Frank Andonoplas, of Frank Event Design, is a wedding planner extraordinaire. Two weeks from our daughter's wedding day, we had to replace our wedding planner who was holy unprofessional and provided us with little assurance that the wedding would be all we had hoped and planned it to be. Frank came highly recommended and the stars were aligned that he was available. He immediately took the reins and began reviewing all of the vendor contracts, reworked the poorly designed day of timeline, coordinating with the venue, meeting with our daughter and future son in law, and making himself available to us via email, text, or phone everyday. He is a dedicated professional who takes pride in giving each couple the day they dreamed of. The wedding day was seamless. Frank was on site handling the reception space, the flower delivery, band/ staging, all while checking on the bridal party throughout the day. The outdoor ceremony started on time and flowed right into the cocktail hour. The room reveal for the reception was a wow. As we partied and were fully immersed in the celebration, Frank was behind the scenes collecting gifts, gathering personal items to place securely in the bridal suite, and handled gratuities so we could stay in the moment. We would enthusiastically recommend Frank for your special day... he will exceed your expectations. Susan and David V. Pomeranz read more

I just had Frank do my Star Wars themed wedding. It was perfect. Anyone who wants to work with the best of the best, should seek Frank out, because I could not imagine my wedding having been anywhere near as fantastic as it was without his help. My then fiancee, now wife, and I were both attending graduate school while planning our wedding. She was finishing up her JD in Baltimore while I was completing a MA in Seattle while planning our wedding at the Morton Arboretum in Northern Illinois. We did all the initial planning with Frank over the phone. He started by setting up a time for us all to talk so that he could get to know us, understand our vision, and provide some initial suggestions to set us on the right path. He made the entire process extremely easy so that we were able to just review our e-mails at the end of the week, choose from the pre-vetted options that he gave us, and then let him take care of the details. I was perhaps more of a "Groom-zilla" than my wife was in terms of being very detail-oriented. The day of the wedding there seemed to be a million small things that could have gone wrong, and Frank was somehow on top of all of them. The people at the venue had originally set up the tables in a mirrored version of how they were supposed to be, and Frank was able to get it all fixed during cocktail hour without our guests being any the wiser. Our cake vendor had also made a mistake, changing the iconic "I love you." "I know." from Star Wars to "I love you and I know you." Which is not the same at all, and sounds... odd. Frank hand-scraped the offending words from the cake and then covered it up artistically with flowers that he had on hand. No one even knew there was a mistake. He also found some one to make me an Ewok groom's cake. The one review on this page who accuses Frank of being a snob certainly does not know what she is talking about. Frank was genuinely one of the most caring, earnest and hardworking people I've ever had the pleasure to work with. He cares a great deal about delivering only the best to his clients, and he is upfront with you about whether or not your style and his will combine. If you are a match, you are in for a real treat working with this man. He and his team are simply the best. read more

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Frank did such a spectacular job on our June wedding at the Crown at Tribune Tower. I work in the wedding industry myself and am a bit of a perfectionist, so I knew I'd need someone VERY experienced to take over and Frank delivered! He took care of any and all issues so my husband and I could have a stress-free, perfect wedding day! I can't recommend him highly enough!! Thanks Frank!!! read more

Frank Event Design - Frank and his assistant helping me with my wedding gown - Party & Event Planning Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My daughter lives out of state and when she decided to have her wedding here in Chicago, her hometown, we were so happy. What a beautiful city and awesome place to have a celebration. My daughter and now son-in-law found the venue they loved, located right on the Chicago River in the middle of the city, and from there we began the quest for the perfect wedding planner. Frank was recommended to us by one her bridesmaids who had hired him a few years earlier for her wedding. We made the call and immediately knew he was a good fit. He was professional, yet friendly and warm. He seemed to be organized, efficient and detail oriented. All the qualities required to plan a successful event. We then started to plan with Frank, and he helped us find the band, photographer, florist, hotel, hair and makeup people etc. and then the pandemic hit. And like many other couples, my daughter and son-in-law had to postpone the big reception celebration and instead got married with a small, intimate reception within the guidelines of the Covid protocols. Frank was instrumental in working with our venue and vendors to reschedule for a year later so we could have the celebration they dreamed of with all the people they love. Such a huge relief. He also guided us thru planning the wedding and smaller event. As the pandemic ebbed and flowed, we continued to plan with Frank, our one constant who guided us and updated us with the constantly changing rules and protocols. We ultimately made it to the big event a week ago, at the original venue the kids had chosen and loved. My husband and I had arrived at the venue a little early as we wanted to make sure everything was perfect for our daughter. When I walked into the room, I was stunned at how lovely everything was. As I walked the room, every detail we had discussed and planned was there. It was stunning!!! We had arrived early to check, and I quickly realized there was no need. Frank had it under control and I instantly relaxed and knew we were going to enjoy the night without a care in the world. And that's what we did, thanks to Frank. And what a night it was. So many compliments and comments from our guests. So much fun was had with the band and so many beautiful photos captured by our photographer. The food was outstanding, the cello and piano for cocktail and dinner hours was so lovely and the flowers were stunning. The venue was great, the view was awesome, and the weather was perfection. And Frank had a hand in all of it, well maybe not the weather part, but I know he crossed his fingers for that. It was a flawless day and night in every respect. As the evening progressed, everything fell into place. It was flawlessly executed by Frank and a success because every vendor he recommended was superb. Professionals through and through every single one of them. And the venue chosen and Frank orchestrating the details and finalizing the vision was impressive. Kudos to you Frank! You are outstanding at your job, such a delight to work with, and a true professional. I highly recommend you and sincerely thank you for a job well done and for helping to create the beautiful memories we now share with our families and friends. read more

I haven't worked with Frank, but I emailed him to inquire about month-of or day-of coordination services. My email was very general - I asked if he's available the day of our wedding and if he could send me some more information on his pricing and services. Below is his response. It's amazing how people are so eager to turn down business. This guy screams SNOB! It's amazing how people are not at all flexible in this tough economic environment. Good luck, Frank! I rarely take on this level of service, as I am usually hired to design and coordinate the wedding from the start. When I do I only consider it 3 months before the wedding, and is based on the vendors you have chosen, and the level of the wedding. Best of Luck, and thanks for your email. read more

Frank planned my wedding just over three years ago. At the time I was impressed with how wonderful he was, and I was just reminded again - after having dealt with my cousin's terrible wedding planner in Portland. I cannot say enough good things about Frank. He was amazing. I wouldn't have had any idea what to do without him. He did EVERYTHING for us--from stuffing, sealing, and sending out our invitations to doing walk throughs at the event that we didn't even have to be at. He made the process of planning our wedding a breeze - fun, even - and who can say that? And when the big day came, I was stress-free because I knew i could just call him with any problem that arose. He was lovely to my friends and family as well as us. And three years later we consider him a personal friend. In short, Frank is work every penny. He is wonderful wonderful wonderful and I wish I could plan events with him all the time. If you want more details of his wonder, I would be more than thrilled to answer any specific questions. But the short answer is: YES YES YES. read more

There is no one better at what they do in the wedding biz than Frank Andonoplas. I'll be honest--I didn't want a wedding planner. I didn't want to be one of "those" girls. But I'll admit--I was pretty delusional that I believed a wedding of our size and proportion was just going to get done while my fiance/husband and I lived out of the country. Uhhhh....wrong! Enter Frank. He is friendly, organized, intuitive, and he won't beat around the bush--or, perhaps, with me, he didn't have to. Frank is the ultimate professional: he knows when to move you along the process, when to let you take your time with a decision that's meaningful to you, when to hustle-and-bustle to get your butt in gear, and when to be a calm, ordered presence. This calming side of Frank was most helpful on our wedding day, when I really didn't want to do anymore thinking. With Frank and his helpful day-of assistants at the helm, all that was required of me was to be a bride and enjoy marrying my husband, which I did with pleasure. Frank was also particularly helpful with a downright disappointing wedding dress situation (which, in retrospect, was pretty much the only decision I made without him--shame on me!). I bought a dress, that for whatever lame reason, truly did not fit me when it arrived. The whole alteration process was totally unnerving for me (including having my dress taken apart WHILE I was wearing it), and in the beginning, he immediately sensed that I needed some extra support through the process. So Frank showed up to every single alterations appointment (10, perhaps? I lost count at some point) I had, to guide the tailors, to ease my frustrations and nerves, and to keep me level-headed. This particular experience truly demonstrated Frank's dedication to my wedding cause, especially when I knew he was coming to oversee my appointments on his day off. Of course, Frank doesn't necessarily HAVE to be this involved with everyone, but it's really important to have someone on your side for your wedding who WILL go the extra mile for you when the tide turns. And I can't tell you how many people complimented us on our big day. "Best wedding we've ever been to!" "Everything was so beautiful!" We absolutely have Frank to thank for that, and would recommend him to anyone searching for the best wedding planning services available. read more

Frank planned my wedding this past weekend and we had an absolutely wonderful experience with him. He thinks of every detail and really helps you make the entire event cohesive - something I definitely would not have been able to do on my own. He connected us with wonderful vendors and worked with them to ensure we got exactly what we wanted on everything. I've seen many friends plan weddings and get married and I can say for sure that we had significantly less stress the entire time as well as the day of because we worked with Frank. I highly recommend hiring Frank for your wedding... he will make it great! read more

I have had the pleasure of attending (or crashing) many weddings in Chicago, always a groomsmen or attendant, never a groom. The most memorable of occasions is when Frank was the consultant/coordinator. I was a friend to the groom, but witnessed his ability to handle the stressed out Bride (and mom) with grace and professionalism when minor hiccups occurred. His knowledge of local venues and vendors is great, which helped my out of town friend(s) plan their local wedding. I was impressed with his customer service skills, he is a true master of his craft. When I get married in 2050 I will let him plan it so I can kick back and enjoy the day. read more

If you are getting married in or around Chicago, you would be a fool not to hire Frank to plan your wedding. I've never done a review on Yelp and probably won't do another one after this, but I felt it very necessary for anyone doing research for a wedding planner should know that the search is over. Pick him and do it fast before he gets booked on your date. Everything in our wedding turned out perfect. He's seen it all when it comes to weddings so everything is taken care of. Our wedding planning process was so easy. HE guides you on all decision but in the end let's you pick and make it your wedding He has planned mine and my 2 sisters weddings. Each one was unique and equally awesome. Therefore, I have a lot of knowledge on him and his services. you can take my word on it that it's worth the money. read more

I am writing as the mother of the bride. My daughter and son-in-law planned their wedding with Frank from Frank Event Design and I could not have been more pleased. At the time, she was living in Baltimore, MD, he was in Seattle, WA and the wedding was about one hour from where I live. Frank was able to communicate with them by phone, email, etc. and recommend all the vendors. Then he coordinated all the details with all the vendors and the venue to make sure everything was working. My daughter didn't have to fly home multiple times and I didn't have to drive into the city to search for or work with vendors. Every vendor was great and provided excellent service. The day of the wedding was a wonderful experience! Not only was the wedding beautiful, I didn't have to worry about the details. There were a couple of problems, there always are, and I didn't know until they were taken care of. My daughter had a themed wedding. I was afraid that it might get tacky or overwhelm the tradition of marriage. But instead it was handled with class. It only highlighted their personalities and made the day unique and personal. read more

My husband and I were very fortunate and blessed to have Frank plan our wedding almost 5 years ago. Eight years ago, Frank planned my sister's wedding. His attention to details was AMAZING. Her wedding was gorgeous and reminded me of a fairytale. Fast forward to my wedding. My husband and I took a modern contemporary flair. It was like Frank was in my head and took my dreams and made our wedding into a reality. I think my husband and I started the simple flowers in a black vase trend. We had a blast. It was so memorable that people are still talking about our wedding. No one left the dance floor and the sweet tables/cotton candy station are continuously raved about. Recently my brother was married. Naturally Frank is my family's go to event planner. One word sums up my brother's wedding... Epic!!! Again just like in my wedding and my sister's, the attention to detail and surprises kept all the guests wanting more. I have be very lucky to have Frank in my life for 9 years. Frank is part of my family. Frank treats his clients like family and you always take care of family. read more

My husband and myself love Frank and he is the most wonderful wedding planner I could imagine! He took care of everything including picking out my dress before I ever even saw it. He did my invitations, changed rooms at the reception hall that I had picked out as he thought it would be more perfect (which it was). He helped me with flowers - every detail was taken care of, before I knew what the detail might be. He is The BEST and Beyond!!!! I would recommend him to every bride. The attention to detail was amazing. He is one of my best friends and we Highly recommend him! read more

On July 16th, 2016 I got married to my best friend, and the wedding was one of the most enjoyable evenings of my life. And it all happened because of one person - Frank Andonoplas, who is the best wedding planner ever! If you are looking for the best planner for your wedding or event, trust me when I say you don't need to look any further - Frank is awesome. Every detail was handled with professionalism and experience. Our wedding was on the small side comparatively, but Frank was on top of every detail from start to finish, working with our budget and guiding us along all the way. He worked with us to understand the type of celebration we wanted, and then he used his experience and sense of style to create the perfect wedding for us. Julie his assistant is also amazing, and their teamwork is fantastic. Don't take chances on your special day - Hire Frank! read more

When my husband and I made the decision to get married less than 5 months after getting engaged, my mom made the smart move of hiring Frank. We were all pretty stressed and worried about getting all the big details together, mainly the venue, but Frank made it happen. After taking care of the big things, Frank assured us that he would be able to handle it all and fulfill our wishes and vision down to the little details. He is completely considerate of budget, and was helpful in keeping everything within the budget while not skimping on the important things. He was honest about where the high costs would occur, and when you asked for his advice you always knew it was genuine and thoughtful. My husband and I were not in Chicago for the planning, but Frank made sure we were always part of the process. Needless to say, without Frank, we aren't convinced we could have pulled off such a gorgeous wedding in that short amount of time. Our guests had the most amazing time and our wedding was perfect. Thank you, Frank! read more