Smarty Pants is the way to go baby!…read more He came by for our sons 1st birthday party and followed a magician and everyone loved his creations! I believe he was there for an hour or so. As seen by his creations, he was a hit by both adults and kids alike! I hope we may utilize his services again! We can't speak highly enough of SP!!

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.

She was unprofessional, missing half the night, and made errors throughout the entire wedding…read moreweekend. although the worst part was her negative and snarky attitude and tone to everyone including the family and friends. Do not waste your money.

Megan and her team are the absolute BEST! Our 300 person wedding was cancelled last May due to…read moreCovid when we decided to reach out to Megan who was able to plan a small, safe 50 person gathering within a matter of only a few months. Megan knew everyone in the industry and ensured that our event was not only magical and perfect but also followed all event safety guidelines. She is the best in the event planning business and we would recommend her to anyone- cannot say enough positive things about our experience!!

Stacey knows how to put together an amazing event . I hired her for my son's recent bar mitzvah and…read moream so glad I did. She has impeccable taste and her attention to detail is remarkable. She is creative, organized, fun and easy to work with. She helped orchestrate the whole night and helped with service set up ( even designed and created our floral arrangements!) and helped with every detail of our celebration. While I knew we would have a fun party, Stacey's ideas and execution from start to finish made our event spectacular. Highly recommend!!!!

I call Stacey Moe the Energizer Bunny - she is unstoppable on the longest of days, never flagging…read morein energy, effort or creativity. We most recently hired Stacey for our daughter's bat mitzvah. From the very first meeting, she was creative, resourceful, and on top of all aspects of the party. Nothing was halfway. Even when I, long since tired of the planning process, declared something "good enough," Stacey came up with something better, a wow-factor that didn't stretch the budget. On the evening of the event, I didn't do a thing. Stacey never stopped moving, never missed a thing, and when it did occur to me to check on things, Stacey beat me to it by showing up with an update. What sets Stacey apart from the myriad event planners on the north shore is her range, adaptability and accessibility. She can do a lovely, refined bridal shower at the country club just as meticulously as a loud, techno party in a loft space. She never makes you feel like you need to spend more or do more than you'd planned. She doesn't push ideas. Stacey's so very fun and easy to work with, such an authentic person, it feels like planning a party with your best girlfriend, the one who knows all the best places and picks out the best centerpieces and has an amazing little source for favors that no one else has used - and is just as excited as you are about making it a great event.

Martha was incredible! She was detailed orientated and so warm. Her calm demeanor and organization…read moremade this process so easy! highly recommend AELO. I do not know what we would have done without her!

We had an absolutely wonderful experience working with An Event Less Ordinary for a birthday…read morecelebration. From the planning process through the event itself, the team was kind, responsive, knowledgeable, and incredibly easy to work with. They helped us think through details we never would have considered on our own, offered thoughtful advice and support, and brought so much expertise to the overall planning. On the day of the event, they made everything feel seamless. It was such a relief to know they were managing all the details and making sure everything went according to plan. The decor they created was truly magical. When I came downstairs after getting ready and saw what they had done with the greenery, candles, and overall setup, I was blown away. They added beautiful touches I never would have thought of myself. It completely transformed the event! Most importantly, they made the actual celebration happen without a snag. We truly could not have done it without them, and I'm so grateful for the care, creativity, and hard work they brought to such a special day. Highly recommend!

Great experience! They planned a wonderful intimate dinner party for 12 at home. A half hour before…read morethe guests were to arrive, a severe thunderstorm rolled in and the power went out. Despite the lack of electricity and a mad scramble to light candles, the party went off without a hitch. No one panicked, the caterer used the grill to finish cooking, the wine kept flowing and it was a magical evening. We were almost disappointed when the power came back on at 10:30 pm. They were great and gracious under pressure and the party was wonderful!

From the owner: Events catered to you to save you time. Who doesn't love a party? It has to be memorable, easy, and…read moremost of all fun! You take the element of stress away when you hire a party planner. Enjoy your day, and let us help it move seamlessly. We offer detailed innovative ideas, creativity, and attention to detail. Every party with us​ is unique. We are always budget friendly because a beautiful party should be fun and not worrisome.

Hands done the BEST customer service. The guys at set up and take done were so friendly. They…read moreexplained how to ensure a fun and safe experience for everyone. Cannot wait to utilize their services again.

I paid for a weekend rental of an inflatable water slide in July of 2022. Due to inclement weather…read morewe had to cancel and while they didnt offer a refund, they emailed me a raincheck credit good for one year. First week of April 2023, I forward them the raincheck email to try and redeem and they did not honor it. They took my money and I got literally nothing in return. I just filed a complaint with the BBB.

Every Thanksgiving, my friend usually orders a fully cooked whole turkey from Mariano's for her…read morefamily. This year, she invited me to join them. As we talked about the menu, I told her that my brother randomly met Jenna, a Catering by Michaels culinary analyst, at a restaurant right before the holidays last year. She told him about how fabulous their confit turkey legs are so he ordered them, and now his whole family are addicted. I'm a dark meat lover too so I was sorry I missed out on trying them! I guess my turkey description made an impression on my friend because she kicked Mariano's to the curb. She ordered the turkey breast, two confit turkey legs & the gravy. Let me tell you - everything was FANtastic. "Out of this world" as my friend & her family gushed!! They traditionally make their own sides, but this turkey was so delicious that they are planning to order the whole shebang from here next year. The fully cooked turkey breast & legs were so easy, no messy carving necessary. The leg skin was crispy & both white & dark meat were unbelievably juicy. My brother & now my friend both thank Jenna for her confit turkey legs recommendation! We are all stuffed hahaha!

Planning a Chicago wedding while living in California was a challenge - especially for choosing a…read morecaterer. Shannon from Catering by Michaels was so helpful and responsive and very accommodating of our limited availability in Chicago. The food was delicious. The appetizers were unique and delicious and easy for guests to eat while standing around mingling. The dessert bar was so much fun and so tasty, too! The entrees were to die for. The beef tenderloin was actually what sealed the deal for us - my husband said that was the meal he wanted to eat at the wedding! We didn't originally love the salad options we first tried at our tasting but Shannon and the team were so open and responsive and crafted a chopped beet salad that was exactly what we were hoping for. Shannon was also super helpful as we figured out options for kids' meals and guided us to the most economical option. Throughout the entire process, Shannon and her team were super responsive and kind and we ended up with a delicious meal and wonderful experience. We definitely recommend Catering by Michaels for your Chicago wedding!

Quick feedback. Asked great questions to help me decide what would work best for me. Went above…read moreand beyond to answer questions. Great experience!

Disappointing experience despite a fresh and new business relationship. We have used this catering…read morecompany for multiple corporate events and have spent considerable money with them. Historically, the food and service have been very good, which makes our experience with our most recent BBQ event particularly disappointing. The weather was questionable the morning of the event, so we understood the decision to precook the burgers and brats. However, the weather ultimately cooperated, and the event proceeded as planned. We specifically requested that we use at least one large gas grill we provided, even if only to keep the grill/char lines going, but that did not happen. The catering team arrived on time, but the setup was not completed as expected. Two chefs who had originally been scheduled to be onsite to cook the food ultimately spent much of the event standing around with very little involvement. More importantly, the food was served lukewarm to cold even though it arrived in hotboxes, and some food was undercooked/raw. The sternos were not lit until well after the food had been set up and less than 10 minutes before mealtime, which did little to address the temperature problem. For the price we paid, the quality of service and temperature of the food were simply not acceptable. I immediately raised my concerns with the event planner after the event. When I didn't receive a follow-up, I emailed to express our disappointment. To the event planner's credit, she responded and said the owner wanted to address the matter personally and would contact me after returning from out of town. That was over a month ago, and we have still received no communication. A coworker who also helps coordinate our company events separately contacted her point of contact at the company, but also received no response. What is most disappointing is not simply that one event did not meet expectations. We have been a significant repeat customer, and we expected our concerns to be acknowledged and addressed professionally. Instead, we received no follow-up at all. We have had good experiences with this caterer in the past, which is why this situation has been frustrating. Unfortunately, the combination of cold food, a lack of attention during the event, and zero follow-up afterward has made us decide to seek catering elsewhere for our corporate events.

I am struggling to put into words how to thank Lindsay Gaeta and her team and acknowledge every…read moresingle detail she knocked out of the park and executed on our wedding day! Throughout the planning process there were so many little behind the scenes details she saved me time on which I am so appreciative! I will miss seeing her monthly on our planning calls! I don't plan to get married again anytime soon but I do hope our paths cross again! I am speechless about her help from the rehearsal to the very last minute of shutting down the after party!! The top 3 highlights that people mentioned to me on the wedding day were 1. Dad's speech, 2. Florals, 3. How hard she HUSTLED!!! My bridesmaids and close family constantly approached me on the wedding day with sentiments of "wow, she's good!!" She exceeded our expectations and anticipated our every move! I have close family in the hospitality business (who are the harshest critics about everything in the event planning world) and were over the top satisfied with her commitment and follow through to make the day as seamless as possible! I am sure there were many hiccups that day that were not brought to my attention and for that, I give Lindsay full credit! I was able to relax, be present and have a B+ personality that evening instead of my typical A- for all things attention to detail! I felt completely comfortable 'handing Lindsay the reigns' and entrusting she would handle everything as necessary, which she did!!!

We are beyond grateful for Kim Weinberg of LivenUp Events! From the very beginning, Kim was the…read moreultimate professional, so patient, kind, and supportive, even when I, as the bride, was feeling overwhelmed. She has this incredible ability to stay calm, cool, and collected no matter what comes her way, always finding solutions effortlessly and proactively preventing issues before they even arise. Her industry knowledge is unparalleled, and her planning experience truly shines through in every detail. From her amazing vendor connections to her creative, thoughtful ideas, Kim went above and beyond to make our wedding not just beautiful, but absolutely seamless. She kept us organized, on track, and stress-free throughout the entire process. But what really sets Kim apart is her heart. She genuinely cares about her couples, listens with empathy, and makes you feel supported every step of the way. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding planner. She is a true gem, and we feel so lucky to have had her by our side. Kim Weinberg didn't just plan our wedding; she made our dream day a reality, and we will be forever grateful.

Lisa handled the day-of coordination of our daughter's bat mitzvah party. She was an absolute pro…read morein every respect, which made it possible for us to enjoy the day without worry. She is organized, thoughtful, detail-oriented, and a great advisor on those judgment calls that often come up in party planning. She also dealt with a noise complaint related to our event that allowed the party to continue without interruption. The party was a phenomenal success, due in large part to Lisa's calm, steady coordination.

Lisa is amazing! As our day-of-coordinator, she made my life so much easier in the weeks leading up…read moreto, and on, our wedding day. She was extremely organized and made many helpful suggestions that I would not have thought of to make everything run smoothly, and did a wonderful job coordinating all of our vendors and setting up and striking all the decorations etc. at the venue. It also helps that she is extremely kind and patient :) I would 100% recommend using Lisa for your wedding needs!