You said: If you're getting married at The Don CeSar--or…read moreanywhere in Tampa Bay--hire Blue Skies Events. Just do it. Everyone told me to work with them because they're on The Don's preferred vendor list and are known as the best wedding planners in Tampa Bay--and now I know exactly why! Heather and Sam were absolute lifesavers throughout the entire wedding planning process. They were professional, organized, and so thoughtful, even amidst all the chaos of my very loud (and slightly crazy) family. They didn't just plan a wedding--they created an experience. Our wedding day was perfect from start to finish, and even ended up being featured on Style Me Pretty! One of the sweetest moments? They saved me one of my grandma's homemade desserts and had it packed up for me to take back to the hotel--because they remembered how much it meant to me. That level of care is just who they are. Our guests are still raving about the day, and I truly believe it wouldn't have been possible without Blue Skies Events. Hiring them was hands down one of the best decisions I've ever made--right after saying "yes" to my husband!

If you are looking for a wedding planner that cares, that is genuine, that will support you, guide…read moreyou, walk with you, advocate for you, accept you and work for your happiness and not just your paycheck . . . then Blue Skies is the company for you. My husband and I got married on December 28, 2019 and we worked with Heather and Chris. I began nursing school right after our honeymoon, making this review is long overdue, but I never once forgot about needing to do it - that's how much we adore Heather and Chris. In total transparency I was a type A, OCD, meticulous bride and they both handled this with stride. We had a lot of hurdles thrown our way, from issues with family and friends to issues with vendors and all things in between, but having them there made everything that little bit easier. Im truly not sure what we would have done without them and are most thankful for the lifelong connection that we made with both Heather and Chris.

I had such a great experience with Kathie's Kreations on Valentine's Day 2024 that I chose to hire…read morethem for my wedding reception in April (the wedding itself was a small affair two weeks earlier). Kathie came to my home and spent 90 minutes reviewing the reception space, my inspiration photos, and took the time to understand my vision for the reception. She made all of the necessary arrangements within the next couple of days. Communication was top-notch. She arrived at our home the day of the reception and put together the most beautiful centerpieces. The reception was beautiful. I am exceedingly grateful to Kathie.

Kathie loves what she does and it shows in her Beautiful floral creations…read more You can show Kathie a pic or example of what you want for your wedding or party decor and she will make it happen. I have seen most of her work and the Bride to be are blown away with her stunning final creations. She will meet with you for a consultation and she is so attentive and friendly. Check out her website where she displays so many of her beautiful floral creations. She Loves what she does so you will get perfection with all her work.

Sadly we ended up terminating our contract with Apsara events early. We signed an agreement for…read morefull service planning for our wedding in May 2025. The communication, planning, and process followed post contract signing fell wildly below any reasonable expectations. Some examples. - 4 months into the contract we had yet to have a basic task list to follow for all activities after repeated asks and multiple verbal commitments that it would be sent and maintained. - We wouldn't hear back for multiple weeks at a time for simple requests or questions. We tried to establish some communication expectations when this first happened but still across email, phone, text we wouldn't hear back for weeks at a time. Most recently we hadn't heard from her in nearly a month. - Majority of all vendor outreach had to be completed by us and barely any recommendations were shared in any reasonable timeframe. We had to prod multiple times to get the basics. There was no process here at all or project management from Apsara. At time of termination, we had yet to receive recommendations for key vendors and still handled over 90% of all vendor communications. - Every (yes, every) deadline or expectation that was set either via phone, text, or email was missed. This was usually without providing any heads up. We were very hopeful and excited to work with Sokha and the team but our experience left us more stressed and behind schedule. I don't believe the team has a lot of support presently (it looks like maybe there was a team in the past but now is nonexistent) and is taking on more work than they can possibly support effectively. It is not appropriate or just to do so when someone has the responsibility to help a couple on such an important part of their journey. I am happy to discuss with anyone to share our experiences here if helpful to avoid what we went through.

Sokha and her team were absolutely on fire throughout our wedding weekend! They organized every…read moredetail with each vendor, and ensured that not a single thing was missed. They even made sure to keep my husband and me hydrated and well fed (with hot food and cool cocktails)! It was clear that they are experts in their field. They kept me calm and dealt with any road blocks with skill and ease. Sokha and her husband (Monty, of Latelier Lumier) came through at the last minute in helping to craft the perfect custom wedding logo for us!

If you are on the fence about whether or not to hire a wedding planner, JUST DO IT! It's worth…read moreevery cent. We had a great handle on all the details of our wedding as we hired our own vendors a year in advance, but in the end, we really needed a planner who could help us pull everything together in the final days when we needed to focus on other things. Debbie and Laurie, owners of Core Concepts, did an amazing job. We hired them to help us coordinate all the details in the final 30 days leading up to our special day. You can trust that they will be in regular communication during the time that you contract to work with them - they will deliver! All of the details came together perfectly - from the beautiful flowers in our requested colors (white, purple and blue) and table seatings, coordinating with our other vendors and keeping everything on time during the day, to the signage and programs and pipe and drape and uplighting and Gobo OH MY. The setting was just perfect - Core Concepts truly helped transformed the space (which was drab) to make it feel elegant and created an atmosphere that made the entire evening feel special to us and our guests. They were hustling until the very end to ensure all the details were taken care of. They also went the extra mile and delivered our flowers after the wedding festivities to the venue where we were hosting a brunch the next morning -- and that was after a really long day of set up and breakdown. That extra touch was a huge help, and we were very appreciative. So many of our guests told us, with sincerity, that it was the best (and most magical) wedding they have ever attended (!!!), and that was thanks in no small part to the Core Concepts team. We are thrilled. They worked hard to help bring our vision to life and for helping us kick off our next adventure as a married couple. :)

After the money spent on the dress, the venue, the reception, etc. - my mother and I really…read morewondered if we absolutely needed "Day Of" support and if it was worth the cost. We shouldn't have hesitated for a minute! The help we got from Rachel and Core Events was THE best money we spent for anything in the wedding planning. We met with Rachel a couple times and reviewed our plans for the day. She was AMAZING - helping smooth out final details at the rehearsal, checking our sound system/music selections, and providing suggestions for different ways to handle the various traditional elements. The day of, while my mother and I had our hair and makeup done, she checked in at the reception venue and ensured the cake and flowers were delivered and set up properly and the banquet room was set up according to our specs. She also placed our favors, guest book, and other little personal touches we wanted at the reception. That sorted, she booked it over to our ceremony location and helped distribute programs, herded family members and the wedding party here and there so the photographer could get as many pre-wedding family pics as possible. While we stayed behind for photos, she headed to the reception and helped get our guests started on nibbles and cocktails, even cueing our playlist for each part of the reception. Once we arrived, she announced our arrival and got our first dance music going. All this on a day she wasn't feeling too great! We are SO grateful to have had the help of someone so professional, organized, and reliable. Her help let us just relaxed, visit with family, and enjoy the day rather than running around and checking on vendors, set up and details. I cannot recommend Core Events highly enough to anyone planning a wedding or large scale event where you'd actually like to be able to enjoy the event and your guests.

My wedding would not be what it was if it was not for KATY & the coastal coordinating staff…read more Katy was simply made for this role. She is professional, timely and communicative. Additionally, she makes you FEEL like you are the only bride she is working with, which makes you feel at peace, prioritized, and cared for throughout chaotic wedding planning! Katy doesn't miss a step during timeline creation, last minute changes, or day of the event. In fact, during the day of my wedding, I sent most of my family out of the "hiding room" and felt comfortable when she was in the room because she was alongside me during the wedding planning process and made me feel a sense of ease. THAT is the type of wedding planner you want, especially if the whole "planning process" isn't your thing (like me ;)). Lastly, Katy handled vendor communication incredibly well. From reaching out, to follow ups, to ensuring all vendors were on the same page (especially if they did not respond) which took a layer off of my responsibilities. Okay actually lastly - Katy does not see this role or you as a bride as her "job" or just another "client". When I mentioned I was "stressed", she sat with me on the phone to talk things through to see what holes she could fill so I could relax. Coastal Coordinating is without a doubt, the wedding planning service you NEED!! I have already referred her to my friends and will continue to do so!

They pay to remove Google reviews and threaten to sue if you're wondering why they have such a high…read morerating. Coastal Coordinating was the only stressful part of my wedding. I opted in for the Day of Coordinator because I had already selected all of my other vendors. I also paid extra to have Coastal Coordinating put out my florals that I created. Chloe was MIA minutes before the ceremony - the venue had to stick me in a random room to avoid being seen by the groom. Chloe or one of her helpers broke one of my pillars (decor) and proceeded to put it in the ceremony instead of informing me or leaving it out - it looked so awful. Half the florals I had arranged for the reception weren't put out despite paying extra for this service - my bridesmaids and I were the ones having to put them out while guests were lining up to enter the space. The owner is VERY unprofessional and never bothered trying to have a conversation with me about my experience. Instead she made up lies as an excuse for providing such poor service. I did not have a single problem with any of my other vendors. Would not recommend Coastal Coordinating.

Amber coordinated my twins' 15th birthday party and she did an absolutely amazing job. The venue…read morethat she found was absolutely perfect for the theme we were going for and her idea for an iced tea bar was brilliant! She found a great DJ that kept the party going and my guests couldn't stop raving about the food from the caterer she suggested. From the super cute balloon display with the twins names on a gigantic sign, to the beautiful flowers everywhere (which Amber arranged herself), to the tea pot shaped PB&J sandwiches... there was so much attention to detail and I owe it all to her. She made everything easy for me so I could focus on my daughters for their special day. THANK YOU AMBER!!

It was such an honor to have had Amber as our wedding planner for our June wedding. She was quick…read moreto respond, knew my vision and personality from the very first meeting. She far exceeded my expectations with her design plan! I had complete trust in her vision. Wedding planning is stressful, but Amber kept everything organized. Throughout the process, she had an attention to detail and thought of everything! On the day of the wedding, Amber made sure that my husband and I didn't stress about any hiccups. She made sure that the day was about us and that we enjoyed it rather than worry about anything. I highly recommend Amber as a wedding planner and designer!!

I would love to give an extremely strong recommendation to Craig Beckinger of ABC Event Planning. I…read moremet Craig about a year ago. I had explained that I was having an After Party for the woman of my dreams after the wedding itself. I explained my ideas to him with the non cookie cutter approach of what a party after a party after a wedding should look like. I mentioned that traditional wasn't going to fly and he took the concept and boy did he run. He not only gave me a party that people are still discussing but exceeded every notion of what I had thought I could achieve. He took my midnight calls even though he had other clients that needed his attention. He was creative, savvy, and just willing to do everything possible to make the evening magical. So in closing, if you have an event and need an accomplished winner and just amazing planner, Craig Beckinger is your guy.

My husband and I could not be more grateful for the help and guidance provided by Craig Beckinger…read moreand ABC Event Planning. So many people told us ours was the BEST wedding they had ever attended, and we owe it all to Craig and his team. We were only engaged for ninety days, and Craig came in after another event planner dropped the ball. Craig never missed a beat! Leading up to our big day, Craig had super creative ideas, reminded us of even the most minute details, communicated with our other vendors, and was always available to talk (even at odd, late-evening hours). He met us at his showroom numerous times to lay out the perfect decor for our special day and scheduled tastings with different caterers. He even met me at the floral wholesaler so he was clear about my floral likes and dislikes. On the day of the wedding, Craig was in close contact with all our vendors, handling the setup of the venue meticulously. Not only did he do everything possible to alleviate our stressors, he far exceeded our expectations with our wedding decor and flowers. Our centerpieces, boutonnieres, and bouquets were absolutely stunning!!! I gave Craig tons of pictures of styles I liked, but he went above and beyond nailing it with every one. All I can say is WOW!!!! We can't thank Craig enough for helping us create the wedding of our dreams. He is a floral designer and decor genius... and an incredibly nice guy on top of it all!!!

Drazenka was amazing worked with me for weeks on my special engagement helped me plan go my fiancé…read morea gift after engagement she really shows you what kind of photos to take which is a huge help and very flexible with time and payment would 100% recommend her again