Set inside a historic mansion, it brings a…read moreromantic, old-world charm that makes it feel tailor-made for date night. The setting alone is memorable. The tapas are very good, thoughtfully prepared and ideal for lingering over, while the drinks add a playful, polished touch. It's a place that balances atmosphere and food well -- and does both with style.

Top Notch Rental Provided the tables, garden chairs, tents, bar set up, high boys as well as…read morecocktail round table for our 50th wedding anniversary garden party held at our home Al and his Office staff were very fair and professional in dealing with them. The two young men who set up the tables and tents were very efficient and quick. I would highly recommend Top Notch Rental

Do not use them! Poor communication-they don't answer the phone, had to send multiple emails asking…read morefor a phone call 30 minutes prior to delivery. Workers showed up in filthy muddy shoes without booties, refusing to remove their shoes and proceeded to track in mud and dirt all over my stairs and white carpet. Pictures of the room were provided prior to delivery. Extremely unprofessional!

Paris312 surpassed all of my expectations! This company came highly recommended by a friend who…read moreused their services for her baby shower, as well as for her son's first birthday. I am so happy to have taken her suggestion! My mother had a 70th birthday that I couldn't celebrate with her due to Covid, as well as living in different states. I ordered the confetti bouquet and pedestals. My goodness! They are so beautiful and so worth every penny! She got the balloons at the scheduled delivery time and was so happy!! I certainly have never thought to spend more than a few dollars on balloons...but, this company's array of lovely options, in addition to the quality of service and product make it so worth it!

Simply beautiful flower arrangements, simple to order, adjustable to your taste and theme. Delivery…read morewas made quick and easy. The team enhanced our event to the next level. Our daughter's birthday party was beautiful.

What a fun performer. I came across him at the Park Ridge Kiwanis annual pancake breakfast, where…read morehe was doing some entertaining mostly for the kids but definitely for the adults as well. It's through him that I heard of the Central Street Busker Festival that took place the next day and his line was loooong! Most recently, we went to his show last week that the Mt. Prospect Public Library held for spring break. That was very very well attended, with a long line of folks waiting to get in (and that's with all of us registered to attend!), but the show was a lot of fun. He did a little magic, a little comedy, and some fun balloon tricks. This guy has been doing this all his adult life--unless that's also a joke and part of his act--but regardless, he's great at his job. I'm looking forward to seeing him again and my little one having the chance to pick her balloon creation on her own.

Smarty Pants was fantastic at our recent event AND each and every time I've seen him perform over…read morethe years - which is many times (because many people see how amazing he is)!! It's not just his talent with super fun and surprising balloon characters but his adaptive nature and outstanding personality, engaging everyone at the parties/events. I would absolutely recommend him for all types of occasions : private or big birthday parties, festivals, block parties, - anywhere there will be children!! He is one less thing at your party you need to worry about because he is a sure thing! Truly, he is a whole family favorite!!

We had a beautiful Boy Baby Shower yesterday for our daughter -in-law, Abbye, at The River Room at…read moreElements at Water Street in Naperville. We had a brunch buffet followed by a sweet table of Chocolate Dipped French Macarons, Chocolate Mousse Tarts and Lemon Bars. We had plenty refreshments with waitress served OJ/Champagne Mimosas. The presentation was beautiful, and everything was delicious. The staff was excellent. I couldn't be happier with the way everything turned out. Thanks so much!

Had my daughter's wedding there and they failed on so many levels. Food was awful, It was…read moreovercooked, under seasoned and soggy. Wait staff was running in and out like their life depended on it but unavailable to address the needs of the table, could not even get water refills which should be the bare minimum much less obtain a soda or cream for the coffee. Wine service was non-existent - a single pour and the bar staff disappeared yet I paid a pretty penny to have consistent wine service for dinner. The staff decided to take down table arrangements and all other decorations a solid hour and a half before the end of the event. They literally reached over guests conversing at tables to remove the center pieces. I could keep adding things which occurred but I think you get the overall incompetence and unprofessionalism of the evening When I spoke to management about my disappointment I was informed me that nothing they had done impacted my guests enjoyment and they did not understand why I felt they had not delivered what had been promise/presented at the tasting. They even tried to gaslight me that certain events had not occurred despite the fact that I had been there and witnessed them happening.

We had a GREAT experience with Cool Science for my son's 6th birthday party. We had over 40 kids on…read moreour back patio, and they were able to entertain and keep them engaged the whole time! I couldn't believe how smooth it all went. They did a bunch of experiments, and you can tell they have a lot of experience working with kids, and getting them to listen. I HIGHLY recommend working with them. They set up, take down and manage the whole party. We were very pleased with our Star Wars science party.

We just had Cool Science do a Magic School Bus birthday party for my daughter's sixth birthday and…read moreIt was awesome!! The kids were so engaged the whole time. My daughter said it was her best birthday ever!! I was amazed at how well she kept them busy and her energy and enthusiasm were contagious. She was great to work with too. They created a magic school bus party for us complete with themed certificates and a Miss Frizzle dress! They set up and cleaned up. So nice!! Highly recommend!!