Our photos speak for themselves. We got married in Big Sur, CA in August 2023. Christine came…read morerecommended by our wedding planner. She has sort of a hippie/artist vibe so I wasn't sure how many details she was tracking during the planning process, but she pleasantly surprised me. She really pulled out all the stops on the wedding day and captured exactly the colors and style I was looking for. Her work exceeded my expectations. Our favorite special floral items were: -Organic mother oak tree at the altar that wowed us and our guests -Greek flower crowns -Flowers hidden in the stone wall -"Adorn yourself" flower bar for guests (DO THIS!! People loved it) It was pricey and Christine didn't have much wiggle room in terms of finances but flowers cost what they cost. No regrets!

Christine Cater is a true master at her art. Upon the recommendation of our wedding planner, Diane…read moreAllen of Elegant Events in Big Sur, we hired Christine. I had interviewed more florists than any other vendor because I was trying to find the right balance of professionalism, value, talent, and style. I am happy and grateful we went with Christine and her team. On our wedding day, when I arrived at Paion, I almost fell over. Diane and Christine had transformed the venue into a magical wonderland. The colors, textures, flowers, and furniture came together like a dream that emerged from deep in my heart, and they were the fairy godmothers who brought it to life. I had a vision of the types of flowers, colors, and feel I hoped for, and as it turned out, Christine took that vision and multiplied it 10x. On a practical note, Christine is responsive, professional, uses flowers in season, and all of the flowers came in top notch shape. Our wedding was six months ago, and I am still soaking it in. It was truly the best day of my life. The environment that Diane and Christine created matched the love that was shared by all.

I am still waiting on my photos to come back but I have a few to share! Let me just say this...if…read moreyou are thinking about Hiring Diane...DO...if you need a wedding planner hire Diane!!!! She is ABSOLUTE MAGIC!!!!! I live in los angeles so don't have the ability to know the vendors in Big Sur and she handled EVERYTHING!!!! Her recommendations were top notch and everyone gave us the wedding of our dreams! Truly we were all blown away and all of our guests said it was the best wedding they had ever been to! I will upload more photos as I get them! I don't have photos yet of the reception but it was everything!!! The food, the dj, the flowers, the drinks, the ceremony...all of it. She is an angel...a magical angel! Super reasonable, super attentive, super helpful! She only wanted us to have exactly what we wanted. I cannot recommend her more highly!!!!

I had almost the exact same experience as Olivia below. Our wedding was 1 week before Olivia's and…read morewe had almost an identical experience. I hate to leave a negative review as I knew Diane was dealing with some personal stuff, however, this is not the person you want ghosting you for months leading up to the event or cutting ties with you a week before the event. Also, I heard from an assistant of hers who said she would be taking over (we never knew Diane had an assistant) however when we emailed this assistant back, they never responded. We tried reaching out to Diane several times and eventually took matters in our own hands and organized our day assuming Diane would be nowhere to be found. Then 1 week before our wedding when everything was set, she began emailing our vendors (photographer, flowers, videographer, officiant, hair and makeup) and communicating a completely different timeline and old information that was wrong!?! She had not read our emails we copied her on for months and caused so much unnecessary headaches the week before our wedding bc we had to go back to each vendor and explain that Diane's information was old and dated and to stick with the timeline we had communicated. This is. Not what you want to be doing last minute. In the end, we all agreed to part ways. Our wedding turned out exactly as we wanted minus the Loss of the $750 for Paion that she suggested and minus the headaches and drama leading up to the event. I can say that she gave us a list of vendors which we paid for, however we did hours of our own research to find hair and makeup & photographer and deserts. The only vendors we used from her were our catering company, Catering Monterey- phenomenal btw - officiant, Soaring Starkey- HIGHLY RECOMMEND, and Big Sur flowers, they were pretty good and made a gorgeous bouquet but had some issues delivering the flowers to us the morning of and left them at Glen oaks reception instead of the house which was frustrating bc we were on a timeline and the reception is not close to the house. The worst part about this experience is that not only did things get so contested and we agreed to part ways 1 week before the event, she also listened to my vision and then booked us for Paion Estates which after talking to my photographer, Lynn Lewis (HIGHLY RECOMMEND) we realized that my vision would not happen at Paion. So we lost our $750 deposit for that location in order to take the wedding photos on the Rocky cliffs (north of glenoaks) which is all I explained I wanted from the beginning and showed very detailed images of my vision. Lynn Lewis, our photographer ended up putting together the day of timeline and making all our dreams for our elopement come true. her services include vendor referrals and timeline management. I'd you're having a small wedding, skip the coordinator all together and just go with Lynn. Lynn was the photographer we found on our own. I'd be happy to talk to any future bride about my experience. Drop me a message and I'll email you. Diane was a nice person and in the beginning I thought this would be great, but as time passed it was clear she's had other things going on and was not 100% committed or at least she wasn't with Olivia and myself.

If you are planning to get married in Carmel, Big Sur or really anywhere in Monterey County you are…read moredoing yourself a massive disservice not hiring Mariah! She is simply the best and we could not have had our wedding planning and day-of run so smoothly without her expert guidance. My wife has been friends with Mariah since middle school, and she knew she wanted Mariah to be involved in our wedding planning when we chose to get married in Carmel. Originally we hired Mariah as our month-of coordinator, but it quickly became apparent that we needed her expert help navigating everything about a year out. She soon became our official planner, and it was the best decision we made! She is incredibly organized, highly communicative and has a profound attention to detail. She really does think of everything! Given that she grew up in Big Sur she has tremendous knowledge of the local vendors, venues and just all around logistics of the central coast. Mariah is also a very calming person and worked just as much as a therapist for us as she did our planner. Even though she's juggling so much, you would never know. On our actual wedding day everything ran so seamlessly and she never seemed stressed or frazzled. I only wish I approached the planning process in the same manner. Hire Mariah for all your wedding coordination needs and you will be in the best hands!!

Mariah was the day-of coordinator for our mid-May Big Sur wedding, and we wish we could have worked…read moretogether for longer! She was an incredibly calming presence from the moment we met her during our ceremony rehearsal, and seamlessly took on multiple responsibilities over the course of our wedding day to make sure that we didn't have to worry about anything but enjoying ourselves. She handled everything from playlist switching to heating up some items for our dessert bar, all while setting up the event, keeping the day's schedule on track, and coordinating all our vendors and guests to follow the set timeline. Our wedding day was genuinely stress-free thanks to her expertise, and we were able to fully enjoy our time with our loved ones. She also has incredible relationships with several vendors in Big Sur - she knew our shuttle driver, caterer, venue groundskeeper, and bartender, and clearly was treated as a trusted partner by all of them. It added an extra element of community to the day which was lovely to experience. And bonus: she gives off such a warm, kind energy. Even though we had only really worked together for a day and a half, she texted us the morning after our wedding to ensure that everything had gone well after she and the other vendors had left for the night. Overall, I highly recommend Mariah for any event planning or coordination needs! If we ever plan another event in the Big Sur area, she'll be our first call.

Cheri Gladstone catered our daughter's wedding at Point Sixteen last weekend. It was absolutely…read moreflawless. Cheri arranged for all the rental equipment as well as the shuttle for our guests. Her crew was very efficient with set-up and clean up. And most importantly, as promised, the food was WONDERFUL. My only regret is that we didn't have a larger circle of family and friends to share this exceptional event.

We had the pleasure of working with Coastside Couture for our wedding in Nov of 2022 and we are…read morestill reminiscing about the incredible day they helped us create. From the very beginning, their team was dedicated to understanding our vision and bringing it to life in ways that exceeded our expectations. They dug deep to get to know us and our families and words can't do them justice. One of the standout aspects of their amazing work was their recommendation and orchestration(no pun intended) for a band that matched and exceeded our hopes for a lit and epic dance floor. The energy and talent of the band they suggested turned our reception into an unforgettable celebration. Our guests are still talking about how much fun they had dancing the night away. The attention to detail and commitment to excellence from Heidi, Sonja, and Harley were evident in every aspect of our wedding. They managed to seamlessly blend elegance and fun, creating moments that reflected my husband and myself and will be memories we will literally never forget. Also I reflect now on how much stress they removed from our lives and I am eternally grateful. We have no idea all the ways they just allowed us to have fun in the process. We truly believe that our wedding was one of the best day of our lives, and much of that is thanks to the hard work and dedication of this dream team. If you are looking for a wedding planning company that will go above and beyond to make your day as special as possible, we highly recommend Coastside Couture. Their expertise, passion, and personal touch made our wedding day epic and unforgettable. Love them!!

Heidi, Sonja and Harley were great to work with for our wedding. We started working with Heidi 9…read moremonths before our wedding in Carmel Valley and she immediately started reserving/confirming vendors that we absolutely loved. She is experienced, and really knows the area and the best vendors to work with. She managed to reserve one highly in-demand vendor before we had even finalized our contract with her, anticipating that it would be the best option for us (which it was). That is how forward-thinking and proactive Heidi is - a true godsend for two people with busy schedules and very little time to plan a wedding. Without Heidi, our wedding would be an absolute shadow of the wonderful event that it turned out to be with her at the helm. We recommend Heidi for any event in and around Carmel, particularly for those individuals with tight schedules, busy lives or far reaching visions of what you want out of your event. She really focuses on personalizing your wedding day to reflect the couple's tastes and vision. Heidi and her incredible team will move heaven and earth to make sure that you have the event that you want. We hope that we will have many opportunities to work with Heidi and her team in the future. To Heidi and her team - thank you for everything.

I was truly on the fence about hiring a wedding planner. Weddings are expensive, and I wondered if…read moreit was an expense we really needed. I work full time, though, and while my daughter and I were ready to take the bull by the horns and be very involved in the planning, I wanted both her and her fiancé to have an exceptional wedding they would remember for the rest of their lives. I interviewed several planners, but something about Mandi immediately resonated with me. I took the leap, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made. Mandi started working with us nearly a year in advance and was there every step of the way. She kept us organized, reviewed every detail, and was always just a text, email, or phone call away. She also kept track of vendor contracts, invoices, payments, and deadlines, which took an enormous amount off our plate and made sure nothing was overlooked. Her experience and relationships within the wedding community were invaluable. She knew who to call, how to bring our ideas to life, and connected us with an incredible team of vendors. As the wedding approached and everything kicked into high gear, Mandi made sure nothing fell through the cracks. When it came time to execute everything we had spent so many months planning, Mandi had an exceptional team alongside her. On the wedding day, they were organized, professional, and seemingly everywhere at once, making sure every detail came together exactly as it should. The result was an absolutely spectacular wedding for my daughter and new son in law. The compliments from our guests haven't stopped. They were blown away by the beauty, the attention to detail, and how seamlessly everything came together. But perhaps the greatest gift Mandi gave me was peace of mind. When the wedding day arrived, I didn't have to manage a hundred moving pieces. I got to simply be the mother of the bride, to be present, take it all in, and watch two people I love have the wedding we had all worked so hard to create. That was priceless. If you're on the fence about hiring a planner like I was, hire Mandi. She was worth every penny, and knowing what I know now, I would choose her again without hesitation. Thank you, Mandi, for helping us create a wedding that our daughter, son in law, and entire family will remember forever.

I got married in 2020, yes during the pandemic. Why? Well my dad's been battling cancer and so has…read moremy husbands step-father. It was the right thing to do because at the end of the year my husbands grandfather passed away, we are so fortunate that he made our wedding. With that said, planning a wedding is stressful. Planning a wedding during a pandemic is next level. Luckily, I had Emily from a sparkling event by my side every step of the way. Emily was literally a God send. From the minute I got engaged (before the pandemic) to planning all the details, Emily was there answering all my questions and handling tough things like discrepancies with vendors and making sure things got done in a timely manner. She was my go to when I was having a breakdown as so many crazy things happened during the planning process that I was going to write a memoir. But when the day came, and I looked all around me, it was worth it. I got to marry my husband knowing that all the blood sweat and tears Emily and I had endured was priceless and I am forever grateful for her support and her let's get it done attitude. I highly recommend a sparkling event for your next event whatever it may be, if they can weather the storm during 2020, they can definitely handle anything.

The day of coordinator we had previously booked fell through a month before our wedding. Needless…read moreto say, we were stressed!!! That all melted away when I reached out to Kathy and she jumped in immediately, helping us prepare for our day with kindness, the most meticulous attention to detail, and prompt communication. On our wedding day, everything was set up more beautifully than I could have imagined. We ran into a couple hiccups out of Kathy's control-- our guest shuttles and dinner caterer were running late. Kathy had already thought of plan B, C, and D and kept us informed without ever making us feel stressed. At the end of the day, everything turned out to be perfect in our eyes because of Kathy and her team making it that way. Kathy also checked in with us regularly throughout the day to keep us on schedule, etc. without ever interfering with our time spent with guests. She brought the most kind, helpful team with her to ensure all ran smoothly. Multiple guests approached us during and after our wedding to tell us our coordinator was amazing. That speaks volumes! I can't praise Kathy enough for not only saving our wedding day, but going above and beyond in making it amazing. And when I say above and beyond I mean it! Since this was a destination wedding for us, Kathy even offered to donate our wedding cake leftovers to a local shelter. Kathy is the ultimate professional and the best coordinator you could possibly book for your wedding. We will always cherish the memories of our wedding day and think about how much we lucked out with Kathy and her team.

I'm so impressed with how professional, organized and sweet KK is! She turned my dream wedding into…read morea reality and I couldn't have had it without her! From the first meeting she came so prepared with a dozen questions of things I wasn't even thinking about. She was always 10 steps ahead of me by far. I can't believe the hours and effort she put into every detail of every aspect of my wedding and the planning of it. I really wish I could put into words how incredibly thankful I am for her and her wonderful team. I highly recommend KK to help with any wedding or a party that needs coordinating. She's a angel sent from above!! Thank you again

Josh and his team were absolutely incredible. Josh was always responsive, organized, and…read moreprofessional. He had a ton of insight into rules of thumb for weddings, what would work well and what wouldn't, and event a lot of insight into the venue itself (Carmel Valley Ranch). Not only that but Josh is incredibly warm and fun to work with. Day of, he and his team were organized, adapted seamlessly when unexpected things came up, and they truly helped make our wedding the best day of our lives. At the end, my Mom said he was the best wedding planner she had ever seen. I could not recommend Josh more highly. He is the best. :)

Josh helped us over the course of a year put together the wedding of our dreams. He helped us…read moreselect vendors, weigh whether costs were worth it, and advised us what really mattered on the wedding day. Our wedding at La Playa and Carmel Valley Ranch went seamless and we really thank him for his help!

When we got engaged, all my husband and I knew was that we wanted to have a wedding that felt like…read more"us," but we had no idea how to put that into words, let alone make the vision come to life. We knew we could plan a wedding on our own if we really had to, but that we'd be blind to the things that would make it a "wow" wedding and to be honest, we really wanted to enjoy being engaged and not have to worry about planning every single detail. We had several consultation calls with different planners, but Kaitlin stood out from the get-go as someone who is experienced, professional, and most importantly, has a skill for really listening and understanding what was important to us. Kaitlin took small pieces of what we said was important to us and made our vision come to life. We wanted a wedding that felt like an experience for our guests. We wanted them to feel relaxed, have great food and drinks, and be delighted by small surprises at every turn. Kaitlin had incredible ideas for unique vendors to bring in, from a live guitarist who fit our vibe perfectly to our own coffee truck service. She also knew how to respectfully encourage us to consider color choices or other decor that she knew would make the event feel more timeless and well-rounded. The entire weekend of our wedding, Kaitlin and our vendors were perfectly in sync. I never felt stressed over details or timing at any given point. They were attentive, caring, and incredible detail-oriented. My husband and I had the best year planning our wedding with Kaitlin. We're so grateful that our vision came to life and we'll be forever reminiscing on our perfect day. If you are looking for a planner who will be a partner with you in creating the wedding of your dreams, cares deeply about you and your loved ones, and can create an experience that wows your guests, look no further than Kaitlin!

If you're on the fence about hiring a wedding planner, let me save you some time--do it, and make…read moresure it's Kate! My husband and I came to her with nothing but a venue and a vague idea of what we wanted our autumn beach wedding to look like, and she took that and turned it into one of the most magical days of our lives. From the very beginning, Kate was an absolute dream to work with. She is incredibly knowledgeable about all the local vendors and made the entire design process easy and fun. My husband and I were pretty clueless when it came to wedding planning, but Kate knew the answers to everything--even the things we didn't know we didn't know! Her expertise gave us confidence every step of the way. Kate is also beyond organized. She handled everything--from RSVPs and seating charts to coordinating vendor cleanup--so that on the day of the wedding, we didn't have to worry about a single thing. She ran the entire show behind the scenes, allowing us to be fully present and soak in every moment of our special day. And let's talk about Kate's personality--she was the calming force we didn't even know we needed. As the wedding day got closer and stress levels started rising, she remained completely unflappable. No matter what unexpected twists came up, Kate handled them with confidence and ease. She was also incredibly thoughtful, truly taking the time to get to know us as a couple, which made our wedding feel even more personal and special. Looking back, my husband and I both agree that hiring Kate was, without a doubt, the most important investment we made in our wedding. If you want a wedding planner who is knowledgeable, organized, and an absolute joy to work with, Kate is the one. I would recommend her to absolutely anyone!