Encounters

We highly recommend using Encounters for any event planning, they did an outstanding job for my wife and I wedding. They use their expertise to plan every detail to our liking and desire. I would recommend them to anyone and would use their services again for any future events I may have.

When my now husband and I began to plan for our wedding, we realized that the task was going to be too large to do on our own with both of us working full time jobs and me going to grad school. We heard about Encounters and sent an email for a meeting. Right away Karin and Peyton responded and were ready to meet and begin to plan. They continued that responsiveness throughout the 6 months we had together of planning. They always listended to what we wanted and gave suggestions based on our vision. They were more than happy to work with our budget (which wasn't a huge one). Based on our personalities, our budget, and our vision; Encounters created a wedding day that (one month later) I am still glowing over. The Encounters team is amazing and I will spread positive words about them to all planning for their big day!!

It was a pleasure to work with Karin and Peyton Craig, and I would definitely recommend them to anyone planning a wedding or other event. They always responded quickly to telephone calls and e-mails, recommended excellent vendors and provided helpful advice and input regarding everything from the dinner menu to the typeface on the wedding invitations.

They also did an excellent job on the day of the wedding, keeping everything organized at the church for the ceremony and making sure the reception went smoothly. The Craigs are very professional, and selecting them as our planning team was one of the best decisions that we made in preparing for the wedding.

Karin and Peyton are absolutely wonderful to work with. They each have their own specialty areas troughout the planning but work together as the perfect team. They think of all the little, but important details that come up that you never even think of. Wedding planning can get really stressful! They lead you to the right people to work with based on their experience in the business that will get the job done right. The most important thing to me was that they were never pushy and listened to what I liked with open minds and helped figure out a way to make it work for us. They will do as little or as much as you need them to do. When my wedding day came and they showed me around the ballroom before the guests entered I was in awe of how beautiful and perfect everything was. When all the fine details and what seemed like the little stuff came together it was just stunning. I could never have done it without them! All we had to do on the wedding day was try to relax and enjoy ourselves, they took care of everything, and I mean everything else. Peyton even got my husband and I a drink when we were taking photographs during the cocktail hour. I have had so many compliments from guests that I don't even know how to respond anymore. Encounters helped me create the wedding of my dreams, it was a fairytale come true that never would have happened without them!

Peyton and Karin were absolutely fantastic! We could not have done it without them. Our only regret is not having them with us from the day when we got engaged! They were prompt to answer all our questions, to give us fine recommendations, and they were spectacular during the day of the wedding making it enjoyable for us and taking all the worry away on our special day. The whole thing went so smoothly! We were really really happy with them! They also worked our friend's wedding and they were great as well, so I can say that by having them on my own wedding and watching them in action at another, I have no doubt that they would excel and would provide an outstanding service again and again and again!

Karin and Peyton were there whenever we needed them. They provided quality resources and kept us moving to the next decision. Planning a wedding is an enormous undertaking but having the support of Encounters made the whole experience wonderful. The day was perfect, the memories are wonderful.

Karin and Peyton were awesome! We couldn't believe how smooth the wedding day was, all of the details were taken care of and we just had an amazing time. The vendors that they helped us choose were all 10's. If we ever get married again (joke!), we would definitely go with Encounters.

Karin and Peyton are an outstanding team and hiring them was the best thing we did for our wedding. Although we planned from a distance, everything went very smoothly. All the vendors they recommended were exceptional. Karin and Peyton worked very hard on the wedding day and it was noticed by all. We could not have asked for better planners. We felt very comfortable with them. The service they provided was personable, professional, courteous and accommodating. I would highly recommend them to anyone.

I am not exaggerating when I say hiring Karin and Peyton was the best decision we made when it came to our wedding. My husband and I both work full time so it was extremely important for us to find someone who was helpful, responsive, flexible & organized since we were planning 170 person wedding over an entire wedding weekend. Karin and Peyton went above and beyond this and made our wedding the most memorable experience. If there were any issues that arose during the wedding, we never noticed because everything was perfect. It's been a year and half since our wedding and people still come up to my husband and I and say our wedding was the best wedding they've ever been too. I have to attribute this Karin and Peyton's expertise and service. If you are looking for a wedding or event planner you should definitely hire Encounters as your coordinators. There is no one more I trust!!! Thank you Karin & Peyton!!!

BRAVO!!! I absolutely loved working with Encounters. They are true professionals with years of experience. They attended to every detail, and have an extensive network of already existing vendor relationships. They were thorough, friendly, and just a joy to work with.

On the day of my wedding, they were there right there with me thinking about all of the things I didn't want to be thinking about so I could just enjoy the day. They made sure that every detail was accounted for. I was so blessed by having them there. I'd highly recommend them!

Encounters was the most important vendor that we selected to plan our wedding and they had the biggest impact overall on our amazing wedding day! From the beginning to the overwhelming vendor selection of band, caterer, officiant, florist, even seamstress for the bridal gown, they were there with top notch recommendations and we were so pleased with all their recommendations. Each vendor was outstanding and with Encounters referrals we were able to secure amazing vendors with much welcome discounts. Encounters developed a timeline for our wedding planning leading up to the big day, and event were there for any issues such as the mis-engraving on the wedding band, they had a jeweler that could help out to fix it last minute! They ensured the wedding day went so smoothly and most importantly they did a beautiful job of making sure always that the Bride and Groom had a very special day, and always put them first and ensured they were free to enjoy each and every moment. I can't recommend them enough to any future brides!

I had a really bad experience w/ my first wedding planner. I am not a demanding person, but my venue was a blank slate and required complete planning and organization by someone other than myself. We hired Encounters on the fly, 2 weeks before my wedding. I have to mention it was in Pennsylvania and they are in Maryland. They were my life savers. They handled everything w/ patience and graciousness. Nothing was overlooked and the wedding went off without a hitch. These 2 professionals are worth their weight in gold!!!! If you need organization, professionalism and kindness Encounters is the place. I cannot say enough good things about them.

Peyton and Karin are a topnotch wedding planning team whose services were absolutely indispensible. With incredible patience and forbearance they managed to have all tasks completed down to the minutist detail well within the appropriate timeframe. Their knowledge-pool of advice was endless, and provided a tremendous amount of comfort to all of us. Ours was a unique and rather complicated wedding but the Craigs took it all in stride. The end result was a wedding to be remembered by all for a very long time to come!

Karin and Peyton were fantastic! They helped us plan a beautiful wedding in Annapolis in 5mos time. We made it even more difficult for them as we and all of our guests are from out of town. I was extremely busy with work, but they worked around our schedule. With one week's lead time and some discussion on my "vision" of the wedding, they arranged a power packed day for my mom and I to meet with our major vendors--we picked our reception site, flowers, photographer in one day.
They were great the weekend of the wedding as well, doing small errands for us to give us more time with our friends and family.
Our wedding ended up being 175 people and it was amazing. People danced all night and had a great time. They are still talking about it.
Although the initial price for the full wedding planning service seemed steep, I ended up feeling like it was a bargain. The Craigs are repeat business that we brides (hopefully) are not. They were able to barter prices that more than covered their cost. The headache and time they saved us during the engagement and the wedding weekend further added to their value.

Karin and Peyton truly went out of their way to make our wedding a special and memorable event. They took away all the stress associated with the wedding planning process, and I had literally nothing to worry about during the days leading up to the wedding, other than enjoying time with friends and family. Karin and Peyton also had a great vision for the entire look and feel of our wedding. They have great connection in the wedding industry in the Washington/Baltimore area. They found us wonderful, reliable vendors at very reasonable prices. Without their guidance and help, we would have never been able to create the wedding we had (which we absolutely loved). They have the ability and experience to figure out where your money is best spent, and they truly made our wedding look two or three times more expensive than it actually was. They are absolutely wonderful wedding planners, and we couldn't be more grateful for their help.

AMAZING coordinators!! My husband and I loved Peyton and Karin like they were part of our family. I was so afraid that I would have coordinators that were pushy and telling me what to not...NOT the case AT ALL! They were so accomodating and really wanted it to be the best day of our lives. They helped in all areas and kept me on a timeline and let me know what needed to be done next. They made suggestions and took every request I had and tried to make it work. I would HIGHLY recommend Encounters to any new bride out there!!!

Karin and Peyton are awesome! They made sure everything went smoothly, from the planning, to the rehearsal, to the setup, ceremony, and reception. They took away many of the worries that go along with planning a wedding. Anytime we had a question, whether it be on etiquette, how to handle something, or needing another vendor, they quickly responded and gave us guidance. The vendors they recommended also worked out very well.

They are truly a pleasure to work with. Our pastor commented how smoothly the rehearsal and wedding went and how nice it was to have Karin handle all the wedding party coordination and getting everyone, including 5 flower girls, down the aisle. Karin and Peyton worked well with all the other vendors and made sure that all our plans were carried out.

We had a number of family and friends comment how relaxed and fun the wedding was and that it was the best they ever attended. Because we knew Karin and Peyton were there to handle any issue that might come up, my husband and I could relax and enjoy the time with our guests. We highly recommend Karin and Peyton to anyone planning a wedding or other event!

Encounters is a great vendor! They helped me with so much, from wedding ideas to ensurinng that the wedding was stressfree. They also helped with the other vendors. Not only were they helpful but they also helped me with cost savings from the wedding cake, photographer, and limo. I recommend Karin and Peyton to any Bride. Their services were wonderful!!!!!!!

~very happy bride~

Karin and Peyton did a wonderful job with my wedding. I was on a tight budget and planning the wedding from afar. They did a wonderful job helping get in touch with the different vendors, the final decision making, and making sure my mom was there to view the stuff I couldn't. I thought I'd be more stressed about my wedding, but it was so stress free it was great! My husband and I had a wonderful time and so did our guests. It was truly a great experience working with Karin and Peyton.
Deanna

Encounters helped make my wedding planning a breeze. The wedding went off without a hitch. They were well worth the cost and more. Thanks Karin and Peyton!

Karin & Peyton are the perfect team! They were an absolute pleasure to work with. From our first meeting, to the last minute of my wedding, seeing the last of the guests off, they were 100% professional and followed through on every detail we ever discussed and more. My wedding was in Maryland at my parents home and I live in California, so my time was very valuable when I made trips to the east coast for wedding planning. Karin was wonderful scheduling vendor appts, taking notes, and following up on all my requests. Peyton worked very well with my parents, making several trips back and forth to the house and attending vendor meetings. They were great communicating through email with me. The wedding turned out absolutely beautiful. It exceeded my expectations. I could have never done it without them.

I may still be on a wedding-high for how perfect my wedding turned out after more than a year of planning but I really want to make sure I give credit where credit is due. Karin and Peyton (from encounters) were the first vendor we contracted and they helped us through every detail of the planning. The wedding could not have been nearly as amazing without their help.

Just to give you a taste of my experience with encounters wedding planning:

1) They are very personal - adjusting to your vision/style.
Clearly they adjusted their involvement to our particular style - my mom, my husband and I were all very hands-on involved with the planning of our wedding. For example - We like to shop EVERYTHING for the best deal and best value BUT with weddings these days there is just TOO much information to sort through. For selecting each vendor Karin and Peyton would provide us a short list of recommended suggestions. Then, we researched, previewed, interviewed and shopped to select whomever we were most comfortable working with.

2) They've been in this business for a LONG time - they know all the other vendors.
I mentioned we liked to shop but there in the few cases Karin and Peyton mentioned a favorite; they were always right. We shopped a few other bands but the one they recommended was the BEST! Everyone danced all night - it was almost awkward when our guests demanded an encore...how many wedding bands get that! But - More importantly - they know vendors who are great value - very talented and very affordable. You'd be surprised at the money you can actually SAVE by hiring a wedding planner (that is one who knows the right people and some of the tricks of the trade)

3) They make the wedding day details Stress free
Finally, on my wedding day I didn't have to worry about ANY details, and neither did my mom or husband, or anyone else in our wedding party. It was great just hanging out with my bridesmaids getting our hair done - knowing that someone else was making sure that the florist DID come and that the flowers were exactly what I had ordered. (I would hate to arrive in the room and discover that my flowers were somehow wrong!) Everything that we had worked so hard on, the whole "vision" for the wedding came together.

I am sure that we could have planned a nice wedding without anyone's help, but what we had surpassed my wildest dreams.

These planners are excellent. They did a great job of working with me to find out exactly what I wanted (and didn't want) for my wedding. They were easy to reach throughout the entire planning process and very responsive. They cared more about my wedding than I did. They planned a better wedding than I ever imagined I could have for the amount I wanted to spend. The vendors they suggested were excellent--perfect location, delicious food, friendly service, excellent music, beautiful flowers, and beautiful photos. They planned all this in four months and kept it in my price range. My wedding was a fairytale wedding that went off without a hitch, thanks to them.

Our wedding would not have been anywhere near as wonderful as it was without the help of Encounters. The vendors that Encounters found for us were amazing and gave us wonderful deals for their services. We were planning our wedding long distance and there is no way that we would have been able to do it without the help of Karin and Peyton. They were such a pleasure to work with and even if we had to pay them double, they still would have been well worth the money.

The vendor was an advocate for us. They were creative and professional. They made helpful and useful suggestions. They resolved issues. The evening of the affair they were superb and orchestrated every detail to perfection.

Karin and Peyton were amazing! Communication was easy, things were done in a very quick manner and I dont think our wedding would have been half as wonderful if they werent there the entire time. Anything I needed, they were there, even on the wedding day. Everything was clear and layed out and there was never any confusion. I highly recommend!

We had a wonderful experience with Encounters as our wedding planners. They brought the wealth of their knowledgable and experience and helped create our perfect wedding. They had extensive contacts with local vendors such as venues, bands, flowers, and cakes. They did the leg work and brought us the best to chose from. The day of our wedding, all we had to do was sit back and enjoy!!!

I had a wonderful experience with Encounters. I had an amazing wedding with no worries. They helped me every step of the way. I really miss them now that my wedding is over. They felt like friends to me!!

We love Encounters!!! We can not imagine having our wedding without the help of Karin and Peyton of Encounters. Along with keeping us organized and on track, Karin and Peyton found wonderful vendors for us from their wide network at very good prices. Their attention to detail was awesome. Their attitude was always upbeat and optimistic. We felt so calm just knowing they were "on our side" as we planned our dream wedding. We recommend them highly and we wish we could have checked more than 5 stars!

Encounters provided us with extremely personal service, and felt more like family than a company we hired. We would not have achieved the wedding experience we had without them!

Karin and Peyton are not only a great fit for potential bride and grooms but they are so friendly and supportive to the vendors.

Encounters does an incredible job working their magic for their clients! I highly recommend them to all my clients!

Karin + Peyton are 2 of my favorite people to work with at weddings. We have done many weddings together and everytime we have a blast. They pay such close attention to detail in everything they do. I wish I could have them at every wedding!! I recommend them VERY highly!!

Super to work with and always professional. It is always a pleasure for them to bring in a client! Dulany

Peyton and Karin are magicians. There's no other way to describe how they weave all the elements together to create those amazing settings in which so many couples have found themselves living the wedding of their dreams. Just amazing!

I recommend the services of Encounters to make your Wedding Day that very special day you always wanted,that will be remembered and cherished by you and all your guests for many years to come. ~~ Angela Neik, www.calligraphybyangela.com Dallas Calligrapher

Karin and Peyton are simply fabulous. Their engery and excitement for each and every event is contagious, leading to good times had by all. We absolutely love working with them, and cannot recommend them enough!

Peyton and Karin Craig are wonderful to work with. I have in the past performed several weddings that they have coordinated and each time is a joy to work with them.

We learn by doing but we also learn by observing. Watching Peyton and Karin, I have learned and picked up some of those nuances that make a wedding day so very successful.

If you are planning an event, place your event in their hands and you can be stress-free....they will pull it together for you.

Karin and Peyton are great to work with! We have done weddings with them at Grey Rock Mansion as well as off-premise, and they are always helpful to our team and the bride. It's great to have coordinators who take an active role in making the event a success, as well as being team players!

Clients absolutely LOVE working with husband and wife team, Peyton and Karin Craig and as photographers we do too. Their outstanding organizational skills and exceptional service combined with their friendly professionalism, mean celebrations that run smoothly and clients and guests enjoy the day. In addition, they work closely with their clients in create unique events that reflect your personality.

Karin and Peyton are a fabulous team, they are responsible, knowledgeable and really take great care of their clients through the entire wedding. We love working with them.