Keli and her assistant's professionalism and experience made the day-of our wedding run incredibly smooth. She had a handle on every planned piece of our wedding day and skillfully worked around the more spontaneous moments. We were really impressed by her coordination and direction as we transitioned from the ceremony to photos to cocktail hour to more photos to our grand entrance. Keli politely kept everything on schedule while ensuring that we had time to enjoy and celebrate with family and friends! At some point during the afternoon, a button fell off my tuxedo and Keli's assistant (I believe her name was Alena), sewed my button on before we took the next set of pictures. Incredible! After the band's second musical set, Keli asked us if we wanted to move up the cake-cutting and bouquet toss earlier in the night to give people more time to dance and party. This really impressed us because she read the flow of the evening then offered us a way to keep our guests on the partying on the dance floor! After we gave her the go ahead, she communicated with all of the vendors, including photography, videography, the band, and catering. The transition wasn't even noticeable to our guests and this decision really kept the energy high! We would recommend Monarch Weddings, particularly for the level of service we received day-of. Thanks Keli! read more

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Keli, owner of Monarch Weddings, was amazing in helping our wedding be the magical day that it was. Her knowledge and experience were what made our day perfect and magical. During our planning, Keli was always professional, accommodating, and insightful something I so appreciated seeing as I live out of state. Keli's knowledge and working relationship with many vendors was so helpful. She went out of her way to help set up meetings with vendors when I came into town, sometimes with little notice. She understood my vision of what I wanted our day to be, and it was executed to perfection. We sprung a few twists to our wedding, and she was on board with them, helping us ensure that they were carried out exactly how we wanted. Without Keli's experience our wedding would not have been as perfect as it was. All our guest said it was the BEST wedding they have ever been to. I would 100% recommend Keli and Monarch Weddings, you will be thankful you hired her. read more

Monarch Weddings - Wedding Planning Near Me

More than anyone or anything else, Keli made my wedding day what it was. And it was amazing, from start to finish! She recommended all of my vendors (all of whom did an incredible job) and made sure they were available for my big day. She gave me inspiration for a table honoring my mother who had passed away. Heck, she even found me a newer, better, and still reasonably priced venue when we determined the one I'd chosen wouldn't work! The day of, we were dismayed to see there was an 80% chance of rain, and indeed it did rain. We'd planned for an outdoor ceremony, and I was pretty upset that that wouldn't be possible... that is, until I saw the set-up Keli had arranged inside. It was gorgeous, it incorporated the circular floral arch we'd decided on, and the guests were shielded from the cold and rain. As I walked down the aisle, I couldn't imagine a more perfect setting. The final performance element of my wedding was the first dance, and although my husband and I had practiced it, we had not done so with my dress on. I was saddened to find that the bustle I had gotten make the dress too long for me to walk backwards--which was one of the basic steps of our dance! Keli stepped in like the pro she is and created a shorter french bustle with pins in a matter of minutes--and the dance went off (set to the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows") without a hitch. Several guests told me that it was the best wedding they'd ever been to, and I chalk this up to Keli's meticulous planning. The day of the wedding I received a schedule from Keli that had every photo set and event planned to the minute. On your wedding day, the last thing you want to stress about is not getting everything done on time, or making your guests wait too long while you take pictures. Keli really put my mind at ease, and as a consequence, I had an amazing time at my own wedding with almost no stress--which was totally invaluable. I am so thankful that I had Keli to plan my wedding. I could not have picked anyone better! read more

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We contacted Keli Christenson on 2/23/2023, 6 months before our wedding for 150 guests on 8/19/2023. We had by this time already secured a wedding venue, a caterer through our venue, rental décor vendor, photographers, a videographer, a string quartet for the ceremony, a band for the reception, and a jeweler for our rings. The only vendors we had not secured before contacting Keli was an officiant, florist, and hair & makeup artists. On our first phone call with Keli 3/7/2023, we explained that the rows of chairs for the ceremony would be rearranged during cocktail hour into tables-and-chairs for dinner in the same space. Keli thought this flip would be labor-intensive. She recommended at least her 6-month Queen Partial Planning Package for $8000 + 3 additional staff members at $300 each + an additional $900 for working "overtime," but also strongly encouraged us to consider her 12-month Monarch Full Planning Package for $11,750. Given how many vendors we had already secured, we were surprised that she didn't recommend her 3-month Lady Partial Planning Package for $5250, but we decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. On our next call 5/3/2023, we sent Keli inspiration photos. Since we had already paid the décor rental vendors, we estimated we would need to allocate an additional $9,000 to the floral budget, on top of what we already paid for décor rentals. Keli strongly disagreed. On 5/16/2023, she emailed a budget with $14,716.93 for florals, and an additional $7,035.03 for extra décor rental items. On our call with Keli 5/17/2023, we explained that we would be willing to compromise on florals to reign in the budget. We reviewed her floral list to reduce her floral budget from $14,716.93 to $11,798.63. When we made suggestions such as recycling bridesmaids bouquets to be used as decorations for the escort card table, Keli laughed and said she had never seen that done before, and insisted that "based on her 25 years in the industry" that her floral estimate was accurate. As for the additional $7,035.03 for extra décor rental items, there were a number of items Keli wanted that we did not think were necessary. For example, Keli wanted to spend $2,000 for lounge couches. We explained that there would be plenty of cocktail tables around the dance floor. Once again, Keli appealed to her "25 years of experience in the industry" as to why she thought the lounge furniture would be necessary. On 5/18/2023, Keli sent us a revised budget with $11,798.63 allocated to florals and an additional $6068.73 or extra décor rental items. It took us a few days to review Keli's new budget line-by-line. On 5/24/2023, Keli emailed saying that she hoped her "realistic budget didn't scare us off, but not hearing back sooner was concerned I may have." And to let her know if we "would still like to move forward...or if you have decided to go in another direction with a different planner." On 5/27/2023, we emailed we would "like to work with you but understand if our smaller floral budget is not something you're comfortable working within. If you are ok to move forward, please feel free to send us a contract and we will sign and return." No response. On 6/2/2023, we emailed again but no response. We emailed again 6/6/2023. Keli replied 6/7/2023 saying that she wanted to "make sure it's the right fit for both parties...My hesitation hasn't been because of a smaller floral budget...My pause has to do with I felt your expectations aren't aligned with what I know to be true from my 20+ years of experience in the event industry and that leads me to feel there may be a lack of understanding or perhaps trust...I aim to exceed expectations...My fear is I would not be able to do so given the unrealistic expectations set forth from our previous discussion around the décor budget versus what would be needed to create your ideal wedding vision." Keli emailed 6/7/2023 at 7:15 PM suggesting that we discuss our differences over the phone on 6/8/2023 and that she was available at 1 PM, 4PM, or 5PM. I explained that the bride was at her bridal shower out of state and unavailable. I was busy at work at those times and suggested we talk 6/8/2023 after 6PM or any time 6/9/2023 or 6/10/2023. No response. I texted 6/9/2023 at 11:42 AM and called to leave a voicemail, but no response. After 2 weeks with no response to my email, text message, or voicemail, we presumed that Keli ghosted us and went with another planner who did a great job for $3,500. The professional florist on our venue's Preferred Vendor List charged us $7,256.96 and also did a great job. We tried to include as many concrete details, dates, and prices in this review as possible and leave our emotions out of the review so that the readers could draw their own conclusions. Honestly, we wish Keli and her business well. But we will not be using her services for any future events, and we will not be recommending her to our family and friends. read more

I would give her 10 stars if I could!!! When I walked into my reception & saw how BEAUTIFUL it was, it literally took my breathe away!! I owe it all to Keli @ Monarch Weddings!! She is amazing!! Her attention to detail is incredible! :) It was classy & fun!! I truly had the wedding of my dreams!! My day went so smoothly! I had SO much fun & never stressed about anything! My only regret is that we didn't hire her sooner! Her ideas are so fabulous!! I HIGHLY recommend using her. She can work with any budget (in fact, she can get far better prices with vendors that any regular joe so it will completely off set her fee). I know my wedding would have not been the same experience without her!!! It was incredible & the best day of my life!!! And I owe it all to Keli!!!! :) THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU KELI!!!!! :) You are SO good at what you do! read more

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Keli is a highly experienced wedding planner and made our wedding day truly stress free. She helped us navigate all our vendors and coordinated the wedding day seamlessly with the venue. We greatly appreciated her analytical approach to planning, from Google Sheets to Aisle Planner, we got an inside look at all the pieces that would come together, with her guidance, to make our day perfect. We felt incredibly supported during the planning process and especially during the wedding day events where we didn't have to worry about any of the details. She led our family and friends through the ceremony rehearsal with ease. Our loved ones were complimentary towards her professionalism and coordination. During the wedding day, as the bride and groom, we never had to worry about the schedule because she and her team led us through every step. We highly recommend her for any wedding planning services. read more

We just returned from our daughter's wedding in La Jolla, California and I must say, I could not have done it without Keli. She is amazing! We had nothing but issues with the venue and she worked through every one of them professionally and efficiently. Keli is extremely well organized, professional, and a true joy to work with. We could not have found a better coordinator to make the day perfect. The entire wedding and reception was perfectly orchestrated. As the mother of the bride, I was able to relax and completely enjoy the experience without having to worry about any of the details. If you want the perfect wedding, you have to hire the perfect coordinator...Keli Christianson is the one! Thank you Keli! read more

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Hiring Keli Christenson to be my Day of Wedding Coordinator was the best wedding decision I made (well, besides marrying my husband). I was a very organized bride, with a clear vision. By the time I hired Keli, I had most of my vendors booked, and was concerned about the Wedding Day running smoothly. (I got married in a public park and my guests had to walk 3 blocks to the reception). With my small wedding of 34 guests, some felt I did not need a Day of Wedding Coordinator. However, I quickly learned what an asset Keli and her team was. At our first meeting, I fell in love with Keli. Not only was she highly organized, she was very excited about my wedding. As someone who planned my wedding mostly on my own (my groom didn't have many opinions) it was so much fun to sit down with Keli and discuss in detail everything I had planned and everything I was hoping for. She was DETAIL ORIENTED - from ensuring the Flower Girl and Ring Bearer would be comfortable in a limo (she asked who in the limo they knew, to ensure they wouldn't melt down or become shy if they were in a limo with strangers) to drawing pictures of the ceremony and reception, to ensure we envisioned the same thing. Our second meeting, at my reception venue, she continued to show her incredible capabilities. She negotiated with the venue staff on linens, tables, and layout. She challenged prices she knew were exorbitant. She went through every single detail of the reception, ensuring nothing was left out. I left that meeting knowing she was doing everything she could to make my day as special as she could. Over the few weeks before the wedding, we were emailing daily about the seating chart, timelines, vendors - every last minute detail. Many people kept asking me why I wasn't stressed - it was because of Keli. She thought of everything before I could and had a plan. She listened to me and my budget carefully. She suggested a fabulous (and reasonably priced) DJ when mine fell through weeks before. She kept on top of many changing details (guest list, bridal party, etc.) The night before the wedding she conducted our rehearsal. Although I had a small wedding, I had a rather large bridal party and it was quite an ordeal coordinating everyone. Keli seamlessly planned the entire rehearsal, making it much easier on my bridal party and me. I handed her a large box of wedding items (guest book, place cards, photos, etc.) and went to enjoy my rehearsal. The day of my wedding I awoke with no stress. I enjoyed my morning with my bridesmaids, got ready and was completely relaxed. When Keli arrived, she helped my mom put my dress on (my dress had many, many buttons and she had a crochet hook to help - it was a life saver! She even left it by the bed so my husband could use it to help me out of my dress). Keli made sure everyone had the correct flowers, even pinning the boutonniere on my emotional dad. My ceremony was perfect. I was thrilled how it unfolded perfectly. I cried off all of my makeup, and Keli fixed my makeup and wouldn't let me take photos until I was ready (I am so grateful for this!). We got to cocktail hour and enjoyed our time with our guests while Keli set up our reception. When we made our grand entrance, I was surprised with how incredibly beautiful everything was! Even my husband (who does not notice details) could not stop talking about how pretty the cake table was! (In the planning process, I had explained to Keli that I didn't have much of a budget for décor. She took the little I had purchased and transformed it into something I never dreamed of!). The reception went exactly as planned, from the dinner to the speeches to cake. When we had our sendoff at the end of the night, Keli had packed our car with all of our personal belongings and made sure we were ready to go. Everyone kept telling me how amazing my wedding coordinator was. She made the day perfect, and was beyond kind and helpful. You need to hire Keli, I promise you will not be disappointed. It will be the best money you spent for your wedding. Trust me! read more

Monarch Weddings - Keli, the amazing Wedding Planner, touching up my makeup! - Wedding Planning Near Me

Keli created the most perfect and magical wedding for my son and his fiancé. Every last detail was tended to and her attention to tasks is incomparable. If you need an event planner, Keli is fabulous and I cannot recommend her highly enough-- and so easy to work with! By the way, this was a destination wedding in Sayulita (Puerta Vallarta, Mexico) and Kelivselected the most beautiful venue and fabulous vendors. read more

Keli at Monarch Weddings was absolutely incredible! We were so blessed to have her coordinate and plan our small, intimate wedding at Torrey Pines in La Jolla. The entire event was planned in 28 days and her creative vision, impeccable taste, execution and hard work made our wedding day undeniably perfect. Thanks to her, the event was effortless and we were able to share in the celebration with our family and friends. Our wedding day was so much more than I ever imagined. She exceeded all our expectations! I cannot thank her enough for what she did to make our day magical, elegant and beautiful! She is professional, sweet, experienced, talented and dedicated to her clients. You will not be disappointed if you hire her. read more

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Kelli Christenson is a magician. Our granddaughter hired her for their wedding. Due to circumstances, we needed to make 3 changes before finding the perfect venue ( which she found for us). Kelli was right there with us all the way, assuring us we would work it out and it would be perfect and indeed it was, in spite of many challenges. On the day of the wedding, rain was forecast for 90% at the hour of the wedding, which was planned for outside. My granddaughter was very disappointed and near tears, believing her day was going to be ruined. Kelli to the rescue. By the time we all got to the venue for pictures, she had the staff move 19 tables that already been set up for the dinner, had set up 180 chairs, the florist had brought the "arch" inside and set it up inside in a beautiful position right in front of full windows overlooking San Diego Bay, and she even went out of her way to contact one of her colleagues to bring a runner for the bride. Everybody was blown away by how beautiful everything was on such short notice and they didn't have any idea she was responsible. She was always behind the scene making sure everything was working. Everything went perfectly and all had a great time. Thanks, Kelli, you are an amazing genius. read more

Still riding our wave of bliss after having a wedding that exceeded all expectations on June 1st, my husband and I can honestly say that hiring Keli Christenson at Monarch Weddings as our Wedding Coordinator was the best decision of all and truly the smartest use of money in our wedding budget. I truly cannot imagine going through the planning process without her, nor the thought of what the end result may have been without having Keli's direction, advice, suggestions and basic stress level management throughout the months leading up to our big day. A consummate professional paying attention to every detail, Keli and her team brought our vision to life with flawless execution. There were so many details and questions to be addressed, many that I had/would never even thought of but luckily didn't need to worry about because our experienced, masterful coordinator handled it all. Keli was always on top of things and also several steps ahead. Some of the reasons why we loved working with Monarch Weddings... - Communication throughout process was perfect, timely responses always and excellent follow through. - Represented us as a couple in a professional, friendly and respectful manner with other vendors and venue coordinators ("a pleasure to work with" was mentioned by all). - Always had our best interest and vision in mind, never felt as if Keli was pushing own agenda. Frequently offered suggestions that would help us to stay within budget or ideas where we would get "most bang for our buck". - Added client benefits resulting from Keli's strong professional relationships within the industry. Our wedding day was absolutely perfect. Alena, my designated Bridal Assistant was outstanding, taking care of anything I needed. The confidence that we had in Keli and her team allowed us the ability to truly enjoy our entire wedding day and have the BEST time at our reception as it should be! My husband and I wish we knew more people getting married soon simply for the opportunity to refer Monarch Weddings! We will happily and without reservation, sing our praises of Keli and her team to any couple planning a wedding, confident that they will receive the same outstanding service and experience. read more

Wow, there are so many things I want to say but sometimes words can barely express how unbelievably impressed I was. Keli was by far one of the best people I have ever met. She was compassionate, personal, organized, detail oriented, etc. I told her many times I felt like she was family or at least my best friend. I planned my wedding long distance. I recently got married at Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. I planned it all the way from New York City. At first I was a little paranoid that I was going to be way too stressed to plan a long distance wedding. That all changed with Keli. I was the opposite of Bride Zilla because Keli knew exactly what I wanted. With all of that being said, I found out after the fact the Keli was very ill the day prior to our wedding as well as the day of the big event. She did an amazing job and did not let anyone know how bad she was feeling, and sucked it up to put on an amazing performance as our planner. If you are looking for someone that genuinely cares about the happiness and success of your evening then Keli is your girl! She is more than a wedding planner. She is a wonderful person inside and out and I could cry writing this. To all you brides/grooms, you will not go wrong. read more

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I have worked with Monarch on several events, from intimate gatherings to the most opulent affairs, and Keli and team are simply amazing. From planning to execution, they take great care with every detail, while tending to the needs of brides and guests alike. Keli really cares about her clients, and goes the extra mile to ensure a flawless, once in a lifetime event. read more

WOW! Keli Christenson is simply the BEST! We could not have picked a better wedding planner for our big day. From the moment we sat down to meet Keli, we knew without a doubt in our mind that we had to have her. She is the warmest and sweetest (not to mention most beautiful!) person and you instantly know that she is going to take care of you. She is such a great listener and feeds off of your vision and ideas to turn your dreams into a reality. She has a gift of pleasing everyone involved in the planning (bride, groom, parents, etc) and makes everyone feel so comfortable about the process and plans. Her organization is one that is unmatched: a binder for every couple, color coordinated excel sheets and emails, timelines, etc. She truly thinks of EVERYTHING! She has planned so many beautiful weddings and has worked with the best of the best and provides you with the options of THEE best vendors out there. She gives about 5-8 recommendations for each type of vendor, allowing you to research them by style, price point, etc. She doesn't try to push one vendor on you over another because she knows every bride and groom will have a different style and different budget. We ended up with the absolute BEST team of vendors and it is clear that every single person we met with ADORES Keli and thinks so highly of her work and talent. It felt so good to know that we were in such good hands based on what we heard from everyone we spoke with. Keli has a very high reputation in this business and there is a reason! My mom and I absolutely cherished our days we got to spend with Keli. We had so many great laughs and the positive energy she exudes is contagious. It feels like hanging out with one of your girlfriends talking about your fairytale wedding... except she actually turns your fairytale into reality! The day of our wedding, I have never felt so relaxed and at ease on what I know can probably be a very stressful and hectic day. I knew that Keli had absolutely everything taken care of and she even makes time to come visit the bridal party to say hi and hang out! Aside from the ceremony,reception and everything in between being completely beyond what we imagined, it was Keli who made the night so enjoyable for us. She could not have been more cool, calm and collected, which really allowed us to just sit back and enjoy EVERY single second. The saddest part about our wedding being over was not being able to work with Keli anymore! Luckily, she is now a lifelong friend and we still stay in touch and I know we always will! Thank you Keli, from the bottom of our hearts, for making our wedding MAGICAL! You are the BEST and we love you! Love, Trish & Brad read more

HIRE KELI NOW! It will be the best decision you will make when planning your wedding. My wedding was in July 2014 in Rancho Santa Fe, CA and I planned my wedding in about 10 months. Keli has multiple packages from full time coordinating to day of the wedding, so she works with any budget. She went to consultations with me, talked to and followed up with all the vendors so I didn't have to, and helped with the overall design of my wedding. She is kind, professional, funny, and has so much experience and knowledge. I even got discounts with vendors just because I name dropped her and said she was my wedding coordinator. She would let us know the average price for vendors so we never felt like we overpaid. Also, she always answered my emails, phone calls, and texts within a day of sending them. She is so organized with her color coded spreadsheets, guest lists, and timelines. Once the wedding day was upon us, I did not have to worry about a thing. I was able to 100% enjoy my wedding day while Keli and her team made sure all vendors had arrived and everything was set up how I dreamed. I was pampered and did not have to worry about anything. Keli went above and beyond my expectations and I HIGHLY recommend her to any bride. Make your life and wedding plan experience fun and stress free with Monarch Weddings! read more

Five stars are not enough! Keli was INCREDIBLE! I had big plans for a beautiful Gatsby-themed wedding and Keli exceeded my wildest expectations while keeping me on budget. I would recommend Monarch Weddings to any bride-to-be. Every detail and plan was perfectly executed. My breath was literally taken away when I walked into the ceremony ballroom and took it all in for the first time--the floral arrangements and candles, and all the smiling faces of our family and friends... And from there, the cocktail foyer and Reception ballroom which amazed me even more. Every person in attendance said it was the best wedding they had ever been to, and I would have to agree, even if I'm biased. From the band to the decor to the smooth flow and timing of everything. I didn't have to think or worry about a single thing all day. I am so thankful for Keli and her meticulous eye for perfection, as well as her dedication to ensuring the day was everything I could have dreamed of and more. Thank you, thank you, thank you! read more

Keli was an amazing planner for our wedding. We had a specific vision for our wedding and she helped to make it even more. She helped find us the best vendors who could bring together our vision, while also finding the best deals with vendors. She was very hands on with all of the details of the wedding. Her bridal assistant was also amazing the day of, making sure my every need was taken care of the entire time. I did not stress one bit the day of, thanks to her. Every one of our guest continues to express to us how it was the best wedding they've ever been to, and I am so thankful Keli made that happen. read more

Keli at Monarch weddings is amazing! She helped me plan both my destination wedding and my reception in San Diego. Her attention to detail is just what any bride needs on their special day(s). I appreciate Keli's ability to be assertive when need be, but also do it in a kind and caring way. It is evident when someone is passionate about what they do and Keli has a true talent for her passion. read more

Don't waste your time interviewing other wedding planners - Keli is your girl. She will be able to bring your dream wedding to reality. Keli is amazing- she saved my August 2017 Del Mar wedding after there were some problems with the original wedding planner. Keli was such a breath of fresh air - she was organized and her attention to detail was amazing. Keli enabled me to have a FLAWLESS wedding thanks to her incredible experience and connections. I was very worried about my wedding running smoothly until Keli stepped in - I never had to thik about anything else after she took over. Her vision and understanding of colors, flowers, beautiful details like painting gold menus to make the color pop better... the list goes on. Her team is well trained and they're all a true team - they work well together and are happy to be a part of your day. Keli turned my wedding day into a fairy tale that people are still talking about almost a year later! Keli also had excellent relationships with the other various vendors (linens, chair rentals, catering mgr, bakery, florist etc). This made everything extremely easy because the vendors had worked together before and had a level of familiarity. Don't look elsewhere and take Keli's guidance! read more

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If you are seeking the wedding you've always imagined and yet can't quite figure out how to make it a reality, then you must contact Keli at Monarch Weddings. From our first phone call and introduction, I knew Keli had a special gift. Not only does she have an incredible eye for detail and design, amazing organizational skills and a genuine passion for her work, but she's an excellent listener and has a profound ability to draw out and capture what you can't always express in words. From our heartfelt, emotional ceremony, to organizing the live musician, DJ, flowers, and professional hair and make-up artist, she pours her heart and soul into every tiny detail of planning your special day, and her results will bring tears to your eyes!! Not to mention the day of organization and coordination she provides, so that the bride and groom and all of the wedding guests can enjoy every minute of the day without worry or stress. Keli, you were not only our wedding coordinator, but you became a friend as well. We are so grateful to have met you! Thank you for the kindness that is you, for touching the depth of our heart and souls, and for giving us one of the most incredible days of our lives! With Our Love, Julie & John read more

Keli was referred to me by a close friend who is a photographer who sees dozens of San Diego weddings every year - so I already I knew I would be working with one of the best in the biz...but WOW did Keli surpass my expectations!!! Keli is closely networked with many different vendors in San Diego. She will never push you into using any single one but ensures the right fit to meet your style and budget. Because we had Keli and such amazing vendors to work with I truly enjoyed the wedding planning process! The week of my wedding is where Keli truly became my savior. There was forecasted rain and we had an outdoor ceremony/cocktail hour at Scripps Forum. We went through multiple back up plans as forecasts changed but as family came into town I felt 100% confident having Keli make the final decisions and determine the best course of action day of. She took all of my stress away and allowed me to enjoy every moment of my wedding weekend. The layout she designed had never been done before at Scripps and given the morning of rain showers was absolute perfection. So many guests commented "This is the back up plan? I wouldn't have ever known!" And five months later we still are routinely told "That was the best wedding I've ever been to!' Start to finish working with Keli was phenomenal. Professional, detail oriented, organized, budget concise, amazing style and FUN! https://www.theknot.com/real-weddings/an-elegant-classic-seaside-wedding-at-scripps-seaside-forum-in-la-jolla-california-album?location=-117.160317,32.675792&page=1 http://www.borrowedandblue.com/san-diego/weddings/suzanne-christopher read more

Everything you want in a wedding planner to make your special day perfect! Incredibly organized, highly detail oriented, knows the perfect vendors and is sweet and smiling the whole time. We can't thank Keli and the Monarch Wedding team enough for all that they did, especially because we were planning the wedding from a distance. Definitely recommend Keli to everyone - my MOH just hired her for her wedding too! Thank you, Keli!!! read more

Keli at Monarch Weddings was everything we could ask for and more in a wedding coordinator. She recommended phenomenal vendors that really fit our theme/vision perfectly. We would have been completely lost without her. She's very organized and thorough and went above and beyond to make sure everything was just right. We'd definitely recommend Keli (already have) to any of our friends or family if looking for a top notch wedding coordinator. Thanks Keli! read more

I can't believe I'm so late in writing this review when in actuality I could have written in months before the event! When our venue told us it was mandatory that we have a wedding planner involved for "day of" services I did not agree: after all I have been planning corporate events for 30+ years. Now that the event (my daughter's wedding) is over I'm so grateful for the decision! From the very first contact I had with Keli I could tell she was professional, organized, energetic, creative and FUN! She was involved through the entire process, offering suggestions and ideas. She even patiently and graciously put up with my constant questions and ideas of my own. The wedding day was perfect and I was completely stress free because I knew Keli had every last detail covered. I highly recommend Keli and would happily work with her again (hey - maybe someday **I'll** get married :) Mother of the Bride July 7, 2012 Paradise Point Resort/San Diego, CA read more

I fully expected to have at least one bridezilla moment at my recent wedding in Coronado, but it never happened. I have my wedding coordinator, Keli, to thank for that. I was only able to meet with Keli three times prior to the wedding, but she was in control of every aspect of the rehearsal, ceremony, and reception. She also recommended vendors who were trustworthy, professional, and in my price range. She quickly understood what I wanted from potential vendors and was able to communicate that to them. Keli went beyond the call of duty on the day of the wedding. The flowers, chairs, and linens were gorgeous, but she added a number of elements that pulled my theme together beautifully. She helped with a few different sartorial issues throughout the day in addition to tracking down errant members of the bridal party and directing the photographers. My husband never got a piece of the groom's cake so she put a piece for each of us in our hotel room. She also managed to bring three huge centerpieces to our room after the reception. I'm not sure how she did it all. I would not hesitate to recommend Keli to anyone planning a wedding in the San Diego area. She loves what she does and she makes the process fun. read more

Keli is amazing! I personally found wedding planning really stressful. Having Keli with me through every step of the way was invaluable. When it all came together on the day all the stress was gone and we could enjoy the best day of our lives. She's extremely professional, detail oriented, and all of that detail came through for us. Hire her! read more

Words cannot express the magic Keli created at our wedding! We were married at the Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego in November 2018 and had the most incredible wedding weekend! Keli did such an unbelievable job! Everything was literally perfect. The whole weekend and wedding went seamlessly and flowed so smoothly. She allowed us to be guests at our weeding and have a blast without having to worry about a thing! The ceremony area and ballroom were stunning. I was so overwhelmed by the beauty that I actually cried the moment I walked in. She brought it all together perfectly, precisely - and melted, wowed, every person who stepped in the room. Person after person have told us it was the best wedding experience and most beautiful wedding they have ever been to (3 months later, people are still talking about our wedding). We truly had a blast and wouldn't change it at all. She wowed everyone (including my husband and he is rarely wowed) She helped give us the most fun and best day of our lives! I truly felt like I was in a fairytale! Not only is she fantastic at her job, but she is an extremely enjoyable person to be around (we actually missed her after the wedding). Hiring Keli/Monarch was the best decision we could have made! Husband's review: We live in Philadelphia, but had our wedding in San Diego so we knew planning would be a challenge. Our very first conversation with Keli put us at ease. We described our vision and she knew exactly what we were looking for and helped to inspire even more. Her organization and attention to detail were exceptional. She did not push us to make choices outside our budget, but rather gave us options. She had a vendor suggestion for every single need from napkins to the band. She was easily able to work with us even though we were in Philly. We had one pre-wedding in person meeting weekend and she had everything expertly ready for us to review. Her eye for detail made our wedding look like what you see in a magazine! Her ability to effortlessly work with vendors was extraordinary. BUT The cherry on top with Keli was her unbelievable ability to put a room together and make every single guest, from all different backgrounds and ages walk into the room and say HOLY S&%T!!! Let me repeat that, your guests will literally walk into the room, stop and say out loud, HOLY S&%T (I watched them do it!)! Guest after guest told us that they never saw such a beautiful room. Of course it wasn't just the room. She over delivered by allowing us to have a truly rockin' fun wedding. We were able to relax and not worry about a thing during the wedding, the weekend of the wedding, and the weeks leading up to the wedding. She was fun and easy to work with, we had a lot of laughs (she kept laughing even though I was a major pain in the butt) and we already miss talking to her and plan to keep in touch! -MK read more

If there was one word that could describe our wedding, it would be PERFECT! We credit that entirely to Keli and her team at Monarch Weddings. Not only is Keli a true professional with great attention to detail, she has an impeccable sense of style and is so well respected and revered by those in the industry. From our own personal experience, Keli way exceeded our expectations. Our courtship with Keli began 1 year before our wedding day. She was always very quick to respond to every question we had and gave us so much insight with each response. In the days leading up to our special day, people would often say to me "Oh you must be so busy!" or "Are you stressed?" I would happily say "Nope, our wedding coordinator is taking care of us." We travelled from Toronto, Canada to the Lodge at Torrey Pines, in La Jolla for our wedding. It was a special place for us since we were engaged there 18 months ago. Destination weddings (I'm told) are especially stressful because you don't have all the amenities from your daily lives at your finger tips and long distance planning is apparently challenging. Keli took all of that away and made our day PERFECT. Each one of our guests had the time of their lives and many said it was the most fun they ever had at a wedding. Because Keli managed every last detail with the venue and all our vendors (even the little things that you would not even think of), we were able to thoroughly enjoy our PERFECT day. Because of Keli, we remember every special moment whether planned or candid, from morning until late into the night. Thank you Keli and your team at Monarch Weddings! Jessica & Grant Toronto ON read more

Keli Christenson of Monarch Weddings truly can make dreams come true! A wedding is very stressful, the best decision we made was to hire Keli! Her organizational skills and knowledge of amazing vendors transformed my daughters wedding into the most magical, beautiful event! What I love most is how Keli followed our budget, but still managed to find everything we we wanted to make my daughters day perfect! Our daughter's reception looked like a 10 star event after Keli took a large, empty, room and transformed it into the most incredible place! It's all about the detail, and that is what makes Monarch unique and the best at what they do. Thank you Keli & staff! read more

I will start by saying how amazing my wedding day was and how it was perfectly executed all thanks to Keli with Monarch Weddings. I hired Keli from the very beginning so I never could have done it without her guidance the whole way through. She showed up on time if not early to all of our appointments. She helped negotiate all of our contracts and kept my vendors on task to make sure all that was promised came to fruition in a timely manner. She paid attention to every detail with design, food and feel that I was wanting to achieve for our special day. There was nothing missed and I never felt overwhelmed because she managed the whole process perfectly. It was amazing and my friends and family are still talking about it. Hiring Keli with Monarch Weddings is a must! read more

Keli Christenson at Monarch Weddings is amazing!!! She is extremely organized and pays close attention to detail and made sure every little part of my wedding was perfect. When I saw the ceremony site and reception I was in awe! It was 10x more than I could have ever expected or imagined and I owe a lot of that to Keli!!! She recommended some amazing vendors and communicated extremely well with them all to make sure everything on our wedding day went smoothly. She not only was a great wedding coordinator but was an amazing support system throughout the wedding process. She continually calmed my nerves and provided me with the support I needed! It was an incredible experience working with Keli and I HIGHLY recommend her!!! Thank you so much Keli! read more

Absolutely amazing!! Keli and her team at Monarch are amazing. When we first walked into the reception, it took our breath away. Absolutely gorgeous! Thank You! read more

I recently got married at the Grand Del Mar in Del Mar, California. It was a "destination" wedding for my fiancé and I because we both live in Dallas, Texas. I had the privilege of having Keli Christenson as my wedding coordinator. Keli is not your typical wedding coordinator. She truly is exceptional at planning every aspect of a wedding. I was so blessed and grateful to have had her as my wedding coordinator. I can't imagine how my wedding would have turned out without having her because truly everything was impeccable! I have always heard stories about something not going according to plan at a wedding; I must be one of the lucky few where nothing went wrong. My wedding was flawless and this is attributed to the outstanding job that Keli did. Keli compiled ideas for the style of wedding that I wanted and she had the vision and expertise to execute it in a way that I could never do on my own. The reception was extraordinary! All of my guests asked who was responsible for the décor and how I found the amazing band. They raved about the florals. All of those components were suggestions made by Keli. She meticulously shopped each detail to a T. She took it upon herself to find the perfect linen and design of chair and table to compliment the style of my wedding. At the presentation of the mock-up, she incorporated some other ideas and it took the room from beautiful to WOW! Her work brought my mom and I to tears. We were so impressed with her ability to pick up on the style of wedding that I wanted and take it to a new level. Planning a wedding can be overwhelming and stressful especially trying to plan it from another state, however, I never felt overwhelmed or stressed. Keli's level of detail and knowledge made the planning process fun and exciting! She is highly respected in the wedding industry and has a great relationship with all of the vendors. This was very important to me as I would have been at a lost with attempting to evaluate what vendors were reliable and at the top of their game, yet also in the price range that I was looking to stay in. Keli did an amazing job with getting discounts from many of the vendors that she has a relationship with and negotiating lower prices which I was so grateful for. I followed Keli's guidance on all of the vendors and they were all spectacular! I wouldn't have changed any of them. Keli is such a delight to work with! She is professional, kind and committed. She is a visionary. I can't thank her enough for producing a stunning and seamless wedding. Our guests could not stop complimenting the design and ease of the night. Everyone had a blast and was on the dance floor till the very last song. My wedding was beautiful and effortless. If you want to have your wedding come together with ease and style, I strongly recommend Keli Christenson with Monarch weddings. Thank you for everything, Keli! read more

I cannot even begin to describe how fabulous my wedding coordinator Keli Christenson was for my wedding at The Prado in Balboa Park on August 4th. I started working with her 9 months prior and right after meeting her, my now husband Kyle and I knew we had made the perfect choice! She was extremely detail oriented and extremely organized with every single component of our wedding. She had tons of ideas and suggestions for us as we traveled down the "wedding planning" path. Thank god for her...I truly don't know what I would have done without her since all my friends and family live in the Midwest. She was always so easy to get a hold of, and responded within hours if she was preoccupied. I always looked forward to our meetings and she never felt intimidating. Not only is she extremely professional and someone you can count on, but she is a person with a huge heart and truly wants the best for you and your fiance. Since our wedding, our family and friends cannot stop talking about our "Posh" wedding and the fact that it went so smoothly. Most guests at a wedding can say a wedding went smoothly when the bride and groom have a different story...not in our case! We had the PERFECT wedding day and most importantly....we were not stressed or worried about a thing. Keli has every detail covered. I was the most happy and relaxed on my wedding day...which is how it should be! Everyone on that day kept talking about "The Wedding Coordinator" and how wonderful she was. The next morning, I woke up in a small panic to my now husband wondering where all of our personal belongings from the wedding (expense personalize flutes and cake serving set, picture frames, cake topper, etc). had landed and if they were safe. I don't know why I even questioned this, because when I called my mom, she said that Keli had packed up EVERYTHING that was ours and sent them back to the hotel with my family. Sure enough, everything that was ours was accounted for....even the top tier of our cake which I had completely forgotten about!!! I cannot say enough what an amazing experience the wedding planning process was thanks to Keli. I get emotional just thinking about how happy I was on my wedding day and so stress free. If you choose her, you will NOT be disappointed!!! YAY FOR KELI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) read more