Plan It Perfect

I found Rachel by way of another wedding planner. She was perfect! organized, creative, friendly and exactly what I needed.....someone to take my ideas, make them a reality and then take over so my Husband and I could have fun and enjoy the day.
I can honestly say that not one thing went wrong that day. Not one. Rachel is great at what she...

If I had to plan my wedding all over again, I would not choose Plan It Perfect/Rachel Shaw for my day of wedding coordinating needs.

Regardless of how many event details are reviewed repeatedly, something is bound to go wrong. For this reason, hiring a day-of-coordinator was for me a form of barrier from stress of the inevitable. I was not expecting the person in this role to prevent unforeseen situations, rather to handle them behind-the-scenes in a professional and calm demeanor. In my experience, Rachel was easily distressed and displayed irritation and rude behavior during both the rehearsal and the wedding day. When she encountered hiccups, instead of calmly handling the situation, she frequently would react with sarcastic remarks and from an overall abrasive disposition.

What was most disconcerting for me was to witness Rachel behave rudely toward the guests at my wedding. In one instance, I realized something was wrong because I heard Rachel’s voice yelling at a guest at the next table. When I looked over I was further stunned because I saw her wagging her index finger at this guest while scolding him for something. At the time I couldn’t tell what she was saying, but the guest clearly looked very uncomfortable and embarrassed. Regardless of what the guest was being scolded for, this is an egregious faux pas. I believe a true professional would have handled this in a more polite way. I must add that mine was an inter-cultural/religious wedding with guests who were culturally conservative. The sensitivity and politeness required was discussed with Rachel beforehand, yet it seems that in the moment of anger Rachel forgot her professional role.

I also found it to be unprofessional for Rachel to sit in the bridal room using Facebook, when she should have been outside coordinating a cultural event. When I noticed that the event was already 15 minutes late, I asked her about it and her response was “they have it under control.” As a client, I found this to be an unacceptable response, especially when this led the wedding services to be delayed by 20 minutes. Timing is a critical component for certain events, especially because I had other vendors who were hired during certain time frames, and a delay of 20 minutes meant an extra charge to stay longer or to lose their services before the event was concluded.

During our planning meeting, there were a few tasks that Rachel indicated she would handle, but on the rehearsal day she turned around and asked me if I had completed those tasks. When I reminded her that she had claimed responsibility, she said “oh yeah, that was an oversight.” For example:
-When we discussed vendor meals, Rachel said she was going to contact the venue and handle the details. After the rehearsal she asked me if I had handled vendor meals. I reminded her that she had assured me she was going to raise that question with the venue, she said she had forgotten and will do so. After the wedding I learned that the venue coordinator was never contacted. Instead other vendors notified me that Rachel had informed them that they could help themselves to the food set out for the wedding guests.

-Rachel had assured me that she coordinated with all the vendors on dates and times for when they were needed. During the rehearsal she asked me what time the officiant was expected to arrive. When I reminded her that she was handling the coordination of the rehearsal, she called the officiant and it seemed that it was the first time she learned that he does not attend rehearsals.

-Setting up table cards was discussed and I had included her in an email that outlined the names of the tables. Yet, Rachel and her assistant overlooked that they didn’t place the table card on the sweetheart table – something that was of sentimental value to my husband and I.

-Rachel had the florist contract, which she had requested so she could be clear on what was to be delivered and for whom. This included bouquets for my husband’s stepmom and sister, it was a gesture we had put a lot of thought into to demonstrate our respect for them. Neither of them received their bouquets. Later when we were looking through the pictures we realized that the grandmothers were given both their pin corsages and the small bouquets. These details were outlined on the florist contract. After the wedding, when I asked Rachel about it, she admitted that she had an old version of the contract, which is an unacceptable oversight from a wedding coordinator.


I will also share a glimpse of some of the complaints I received from guests, which caused me far more angst:

During the reception, apparently one guest had asked Rachel what was the evening program and when the dance floor was going to open up. Supposedly, after the DJ opened the dance floor this guest received the following response from Rachel, “You wanted to dance, so go, what the F*** are you standing here for?” There is a protocol on how guests are approached and spoken to – a line that any professional does not cross. This is yet another egregious error on Rachel’s part. Unfortunately, there were other guests standing nearby who also brought this to my attention.

The emcee at the reception complained that she received conflicting guidance from both Rachel and her assistant. According to the emcee, at one point Rachel’s assistant approached and told her to announce dinner is served and then Rachel told her not to announce dinner to the guests because Rachel wanted to call each table one at a time. Meanwhile, when I discussed the reception plan with the emcee and Rachel I had said that I wanted dinner to be announced because I wanted the guests to be aware of the program. This demonstrates poor coordination and increased confusion.

The most notable aspect of what I have mentioned above is the fact that this information came to us after the wedding, very much unsolicited. Most guests were quite respectful of my choice for a wedding coordinator, but still felt the need to footnote their negative experience. Typically people only highlight what they loved about a wedding (especially to the bride), but there were some really frank observations and encounters that I could not just let go. The cultural misunderstanding or perhaps a lack of knowledge of different customs is quite normal; however, coming from an open and respectful place of learning is what allows one to be an effective cross-cultural communicator in all settings. Although I am not involved as a professional in the wedding coordinating field, I would assume the hallmark characteristic of someone in this role is to be intuitive, communicative, sincere, and calm.


P.S.: Please note, only the last 7 of these reviews mention Rachel (4/24/20-10/22/11), the other older reviews mention another coordinator (Cate Buscher), something I overlooked when I first used these ratings to help me decide on a coordinator.

I used Rachel with Plan It Perfect as my day of coordinator and she was a complete lifesaver! I honestly don't know how we could have pulled off my wedding without her. There were so many little details about the wedding that she thought of that never would have crossed my mind. Having her there to make sure everything went smoothly made my wedding so much less stressful for me and my family. Rachel was also an immense help at my rehearsal. My officiant ended up missing it unexpectedly and if Rachel hadn't been there to keep me calm and handle everything, I would've freaked out. She was also incredibly responsive to my (many) emails and questions. Plus, she's really fun and a great dancer! Rachel really is the best. You will not regret using her for a second. Thanks, Rachel!!

I hired Rachel Shaw of Plan It Perfect to be a Day-of Coordinator for my daughter's recent wedding, and, frankly, I can't imagine not having had that kind of professional help. She went above and beyond the call of duty in terms of chair and linen vendors (we had already picked the "big stuff".) She prepared an itinerary and communicated the final details with all the vendors, which allowed all of us to relax and enjoy ourselves throughout the days leading up to the event, and the big day itself. She ran the rehearsal. She pinned the boutonnieres and corsages. She attended to special dietary needs. She knew what was supposed to happen when, and when things did not appear when they were supposed to ("where are the cakes??"), she whipped out her phone and solved the mystery. I am sure she did things that I still don't know about! She helped make my daughter and her fiance's vision a reality. Kudos to Rachel - she's on tap for the next wedding, too!

I am so happy to have found Rachel to help with our big day!! Our venue provided sparse support for the day of, and Rachel made everything happen. We hired Rachel for just day-of support, but she really went above and beyond. From the minute we first met, she had things under control. When we discovered a few weeks out that additional help would be needed to help turn over the room from ceremony to reception - Rachel found an awesome team. Her coordination of the vendors meant that I had nothing to worry about that day except getting ready and smiling. All the way through the end of the reception, Rachel and her team made sure everything went smoothly and nothing was overlooked.

Rachel did an amazing job of making sure everything went smoothly. She also was a blast to hang out with on the wedding day.

Rachel was absolutely awesome!! At first my parents were hesitant on getting a day of wedding planner but as it got closer to the wedding they realized that it was going to take a lot to put all of the logistics together with the guests and vendors. They wanted to enjoy too--- so we hired Rachel! She was extremely professional and she knew exactly what she needed to get done. She contacted all of our vendors with the final details and she put together a day of itinerary. I have to say that I was not stressed AT ALL the few weeks before... and it was because of Rachel. Rachel was the best money that we ever spent on the wedding- my husband, parents and I tribute our wonderful day to Rachel. Thanks Rachel- I would recommend you and your services 110%

We were very impressed. Rachel is well-organized, dependable, and we felt that she really wanted our wedding to be fun and successful. She really fit in with our family and friends and she has a great sense of humor.
We are both program managers and it was difficult for us to hand over our wedding to someone we didn't know. After going through the whole process, I don't know how we would have done it otherwise... I would recommend to any bride and groom if nothing else, make sure you hire someone for day-of planning/coordinating. I can't imagine the stress we would have endured if it were not for a good planner! We hired Rachel (and her assistant Kim) for day-of service and had her help us with vendor selections. Not only did she help us find good vendors, but she went above and beyond - she actually picked up our linens and flowers for the wedding (and returned the linens), and surprised us with drying our bouquets. She got us a discount with at least one vendor as well. We also live a few hours from where the event was held so we often had to communicate with Rachel via email and phone. We found her to be very easy to get in touch with, and if we emailed or left messages, she returned them quickly.

They were so beautiful and the woman who helped us was very patient with us.Very curtious and helpful.Overall, excellent service!I would highly recommend!

Cate was absolutely fantastic! I would recommend her to anyone who wants a stress free wedding. She was the ultimate professional yet very warm and kind.

Cate made our dream wedding come true. The first day we met her she put us at ease. She was professional while keeping it FUN the entire time!! She stuck to our budget, a perfect time line and just made everything wonderful! When it came to the day before and the day of (most important) there was no messing around which we liked! Her vendor choices were perfect as well. Thanks Cate!!

Cate is fantastic! We held our wedding ceremony and reception at a museum so we had to contract all vendors ourselves (caterer, lighting and staging, band, linens, valet, etc.). We had finished most of the planning but needed someone to help us with coordinating all the vendors and bring everything together on the day of the event. We hired Cate as a "day of" planner, but that title doesn't fully describe what she did for us. She contacted all of our vendors before the event, created a schedule for us, and oversaw the setup, clean up, and event itself. She provided valuable recommendations that saved us money. Most importantly, having Cate there allowed my husband and I (and all of our family and friends) to completely enjoy ourselves! She handled all vendor questions and problems and made sure we were on schedule so Joel and I didn't have to worry about a thing that day! She is extremely professional, knowledgeable, and friendly! I don't know how we would have done it without her!

The wedding rehearsal and wedding day went so smooth because of Cate. She knows exactly what to do with everything. I didnt realize how much I would need a cooridinator until that day. She's with you from day one that you hire her until the end of the reception. All of her vendors she suggested praised her with every meeting we had and we loved all of them. There are so many ideas that she helps you with and I honestly believe she can get you whatever it is you need for your wedding to make it as unique and perfect to fit what you have always invisioned for your big day. She is one of the best wedding coordinators out there, theres always a smile on her face and she makes sure everything is taken care of so you can enjoy every moment of your wedding.

Although we only used Plan It Perfect and Kate for arranging transportaion and "day of" event services, everything we asked of her was top quality, done in a timely manner and A number one service. We could not have asked for more. We would reccomend her to anyone. Kate amd her staff handled evrything we asked them to do in a very professional manner.
Karen and Jack Finnell
Katie and Dan Abresch

I can't say enough great things about Cate. She is a dream to work with. She made every detail come together... I never once worried about a single element on our special day. Her advice leading up to our special day I could not have lived without. We chose to use Cate after she worked on our friend's wedding. In a year of attending 10 plus weddings, the one Cate worked one was SOOOOO much better than any other wedding. The reception was smooth, the details were perfect, everything was flawless. Cate made the same thing happen for us. I would definitely recommend Cate!!!!

We hired Cate Buscher to help run the wedding ceremony at Grace Episcopal Church and she was able to deliver flawlessly by coordinating such a diverse group in a really tiny church. (And when I say tiny, I mean really tiny. We didn't even have a vestibule or a room for the bridal party.) From the planning phase forth, Cate was a delight to work. She was always accessible, was a guru of wedding ceremony protocol, and was assertive without being overbearing. Everyone knew when to walk, where to stand, etc. It was wonderful to work with someone who truly has the right mix of experience and professionalism.

We worked with Cate Busher of Plan It Perfect. We used her as a wedding coordinator, also called “day-of” coordinator. She was something my mom wanted and I wasn’t sure of. Her prices were pretty high, but I can tell you this – I am so very, very, very thankful I had her services. Cate met with us a month before our wedding. We gave her the contact info of all our vendors and although we thought we were really organized and thought of everything, Cate sent us home with about 20 things we didn’t even consider doing that needed to be done. She talks with each vendor prior to your wedding to make sure they know what they are doing and when and was such a blessing the day before and the day of the wedding. She was able to orchestrate the rehearsal and was able to be the “bad cop” when needed. When the limo company didn’t show to pick me up on the wedding day, Cate had been on the phone with the limo company a half hour before we even noticed! We were impressed. When a table didn’t get dessert and a guest came up to tell me so, I pointed him to Cate and told him to tell her to deal with it. I looked and moments later they were eating. She also got me a discount with Mike’s photography and with my DJ – a total savings of over $500. She cold have saved me on my invites too, but I had already purchased them before I hired Cate. She was a total blessing and I’m very thankful I listened to my mom and hired her.

Cate was wonderful. We had such a great time from the start. Throughout the whole planning process she listened to our ideas and steered us in the right direction. The vendors that she recommended turned out to be great and we got so many discounts! She is very connected. On the wedding day, everything seemed just to fall into place. If there was anything that went wrong, I didn't know about it, so I was stress free, just how I wanted it to be. The most important reason we hired a planner was for coordinating the day, the other parts of the package we got were a great bonus and helped us a lot while still letting us make the decisions. Overall, we developed a great relationship and we had a lot of fun together.

Cate, Thank you so much for doing such a wonderful job with helping me prepare for the wedding! Your ideas were unique and creative, and I was so appreciative of how professional you were. You weren't afraid to give honest feedback and you definitely had a good perspective on how things should be, but you still let me be the one making the calls. You handled everything so well during the rehearsal and during the wedding; it definitely allowed me to have a peace of mind that things would fall into place as they needed to since you were there. Thank you so much for your planning skills and advice! It wouldn't have been as beautiful and successful as it was without you.

Cate was always pleasant to work with.

Rachel is amazing to work with. Prompt communication, unending creativity, and endless passion for what she does. You cant go wrong with her planning for the day.

Professional, fun, creative and simply amazing. I love working with Cate and her team on weddings!

Cate Buscher is an absolute dream to work with. From the pre-planning to the day of the reception, I have complete confidence that the vision imagined by the Bride & Groom (and the Mother of the Bride) will be realized.