Beyond Smitten Events

If you want an amazing wedding planner, I can’t recommend Mae from Beyond Smitten Events highly enough. She is adept at planning weddings large or small. I speak from experience as she organized two separate weddings for my wife and me. The initial wedding with 100+ guests was supposed to take place in Spring 2020 but was cancelled a week before due to the pandemic. Prior to the date, Mae helped guide us with monthly (sometimes weekly meetings) and would keep us on track. She dealt with the vendors and planned the fine details that most couples will overlook. When it all fell apart, she was so kind and understanding. Mae let us know that she would be right there to help us when we were ready, no questions asked. When we decided that it was time to organize an intimate (<20 people) wedding in the Fall of 2020 (on short notice), Mae was right there to assist us. She executed the event flawlessly. She communicated with our vendors and quickly put together a plan. Then she used her contacts in the local food scene to secure an amazing chef. Mae even baked our wedding cake (which was delicious btw)! My wife and I hold Mae in high regard. She was always prompt and organized even when we were not. Most of all, she was kind and approachable. Though we spoke with a lot of planners in Sacramento and the Bay Area, Mae & Beyond Smitten Events stood out above the rest. Choosing Beyond Smitten Events as your wedding planner is a decision you will not regret.

When we decided to pick a wedding coordinator it was right before the beginning of the pandemic. We envisioned someone that would help us make decisions, guide us through the process of planning our wedding, and someone who knew what they were doing. We chose Mae with Beyond Smitten Events because she hit all those boxes and so much more. She helped us choose a venue, she suggested vendors that fit our style and price range, she was always polite, stern when vendors when things were off, and always wanted what was best for us and our wedding. Mae made everything about planning a wedding less stressful and more manageable for us both. Not only did Mae do all of that, she also did it during a pandemic. A pandemic where everything to everyone involved in the wedding industry was uncharted territory. From restrictions on how food was served to restrictions on guest count, Mae was able to navigate the state and vendors guidelines and translate that and make a normal wedding out of it. Mae had to act on her toes this past year and she performed wonderfully. The day of our wedding, Mae had pulled together every loose end and we showed up to a beautifully decorated venue. Mae knew that we were not too keen to the details, but knew that we wanted it to “look like a wedding”. From the table flowers, to the candle votives, to the gift favors, everything was placed with such care. Everything was spectacular. She catered to what we wanted our wedding to be and she absolutely killed it. Mae was worth every dollar and she is worth so much more.

We would have been lost without our incredible wedding planner Mae Mallon of Beyond Smitten Events. A planner was absolutely crucial, seeing as neither of us lived locally. Mae was an invaluable resource, offering everything from design ideas to excellent referrals, but more than that, she became a dear friend and shoulder to lean on, particularly as the pandemic became an inevitable part of every discussion. She was patient, poised, and so well-organized, with a gentle spirit and eternal optimism that kept us afloat on harder days. Mae kept us steady and focused even when the horizon was hard to see. She helped us manage our budget, sent us excellent local vendor recommendations, detailed and set our timeline, ran our rehearsal, and communicated to our loved ones and team members with compassion and kindness. She even sent us notes of encouragement and little congratulatory gifts along the way. She was essential throughout the entire process, and blessed us big time.

Where do I even begin? I debated about getting a day of coordinator until multiple former brides told me it's a necessity (they were right). I was planning my Sacramento wedding from Southern California and I really didn't know much about the area or who to look to. So, I turned to all the different wedding websites and found Beyond Smitten Events. Mae was there for me from start to finish. Having that support system during the planning and especially the day of was hands down one of the best things I did for our wedding (and honestly, myself). Mae was incredibly responsive and so accommodating to us. Mae and her team had the day flow by effortlessly. I've heard horror stories of weddings, but I can honestly say not one thing went wrong and I truly believe that is because Mae and her team were behind the scenes guiding everything. I cannot recommend her enough to any bride looking for a wedding coordinator. You will sincerely not regret it.

We hired Mae from Beyond Smitten as coordinator for our wedding on May 18th in Foresthill, CA. I can't say enough wonderful things about Mae. From our first meeting at a coffee shop in San Francisco, it felt like getting together with a friend. We hired her for the month of coordination, but she checked in with us throughout the months leading up to our wedding and was always available to answer questions and provide advice. We were planning a beautiful outdoor wedding in Foresthill, CA. Then the week before we were hit with cold and rain. Our vision for a spring wedding turned into a winter storm. Naturally I began to panic, but Mae was amazing and quickly helped us think through alternative spots for the cocktail hour, and we managed to shift things around so that everyone could stay warm and dry. Everything turned out more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. And during the wedding I didn't need to worry about a thing. Mae had everything under control and was so calm throughout, I don't know how she does it. I would recommend Mae to anyone, for any type of wedding. She can handle it all!

I am so happy that I picked Mae to coordinate my wedding! I had 8 months to plan and Mae was amazing. My vision was a little non-traditional. We had a small backyard wedding with no dancing, bouquet tossing, or cake cutting. I didn't want those things but I also didn't want a snooze fest. I had a lot of ideas (lawn games, fire pits, s'mores, a taco bar...) to fill the void, but was getting in my head about how the guests would feel. I was convinced everyone would hate me! Mae was so great at not only helping me find vendors (all of mine were from her list and they were also AMAZING), but reassuring me that it would be a great time for everyone. She was right! Everyone continues to tell me that it was fun and totally us. I probably would have given up on my ideas and had a more traditional wedding if it wasn't for the reassurance from Mae. Other positives; she immediately understood my vision, she always responded quickly to questions, she was always on time (or early), she has a great list of vendors that you can pick (or not pick) from, and she always genuinely cared about us. I can not recommend her enough! I had the wedding of my dreams because of Mae. Shout out to Gabby as well! Thank you is not enough!

Mae was the coordinator for my wedding 4-7-18 . I can honestly say she was my favorite vendor. Planning a wedding is very stressful ,hiring Mae was the best wedding decision we made . She went above and beyond to make sure everything turned out perfect. She's very organized and professional. She really loves what she does and you can see that right away from the first conversation you have with her . At first we weren't sure if it was worth it to spend money on a coordinator. I honestly don't see how we could've done it without Mae's help . The day of the wedding is so hectic . Luckily we had her help and didn't have to worry about anything . We will definitely recommend her to anyone planning a wedding . Thank you so much for all of your help Mae you are the best !!!

The stars aligned when I met Mae at a bridal show! As the case with most brides, I had never been married before and had no idea where to even begin with so many tasks. Mae was always available, full of insight and suggestions. She is organized and passionate about her job-she made the entire process so easy! She picked up the reigns and began handling communication between all of my vendors 1-2 weeks prior to the wedding. I never knew how imperative that could be! There are so many last minute changes and forgotten details (no matter how hard you try to avoid it) and it was amazing to know that they were all taken care of and communicated to EVERYONE (photographer, florist, DJ, bakery...)! She create a timeline that merged my schedule with all of my vendors and sent out an updated version to everyone each time something changed. On my wedding day, I was able to relax and enjoy every second with my bridesmaids, parents, and then my new husband and all of our friends and family. I KNEW with Mae on my all-star wedding dream team, that all of the little pieces of my wedding day puzzle would be put together perfectly. I am forever grateful!