This review is long overdue but Harlene is truly a gem. From our first initial inquiry to the very last event, she handled everything with great detail, precision and care. We had a multi day fusion wedding and every single moment was perfect. Harlene made the process so stress free and fun for us. She was patient with our many questions and even coordinated with our families. Harlene went above and beyond in every detail. We are truly so grateful to have had her as our planner! read more

I can't even imagine our wedding without Harlene. I consider myself a Type-A personality and pretty organized, but Harlene has me beat -- in the best way possible!! She made our month-out wedding planning go so incredibly smooth, which made our actual wedding day so enjoyable. If anything went wrong, I didn't know about it or even notice. We were actually running early, which I've never heard happen at a wedding before! We got so many compliments about the flow of our wedding and how on-point Harlene and her team were. The venue also complimented us on our choice of coordinator, so if you have any doubts, don't! For example, she wasn't thrilled with how the venue was folding the napkins, so she asked them to refold so our guests could see their names/menus/our gifts on the table placements. And she made sure every one was done right. Harlene is bubbly, bright, calming, and exactly what you need for your big day. I have zero regrets about hiring her and would 100% do it again. Thank you again, Harlene! read more

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HARLENE IS GODSENT. I had a COVID plan C wedding and let me tell you, hiring Harlene as our wedding planner was the BEST DECISION WE EVER MADE ABOUT OUR ENTIRE WEDDING. Harlene stuck it with us for 3 long years. We were only one of many weddings she had to re-plan due to COVID and she handled it like a total boss. From wedding dress fittings, to ring shopping, to venue scouting, to day of planning... Harlene was there the entire time to help us figure out every last detail of our wedding/ reception. She was so on top of everything. She managed all of the vendor emails and contracts, tracked our budgeting, reviewed the proposals, helped us weigh our options, sent us reminders on paperwork, managed our wedding itinerary and timelines etc. It was so much but she just navigated through all of it like a pro. Not only does she have so much industry experience and knowledge, but she's so personable and caring as a person as well. My husband and I are very chill and 'go with the flow' type of people. Sometimes to the point where I might say yes to something I don't actually like. Harlene caught on to that and encouraged me to speak up in order to get what I really wanted for my wedding. And I really appreciated her being able to teach me how to stand up for myself. We avoided so many potential wedding regrets by her calling so much of this out. Wedding planning is a whole different world and I didn't realize it could be such an emotional and psychological roller-coaster lol. Harlene went above and beyond for us with our wedding and I can't even find the words to express how much we appreciate her help through all the chaos of wedding planning. We changed dates/ venues/ locations multiple times and she led the planning so flawlessly. We decided to elope in Maui 4 months before the date so she literally helped us book all the vendors and draw up the itinerary within just a few months. If you're debating on hiring Harlene, just do it. You won't regret it. She's an expert planner, has so many industry connections (helped us find our other vendors as well), she's well organized, always responsive and in general is just an amazing human being (plus she has a fire wardrobe - I always loved seeing her outfits every time we met lol). We absolutely love Harlene and although our wedding was nothing like we were initially planning, it turned out perfect in every way. We love you Harlene! Thank you so much for everything! P.S. Sorry this review was long overdue! read more

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I don't know how many times I've thanked Harlene but I will do it 1000x more just to do it! She is a damn genius. The attention to detail is truly unmatched. She is super responsive, has a TON of experience, recommends the BEST vendors... I am just so thankful for her. I had a venue where it was basically a blank canvas... you think it's easy to plan something like that... trust me. It's not. Having Harlene design, source, communicate everything was exactly what we needed. My husband and I work full time and I am POSITIVE our wedding would've been a disaster if Harlene was not there. She is kind, sweet, honest, and PRECISE. She's very professional but still made us feel comfortable like we've known her for years. The wedding day is verrry important, but the days leading up to it are just as important and memorable... And Harlene made sure that this memory of planning our big day was fun and exciting. Thank you, Harlene, for making Gio and I feel like we were some real VIPS! haha. read more

Hiring Harlene was the smartest decision my husband and I made during our wedding planning process. When we first got engaged, we knew that we wanted to enjoy planning a wedding but not let it run our lives. Since I didn't want my entire life to revolve around planning a wedding, I knew I needed to hire a professional. Harlene had helped my friend with her wedding and I saw how she went above and beyond for her brides. Harlene kept me on track during the whole wedding planning process. She was available whenever I had a question and always had a confident answer, which was so helpful since I was an indecisive bride. Whenever I would get overwhelmed by shades of orange, she was able to see the bigger picture and have an answer for which one to choose. Harlene understands what is worth spending money on and what I should skip to stay within budget. She was able to keep me on track with our timeline, sending me emails reminding me to complete checklists or that it was time to schedule another meeting. I immediately struggled with overall design for my wedding. I felt like our venue was very traditional and dark and I was drawn to more bright and modern decor. Harlene took charge and was able to take my vision and make it appropriate for our venue. When I sat at our reception and looked around, I couldn't stop saying, "I can't believe I have this beautiful of a wedding." The day of our wedding went flawlessly. I don't think anything went wrong, and if it did Harlene handled it without letting me know. She handled organizing all our vendors the weeks leading up to our wedding. The day of, she was in touch with my MOH and photographer to keep us on time, set up our decorations, and remembered my priorities for my wedding day, so she did things like intervening when photos were taking too long so I could attend cocktail hour. All our decorations were set up perfectly, we stuck to the timeline so I never needed to look at a clock. I was able to fully be present during my wedding, all thanks to Harlene and her team. She even packed up all our decorations and made sure my bouquet was in water so I could save it. Thanks to Harlene, my husband and I are lucky enough to say we were actually able to enjoy wedding planning and our special day. read more

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Partway through our wedding planning, we realized we were in a lot more over our heads than we first thought, so we decided to look for a wedding planner. Thankfully, Harlene had just the package for us -- her Partial Planning Package. We had already picked a venue and a caterer. She helped us immensely with coordinating the rest of the moving pieces, from the florist to the rentals. But she *really* shone the day-of, making sure everything ran smoothly and knowing exactly what to do as the point of contact for all our vendors. We are SO happy to have had someone willing to put up with our strange and wonderful wedding -- what with setting up a room for our puzzle hunt game masters, and making sure our hand-bagged tea bar was in perfect shape. Harlene knows what she's doing, and she does it well, but with enough flexibility for us to have the unique wedding we wanted. Enough said. :) read more

We could not have asked for a better wedding coordinator! As soon as we got connected with Harlene, she immediately leapt into action, helping us choose vendors and plan out all the details of our special day. Organized, professional, friendly, and honest are just a few of the words that come to mind right away when I think about our experience with Harlene. She was always on top of things, despite a very short timeline and so many moving parts. She was also very direct and candid in offering advice and guidance for certain parts of the wedding, which we greatly appreciated when our perfect day came together! We cannot thank her enough for making our wedding simply amazing. Thank you! read more

Harlene Events - The venue came together perfectly under Harlene's leadership - Party & Event Planning Near Me

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For the sixth version of our wedding, my husband and I had to plan the whole thing in 12 days from out of state because we learned a family member had just been diagnosed with cancer. Harlene and Ama (her AMAZING right hand) had no problem rising to the challenge and helped us make our wedding dream (really fantasy at that point) a reality. I strongly discourage anyone from planning a wedding in 12 days; but if you must, make sure you have Harlene with you. You won't regret it. read more

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From my wife: Not enough words could describe how lucky we were to have found Harlene. From the very first conversation we had with her, she asked questions and offered suggestions that showed her genuine interest in our vision and commitment to make it possible. We hired her for day-of wedding coordination, but I was so appreciative of her responsiveness leading up to our wedding. She even pointed out small, but important details we had neglected to think about prior to the event. On the day of our wedding, Harlene was very organized, helping to set up our tables, coordinating with our vendors, and even checking in to see how we were doing. We had a several unexpected glitches, but Harlene handled them like a professional, making quick adjustments without us even knowing there was even any issue at all. By the end of our wedding day my husband and I were sad to say goodbye. Harlene helped us make our most special day a reality and for that we always be grateful. Harlene is a not only an amazing wedding coordinator but a wonderful human being. She will take the time to listen to your vision, offer suggestions to think about, provide open communication, and do everything she can to make your day the most beautiful day. She is kind, trustworthy and sacrificial. We will never stop recommending Harlene to our friends! read more

We opted to use a day planner for our wedding and it was the best decision. I highly recommend Harlene for event planning. We found Harlene through a wedding planner who recommended her services. Harlene allowed for unlimited correspondence before the event and an in-person meeting at the venue location to go over details. Although I found the vendors and planned the wedding, Harlene was readily available during the planning process and reminded us of things we hadn't thought of yet. She was absolutely perfect the day of - knew the entire flow, potential issues, schedule of events, and looked out for VIP guests/wedding party. Harlene worked with me for about 3 months before our wedding. She was able to make vendor recommendations and seemed to know everyone in the industry in the Bay Area. Wedding planning is one of the most stressful things I have ever done but I had no doubts about trusting Harlene with the day of execution and it allowed me to truly enjoy my wedding day. The schedule of events for our wedding day was intense but Harlene made sure everything happened seamlessly and as scheduled. At one point I looked around and realized not only had she completed the entire day's to-do list but she added extra touches that make our reception look so professional and polished. Harlene was available, engaged and beyond reliable. Day of coordination aside, her being there throughout the months when I had questions or needed feedback was priceless. Asking Harlene to be part of our big day was the best decision we made and we cannot thank her enough. Truly a star event planner. read more

Harlene is incredibly receptive, kind and is just a fabulous coordinator. She is incredibly organized, punctual and knowledgeable. Our wedding was beautiful and went very smoothly thanks to her very detailed timeline and structured approach to everything. Thanks Harlene! read more

Harlene and her team coordinated my wife and I's dream wedding this past May in South San Francisco and San Mateo. We selected the "Month-Of Coordination" Package about 1.5 years prior to the big day. This included several consultation calls from the signing of the contract through the rehearsal dinner where Harlene worked with us to examine details such as wedding supplies, vendors, floor plans, and timelines. She also oversaw 2 walkthroughs of our reception venue and the wedding rehearsal. My wife and I work in the hospitality field and are very familiar with events; however, there were many occasions where Harlene asked us questions we had not thought of and gave suggestions to help us better prepare for our wedding. She is extremely knowledgeable and a great support. After each meeting/conference call, Harlene would share her detailed notes including a timeline of events as well as action items that needed attention. Leading up to the wedding day and on the day itself, Harlene and her team were on top of communicating with all of our vendors to ensure all preparations for day ran according to plan. Harlene, Ronelle, and Shana were phenomenal. The team oversaw ceremony set-up at our church in South San Francisco in addition to the reception set-up at the venue in San Mateo. During the wedding ceremony, Ronelle and Shana ensured all of our guests knew where to sit and had a program in their hand. During the reception, they made sure we were on track with our timeline frequently checking in with the MCs, DJ, best man and maid of honor. Most importantly, Ronelle and Shana would check in with my wife and I to make sure we always had a drink. (It was a long day so we were drinking red bulls and our specialty cocktails to party up!) At the end of the night, Harlene's team made sure the venue was cleaned and cleared out. They collected all of our personal items and gifts for us to pick up the following day. Planning a wedding can be a very stressful time for some, but Harlene and her team made the entire experience a joy from start to finish. Our wedding day is a day we will never forget, and that is largely due to Harlene, Ronelle and Shana. We cannot thank you enough! read more

I will make a long story short and start off by saying, you need to hire Harlene for your event! I planned my entire wedding myself, but I needed a day-of coordinator to ensure my vision would be executed flawlessly. Also, I was planning my wedding from out of state and was not confident that my venue would do everything as directed, so having a coordinator oversee tasks was extremely helpful. Harlene and her assistant were ON TOP OF IT the entire day; they came early and stayed late, handled all of the decoration setup and cleanup, and most importantly made sure we stuck to the timeline perfectly. I didn't need to check on anything or lift a finger on my wedding day, it was amazing! As an extra plus, Harlene was there to clean spilled red wine out of my wedding dress, it didn't even leave a stain! If you're looking to have 100% peace of mind on your wedding day, I highly recommend Harlene Events. read more

Harlene coordinated a wedding last year and I was the photographer. She was very friendly and on top of it, keeping me up to speed, before and during the wedding. The wedding was beautiful and well organized. Any couple getting married would be lucky to have her! read more

There isn't enough words to express my gratitude for the time & effort that Harlene put in on the day of our wedding & even before then! At first I didn't think I would need a Day-Of-Coordinator but I so thankful that I decided to go with one but more thankful it was Harlene. Since day one she reassured us that she would have everything under control, and that she did! She respected my ideas & input & made sure that everything was exactly what I wanted! I definitely recommend Harlene/Harlene Events! read more

I hired Harlene for my June 4th wedding at Grand Island Mansion. I spoke with her for about an hour before I decided I wanted to hire her. I could tell from that initial conversation that she was organized and knew what she was doing. By the time I met with Harlene, I had already secured my vendors so, I was looking for someone to help with last minute details. Harlene attended my details appointment at my venue. She reminded me of the details I wasn't thinking about. On the day of the wedding, Harlene made sure everything went smoothly. She decorated the tables and guest book just the way I had imagined. I really enjoyed Harlene's positive energy, work ethic, and attention detail. I work definitely recommend her. read more

My wife and I went back and forth on whether or not to get a Day-Of Coordinator for our wedding but we are so happy that we did and that we selected Harlene! She was absolutely amazing throughout the entire process and played a HUGE role in our big day being so perfect. From the phone consults prior to our wedding day to the actual coordination on the day of, she was amazingly organized and ensured that our big day would go off without a hitch. We planned our wedding from out of state, which added a number of extra difficulties, but Harlene made the entire process as smooth as possible. On the day of the wedding Harlene and her team were there very early, walking the grounds of the venue and coordinating with all of the vendors and staff to make sure that everything was setup exactly as we envisioned. Also throughout the entire wedding day she made sure that everything was following the time line we had laid out, but she did it in such a professional and courteous way that never made us or any of the vendors feel like we were being pressured or rushed. She also discretely and quietly helped diffuse an uncomfortable situation (drunk friends + angry Uber driver = bad situation), ensuring that our good time wasn't interrupted! Thank you again Harlene for helping us have an awesome night and we highly recommend her for any wedding planning/coordinating services! read more