I recently served as Matron of Honor for a wedding coordinated by "Events by Wise," and I want to share my observations regarding my sister's (the bride's) treatment by Shari.
One major issue was the lack of personal presence. Just three days before the wedding, Shari called to inform my sister that she would not attend due to a conflicting commitment to her granddaughter's 16th birthday. Although the contract stated Shari's presence was not guaranteed, she led my sister to believe she would be there to fulfill her vision for the day. Imagine the stress the bride felt upon hearing this news! My sister was overwhelmed with worry about whether the assistants would understand her vision as she had explained it to Shari during planning meetings. As someone with a background in high-end hospitality, I find this treatment of a client (especially a bride!) unprofessional and, frankly, mean. To add to the stress, my sister could not contact the assistants directly until the day before the wedding.
While the assistants did a commendable job executing the wedding, some significant components were mishandled. The bridal party arrived at the bridal suite an hour before the ceremony was set to begin, fully ready after preparing at an Airbnb. However, just 30 minutes before the ceremony, one of the coordinators informed the bride that they were still figuring out how to get her out without the groom seeing her. This detail should have been sorted out earlier, ideally during the rehearsal. The ceremony, originally scheduled for 4 PM, did not start until 4:30 PM, which felt unacceptable. The wedding coordinator's primary role should be to ensure the schedule is followed.
Additionally, we felt rushed despite waiting an hour in the bridal suite. At the ceremony site, the coordinators distributed bouquets but failed to bring the flower girl's basket, a cherished family heirloom. When this was pointed out, one coordinator dismissively stated, "Don't worry about it, we don't have time to go get it." This hurried feeling persisted into the reception. When it was time for the wedding party to enter the reception for our introductions, we were told last minute that we had to use a different entrance than what had been rehearsed due to a locked door. This lack of foresight caused confusion and disrupted the flow of the entrances.
Although the wedding was absolutely magical and my sister had such thoughtful and beautiful touches throughout the ceremony and reception- there were elements that did not meet her expectations and her vision. She expressed disappointment about the dessert table, which Shari had promised would be stunning. While all the wedding guests thought it was a beautiful dessert display, if the bride wasn't satisfied with it- does it really matter what others think?
The situation escalated when my sister wrote an honest review expressing her disappointment. Instead of addressing the issues professionally, Shari responded defensively and attacked my sister, even including false claims that she was an hour late to her own rehearsal!! This response felt shocking and unkind. Shari never apologized or reached out to my sister to discuss what went wrong.
This wedding was especially emotional for our family, as the groom's father had passed away two months prior, and we were coping with the impending loss of our beloved aunt. It would have meant a lot if Shari had shown some compassion towards my sister, even if there were changes in plans.
While no wedding is perfect, when hiring professionals, you expect warmth and respect. Given my experience, I cannot recommend Events by Wise." There are many other coordinators who will honor your special day with professionalism and kindness. read more