I thoroughly enjoyed working with Sandra O'Connell or Hudson Valley Ceremonies. Not only did she…read morestreamline the bride's "to do" list by recommending musicians and florists, her excellent knowledge of wedding-day requirements helped ,  my Daughter in Law Amanda immensely, saving her lots of computer search time and false-starts.  Her help walking us through the rehearsal was vital, getting us organized the day of and "on our spots" at the right critical time. It's all such a whirlwind of activity. And the logistics at our farm were challenging, to say the least. I also greatly appreciated how, during the actual wedding and party afterward, Sandra and her assistant were there, in the background, keeping the caterer happy, moving tables, shuttling slightly inebriated guests to their cars, (thank you, especially for that. I think I would still find people walking the horse pasture fence, looking for their cars.) And for doing the behind-the-scenes things that rarely are noticed, unless they're not done. (For example, one of the porta potties malfunctioning). Sandra handled that with quiet speed. And mostly I appreciated how she took care of Amanda's mother's doilies, the family mementoes, tucking things away in the pool house for safe keeping. And for a good, general tidying up at the end of the night.

We were married this past September at Timber Lake Camp and had the wedding (and weekend) of our…read moredreams thanks to Sandra O'Connell at Hudson Valley Ceremonies. If you don't get to the end of this review and only read one thing: Hiring Sandra was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. She is beyond dedicated to giving you the wedding of your dreams, and her ability to execute and make it ALL happen is nothing short of extraordinary. Every wedding needs a Sandra! We had the pleasure of working with Sandra from the beginning of our wedding planning journey all the way through our 3 day wedding weekend. When we were stumped looking for venues that could accommodate our large guest list AND a weekend-long celebration. Sandra approached us with a "think outside the box" venue: Timber Lake Camp, a beautifully serene summer camp nestled in the Catskills. We were unsure about the idea of a summer camp wedding but trusted her instinct - and thankfully we did. The day we visited the camp we knew it was PERFECT. 500 gorgeous acres with plenty of room to accommodate ALL of our guests, that we could have all to ourselves for an entire weekend - camp cabins, facilities, staff, and all! It truly felt like she had pulled a rabbit out of a hat and that was only the start of Sandra's magic! Throughout the entire year and a half long planning process, Sandra lent us her ear and expertise: she listened to our wishes, concerns, thoughts; guided us through a million different decisions; provided alternative options/ideas to meet our budget; and found the perfect vendors to bring our vision to life. She sat in on our calls with the coordinator at the camp, and even made visits to the camp with us - including one visit during a snowstorm! She also managed our multitude of vendors (including 3 separate caterers!) from the initial inquiries all the way through to the end of packing up after the wedding. When the wedding weekend came around, Sandra stayed on site all 3 days and made every event run smoothly - we felt like she was somehow everywhere all at once! We had multiple events, including our rehearsal, a Welcome BBQ, Karaoke Night, late night bonfire, and activities throughout the camp. If there were any hiccups, we didn't know about them! The day of the wedding, between everything she was coordinating and the multiple vendors on-site, she somehow still found time to check in with us to make sure we were okay. But honestly we truly felt at ease with Sandra running the show. Her professionalism, calmness, and get-it-done attitude made every part of the weeknd run seamlessly! And on top of it all, she made our marriage official by signing our marriage license. :) A total bonus that she is ordained and a special memory to share with her as she was such a big part of our special day! Our guests are still talking about how magical the weekend was. Many specifically commented that even with so many events and activities going on, it was one the most well-coordinated and organized weddings they'd attended. It was definitely a huge effort to pull off a 3 day wedding weekend on a 500 acre camp, but teamwork truly made this dream work! We could not be more grateful to Sandra, her team, and all of our amazing vendors for giving us a wedding better than we could have ever imagined! We can't recommend Sandra and HVC enough.

All of the other reviewers were guests at the same wedding on 7/17/2016. Every single request paid…read morefor and requested by the bride and groom and brides family-those who paid for the wedding-was met. Guests did not seem to believe that requests or other things were addressed properly, however that complaint was not about the wedding planner or staff. The couple hired their own caterer-which had nothing to do with the wedding planner and is not associated. Folks have complained that Cinderella For A Day "walked out" and was "unprofessional", however, from the moment Cinderella arrived at the event they were met with an inebriated, belligerent and verbally abusive father of the bride. Throughout the day the situation worsened and culminated with the father of the bride and his son attacking several of the staff, including the owners husband, my husband and I myself was punched in the throat by the father of the bride. Karen and jay-the owners of the company called the police and evacuated all of Cinderella For A Day employees for their own safety. This event was a tragedy for the bride and groom, at the fault of the poor woman's father and brother. Hopefully the father and brother have enrolled in a 12 step program for sobriety and anger management.

Wedding - if you want to call it that - at location south of Albany, NY on 16 July. Horrible…read moreexecution which means horrible preparation. Wait staff unprepared and did not know how or what to serve. Lost or ran out out of beverages - adult, children & water. Reception seating not available for all guests. Cocktail hour ran out of snacks & anything to drink. Maybe worse yet is the planning staff was not working towards correcting any issues & eventually left the premises. The character of an individual or organization really comes out during adversity. The character shows this is a business that should never ever serve another client. Could be worst example of any event I have been at in my life. Do not hire Cinderalla4aDay under any circumstances.

Unfortunately, I do not recommend Angela of Christofora Events. My daughter hired her for the day…read moreof coordinator because it was required by the venue. Two weeks before the wedding, Angela recommended that my daughter change her choice of tables telling her why her choice would negatively impact the success of the day. She also discouraged my daughter by telling her the venue hadn't done too many weddings. We found Angela to be inflexible. It was raining the morning of the wedding. The venue was willing to wait until an hour before the ceremony to determine whether it would take place inside or out. Angela tried to pressure my daughter 5 hours before the ceremony to make a decision. Thankfully Angela's unnecessary pressure was ignored, the rain stopped and my daughter was able to have the outdoor wedding she wanted. At the reception, all guests were seated and ready to begin food service. Angela insisted they stick to her schedule and wait even though guests were hungry and the kitchen was ready to serve. My daughter asked the venue manager to begin food service which they did. While the bride was eating her salad, Angela went over to her and scolded her for not going through "the chain of command." Finally, Angela left the reception, leaving her assistant behind, without ever notifying the bride. Angela should have been a source of comfort and encouragement for the bride. Instead, it almost seemed like she was going out of her way to add stress.

Hiring Angela as our Day of Coordinator was one of the best decisions for our wedding. She and her…read moreteam helped our big day to run smoothly which allowed us to enjoy the evening to the fullest. From creating a schedule that fits for our venue to google docs with all important information, Angela made sure everything is covered. A couple weeks before the wedding she handed the coordination with our vendors, many of which she already knew thanks to her years of experience. On our wedding day, Angela, Shaye, and Haley were on top of everything!! From directing vendors to setting up everything exactly how we discussed it, directing guests, checking in with my wife and I regularly, to the smallest of details like hanging ear protection headphones over the highchairs for our little guests. We would not have wished for a better team to have on our side that day! If you are planning your wedding, hire Angela and her team at Elite! They are absolutely amazing!!

I cannot recommend Jacque and Lifetime Events by Jacqueline highly enough! From start to finish,…read moreJacque went above and beyond to create an unforgettable winter ski getaway and an incredible 50th birthday celebration at Whiteface Lodge. Every detail was handled with precision and care--from crafting a daily itinerary of winter activities like skiing, ice skating, and dogsledding, to orchestrating a spectacular birthday bash complete with shuttle service for guests, stunning décor, catering for food and beverages, a fantastic DJ, photographer, and even fun photo booths. The list of what she managed is endless! What truly stood out was Jacque's professionalism and calm confidence throughout the entire process. Even when things were uncertain, she never wavered. Jacque made me feel completely supported, as if I had a trusted partner who always had my back. Her ability to anticipate needs, solve problems quickly, and keep everything running smoothly ensured that I could relax and enjoy every moment knowing I was in good hands. If you're looking for someone who combines creativity, organization, and grace under pressure, Jacque at Lifetime Events by Jacqueline is the one. She turned my vision into reality and exceeded every expectation. I am beyond grateful for her hard work and dedication! Thank you Jacque!! Keisha Grant-Heslop

Jacqueline did it all from finding the venue down to the decor for my 4 year old's fairy themed…read moreparty! It was a gorgeous and fun party and I had absolutely nothing to with most of it which was amazingggg. If you need an event planner because you simply don't know how or don't have the time to plan anything, she's your girl. She will deliver professionally and beautifully!

Working with Cathy was amazing! Cathy helped us every step of the way and really helped to relieve…read morea lot of stress throughout the whole process. Cathy was incredibly organized and made sure we thought through every detail and provided input when we needed help making a decision. On the day of our wedding Cathy made sure everyone and everything was in the right place at the right time. When another vendor made a few mistakes, Cathy made sure we got a full refund from them and that we did not have to worry about it at all on the day of our wedding. The day after our wedding my wife and I joked that the worst part of the wedding being over was that we wouldn't get to work with Cathy anymore. We can't recommend her services enough!

Multiple times during our wedding planning process, we looked at each other and wondered out loud…read morehow any of this would be possible without Cathy. Working with her made any alternative completely unthinkable. There are not enough positive adjectives to describe how fantastic she is, both personally and professionally. Cathy and her staff were incredibly helpful and informative throughout the entire process, and were always able to respond to our many, many questions quickly and correctly. We met Cathy through The Farm at Pond Lily, but would unreservedly recommend her for any event of any size. Her wealth of knowledge about wedding planning is unparalleled, and she worked seamlessly with every vendor we used. Her reputation preceded her with everyone we contacted, all of whom had nothing but good things to say about her. Although the planning process can be overwhelming, Cathy remained helpful, comforting, and down-to-earth about everything. Her organizational prowess is awe-inspiring. Simply put, she gets shit done. Why are you still reading this? Go hire Cathy now.

This venue is absolutely gorgeous! We went to the Shadows restaurant for dinner the night before…read morethe wedding - not knowing that the venue was attached and that they provided the catering to weddings at the Grandview. We had an incredible dining experience so we knew the next day, the wedding day, that the food would be delicious. First and foremost, the venue itself is stunning - featuring gorgeous marbling and chandeliers, in addition to a beautiful balcony type area outside - where the reception was held, in addition to ample seating and great photo ops with the bridge over the water. The food at cocktail hour was exceptional. Our bride and groom had a carving station, pasha station and crudite in addition to passed hors d'oeuvres. My favorites were the mini tacos - so fresh - with a margarita shot, the coconut shrimp, the penne vodka and the sushi! The venue where the reception was, was stunning! It was connected to the same room we had the cocktail hour, featuring a beautiful stone backdrop wall, a huge marble dance floor and gorgeous oval tables. The venue was stunning, the servers and wait staff were so incredibly friendly, hospital and accommodating and the food was delicious! Thank you Grandview for our friends and their amazing wedding party!

I was attending an event at The Grandview on a very pleasant early spring afternoon. It had been a…read morecoup of years since my last visit and, WOW; The updates to the spaces was well thought out and executed. Toning down the color scheme and upgrading the finishes lends the space to a multitude of tastes and purposes from corporate gatherings to private social affairs. The staff was attentive, but would benefit from a team briefing about the menu and ingredients. I spent decades in hospitality management and understand the benefit of staff tastings before serving. That practice elevates the experience for attendees by assuring that the staff is well-versed on the ingredients and preparation before they interact with guests. For example, readers of my reviews understand that I have food, allergies. It's important for me to be discreet about asking what ingredients are used in the preparation at a past hors d'oeuvres event. On two occasions within the same half hour, I asked the server if there were any alliums used in the preparation. They did not know what alliums were so I explained that garlic and onion family is something I was not able to eat safely. Both times, the server did not know what ingredients were used and offered to check with the kitchen. That's a great back up plan but unfortunately, that server never returned to me, presumably he was intercepted along the way by other guest who wanted to sample what was on his tray Preparing the staff in advance of an event is crucial. This was the only failure that I could see. My experience would have been elevated to four stars had the servers been better trained. The view and tasteful renovations resulted in the additional star for a total of four stars.