Agape Planning

coordinator! Not only do most legitimate venues these days require a professional wedding coordinator (and no, not your great aunt Karen who throws parties at her house and has helped setup for ONE wedding), but when you’re in the thralls of dealing with crazy family drama, have to answer confusing questions about your reception layout, and don’t know whether to do your first dance before or after speeches, you’re going to want to rely on your coordinator for their expertise. When it comes to pulling off a flawless event, nobody does it better (and with such a positive, beautiful spirit) than Ashley. As a former wedding industry professional, I had worked side by side with her on elaborate weddings and was always so impressed by her ability to handle absolutely any difficult task, all with a smile on her face, and within the same breath, direct to a team of vendors like the captain of a ship. Just watching her work, I knew she would be the perfect wedding planner for me: as sweet as can be, but direct and decisive. Needless to say, I was thrilled when she agreed to take on my destination wedding! (Need a boat to get there? Check. No cars? Check. THREE locations for one wedding day? Check.) From our very first meeting, she made my fiancé and I feel so at ease with the planning process, while giving us a clear breakdown of our to-dos and responsibilities. (Her checklist was SUCH a godsend to keep me on task over the following months!) Leading up to the wedding, she dedicated time to go over all the minute details, making sure we were completely organized with our contracts, and pulled together a dream timeline that accounted for every minute of the day. (Her assistant Amee was such a blessing with all the emails we shared back and forth!!) Absolutely nothing slipped through the cracks, which was such a huge relief. On the day of the wedding, Ashley and her assistants were ON IT! These ladies were such a positive force throughout the entire day, keeping things light and fun while also making sure we adhered to the schedule! (In my past wedding planning life, I always likened bridal parties to a basket of puppies - trying to keep everyone together and focused is nearly impossible and my bridal party was no different. Luckily, this didn’t phase Ashley or her team one bit!) The entire day went off without a hitch, and I even had guests coming up to me after the ceremony and during the reception commenting on how professional and organized the Agape team was! Without a doubt, investing in a professional planner is the best decision you can make when starting your wedding planning journey. You might feel like DIY is your thing at the outset of planning, but trust me (a wedding professional) there’s nothing you’ll want more than to leave the nitty gritty details to someone else so you can ENJOY your big day. Ashley and her team at Agape make sure there is no stone left unturned when it comes to planning, leaving you to be fully present for one of the most important days of your life with zero stress!

s amazing. Everything ran so smoothly and if there were any issues, they were taken care of without us even knowing. Elise also helped with walk throughs/rehearsal prior to the wedding, helped herd our toddler flower girls, and made sure all of the vendor details were taken care of (things I would never have even thought of). Having a day of planner was such a good decision and were so glad we went with Agape/Elise. Elise and her assistant were so organized and knowledgeable that it took a lot of stress off of us so we could actually enjoy our wedding day. Agape also helped us with vendor recommendations and other wedding planning details. We're so grateful to Agape and especially Elise!

otch work. I interviewed three other local wedding coordinators, and decided on Agape planning. It was clear that this decision was an important one, and would shape not only the biggest day of our lives would go, but also the long road of planning ahead of us! Ashley and her team were the perfect fit for us. Ashley fights for her clients, is a teammate in the truest sense, and is professional and an absolute gem to work with every step of the way. I contracted with Agape planning for the "Here Comes the Bride" package. Agape planning made sure the process was always very low stress, well-organized, and fun! My husband and I always felt that our meetings and exchanges with Ashley were efficient and productive. Ashley and her team set up our venue as per our vision and it was beautiful! Ashley is passionate, knowledgeable, and incredibly capable. We would highly recommend Agape planning time and time again! Look no further than Ashley to bring your dream wedding to life.

everything went so smoothly thanks to Elise and her team and she helped keep me calm throughout the entire day/night. Thank you Elise!

e Planning is one of the preferred vendors. After reading the reviews and talking to Ashley, I did not hesitate to select Agape Planning for our Wedding Coordinator. I added a couple additional packages, including the Design Detail and Walkthrough service. I honestly had no idea all the small details to think about when it came to the design for my wedding and am so happy I had her to help with the design of my wedding. She provided recommendations and guidance which is made our wedding that much more great. She is so organized and has so much experience that she has everything down to an exact science. I could email her and her team at any time with questions or to get their opinion and they always responded quickly to me. I am a bit hands on and like to be in control of everything going on, but was able to relax the day of my wedding knowing everything was taken care. Everything went perfectly - I expected there to be some small hiccups here and there but there weren't! We stayed right on schedule (something I'm a big fan of) and the flow of the day ran so smoothly. Ashley's team helped set up the items I brought for the reception and ceremony. I remember walking into the reception room prior to the ceremony (that's where I was hiding out while my husband was getting into position) and just blown away at the amazing job they did taking everything I had brought and making it look so beautiful. I could keep raving about Ashley and her team but am only allowed a certain amount of characters in this review. :) I highly recommend Agape Planning without hesitation. You will be so glad you picked them!

vendors to these standards as well. This will probably be one of only two (max) glowing reviews that we write for all of our vendors that we have worked with. That being said, Ashley and her team at Agape have not only met but exceeded these expectations. All of the details at our wedding were executed flawlessly. Ashley was a pleasure to work with, as well, throughout the entire planning process. She inspired much of my design ideas, was extremely responsive (even to the most minor questions and concerns) and most of all, was always genuine, honest and upfront, which I appreciated. She made the effort to understand my priorities at the beginning and worked with me to keep these priorities in mind at all times. I wholeheartedly recommend Ashley and Agape - you will not be disappointed!

to do, since the planning was mostly all done besides a few loose ends. However, the moment Ashley and her team stepped in my stress went from 10 to 0! They immediately took over and handled everything with each of our vendors. They coordinated the timeline with every vendor down to the minute and allowed me to make adjustments to it as needed. All of her detail oriented hard work paid off, because our wedding was a complete success! It ran smoothly and was completely seemless. So many people told us how perfect it was and they had never seen a wedding and reception run so smoothly. The timing of everything was perfect. We never felt rushed or behind. She listened to our input and made changes as needed. She easily handled coordinating all of our vendors, as well as the bridal party and families. The end result was a stress free, fun, and perfect wedding day!! :) We love Ashley and could not be happier with her work!

ted to display at our wedding that was a good reflection of my wife and I as a couple. Ashley will guide you every step of the way, and let you know which areas /vendors you should emphasize in or add, to really give your wedding that "it" factor. Over 50% of our wedding vendors were referred to us through Agape, and all the vendors had nothing but great remarks for Ashley. One of my largest concerns on our wedding day was my over-the-top (crazy) parents. During the wedding day, my parents wanted to change a few details on the program on their own, however Ashley handled these situations for us which was a HUGE weight off our shoulders. With Ashley, its the bride and grooms way or the highway! Agape's pricing is very reasonable considering the amount of work they do behind the scenes and the day of coordination. Bank on the fact that with Ashley's attention to detail and thoroughness in following up and making sure all of your vendors brings their A-game, you will have little to no worries going into your wedding. If you are using vendors Agape has recommended, expect the discounts due to the great relationship between planner and vendor. If you are having your event at the Nixon Library, going with Agape is a MUST! ps. Ashley is able to fix up you or your groomsmens bowties! #lifesaver

only had several months to plan our wedding, we would not have made it happen without Agape Planning and its professional services. During our meetings, Ashley was always prepared and made very creative yet concrete (in terms of our budget and the given time and space) suggestions for us to think about and play with. Laurin also did a lot by helping us create our beautiful invitation and many little and important details. In addition to all of the things mentioned, Ashley and Laurin served the role as our secretary to keep us on track with our plan, negotiators with our vendors that saved us a lot of time and money, as well as emotional support during moments of great distress. We cannot thank you enough for your dedications to what you do and who you stand for-Team Agape Planning. All in all, the planning process and our wedding day was simply amazing and we would certainly recommend Agape Planning to people who are looking into getting married with a wedding planning service that is personal, professional, and enjoyable!

f coordination plus vendor negotiations. I cannot even compute how much we saved because of this, but it had to be AT LEAST 3x what we paid for the service--plus it relieves a lot of stress on you. SO worth it. Ashley, Laurin, and Mackenzie are three very genuine women who I thoroughly enjoyed working with. I would never choose anyone else, and I've received many compliments from guests on how great they were and how smoothly everything went.

the day of my wedding was amazing and it was all thanks to them! I highly recommend!!!!

with it. Ashley has the bubbliest personality and genuinely cares about your special day. I highly recommend them to any couple :)

he best wedding and that everything went so smoothly.

rom their service, to professionalism, and attention to detail, we couldn't have asked for a better team. They made everything so easy, organized, and fun! My husband and I are so thankful to have chosen them to help plan our big day. We would have been lost without them. I highly recommend their services!

t if at all possible, I would like to keep it outside. So many people pressured me into moving it inside..but not Ashley. She knew what I wanted and she did everything she could to make my day special and exactly how I wanted it! I highly recommend agape planning!

ed a wedding planner for our then wedding, I asked why. That's the question. Why would anybody need a wedding planner? We met Ashley at her office. It was well decorated and inviting. We sit for the next hour or so talking. Conversating about who we were as a couple. After my wife and I left, she asked if we could hire Ashley. I'm still not thrilled with the idea, but I go with my gut, which was, "If my wife needs it, then it must be important." It also helped that Ashley was kind and professional. So we go on picking our vendors. A few times, we couldn't find specific vendors and Ashley helped with that. She suggested Sweet Lucie's to cater the dessert after she listened to us about having ice cream after dinner. She also recommended a company that rents out umbrellas, which was much needed for my very Asian family and it being a hot September wedding. Time proceeded and I'm not completely understanding what we had purchased. It didn't help that I was hands off with the situation unless my wife needed me to do a specific task. However, when a month prior to the wedding date surfaced, Ashley and her team went into action. My wife and I thought we were going to be busy and stressed out before the wedding. Turns out, we weren't at all. McKenzie, Laurin, and Ashley were in full gear taking care of everything. They sent emails to the vendors to ensure all was in place. They had different designs they helped us with. They created an agenda down to the minute. We had a meeting before the wedding and she had made very common sense solutions to potential problems. That's when it occurred to me; that's the value exchange. Not only does her group handle the tasks, but they've done enough weddings to give "best practices and solutions." They've done enough weddings, handled enough vendors, met with enough families and executed enough events to ensure their knowledge of weddings, whether it be a Chinese, Standard American, Modern, and etc, would be fulfilled properly. She explained what a traditional wedding would be based on her understanding of what we wanted. She explained how we should stand so the photographer can get the best shots; when to stop, where to look, how to act, what to say. These directions were invaluable as my wife and I had no idea what to do (in hindsight, I can admit to it). We would have been lost without Agape.

ded up paying for seemed a bit high, but in the end we realized it was all worth it. Throughout the entire planning process, Ashley, Laurin, and Mackenzie worked hard to get us the most out of our vendors and keep us well-informed. Their professionalism and expertise were just beyond anything we could have asked for and on the day of, we really didn't have to worry about any detail, big or small, because Ashley and her team were absolutely on point and kept everything flowing smoothly. I hired Laurin's service as a "bridal concierge", and it was one of the best decisions we made. She was able to anticipate things that I needed, keep me well-hydrated and fed, and ensure that I didn't have to stress out about anything. We are so grateful to Ashley and Agape for all they did for us and can't recommend them enough. Their passion is weddings and it really shows in the care and dedication they put into each and every wedding!

wing where to start, I contacted between 10-15 of the referred wedding coordinators on each or their website and “Requested More Information”. From there, only 3 coordinators contacted me back, with Agape Planning being the first. Agape sent a detailed message laying out all of their services, and then I received a follow up phone call shortly after. I was impressed with the fast response time and I could sense the urgency, which I appreciated. My now husband and I decided to hire Agape Planning, before we even met with Ashley for our first consultation. The detail and professionalism Agape provided before we met was impressive. We purchased the “Day of Service” since we were having a small wedding and this was all that was required of our venue. The Agape team helped me throughout the entire process however. The ladies called me monthly to make sure I was on track and following the planning checklist they provided (which was a great help). They responded to emails and phone calls almost immediately. The day of our wedding they coordinated with all the other vendors so I didn’t have to worry about anything. Agape took all of our decorations and prepared our reception room. They created a photography scheduled and kept everyone on track. My wedding was absolutely flawless and we owe so much of that to Agape Planning. We have already recommended their services to another couple getting married!

shley, Laurin and Mackenzie do a great job of keeping communication lines open with a perfect balance; they don't overbear, but they also maintain the forms of communication in an effective and professional manner. Laurin collaborated with me to make our beautiful invitations, seating chart, and wedding program (I am still receiving compliments on how different and beautiful they were). Ashley, it seems, was destined to be a wedding planner. Some of our vendors had worked with Agape Planning and out of those vendors ALL had confirmed my good choice saying that I need not worry about anything on our big day since Ashley is "SO detail-oriented". They were right! What I really appreciated was Ashley's level of professionalism and ability to maintain objectivity throughout the entire planning process. This is a really important trait to have as a business professional in the wedding industry. Brides can become quite obsessive and start focusing on things that may not be of grave importance in the grand scheme of things. On the other hand, brides can also lag a bit and need a little 'push' to get things done (like me!). In either case, I have seen how Ashley maintains a professional demeanor that accommodates the needs and wants of both types. She does a great job at allowing brides to come to their own decisions, but will offer suggestions and guidance at the right moment if the need arises. Thanks to Agape Planning for making our day so seamless, stress-free, and memorable! Highly recommended!

f our family throughout the wedding planning process! We booked Agape Planning for Appointment Scheduling and Contract Negotiation Services as well as Day-Of Coordination. We feel that what Ashley provided for us went well beyond the scope of the literal terms we had booked her for! She was available to answer any and all questions we sent her in a timely and informative manner, and handled all communication with noteworthy professionalism and friendliness. She made booking all of our vendors a much less intimidating process and was able to recommend vendors in areas we were less familiar with and was completely open to working with vendors that were new to her that we came in knowing. The day of our wedding, Ashley's demeanor was precisely what we needed. She was calm, positive, energetic, and assertive in all of the right ways. My husband and I have both remarked on how composed she remained throughout the entire day, which is just what a bride needs during an overwhelming day! We completely trusted that our wedding was in the best hands and we never worried or stressed on our special day. We did have some slight hiccups with regard to communication with the various members of Agape Planning's staff. Throughout the planning process, I was in simultaneous communication with Ashley as well as her two associates, and on a small number of occasions, there seemed to be some missed communication, which would require some extra effort on my part for clarification on some details. However, none of this impacted the flow of our wedding day and did not affect our love of Agape Planning. We cannot thank Ashley enough for bringing the wedding of our dreams to life and would highly recommend Agape Planning to any newly engaged couple!

ned "surprises" on the day of the wedding, their depth of experience means that they handle them without any stress or problems for the bride and groom. At the same time they are always fully in communication in the most tactful way possible. Working with them was a gift to me as the bride and I would be glad to recommend them to anyone in the future. I hope you strongly consider them for helping you make your wedding day wonderful for you, your family and your friends.

had it all planned out until my schedule at work changed and I had no more time to plan my wedding. I was recommended to Agape planning by my DJ, Renowned Events. When I first met Ashley, she was very spunky and friendly. She knew exactly what we wanted and even suggested things that I would of never thought of. We asked for her services right there and then. We got the Final Count Down Collection and added the mock-up consultation and the Stationary Design consultation. In the months to come, we communicated through via email and phone calls. We had set up meetings at her studio and at our venue. Laurin created our invitations, and let me tell you, they are the best invitations I ever saw. Our wedding was at the Queen Mary and the invitations matched our venue. Our guests loved them. The day of the wedding, they were on top of everything. They made sure everything was perfect. They were the first ones in the venue and the last ones there. I can’t tell you how much our guests loved the wedding. They made sure as well that my hubby and I ate at our wedding…I loved that. I will always be grateful for their help and for everything they did for us. I WOULD RECOMMEND THEM A MILLION TIMES.(Updated from the Groom Perspective) For grooms out there still not sure if Agape Planning is the planner for your wedding... well let me tell you they made my wife feel sure about things at all times of the wedding planning. During the wedding the most important thing is the bride and they sure made her feel taken care off and had patience with my family which was being a little crazy during the wedding with wanting to take pictures with us when we had a time table. I know that my wife enjoyed her wedding and she tells me that it was even more than she could hope for!! So grooms your bride is in great hands

es and we could not have been happier. In retrospect I almost wish I had handed over the entire wedding planning process to them because I know it would have been AMAZING and would have saved me the worry and stress! The wedding planning process is HARD but their extensive knowledge of weddings and event planning coupled with their impeccable ability to deal with every type of personality made them the clear choice for our event. Our wedding was complicating but these ladies didn't bat an eye when faced with our situations. They always acted with such ease you wondered if they were super human. They are! We had a large 250 person wedding at a local hotel and Ashley and Laurin were the glue that held our wedding together. I had met with other planners prior to choosing Agape and they honestly just stressed me out. I found some planners to care more about planning a grandiose event than making sure the Bride got what she wanted and these ladies certainly did not fall into that category! Within 5 minutes of meeting Ashley I could tell she was the perfect fit for the job. She keeps her cool during stressful times and doesn't force any one wedding "style" on you. Her and Laurin provided numerous excel spreadsheets and organizational tools, recommended vendors who were incredible in their own right, and always stayed calm. They kept track of every single contract (and verified every contract the week of the wedding so I didn't have to stress!) and made an extensive 10 page minute by minute schedule for our wedding day that even included the drinks we would be served immediately following our ceremony (which were of course successfully delivered). They are highly attuned to details and it paid off when our wedding day was flawless. We also did a design consultation where Ashley offered numerous ideas that I never would have come up with on my own! They truly have a gift for wedding planning. Every single detail was discussed prior to the wedding so we could enjoy our wedding day. We both have large families and these ladies worked wonderfully with every single person. They worked with ease when bombarded by my father's constant pre wedding phone calls to verify the budget, contracts, vendors, etc. The day of the wedding, they were a subtle yet firm guiding force that helped my wedding run exactly as planned. I cannot emphasize how much I loved these ladies during the wedding process!

ons on DJ, Make up, and Decor. They have a wide selection of wedding supplies and are definitely experts. Ashley helped us stay within our budget without compromising what we wanted. It was the best money we spent. Laurin kept us organized up until we left that night. Their professionalism is unparalleled. Neither we or our guest had to lift a finger that day. When we look back on that day, we could not be any happier.

respective roles. We found Agape through an open house at our venue (Nixon Library) and met with Ashley. Her personality alone was enough to win us over, very friendly and positive. She helped us negotiate pricing with the rest of our vendors which she was able to procure reduced prices (they got us $1200 off our Photographer and I believe it was their first time working this Photographer) or in some cases lots of extras. If I could, I would bring Ashley along for my next Car purchase because she can negotiate like no other. We went into the day of the wedding confident that we had picked a very good Photographer, Videographer, DJ (MC), Makeup, Caterer, Wait Staff etc... but we had no idea how well they would coordinate together. You can have Kobe and Lebron on the same team but if they don't play well together, you can't win a championship. If the other vendors were the Orchestra, Ashely and Laurin of Agape were the conductors leading them in harmony. I can't tell you how amazed I was at how smoothly things went, in part because all the Vendors were very professional but also because of the coordination efforts of Ashley and Laurin. No Bride or Groom will ever get a break on their wedding day since there's a lot going on but Ashley and Laurin made my life so much easier. They made sure I was taken care of with food, water, they kept me constantly posted during the day with any updates about timelines and guests. I almost felt like a corporate executive at times. Their energy lifted me throughout the day and well into the night as the festivities were ramping up. We didn't have to worry about setting things up, packing things, tearing stuff down, Ashley and Laurin took care of everything for us. Everything went smoothly and I will never cease to be amazed at how there were no hiccups. I know coordinators don't get much notice from our guests, most compliments we got back were about the venue, the food, DJ and the service. Choosing the right coordinator may not directly translate to your guests having a great time but for you as a Bride or Groom really matters. It will make your life much easier on the day of and choosing Agape was one of the best things we could have done for our wedding. I highly recommend Agape. Thanks Ashley and Laurin (And the Intern) for everything and for making 7/13/13 a magical night to remember for Navy and I. -Thai

ase. Our first meeting with Ashley was to go over Agape’s services – the different packages and options to modify or add on. Ashley was very flexible and explained everything very well. Once we got the services all squared away, we started our hunt for vendors. This process went very smoothly as well since most of our vendors were selected from Agape’s recommended list. It was very important for us to have our vendors work well together, so knowing that Ashley has worked with all of them prior to our wedding, gave us peace of mind. Ashley is such a wonderful person, and to know that Agape has a second coordinator (Laurin), it was like having two of the best players on the same team! Ashley and Laurin work very well together- they both have great communication skills and are super detail oriented. Most of our communication was done via email and phone- a very effective way for us to get questions answered and share ideas. I remember getting email replies late at night and on weekends. The prompt replies really made it seem like our big day was just as important to them as it was to us. They really know how to make us feel special. When the big day got closer, Ashley and Laurin made sure we were all prepared by sending us questionnaires and reminders of anything that was outstanding. They definitely kept us on track and organized without intruding or being annoying. Agape Planning know what they’re doing and they do it WELL. They made our big day happen as planned - they definitely made our dream come true. We can’t thank them enough for all that they’ve done for us. We highly recommend them. You will not be disappointed. If we had to do it all over again, we will still have Agape Planning plan our wedding. They’re just that great.

w England working about the same or more. We knew we wanted to do our wedding in Southern California because that's where we're from, but I felt totally overwhelmed and knew I needed help before I even started. We met with Ashley only twice before the wedding - everything else was done via telephone and email. I met Laurin the day of, but already felt comfortable working with her. Ashley is very detail oriented. The wedding day went off without a hitch. They were both very flexible, going with my new suggestions, even as I changed my mind. I knew I could trust them to make the day more beautiful and seamless than I could have imagined. They were incredibly attentive on the day of; I felt totally pampered and taken care of. I wish I could have someone like Ashley and/or Laurin to organize the rest of my life! A few things that I loved about working with Agape - I didn't have to worry about dealing with the other vendors (even though all my vendors were phenomenal). Vendors (their recommendations) jumped at the chance to work with them again. They helped give us money saving tips. I went over budget, but they tried their best :) Anyway, I could go on and on. Basically, Ashley and Laurin are amazing. I wish I could continue working with them even though the wedding is now over.

referrals for vendors which saved us time and stress over picking people at random. On the big day she kept everything running smoothly and me, my husband, and our parents could enjoy the day without worrying about any of the details. I would recommend Ashley to anyone looking for a planner who is on top of things and has a ton of positive energy.-she really knows her stuff!!

relaxing. Would highly recommend.

the wedding and on the big day. It was such a perfect day, thanks to Agape Planning!

g". But everything was smooth, calm, and PERFECT!!! We could not have done it without a calm and supportive Ashley by our side. It was the best money I could have spent for the wedding because my husband and I enjoyed every moment of the day. YOU ROCK ASHLEY!!!

being overwhelmed. We had such a great time planning this with her.

oughout the planning process. I e-mailed her questions a few times and her responses were informative, sweet and timely. A few weeks before the wedding, she took over the communication with vendors, completed the day of time line and so, so much more. I literally don't know what I would have done without her!!!

e on her face, is a stickler for detail, and knew what we needed and wanted before we got to that step in the process. Knowing Ashley had everything under control, I never gave the wedding day details a thought. She is a workhorse! Once I gave her the name and numbers of my vendors, she took control. At the end of the reception, Ashley had everything boxed and tied on a cart, ready to be packed into our car.

but she knows how to bring the event together. She showed genuine interest in us not just the wedding and was very kind to everyone. She was great because she had insight that we could have never thought of but she was also open to our ideas as well.