I hired Pauleen to help me with wedding design services. I had a vision of how I wanted my wedding…read moreto look but I really didn't know how to tie everything together. I really relied on her experience to turn my ideas into a beautiful finished event that my guests couldn't stop raving about. Her attention to detail is what really helped take my wedding to the next level. She thought of the little things that I never would have thought of, and those are the details that matter. Hiring an event designer isn't just for big budget affairs. In fact I would recommend her even more for people on tight budgets because she really helped me get the most out of my money. She is very handy, creating much of the decor herself which really helps control costs. It's easy to throw a great party with a 100k budget, for the rest of us, there are people like Pauleen. On the day of my wedding I knew everything was in good hands and I didn't worry about a thing. That piece of mind was worth every penny in hiring Pauleen.

There is no way we could have (calmly and sanely) made it through our wedding day without Pauleen!…read moreWith a park wedding venue without any staff, Pauleen was vital in coordinating and making the day go off without a hitch. She was always prompt, professional, and upbeat.It seems like she just got into my head and executed everything perfectly. I cannot speak highly enough of Pauleen!

My wedding was in 2024 at the old Arbor Loft location. Working with Erica was absolutely…read morewonderful--she was kind, attentive, and truly cared about my wedding. The venue itself was beautiful, and some of the staff members we encountered were extremely friendly. Unfortunately, despite these positives, my overall experience left me feeling disappointed and stressed. At our final meeting, all of my carefully planned details were simply handed off to someone else who did not seem invested in my day. Half of my bridal party had never been in a wedding before, and despite asking multiple times, we were unable to secure a proper rehearsal time. We later learned this was because another event was booked that night. Our "rehearsal" ended up being squeezed into the bridal suite, which was chaotic. On top of that, another bridal party was scheduled to rehearse in our space at 1:00 p.m.--just two and a half hours before my guests were to arrive at 3:30. It was very stressful and did not feel like the focus was on our wedding. The morning of our wedding, I decorated everything with the help of one friend, only to have one of my bridesmaids rush in to tell me that another bridal party was practicing in the same space we had paid for and spent all morning decorating. The new woman in charge of the wedding (I never learned her name) Came to me and asked "what my problem was" When I asked about it, I was told, "Sorry, this is just how we do things here." That response left me feeling like my day wasn't valued. I also spent the night before carefully labeling bins and creating spreadsheets for the staff as they requested. Despite this, my belongings were returned completely disorganized--items were put in the wrong bins, frames were broken, and irreplaceable family photos were damaged. I had also rented flowers from Something Borrowed Blooms and specifically reminded the staff they were rentals that needed to be returned. Instead, they were placed in buckets of water--even though they were artificial--and I was later charged for them. I've been hesitant to leave this review because I wanted to move on and focus on the good memories of my wedding day. However, I feel future brides should be aware. While Erica was wonderful to work with, and the venue was undeniably beautiful, the way key details were handled was very disheartening.

The Arbor Loft was hands down the best decision we made in terms of vendors for our wedding. From…read morethe beginning at the inquiry stage, they responded quickly and gave us all the information in a digestible manner. The loft itself is a beautiful space. It's a venue where you can decorate as much or as little as you'd like. The exposed white brick, the huge industrial windows, the perfectly appointed greenery that's already there and the adorable trendy modern furniture all make a great setting for whatever the event. The bridal and groomsman suites are amazing!! There's a photo opportunity at every corner. I loved how all my photos turned out! The Arbor Loft staff are just wonderful. We worked with Maddy first who got us to the contracts stage. She was super helpful and responded to all of our lengthy contract review comments. Then we worked with Carly all the way up until the wedding day. I cannot express how thankful we were to Carly. She responded to every email we had in less than 48 hours (I cannot say that for any of my other vendors). No matter how small or big the list of questions were, we got an answer. As a stressed out and type A bride, I can't even begin to stress the importance of receiving an answer in a reasonable timeframe. Unless you do one of their planner packages, it's important to note the Arbor Loft is not your wedding planner. They are very good however at asking the questions that make sure you are on track and have the minimum you need for a wedding day. On the day itself we worked with Autumn. She was so calming and even helped me with a fussy bustle that none of my bridesmaids can figure out. I would not have been able to do my first dance without her! For catering we used the Loft's Folk catering. They had such an interesting menu and we received such good feedback on the food. One of my picky friends event complimented on the dinner. They presented the buffet beautifully. For late night we picked a couple pizzas from swan dive, which delivered straight to the venue. This was the best food item for me on the day. The vegan pizza was soooooo delicious and I was grateful for the extra food since I didn't eat much during the day. Since Folk and Swan Dive were associated with the loft, everything was on one invoice and it was so easy when it came to settling the bill. Carly also kept us on track with payments which we were so grateful for. At the end of the wedding, the staff packed up all of our decorations for us based on an inventory list which was so helpful!! Especially when you're exhausted at the end of the night! Some tips for anyone engaged and getting married at the Loft. Attend one of their open houses. It's super helpful to see the types of furniture, linens, and rentals they offer. Don't buy anything that the loft can provide either for free or a reasonable price. The open house also gives you the vibe of when there are people there. You can also sample food from one of their caterers. And it's free! Take advantage of the furniture that's in the loft already. They have really cute lounge pieces that you can use for a photo op. Use the greenery they have in the space. All of these items can be moved to wherever you want if you just ask. The bridal suite is huge and a lovely space to get ready, use it. One suggestion I have for the loft is to have a bar sampling night. We did not get to taste test any of the drinks they offered for signature cocktails or any of their other alcohols. I'm sure they did a great job with the open bar but I think a drinks night will be super fun for everyone. I absolutely will recommend working with the Arbor Loft team at any of their locations. We had full faith in the team, this is what they do every day! Thank you Arbor Loft :) **All photos are from the amazingly talented Abigail Lynn Photography

A Dream Wedding, Made Effortless, thanks to Melissa and Simple Celebrations!…read more Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, but Melissa and her team at Simple Celebrations turned what could have been a stressful process into something truly joyful. From the very beginning, Melissa took the time to listen, really listen, to our hopes, ideas, and vision. She then used her deep well of experience, creativity, and calm confidence to guide us every step of the way. Melissa is more than just a planner, she's a partner, a problem-solver, and a visionary. Her impeccable taste and design eye brought our wedding to life in a way that felt personal, elegant, and unforgettable. But what impressed us most was her ability to anticipate our needs before we even realized we had them. That level of foresight and attention is rare and absolutely priceless. Throughout the planning process and especially on the big day, Melissa was attentive, professional, and full of fresh ideas. She handled every detail with grace, allowing us to be fully present and soak in the magic of our wedding without worry. Everything flowed seamlessly because Melissa was running the show--and we knew we were in the best possible hands. We are endlessly grateful for her talent, poise, and passion. If you're looking for someone who will go above and beyond to make your day exceptional, look no further than Melissa and Simple Celebrations. BRAVA, MELISSA! You made our day truly spectacular.

Melissa helped my sister and brother-in-law plan their wedding and she was amazing to work with…read more She helped them prioritize what they really wanted in their ceremony and brought their vision to life. In addition, her rental items are pristine and stunning. She also helped me plan my sister's bridal shower. Melissa is also kind and supportive. She works hard and it shows in the final product. We won't soon forget her or how she made a special day even more lovely. Thank you, Melissa!

We hired Tara 2 years ago when my daughter got engaged. My daughter was very specific about the…read morekind of wedding she wanted. She wanted a wedding with multiple day events (wine tour, welcome party, ceremony on the Cornell campus, two cocktail parties, reception and a brunch). We were also challenged with having 160+ guests from out of town. My daughter didn't want a traditional wedding banquet hall look, she wanted to have farm tables with lush greeneries and flowers, and lounge sofas for people to relax. It was hard to find a place around Ithaca to accommodate so many guests. Tara spent days with us in finding a perfect venue for the wedding. On the day of, we had photographers videographers, multiple banquet coordinators, bus drivers. Tara was amazing in coordinating everything and getting everyone to work together. She had 7 pages of the event schedule. She worked tirelessly to refine it with us, down to when food would be delivered for the bridal party to eat before the ceremony. At the end of the reception, when she saw I was going back to the hotel by myself, she personally drove me back. She then delivered flowers for the next morning's brunch to our B&B at 2am. On top of that, she showed up at the brunch to make sure everything was ok and helped us pack up everything. We had few crisis (or we thought) during the wedding, Tara was able to take care of them for us and more importantly calmed us down. All of our guests told us how much fun they had at the wedding and how beautiful the venue was. I think a lot of it was due to Tara's careful planning and diligence. I would highly recommend Tara as a planner for any special event.

Tara (Terra Rosa) was such a wonderful and integral part of our wedding team! She came highly…read morerecommended by a close family friend and owner of a local florist company - if other vendors say somebody is great to work with, believe them! Our venue, the Ithaca Farmers Market, requires an immense amount of planning and organization as you must bring in everything (rentals, food, alcohol, decor) yourself. In addition, set-up time is very limited so it pays off to have a team of vendors who have worked well at the market before and know what they're doing and how run of show should go! While we signed on for the month-of package, Tara was so helpful in providing recommendations for additional vendors throughout our planning process who not only have worked market wedding before, but who would be able to help us create our exact vision for the day. Tara was responsive and always made herself readily available, whether it was well-before the month of our wedding or in the days leading up to it. As a self-described Type-A planner, I was so grateful to have Tara on top of everything especially the day before and the day of the wedding so that I could kick back and relax to enjoy such a special day. She executed everything perfectly, - including when a guest stepped on the bottom of my dress and broke off a bustle hook! Not only did she have safety pins of all sizes on hand, she perfectly pinned the dress back into its proper bustle so nobody could even tell! I can't recommend her highly enough - every couple should be so lucky as to have her support, eye for style, and organization on their big day!

Sam at Italian tours (Avviso Travel) did a wonderful job in planning our one-week trip to Italy…read more Both of our flights were timed to decrease any kind of jet-lag. The hotels were well-located, different but clean and friendly. The planned tours were very informative and timed so that we never felt overwhelmed. We had free time to adjust and to wander on our own between the tours. Overall a great experience--I don't think it could have been better planned.

From the owner: Travel agency specializing in all things Italy. Since…read more1986, we have been making your dreams come true. -Flights -Hotels -Trains -Cars -Tours -etc. We can take care of any need when it comes to Italy.