Big City Bride

hard working. She was so great to work with and understood our vision perfectly. She constantly brought great ideas to the table and her vendor recommendations were AMAZING. I left every meeting on cloud nine because of her energy. She took the time to get know us and made it SO FUN. From the first planning meeting to her running around to help pin up my hair on the dance floor, she was hands down the best planner we could have ever asked for. She made the planning process a breeze and I was able to enjoy the entire wedding weekend without a moment of stress or worry because Kayla always had a handle on it. We could not recommend Kayla more. You will not regret it. Our absolutely perfect wedding day would not have happened without her.

h into planning we were way over our heads and I reached out to BCB. Pre-Wedding: Throughout our time planning together, I sat back (so many times) and realized how grateful I was we decided to go with Arin. She is organized, experienced, honest & the kindest person you will ever meet. She helped us pick vendors, served as a liaison between me and basically everyone, & offered her opinion about elements that we had no idea where to start. Arin was truly worth every penny and then some! Wedding Day: It POURED on our wedding day... and the rain started the same time our first look was scheduled. Our cocktail hour was supposed to be outside, we were scheduled to take pictures in what was basically a forest preserve.. and somehow I didn't notice the rain at all. Arin coordinated with all of our vendors to change cocktail hour, find new picture locations, and probably a million other things I didn't even realize was going on that helped our day come to life. I could write on here for hours but I'll end with this. If you are getting married in Chicago, call Big City Bride. They are wonderful, accommodating and will make your wedding day better than you could dream!!

am has impressive relationships with vendors and truly know the best of the best. Relationships and industry knowledge: CHECK. Now, I am an organized person, so Claire’s details from day 1 on budget, timeline, to-dos, and more was so critical. She is ON. TOP. OF. IT. And I mean there were 1MM emails coming at her from myself and my mother at all times. Nothing was missed. Of course, you can now assume our wedding was perfect, and guess what, you’d be right. But the final piece of the entire experience that must be noted is the person Claire (and many others at BCB) is. ENERGY, POSITIVITY, LISTENING... I could go on. I am so grateful I found her and BCB. Go book them now!

ommunication skills are excellent, with quick and thorough responses. She was very helpful in picking fabulous vendors which made our weekend so special. The vendors also like working with Claire because she does such a great job! A wedding planner is a must and Claire will exceed your expectations!

she was able to understand what I wanted, more than I did by the end. Chrissy asked the right questions. The way she approached the wedding planning process made every aspect relaxed and exciting.  Chrissy has amazing communication skills and follow up.  She goes the extra mile without even having to be asked.  I had heard that the wedding planning process can be hard and stressful, but with Chrissy it wasn’t.  The entire team at Big City Brides really goes above and beyond, even after the wedding, to help answer questions.  The day of, Chrissy and her team made sure everything ran smoothly and was what I hoped it would be and more. Without the help of Chrissy and the Big City Brides team, I do not think that we would have been able to achieve the most perfect day ever.

aged communication and kept everything organized and on track so we never had to worry that we were forgetting something. For day of, everything went super smoothly and we were able to completely enjoy the day while Kayla and the BCB team took care of all the details and our guests. I appreciated Kayla's calm but positive manner. I don't like some of the more traditional fussy stuff, and Kayla got that immediately and focused on the things we actually care about. Would 100% recommend.

m week to week, and helped us remain on budget. Our wedding was absolutely stunning and exceeded every expectation we had. We find ourselves gushing about that weekend, special touches, and how wonderful the day was on a daily basis. I highly recommend Claire and BCB!!

ayla was phenomenal, and we felt so taken care of. No detail went missed, and she was a phenomenal sounding board throughout the process to help us with our vision. If you've never planned a wedding before, there are far more details to be sorted out that you would think. Kayla kept us on schedule, was conscious of our budget, and we were never left in the lurch. Our wedding was also on a holiday, so it meant the world to us to have her, Arin, and Chrissy give up their time with their friends and family to work our wedding. If I got the chance to do it over again, I would 1000% pick the BCB team to be our planners.

ry detail and allowed me to actually enjoy my daughter's big day in a city far from home. Thank you to Kayla and her team for giving my daughter and her groom their dream wedding. You are the best!

super organized. She was able to book all our important meetings on the few weekends I was able to come back home and made an easy timeline for us to stick to. We were also very happy with all of her vendor suggestions. If there were any issues on our wedding day, we were completely unaware which is a testament to how amazing of a planner she really is. Thank you so much Kayla and BCB!

etails to make the endless decisions we needed to make a breeze. We got so many compliments from friends and family about how amazing she was during the process and the day of. She has a contagious spirit that makes her a joy to work with and we are so glad we had her and the BCB team by our side. I could not recommend Clarie more highly.

Everyone loved her, and we were very lucky to have her as our wedding planner!

iends and family who interacted with her that day about how amazing and kind she was. She was by far and away the absolute best decision we made in all of our wedding planning, hands down. I would pick her a million times over. I was unbelievably calm the entire day, knowing she was in control. Not only was she an incredible asset, but she was an amazing friend to me! She was such a huge and intimate part of the most special day of my life, and with me every step of the way. By the end of the process, I truly felt like I had a new friend. If you do one thing while planning your wedding, PLEASE go with Kayla. I would do it over and over and over again.

ire process was seamless, our wedding included. The day of our wedding was an absolute dream. Kayla was right by my side from start to finish. We knew we could count on her for anything and everything. Our perfect day wouldn’t have been possible without Kayla, Chrissy, and Anna. I would without a doubt recommend Big City Bride to all brides!!! We love you Kayla!!!

. Her communication throughout our six month planning process was consistent and she was quickly able to pinpoint the look and feel we wanted for our day. She has great relationships with high quality vendors in the city, which contributed further to our confidence level in her ability and experience. Chrissy and the BCB team are some of the most positive people we've met; they're team work and coordination is flawless. They truly brought our wedding day vision to life and made our day unforgettable! We will absolutely use Chrissy again for all future events!

ed to our vision by recommending little details we would never have considered but loved, and ultimately made our wedding day even more special! Throughout the planning process, we were so appreciative of how willingly she accommodated our busy schedules. Lastly, Kayla and the BCB team ensured that we could truly enjoy our wedding on the day-of without having to worry about a single thing. These ladies are true experts, and you won't regret working with them!

highest praise for the team at BCB and highly, highly recommend them.

s care of every detail. I heard a saying that "three things will go wrong" on every wedding day. I can confidently say that we had zero due to Arin's care! She took care of coordinating all of the vendors, helping us stick to the exact schedule, and helping with all of the little details the day of. Her calm and collected demeanor was so appreciated to be the support we needed on our wedding day! She went out of her way to think of all of the little above and beyond things such as keeping aside a plate of hors d'oeuvres for us since we did pictures during cocktail hour, had a literal bag of tricks for anything we could need the day of, brought our reception tennis shoes to my mom and I to change into before we even realized our feet hurt, and took care of bringing all of the "stuff" up to the family suite after the wedding so we didn't have to lift a finger. I highly recommend using Big City Bride - and ask for Arin! It was truly the best money we spent on the wedding!

ability with work and other commitments to really dive into planning. But thankfully, my mom stalked Claire online, agreed to sign her up for the wedding immediately after speaking with her for the first time behind my back, and we are so glad she did. Picking almost all details for the wedding was as easy as selecting from a list of options Claire provided, which included detailed descriptions of each vendor/choice, costs, and expectations. If we had suggestions of our own or wanted to see more options, she was more than willing to look into it or provide a quickly updated list of alternatives. It not only made the selection process relatively easy, but we felt confident that all of her suggestions were legit, and that we really couldn’t go wrong with anything. We also had a few specialized touches that we wanted for the wedding, some of which were easier to pull off than others, and she made everything work no matter what it was! She pulled off amazing whiskey and margarita bars for our cocktail hour, allowed us to cut out some of the standard wedding stuff we had no interest in, insta cameras/after party Mardi Gras bash, and more. The day of was a total success, and we didn’t have to worry about a single thing. She coordinated every detail from getting ready -> the photo tour -> guests from ceremony to cocktails -> guests to dinner -> guests to after party -> to packing up a box of orchids from the table decorations for me, in addition to everything else I needed, and sending me with the world’s biggest to go box on the bus home. She helped us secure the right band, design team, and the perfect look and atmosphere for our day! And, most importantly, she did it all with the world’s best attitude. She was a true pleasure to work with and couldn’t have pulled it off without her and BCB!

ave us a million ideas, and never missed a detail. Everything couldn’t have been more perfect and I truly owe it to the big city bride team and their incredible work!! Shout out to Chrissy for her perfectionism because she nailed it!!!! Much love for you ladies and your fabulous taste!

e ball that came our way so easily and in the most calm and confident manner. No one is more perfectly suited to be an event planner than Chrissy! We really appreciated her great ideas and opinions when we didn’t know which direction to go with food, decor and everything else. She has fantastic relationships with the venders, so we knew they were doing their best work for us. We highly recommend her and the rest of the big city bride team!

ing Kayla there. They are very knowledgeable and know the industry well which came in handy when choosing vendors . Also, since my husband and I are very busy, it was nice not having to deal with the contracts and communicating with the vendors. Overall, having a wedding planner by our side meant we stayed on budget, having a timeline always let us know where we stood, and most importantly made the wedding planning experience less stressful!

sible, intelligent and most importantly, extremely calming and confident. At the wedding, she provided additional staff who were also professional and accommodating to help with the flow of the day. (Which at times were a logistics nightmare given the church and reception were opposite ends of the city) We were always part of the process and rarely part of obstacles. She was a born troubleshooter and possessed every quality a bride and her family need to get through the planning as well as the entire day. Moreover, she did it effortlessly and behind the scenes. I know my daughter’s special day would not have gone so smoothly and beautifully without the efforts of Chrissy. We will always be grateful to Big City Brides for making positive and special memories on this once in a lifetime event.

rpassed that title in every way. We met Arin about a month before our wedding date and she was so thorough - walking us through the whole process, all of the paperwork, timelines and final things to consider. She was so sweet, caring and kind. She answered every question in our initial meeting - and that night sent over every item of follow up. We couldn't believe how thorough she was and easy to work with. It was a blessing to have someone working so fast with so much care, as we had a quick engagement - so time was of the essence. All of our communication was quick, precise and helpful. She was incredibly organized and held our hand through every step making the whole process super smooth! 5 days before our planned wedding date, my father passed away. We had no idea how to proceed - or if it was even possible. Arin, incredibly, moved our entire wedding and every detail to the following day. We have no idea how she was able to do this, but she made sure all catering, every vendor, hotels, everything was secured and moved our wedding from a Friday to a Saturday, in the city, on a holiday weekend. UNBELIEVABLE. She also made sure that all guests knew of the changes and offered to help in any way she could - apart from just the wedding planning. It was so wonderful to work with someone who was not only an insanely talented and organized planner, but someone with a heart and soul that made this day so special for us. She was exceptional - and will undoubtedly overdeliver on every event she oversees. We are so blessed to have worked with her and so grateful for all that she did to make our wedding day a beautiful reality <3

ys 5 steps ahead. She brought things to our attention and thought of scenarios that we didn’t even think about, and she had a lot of great ideas and helpful tips. Professional, extremely organized, and prompt, she got back to us very quickly and made sure we stayed calm, cool, and collected throughout the entire process, especially the day of the wedding. Friendly, creative, energetic, enthusiastic, charismatic, and very reliable all describe her perfectly. Claire and Big City Bride was very flexible when it came to pricing and budget, and Claire still helped as much as she could, even if it wasn’t included in the services we got. For example, she came and helped during the rehearsal, even though we hired her for the day-of wedding (above and beyond). She was a point person with all our vendors and kept everyone (us included) on time in a very professional and respectful manner. We even heard back from vendors how polite yet prompt she was throughout the night. She was very familiar with our venue and took care of everything throughout the night while remaining very responsive. In the end, we felt it was definitely worth having a wedding planner, otherwise, things would have easily fallen apart, forgotten, and the stress would have been overwhelming. We got to focus 100% on each other, our wedding, and the fun wedding reception with absolutely no worry. We’re so happy to have had Claire with us throughout the process.

experience an ounce of stress throughout the whole planning process (a rarity in wedding planning I am told) thanks to Claire's creativity, organization, professionalism and enthusiasm for her work. The décor in particular is an area in which I have little interest in and am not particularly gifted with, and Claire knocked it completely out of the park! I was so wowed when we walked into our reception venue, I'm still going back and staring at the photos. Look no further than BCB and Claire Weller for the absolutely perfect wedding experience!

t day. We had a bit of a delay with our stationary so Arin took care of accepting that delivery and bringing it all to the venue which was great. Arin made sure everything went smoothly on my wedding day, I didn’t have to worry about any vendors or logistics. I would definitely recommend big city bridal and especially Arin!

g planners and Chrissy stood out as someone who seemed very experienced – this was particularly important as, while we had a high level vision of our wedding, we had no clue about all the other details that comes with planning a wedding. We came out of our first meeting with her with full confidence that she will be a great advisor to us, will take our vision and guide us along the way and will have great input given her experience. Chrissy kept us on track throughout the planning process. She had a very positive attitude and bubbly personality, which was very helpful to keep us engaged especially when meeting with her after a long day of work. She was diligent about following up and was patient with us as we took time to make decisions on certain things. The day of the wedding, we didn’t worry about a single thing! I woke up that day with no stress (maybe except for the weather cooperating) and thinking, I’m just going to do what Chrissy tells me to do! It was a stress-free day and we really just took everything in and enjoyed ourselves with family and friends. The DJ, music and dancing were important elements of our wedding (we wanted to make sure it was a big party!) and Chrissy helped us execute the way we wanted everything to play out. We received a lot of compliments that our wedding was beautiful and was so much fun! Up to this day, we have friends commenting what a big dance party our wedding was. We actually went back to BCB a few days after our wedding and added more to the tip for Chrissy’s assistants. We just felt the need to do so after having some time to reflect on how great things turned out. I didn’t shed a tear during my wedding but I did when I said goodbye to Chrissy in person a few days after. Totally didn’t expect it but it just happened – I’m usually not emotional in public! I think I felt like we were letting go of a really good friend who we relied on a lot in the last few months and, although we knew it was coming, it felt so sudden at the time while we were still on a wedding high. Overall a really great experience for us. We look back to that day as the biggest party of our lives. Thanks to Chrissy and the BCB Team!

never being pushy! She was always punctual and was one step ahead of everything when it came to the planning process. She even had a sewing kit on hand at my reception when my strap broke off! If you are looking for help planning your big day, please ask for Arin, you won’t be sorry!

the vendors, as well as manage the entire day of the wedding. Speaking as someone with a Type A personality, I was nervous about letting someone else take control of the day, but thank God I did. I don't know what I would have done without her. Not once was I nervous or paranoid about whether or not something was set-up or put in to place. Everything was PERFECT. She did not skip a beat. My husband and I both know our day was absolutely perfect and it was in huge part, due to Arin, My parents adore her and you will too!

fted us the help of BCB and Chrissy a few months before our wedding, and it was the greatest gift we could have ever received. Balancing work & wedding tasks leading up the big day became quite challenging and stressful, and Chrissy was a huge part in alleviating a lot of the pressure. She was immaculately organized and responsive to all our questions & carefully listened to our wants and needs. Our wedding day ended up being a smashing success and the best day of our lives. I had zero things to worry about the day of because of Chrissy. We can't recommended BCB enough - thank you BCB and Chrissy for all your help!

dations for all of the vendors we used, and we were extremely impressed with each one of them. It is obvious that Claire is passionate about her job, and she does it very well. She was fun to work with, while also being professional and great at communicating. Using Big City Bride was the best decision we could have made!

nd she was extremely flexible. It made meeting with vendors very easy. The whole process was actually fun and not stressful at all! My parents were very involved with the planning as well and she was very accommodating to make sure they could be involved in the important aspects. I know that both my parents and I sent her so many emails, especially toward the end. She was so prompt with her responses and always made sure our questions were answered and issues were dealt with. The actual wedding was so perfect. I honestly don't know if anything even went wrong! It was more beautiful than we could have ever imagined. So many of our guests said it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever been to. We had such a fantastic weekend and it could not have been done without Chrissy and others at Big City Bride. Thank you for giving us the wedding of our dreams!

w months before the big day having me send her all my contracts and info and when we had our first meeting she was already on top of everything! She made me the most beautiful day of timeline as well as contacted ALL of my vendors and family members/ bridal party to make sure everyone was in the loop on where to be and when. Having her the day of the wedding gave me the biggest sense of ease knowing someone else was on top of everything. She helped so much that I am sure there are things she did that I will never know about. Seriously having (at least) a day of coordinator will be the best decision you'll make when planning your wedding. You can't do it all alone!! You need help and having an outside eyes and ears (not a family member because they are trying to enjoy the day too) as well as someone who will take charge where you might not want to ie: getting family members to listen when trying to take those group family photos, your day of coordinator is your wedding super hero! Thank you Kayla and big city bride!!

r services and she made our wedding the most magical, perfect, stress-free day of our entire lives. If you’re reading this you are probably thinking of whether or not to hire BCB or do it yourself. You’re thinking wedding planners cost money & that you could use that extra cash on flowers, church programs, transportation, a bigger cake.. but that’s not the rationale you should be using. That’s not how wedding planning works! For example, you go to go to a florist and explain to them your vision, they charge you $10k. Because why not? They’ll never see you again after your big day. But if Susan goes with you to that florist – they will treat you guys like royalty and charge her $7k. Susan is a repeat customer of theirs, her company plans weddings all the time, they want to work with her and they want her to come back. And that is just one example. I can think of so many more places where you save money by working with BCB: Your venue is going to charge you for “chair removal” or your caterer is going to charge you for “cake cutting” or the hotel is going to charge you for “welcome-box delivery”. Because again, why not? You’re a one-time customer. All of those small charges that add up very quickly, won’t happen when you’re with Susan. If you tell Susan your all in budget, she will work within her services to fit in that budget and your planning process will be infinitely less stressful, happier, more organized and the day itself will be flawless. I can’t thank Susan and her team enough – they are really the best.

ould do it on my own (as an organized person); however, shortly after the planning began, I realized for the wedding I aspired to have, I needed help from a professional who had the wedding planning process down to a tee and who could confidently help me manifest and design the wedding of my dreams. Well, I had THE MOST BEAUTIFUL wedding and reception at The Art Institute, truly spectacular. Employees of AI kept commenting on how organized and beautiful our wedding was. Everything was as I wanted and perfectly planned out with Susan. I couldn't have been happier -- and my husband and guests were also blown away. Susan, made us feel like we were a part of her family and was so personable, upbeat (and fun) to be around. Her team was also big time attentive and friendly. Just a 5 star experience and I am the happiest bride (well, wife now) on the planet, right now. Truly!

ting down with Chrissy for the first time I was so much more at ease. Chrissy has an unbelievable contagious positive attitude, outstanding work ethic, impressive organizational skills and a continuous smile on her face even after dealing with my 1000 emails likely full of dumb questions! Chrissy helps you to seamlessly navigate the venue/vendor selection and budget process with ease. The service at Big City is top notch and worth every penny. We had a fluke incident with a vendor (which was made more than right in the end!) and Chrissy and one of the owners of Big City called me within 15 minutes of the incident and gave me the reassurance they would personally handle it, and they sure did! Our wedding went off without one glitch and it was even more beautiful and fun than we could have even ever imagined. We are so grateful for Chrissy and the entire team over at Big City! Katie & Sean Fox

ar more important to me. I apologize in advance about how passionate this review is going to be, but I mean every single word. For people that know me, I'm Type A and pride myself on being at least five steps ahead of everyone else, so I had told myself that when I got engaged, I would NOT need a planner or coordinator. I googled checklists and thought I had everything under control and that I could do everything! On a whim, I contacted a handful of wedding planners, okay, by handful I mean 18 of them, to see about what they would do, how much they would cost, and for them to keep it real- I had already booked the venue and figured out everything I thought I needed to put a wedding together, so what was the point right? Well, let me make something VERY clear- if you wondering if you need or want a coordinator, the answer is YES. From the very first response back to the day we parted ways, our guardian angel, Arin Calamari made sure my dreams came true. She put my mind at ease and allowed me to actually enjoy being a bride. She had my back and I mean that in the most honest way possible. If I had any frustration, complaint, concern, or hesitation, she fixed it and worked through everything so that I could breathe a sigh of relief. My husband and I gleefully refer to her as our "fixer". She made things happen. There are a lot of places and people out there that will say they will do everything she did, but I can tell you, from experience, she did that, and then some. Arin was ALWAYS available even at weird hours in the night when I had bridal nightmares and all I really needed for her to do was to tell me that my wedding day would be perfect. To be honest, as I'm writing this, I'm crying my eyes out. She is really and truly one of the best. She was honest and so helpful. Every single one of my bridesmaids, his groomsmen, my family, and all of the guests walked away saying the exact same thing: "I need an Arin in my life." Even my four-year old nephew, our ring bearer, asked on Sunday morning, "Where is Arin? Can I see Arin?" She made vendor conversations seamless, took care of EVERYTHING (I mean, everything- like, boxed up everything I needed at the end of the night so I didn't have to worry about it...) without me knowing it. She was a magician, an angel, and who I know will be in my life forever. Big City Bride, I hope you read this and you can feel the love I have for you, but in all seriousness, this is my love letter to Arin. Thank you Arin for making my dreams come to life, for allowing me to live in the moment, and to enjoy the special day. You allowed this Type A person with major control issues to let go and to just LIVE. We really and truly could not have enjoyed the day without you Arin. Your insane positivity, problem-solving skills, knowledge, and most of all, your whatever-it-takes attitude have no competition. You are the absolute best of the best. From the bottom of my heart Big City Bride, I am forever grateful for allowing me the opportunity to meet and work with Arin. She is forever etched in our hearts. With love, Michelle, Dan, & Dart (plus all of the bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girl, ring bearer, etc...)

t can inspire and provide guidance. So I went into the process thinking, “I got this – surely I can plan a wedding in Chicago – from Dallas.” Wrong. After nearly a month of me initiating web-based inquiries to different venues while pouring through websites and magazines, I realized that I was “sinking”. I was lost in the barrage of photos, concepts, list of “do’s and don’ts”, and countless idea boards. I was feeling overwhelmed. There were decisions that needed to be made, but I had no idea as to where to even “start.” My friend recommended that I contact Chrissy Magliano at Big City Bride. Chrissy received my call on the day that I reached out. She took some basic information and then she began to ask me a ton of questions about our “vision” and our personality styles. From there she outlined a gameplan with key dates and deliverables. Within 2-months of working with Chrissy, we had a date, a venue, florist, and photographer. She was certain to infuse every detail of the wedding with touches of our personality style. She coordinated with the vendors, helped negotiate contracts, and she just "handled" everything! With Chrissy’s leadership, we were able to experience the wedding of our dreams in just 6-months of planning! Our friends and family are still talking about how wonderful the experience was. Here are some of the things that I loved about the process: · Listens attentively and incorporates your input/feedback · Budget management · Site & venue selection process · Vendor selection and contract management · Organization across all fronts – from the wording on our invitations to on-site support on the day of our wedding · weekly or bi-weekly calls to check in · Attention to detail · Professionalism · Coordination Chrissy has a wonderful style and energy – we are blessed that she was a part of our special day!!!!

ociated with hiring a planner. How hard can this be? I guess you could say that I knew your price, but I did not understand your value. As the process unfolded, you proved yourself time and time again. My (now) wife was having fun planning and making decisions. We weren’t experiencing “stress & conflict” in our relationship in the way that other couples have shared during their wedding planning process. You made the process so easy and inviting for us – our family and our guests. We would love to do it again – maybe for our 10th anniversary? J Here are some of the things that I loved about the process: · Listens attentively and incorporates your input/feedback · Budget management · Site & venue selection process · Vendor selection and contract management · Organization across all fronts – from the wording on our invitations to on-site support on the day of our wedding · Timeliness and follow-up of communication · Attention to detail · Professionalism · Coordination We weren’t concerned about anything – if there were problems, we didn’t know about it, because you handled it. We truly appreciate everything that you did for us in making our day “amazing.” To anyone in need of guidance through this process – call Chrissy! She is second to none and has proven herself to be invaluable in making your wedding experience a beautiful, enjoyable, and stress free experience.

ough! She is beyond friendly, very knowledgeable, organized, accommodating and extremely approachable (with anything!). Throughout our entire professional planning process, I feel as if I gained a new friend at the end. I initially located BCB merely by a quick Google search. Their company had a 5 star rating, and I organized a consultation to learn a bit more about the process. At this time, I was still deciding if I was going to tackle the wedding planning process myself or hire a professional. After a brief initial meeting with Kayla, I was absolutely sold! She was so attentive during the entire 1.5 years of planning. I will begin by stating that I am very particular when it comes to style and details, and Kayla truly made my winter wedding dreams come to life. From her vendor recommendations to her personal touch suggestions, I couldn't be any more happier with the outcome. She even welcomed all of my far-fetched ideas along the way to make every single vision a reality. As any bride would agree, wedding planning is extremely stressful. My now husband and I were also tackling several other life changes last year in addition to wedding preparations, so to say we were under quite a bit of stress is an understatement. Knowing this, Kayla took the reigns and really stepped up to the plate. Once the wedding day arrived, I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY! The entire day was a dream! From the flawless timeline to the stunning display, my husband and I cannot stop gushing about the day. Kayla and her assistant Erin ensured that the day ran perfectly. As a result, I was able to actually enjoy my wedding day, which is a piece that I will be able to cherish forever! I truly felt as if I was a guest since all of the details were already handled. Even if there was a minute problem, I'm still not aware of it. :) Brad and I made a point to constantly stop, look around, and soak all of the bliss in as often as possible. This is something that likely would not have been possible without the help of Kayla and BCB. Thank you SO much for making my bridal dreams come true! If you are even considering hiring a wedding planner, book BCB now! :)

ing. She is a doll and her enthusiasm is infectious. I would definitely recommend her or someone else from Big City Bride.

uck, etc. Our wedding planner, Chrissy Magliano, is THE BEST! Absolutely wonderful to work with and is so on top of everything - we didn't have a worry at all! I wouldn't have been able to plan such an event without her - she is a must have when planning your big day!

e as our wedding planner for our September wedding. One of the first things she did was to help us find a venue. She collected all of the information from each venue, what their available dates were, and then went with us to check them out. Claire also assists the bride and groom with establishing vendors for their big day (photographer, videographer, music, etc.). If you haven't established your vendors, she has an amazing list of extremely talented and professional individuals. Claire communicates with all vendors throughout the whole process and does most of the back and forth communication that can take up a lot of time. This is especially helpful for people who are busy or work full-time like my husband and I were. Claire addressed all questions and concerns in a timely manner. Even when she was on vacation or had to leave town, she would either remain available via text or email OR she made one of the other Big City Bride staff available to us. We were never left hanging or left with unanswered questions or concerns. Claire is very sweet, energetic, determined, and gets along with everyone! She remained professional and patient during the whole process. For brides like me who aren't always sure what they want or have trouble picturing things, Claire provides creativity and so many different ideas to help you figure out what you want and be confident that it will look great! Claire has been doing this work for many years so she knows what she is doing! It was easy to trust in the process with her as our wedding planner. Arin was also wonderful and assisted Claire with details during our engagement, as well as on the actual wedding day. Claire and Arin are truly two of the sweetest people I have ever met. But don't get me wrong....they will strongly advocate and negotiate for you when needed! They work very hard and always remain considerate of what you want. On the wedding day, they help with setting up and they also make sure that everything is packed up at the end of the night. This is really important to have because as the bride and groom, you don't want to have to worry about these things. And you also want your friends and family to enjoy and take everything in as well. I don't know what I would have done without them that day and night! Claire and Arin assisted with the rehearsal the day before and provided the bridal party and our families with all of the information on where they needed to be and when. Claire was on her feet all day and still managed to calm my nerves and touch up my hair after the ceremony! And it doesn't end on the wedding night. Claire provided excellent follow up after the wedding and even sent instructions on how to change my last name. I can't thank Claire enough for everything she did for us and I could go on and on. If you would like to see pictures of recent weddings by Big City Bride, follow their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigcitybride/ We would recommend Big City Bride for wedding and any other party planning needs!

rs and worries completely went away once Big City Bride came into the picture. They guided us through the entire experience and helped us find the BEST vendors in the city. I was super swamped at work and honestly don't know what I would have done without Kayla mapping out every detail. On the day of our wedding, it was pouring down rain and behind the scenes Kayla and Arin effortlessly worked to make sure our wedding party and guests had the same experience as planned. Any bride who chooses this crew of women will not be disappointed - they far exceeded our expectations and most importantly made our day one that we will never forget!

d, and wonderful with getting everything done that we needed help with. Hiring Kayla was one of the best decisions we made in planning our wedding. Very, very highly recommended!

- "why not? I'm creative!" Little did I know that when it came down to crunch time in the last month that I would need so much help. Arin was quick to call and save the day, and once she had all the details she literally ran the whole of everything with such grace, poise and excellence. Throughout the whole night of our wedding we kept getting asked about our planner and who she was and how amazing everything had come together! Just thinking about all of it still brings tears to my eyes. I don't know what I would have done without her, and our parents were so beyond amazed with her work as well. She is the sole reason why my best day ever was just that, the BEST day ever. Thank you to Arin for your hard work and patience with me and our giant wedding group (23!!) We are forever grateful and can't wait to give your name to everyone for when they get married and hopefully to see you again soon <3

would be perfect. Claire helps to make the entire planning process enjoyable, fun and completely stress free. She is very diligent and meticulous, and above all, so friendly. Our wedding was held at The Drake Hotel in Chicago and from the biggest detail to the smallest, and everything in between, Claire made sure the event was flawless. She gave my son and daughter in law the wedding of their dreams. It was above and beyond anything we could have imagined. Simply magical!! Thank you Claire and Big City Bride. You're the best!!! Mary Capotosto

e went through to make every moment flawless in execution. Not to mention, she was tons of fun! Every person has come up to me asking who she was and what company she worked for to help coordinate our day. I cannot imagine our weekend without Kayla. She started working with us about 3-4 weeks away from our wedding. At that point, stress and excitement is high and to have someone completely take care of last minute finalizations and details was a godsend. I did not worry about a single thing. Absolute best money we spent! I recommend Kayla and Big City Bride to every Bride and Groom!

planner - I was in your shoes: I am type A, organized, and meticulous, and thought I would be able to handle a wedding on my own. But what I know now is that throwing a wedding is more than just coordinating a lot of vendors; 100 little things come up along the way, and Kayla is the difference between simply surviving your wedding planning process, and actually enjoying it. She takes the time to get to know both the bride and the groom, their personalities, their styles, and you truly feel as though you are talking to a friend who is 100% committed to executing the wedding of your dreams. To the point that, as a bride, you often times will turn to her for advice even before asking your groom! Her advice is always authentic, sincere, and thoughtful - she will tell you the things you need to make your vision come true, and the things you can cut out. You never once get the impression that her relationship with any vendors or other parties drives any of the decisions in your process; and she truly advocates for everything she can on your behalf. From the bottom of my heart, I can say that working with Kayla truly made the process more seamless and enjoyable. If you have the chance, you MUST work with Kayla for your event - you will not find someone whose personality is more charming, advice is more helpful, or whose execution is more flawless! Truly the best decision we made!! Kayla, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all that you did to make our day so special!! Amee & Sunny

g overwhelming in the month leading up to the wedding. She ensured we had all boxes checked, particularly with items I had not previously thought of, making me especially grateful to have someone who knows the ins and outs of weddings as a resource. Arin's extremely detailed timeline, which are a staple of Big City Bride's operations, was phenomenal-- kept everyone calm, organized, and ensured perfect execution. Lastly, she was so sweet and encouraging. I cannot say enough about Arin or the BCB team. They were a dream!

imagine our wedding without her there through the whole process. She was attentive, creative, thorough, a good listener, and just everything we were hoping for. I had a lot of anxiety leading up to the day and Claire was able to keep me calm from the moment she walked in the door. Her calmness was palpable and I would've been a mess without her. Our wedding was an absolute success. Our wedding was months ago and friends and family are still talking about it. We owe it all to Claire! WE LOVE CLAIRE!

not adequately express our gratitude. Thank you Kayla for thinking of everything. From the reminder that our meals were getting cold to ushering in and out every item for display, for keeping us on schedule with such subtle style. We felt we could relax the entire event because we knew your watchful eye and expert mind were anticipating every possible scenario. I can't tell you how many times we heard the phrase...."Who is your wedding planner.....she is amazing!" We highly recommend Big City Brides. Clearly the best money we spent on this event. Thank you so much! With gratitude, Ann Wyant

art of making that happen. From the minute we first spoke on the phone, Kayla made every effort to get to know us as a couple and to make sure that she understood what about the day was most important to us. She kept these priorities in mind at every stage, carrying out our ideas and making suggestions that enhanced our vision. Because we planned an Indian wedding spanning multiple days, we had many atypical (and last-minute) requests for Kayla that she executed perfectly. We had numerous long meetings where Kayla patiently waited as we figured out what exactly it was that we wanted and then she ran with it. We never felt rushed – Kayla listened and took all the time that was necessary to make sure that we were comfortable. Whether we needed a horse, a drummer, last-minute favors, or very specific ceremony decorations, Kayla researched vendor options, kept track of where we were at every stage in the process, and personally oversaw everything on the day of. She made countless checklists that proved essential and kept us all on track, reminding us of the things we had not thought of and keeping us from trying to tackle too many decisions at once. She really lightened our load and made the whole process more enjoyable. The end result: not a single thing went wrong on the day of our wedding (seriously). We never even worried that something might go wrong, because we knew Kayla would be there to handle it exactly as we would want it handled. She stayed with us from (very early) start to (very late) finish. She brought along multiple additional staff members to coordinate at all the different locations, distributed tips among the vendors, communicated with the photographer, the venue, the DJ, our families. We didn't have to think about anything on our wedding day other than spending time with each other and our families, and the day was absolutely perfect. Kayla is incredible and worth every penny!

stay on top of everything throughout the whole year. We were never stressed while planning our HUGE wedding because Susan was so on top of everything and constantly would send us check-lists and reminders. She picked out all of our vendors (videographer, photographer, florist, lighting, band, etc.) and each one was the perfect choice. Susan has been in the industry for so long that she knows what works and what doesn't- I highly suggest using her for your next wedding. She comes up with small details that most people wouldn't come up with (ex. confetti during the reception while dancing). Even though she is located in Chicago, she was still able to make my wedding in South Bend, IN come to a perfect reality.

most amazing day. She is professional and warm, handling my parents' 1000000 emails with grace and our logistics with precision and ease. Additionally, as an out of town bride, I could not be more grateful for Chrissy's excellence in structuring my three Chicago visits. She ensured that I saw venues and vendors, so I knew I was making informed choices. I cannot be complimentary enough about Chrissy's services and cannot thank her enough for creating the perfect day.

azing. She helped bring my vision to life, even though I wasn't really able to articulate that vision in the beginning! On the day of the wedding, I can't even count how many times I thought, "Thank God for Chrissy". Literally every part of the wedding weekend went completely smooth without even a little hiccup. The vendors that Chrissy and BCB work with are out of this world and we could not have been happier. I recommend BCB to anyone I know who has recently gotten engaged in the Chicago area. I cannot say enough wonderful things about them, they truly made the whole experience stress-free and FUN! I'm so shocked I can say I actually truly enjoyed planning my wedding, and I have BCB to thank for that.

and move it from the West Coast to Chicago and with the help of Kayla you would have never known we planned it in such short notice. Kayla thought of everything I would have never even began to think about and then some. My heel broke before the ceremony and she fixed it. She taped my dress for me when needed. She made sure I was fed and hydrated. :) She was there for every question, and supplied me with multiple options when I asked. She also handled the little things that I did not have the time to worry about. It is amazing what she pulled off for us in 6 weeks. She was my sounding board and never appeared to get annoyed with me. :) My husband I could not have done this without her. We even had random family members and guests comment on what a great job she did running the show. She went way above and beyond what she needed to do. By the end of it, Kayla seemed more like this amazing superhero friend than a wedding planner. We will forever be grateful for what she did for us. Love you Kayla!!

totally abandoned my wedding. I didn't trust anyone with my wedding after such a poor experience with the previous company. The venue I selected recommended Kayla of Big city bride and im soooooo glad they did. Kayla was such a joy to work with, I miss her already. She was able to deal with my dysfunctional family, my limited budget (that my previous planner put me at the top of) and still my day was more magical than I could have imagined. She was there for every tear, every meltdown and every moment beautiful moment of my wedding. I didn't have to do anything! I love how she was willing to take all of my stresses away and also keep us on track for the wedding and the planning. She returned every call, text, email and she was willing to work with me living in Texas!! Every idea I had she was able to incorporate and she was afraid to realistically tell me what we were able To accomplish. The office is so beautiful and clean and it is in a great Lincoln park community. Every question I had Kayla was able to answer and relay information to me, while considering I had never been to a wedding before. Everytime a guest or bridal party member dropped out of my wedding or an unexpected change occurred, Kayla was able to improvise in a way that my wedding wouldn't be impacted. Kayla's research is so through and she is so great at what she does it's like she knows what you need before you ask. My chicago wedding was everything I could hope For and I wish I could do it all over just to start with Kayla and Big city Bride!! I will see you 10 years from now at the anniversary destination vow renewal! Please post how many pics you want of us! I don't even know what to say my wedding was like magic and a dream all in one! I will never forget this !

ing that made our day... Magical. From choosing the PERFECT venue, the most delicious food, best music, and photographer, it was seamless and best of all, it was “US”. It goes without saying that - BIG CITY BRIDE met every expectation 10 times over, our wedding has been exactly a month from this review and we are still on wedding cloud nine! Yury and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts; we couldn’t have done it without you!!

ons), the band (Greenlight - people are still talking about the band!), and the flowers...WOW ...Platinum Events outdid themselves with the flower arrangements. Chrissy created a schedule for the rehearsal and the wedding day (March 25, 2017) that kept us all on task but let us enjoy every aspect of the weekend. Our daughter was totally relaxed for her wedding. The photographs (Riverbend Photo Studio) definitely reflect the happiness and love felt throughout the event. Thanks Chrissy and Big City Bride for helping us create a wedding that we will always remember. We would not have changed one thing.

ner. We went with the Grand Plan as both my husband and I work full-time and he travels for work and my Mom lives in Michigan. The first meeting with Chrissy, I loved her bubbly personality and really started to feel a bit of ease about the wedding planning process. Throughout the process, Chrissy never pushed or pressured us into something that was out of our budget. As a bride to be, I had no idea these were things to consider for a city wedding and that you want to get your venue before you actually book the church. Little did we know convention season starts in the city in May. Chrissy and her team found out that our proposed wedding weekend coincided with the Restaurant Show, which posed problems in trying to get hotel blocks from hotels as the majoirty of them weren't doing blocks for that weekend. Chrissy and her team were able to snag four different hotels with like ten or twenty rooms each. We picked Millennium Park Rooftop Terrace for our reception. Millennium Park couldn't confirm our wedding date because they hadn't finalized their 2016 event schedule. Chrissy worked her magic and was able to secure us a backup venue while we waited. Needless to say, this was stressful but yet a huge sigh of relief that we didn't have to stress about not having a venue we got denied. Chrissy was able to keep our backup on hold for 6 months without a deposit and she stayed positive and continued our planning process with Millennium Park in mind. 6 months later we got approved!! Our big day was here! Chrissy and her team kept us on schedule from the time they showed up to the Trump. We decided to get as many of our family pictures done at the Trump before the ceremony. Chrissy and her team got our LARGE wedding party down the aisle quickly and we actually finished the ceremony earlier than expected That gave us plenty of time to get all our pictures in 15 mins. Cocktail hour and the reception went according to plan and schedule! What was really nice is Chrissy reused the main bar we had at cocktail hour and turned it into the dessert /coffee station. She also reused our placecard board for our Garrett's Popcorn give aways. Chrissy and her team really took care of everything and I really got to enjoy our reception and dance the night away! Our experience with Chrissy and ladies at BCB was unbelievable! They really helped us with everything from start to finish, a lot of stress was lifted off my shoulders throughout the wedding planning process. Many of the guests that attended our wedding also had nothing but praises about how organized, professional, and helpful with any if there were any problems that arose during the day about these awesome ladies! To many brides they are so happy that the wedding planning was over because it was so stressful, but for me I really enjoyed and really started to miss it after the wedding! My advice to any brides reading this, if it's in your budget or if you're on the fence on factoring a wedding planner into your budget, hiring these ladies was totally worth it! Even after the wedding, I still keep in touch with Chrissy! I will be ever so grateful and always remember her and the other ladies at BCB for making our big day so special and memorable!

sional. She is an advocate for making sure what you dream becomes a reality. Claire quickly understands your vision and ideas and can then make excellent recommendations. We absolutely loved all of our vendors including catering, hair and makeup, floral & design, and cake! I loved that I never stressed about anything on my wedding day - I was completely relaxed and knew that BCB had everything under control. Thank you for a dream wedding, Claire and BCB!

endly. In short, she was very enjoyable to work with. Despite all the many moving parts involved in planning and execution, Kayla made it all seem so smooth. She was great at guiding us through the many and (at times) difficult decisions. The amount of time and stress she saved us is hard to measure. On the wedding day itself, she was magnificent. In a situation where so many things could have gone wrong - under Kayla’s calm and confident oversight - it all went on without incident. We owe Kayla and BCB a great deal of gratitude for making us feel like guests at our own wedding. Thanks Kayla and BCB! We highly recommend hiring BCB and Kayla.

DREAMS. My husband and I chose BCB because we have been fortunate to be the guests, year after year, to the high-level events that BCB plans - hosted by our friend who has used BCB exclusively to plan his holiday fundraisers for over a decade. Known to be the most sought-after invitation in Chicago, these private parties captivate attendees, creating a unique experience that is truly spellbinding. Because we have this experience as guests onboard the BCB experience, we knew that hiring them to plan our wedding would deliver a guaranteed result. Susan and her AMAZING team are truly unparalleled in this highly competative industry - she was the pioneer of bridal planning on this level. Her outstanding reputation and respect among vendors is clearly reflected in witnessing her relationships at work - it is a beautiful coordination to watch her make things happen with ease, in what would be a difficult or impossible situation for anyone else. From concept, to the event, to after the event - BCB makes the experience seamless and fun. As a bride, the staff truly became my girlfriends - making the entire process personal and exciting. The team becomes as invested and enthusiastic about your wedding day, as you are, with a level of talent and professionalism that is unmatched. We love you Big City Bride...thank you for giving us the best wedding ever!

ionally, she was my most trusted confidante throughout the process. She was always available to discuss ideas and reassure me, even when it wasn't necessarily included in her scope of work. It was obvious she wanted the best for our wedding. When I walked into the venue, I was blown away! My vision came to life in the most perfect way. It's such a cool feeling to be able to say the prettiest wedding you've ever been to is your own. As far as event management, it went without a hitch. Kayla keeps things moving and accomodated every single request we had the night of. It was almost like all I had to do was snap my fingers. To not have to think about anything other than having a good time, while knowing your guests are taken care of, was truly priceless. If you're thinking of hiring a planner, hire BCB! It was the best money we spent. Kayla, we are SO beyond grateful for you. It was the most perfect wedding.

th my husband and I as well as our families could not be happier with how everything turned out! We cannot thank Kayla and everyone at Big City Bride enough for all of their time, hard work, patience in making our wedding day so beautiful! :)

d with me and it still does now after the wedding day has come and gone. Claire and the entire staff at BCB were an absolute dream. As the first one to get married in my family, my parents didn't have any experience with today’s wedding industry. I am in medical school, my husband works full-time, and my parents are also full-time professionals. It would've been impossible for us to do what Claire and BCB did for us. They knew all the top-notch vendors in Chicagoland and crafted the perfect team for us. All the vendors they recommended were absolutely wonderful and beyond our expectations. Above all, Claire and BCB fostered trust with us that is invaluable during your planning. BCB takes the time to get to know and connect with you. Knowing that you can trust in them completely is something that is worth much more than the cost of a planner. It really allowed us to enjoy the day and enjoy our loved ones. Additionally I don't think many brides and grooms realize the importance of creating a team of vendors that work well with one another. It is not simply enough to cherry pick your favorite vendors. Crafting a team that has rapport with one another really makes a difference on the wedding day. For example, the videographer and photographer were comfortable with each other and had worked together previously. Since they have to work hand-in-hand on the wedding day, it was really nice knowing that they had a plan with how to shoot the day. When it comes to the design and the catering it also makes a huge difference to have the planner and the caterer and the design team on the same page and communicating with one another, as there is a lot of rental equipment to coordinate together. Excellent communication will help them to find the best prices for you and ensure you are not charged double for the same items. This is what BCB does for you. They create an entire team of people that work together and have the same goal in mind. Our planner Claire made sure that all the vendors converged on the same goal and that all details are addressed at the most competitive price. Claire is so enthusiastic and craftsy. She brought pure joy to the table and absolutely loves what she does! She really takes the time to build rapport and get to know you as a person. This helps her truly understand what you want out of the wedding and she just loves getting to know her clients that much. My whole family fell in love with her and my mom even hired her to plan our bridal shower which was an unbelievably magical Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter themed tea party!

zing wedding planner in Chicago! Thank you Kayla for such a memorable experience!

respectful, she asked the right questions at the right time. Gave us unique and creative ideas that set our wedding apart from other affairs. We had guests that have attended many events/weddings tell us that this was the best party they had ever attended! Susan thinks of everything and has ideas for all budgets. Most importantly, she took time to get to know us so that she knew how to add those special personal touches that made our celebration unique to us. Absolutely, highly recommend!!

and I can't say enough great things about them. The took so much stress away from an already stressful day. Thank you guys so much. Anyone else reading this better hire them because they will make your life so much better.

ne it without her!

. Everything from the flowers to the food to the timeline being organized down to the second was incredible and I am foreve in her debt! If your looking for the best wedding planner in Chicago this is it and they will make all of your dreams come true :)

g!

ndors, to fine tuning he vision for the event, was priceless. She was professional, fun to work with, and on top of the timeline from beginning to end. The wedding day was perfect. Nothing we would change, and we owe that to Chrissy. She was exceptional. Thank you Chrissy.