We recently attended a wedding reception at a nearby forest preserve that used the services of A…read moreTouch of Elegance. Needless to say, it was an enjoyable experience! The meals came from someone else, but the orderly fashion it was presented and served was duly noted. That goes double for the drink line as well; I ordered non-alcoholic drinks and still felt appreciated. Kudos to the two sisters and Diane D. who worked the event! A Touch of Elegance definitely showed a touch of class!.

A Touch of Elegance was nothing but a disappointment by Denise (Owner) our event executer…read more When reading this review, please realize this was written to help other brides and people who deserve an amazing event planner/executor for their special day. We hired a Touch of Elegance to ONLY execute our designs for our wedding in September 2019. I (The Bride) worked with the owner herself, Denise, who agreed to take on this project. I gave her specific details and instructions on how I wanted key aspects of my wedding to come together which included: putting up a photo backdrop which I designed, placing all tent cards in order on the backdrop, assisting with gathering family members for pictures during cocktail hour, making sure the banquet hall was ready (table numbers, reserved seating, guest gifts) for photography before guests arrive, setting up the memory table, the autograph table, and placing signage. We also had a surprise swing dance number for our guests and I had a dress change, so that is the only thing that she helped us with correctly. Please see the images attached regarding how each part was executed INCORRECTLY as there was not enough room to write it all here sadly. We gave Denise a Call regarding feedback Being the "Hospitality Power Couple" (name given by our family and friends) and myself for receiving a degree in graphic design and hospitality, we were EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED. Learning of some of the issues during our wedding, after our wedding, learning much more from family friends, and the staff of our hotel venue about Denise was hard to take in. Unfortunately, we had to call Denise to ask how she felt our wedding day went as we wanted to hear her side of the story. The best way to sum up the call would be that it showed us who Denise really is. She kept telling us "She DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME". Our first thought was, if you did not leave yourself enough time, why not bring in more of your staff to help you. We placed our trust and faith in her as she reassured us many times everything will be wonderful on our wedding day since we were over organized and too detailed, but it shows that no matter how OCD you may be, it can still be executed WRONG. With Denise knowing all this taking place during our wedding, we feel we wasted our money as we never planned to have an event planner execute our designs but my now husband convinced me that she was worth it. Sadly, we were wrong, and we paid for it as we DID NOT RECEIVE A REFUND from Denise. From one business owner to another (founder of my graphic design company and a nonprofit), I was also DISAPPOINTED that she DID NOT CARE TO CALL us for our feedback. I had to reach out to her to set up a call. As an owner, I would want my clients to be honest with me about my work, my work ethic, and how I am as person when working with clients. I am always trying to be better for my clients, and I hope she does the same going forward because I will never recommend her to family or friends after this experience. I hope Denise learns from our wedding on how not to treat people and their guests when hosting an event. My biggest hope is that she does not cause any of these problems for anyone else's event going forward as no one needs more stress on a big day like their wedding or any special event for that matter.

Good communication. Punctual. Efficient. Detail oriented. Responsible. Hard working. Good under…read morepressure. Friendly. Professional from start to end. What more can we ask for? Maria and her staff have been a true blessing for my business. I am an event planner in Chicago (www.eventsforserenity.com) and have hired Maria to take care of my staffing needs. My clients are always happy with her work and so am I. She takes care of hiring experienced servers, bartenders, set up/clean up staff, etc. Each person working with her has exceeded my expectations. She goes over and beyond to make sure my set ups are beautiful and the way I envision them. During my events, her staff is attentive and constantly on-the-go. There is no slacking on the job with her as a boss! At the end of the event, she makes sure her staff leaves the place spotless. She is wonderful. Maria is my go to gal!

From the owner: We are highly experienced and can help with all your event needs from running last minute errands,…read moresetting up, to placing decorations, setting tablecloths, glassware, utensils, etc. to serving guests, clearing plates, refilling food and drinks, and finally do the cleaning up so you do not have to. Feel like a guest at your own party and shine like a super host. Your guests will have an amazing time with our excellent service!

What a fun performer. I came across him at the Park Ridge Kiwanis annual pancake breakfast, where…read morehe was doing some entertaining mostly for the kids but definitely for the adults as well. It's through him that I heard of the Central Street Busker Festival that took place the next day and his line was loooong! Most recently, we went to his show last week that the Mt. Prospect Public Library held for spring break. That was very very well attended, with a long line of folks waiting to get in (and that's with all of us registered to attend!), but the show was a lot of fun. He did a little magic, a little comedy, and some fun balloon tricks. This guy has been doing this all his adult life--unless that's also a joke and part of his act--but regardless, he's great at his job. I'm looking forward to seeing him again and my little one having the chance to pick her balloon creation on her own.

Smarty Pants was fantastic at our recent event AND each and every time I've seen him perform over…read morethe years - which is many times (because many people see how amazing he is)!! It's not just his talent with super fun and surprising balloon characters but his adaptive nature and outstanding personality, engaging everyone at the parties/events. I would absolutely recommend him for all types of occasions : private or big birthday parties, festivals, block parties, - anywhere there will be children!! He is one less thing at your party you need to worry about because he is a sure thing! Truly, he is a whole family favorite!!

I just received an order (Windy City Novelties LED Light Up 44" Jumbo Mardi Gras Bead Necklace with…read more3 Dynamic Light Modes for Festive Fun) The wire was broken and the largest bead was damaged. I won't send it back, since I wired it together & got it to work, but I'm not happy with it.

My experience was terrible. I spent $16.49 on 2 pks. of Warbling Bird Whistles. They were very…read morecheap and didn't make a bird sound as described, just kinda a whistle, but not even that, a faint whistle. Not at all the quality of the one I had when I was a kid (1980's). So, then I had to pay to send them back (out of pocket ($8.10), plus they didn't refund the original shipping ($5.99). So, I spent $10.50 for the merchandise + $5.99 shipping + $8.10 to send it back = $24.59 I waited for a credit back to my debit card and didn't get it after abouta month, so called them. He said the return of $10.50 was sitting in the account I had with them. I requested that it be transferred back to my checkingand he said yes, he could do that. So, I paid them a net of $14.59 for absolutely nothing!

Loved this shop! Lots of great trinkets and gifts. Kristine was so nice and accommodating. I needed…read morea Christmas ornament and she offered to write a sweet message for a wedding couple I was gifting it to, since she hand-paints items herself.

I placed an online order on May 23. I had emailed previously to see if they had the pendant. I…read morereceived no reply. I went ahead and ordered because I felt secure using PayPal. I emailed again and didn't hear anything for two days. I got nervous when I did a Google Street View search and did not see an actual building. At this point, I got nervous. I sent a message through Facebook to the shop and contacted PayPal to dispute the charge fearing it might not be a legitimate business. It was then I heard from the seller who said they would look for the item. I was also told they had many other items. I looked online but only saw a couple. They said they would send a video the next day of what they had. I was told this twice but never received it. Finally, I requested that they issue a refund. Instead of canceling the payment on PayPal or working through the dispute center they issued a separate credit for $5.60 less that the amount I was charged. I was told something about PayPal only paying them a certain amount and they didn't know what I was charged. This made no sense as I had an invoice from them showing shipping and the item's pice. I was told they'd issue $2.00 for the difference . At this point out of sheer frustration I simply chose to deal with PayPal. Today, June 15, PayPal finally gave me the $5.60 difference. I'm sure shopping in the shop is a sweet experience but this has put a bitter taste in my mouth for shopping online Boutiques. Unfortunately, the lack of response to emails, delays in looking for the item, promises to send video of other items, and excuses about the refund was unacceptable.

This location just opened and my son has attended a few of the summer camps. The camps are…read moreinnovative and fun. The staff is wonderful and upbeat. Kids science labs is the first camp that keeps my son learning and engaged. Solar system camps, science, engineering, architecture. I am so happy this location opened in Vernon Hills!

My seven year old son has loved science for years so we're thrilled KSL opened in Vernon Hills! The…read moreowners are hands-on, passionate about kids and science, and care about connecting to the community. This was one of the easiest parties I ever hosted. They handle literally everything and keep the kids engaged, excited and learning the entire time. They go the extra mile and keep the birthday child at the center of everything making their day extra special. This is also a prime location for parents! They can shop, dine, and exercise within steps of KSL. We will be back many times over the years! Can't wait for Camp!

My daughter loves Vernon Hills Gymnastics! It is a great balance of quality instruction and fun!read more

My kids love going to Vernon Hills Gymnastics! All the teachers are SO sweet and all the equipment…read moreis very, very clean. We will keep signing up for more and more sessions here!