This was a difficult review to write. Madison seems very kind and definitely has the want/wish to be a professional coordinator. I also know that it is difficult to start a business, gain clientele, and get reviews out. For TLDR skip to pros/co...ns.
I had a destination wedding and brought all of my decor. I also wrote out vision boards, detailed plans, table seating charts, visual diagrams, a ceremony song list w/ sheet music and timed cues both with measures + minutes, and had everything pre-packed and stored with labels. I wrote out menus and made myself available for questions so I could help her make this a success for the both of us. I paid for her hotel for three nights. Gas was included in the fee. I had about 24 guests, including my husband and myself.
Her contract and her verbal reminders include a promise of full set up AND take down.
With that said, heres some pros/cons.
Pros:
Affordable.
Was present for Thursday (day before rehearsal), rehearsal, and my ceremony.
Cons:
Madison seemed lost or unsure, perhaps liking confidence, despite receiving the detailed wedding plan. My family and friends attending the wedding also received copies of the same wedding plan, and did not have trouble, so perhaps this was a matter of her, not being comfortable with a stranger. She was hired on last minute, so it would be understandable if there was confusion, however, the wedding plan I had documented was actually made just for her, and she received it at the same time that my family and friends received a copy of it.
It is advertised that she is an experienced, master of coordination in her description, but I didn’t learn until a conversation after her that she had just gotten married a few months prior, and had only been in this line of work for a few months, not that she had only been in a formal independent business for a few months.
My family was so concerned with her game plan and her first day actions that they played it safe and set up things for me. Madison’s plan was to set up the full plant arch, the tables, the place settings, the favors, and all other aspects just an hour or two prior to the wedding.
There were many times where her required support was not met. She didnt follow the timed entrances or check the order. She would ask questions that were already in the lists.
Someone would point out something missing/unfinished and she'd look surprised, and yet still would not get up to fix it. My arch was left over by the ceremony space when it was supposed to have been moved for dinner. I said it, and then my father and father in law got up to move it. She stood up too, saw they were already getting it, then proceeded to sit back down and continue eating dinner.
she actually left and then ghosted me, never texting me back, even though I had already given her a ton of decorations, placemats, etc. I had bought in hopes to benefit her small business for free. She never took down the arch, tables, place settings, or boxed up things as promised. I had to pay her full contract in advance, so essentially she was able to do half the work for full price.
In the end this really negatively impacted my wedding and created a lot of stressors that were unnecessary. I dont recommend this coordinator unless you hire on a cocoordinator with experience or stick to very small, simple, perhaps shotgun weddings. Instead of coordination, furniture and decor rental would be right up her alley and I encourage her to switch that to her business focus
