We decided to use this business for decor, lights, and day-of coordination for a casual wedding party for 80 people on 10/12 at a brewery. We were recommended by a DJ because Party couture offered event planning and market lighting, and we wanted softer lighting in the event space as well as someone to handle the day-of coordination, so I wouldn't be stressed. Unfortunately, the owner was unreliable (missed a meeting without a call or text and agreed to meet the following week, but when my husband messaged her, she was out of town) and shady (sent an updated "quote" the night before my event that was $1,200 more than her prior invoice and $1,500 over budget). I spent the first hour of the party coordinating with the venue employees to set up a wine table and giving the DJ announcements for guests. For example, a guest told me they had asked the planner for wine, and she sent them to the bar, but they didn't have wine (because it's a brewery.) We had agreed with the planner that she would set up a wine table, but she hadn't done that or even gotten the wine we ordered. I personally went to the brewery employees to ask about the wine, and the bartenders immediately brought out the cases of wine (probably 30-40 mins after the event had started). I also had to tell the DJ to announce to guests that the wine was available to take to tables. When I asked the event planner why it hadn't been done, she said she "could not get in touch with the brewery owner." She had three full days to set up, and we had been coordinating with her for months, so that was no excuse. This is just one example of the lack of day-of coordination with vendors. Further, she simply didn't do some of the things we agreed. We paid over $500 fresh flowers with "cactus and succulent touch" for narrow tables, so the items were scattered on the tables, rather than one centerpiece. We had given the owner empty topo choco bottles to add floral accents. There were 0 flowers and she put the topo chico bottles empty on the tables. If we had known she wasn't going to put out flowers (again, lack of communication), we could have done that or gotten a friend or family member to do it for us (my MIL is a former florist!). After the event, I realized I had overpaid the planner during the hustle and bustle of the day ($1k- not factoring in that I previously made a $1k deposit). The planner did not say anything about the overpayment. I sent her a request for the overpayment and refund for the lighting situation, but it has been three weeks, and I still have not received any money back. When she text me about it, she said something like "well I didn't get the payment until a week after the wedding." This led me to think, I didn't even know how much the final amount was until the day of the event (since I had to negotiate with her at the last minute to account for the $1200 more she was invoicing). I also showed her the Zelle payment was made on 10/12 & sent the rest Apple Pay. Yesterday, she told my husband that she was still working on a final invoice to add all the "extras" and would subtract that from the overpayment and refund. One of the extras included "bartending" at an art gallery, where we had arranged for shots of tequila and champagne set out for guests, not "bartending," We did not agree to that, and it looks like she is going to keep money from my overpayment she had agreed to send back. I also have a list of more minor things that went wrong during the event, and she charged me $1,350 for "high-end" day-of coordination and coordination with vendors. All in all, I am very dissatisfied and disappointed by the service and in my dealings with this business. This past week, after posting a negative review on facebook since I still had not received my overpayment, the owner reached out to me expressing disbelief and insinuated I was a "bad customer" and telling me the bad review was just my "feelings." Well, clearly, my feelings are supported by facts, and I believe she did a very shoddy job with setting up the dinner and coordinating my event. I want to share my experience so future brides are aware. read more

Party Couture - Party & Event Planning Near Me