I had the opportunity to participate in a photoshoot styled by The Test of Time Weddings and I was…read morenot disappointed. The vast collection of vintage props is absolutely amazing. Not only was Mandy so friendly and personable, but her attention to detail was absolutely incredible. We were able to make my stylized pinup and retro dreams come true with her amazing collection of pieces. No matter the theme or occasion, The Test of Time Weddings has the perfect props and accessories. It doesn't get any better than fabulous vintage coupled with amazing customer service. Should you book with The Test of Time, you will NOT be disappointed!

I've had the pleasure of seeing Mandy at many weddings and she is on-time, thorough, professional,…read moreand knowledgeable. I know that when she is involved in a wedding, that event will run smoothly. She is highly respected in the industry and I recommend her to anyone! Thanks Mandy for all that you do! A+

Words do not exist to explain how much of our amazing wedding was due to the insane amounts of…read morelove, care and creativity Amy poured into our special day and the months leading up to it. I found Amy because the wedding planner a friend referred me to was booked. I asked her if she had any suggestions of other planners in the area and she said, "If I were getting married, I would hire Amy to plan my wedding." In my mind, that was about as good of a recommendation as you could get! Before I met Amy, we already had a pretty defined overall vision and a good number of our vendors booked. While I knew we needed someone to help coordinate the schedule and all the moving parts of our big day, I was really worried about entrusting a wedding planner with anything related to design. It sounds ridiculous, but I'm a bit of a control freak so even the idea of me potentially not being there to set up the space the day of our wedding scared the crap out of me. Enter Amy. After meeting Amy and spending a couple of sessions with her, she just got it. She got it in a way I never could have imagined. She has an unbelievable talent of deeply understanding her clients, and she knew exactly what we were looking for as far as the mood and aesthetic went. She had great ideas and creative solutions and all of her recommendations were spot on. As we got closer to the wedding, and the tasks started piling up she was able to take so many things off my plate. I totally trusted her and she rocked it. Having the peace of mind that everything would get done and be amazing, made Amy worth her weight in gold. As far as the logistical details went, she was awesome. From the big things (like the set up of the space or the day-of schedule) to the small (like what fork and napkins we should rent), she had excellent recommendations, was ridiculously organized, and on top of everything. She coordinated directly with our vendors, so we didn't even have to think about it. She had an amazing wealth of wedding knowledge and was always super responsive and accommodating when I had questions. She was always so sweet and friendly, even when I texted her late in the evening with another question or I just needed to get something out of my head. Ultimately, Amy played the role of so many invaluable players along the way--task master, creative director, organizer, orchestrator, master crafter, therapist, air traffic controller and ultimately friend. Come wedding day, the entire thing went off without a hitch. The set-up and space (which thank god I wasn't there for) was beautiful and more lovely than I ever could have imagined. Our guests had a blast. We had a blast. It was true perfection! We feel so incredibly grateful for everything Amy did for us, which was far above and beyond what we actually hired her to do. She clearly loves her job and her enthusiasm for what she does is infectious. She was the perfect wedding planner and we couldn't have asked for more. Thank you, Amy!! We love you!

Amy is FANTASTIC. Like other reviewers on here, I heard about her from another coordinator. She…read moresaid she would have Amy coordinate her own wedding. I met with Amy and it was clear that day that I wanted to work with her. This was about 3 months prior to our wedding, which was October 2014 at Carmel Valley Ranch. My husband and I have very busy jobs and lives, and we don't have time to be indecisive. So, we needed someone who: - brought great options (but not too many) to the table the 1st time around - listened to our budget, - understood our style (or lack of) - was responsive to both if us - worked nicely with other vendors and our venue - no bullsh** - consistently communicated with everyone involved - had a laid-back attitude throughout (including wedding day!); otherwise we would have been stressed out ourselves. This is admittedly an exhaustive list, but she checked off every single thing. Most importantly, our fear was that after attending some pretty impressive friends' weddings, our wedding would feel cliché. Turns out our wedding was anything but cliché. Amy and her wonderful assistant Andi incorporated extremely personal touches that everybody noticed and appreciated. This included some DIY projects of Amy's, and will be featured in our new home for decades to come. Furthermore, Amy flawlessly navigated day-of obstacles like rain the morning of an outdoor wedding, timing speeches intermittently during exciting innings of the SF Giants World Series playoff game, my grandmother's limited mobility, giving out tips to all vendors, and a shuttle that showed up late to bring the bridal party (and bride!) to begin the wedding. Late that night, my husband arrived back in our room to find a thoughtfully-ordered charcuterie platter and wedding cake slices that we hungrily devoured while reading her sweet note. I can't recommend Amy enough. I'm already excited to have another occasion (albeit not another wedding!) that I can call on her for. Best of all, she's just a cool chick that I have fun hanging out with. Not everyone deserves Amy, but if you're lucky enough to, you'll have one amazing wedding/event/friend.

Kim Lange came in as our Day of Coordinator ONE month before the wedding. I really did not know…read morewhat to expect from a DOC. I assumed that she would ask for our vendors names & numbers, a basic time line, and names of family & any issues they may have (in general or with each other). When she came to our place to meet us for the first time I was immediately put at ease. Kim inspires confidence right away. I knew right away that she would be perfect in terms of dealing with any of our family members or our friends. She was excited about the quirky details of our wedding and did not blink or show signs of alarm at any tasks left undone (like nailing down the menu or ordering linens or figuring out flowers or a million other things etc.). When she showed us an example of a time line and I saw not only how organized and detailed she was, but also how much attention was given to the visual design, I kind of fell in love with her! From then on, Kim kept in constant touch with us over email, asking us questions that I had not even thought of--like where would I be before entering for the ceremony? When I joked that there was a bar up the street, she was like "That would be fabulous!" Kim saved the day when we lost our photographer 8 days before the wedding. Within a day of hearing our news, she took it upon herself to call several photographers she knows and arranged for Kim & Niki Photography to take on our wedding. Not only did Kim save us hours and hours of work, but she found us photographers who took photos that are more amazing than I EVER could have imagined. (And the ones at the bar are awesome!) On the day of, Kim was great, keeping everyone as close to schedule as we could be with the craziness of the day. When we called to say we were an hour late & stuck in bridge traffic & I had not even showered yet & my husband forgot his shirt & we forgot to pick up the bouquet, etc. she was consistently calming. She even showed up to the hotel where I was getting ready with a huge carrier of everything one might need but forgot, deodorant, chalk in case of stains, safety pins, etc. She made sure everything went as smoothly as possible and looked as beautiful as I had hoped. Kim was the reason I was able to relax & put all logistics out of my mind, which was something I never expected was possible (as I am just a bit of a control freak). If I had to do it all again, I would hire Kim to coordinate the entire wedding!

What can I say about Kim AWESOME, FANTASTIC, SPECTICULAR! I had no idea when I started to plan my…read more30th wedding anniversary that I would even need a DOC. But little did I know. When I first met Kim and explained to her what we were doing and the theme of the event, she was so excited. She actually did more that I thought a DOC would do. She was very friendly and made me and my husband feel at ease right away. She also had alot of great idea and offered to help with things. She requested the names and contact info for my vendors and contacted them to create the time line for the day of the event. I would of never thought of this. The actual day she took charge and made my my day stress free. I did not have to worry about a thing. She worked very well the the family and if their were any issues that arose I did not know about. She has a way of making you feel very comfortable and as if you have know her longer than you have. I feel that I gained a special friend!

Renee Jones of Beautiful Purpose Events is a life saver. At the beginning, Renee discussed all of…read moremy needs and created a package that was within my budget. She then over delivered in every way throughout the wedding planning process. I initially thought that I could plan the wedding on my own, but looking back there is no way I could have done all of this without Renee's expertise, ideas and help. Renee was extremely organized and gave me a weekly to do list that was accomplishable but not overwhelming. She held my hand through every step and made sure that the choices I made were both the best deal but also elegant, classy and beautiful. There were so many benefits that I wouldn't have been able to imagine initially. One of those benefits is Renee's extensive network of professionals such as stationary, florists, venues, etc. We ended up choosing a destination wedding and Renee was intimately involved throughout the whole process even working side by side with the wedding coordinator at the resort. She also helped to negotiate everything, literally everything. I have attached pictures so that you can see how beautiful the wedding was. It initially was supposed to be outside however it rained on my wedding day and so everything was moved inside but it couldn't have been more beautiful. Before the wedding, Renee sent us a gift package with a beautiful customized binder that included every single last detail and a weekend schedule that detailed hair and make-up times, arrival times and everything. She coordinated with the makeup and hair team as well as everyone else involved. Renee is truly a superwoman. If you want someone detailed, stylish, and professional, choose Renee. Angela M. Moore

Excellent service from beginning to end in helping me plan my daughter's birthday party. Renee is…read moreso sweet, very easy to work with and her recommendations are great! She helped me plan and save money!!!! How can you not love that in an Event Planner? Renee's attention to detail is outstanding. Highly recommend her for any of your party planning needs!!!

Dear Ms. Rowley: Your company contracted to cater my…read morehusband's 60th Surprise Birthday for September 18th, 2016. I fulfilled my monetary obligation according to the contract and you did not. According to the contract (which I enclosed) my event started at 11:00am and food was to be served starting at 12:30pm, dropped off at 12. Food was not served until 1:45pm (1 hour and 15 mins late) and it was only served at that time because my sister and I had to help set up and put the food out. Not part of the contract. We had to help because the servers arrived late at 1:00pm with nothing ready and did not have the proper equipment. The food they brought still needed to be prepared, warmed up, plated and put into chaffing dishes. (Per our discussion and follow up email, this was to be handled differently.) I ordered appetizers and they were to be passed at 12:30pm. The servers did not have the appetizers ready to go nor did they have plates to put them on. When the servers finally did arrive, they were preparing the appetizers. I had to stop them and tell them it is way past lunch time and they should be getting the buffet going since people were hungry. They started to work on preparing the lunch buffet with my sister (who was my guest!) while I quickly put out my 3pm snacks that I had prepared, so the guest would have something to eat. Next I got my utensils and prepared the buffet. While in the kitchen; the servers were warming up food and putting it into the chaffing dishes. My sister assisted with the getting the salad out and I helped to get the food out once it was warmed up. You were to provide a tablecloth but did not and there were not enough utensils. The food was horrible, no one enjoyed it and they left the food on their plate. There was so much food left over! The food the servers brought was nothing like you described in the contract, the company's catering menu and website. The servers where actually embarrassed by the food and the terrible situation you put them into. You know this is true because they were texting the contact left and right about all the issues they were having. Per the contract: I was to have BBQ chicken, not boiled chicken thighs with barbeque sauce thrown on top after the chicken was warmed up in the microwave. The chicken arrived in Ziploc bags and the servers had to warm it up, did not arrive in chaffing dishes as you stated in your email. Enclosures: Pictures with descriptions Email chain of timeline and process Contract Agreement Grilled Lemon Salmon, was oven baked salmon in foil,- It arrived in individual pieces cooked in foil, the servers had to unwrap pieces of salmon, warm them up. They had no spices, herbs, or garnishes. It did not arrive in chaffing dishes you stated in your email. Chili beans looked like they were from a can, not like what explained and what your show on your website. Green Salad was from a bag and in a plastic bowl, not like what you have on your website. Salad dressing- only 1 bottle for 100ppl, which was already opened and half way empty. A leftover opened salad dressing, not refrigerated is a violation of a health code. One server had to leave to go to the store when they were already and hour late to get more salad dressing and paper plates because there were not enough paper plates to start serving lunch, this delayed the lunch further. Watermelon- Not sliced, it was cube and soggy, tasted terrible, no one ate it. Passed appetizers, not served at 12:30 as contracted, they were plated by 3:00pm on my plates and put on the buffet. Deviled eggs, arrived not stuff, the egg whites were so flimsy your server threw half of them away, she told me she could not serve them, they were not acceptable. Bruschetta did not have a spread, they needed to be warmed up because the bread was stale and there were no garnishes. - refer to pictures I included of how it should have looked per your website. Quiche, there was not enough for 100ppl and it had to be warmed up. According to your contract and your emails it is evident that you did not provided the service and product that was agreed upon. I included pictures from your website which you told me to look at to get an idea of the food I would receive for my husband's 60th surprise birthday. The appetizers should have been plated and ready to be passed at 12:30pm and lunch was to be served at 1:00pm. That is what was discussed more than once verbally and communicated through email. The food should have been prepared properly so it would be tasty, look appealing and reflect the contract.

I am extremely pleased with the level of service I received from this Company. The professionalism…read moreand creativeness is what I am most pleased about. Kristine took my vision and made it something more than I could have ever imagined. Her attention to detail is top notch. I will be using her services in the future and will refer her to my clients as well as friends and family.

I am so, so glad that I hired Bri at the beginning of wedding planning. It's been two years since…read moreI hired her (covid postponement), and she has been an enormous help every step of the way. We just hired her for month-of coordination services, not her full planning services, but she was always quick to reply to any questions we had, even before the "month of." She had great recommendations for vendors and was willing to give us her honest opinion, so I felt much more confident in the choices we made. Bri was also incredibly flexible and understanding when we postponed out summer 2020 date to summer 2021, which we really appreciated. As the wedding approached, I became even more thankful for Bri's help. Knowing that she had everything totally under control was such a relief. She put together a lengthy timeline, coordinated with vendors to make sure everyone was on the same page, and helped me organize all the items that we would need to have for the wedding. It was great to know that nothing would fall through the cracks! Finally, at the rehearsal and on the wedding day itself, Bri was such a source of calm. We were able to enjoy the day without worrying about logistics at all. I can't imagine wedding planning without her, and I would highly recommend her to any future couples!

A wedding is a happy moment in your life, but it can also be stressful. I'm a big CONTROL FREAK and…read moreI wanted to be hands on from start to finish, so I was very weary when searching for a day-of-wedding-coordinator, but Bri put me at ease! My first impression of her was that she was very quiet and smiley. I was slightly afraid she wouldn't be able to withstand my enthusiasm (which often gets confused with aggression) but don't let her smile fool you! She's just listening to what you have to say and she knows how to respond to each request / question very professionally; she never missed a beat! I met with her for our introductory meeting and she drove all the way to me even though I offered to meet her half way, she emailed me to check in throughout the wedding planning process, got in contact with all my vendors, scheduled meetings with the venue and site coordinator and built the day-of-timeline. Although I wanted to be hands on in everything, when I had to actually let go and let her handle things, I was so confident in her and wasn't afraid of anything going wrong. I trusted Bri and she proved herself with all the curveballs that got thrown at her the day of the wedding. I'd have to say my wedding was a perfect day! Yes, there were tiny things that nobody could control, but she was there to ensure that I didn't notice a thing. She managed the day really well not only overseeing the other vendors, but actually setting up my reception decorations (she even asked me for photos examples just in case I had a vision). - I went to a few weddings where I had no idea that there was a wedding planner; I helped the families of the Bride and Groom set up / clean up the reception décor because their planners "didn't include that service". Bri stayed until a little after midnight on my wedding night making sure I got back everything that I wanted, packed up my gifts, and ensure that everything was taken cared of. I didn't lift a finger! HIRE HER! It will be the best thing you do for your sanity!

Jill's experience in wedding planning allowed our big day to be enjoyable, stress-free and fun! We…read moreworked with Jill for our wedding at the San Mateo County History Museum and she is an absolute star! Jill's knowledge of the venue space was unparalleled. She had a strong understanding of what locations would work best for different elements of the event. From a much broader perspective, Jill was excellent in referring great vendor partners. She knew who we could turn to for key elements of our big day, and each recommended vendor was excellent which speaks highly of her knowledge and her relationship-building skills with vendors in the Bay Area. We are so happy and grateful that we had the opportunity to work with Jill, she is wonderful!

I have used California Special Occasions to plan and manage a holiday open house (for about 125…read moreguests) for the past five or so years. Every year, Maxine and her team save me from the results of my good intentions ("this year, I'm going to start planning the open house much earlier. . .") and create a truly memorable event. They handle every aspect of the event - caterer, valet parking service, rentals, etc. - and follow up continuously with both me and those contractors. Each year, we have had some crisis (for example, one year the new caterer got lost on the way to our house and arrived only a half hour before the start of the party) but Maxine always has a contingency plan ready to go. I never have to worry - I just relax and enjoy welcoming my guests to a wonderful event!

When my husband (then boyfriend obvs) asked me to marry him it came as a complete surprise. I had…read moreno idea how to go about planning a wedding and had honestly never even considered what I wanted. Fast forward a few weeks and we found out that between our two families it looked like we may have around 250 guests!!! I. Almost. Died. Luckily my mom knew Maxine through her leads group and she swooped in and saved the day. She was a complete life saver and I don't know if I would have survived this process without her. From the budget to handling the crazy venue people to me trying to figure out my "style" she took it all in stride. She didn't even make me feel bad for my mid planning sob session when we couldn't find a suitable venue. Maxine is amazing. If you are looking for someone who can completely take all of the stress off of you, who is professional, kind, and caring, Maxine and CSO are your answer.