If you are wondering if you should get a wedding planner, the answer is yes, and it should be Steph. We worked with Steph for our wedding at St. Augustine by the Sea and The Royal Hawaiian, and she was absolutely phenomenal from start to finish. This was, of course, our first time planning a wedding, and having someone with Steph's expertise guiding us through every step made all the difference. She also handles an incredible amount behind the scenes that you don't even realize is happening. Because of her, we had far less vendor communication to manage ourselves, which made the entire planning process so much less overwhelming. Her experience with the venues and the local vendors is so key. She has worked with them countless times (it seems like everyone in the industry knows her) and knows exactly how to get the best outcome from each relationship. One of Steph's greatest strengths is keeping you focused on exactly what matters at the right time. If Steph tells you it's time to do something, do it. If she hasn't brought something up yet, trust that you don't need to worry about it; she'll let you know when it's the right time. That level of organization and confidence was such a gift throughout the planning process. Steph also has exceptional composure under pressure. No matter how busy the day became or what unexpected situations came up, she remained calm, professional, and completely in control. She communicates clearly and directly while also being incredibly warm, kind, and supportive. She is exactly the person you want by your side on your wedding day. Not only did we love working with Steph, but our friends and family adored her too. She was poised, professional, and a joy to have at the wedding. Also every vendor she recommended was fantastic, and it was obvious how much respect they all have for her. It's been a month since our wedding, and we genuinely miss our meetings with Steph. We can't recommend her highly enough. If you're getting married on Oahu, put your wedding in the hands of an expert. Hiring Steph was one of the best decisions we made, and we are so grateful she was part of our wedding. You should hire her too! read more

Let me start off by saying that this review is long overdue (im sorry!). Steph and her team were amazing, friendly, and professional! My husband and I wanted to surprise each other with a dance at our reception, and Steph handled the coordination so well. I'm sure that must have been incredibly stressful but I'm forever grateful that she helped make our dreams come true. I did a partial planning package and Steph gave great recommendations to reach out to. I think ultimately we have a dream team of vendors on our wedding day. There were slight hiccups here and there, mostly because I had some friends and family helping with set up, and some things got misplaced in the chaos. But Steph and her team were always going above and beyond. They were flexible, understanding, and attentive. We had a jampacked timeline -- a Catholic ceremony at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa and a reception at Cafe Julia -- but we were able to get through it all because of Esselle Weddings! Thank you so much for being there for us for our special day. I'm sorry for putting you guys through a crazy day but we truly are so so grateful for you guys! read more

Esselle Weddings & Events - Floral arch, LED sign, table layout, sweetheart table, taper candle - Wedding Planning Near Me

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Steph and her team are OUTSTANDING! They cover an incredible amount of details to make sure the day is seamless and stress free. It honestly felt like royalty treatment (being fanned on a hot day and given water to stay hydrated)! I've been to multiple weddings where I helped to clean up, but Esselle took care of everything so that the guests could enjoy the end of the evening! They organized and packed everything up so nicely that, when I decided to resell some items, they were all clean and ready to go! Steph is also an officiant, so when our dear friend/officiant wasn't able to complete the paperwork for our marriage license, Steph took care of it without any hesitation while we were out of the country. She truly is a gem as well as her team! read more

We truly can't imagine our wedding without Stephanie from Esselle Weddings & Events. From the very first conversation, we knew we were in great hands. She's incredibly organized, thoughtful, and genuinely cares about making every detail feel just right. Throughout the planning process, she was always a step ahead--anticipating things we would've never even thought to consider, and making sure nothing slipped through the cracks. Planning a wedding can definitely be overwhelming at times, but Stephanie made everything feel manageable. She was always calm, responsive, and reassuring--even when we had last-minute questions or needed help making decisions. It felt like she had this sixth sense for what we needed and when we needed it, and her experience really showed every step of the way. When the wedding day arrived, we were actually able to relax and enjoy it, which honestly wouldn't have been possible without her. Everything ran so smoothly behind the scenes--timing, vendors, setup, transitions--it all just flowed. She made sure everyone was where they needed to be, everything looked beautiful, and any issues that popped up were handled so seamlessly that we didn't even know they happened. Beyond her professionalism, Stephanie is just a lovely person to be around. She brought a calm, grounding energy to the entire process, and working with her felt more like having a very organized and supportive friend on your team. And all of this was even more important since we were working over Zoom! We only met her in person on the day of the actual event, but it truly felt like we'd known her for years. We're so grateful for everything she did and truly believe our day wouldn't have been the same without her. If you're looking for someone who will treat your wedding with as much care and intention as you do, we can't recommend Stephanie and Esselle Weddings & Events enough. She was such a huge part of what made our day so special. read more

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Working with Steph and the incredible team at Esselle Weddings was one of the best decisions we made in our entire wedding journey. Over the past year, Steph helped us bring our dream wedding to life--transforming our vision into the most beautiful, unforgettable experience of our lives. We truly can't say enough good things about her. From day one, Steph was warm, responsive, and incredibly organized. She handled every detail with grace and precision--from coordinating with vendors and managing logistics to remembering the smallest touches that made our day feel so personal and special. Her experience shows in the way she anticipates needs, solves problems before they even reach you, and remains calm and composed no matter what comes up. On our wedding day, Steph and her team were simply phenomenal. There were inevitable bumps in the road--unexpected weather and vendor hiccups--but we didn't even know about most of them until after the fact because she had everything handled with ease and professionalism. She made it possible for us to be fully present, relaxed, and immersed in every moment, which is something we'll forever be grateful for. You can tell Steph genuinely cares about her couples. She and her team give their hearts to what they do, and it shows in every interaction and every perfectly executed detail. This review is way more than 5 stars--it's an enthusiastic and heartfelt recommendation to anyone looking for a wedding planner who will go above and beyond to make your day unforgettable. Thank you, Steph, for being such a BIG part of our lives and for making our day so magical. We will never forget it! read more

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Steph & team are the absolute best. We are Californians who were planning our destination wedding in Hawaii, and she truly made every step so easy AND enjoyable!! We truly could not have done it without her. From start to finish, she was the steady, supportive presence we didn't even know we needed. She kept us on schedule, anticipated our needs before we could voice them, and made the entire planning process feel so much more manageable. She is the perfect blend of professional, responsive, and incredibly warm. She always made us feel heard and offered thoughtful advice that helped us make clear decisions, even when we were feeling overwhelmed. Her recommendations were spot-on and always aligned with our vision. On the big day, Steph executed everything flawlessly--actually, even better than we imagined!! Every detail was handled with care, and we were able to be fully present and soak in each moment thanks to her calm expertise behind the scenes. We are endlessly grateful for her and would recommend Steph to any couple in a heartbeat. She's a true gem! read more

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Steph and her team are the best at what they do! If you are looking for a reliable wedding planner, Esselle is for you. Thank you for making my wedding so perfect! read more

Planning a wedding is stressful but planning a destination wedding is on another level. After researching for months, I came across many wedding planners in Hawaii, but I knew Steph was someone special when we had our phone consultation with her for at least 2 hours. Steph was so generous with her time and listened to our vision and our hopes for our big day. By the end of our conversation, we were even more excited and we knew she was the one. Words cannot describe how grateful we are to have Steph and her team as our wedding planner/coordinators on our big day! Steph is just AMAZING! She is so organized, professional, responsive to emails/text messages, great time management, and very knowledgeable about the wedding industry/vendors. She is open to your ideas but will also give you options if needed. She seriously went above and beyond! She even helped me order, pick up and deliver a custom lei po'o that I wore for a luau/welcome dinner before our wedding day. Our big day was everything we could've asked for and more. We knew that it wouldn't be as flawless, calm, and relaxing if Steph wasn't there. She made everything go smoothly. She even packed us food from our wedding (since it was hard to eat during the event) and delivered to our room so we had food to eat after the evening was over! How INCREDIBLE! Steph & Team, thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. You have made a day we will never forget that much more special! read more

Esselle Weddings & Events - Wedding Planning Near Me

Steph and her team at Esselle Weddings & Events are absolutely A1. Everything from professionalism, organization, communication and being personable. They have our made our wedding journey seamless and with total confidence. My wife and I told Steph that we wanted to be along for the ride on our big day. She and her team went above and beyond to make sure that we were taken care of and enjoying the ride. She always went the extra mile to make sure that every want and request was taken care of and addressed. She and her team are absolutely the BEST. read more

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Steph, Sarah, and Aileen were incredible and fun to work with, from start to finish! If you're looking for consistent and open communication, careful execution of your wedding day vision, and a comprehensive post-wedding recap to tie up any loose ends, then choose Esselle Weddings! They made planning and coordinating our Moana Surfrider wedding from the mainland a seamless and relaxed (as possible) experience. During the wedding, Steph and her team kept everything and everyone in line and on time without being overly intrusive. Their outstanding communication and coordination skills were also appreciated by our other vendors. Our sound tech team unfortunately no-showed the day of our wedding, but we had no idea until the day after, thanks to how quickly and efficiently Steph was able to coordinate with our DJ (the immaculate DJ Tony So) to sub in! HUGE kudos to Steph and the team for tackling the snafu so seamlessly on our behalf! Steph also gave insightful recommendations for our wedding favors, florals, and lighting to better fit our wedding vision - and budget! My partner and I highly recommend hiring Esselle Weddings for all your planning and coordination needs. read more

Simply AMAZING! Steph and her team at Esselle Weddings were amazing! We met and started working with Steph before the pandemic, unfortunately we had to postpone our wedding, but she was able to navigate us through the postponement and reschedule all of our vendors without me having to do a thing! That in itself was amazing because what bride wants to accept a postponement AND have to reschedule her vendors? Not only was Steph accommodating but her communication skills were top-notch, especially since we were planning our Hawaii wedding from the mainland. I wanted to be a part of the planning process and Steph welcomed all my ideas and shared her professional opinions along the way. I would (and will) recommend Steph to all future brides and grooms, she helped to make sure our wedding day was everything we imagined and more! We can't thank her enough! read more

Esselle Weddings & Events - Wedding Planning Near Me

Steph and her team are truly amazing. My husband and I got married at the Four Seasons in Koolina and we planned everything from the mainland. From the beginning, we had no idea where to even start but Steph listened to our preferences, vision and budget and recommended vendors (HMU, DJ, Officiant - everything!) based on that. With no surprise, everyone we worked with was just as amazing as Steph + team. On the morning of our wedding, Sarah stayed in the bridal suite with me & my bridal party making sure I had everything I needed, ensured HMU was on track, flowers were going where they needed to, photo had everything for details, vow books were ready, etc. She was also in constant communication with the rest of the team and checking in with me on set up as it was happening to make sure I was okay with the final touches. Throughout my wedding morning, my family and bridal party kept commenting on how calm, and relaxed I was - I didn't feel stressed at all! Steph made sure our photo list after the ceremony was called out seamlessly and directed the rest of the guests to cocktail hour without a hitch, her and Kiana also had our signature cocktails + water ready for me and my husband! (without us even asking for it). My bustle broke twice and Steph SEWED my wedding dress in a few minutes. We missed cocktail hour + appetizers due to photos and we had a plate of appetizers waiting for us at our sweetheart table. There was a vase with water ready at my seat as well to place my bouquet. Kiana and Sarah had everything with them (touch up kits, products, pins, etc.) with them ready to help me whenever I needed from the morning of the wedding until the wedding ended at 11PM. Our card box filled with cards/gifts from our friends + family was also already in our room by the end of the night. The list can go on and on but my husband and I didn't need to stress or think about anything the day of the wedding because Steph, Sarah, Kiana and everyone one else on the team handled things for us. They are so thoughtful, professional, organized, efficient, helpful, and kind. Throughout the planning process, I must've emailed Steph so many times but I never felt like I was a bother. Our wedding day was honestly a dream come true and it wouldn't have been without Steph & her team. We can't thank you enough!!! read more

Steph is amazing!!! My husband and I were incredibly grateful with how flawless everything turned out. Steph was there for us every step of the way and helped us manage our timelines, coordination with vendors, and general recommendations since it was a destination wedding at the Halekulani Hotel. The day of the wedding, Steph, Sarah, and Kiana went above and beyond to make it perfect. We had 150 guests and everyone kept complimenting on how attentive, organized, and professional they were. Steph had scheduled consistent check-ins with us and stayed in constant communication, making the entire planning process stress-free. Whenever we had random questions, Steph was always just an email away, ready to offer solutions and reassurance. The team's genuine care really stood out and we wouldn't have it any other way. We highly recommend Esselle Weddings for all their talent and dedication to making our special day perfect. They're the sweetest! read more

My now wife and I wanted a destination wedding and we decided on the beautiful island of Oahu. We did our research and decided on the amazing venue hosted by the Hyatt Regency of Waikiki and Stephanie and her team were one of the vendors recommended by the venue. We booked over a year in advance, but Stephanie kept contact with us as the months rolled by. She was always there to answer any questions we may have had. As the big day came within a few months, Stephanie and her team kicked it up several notches to make sure our dream wedding was fulfilled. They had spreadsheets for everything we could think of down to the fine and minute details. Her team kept up with communication between vendors for us without having to lift a finger. On the big day, she made sure everything tried to go according to plan. Even when things don't go as expected, Stephanie and her team always knew what to do. All in all, we thank Stephanie and the Esselle team for one magical and fantastic job and wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to others looking for their dream come true weddings! read more

If you stumbled upon this review you must be a bride looking for a wedding planner to help you coordinate your special day and guide you through the wedding planning journey. Steph and her team were INCREDIBLE and honestly we couldn't have done it without her and her team. We had our wedding on 12/3/22 and I first inquired with Steph on 7/1/21. I inquired with a bunch of wedding planners to see who would be the best fit for us and Steph was the only wedding planner to respond to questions and offer feedback and suggestions while everyone else immediately sent their prices and packages before responding at all. We wanted recommendations on pet friendly venues that had an option for an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception and Steph responded with all her recommendations and how we can stay within our budget. Steph also temporarily held our wedding date - before we even signed a contract with her! And when I reached out to her again months later after we finalized our venue, she still had our date saved for us. HOW CRAZY IS THAT??? We were so speechless! We hadn't even spent any money and Steph was communicating with us and saved our wedding date, so rare to experience that! We're a couple who work A LOT so we we didn't have the time to search up our vendors. We chose from the list of vendors that Steph recommended and all of our vendors exceeded our expectations! We were also able to receive discounts from some of our vendors through Steph as well and on our wedding day all of our vendors did a perfect job bringing our vision to life. Steph also responds SO FAST! Like within 24 hours! She was also able to email our vendors on our behalf. Steph was also able to create our timeline and incorporate certain elements and offered suggestions to make things flow easily. Our wedding favors were from Honolulu Cookie Co and Steph offered to pick them up on the day of the wedding to ensure the freshest cookies possible and not only that.. she also was able to get it at a discounted rate! How did we get so lucky with her? We met Sarah on our rehearsal day and she was able to calm our nerves and make sure everyone knew where they needed to be and went over proper etiquette with our family and bridal party. On the day of the wedding Sarah and Michelle came to review everything and set all our decor up. On our wedding day my husband misplaced our dog's bowtie and Sarah helped to search all of our wedding boxes to find it, meanwhile keeping a calm demeanor so that I didn't actually know this was happening lol (good news -it was found!). I'm normally an anxious person and on our wedding day I was honestly the most relaxed I've ever been because Sarah was there to run the day and I didn't have to think, I was able to just enjoy the moment. I was so grateful to have Steph, Sarah, and Michelle with us. Little things that I was grateful for was bringing us ice cold water after our ceremony, taking photos with their phone to send to us of some behind the scene shots so we could enjoy the next day, Sarah pinning my veil with extra bobby pins to ensure it doesn't fly off my head especially with a rooftop ceremony lol and them being prepared with shout wipes to help remove the lipstick stains off my husband's suit rental. Esselle Weddings made our day perfect! If there was anything that went wrong, we had no idea because they were so professional! After a year of communication with Steph it is bittersweet it's come to end, but thank you Esselle Weddings again for the best wedding experience ever. read more

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We can't thank enough on Steph crew for the unforgettable wedding. We are truly blessed to work with one of the best wedding coordination team. From the beginning to the end, everything was seamless and smooth. Much aloha to Steph and her awesome crew. If anyone who is reading this post is on the fence of going with the Esselle wedding, please go ahead and call them now! I PROMISE you will not regret it. read more

Esselle Weddings & Events - Wedding Planning Near Me

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We all know how stressful wedding planning can be, but Steph and her team at Esselle Wedding really make the process so much easier. From the start of it all, Steph made the entire process seamless, stress-free, and so much fun. Your guidance and expertise were invaluable, and we couldn't have asked for a better wedding planner. Whatever questions you have, she has the answer for you! If not, she will make sure to get it for you. My wife and I want to sincerely thank you for all your hard work and dedication in making our wedding day so incredibly special. Their attention to detail, creativity, and professionalism exceeded our expectations, and we are so grateful for everything you've done to bring our vision to life. DO NOT hesitate to choose Steph as your wedding planner on your special day. It will be the best decision you make! Thank you again for everything. Esselle Weddings will always have a special place in our hearts and we truly appreciate all the time and effort you put into making our big day unforgettable. read more

Just WOW! From the moment my husband and I spoke with Steph on the phone, we thought, yup she's the one! She was sooo helpful. She gave us advice and suggestions even before we decided to work with her. That's how real and honest she is! I am so happy we were able to work with Steph and her team! Steph was very responsive in communication. She definitely calmed my nerves and helped me decide when I was so indecisive. Meeting her in person for the first time, I felt like we were good friends! She is so down to earth. She takes her work seriously, but is also able to have fun with us. We appreciated the balance! Her team is just as amazing! Our wedding day was so special and perfect to us! It could not have gone as well as it did if it weren't for Steph, Sarah, Syd! read more

If you're in doubt about hiring Steph, please look no further because Steph is absolutely the BEST wedding planner on Oahu!!! Steph is the kind of wedding planner that makes you want to throw another wedding all over again. I kept telling her this but my husband and I are genuinely very sad that our wedding is over because we can't work with her anymore. Steph is such a kind, genuine, organized, thoughtful, and hardworking person and she really shows that she genuinely cares about all of her clients. On the first day after we hired her, she gave us this huge excel sheet to fill in to help us stay organized with our wedding. There were a lot of questions and things in that excel sheet that we would have never thought about which was super helpful. Steph always goes above and beyond to help us communicate with our vendors and answer all of our MANY questions and concerns (I'm pretty sure we exchanged over 400 emails... Sorry Steph!). Planning a wedding in the middle of the pandemic wasn't an easy feat especially when the governor keeps changing the restrictions every two weeks. Steph was always there to reassure us that our event will run smoothly and to keep a positive attitude. Steph would always recommend QUALITY vendors and creative ideas within our budget and our wedding turned out to be an absolute dream. All of our guests wouldn't stop saying how beautiful our event was. All of our groomsmen, bridesmaids, family members, and vendors wouldn't stop saying how organized and professional she is, and said that she is the most organized wedding planner they've met. She also helped me execute all of my crazy wedding ideas (I'm a calligrapher and a huge creative so this was very important to me) and everything turned out so beautifully. Steph would also go above and beyond to communicate with all of our vendors on our behalf, and set up meetings with them even when we didn't ask her to. Steph has always been really honest in sharing her professional opinion but always left the final decision up to us, which we highly value. Nonetheless, since Steph is pretty well known in the wedding industry, she works really often with a lot of high quality vendors on Oahu so she was able to negotiate some discounts for us. Also did I mention that Steph always goes above and beyond?? While my husband was on deployment last year, he was gone during our one year court wedding anniversary (C*VID couldn't make us wait lol). My husband contacted Steph to help him out with surprising me. Then Steph helped him get me this beautiful handwritten calligraphed letter (I'm a calligrapher so this was super cool!), a bouquet of carnations that symbolizes the first year of marriage, and arranged a spa day for me and my girlfriends! All of this was arranged before my husband went on deployment which was 4 months before our anniversary. Even though this was outside of her scope of services, I'm forever thankful that Steph was able to help us celebrate our love from afar. It really shows that Steph genuinely cares about all of her couples! Steph is resilient, adaptive and carries herself with poise. The day of the wedding, unbeknownst to us, there were major shortfalls by one of our rental furniture vendors. First and foremost the rental company showed up late and many of the other vendors had to wait several hours to complete their setup while waiting for the tent to be pitched up. Secondly there were several items missing such as not enough plates and silverware for the guests and Steph and her team had to wash dishes to help accommodate our guests. Now mind you this is all happening in the background and none of the guests or even us noticed the mess that our coordination team had to deal with. Steph and her entire team continued to work out the day as smoothly as possible with the warmest of Aloha and grace with smiles on their faces to help accommodate for us and our guests. Following the wedding a couple of days later, Steph ensured she set the rental company straight by helping us get a refund, and made the management aware of the mishaps of the day and the complete ball drop that occurred on the wedding day leading to inconveniences that arose from it. I honestly think that we should have paid way more for her services given how Steph always goes above and beyond with everything that she does. We're forever thankful that we had Steph as our wedding planner and we wouldn't want it any other way. We love you Steph!!! read more

Esselle Weddings & Events - Our beautiful wedding cake! - Wedding Planning Near Me

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Steph and the rest of her team are the best!!!She helped us so much throughout our wedding planning process. She is so thoughtful and organized, and she truly cares about her couples! She responded to emails and texts very quickly and answered all our questions. The day of the wedding went so well and we were hardly even stressed because Steph and the Esselle team took care of everything. We had multiple family members tell us how impressed they were with how efficient everything was. We even forgot our wedding cake at the end of the night and Sarah (part of the Esselle team) dropped it off to our house. So if you are looking for help planning a wedding, you should definitely reach out to Esselle! They go beyond and above, and you will be in great hands! Thank you so much Steph! :) read more

Truly, how do we say thank you enough to Steph and her team. We worked with her for a year on just about everything from florals, to how we want our napkins folded, to what we wanted for breakfast on wedding day. She knows everything there is to know. And let me tell you, I didn't have one ounce of stress for our wedding. With Steph on our team, I felt like nothing could go wrong, and it didn't! She responded to every one of my long emails with suggestions and guidance that were right in line with my vision. She helped us pick the very best vendors. We will forever look back on our wedding experience as being enjoyable, and we owe that to Steph. Thank you so much to you and your team, Steph. read more

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Amazing wedding planner, everything in my wedding planning process has gone so smooth because of Stephanie and her team. She is personable, funny, and overall just amazing! read more

Steph, Aileen, and Sarah are the kindest, most efficient, and organized humans ever. They went above and beyond what a normal day-of coordinator would do. Since we don't live on Oahu we were able to meet with them 6 months in advance to go over logistics and what to expect. They are very communicative and easy to reach. When I was having some difficulties getting in contact with some of our vendors, Steph was able to get in touch and confirm/answer whatever concerns I had. They are so in touch with the whole wedding planning community in Hawaii. It was very comforting to know that, especially since I planned this wedding back in Seattle. The day of set up was everything I ever wanted for our special day! Aileen and Sarah both created my vision boards in real life. My guests were also impressed with the venue, details, and their calm/collected attitudes. It was an absolute dream to work with Esselle Weddings. I can't thank them enough. You ladies are truly amazing! Jonathon and I are so grateful. read more

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Stef did such an amazing job with our wedding My thang was "look I want a wedding, but I honestly can not plan anything..." my husband and I work a lot and do not have time to plan. I told her my general idea of a small intimate wedding less than 20 people and Stef came back with a PowerPoint presentation of her vision and I was like yessssss sold ! Now when I mean I didn't want to plan anything I mean nothing I had a guest list oh 20 and just a buffet of Hawaiian food and bought the liquor. That's it, I didn't want to plan anything else I told her I didn't even have time to look for a dress and she literally sent me photos of my dress for that day and helped me choose. Haha and ! She ordered it for me. Now the actual delivery: All I had to do was get my butt there on time. Everything was on Stef. Because I really hate stressing out and I hate to nit pick on small things that actually shouldn't be a big deal. Stef co-ordinated the : (she knows literally everyone in her industry) Found The location Hair & make up Party favors Decor Every little detail such as candles and crystals dream catchers ceremony area. And the video and photographer. What did I do. I just blindly went with whatever stef chose and you know what?... Best fricken day ever the details were even better than expected. I literally wanted to cry with how happy I was with everything. Final test, what I really wanted a night wedding photos and videos were really important. And her recommendation for video / photography was absolutely perfect. I only recommend this as maybe a surprise package for bride and grooms that want to be totally chill that day and actually enjoy their time together with friends family and especially / most importantly enjoying our time as bride and groom. This is hands off / bridezilla free wedding coordination. And stef is the only one I trusted after interviewing 3 other wedding coordinator I'm so glad she could do this. Now hands off wedding package for us was pretty pricy especially since she was planning everything. You can give her a budget and she will do her best to try to match it, but honestly stef is definitely a high end planner and her service is well worth it. In fact she was keeping me on budget and will find the best prices. As for cheep brides this package may not be for you. But she can always recommend a cheaper package or even other planners.And the thing that really matters photo and videos you should really take her recommendation. read more

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Stephanie and her team literally saved our wedding from being a disaster! Unfortunately, we had to fire our last wedding coordinator who ghosted us for 9 days with only 5 weeks left until our wedding. AND we still had to secure a florist, DJ and a new reception venue since the last venue was not going to fulfill some non-negotiable items. Steph was highly recommended by my friend and from her website, she was already fully booked for this year and not taking any more weddings. However, Steph knew we were in a real pickle and made an exception for us!! Steph was able to have just a few conversations with me and knew exactly how to pick up where my last wedding coordinator left off even without any knowledge transfer since our former wedding coordinator never even responded back. With only 4 weeks left until our wedding, Steph was hired on, secured a florist and a DJ and was able to secure an even better reception venue than we were expecting - The Moana Surfrider!! As a bride, I was freaking out with all these last minute changes, but Steph took everything in stride and was able to help me get through all the planning step-by-step until everything was done! She had an Excel spreadsheet that listed all the items that we needed to make sure was in place and it was our way of communicating details, so it wouldn't be lost in texts or emails. She was always responsive and even if she didn't have the answers right away, she would set expectations as to when she would get back to me - that's exactly the type of communication that was needed. Steph spoke directly with all our vendors and ensured they were taken care of vs. me having to coordinate anything which was such a breath of fresh air in comparison to my last coordinator. She was the one that uncovered the non-negotiable items that were not going to be taken care of by our last reception venue and advised me to switch venues - I'm SOOOO glad she did!! The Moana Surfrider was 10x's better than our original reception venue and she negotiated the pricing, so it even saved us money to use towards details we really wanted (wedding cake made in-house, signature cocktails and valet parking for our guests, cold sparks, Hawaiian entertainment, etc.) All the details we wanted for our fairy tale wedding, Steph was able to either find a vendor or make solid suggestions to make sure we were happy with the results. The ceremony and reception were well coordinated and the majority of our guests complimented that this was the BEST wedding they've ever attended! They could see all the details that went into the planning of this wedding and they would never have guessed that we switched wedding coordinators or reception venues within a month of the wedding! I think it was as seamless as it could be considering the insane circumstances! I highly recommend hiring https://www.esselleweddings.com/ as they clearly have a solid system of finding the right vendors and executing what needed to be done. As a Project Manager, I can say I was not the least bit stressed on our wedding day and I knew we were in good hands - that's how ALL brides should feel leading up to and on their special day! read more

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Stephanie Le is absolutely the person you want to pull everything together for you leading up to and on your wedding day. She is meticulous and has amazing attention to detail - if you think you've thought of everything, you'll be pleasantly surprised when Stephanie offers insight and ideas to make your wedding day all that more special. For example, we had gone through months of planning and mock-ups, but when she came on to coordinate for us, she suggested we change some linen colours for the bar - we thought this would clash with the rest of our colours, but it was absolutely the right choice (you don't want ugly spills and stains on your linens at the bar!). She is the consummate professional, but also just a great and fun person to be and have around. She'll keep you on track (and make sure you actually have time for yourself to eat!), but she'll also have all of your vendors on the same page working for you to make your day flawless. Kaitlyn Taketa also assisted in the day-of-coordination and we are so glad that she was there to oversee the set up and run down of the day. With her keen eye for detail, we knew we were lucky to also have her on our team. You'd be lucky to have Stephanie as part of your team on your wedding day!! She's absolutely amazing and I couldn't have asked for anyone else. Stephanie also planned our tea ceremony and welcome party - she did an amazing job with those, too! We love her to bits and can't wait to see her succeed! read more

Esselle Weddings & Events - Wedding Planning Near Me

Steph is an amazing wedding planner. From day one, I felt like she cares deeply for her clients and wants to give them their dream wedding. We sat down and had some coffee, talked about my vision, and I felt like she totally understood what I wanted. Throughout the process, Steph was easy to communicate with, she helped me find vendors when other vendors would fall through or when I decided I wanted to add different things last minute to the wedding. I am so grateful for her because planning your first wedding is stressful and there are so many details that go into it, but Steph is so experienced that she knows how to handle each and every situation, I felt like every time I was going to have a "bridezilla" moment, she diffused my anxiety before it could manifest. One thing I'm eternally grateful for was my flowers. I was set on this one vendor, but Steph immediately looked at my invoice and noticed that I wasn't getting my money's worth and it wasn't lining up with my vision. And she helped me to understand that there were other vendors who could create my vision for the same price and give me a better bang for my buck! She saved me from being disappointed and I'm so grateful for her! My flowers were beautiful and exactly what I had envisioned. Everything went perfectly on my day of my wedding and I couldn't be more happier with Steph and her amazing work! read more

Stephanie is an amazing, creative, and dedicated wedding planner and person. I asked her to assist me with coordinating my wedding at the last minute and she pulled out my dream wedding. I literally had so many ideas it was a mess if I hadn't have her. She helped calm me and really sit me down and plan what I envisioned on my wedding day. Steph was very open to ideas and conveying my visions to the best of her ability. If you want something in your wedding she would make it happen. I also saved thousands of dollars because she was so knowledgeable, experienced, and well connected. The day went by so smoothly, my husband and i could not have asked for more. She was very responsive and kept me on track for the wedding. I gave her little direction with decorating the venue and it was so perfect! Her taste level was on point and decorated our venue so beautifully. There is nothing i would have changed about our day. I remember everything went so smoothly during our wedding and we enjoyed the day instead of stressing about it. If you are looking to have the dream wedding you must enlist steph. read more

First, I am not a person who likes to write a review. A wedding planner is a whole different story. It's not like a restaurant or a golf course that I wanna keep as a secret gem, I can share my candid opinion. I and my spouse had postponed our wedding date to Jan 2022 due to the pandemic in early 2021. We had contracted with another wedding planner based on Oahu like Steph at Esselle weddings and he/she had worked with us for longer than 1 year. I don't like to talk more about the ex-planner, but we fired him/her due to lack of communication and decided to work with Steph when it's D-90. We already paid tons of our budget to the ex-planner, so we're very cautious of any red-flag indicator from all sources e.g. google, yelp, the knot and more. I'm pretty sure she's one of two wedding planners who don't have any bad reviews, The pricing is also very reasonable if compared to her works for sure (we know since we had worked with another planner). Steph has perfectly-rounded talents for this job - detail-oriented, organized, comforting, shrewd, and well-leading in a timely manner. She was catching all details we have missed, managing all stuff in a very neat way. She was also such nice at sympathizing with us because we were kinda depressed by the COVID restriction, which made us feel so comfortable. Another hidden challenge was our indecisiveness (welcome to this world - you need to decide everything that you've never known). Steph gently guided and led us to decide what we liked when needed. She also provided a variety of vendors - this is better than our ex-planner who always gave only one option that he/she used to work with. Under her guidance, you may be able to choose a perfect fit from the list. All in all, Steph is a highly reliable person (not just a planner) from my experience. read more

I went back and forth a lot of whether I should have a day-of. Typical self confidence that I think a lot of brides have for some odd reason but thinking of the chaos that ensued and what would have happened if I didn't have Esselle Weddings there makes me giggle. Steph was such a pleasure, she is so responsive and such a problem solver. She is realistic with her thoughts and "no" isn't really something she says easily. Her goal is pretty simple and it's to make the couple's vision come to life and make sure they have the best day possible. She comes from a word of mouth recommendation after I had called almost all the wedding planners I could find on the island who pretended like they were interested in my vision and tried to stir me into a traditional format. Steph truly listens and even before we signed anything, she was already giving great suggestions and strategic plans that we can do to make sure the day goes smoothly. I thought I was a logistical person but Steph comes with a wealth of experience and quick and communicative on everything. I am thankful to have had her part of my day. I seriously can't recommend her enough! read more

Steph is an amazing wedding coordinator! We start to work together almost 7 moths, even though I kept chaining my idea and design, she will always say" No Problem", " I am Here for you and David"! We definitely got our dream wedding came true, the wedding atmosphere is sweet and touching, the wedding color and decoration are so comfortable and match what WE LOVE!!!! Thank you Steph for being our eyes, mouth, ears and legs! We definitely can't make this happened without you! read more

Hiring Steph was one of the first decisions we made in planning our wedding, and it was easily our best. We live on Kauai, but got married on Oahu in April 2021 and started planning our wedding in early 2020. I don't need to tell anyone that planning a wedding during all of the ups and downs of COVID was complete chaos, but Steph made us feel at ease throughout the whole process, and our wedding turned out absolutely PERFECT!! Keep reading for some of our favorite things Steph did to make our wedding day incredible. -Recommending QUALITY vendors. For each vendor we needed to hire, Steph provided us with a few recommendations and comments regarding the strengths and styles of each one. This was really helpful for a couple like us that didn't want to spend hours upon hours scrolling through Yelp and Instagram looking for the perfect fit for us. Steph's recommendations were always based on our preferences, and she was also very willing to reach out to other vendors who we saw on social media, or were recommended by other friends. -HONESTY. Whether it was deciding whether to book a vendor who was a friend, figuring out what to write on our pandemic save the dates, or deciding on a look for the groomsmen, Steph was always really honest in sharing her professional opinion with us. We really appreciated that whether it was good or bad feedback, she was willing to share her thoughts and the experience of previous couples, but that she always left the ultimate decision up to us. -FLEXIBILITY. We started with a 250+ guest list at a large venue, thought we might be limited to just 5 guests in the backyard, tried to plan a double reception (one for family first, then a separate reception for friends), and had to decide whether or not to livestream the wedding. We were fortunate that gathering size limits increased about 2 weeks before the wedding, and on short notice, Steph was able to seamlessly merge our dual receptions into one beautiful evening with family AND friends. -COMMUNICATION. Steph talked with all of our vendors on our behalf, but was also happy to set up meetings/phone calls with those who we needed to talk with directly. She kept us in the loop and was willing to work around our busy schedules. -VALUE. We booked the "Curated Planning and Coordination" package, and felt SO happy that we did. We tested our guests and vendors for COVID the day before the wedding, and are so grateful that Steph helped us to coordinate the testing on top of the rehearsal and the actual wedding. She let us borrow some of her own personal decor, came prepared with wrinkle-release spray on the wedding day, and helped us to negotiate with vendors when our circumstances changed due to the pandemic. Hiring a reputable planner/coordinator like Steph can also get you discounts with vendors who she works with regularly! -KINDNESS and COMPASSION. I don't think this is really emphasized enough with all wedding vendors, but Steph is genuinely a kind, thoughtful person. It is not about the money (we thought our deposit check got lost in the mail at one point, yet she still continued to provide the same quality of service), but rather the joy of creating magical wedding days that her couples will remember forever. She loves seeing her couples and their guests happy, and she went above and beyond to make every single person smile at our wedding. This is a trait that we think should be at the top of your list in looking to hire a wedding planner/coordinator, and trust us, Steph will NOT disappoint! read more

Steph was such a great wedding planner. She made me and my wife's wedding experience so enjoyable and stress free! You won't regret using her. read more

Stephanie and her team did an amazing job for our wedding day! We started working with Stephanie almost a year before our wedding and hired her for the "Day-of Coordination" service, but she worked with us throughout the entire time. She was responsive in email and text, and we did a couple of Skype sessions in our planning phase. We were both pretty organized so it was easy to put things together until the big day. I planned my wedding from Las Vegas, so it was helpful to have someone on the island run around and check on things for me. She did a great job in getting me great connections and discounts with our other vendors. She became the main contact for all of them to make sure that we were on track with plans and payments. There was a huge rainstorm on the day of our wedding, which made our outdoor ceremony into an indoor one. Stephanie's team worked fast to bring in our decor and set up the ceremony indoors while we were coming back from our first look photoshoot. Even though the rain delayed our ceremony, we managed to get back on track with the rest of the reception. Stephanie constantly checked in with us throughout the day to make sure that we are and got to do what we wanted while keeping up with our planned timeline. I highly recommend Stephanie and her team for wedding coordination services. She is so nice and professional, and she has great knowledge of the wedding industry in Hawaii. You will have the chance to enjoy your wedding as my husband and I did. read more

Stephanie Le was a wealth of information and help! I'm not the type who has been dreaming of her wedding since I was a little girl so I had absolutely no idea what I wanted. Steph gave me ideas and even showed me examples so I can better envision what I want. She kept me on track with my budget and timeline. She was a jack of all trades! She and her team even worked as my florist since I technically did not have a florist who stayed behind to assemble the flowers onto the arch and then disassemble the arch as a sweetheart centerpiece. She calmed me down and saved the day several times during the wedding day. I am very very happy to have hired Stephanie and would highly recommend her! read more

Stephanie and her team coordinated our wedding at Koolau Ballrooms perfectly. My husband and I had zero worries on the day of and Stephanie answered all my spontaneous questions and concerns. My entire bridal party lives on the mainland, so it was nice having someone on the island to help me plan. Stephanie is super relatable and upbeat and brought great ideas to each meeting, while also maintaining our budget. I definitely recommend! read more

I highly recommend booking Steph at Esselle weddings and events. She was very organized and knowledgeable. She helped me out so much with all the questions I had and always had such great suggestions and ideas. Not only is she super easy and enjoyable to work with, but she always responds so fast! I have been a bridesmaid in several weddings and a few of my friends' wedding planners were not nearly as excellent as she was. I recommend her to everyone I know that gets engaged. she was well worth the money spent! read more

I met Stephanie through my husband, Hoku who knew her from high school and I am so glad Stephane was there to help us plan our big day! She had a clear vision of what we wanted and she was willing to go above and beyond to get us the vendors, and decor we wanted. Because my husband and I are both very busy, it was a huge relief to have someone we could trust. Stephanie took care of all the negotiations, the payments and the communication with our vendors so I didn't feel overwhelmed at all. On our wedding day, Stephanie was there from start to finish making sure our guests were taken care of and that nothing was amiss. We would definitely book Stephanie again for all our future events! read more

Stephanie is an outstanding wedding planner! She took all of my husband's and my wedding day dreams and turned them into a reality for us. She listened to our ideas and guided us with her expertise when we weren't sure what we wanted. We are beyond grateful that she brought to life a wedding that was perfect for us and still within our budget. She and her team even hand made the bouquets for my bridesmaids and me on the night before the wedding in a creative endeavor to help us cut down costs and they turned out absolutely beautiful. It is very evident that she is dedicated to her clients and prioritizes them in every way. She is knowledgeable and well connected in her industry, has a romantic vision for weddings, and will not only be your wedding planner but a supportive friend through the whole process. On our wedding day there were weather related hiccups but Stephanie and her team took care that everything went as smoothly as possible, and made sure that my husband and I simply enjoyed our special day without worrying about anything else. She even took care of every small detail like getting leis for our parents that we wouldn't have thought to do amongst the chaos and excitement of wedding planning. If you are getting married in Hawaii and need a professional and exceptional wedding planner to create your beautiful day be it an intimate celebration, big wedding, or elopement, you will be happy you entrusted that task to Steph! read more

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Stephanie is truly amazing! Stephanie was recommended to us by my husband's close friend, who also works in the wedding industry. And I can confidently say that hiring Stephanie and her team was one of the best money we've ever spent! As a highly budget-conscious couple, we initially set out to plan and execute our intimate wedding on our own. After much hemming and hawing (because anything wedding-related costs so much $$$) we finally caved in and reached out to Stephanie for her day-of-coordinator services. From the very start, my husband and I couldn't stop raving about how awesome Stephanie is! Our worries and concerns were immediately addressed during our first extensive meeting with Stephanie. She also provided us with very detailed timeline for our ceremony and reception, as well as suggesting and planning few wedding games to be played during the reception (which were a huge hit!). She was also able to provide creative solution to get our first dance pictures within the time frame we had hired our wedding photographer for, thereby saving us some $$$. Stephanie also ran our wedding rehearsal and provided some helpful tips on how to position our bodies, hold hands, when to stop and kiss for the photos, etc. (basically things you don't really think about but are important in getting that amazing wedding shots). On our wedding day, Stephanie and her team kept things running on time and smoothly, and even my husband's mother and my mother were impressed and happy with how things went on our wedding day. We can't recommend Stephanie and her team enough, and we are forever grateful that she was able to be part of our big day! read more