JELove's reviews

Deanna was simply amazing. Hiring her as a wedding planning, I got the mid-planning package, was the best money I spent.

Ironically, it was also the service that really felt was the most unnecessary expense at the beginning of my wedding planning. I really did not want to spend it. I just thought that it could be better spent elsewhere, would have more of impact elsewhere etc. I felt like I had everything under control myself; after all, I had looked through several bride magazines cover to cover, watched say yes to dress and every other wedding show known to man.....how difficult could it be? However since a coordinator was required for my venue, and since I was planning it from Arizona- I had to hire one.

I was so wrong. In the last few months leading up to the wedding, I began to see just how grossly wrong I had been. In all honesty, the wedding planner/coordinator has the most difficult job of all the vendors, and are paid the least in comparison. I actually feel a bit guilty about it- Deanna answered my countless emails, conversations/questions with vendors, kept everything straight, kept me in line etc. There are so many decisions, so many rules (with my venue there were), so much coordination behind the scenes. And you really don't realize just how complex and complicated it is until you get closer to your big day.

Deanna was so professional, incredibly organized, sweet, calming, clever. To be perfectly honest, she was quite amazing. I only paid for the mid planning package, but she answered emails/questions long before my 3 month mark, gave me suggestions and opinions on decor, vendor recommendations. Actually she saved the day twice for me- first by recommending my string quartet and a florist to replace the incompetent moron I had already hired, all a month before the wedding. Both recommendations were incredible, and best of all inexpensive.

In short, unless you have been married 5 times before or work in the business....you don't know what you're about to get into. Watching TLC wedding shows, reading bridal magazines, and perusing theknot.com and etsy do not make you an expert on wedding planning. If you have to sacrifice on other expenses, do it. It is worth it. Just think of it as insurance for you wedding.

You can see some of wedding pics online here
www.priscilavalentina.net/jacqueline-matt-married

Kelly was amazing. I was so pleased with all of her work, and the work of her assistants. She was very professional, calming, easy to talk to, talented, and most importantly I feel like she understood what I was envisioning though I was horribly prepared at our consultation and at articulating what I wanted. In total- there were three ladies who had their makeup done, four bridesmaids w/ both hair and makeup, and mine own hair and makeup. All of the girls looked amazing. I had a beautiful bridal party to begin with, but they really did look great.

TIP #1- buy one of those makeup/hair books from amazon or buy some magazines with great pictures in it for you and your ladies to go through. I really suggest the makeup books since you can see the eye-makeup, lip color close up as opposed to some paparazzi shot of a celebrity. It really is so important. Sounds so simple, but with everything else going on it is so easy to forget. I had forgotten this at my consultation and was completely rushed at the last minute trying to pull up celebrity pics of hair/makeup I liked on my phone. Right when you need a picture of Kim Kardashian there is suddenly none to be found!??!! So when it came for the wedding day I was sure to bring in extra pictures. However, I brought in pictures that I liked for my own makeup/hair....I hadn't brought in much of a variety for the girls. Even if you ask them to bring in pictures, they most likely won't; just accept it and buy a good book with pictures of hair and makeup, it's worth it.

FYI, if you go to Kelly's blog website, you can see my picture of the before and after http://blog.kellyzhang.com/?p=2651 and you can also see pics from wedding day on www.priscilavalentina.net, our pictures were just posted on 12/25/11 Matt and Jacqueline.