We had a wonderful experience with Kat and her team at Peony Armour. From pre-event, actual…read moreceremony/reception to post-event endeavors. With respect to pre-event planning- Kat kept us highly organized and asked the right questions pertaining to the specifics that we were looking for in order to flush out our vision for our reception. Kat chimed in with her expertise when needed too. In addition, she managed our vendors rather seamlessly, which wasn't always the easiest. In short, there is a tremendous level of dedication from Kat that translates to a great experience. I suspect Kat doesn't do this for the money per-say, but loves organizing great weddings. That intrinsic motivation is apparent with how many in-person and VC meetings we had leading up to the event to the document work she shared and created on our behalf. All that preparation paid off as we had a great wedding that worked like clockwork. Weddings are notorious for over-spending. However, hiring Kat and her team was so worth the service they provided and one of our best decisions.

I feel so fortunate to have found Katherine of Peony Amour to assist with day-of coordination for…read moremy wedding. I'm a do-it-yourself type of girl, but soon realized that I was way over my head with wedding planning, especially when it came to our bareboned wedding venue at The Rengstorff House in Mountain View. After meeting with Katherine at a cafe to learn more about her services and for her to get a sense of my needs, I immediately felt in good hands. She listened to my ideas with enthusiasm, offered helpful suggestions, and evoked a genuine concern in making my wedding day the most special day for me and fiance. I left our initial meeting confident in my decision to hire her as our day-of and my fiance was even more relieved that we were getting help. :) I am so happy I put my trust in Peony Amour to assist with our wedding planning needs. Katherine was a joy to work with and I looked forward to our planning meetings because they relieved so much stress to know that I had her experience to help with tasks like the timeline, communication with vendors, and the extra set of eyes to make sure I wasn't missing anything. Throughout the entire process, Katherine was punctual, communicative, and extremely organized. I appreciated how she was practical in thinking about our needs and always kept our budget in mind when giving recommendations. She was flexible when we had last minute needs come up-- indeed she handled many last minute requests and a few small fiascos like a champ! The day of the wedding I didn't even know about any of the issues because she was taking care of everything (like how our dessert churro truck had gotten a flat tire and was running late, so she had her team get donuts in the interim to keep my guests happy while waiting!). Katherine went above and beyond with her support for making our wedding day run smoothly. I am also extremely grateful for the team she hired to help. They set up our wedding decorations with care and attention to detail, ran to the store when we needed something like more ice, and overall were crucial to executing our wedding day. Katherine loves what she does and you can really tell! If you are on the fence about hiring wedding planning help, I can assure you it is worth the money and that Peony Amour will do a fabulous job to make your wedding day just the way you want it!

I originally posted this on 10/2/08, but for some reason, it disappeared…read more I am reposting so others will know how great Nancy and Wil are! ********** If you want some help with your wedding planning, run, don't walk to hire Nancy Colombo of Relax the Bride (Relax). Relax is wonderful! We hired Relax to be our DOC (day of coordination) planner and were very happy that we did. Nancy is a very calm and organized person and went over many planning details with me. She had a lot of insights on wedding planning and offered suggestions and ideas that I would never have thought of. About 6 weeks before our wedding, we went over timeline of the wedding day and the checklist that Nancy prepared. We fine-tuned the timeline and checklist many times before the wedding. Nancy is very responsive to your concerns; she answers emails and phone calls promptly. When you hire Relax, you actually get two people - Nancy and her husband, Wil. They were there at our rehearsal and at our wedding. It made a huge difference to have them there on both days. My husband said that Wil was great because he was also very calm and offered very good suggestions at the rehearsal. I was so happy that they took care of any glitches that developed. For example, we had some problems with the string quartet we had hired. Nancy made sure that they were performing the job we hired them for and not taking too many breaks. My parents thought that Nancy and Wil were wonderful. After the wedding, they made sure that all of the items that were brought to the church and reception were taken home (i.e., cake server, toasting flutes, guest book, etc.). Finally, Relax is very affordable. When we were initially getting quotes for DOC planners, we received quotes which were substantially higher than Relax and did not offer as much value for their charges. I would highly recommend Relax to any future bride who wants to lighten her stress on her wedding day.

As a groom--and now husband--I highly recommend Relax the Bride for any couple. Nancy and her…read morehusband (who also helps, by the way) are very organized, very down to earth, and a complete pleasure to work with. Nancy will walk you through all of the details you need to consider during your planning, and will make sure things run smoothly on your wedding day. Even for the highly organized couple (we were) this still makes a huge difference. Whether it's making sure your vendors do their jobs, remembering all the little details (like where the cake cutter is!) or lining up the bridal party before they walk down the isle, Nancy will be there. Nancy's calm, confident demeanor should also help to relieve the stress you will naturally be feeling. And while Nancy is helping the bride, her husband, Wil, will give the groom valuable tips and reassurance. Finally, the modest cost of her service (Relax the Bride is significantly less expensive than many other planners) is well worth it. So go check out Relax the Bride--you won't be disappointed!

Nonpareil is run by two lovely ladies, Brook and Alexis, who are the ultimate tag team. Brook comes…read morefrom an event planning background and Alexis from an interior design background, which makes for an enviable combination. Unlike other planners that my friends have had, Brook and Alexis were completely accessible (email, phone, anytime, unlimited) and willing to do pretty much anything that was within reason. Estimate how much alcohol we should get? No problem. Send me pictures of linens from multiple sites across the city? Easy. They were very detailed and organized and never complained or charged more for traveling down to my wedding site multiple times, coming to tastings, meeting with vendors etc. I liked that I could do the things that I wanted to do (design the invitations) and they would do the things that appealed to me less (find portable toilet vendors). The icing on the cake was the wedding day. I had had a vision of having a long table with looping cafe lights above, instead of the traditional round table look. They totally understood the vision, and then took it to the next level. The table was simply breathtaking. Guests could not stop commenting about it, which is a lot given that it was just a table! The creative concepts we had worked on together came to life in a way that exceeded my expectations. The day went really smoothly, despite record heat which necessitated a mid-wedding trip to the store for more whiskey (?!) which they took care of with grace. Unlike other planners I have seen in action, B&A stayed until the bitter end to make sure everything was cleaned and taken care of, which was really important since the wedding was at a family home. Nonpareil is relatively new so they are still developing relationships with vendors, so don't expect crazy discounted prices from their relationships. However, they are adept at making new relationships and working with people, so it won't be long before their network is solidified. I think anyone looking for creative, cool, and complete wedding services, will be pleased with nonpareil!

Alexis did an incredible work at our wedding. We couldn't have done it without her…read more She took meticulous care of both the overall planning and small detailed decisions. Alexis looked over vendor contracts to make sure we were within a reasonable budget. It was great having someone on site before we arrived to answer vendors' questions and to organize the location. She made sure the layout, and timeline flowed impeccably. More importantly, she helped to make quick decisions when unexpected delays occurred. We highly recommend their services.

Initially I went back and forth about whether to have a day of coordinator but when we were able to…read morecut some money from our budget in some other areas, I knew that for the sake of my sanity and my ability to enjoy my own wedding day it would be important for me to have one. It was honestly the best decision for the wedding I ever made and Katrina at Love Blooms was the best person I could have gone with! I started looking into having a day of coordinator about 8 months or so before our wedding and was blown away by some of the quotes we had received. There was no way I could afford that. However, Katrina's prices are much more reasonable and well worth every cent! I met with Katrina in person about 6 months before the wedding and we talked through my thoughts for the day. She also helped calm my nerves and give me some direction on some ideas I had but didn't know how to follow through on them. Starting about a month or two before the wedding she really helped with more of the details, telling me what might be missing in my day of timeline and items like that. Honestly, with very little direction I told her everything that needed to be set up and she did it all, amazingly, exactly as requested. She attended our rehearsal and told everyone in attendance that from here on out, if they have a question, they should go to her instead of the bride and groom. I could have kissed her! The wedding day went off beautifully and she was somehow magically there whenever I had a question about something, which honestly was very rarely because everything was perfect, mainly thanks to her hard work. And to top it all off, when my new husband's and my ride for the night didn't show up, she drove us to our hotel! Seriously, hire her!

Five stars really does not do this girl justice. I hired Katrina last minute as a…read moreday-of-coordinator when I started to realize that I did not want myself or my mother to be running around worrying about the little things on my wedding day. And THANK GOD I did. From our very first meeting she was very professional, thinking of potential scenarios that had not even occurred to me. She came to the rehearsal which turned out to be very valuable since my church was less than experienced with wedding proceedings. On the day of my wedding, Katrina did all the set-up at the reception (I basically handed her a bunch of trinkets/decorations and her creative eye made the room look better than I could have ever imagined), fixed my father's boutonniere when it snapped in two, shuffled flowers from the church to the reception in the pouring rain, counted cupcakes for me during one of my bridezilla moments, cleaned up at the end of the night, and I'm sure much more that I was not even aware of! She thought of so many extra things such as taking the personalized labeled wine bottles home with her because she knew (even before I did!) that I would want to keep them as a memento. She not only took care of me and my husband, but she also looked after my guests. She even drove a couple of my friends home when their taxi never showed up! Amazing. Her attention to detail is impeccable and she is very trustworthy and thoughtful. I am grateful beyond words that she was there to make everything run smoothly so that my husband, family, guests and I could enjoy the day. She is an excellent coordinator worth far more than she charges. I recommended her wholeheartedly to anyone considering hiring a wedding coordinator. And if you are not considering at least a day-of-coordinator, trust me that you do not want your mom or Aunt Betty to be managing all these unpredictable nuances. HIRE KATRINA!

Cheryl helped us plan the last parts of our wedding, since my wife and I thought that we could…read morehandle everything. When it came close to wedding time, we still didn't have some things secured, like DJ, performers, lighting, MC, and any last minute planning. She reviewed and went over our schedule, made suggestions for improvements and time management. She got us in contact with the entertainment that we needed and got us a good price. She was on top of our last minute wedding schedule. Reminded us of things that still needed to be done or deposit deadlines to secure any vendors. She was very professional, listened to our needs, made suggestions when needed, and helped us get to our wedding day. Our wedding day turned out great. My wife and I are not sure how our reception would have turned out if Cheryl didn't help us out!

There's so many great things I can say about Cheryl...but where do I start??? Never did I think I…read morewould be one to hire a wedding coordinator. #1) Didn't think there was so much that went into it #2) Didn't think I could afford it...But boy was I wrong!!! It wasn't long (the save-the-dates) until I realized that I did need her help and she showed me that having a wedding coordinator didn't have to cost me an arm and a leg. Her services are very affordable yet priceless. Within our first meeting she understood my vision and helped me put it together without me even knowing exactly where I was going with it. She seemed to capture it perfectly. Throughout us working together she did a great job following up on her tasks: making sure everything was done but most importantly she made sure that I was doing okay emotionally as things got really stressful and tense as the big day got nearer. She made sure I knew she was there for anything I needed whether it was to get something done, some moral support or simply some venting. I don't know how many times I talked/texted with her just to let some steam off. This is the sweetest person ever. There's no doubt she has the talent but there's no doubt by her personality that she was made for this. The ultimate icing on the cake was wedding rehearsal and the wedding day itself when everything went off without a hitch. The only jitters came to walking down the aisle and not tripping and falling because I knew she had EVERYTHING under control. I had heard from every one of our vendors that she had been in contact with them days and weeks before the wedding to make sure everything went smoothly and so it did. I am forever grateful for Cheryl and her wonderful and supportive team. Not only do I consider her the most amazing and professional event planner but my family and I are proud to call her our friend. We would refer her to anybody considering her services in a heartbeat.

Have you ever spent so much time planning an event whither it was for work or for friends & family…read morethat it effected your workflow? Maybe you spent so much time on planning your own event that you couldn't even enjoy it when the time came. Do not let this happen to you. Call Jamie over at Viv Events where planning an event is a breeze. Either Big or Small, Viv Events has all the expertise that you need to making your event the talk of the town and have your guests clamoring for your next one to arrive. Viv events will work with you to help you achieve the look and feel you want your guests to experience. Easy, Fun, Efficient. Viv Events holds all the keys. Give them a call today! And enjoy your event!

I worked with Jamie as a photographer on two events in the past year. One in California and the…read moreother in Colorado. There is a good reason why they flew her into Colorado, Jamie performs with aplomb in challenging situations and she had challenges like no other in Colorado. The preceding week Boulder experienced one of the worst weather events in recent history, extreme flooding and infrastructure damage. Somehow, and I really don't know how, she was able to pull the two day event together with minimal issues. The second event, which was held in San Francisco. Happily took a more normal course in regards to extraneous and unrelated events. All of my interactions with Jamie were pleasurable and there was both open and positive lines of communications for both events. As a contractor that makes my job much easier and more pleasurable. Jamie's talent and passion for the work she does shines through with her smiles, joyfulness and unaffected manner. I hope I get to work alongside her in the near future. Jeffrey Dubinsky Dubinsky Photography

Bill and Company were amazing! I had a Christmas Party for about 100 people and Bill and his staff…read morekept the drinks flowing all night long. He even stayed longer than I contracted. Bill is very organized and has all his own equipment, he even has stemware you can rent from him at a very reasonable price, much cheaper than the rental companies and you don't have to run around for supplies Yay! He will also shop for you and has great suggestions for cocktail's and wines. I will definitely use Bill again, he is smart, calm and a great bartender with a great staff!!

I do not like writing negative reviews, but I would like to provide information to help others make…read morean informed decision. We reached out to Able Bartenders in February 2020 for a previously scheduled June 2020 wedding based on The Knot reviews. We received a decent quote from Bill Sinclair, and communication was initially great. Throughout several Covid postponements, we kept in touch. Our wedding date was finalized for June 2022, and many previous vendors, including Able Bartenders, remained on board. On April 30, 2022, Bill Sinclair and I had a phone appointment to discuss any changes and confirm our selections for the event date. I asked for an updated invoice and was told that I would receive it in 3 days. He also requested that I pay a $200 deposit (even though the original contract/agreement required no deposit) due to Covid hardship. I made this $200 payment in good faith. When more than 3 days had passed (15 days to be exact), and I hadn't received an updated invoice, I sent a follow-up email. I didn't understand why it was so difficult to update a text document with the new event date, cost of services requested, deposit paid, and balance due. They were not able to follow through with their own promise and kept failing to provide an updated invoice. All they gave us was an excuse about not being able to secure a loan or a loan that would materialize by the end of May. That wasn't reassuring, and we did not need to know the loan status of this business. We needed to know that the vendor would follow through with their promise, and they were not able. We saw this as a red flag and decided to find a new bartender. Able Bartenders wished us happiness with our decision. I provided gentle reminders about refunding our deposit, and they were acknowledged with "soon" each time. Our event has already occurred, and we still have not received our deposit. They took our money without providing ANY services other than unfulfilled promises. If they had been able to provide us with an updated invoice, we would've stuck with them. I have told friends and other vendors to stay away from Able Bartenders because they are NOT ABLE to conduct reliable business anymore.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE CATERERS!! This company is run by two sisters, so it has the…read moresmall-business-treat you like family feel. I first used their services when I worked for a large corporation, and Bernadette (one of the sisters) pulled everything together for me at the last minute (my fault, not hers). I am now with a smaller, yet still well-known organization supporting the CEO, and I refuse to enlist any other caterer when it comes to our Board meetings. Aside from the office staff, the delivery staff is always on time, friendly, professional, clean, patient and courteous. And somehow, they always seem to make a simple set-up look elegant. If you want good service, go somewhere else. if you want GREAT service, give Custom Corporate Catering a try! You will not be disappointed. oh, and did I mention the food is great?! :-)