The actors/actresses are seriously amazing. I booked Anna and Elsa for my daughter's 3rd birthday…read moreparty, and while I questioned myself whether or not this was necessary, I have zero regrets about it. Booking was a breeze...I was nervous at first about potentially not being contacted back after submitting my request online through their website, but they emailed back within the given time quote and expectations and instructions were made very clear. All of that is fine and dandy, but let's get to the real reasons why these guys/gals should get all the props. Once Anna and Elsa promptly arrived at the party, the kids obviously lost their minds. I didn't have to give them any instructions on what to do; they were very experienced and self-sufficient and handled the rest of the party. None of the characters seemed uncomfortable with kids and they were all very engaging and brought enough games to keep them entertained so that I could sip on my mimosa(s). We had a minor hiccup with a mild rain shower, and the actresses just rolled with it and improvised on the spot. The kids even forgot that it was raining outside. Very professional, friendly, and easy to book service. If you can't bring a birthday party to Disney, have these guys come to you. Worth every penny.

Best thing I ever did was use this company for my daughters 1st birthday five princesses came to…read morethe party and all the kids loved them it's the best thing u can do for a kid I want to thank them again they were so Beautiful and nice I recommend this for everyone they really do make the party

I'm so happy I stumbled upon this gem of a company! Such a fabulous idea and I'm always happy to…read moresupport local businesses. I emailed to get info on having a couple of princesses come out to Prospect Park for my daughters 4th birthday. Alexandria, the owner, was super quick to reply and very informative. My daughter was requesting a princess that they didn't offer - but for a little bit more money they worked their magic and Princess Anna arrived with Queen Elsa and the girls were thrilled! The princesses played games, they danced with the little girls, did a crafty project and were on their way. I was so impressed with their maturity and the way they handled the little ones. Would highly recommend them!

My sister had Mickey and Minnie come for our daughter first birthday parade and they were awesome!…read moreKids and adults loved it! They played music and danced the whole time.

We booked Ms. Rachel and it was a terrible experience. I was beyond disappointed. The character…read morethat showed up barely talked she did not talk to any of the children and did not smile. She didn't say "hi" when she arrived: she looked scared to be there. She played a "game" with the kids by taking out a flamingo and telling one kid to hide it and asked me to help her talk to the children. The kids couldn't hear her because she was speaking so low. When it was time to "face paint" she stood there helpless until my sister in law asked her if she needed something and she said she didn't have warm water. But I wonder if she hadn't asked would she have attempted to try. The only time she seemed enthusiastic and talked was when she was going and it was time to ask for her money. I am truly disappointed and feel it was such a waste of money.

We recently booked a princess appearance with Characters IO for my daughter's birthday, and while…read morethere were some positive aspects to the experience, there were also disappointments that are worth sharing for others considering this company. To start with the positives: the princess looked fantastic and looked exactly like the character she was portraying. She brought a couple of books and coloring supplies, which the kids enjoyed doing alongside her, and she danced with the girls in a circle. However, one of the reasons we booked with this company was that the initial booking emails highlighted that the princess could provide simple face painting. Unfortunately, when she arrived, she did not bring any face paint. This was especially disappointing as face painting was my daughter's top request. During the event, the princess was fairly passive and required prompting--such as being asked to join in the singing during the cake cutting--rather than taking initiative during key moments. After the party, I followed up with the company to express my disappointment and to better understand what went wrong. They responded that face painting is not guaranteed per their terms and conditions. I explained that this was not clearly communicated and asked what I should have done differently--whether I should have confirmed in advance that our specific princess could provide face painting. Despite sending seven emails and five follow-up texts, I never received a clear response or guidance on this. So while the appearance was visually impressive, the lack of clear communication and follow-through on a key feature left us frustrated. If face painting is a priority for your event, I would recommend confirming it very clearly in advance--or booking with another company that can guarantee it.

Bridget emceed and DJ'ed at our Wedding Reception at the City Winery in West Loop on 8/4/2018. This…read morewas a reception dinner party without the ceremony because we had already said our vows overseas. She was fantastic to work with and we are very pleased at how the event turned out. We did not hire a wedding planner for our event so Bridget helped us plan the entire evening down to the minute details. She was prompt with communications and was accommodating to last minute changes. While DJ'ing for the dancing part of the evening, she was amazing at reading the crowd and playing songs that were sure to get them going. If you are looking for someone who is organized, reliable, skillfully accommodating, great at communication, talented at reading the crowd, reasonably priced, has a great microphone voice, and can pull off both trendy and classy at the same time, we would definitely recommend Bridget for your next event!

Bridget is exceptional. I hired her for a birthday/cocktail party and she really knows how to use…read morethe music to engage the crowd and set the tone. She did an amazing job. She is also very easy to work with, highly accommodating, and talented at what she does. I've worked with a lot of DJs but she is one of the best for meeting my dj entertainment needs.

Barney came to my daughter's 4th birthday. He was great! They sang songs, did magic and danced. My…read moredaughter absolutely loved it!

Choosing Shannon Gale and their wedding planning team was one of the best decisions we made for our…read moreLabor Day weekend Indian-Western wedding. A friend had recommended them with the promise that I would feel completely at ease--and that proved true from the very beginning. Shannon paired us with Cecelia McIntosh, who turned out to be the most exceptional project manager I've ever worked with, not just in the wedding world but across all of my professional experiences. Cecelia's attention to detail was extraordinary. She cataloged every element of our multi-day Indian-Western celebration, managed vendor relationships with grace, secured us excellent deals where she had negotiating power, and offered thoughtful recommendations--like the perfect florals for our mehendi ceremony. She understood the cultural nuances of our events, from the importance of removing shoes at the mandap to the way certain rituals needed to be set up. She took ownership of everything: carrying and setting up décor, assembling seating charts, ensuring plate service was flawless, and keeping the entire wedding running with a level of timing and precision that every single guest commented on. There were moments where Cecelia truly went above and beyond--most memorably when she calmly and safely helped transport a ceremonial fire to an unexpected location, taking control of a situation that could have easily become chaotic. She handled every last-minute request without hesitation, kept our planning calls on schedule, and brought a sense of structure, warmth, and professionalism that made her an absolute dream to work with. As someone who is naturally a very thorough planner, I stepped into my wedding days feeling completely calm, knowing Cecelia had everything handled. Because of her, I was able to be fully present and simply enjoy our celebration. I cannot recommend Shannon Gale and Cecelia more highly--they are truly among the best planners you could ever hire.

Hiring Marie from Shannon Gail Events was hands-down the best decision we made for our wedding…read more From start to finish, Marie was an absolute dream to work with--calm, organized, joyful, and endlessly professional. Her attention to detail, reassuring presence, and ability to handle every situation with grace made the entire planning process not only stress-free, but genuinely enjoyable. Marie took care of everything--from recommending absolutely incredible vendors, to assisting with design choices that brought our vision to life, to managing the many complicated logistics that come with having a wedding in a tent (think: flooring, electricity, bathroom access--you name it, she handled it). She consistently went above and beyond to make sure every element of our wedding weekend was perfect, and she did it all with a warm smile and steady confidence that kept us grounded and excited throughout. Marie brought our vision to life with such care and expertise--it honestly felt like we had a close friend guiding us every step of the way. She even took the time to thoughtfully put together all the welcome bags for our guests and, throughout the entire wedding weekend, handled every single detail so that we didn't have to worry about a thing. We were able to be fully present and enjoy every moment, knowing Marie had it all under control. If you're planning a wedding and want someone who is not only deeply experienced and connected in the wedding world, but also kind, attentive, and truly invested in your day, Marie is it. We love Marie so much that we wish we had another event to plan just so that we could continue to work with her! We are beyond grateful for her and cannot recommend her highly enough!

We took our 2 granddaughters, aged 2 and 3 to see the Frozen character Anna. The girls loved it,…read moreAnna did an outstanding job of handling such small children. She was patient, fun, creative and kept all the kids attention. Highly recommended.