Charleston Officiants + Premarital Counseling

A Charleston Event - Officiating and Planning Services

Best of Weddings (1x)

Serving Charleston Area

About this vendor

We handle all of the details and manage the stress that is inevitable on such a big day. It is important that you enjoy your wedding. Let us make that happen. From officiating services, day of coordination to full-service planning, A Charleston Event will work with you to make your vision a reality. We also offer a Selfie Station - a photobooth that allows your entire venue to be the backdrop. No reason to confine all of those wonderful images to a the old ways of photobooths.

Details

Ceremony Types

Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony

Wedding Activities

Wedding
Ceremony

Awards and Affiliations

4.9

out of 5.0

33 reviews

Search reviews

8/04/2017 • Marilyn S

Holly was our officiant and she was amazing... she provided a really sweet ceremony for our wedding at the beach, included everything we wanted like catholic arras and unity sand and our own vows. everything was really nice :D Thank you!

11/04/2016 • Holly R

Holly was the perfect wedding planner I could have ever asked for! Holly was so much fun in the planning process, she thought through every detail and made our day absolutely perfect. it is a scary process to pick a wedding planner, but Holly is your girl, she won't let you down!

9/22/2016 • Brooke G

Holly was the best investment I could have made for my wedding. The second I got off the phone from our first conversation my stress melted away! She anticipated so many needs and details I would never have thought of. I can't imagine having a better planner!

8/08/2016 • Kelly I

We found Holly at a wedding convention. We automatically liked her personality and thought she was very knowledgeable. We initially booked her as our officiant and she helped us figure out our ceremony details. 2 weeks prior to our wedding day we realized that we were becoming over our heads with wedding details. Holly was able to step in as our day of coordinator and helped us out greatly. Holly did an amazing job with coordinating with our vendors and bringing together all of my wedding details on the day of the wedding. She exceeded my expectations and was 100% worth the money. We were able to be stress free on the wedding day and would definitely recommend her!

6/29/2015 • Cassidy B

My wedding journey started off pretty stressfully. My now husband proposed just before Christmas, and proceeded to immediately invite me to move to Chicago with him. I was faced with moving, leaving my job, being engaged, and trying to plan what was now a destination wedding. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed! The journey only got more overwhelming as I started calling around trying to find a wedding planner in the Charleston area. I was confronted with endless answering machines, no return phone calls, and budget scrutiny. That all changed when Holly answered the phone. From the first moment we spoke, I knew she was going to be the perfect fit for us. Instead of peppering me with questions about my budget, and what venue I wanted to pick, she started by asking about how Brendan proposed. She asked what my experience was with Charleston, and what my dream wedding would look like. She spent over an hour on the phone with me that day, never rushing the conversation. I hung up the phone feeling more relaxed then I had in months. After officially selecting Holly as our planner, we got straight to work. My husband and I were limited in the amount of time we could spend in Charleston leading up to the wedding, so every moment had to be perfectly calculated. On our first trip to Charleston, Holly was able to pack 6 venue viewings, a meeting with an officiate, and a cake tasting all in one day. It was perfectly planned and executed - although it was a whirlwind of a day we never felt stressed and the cake tasting was the perfect ending to the day. This is just one example of how smoothly the whole planning process went. Over the next months, we methodically moved through the wedding planning process without any hiccups. Holly was incredibly accommodating, including planning Skype/FaceTime meetings later in the evening during the work week so Brendan could join. She would even Skype me in from vendor visits so I could feel like I was apart of the process. When the wedding week arrived, Holly was in perfect form. She was there every moment to answer my questions, concerns, and to just listen and calm me down as I freaked out about the weather forecast. When the rehearsal finally came, Holly won my family over just as quickly as she won me over. My family felt just as assured by her presence as I did. The big day went off seamlessly. I received nothing but compliments about the wedding and Holly herself. Everyone from vendors to the wedding guest gushed over how wonderful Holly was. I even had other couples coming up to me asking for Holly's contact information. We honestly could not have asked for a better experience. Even after the wedding, she wrote Brendan and I a thoughtful message describing the most memorable moments of our wedding. I always felt like I had a companion, and ally, and friend as we moved through the process. I never felt like "just another client." Holly truly offers the full package, and I would recommend her to anyone.

4/02/2014 • Rebecca M

When I first got engaged I realized that being a full time special education teacher and having my mother 15 hours away, that it would be very hard to plan a wedding even though the engagement would be 15 months. Holly stepped in and helped me through the highs and lows of planning a wedding. Having Holly on the day of the wedding made things so relaxing and not stressful whatsoever. The day was flawless and as people were leaving the reception they said it was the best wedding they have ever been to. Holly did an excellent job keeping in touch with all of the vendors despite my busy schedule. I would recommend Holly because not only is she professional and does her job with 110%, but because she is also became a person to talk to and became a friend. Holly really cares about her clients and makes visions come to life. Thank you Holly!!!

11/05/2013 • Erica F

Last weekend Holly Simpson from A Charleston Event was my sisters day of planner. To say she was wonderful would be an understatement! She was amazing and was able to multi-task like no one I have ever seen, which is key on a wedding day! While running the show from behind the scenes she was also holding my 8 month old to keep him from crying throughout the ceremony! Holly also has such a wonderful personality that you can't help but just love her! If anyone in the Charleston area is looking for a wedding planner Holly is your girl!

9/25/2013 • Rachel H

A Charleston Event is the best decision we made during our wedding planning process. Holly and her team were outstanding in the months, weeks, days and hours leading up to the wedding. They exceeded expectations and truly made our wedding dreams come true. Holly helped us get in touch with great Charleston area vendors and was with us every step of the way to guide us in the decision making processes that go along with every wedding. When we talk about the wedding, we constantly talk about how A Charleston Event made everything just work. My husband and I were (in addition to our families) able to focus on the celebration, knowing that Holly and her team truly were on top of everything. A few fun memories of working with Holly and her team: seeing her smiling face when we arrived at the Francis Marion in preparation for the wedding, her calming presence, bringing me fresh contacts from my groom's toiletry kit on the day of the wedding, setting up our night of suite, running to grab additional gin because we were running out, everything was on schedule! In sum, if you are not sure if you need a wedding planner for your wedding, I recommend taking the leap of faith with A Charleston Event - to reiterate - best decision we made! It was completely worth it. ~Rachel M

9/17/2013 •

Holly Simpson is THE BEST! She saved my relationship with my son( the groom) and his fiancé. The rehearsal and wedding were perfect. She was always calm, professional; yet had a personal touch. She was there for every frantic phone call with the perfect answer. SHE IS WONDERFUL!!!!! Thank you Holly from the bottom of my heart! Wendy Johnson (Mother of the Groom)

9/16/2013 •

At first, the thought of my friend using a wedding planner was silly to me... then I actually thought about it, I would need one too!! My best friend and her groom are two of the most laid back people you will ever meet. They are last minute, fly by the seat of your pants, and very easy going. Without the help of sweet Holly, I'm not sure we would have had a such a perfect rehearsal, ceremony, and reception. Holly and her side-kick made everyone feel so relaxed and calm. Everything was smooth sailing all weekend... and if it wasn't, I had no idea & I was with the bride all weekend! Holly was very kind, patient and an obvious hard worker!! I really appreciate everything that was done to help my best friend and her husband have such an amazing wedding weekend! Thank you!

8/15/2013 •

We chose Charleston, SC as a vacation destination with our grown children and grandchildren, thus decided to get married while there. We couldn't have pulled it off without Holly. We'd never been there before so we knew nothing about the town and Holly helped to incorporate Charleston's history and charm into our wedding theme. It was truly a beautiful day!! All we had to do was simply show up! She took care of everything! Thanks Holly!!

8/14/2013 • Judi W

Holly is a girl after my own heart! She always understood everything I wanted and made the entire process flow smoothly. She never put down any of my ideas and made it her goal to make everything happen exactly how I wanted it no matter how many 100's of emails or meetings it took with vendors. And believe me even with all the stress of the wedding I knew on the day of she had it all handled. The entire wedding from the moment we walked down the aisle to the sparkler exit went perfectly. In fact it was so perfect that it flew by in a flash. I am so relieved that I had her that day. I don't know what I would've done without her. From keeping me calm to ensuring that all vendors knew what they needed to do and where they needed to be when she had it all. If you are looking for an awesome, creative, organized, sweet and caring wedding planner then look no further! A Charleston Event is the planner for you! I will definitely be looking to Holly again for any future vow renewal plans!

6/13/2013 • Dale W

Holly was amazing. I have never seen anyone stay so calm during such a stressful time. We could not have pulled the wedding off without her. From the beginning, she assisted us in setting up interviews with potential vendors. She guided us in the selection process but was not pushy about who we should select. She came with us on taste testing and kept all the vendors organized and aware of our selections. She helped keep everyone on track on the wedding day and everything went on time and in the correct order. She is a pleasant, young woman and yet very demanding of excellence from the vendors. As the mother of the bride, I can tell you that she took a big load off me and my daughter had the wedding of her dreams! I would highly recommend her!

6/06/2013 • Rebecca R

Holly is absolutely amazing. Our wedding could not have been more perfect because of her. She made sure that every detail was taken care of and assured all those little things were in place that made our wedding so special. Holly was there for us from the beginning with a wedding consultation that started us out on the right path. She helped us with the selection of vendors who we could not have been more pleased with, she followed up, was on top of everything, and for both the rehearsal dinner and on the day of ensured every detail was perfect. I highly, highly recommend her and can't wait to have the opportunity to work with her again.

6/05/2013 • Karen S

Holly was in touch with Whitney (the bride) though every stage of planning. She recommended great vendors when Whitney wasn't sure who to choose. On the day of the wedding, Holly arrived to the venue a little early to set up and kept checking in on us throughout the day. If we needed something, Holly found someone to help us right away. I think Holly being so accommodating and organized really helped keep Whitney's stress at bay throughout the day. Holly kept checking in with the bridesmaids to see how Whitney was doing, making sure she wasn't too stressed about anything. The thing I liked most about Holly, though, was how personable she was. She really cared about Whitney and Tom and their enjoyment of their day was most important to her. She was very easy to talk to and approach throughout the whole process and made an effort to get to know more of the bridal party. She really kept everything running smoothly on the wedding day. We really enjoyed working with Holly and would recommend her to anyone getting married in the Charleston area.

5/31/2013 • jord r

We hired Holly as a full service planner for our downtown Charleston wedding in May. This was a must since we live in North Carolina and had limited visits to Charleston to plan. She helped us find vendors (like Burt from Fingersnappin Entertainment who was AWESOME) from afar and kept track of payments and due dates. She also gently reminded me of my tasks that I had yet to accomplish...She was always available to chat on the phone, through text, and responded promptly to emails. I think I really realized how we couldn't have done it without her, though, on the day of the wedding when she somehow managed to direct everyone (guests, bridal party, bride and groom, family, vendors) so that the whole event ran completely smoothly. She even followed the photographer around to make she he had taken the pictures that I had listed as "must-haves." Since I really had nothing to worry about, I just enjoyed my wedding day and did not have one ounce of stress.

5/24/2013 • Whitney M

I have been waiting to write this review simply because I do not think there will ever be enough words or a description good enough to truly describe the service & experience you receive when planning your wedding with A Charleston Event (Holly). I live in New Orleans- approximately 750 miles away from my favorite childhood city- Charleston, SC. With so many miles separating me from my ideal wedding destination, I knew right away there needed to be a wedding planner in my future. I interviewed a few planners in the Charleston area and made several phone calls early on; however, none seemed to make me comfortable. Finding Holly was love at first phone call and the trust immediately began to flow. Throughout the entire process Holly was easy to reach, accommodating, understanding, sincere and just genuinely a great person to chat with during such a crazy period of life. In our opinion, there would have been no wedding without Holly. Holly can guide you to the best vendors in town, represent you and your ideas when you are unable to be present, run your wedding day show and simply eliminate any worries that strike on your wedding day. Hire A Charleston Event as your wedding planner. If you don’t think there is room in your budget, make room. I promise that she and her company are worth more than you will pay. All of our friends and family agree that Holly and her services were the best purchase of the wedding. Her friendly personality with go smoothly with everyone, her organization will keep you afloat and her knowledge is all that you need. When your wedding is over you will miss her as we already do! Thank you so much, Holly. We love you!

5/10/2013 • Shea K

My fiancé and I live in Atlanta, but decided to get married in Folly Beach so that we could be closer to my family. I am an event planner for a living and knew that I would not be able to handle this on my own while working full time, traveling for business and being 400 miles away, so I decided to start looking for a planner. I called every event company in Charleston and no one would even quote a wedding under 100 people. I felt so defeated and discouraged, a wedding is supposed to make you feel like a princess and I couldn’t even get anyone to speak to me. I decided to make a few more phone calls and that is when I found A Charleston Event. Holly listened my needs and was respectful of what we were able to afford. She worked so hard to get everything I had dreamed of at a budget I could afford. She was patient and kind as I changed my mind over and over and never once made me feel like I was anything other than the most important person in the room. Holly made trips to our venue to look at tide levels, she made wonderful suggestions for decorations, lay out and schedules. In the end mother nature decided to destroy all of the plans we had made: we had 30mph winds, a VERY high tide and torrential rains. None of which are conducive to a sunny beach wedding. In the face of this unexpected change in weather, Holly never panicked and her confidence helped keep me calm. Less than 24 hours before the wedding we had to move the wedding indoors, put up a tent and change where all of the vendors were supposed to set up. She handled this with poise and grace and my wedding went off without a hitch. I could not have been more pleased or impressed with Holly’s patience, professionalism and attitude. Everyone at my wedding raved about how wonderful she was. My guests had no idea that we had not planned to have the wedding just the way it happened. If you are considering getting married in Charleston, you must call Holly Simpson at A Charleston Event!!!! You will not be disappointed!

4/29/2013 • Alexis R

Holly was a godsend! Holly is much more than just a wedding planner. She is Martha Stewart and Mary Poppins rolled into one - organized, focus and detail oriented, yet creative, compassionate, comforting, accommodating and extremely personable. She truly does go above and beyond the call of duty. Holly even took the time to learn about our cultural and religious practices to help us create an unforgettable, heart-felt ceremony that truly honored our families' beliefs and traditions. She helped make our wedding more amazing than we could have ever expected. My only regret is not hiring Holly from the very beginning. I wholeheartedly recommend her! You will not be let down!!!

4/25/2013 • john h

We live in Atlanta, and the wedding was in Charleston. My daughter's initial position that we needed a wedding planner was an initial proposal made early in the planning process. This was our second wedding, how much different would this one be? Well, the decision to go with "A Charleston Event" was perfect. Just in the initial planning sessions, I knew that we made the right decision. It was one of the most important planning/execution decisions we could have made. The day before the wedding and the day of are the two most important execution times if the wedding will go as planned. Things will go wrong, and you will make some decisions that need to be augmented, changed, adjusted, and some you just give to Holly and she will figure it out. Great decision, great planning and great execution with great follow up. Use the Francis Marion and the vendors she suggest, and you will not be disappointed. Come on FOBs, it will not be that much money looking at the total big picture amount...and Holly is worth it. She will save you whatever amount she proposes, and that is a fact!! Email me with specific questions!

4/23/2013 • Erin P

I contacted Holly one month before my wedding after having several venues cancel on me. I choose a new venue that required me to have a wedding planner. Thankfully they did, because when the new venue tried to screw me over as well, Holly stepped right up and helped me sort it all out. She was there from start to finish and made sure to contact all the vendors getting me a good price and giving me plenty of options. I know my wedding day would not have gone that smoothly without her help. Thank you Holly.

4/05/2013 • Nikki C

Holly is a great wedding planner. My daughter lives in Charleston S.C. and I live in Mount Pleasant N.C. so you know the sleepless nights I have had trying to help Nikki plan her wedding being so far away. I went down to spend the week of the wedding with my daughter, Holly met with me on that Monday just to put my mind at ease still I was a bit skeptical about everything being done the right way. Well I lost sleep for no reason. On the day of the wedding she was there to take care of everything and she did a fantastic job. The wedding was a great success because of her timing and planning. If you want a wedding planner to go the extra mile Holly Simpson is your girl. Thank you Holly for helping us give Nikki a beautiful and fun wedding Sincerely, Sue Collins

11/04/2012 • J C

Holly with A Charleston Event was a pleasure to deal with and she paid attention to every detail. I was the maid of honor in a wedding she planned, and not only did I see that all she did took stress off of the bride and her family, it also made me happy to see my best friend marry the love of her life exactly the way she had pictured it. Holly went above and beyond what we expected for her to do to create a memorable and beautiful event for all that attended. Holly found vendors to meet the specific needs of the bride as well as found the perfect match for the table linens that my friend couldn't find anywhere. I would highly recommend using her for any event. It's clear she has an established rapport with her vendors and is able to coordinate a flawless event. She is a true professional who will get the job done.

11/02/2012 • Aleisha C

My husband and I live in Ohio but wanted a beach wedding in the Charleston area. We started looking for an event planner in the area in July (2012) and I found A Charleston Event and after talking with Holly, I had a pretty good feeling she was the right planner for us. Being an event coordinator in Ohio I had a high expectation of what I wanted from the Wedding Planner we chose. We went down to Charleston the first of August to meet with Holly and pick the beach location. After meeting Holly we were sold. I knew she was going to pull our October 6, 2012 wedding off. She was amazing! She gave us several beach locations and possible reception locations to look at. Once we found our spot Holly handled everything else for our wedding. Not only did she execute everything beyond my high expectations but also kept it within our $2,000 budget. Beyond that, she started planning our wedding two weeks before she gave birth to her second child! Even my picky, stubborn family loved Holly (that says a lot.) The weeks leading up to the wedding Holly sent me the timeline and even helped me look for a last minute flowergirl dress via the internet. She worked great with a few last minute changes. Once the wedding weekend got here she checked in with us daily once we got in town that Thursday before. When I found out there was another bride getting married right next to the area we were Holly got right on it and got everything figured out and I never had to deal with it or worry about the other wedding. The ceremony came and went and everything was wonderful! The photographer Holly found, Brooke Brooks, was so nice and her pictures were great! The baker that made our cake, Cake My Day, was great and even made the inside of our cake blue like we had mentioned to Holly! Plus everyone loved how yummy it was and two of our guests are cake bakers!! The florist, Keepsakes Florist, did a great job on the flowers and my bouquet smelt so good. With us being in Ohio, Holly had to meet with all the vendors for us. She used my Pinterest boards to show the vendors what I had in mind. In the end everything was great....no it was perfect! I honestly believe if it weren't for Holly my wedding would have been a big headache and more than likely a disaster! Holly was amazing and would reccomend her to anyone! My husband and I are throughly pleased and greatful that Holly was our Wedding Planner.

10/16/2012 • Whitney C

We used A Charleston Event for our day-of wedding coordination. Holly met our expectations and then exceeded them. I really wanted a coordinator to be there to make sure all our vendors arrived okay and our wedding party got down the aisle. Holly had everyone contacted weeks prior, last minute details handled, and the wedding went off without a hitch. It felt great to not have to worry about a thing that day other than getting myself ready. She made sure both my groom and I were ready and had everything we needed (including snacks during pictures). We definitely recommend them.

7/10/2012 • Megan E

My husband and I live in DC, so when we decided we wanted to get married in Charleston, I knew I wanted to get a planner involved. I do event planning for work and know how many little details are involved to get an event (especially one like this) to go off without a hitch. And, I knew that I didn't want to have to worry (and I didn't want my friends and family to have to worry) about setting up for our wedding the day of, cleaning up after, etc. After having calls with a few of the top planners in the area, I chose to do the full package with A Charleston Event becuase not only did they have the experience and relationships in the industry, but they made us feel comfortable and were so easy to talk to. Holly is amazing. She was so on top of everything and would go above and beyond, doing research for us on various favors, traditions, etc. to ensure our day was special for us. When I first began the planning process, I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted, but after looking through pictures and websites and consulting often with Holly, I finally came up with something I loved. Holly kept detailed notes on everything I wanted and of all our conversations and kept everything in order. She worked directly with vendors and got us some great deals. Holly and her team made our dream wedding come alive and when I arrived at our venue I started crying because I couldn't believe how perfect everything was. I highly recommend Holly and A Charleston Event to future brides. Having a planner is so helpful, but it needs to be someone you can trust and Holly is that person. Both my family and my husband's family were so impressed by Holly's friendliness and professionalism and hopefully you will be, too!!

6/14/2012 • Wanda T

I worked with Holly Simpson with A Charleston Event and she was absolutely wonderful. We decided on an excursion wedding on the water and as a typical bride, I'd decide on something change my mind then change it back and Holly was always right there answering my questions, sending me vendor information and making my changes, always happily doing so. The last and biggest change actually came the day of our ceremony. My soon to be groom was taken to the emergency room in the middle of the night with chest pains then soon transferred to Roper St. Francis. Once there they repeated an EKG and a few hours later blood work was repeated and we soon were told a heart cath was going to be necessary later that day. I had put a call into Holly letting her know what was going on and she in turn had notified all the vendors. As the day we had chosen had special significance to us, we decided to go ahead with the ceremony so I promptly put in a call to Holly and she made all the necessary arrangements to not only move the ceremony to earlier in the day but from the yacht to my grooms hospital room. She arrived with the officiant, my bouquet, boutineer and wedding cake. I could not have ask for a more special day and would not change anything about it. We're now home and my hubby is doing great and Holly has arranged for us to have our excursion, June 5, 201full our 1 year anniversary.

5/15/2012 • Melissa W

A Charleston Event is a great company to work with. They made my wedding run so smoothly! Holly was amazing and so on top of everything! I would highly recommend this company to any brides who want a beautiful wedding! All of my vendors were happy to work with someone who was helpful and knowledgeable. I didn't have to worry about anything on the day of my wedding.

3/16/2012 • Briane G

Without question Holly made our wedding happen. Our wedding was the best day of our lives and without her support, it would not have been what it was. Not only was she essential on the day of the wedding making sure that we could enjoy ourselves without worry, she was indispensable from day one. From introducing my wife to her hair stylist to helping chose the best flowers, Holly made sure that every detail was taken care of. If you are thinking of planning a wedding in Charleston and you want to make it extraordinary, you must contact Holly. She will always be in our memories for what she has done.

10/20/2011 • Cassie H

Elyn impressed me immediately by calling me in regards to my interest in using ACE for planning my destination wedding. After the first month of planning, things became progressively worse. I spent 6-8 hours EVERY DAY proofreading documents and contracts; checking for correct name spelling and correcting figures that didn't add up correctly. She made a lot of promises that didn't come to fruition, and waited until the last minute for important decisions (that could definitely have been made ahead of time). The wedding was beautiful, and they did the flowers as well. The flowers were nice, but her team had no idea where the flowers were to go or who they were for. Be very wary of her recommendations - DO YOUR RESEARCH! Verify everything she tells you with the source! I do not recommend using them for a destination wedding - I had to fly in for meetings 3x prior to my wedding. She might be great if you are in town and available to supervise more frequently. All in all - buyer beware!

6/26/2011 • Megan B

I was recommended to ACE by the coordinator of the hotel where my reception took place. From the moment I met Elyn and her team, I was mesmerized! If you can think, they can create it. My wedding was a 1960's classic supper club/Rat Pack theme. Everything was beautiful from the lights, linens, and flowers. She even helped find a Frank Sinatra impersonator for my rehearsal dinner. If you want a qualified team to handle the biggest day of your life, be assured that ACE will take care of everything!

6/23/2011 • Laura A

Elyn and her team worked with me for my destination wedding in Charleston and they did a FABULOUS job! There attention to detail is outstanding and I had no worries the day of my wedding and could truly enjoy every second because I knew things were in great hands. I highly recommend them for your wedding or other events- totally worth it!

5/17/2010 • Lauren T

I am working with a Charleston Event and have to say they have made mine, and my mother's lives soo much easier! They have fantastic connections to so many vendors and make planning a wedding a truely enjoyable experience.