I'm writing this review specifically for future couples who are in the process of hiring a coordinator because looking back, I wish I had never hired Emily.
As a first-time bride, I hired her for a partial planning package because I didn't know what I didn't know. That's exactly why you hire a coordinator - to have an experienced professional who guides you, anticipates your needs, and asks the right questions before you even know to ask them. Unfortunately, that is not what I got.
Throughout the planning process, I was always the one initiating questions that she should have already been addressing. When I did reach out with concerns, instead of taking accountability, she texted me to "just relax" and that "everything will be fine, this is why I'm here." Had she been on top of things and anticipated my needs the way an experienced coordinator should, I would have never needed to reach out as much as I did. Also, a coordinator dismissing your concerns instead of addressing them is a major red flag, and I wish I had recognized it sooner.
One of the reasons I hired her was because she advertised herself as bilingual, which was important to me as my in-laws aren't as comfortable speaking English. Not only did she fall short in that regard, but I also had to remind her of this myself on the day of our rehearsal. I had also specifically requested a printed Chinese copy of the timeline for my husband's parents which was never fulfilled. To make matters worse, I later found out that my groomsmen ended up having to do the majority of the translating on the wedding day - a responsibility that should have been hers.
Our rehearsal the night before was sloppy, rushed, and poorly directed. She was visibly disengaged to the point where my own mother pulled me aside to comment on it. It was also at the rehearsal that she distributed a cheat sheet with the timeline, only for us to find out it was an outdated version, not the final one. Finally, on the wedding day, she was already visibly disengaged and going through the motions. But what personally bothered me the most was before my grand entrance, I made the personal decision to carry my bridal bouquet and she repeatedly questioned it which was unsolicited and completely unnecessary. That is the last thing any bride needs to hear in that moment.
It wasn't until after the wedding that I learned the full extent of her behavior - my entire wedding party came to me separately to share how rude she had been to them throughout the day. The fact that it was a pattern across so many people says everything.
I would NOT recommend her to any couple. The only reason our wedding day was seamless was because our wedding party and other vendors stepped up and were the true backbone of our day, not her. You deserve a coordinator who is as invested in your wedding as you are, and that is simply not what you will get here. read more