About this vendor
Big Apple Bride Events is a luxury boutique full-service event planning company specializing in weddings and social events in New York City, the Hudson Valley, New Jersey and Connecticut.
With a relationship-based approach our team offers a one of a kind, stress-free experience to turn your vision into a reality. We take care of all the logistics to design an event that’s highly personal, precisely planned and flawlessly executed.
Details
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Packages
- Destination Wedding Planning
Planning
- A la Carte Wedding Planning
- Budgeting
- Day-Of Coordination
- Destination Wedding Planning
- Full Service Wedding Planning
- RSVP Tracking
Wedding Activities
- Getting Engaged
- Engagement Party
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Bachelorette Party
- Bridal Luncheon
Awards and Affiliations
2024 'Best of Weddings'
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
5
out of 5.023 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
Choosing Sarah as our wedding planner was one of the best decisions we made. From our first meeting, it was clear we were working with someone who not only had deep expertise, but ...
also understood what mattered most to us: being fully present, staying stress-free, and ensuring our guests had an exceptional experience.
Sarah’s attention to detail and thoughtful, honest guidance elevated every part of the planning process. She noticed the small things we overlooked, kept us organized, and handled an extraordinary amount of work behind the scenes—much of which we didn’t even realize at the time. Her insight into each vendor and her strong professional relationships made every decision easier and every meeting more productive. Her steady reassurance and reminders to enjoy the journey made the entire experience feel seamless.
Wedding planning is a true collaboration, and Sarah surpassed every expectation. Our wedding day was the best day of our lives and was as memorable as it was because of her dedication, expertise, and care. Words cannot express our gratitude, Sarah is truly the best!
My husband and I had our dream NYC wedding thanks to Sarah and Big Apple Bride! We had the best possible experience with the planning process all the way through the reception. We ...
have very busy work schedules, and Sarah could not have been more accommodative, it truly is soup to nuts service. From flowers to photography to tiny details I never would have thought of, Sarah laid out an array of incredible options that always had my vision in mind. The process was the perfect combination of stress-free while also still feeling truly “me” throughout. I could not recommend Sarah enough to NYC brides: I had the best wedding ever and a 10/10 experience with respect to communication, style, creativity, and resourcefulness! Thank you so much, Sarah and Big Apple Bride!
I thought I was extremely organized until I met Sarah. Sarah created a seamless experience end-to-end - she immediately understood our vision, what we liked and what we didn't like...
(including the opinions of our parents parents!), and what decisions were important and not important to us. Her network among wedding vendors was impressive and comprehensive - we knew we were getting the best of the best, for the best price. Sarah had every single detail under control - even details we didn't even know we would need, but were essential to a memorable experience. She allowed our entire wedding experience to be as low-stress as possible, not just for us but for everyone around us. Sarah was extremely responsive to emails, phone calls, and texts 24/7. You knew nothing was going to fall through the cracks and everything was going to be done in the way that we wanted.
Our experience with Sarah was outstanding. Her exceptional organizational skills ensured every detail was well executed, creating a seamless and stress-free planning process. Sarah...
was impressively proactive, anticipating our needs and addressing them before we even had to ask. The entire event ran like clockwork, thanks to their meticulous planning and hands-on approach. We are immensely grateful for Sarah's expertise making our wedding a flawless and unforgettable celebration.
Sarah is the ultimate partner when it comes to wedding planning and executing your vision. She made the whole process so stress free for my husband and I. Talented, timely, thought...
ful and two steps ahead are exactly how I would describe her.
When I started wedding planning I didn't believe we needed support in this area - I am so glad we changed our mind. Sarah was such a huge part of making our wedding the best day. I genuinely miss working with her now that the wedding is over!
Hire Big Apple Bride Events (BABE) now! Don’t wait. We went with another planner before Big Apple Bride and it was a complete disaster. Luckily Sarah from BABE swept in and saved o...
ur wedding. She was the most calm, organized and helpful person we could have asked for. She answered my late and early morning texts, kept me calm when I was most nervous, and made sure our day was absolutely seamless.
We got married at the Rainbow Room this past December and it was no small feat getting 200 people through Rockefeller center at the busiest time of year, but the BABE team was incredible. They helped our guests from the hotel to RR without an issue. They helped us find all our vendors, they guided us on our look and feel from mood boards to flowers to finding the best and most beautiful rental pieces for our settings. It was the most full and well rounded service we could have asked for. Big Apple Bride is well versed in the city, vendors, and scheduling and we HIGHLY reccomend!! Hiring Sarah and BABE will ensure you can enjoy every part of your day, because they’ll take care of everything else!
In my book, Sarah is a perfect 10 out of 10! If you're seeking a wedding coordinator who's a master of details, design, and vendor management, she's your superstar.
I had the plea...
sure of working with Sarah as our wedding coordinator in July 2023, and I can't say enough positive things about her. Sarah was not only easy to work with but also quickly understood how to communicate effectively with both my husband and me. Her flexibility and ability to adapt to our needs were impressive. What stood out the most was her incredible knack for staying on top of every detail. Sarah also leaned in to provide her POV on colors, floor plan, and decor when I was desperate for a second pair of eyes. She always made herself available to quickly review. Her “I’m here to help you and to work as a team” attitude was evident throughout our time working together.
I’m grateful that we found Sarah. If you’re debating. Stop. Don’t hesitate. Reach out to Sarah right now.
Let me start off by saying that I rarely write reviews for anything, but this is one that deserves the most glowing one. I hired Sarah to plan my Daughter’s second birthday party ...
in September of 2022. She was nothing short of miraculous. Her attention to detail and creativity when planning a children’s birthday party was unmatched- I was a bit skeptical at first as she was predominantly a wedding planner- but I’m so happy I chose to work with her. Sarah would research multiple vendors for each aspect of the party to make sure there was a perfect fit and fit within the budget. On the day of, she worked tirelessly to execute every detail. She even reached back out to certain vendors that didn’t deliver what was promised for additional credit. Don’t think twice about hiring her for your next big event!
I truly don't know what we would have done without Sarah throughout our planning process and on our wedding day. My wife is an excellent planner, but she admittedly would not have ...
known what to do at certain points. Sarah has connections to vendors and would research vendors she didn't know. Her knowledge of what is typically provided by each vendor and how each vendor is priced was immensely helpful. She saved us money and communicated effectively with all our vendors to help get us what we wanted.
On the day of the wedding, the best thing I can say is that we didn't have to think or worry about anything related to the schedule and organization. We were free to be fully immersed in every moment and that is something I will never forget!
I am so grateful to Sarah for helping make our wedding events everything that we dreamed of!
I wish we could give more than 5 stars! Where to begin describing all the ways Sarah made our lives easier and enhanced our 18 month long wedding planning journey, and the day of o...
ur wedding with her amazing expertise?
My husband and I started working with Sarah soon after getting engaged and it was the best decision we could have made. If you are considering working with her, trust us, just do it. She is responsible for finding our absolute dream team of vendors and corresponded with each of them from beginning to end so we did not have to. This was huge for us both working full time. We really appreciated her research to present options mapped to our vision, varying from vendors to design elements to advice she would offer along the way. Sarah's approach is curated and personalized so I could still dive in to the parts I loved, collaborate when I felt torn, and rely on Sarah for everything in between.
Sarah often found us creative ways to cut costs without compromising quality. The entire process she was organized, paid close attention to detail, and did thorough research. She truly always seemed one step ahead and was excellent at foreseeing our questions and ideas before we even had to bring them up. She went above and beyond with so many things, one example I appreciated was when we were struggling with the welcome sign and so she took care of picking up the mirror at a store near her, and putting on our decal then bringing it to our venue walkthrough. Sarah advocated for us in certain moments when the venue or any vendor was not as accommodating with what we wanted, and she would let us know what was possible/industry standard, and always had our back.
I knew we were in great hands the entire time and especially on our wedding day. Thanks to Sarah, this was the best day of our lives with no stress felt by us as bride and groom and no thinking or managing moving pieces whatsoever. The way she operated was the definition of what a wedding planner should be. There were setbacks we learned about later because she protected us from them, and this allowed us to be present and enjoy our day to the fullest. One very special moment for us was when Sarah offered to show us a preview of the reception all set up before guests entered, and seeing our vision perfectly come to life brought on many happy tears. We could go on and on but will leave with reiterating that you will be in great hands trusting Sarah with your special day :)
If I can give one piece of advice for those planning a wedding or event, it would be to hire Sarah at Big Apple Bride Events.
Sarah handled every detail of our wedding with such pr...
ofessionalism and with incredible attention to detail, she left no stone unturned. We were planning a destination wedding that would encompass four days for our guests, the logistics of this was daunting, but not for Sarah, her knowledge, organizational skills, work ethic, and experience is unparalleled.
I can’t imagine what our wedding day would have looked like if we didn’t have Sarah at the helm, she was in control of all the details, and allowed us to enjoy every moment of the long weekend.
When you want to turn your dreams into reality call Sarah.
Hiring Big Apple Bride Events is the best decision we made.
Lori and Jim
I am SO happy we found Sarah at Big Apple Bride! I was a covid bride, which meant multiple reschedules, confusing state and city restrictions, and a lot of unknowns. On top of that...
, we had a wedding to plan and coordinate! Sarah was calm, understanding, and efficient in planning all the details we could and couldn't prepare for. Her vendor connections where great, and her communication was quick and clear. We had a church ceremony in mid-town Manhattan, followed by a reception at a rooftop in the LES and the day was BEAUTIFULLY EXECUTED. Do not look further, book Sarah now!
Sarah is incredible. She managed the entire wedding process seamlessly and never let a single tiny detail fall through the cracks. She was always very thoughtful in recommending ve...
ndors and helped us to fully realize our vision for our wedding. I could not recommend Sarah highly enough to anyone looking to plan a wedding
5 stars isn’t a high enough rating for Sarah! We planned our wedding in 9 months and without Sarah’s help it never would have happened! Her communication, professionalism and organ...
ization is everything you need in a planner. If I was thinking about something, a detail, anything.. Sarah had already done it!!! No detail was left untouched and I had zero worries on my wedding day!!!! Hiring Sarah isn’t even a question!!
Sarah planned my daughters wedding and was absolutely amazing! She is everything you could possibly ask for in a wedding planner and extremely professional. Due to the pandemic my ...
daughters wedding date changed three times. During the planning process Sarah was always available to address our questions and concerns. She asked questions in planning that I hadn’t even thought of, her attention to detail is amazing not to mention her creativity and impeccable taste. Sarah took care of everything from save the dates to the brunch the following day. Her knowledge of the wedding industry is beyond. She spoke with all of the potential vendors and venues and always had our best interest and vision in mind. Sarah arrived at 6:00am the day of the wedding to make sure everything was in place for the videographer, photographer, make-up artists and hair stylist and remained present throughout the entire wedding managing every detail seamlessly. The wedding party adored her! It was an absolute pleasure working with Sarah, she exceeded our expectations and made my daughters dream wedding come true!
YOU NEED SARAH! 5 stars all the way!! I initially thought I could handle planning a 250 person wedding in NYC myself (ha) and quickly realized I needed help! A friend of mine refer...
red me to Sarah Stefanski of Big Apple Bride, and since our first conversation, Sarah stepped in like the true legend that she is. I cannot say enough great things about Sarah's knowledge of the industry, her work ethic, and her professionalism. She is exactly the type of person you want to coordinate the biggest day of your life! The venue we picked ended up going through a big transition period with staff turnovers and Sarah pretty much whipped them into shape! Without her, the whole thing would have been a mess. Sarah was there every step of the way, meeting us at the venue for last-minute meetings, relaying things to each set of parents, and really taking the stress off of me, the bride! Enter COVID-19 - not only was Sarah there for me emotionally through the wedding reschedule process, but she also helped execute the date change with our vendors flawlessly. Once again, without her, the whole thing would have been a mess. I truly cannot say enough kind things about Sarah!!
"As a Dad of two sons, I never actually focused in on how much actually goes into planning a wedding. There are so may details it can be mind boggling. Thankfully we were smart eno...
ugh to ask for help from Sarah Milano of Big Apple Bride~ let it suffice to say, thank goodness we did!
The day itself stands as one of the most memorable moments of our family story. I won’t go into the deep emotions that we experienced or the incredible laughs we enjoyed, but I do need to speak about Sarah and her team, and how they provided the conditions which allowed us to be truly present to the day and extract the most joy imaginable.
What Sarah helped us to see early on in the planning stage, is that we were creating an “experience” for our friends and family and she pointed out all the touch points which would ultimately create that experience. There are so many we would have missed without her guidance and care, but the greatest service she provided was her presence the day of, where she and her team anticipated every need and accommodated every request. She kept every vendor honest and on top of their game as well as being a handmaid to my new daughter-in-law. No one and nothing got by her. Their Wedding day turned out to be a beautiful symphony, with Sarah as the conductor of a magnificently orchestrated experience we were able to share with our family & friends.
Having Sarah involved from the beginning through till the last good-by was the smartest move we could have made and I am eternally grateful for all she provided”
Word to the Wise….do not try to plan a wedding on your own!
One Grateful Dad.🙏🏽
HIRE THEM!!!! Since our first meeting I knew we made the right choice when deciding to work with Big Apple Bride. They helped us with everything and anything when it came to planni...
ng and orchestrating our wedding. From shopping for vendors, to choosing coordinating bridesmaids dresses, to the day of timeline - there was not one overlooked detail. Throughout the entire planning process, they really take the time to listen to your vision and provide you with the best recommendations based off of their experiences. They are extremely organized and their attention to detail is extraordinary. Just when I thought they couldn’t get any better Sarah & Michelle blew us away with their coordination during our wedding weekend. They took care of everything and made sure I did not have to think twice about anything! The day of our wedding they were there from sun up to sun down making sure everything met their very high standards. When a few mishaps did arise they handled them so swiftly and quietly that we remained blissfully unaware until the next day! We cannot thank them enough for the stress free wedding planning process they provided for us. We know our wedding would not have turned out the same without them. We HIGHLY recommend hiring Big Apple Bride to help you execute the wedding of your dreams! You will not be disappointed!
We don’t know how we would have survived planning our wedding without Sarah and Michelle of Big Apple Bride. Although we hired them to be our day-of coordinators, they were so muc...
h more than that and went above and beyond for our July wedding. My husband and I were very apprehensive about organizing a wedding for more than 220 guests and the many logistics that come along with that. However, after meeting with Sarah and Michelle, our fears were alleviated. They assured us that we wouldn’t have to worry about all the moving parts and could enjoy our wedding day and the time leading up to it - and they were right. I can wholeheartedly say that Big Apple Bride was the most helpful, useful, knowledgeable, and on-top-of-it vendor we had. They were worth their weight in gold.
In the weeks leading up to our wedding, no question or detail was too big or too small. They were so organized, communicated regularly and efficiently, and knew what we needed before we even said a word that I began I referring to them as our fairy godmothers. Even when you think you’ve got everything under control, an unexpected glitch can arise. On my wedding day, I very idiotically forgot to bring my wedding dress from home to the hotel where I was getting ready. When I realized this and began to panic, Sarah and Michelle saved the day by very calmly going to my apartment to retrieve it so my hair and makeup could get done on time. And although that might seem like a major blunder, they were also there for all the small things. They stuck to the very detailed timeline they created in advance for the day, provided gentle reminders to keep things running smoothly, and executed every aspect of our wedding confidently and flawlessly. I literally could not walk down the aisle without their assistance (I believe one of them affixed my veil just before I entered the church because no one knew how to do it!).
Whether you have many components to your event or just a few – they’re all important on your wedding day. Our experience couldn’t have been better, and we are so grateful for their talent/skills, as well as the peace of mind they gave us throughout what can be a very daunting process. Sarah and Michelle – we can’t say thank you enough!!
Zero stress!! That is what hiring Big Apple Bride to plan my daughter's June NYC wedding gave us. Sarah and Michelle kept the process moving along, provided vetted lists of ven...
dors to choose from and set up and/or attended meetings with them. They were so responsive - at any hour of day or night. Their day of wedding service was simply amazing. They handled everything and seemed to be everywhere - from 7:45 am til midnight - and when there was a slight glitch -which hardly anyone noticed - they negotiated us a refund - Sarah and Michelle were not happy with anything less than perfect. I cannot imagine pulling off this event without them - recommend them wholeheartedly!!
BEST DECISION I COULD HAVE EVER MADE
Due to Covid-19, we had to postpone my wedding not once, but TWICE! My original date was this June 2020, we then postponed to September 2020, ...
and after a lot of thought, we decided it was smartest and safest to postpone to July 2021. As you can imagine these were really difficult decisions and was dreading the whole process. I can’t begin to tell you how amazing and professional Sarah handled everything. She immediately reached out to each vendor both times and handled the process seamlessly, not to mention, while basically acting as my therapist along the way! She was on top of everything, and kept me calm the whole time. She assured me that everything would work out fine, and to leave the details to her, and not to mention there were a lot of details such as the music, photographer, videographer, photo booths, hair, makeup, florist, pizza truck, invitations, the church, and that’s just to mention some! Her attention to detail is bar none, and truly couldn’t imagine doing this without her. The best way to describe Sarah’s service is above and beyond! I will be forever grateful for everything Sarah has done for me!
Sarah and Michelle were wonderful to work with! I used them for both my bridal shower and wedding, and I couldn’t be happier. I was a little hesitant to be working with two people ...
at first, but as a team they are so responsive, organized, and were on top every (and I mean every) detail. I’ll definitely be recommending them to friends and family!
Big Apple Bride Events was amazing! Sarah and Michelle were receptive and helpful every step of the way. I selected the "full service planning and design" option and couldn't be ha...
ppier with the end result. They took my vision and made it reality. Imagine your Pinterest board actually coming to life! Whether design is what you need or recommendations for the top vendors, Big Apple Bride has everything you need and more!
Contact
New York, NY & Tri-State Area
Big Apple Bride Events