I was never sure if I was someone who wanted to have a real wedding. I was so worried about what…read moreneeded to be done. I've focused on my career and had no idea about how to plan a wedding and my family does not live in the area to help out. I knew that I would need a wedding planner if we were to have a real wedding. And I couldn't have made a better choice than Elegant Events of West Michigan. Nicole is amazing. There are very few people in this world who are equally organized and creative and she is one of them. I had the platinum package of full planning and I am SO glad I did. My husband and I continue to say it was one of the best decisions we have made. She walked us through every detail and really got to know us as a couple. The vendors she recommended were perfect for us. She was there for every panicked phone call from me. When I had an entire flower meeting and then I got home and completely changed my mind...she set up another meeting without making me feel like a crazy person. She really cares about what you want. AND she kept us on budget. This was important as we paid for the wedding ourselves. I would have never known what to expect to pay for what things, she helped us prioritize our budget so we could afford the things that were most important to us. She also planned our rehearsal dinner which was at an art gallery and was amazing. She even took pictures of me and my family during the rehearsal dinner. She was there to handle every little thing that came up on the day of the wedding including sewing my belt for my dress back together after I tried to alter it. I felt like I was in a movie when she said, "Oh, I can fix that" and started sewing! The wedding was beautiful, more beautiful than I could have expected. The food and dessert table was amazing which was very important to us. I was worried that no one would dance and the dance floor was full all night thanks to the DJ she recommended. Everything was very professional and personal. Her assistant, Caitlyn who helped on the day was also very professional. She even handled a during event switch from Pepsi to Coke by my dad's request without me even knowing about it. We have been to many weddings over the years and of course we think that ours was great, but it has been over a month and we still have people calling us to tell us that it was the most amazing night. If you think about planning a wedding on your own, consider all the vendors and the coordination. You can't figure everything out from Pinterest! Do you want to spend time with your family for your wedding, or do you want to be setting up and breaking everything down? Do you want to spend months researching vendors or do you want to celebrate with your family, friends and fiance? I would highly encourage anyone to use Elegant Events of West Michigan to plan your wedding or event. I wouldn't have believed how great everything looked, but it turns out, she got me a great photographer...so I have the pictures to prove it!

My husband and I did the long distance thing through most of our relationship, including the months…read moreleading up to our wedding, so he didn't contribute a whole lot to the planning process just because he was so far away. The one thing that he did contribute however, was the idea of a wedding coordinator, and then finding Elegant Events and convincing me to have a preliminary meeting with Nicole. I didn't think we needed a coordinator, especially at the extra cost, but looking back, our wedding day would have been a complete disaster without Elegant Events. She helped me every single step of the way, having never been really into weddings, I was unsure of the way things were "supposed" to go or what was traditional, professional, etc. She never once made me feel stupid for asking what I'm sure were some really dumb questions. Our decorations in our reception tent were beautiful and I'm not sure I can take any of the credit for it. Nicole has a great eye, and helped me pull everything together for the look I wanted on our big day. She kept everything on track for the rehearsal and was in touch with all of the vendors the week of the wedding; everyone knew where they were supposed to be and when. It took a huge load off of my shoulders. On the wedding day, Nicole and her team spent the majority of the day setting up the reception tent in the 90 degree heat. When the bartenders didn't come with the mixers, she fixed it. When the pizza ovens weren't working and we were behind schedule, she took care of it, while I was pretty much oblivious. She even arranged transportation for my wedding party and anyone else who needed it back to the hotel when the cab service I had contacted didn't work out. Elegant Events is no less than amazing, easy to work with and will make any event a hit :)

Caitlyn was patient and flexible to offer the guidance we needed as we consider a main floor…read morerenovation and color schemes. We will likely return to her for recommendations as the project progresses.

The very best organizer/decorator @caitmcsorley came today & she is AMAZING--if you are busy/lazy…read morelike me--sign her up! I've booked her 12/17/2012-12/18/2013 to help me accommodate a new roommate after living alone for 2 years & 11/4/2014 to get me back in line and she rocked both. Caitlyn did an outstanding job each time. Thoughtful organization, punctual, friendly, and amazing communication. Highly recommend!

Used Catered Creations for a Birthday Party and was extremely satisfied. The wait staff was…read moreknowledgeable about the excellent food provided and did a fantastic job. Everyone associated with Catered Creations was wonderful to work with. I would recommend this establishment to anyone regardless of the venue. THANK YOU!!!!

Unexpectedly my original caterer was unavailable and Catered Creations stepped in on very short…read morenotice. I was pleasantly surprised because both the food and service were excellent! Thank you Catered Creations!

I've ordered flowers from them a couple of times and each time I've been very impressed with their…read moredesign. I really like their contemporary flower arrangements. Very POSH, indeed! ;-) Their prices are not cheap but neither is their product! I will be ordering from them again. Sweet people to work with, as well. Never a problem even if I had to call multiple times for something specific. They're very accommodating and will customize your arrangement. As if all of that isn't enough...they email you a professional picture of the actual bouquet! It's great!

I had the absolutely best experience with Posh Petals. Their team was extremely helpful planning my…read morewedding. I was so thrilled with the outcome of everything. They really helped me stay within my budget and everything turned out beyond what I had imagined.

What a fantastic experience. We had a post-wedding dinner party & are so glad we went with Gilmore!…read moreThey handled check-ins beforehand with professionalism and cheer, setup was a breeze and our on-site manager Brooke was very accommodating and kind. The buffet setup was excellent--no waiting till the food was down to the last scoop before refilling. And everyone raved about the food! I couldn't be happier and would use Gilmore again in a second.

We had our wedding catered by Gilmore this past weekend and it was great! Everyone raved about the…read morefood (we had three different appetizers and a two-entree buffet) and the presentation. Our guests' needs were pretty complex (multiple allergies, vegetarians, children, etc), and they handled it kindly and seamlessly. The servers were great (Jessica and Tim, I think?) and Charlie, the catering manager, was absolutely a delight! We had a small problem that Charlie rectified before anyone was even aware it was an issue. Kim, who helped us set up our menu in the first place, was also great. She let us do two different tastings with her to finalize a menu that would accommodate our guests, answered all of my emails promptly, and made one of the most important parts of any wedding feel like a breeze. I would absolutely recommend them.

Aubrie was so incredible! She did my wedding makeup (& bridesmaids). The wedding itself was 90+°F &…read moremy makeup did not sweat off at all. She brought so many smiles to our getting ready room-- I would give her a 100/10 if I could.

I wanted to share my experience with Elegant on Arrival in hopes that it helps future bridal…read moreparties make informed decisions. When I sat down for my appointment, I explained the hairstyle I wanted. During the first pass with the straightener, there was a significant amount of smoke coming from my hair. I immediately stopped the stylist, Christina, and explained that my hair is extremely sensitive to heat and asked if she could lower the temperature to avoid damaging it. Her response felt defensive rather than reassuring. She stated that she had been doing hair for 15 years, had never burned anyone's hair, and knew what she was doing. While she did lower the straightener temperature, I felt my concerns were dismissed. Throughout that interaction, she laughed and seemed to brush off what I was saying instead of taking my concern seriously. Later, while curling my hair, I became distracted because my best friend, the bride, was opening a sentimental gift. Afterward, I realized the curling iron temperature had not been lowered as requested. I washed my hair today, and it now feels extremely dry, brittle, and straw-like. I understand that heat styling is part of the process, but I specifically communicated my concerns beforehand because I know how sensitive my hair is. Instead of feeling heard, I felt like my concerns were ignored because the stylist believed she knew better than I did about my own hair. Beyond the issue with my hair, I was disappointed by the overall professionalism and customer service. Throughout the morning, the stylist came across as condescending and difficult to approach. She was not warm, encouraging, or enthusiastic, which is especially important in a bridal suite environment. One example occurred when she finished styling the bride's mother's hair and asked for payment. The bride's mother mistakenly mentioned getting a check, and the stylist repeatedly responded in a condescending tone that checks were not accepted while chuckling and that it was "clearly" stated on our policy. It was an honest mistake, as cash had already been withdrawn for payment the day before. The interaction felt unnecessarily rude and embarrassing. I understand that there could have been some past experiences that brought her some stress with the mothers response to getting a check, but that was not a professional interaction. My biggest concern is that I felt completely dismissed when I expressed concerns about my hair, and I am now dealing with what appears to be heat damage as a result. She mentioned that in 15 years she had never burned anyone's hair. Perhaps that's true, or perhaps no one has spoken up about it before. Either way, you can count me as the first. Equally disappointing was the atmosphere that was created throughout the morning. What should have been a fun, relaxing experience getting ready with my best friend on her wedding day instead felt like walking on eggshells. No one should feel uncomfortable speaking up about concerns while receiving a service, especially during such an important event. I understand that working bridal parties can be stressful and demanding, but if you choose a career in customer service, knowing how to style hair is only part of the job. Knowing how to communicate professionally, listen to clients, and make people feel comfortable is equally important. Unfortunately, I left feeling dismissed, uncomfortable, and disappointed. There were also issues that the family had with her professionalism and communication leading up to the wedding, but those experiences are not mine to share. I am sharing my experience because if someone tells you that their hair is sensitive to heat, that concern should be taken seriously. I hope this feedback encourages better communication, more respect for client concerns, and a more positive experience for future bridal parties.