I'm re-posting my wife's review (with minor revisions), because for some reason it doesn't show up…read moreas a recommended review. Hmm. And I agree with her 100%. Anyway, here it is: Erica was everything we could have hoped for in a wedding officiant. From the get-go she was warm and inviting (and prompt!), and she wholeheartedly encouraged me and my wife to make our wedding our own, listening to our love story and adding details from it to her part of the ceremony. She provided an exhaustive list of vows to choose from and personalize, and was open to us writing our own if that's what we wanted. Anytime we interacted, she radiated with positive energy and encouragement of my wife's individuality as a bride (she wore a red dress...), as if our wedding were the most special thing on earth, and important. She checked in regularly as the date approached, which made us feel like we could count on her. Plus, she knows her stuff (e.g., "Hey, don't forget to get a marriage license within X number of days of the wedding, look at each other--not me--when you're saying your vows, etc etc). She's just a lovely, kickass person, and I hope we stay in touch.

Erica was so incredibly helpful, kind and patient thoughout our wedding planning process. She was a…read moreperfect guide though uncharted waters, helping us keep on track. I am incredibly shy but I found it so easy to open up to Erica and she was mindful of this with regards to ceremony planning as well. Our ceremony was personal, meaningful, short, and everything we could have asked for plus somethings we would have never even thought to ask for! My husband and I both come from families deeply rooted in the Catholic faith. We were nervous about how our famillies would feel about our non-religious wedding but everyone was both touched and impressed by how it turned out. I will be forever grateful to Erica for playing such an integral role in our special day.

I used Larkspur Stings for my wedding in June 2015 and I could not have been more impressed. My…read morewedding coordinator recommended Larkspur Strings as she had seen them perform at other weddings. Ana was so nice to work with prior to the wedding. We asked to have a 15 min call to go over our music ideas and get some additional suggestions and Ana was happy to do so. The duo's repertoire is quite big and has classical, pop, jazz and Brazilian options. The duo will also learn a specific new song for an additional fee but we just chose songs from their repertoire. On the day of the wedding, Ana and her partner showed up on time. The music sounded fantastic in the hotel ballroom- the combo of violin and guitar was gorgeous.The timing of all songs was right on cue also. I would definitely recommend this duo if you want live music for your wedding ceremony.

I cannot recommend Larkspur Strings enough!! Especially Ana :) She played violin and Chris played…read moreguitar for my September 2014 wedding and was SUCH a great vendor to work with. Ana seemed to genuinely care about doing a good job for us, both before the wedding as we decided on songs and the logistics, and especially the day of. It was a bit chilly on our wedding day...and the ceremony was outside on a rooftop facing the lake. Brr! Ana handled this adorably and let my husband know that she was concerned she "wouldn't be able to play beautiful music" because get fingers were cold! So she was trying to apologize in advance before the ceremony for this. Bless her heart! :) No apology was needed though; they did a wonderful job despite the cold conditions! She even came up to me after to introduce herself (we only spoke through email prior -- which shows just how wonderful she was as I trusted her fully despite not ever meeting even!) and again say sorry if it didn't sound good, and of course congratulate us. She was such a doll! Thanks so much, Ana and Chris; you helped make our wedding day perfect :)

Working with Jaci was a dream come true. She did way more than we expected for a partial planner…read more She came to meetings with us and had fully open and regular communication throughout the 18 months of planning. She ended up feeling like a friend by the end. Ultimate hype woman. I was so at ease on my wedding day knowing she had everything under control.

Working with Jaci Weber was hands-down one of the best decisions I made for my wedding. She did an…read moreabsolutely amazing job planning, designing, and coordinating every detail -- it seriously blew me away. I'd tell her "I want this," and within days she'd follow up with estimates from four vendors. She's that responsive and that efficient. Her creativity knows no bounds -- she has such a brilliant eye for design, and every element of the day reflected her talent and thoughtfulness. She was my rock throughout the entire process (and honestly, my therapist too!). Jaci knows everyone in the industry and has a wealth of knowledge about all things weddings. Her service was impeccable, and her assistants were equally incredible. We had over 200 guests, and she and her team handled it flawlessly -- from bustling my dress in record time to magically appearing any time I needed her. She truly does it all. Jaci is kind, thoughtful, organized, and unbelievably talented. I'm still blown away by everything she and her team pulled off. If you're lucky enough to work with her, you'll be in the best hands imaginable.

Whatever maximum star rating that Yelp allows....Karina and Michael deserve an extra star…read more Seriously....a 5/5 does not justify how incredible this business is. Metts Photo consistently went above and beyond our expectations. Karina agreed to meet us in person for a consultation and we liked her right away. As she was leaving, she handed me a bar of chocolate because she knew that wedding planning was stressful- at that point; we were totally sold on hiring Metts as our wedding photographer. Karina and Michael were always incredibly thoughtful- we received a little gift and card around Christmastime last year.... right before our wedding, a little box of champagne gummies with our photos on it came to our doorstep....it showed that they were always thinking of us and our upcoming wedding, and it meant so much to us. The extra special "touches" added so much value to our experience. Engagement photos are included in the package and it was evident that Karina and Michael were very invested in getting to know a little bit about us, our personalities, and vision for the wedding day. They took the time to go out for drinks afterward and we felt like they really listened to what we had to say. The actual wedding ran flawlessly! Michael was willing to drive to one venue (45 min away) to photograph the guys whereas Karina came to our suite. Family portraits were a breeze because we had discussed them beforehand, and Karina was kind enough to come to the rehearsal the night before to get a feel for the church and meet the families, etc. I have NEVER heard of any photographers that attend the rehearsal to get the "lay of the land." It really shows how much they care about their work and the end result. Also, they stayed until we were satisfied with the number of photos and checked with our families before leaving the reception. We didn't have to worry about exceeding a set number of hours or a bunch of other guidelines and/or surprise extras. We received a "preview gallery" of our photos the VERY next day to share with family and friends! We received our photos within a month, and our families LOVED the photo slideshow set to music that she was kind enough to put together as well. IN ADDITION, we received all images on a USB stick, presented to us very elegantly with a few of our favorite images printed and mounted on card stock. I believe that Karina and Michael limit the number of weddings they take on each year, so as to dedicate significant time and energy to each couple. Their prices are extremely reasonable and the value for what you end up getting is UNBELIEVABLE. In short, if you are looking for a wedding photographer, look no further. I cannot recommend Metts Photo enough. Their special touches and thoughtfulness made a stressful process (wedding planning) just a little bit easier for us. Not to mention, we love our wedding photos! Sometimes little extra touches make big differences. :) *Also- as a side note, I would def consider getting a package with an album if you even remotely think you might want one. I initially dismissed it as I didn't think I would want or need it- but after seeing our photos I really wished that I would have set aside the money for it! Of course, Metts lets you buy the album afterward but it is much simpler if you had already saved the money for it.

Michael & Karina at Metts Photo have been wonderful to work with from the start. They are…read moreresponsive, and Karina is very helpful and willing to talk through details, from photo lists to day-of schedule. Our engagement session was fun and relaxed, and they got us the photos within a week. They were absolutely everywhere (without being intrusive!) at our wedding, and captured so many wonderful moments. They came during prep and stayed until the dance floor shut down. The photos they got are fantastic, and were provided to us within a month of the wedding. Highly, highly recommend Metts Photo!

I'm not sure "great" adequately describes my experience with NORA events. Because of Omicron we…read morehad to quickly transition a reception from live to virtual. I was determined to create some sort of "at home" reception for the guests of honor, two colleagues who deserved a real party. Another event-planning colleague recommended NORA events. I contacted Michelle, explained the situation, and she instantly went into creation mode. She asked for details about each person, made suggestions, and quickly produced an initial proposal that was close to perfect. After one or two more discussions it was perfect, and the boxes were customized to the specific needs/preferences of each recipient: cheese, charcuterie, personalized Champagne bottles, chocolate - already ingredients for perfection, right? But Michelle didn't stop there. I sent customized gift enclosure cards (with logos etc.) at her suggestion, and she found two unique boxes to wrap everything up in. (It's worth noting that both recipients were men, and both were really impressed with the presentation as well as the box contents.) The day of the event I received an email with sneak preview photos. I was blown away. Within minutes of the first delivery I heard from the first recipient who was equally so; and later that evening the other recipient sent me a note, paraphrased as follows: "...We enjoyed a small post-event reception later in the evening... with the wonderful chocolates, cheeses, and Champagne. Thanks so much for finding a way to make the remoteness of this event more personal and meaningful." Beyond the gift boxes themselves, what impressed me most was the short timeframe in which they were accomplished (14 days!); and that Michelle gave as much personal and thoughtful attention to a small order as she would to a large one. She really wanted to get every detail right, and she succeeded. We'll definitely use NORA events again, and I'll be sharing information with other event planning colleagues. Highly recommended!

Michelle is a master planner, full of ideas. During this time of uncertainty due to Covid-19, she…read moredoesn't just create, she builds relationships in order to deliver a product that you're both proud of. I found these gift boxes circulating on social media, and they were so perfect to send my mom for her birthday and Mother's Day. My mom loved her box and was so happy with the personalized details! I 10/10 recommend these gift boxes for birthdays, graduations, holidays, and any other occasion really.

In my dream of dreams I never could have imagined a more beautiful wedding. Being from Kansas City,…read morewe have very limited options when it comes to the an all-inclusive South Asian wedding decorating. You have to hire a separate draping company, linen company, florist/design, and lighting company. Drish Couture Events introduced to me to Shaadi Creations and there was no looking back after meeting Sonal and Mayank. I had ideas and a budget and Sonal and Mayank were able to create a dream wedding within our budget! At our initial meeting, Drish and I had laid out some inspirations for the Grah Shanti and Wedding but the reception was where I was the most confused after searching through endless Pinterest boards. When I mentioned Vintage Glamour, Sonal totally got what I was going for and immediately started showing me pictures and looks of ideas that encapsulated glamorous vintage. The mandap I had a picture of was a double mandap that had to be constructed from scratch at the actual venue all the way in Kansas City. They not only recreated the look but enhanced it with pops of color, floral cuffs and amber lighting that created a soft romantic glow. From the Grah Shanti was jewel toned Sabyasachi inspired. From the Grah Shanti to the wedding to the reception, Shaadi Creations took my breath away by the beauty ambience and splendid environment they created. Each event was unique and gorgeous and beyond my greatest expectations. People have said they have never seen such a beautiful wedding in Kansas City and this is all because of their creative genius and architectural design. I cannot express to you how wonderful it was to not have a single concern about the decorations being completed on time. They went above and beyond in every aspect. I'm waiting on the professional pictures but I will post pictures friends have sent!

My husband and I had the honor of having Shaadi Creations, Nisar Naimi assist us in designing the…read morelook and feel of our wedding reception on January 4, 2014! From the first time meeting Nisar I knew that he would be a true delight to work with. His talent and vision was spot on to what we were looking for. We went with a elegant Parisian themed wedding reception with rich, swank colors, uplighting, floor to ceiling pipe and drape, crystal candelabras, gorgeous luxurious linens and much more! Shaadi Creations nailed ever aspect of this and beyond. With being a smaller wedding event planner myself, I never not trusted Nisar and his team...when I walked in that ballroom for the first time I was absolutely speechless. When guests walked into the room they were also speechless and felt like they were just warped into Paris for the wedding of the year. Words can not thank Nisar and his team for what they have done for my husband and I. We are forever grateful for their talent and hard work. Thank you Nisar for not only providing us with your talent but for giving us the wedding of our dreams!!

What a PHENOMENAL elopement experience! My wife and I eloped in May 2022 and are so incredibly…read morehappy we chose Becky and her team. Every day since we wed, we've raved to each other about how pleasant the day went and how seamless everything was--especially as we've listened to nightmare stories of friends + family trying to plan weddings during COVID. We first met with Becky in March after confirming our date with Chicago's city hall. She was super professional over Zoom and answered all of our questions about the order of the day, what we should bring, and what to expect from her. In addition to her beautiful photography skills, we also decided to work with her hair and makeup team for our wedding day. She connected us to everyone we'd be working with and the whole process went so smoothly. Becky was available via email and text starting from the day we reached out all the way to the moment we met her at city hall. She always responded within hours--super helpful for us--and no questions were left unanswered. She also had a great grip on the logistical aspects of navigating city hall during COVID, which was super handy. On the day of our wedding, our makeup artist, Carla, arrived at our hotel at 6:00am and did our hair and makeup perfectly, based on the pictures we sent in advance. Becky met us at city hall at 9:00am sharp and after getting hitched at the courthouse, took us to several (probably 10-15?) different locations downtown to shoot... plus one spot in Wicker Park we'd specifically requested to have photos taken. My partner and I asked her to coach us through poses and Becky was brilliant, asking us to walk towards her laughing, sneak up on each other, hold kisses for a few moments, and spin in ways that made our clothes shine. Nothing felt awkward or forced. Thus far, we've only received the preview photos from our elopement, but each one is an absolute stunner and SUCH an accurate portrait of our love. OH! And I have to mention, Becky thinks of EVERYTHING. Rain was forecasted on our wedding day, and Becky came equipped with two clear umbrellas. She also brought a tote filled with water, tissues, and gum. It was the perfect place to store my purse and our treats for later plus Band-Aids for when our shoes got pinchy. If I could get married all over again, I'd choose Elope to Chicago in a heartbeat. Becky made our wedding day one full of ease and joy, which is exactly how we wanted to start our married life together. Thank you so much!!

As a 2020 bride, I am thrilled we found Elope to Chicago. Our original plan was to take a vacation…read moresomewhere warm in March and elope there, so when everything in Illinois shut down the very week before our original date, I was crushed. We waited a couple months for Cook County to figure out how to grant marriage licenses virtually. Becky, the owner and photographer behind Elope to Chicago, was one of our top two choices when we were finalizing new elopement plans this summer. She won our business because she was so helpful and helped us solve dilemmas!! We hadn't really explored venues here -- all we cared about was outdoors with some shade from the sun, and safe for our handful of guests -- so we valued her suggestions and flexibility with nailing down a new location, time/date, and an officiant. Prior to our wedding date, we had virtual meetings to plan out the details of our outdoor ceremony and photo session. We discussed our COVID safety precautions in detail -- what we were doing, what our 4 guests were doing, what our official and photographer would each be doing to make it as safe as possible for all involved. We also met with our officiant Jill, who helped us write our vows and personalized our ceremony based on what she learned about us. On our wedding morning, everything was EASY and my biggest stress was doing my own hair and makeup because Elope to Chicago took care of everything else. Our photos are AMAZING! Becky's photos capture the warmth and intimacy we share as a couple, and she had great suggestions for a few playful shots. Really happy to support this local, woman-owned business!

I truly can't thank Joyce enough for all of her help, support and assistance throughout the wedding…read moreplanning and the day-of! She made the process so much more enjoyable because I knew I could rely on her whenever I had a question. She remained calm, which kept me calm, and always had really good suggestions for how to work with vendors or improve an idea. The day-of, she made everything run so smoothly, and it was a dream that I knew everything would be just as I envisioned with her at the helm. I couldn't recommend her more and am just so thankful that she was our wedding planner!

Thank you so much Joyce for all of your help the day of our wedding. It went off without a hitch…read morebecause of you. There were so many moments where I remember you saving the day. I could not have asked for a better wedding coordinator day-of. Thank you thank you!! :D