Birch Event & Design

From the very first meeting, Julie made us feel confident that our big day was in good hands. The team was an absolute joy to work with, always professional, meticulous, responsive, thoughtful, empathetic, energetic, caring, and attentive. We moved cross-country during the wedding planning process and lived a 6hr flight from our wedding venue, but never truly felt the stress of that because of the Birch team on the ground in MD. We are so grateful to Julie, Jessica, and Nailah for making our dream wedding a reality!

al dinner and our wedding day.

ng our wedding day perfect. They are a joy to work with. Their many talents include—but are by no means limited to—the following: frequent and proactive communication; providing access to amazing vendors; strong management of expectations; managing every single detail with flawless attention; staying flexible while gently nudging us towards clear and excellent recommendations; deftly managing last minute changes; advising on etiquette and best practices; diplomatically managing family dynamics; and even spoon feeding cake to a bride with crashing blood sugar levels! They really went above and beyond. We miss working with them already!!

ed my vision. They helped make a very stressful process more manageable. Once the venue was selected, Birch compiled short lists of all vendors for me to consider and select. All of the vendors were fantastic and I never would have found them if I had to conduct the overwhelming search myself. Our wedding day was so perfect and special. Birch helped deal with minor hiccups to the point that I didn't even know they were happening. My husband and I are so thankful for Birch's efforts in making our wedding so special.

l. Because our chosen site (which is normally an office building) didn't provide anything other than the spaces themselves, we had to contract vendors to bring in every detail. Julie and Jessica helped us find great options for those vendors and then worked behind the scenes to coordinate between them. When it came to the day of the event they really put in the work managing a short load in time, loading things into our car at the end of the night, and generally ensuring everything went off without a hitch--Jessica even went so far as to stitch up the pants of a guest who split them open on the dance floor! We didn't have to stress about any of the details day-of and could truly just live in the moment and enjoy our day. Its been a month and we are still hearing from guests how much they enjoyed our wedding; we definitely recommend working with Birch!

everything feel so special.

. Each time Julie and her team made the process so easy and seamless, especially during such an upsetting and stressful time for us. Her kindness and patience during the rescheduling process was such a gift that I will always appreciate. Team Birch’s communication was always so organized, quick, and helpful. At every turn they were there to guide us, answer all of our never ending questions, and had such a great depth of knowledge about the industry/vendors. The day of the wedding I did not worry about one single thing, as I knew they were on top of it. Our wedding was really the best day we could have ever asked for and it is truly because of the hard work of Julie and her team. I cannot recommend them enough to any bride/groom. Make sure you book them before they fill up – they are the best in the business.

inish was invaluable. We were able to relax and enjoy my wedding day unfold as we had envisioned it with all the details covered. Absolutely priceless experience

rs, and had a calming presence that made us feel secure leading up to the wedding. They stepped in whenever and wherever needed during our two-venue wedding in a freak snow storm and brought our vision to life.

couldn't hoped and more. We were a COVID wedding and would not have made it through postponement, the intimate ceremony, and larger event a year later without them. Truly best and easiest decision we made. Worth every penny and more.

e getting married. Julie and her team's expertise includes everything from managing and coordinating with vendors, arranging seating in a limited space, complying with changing COVID-19 requirements, and last-minute logistics—from top to bottom, Julie made it happen; nothing was too big or too small. She answered every call, email, and text message, and her joyful approach to planning will leave you in the best mood. Without question, Birch Event & Design is worth every penny and then some! All in all, it was an amazing experience. We could not be more grateful for having met Julie and worked with Birch Event & Design! We definitely recommend hiring Birch Event & Design as your wedding planner. You will not be disappointed!

re still not over how perfect our wedding day was. Julie managed all of the planning details throughout the process, from invitation logistics and the day-of timeline to vendor referrals and communication. She introduced us to our amazing team of vendors and found incredible rentals that elevated our design. We were even more grateful to have her on our team when we were forced to postpone our wedding an entire year due to Covid. During a very stressful time, Julie and her team kept the postponement stress-free for us, efficiently handling all of the changes and keeping our vendor team intact. Her unwavering enthusiasm during the two years she worked with us kept us excited throughout the process, and we knew that we could trust her recommendations and experience in the wedding industry. The most valuable part of having Julie and the Birch team at our wedding was being able to relax and fully enjoy the day, without having to stress about the details or coordination of events. If you’re on the fence about working with a wedding planner, we can’t recommend Julie and the Birch Event team enough!

highly communicative, proactive and helpfully provided ideas and recommendations on the design of our event when requested. We were told by multiple people leading up to our big day to plan on something going wrong. Nothing did. Everything was perfect. All of our vendors exceeded our expectations and that had a lot to do with Birch keeping everyone well informed, coordinated and on time. Thank you, Julie, Nailah, Natalie and all of you at Team Birch!

nd I did not have to worry about a single thing on my wedding day! Julie and her team also helped with great recommendations for other wedding-related needs. This was especially helpful when we needed to find a last minute hotel to accommodate our guests and a small wedding dinner when our wedding plans changed due to COVID. Cannot recommend Julie and her team enough!

. I highly recommend Birch Event & Design!

hey thought about, planned, and executed the many details necessary to pull off our out of town wedding on a farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Because of their vendor recommendations and money saving advice, Birch practically paid for themselves while providing us with a hassle free and magical day. Hiring Birch for month-of planning was the best money we spent as it allowed us to relax and enjoy the wedding weekend, stress free! I felt like I was in the warm embrace of a competent and caring company who could not only handle everything, but improve our event. They promised a lot and they delivered more! Can’t recommend Julie and crew enough. We have hired the Birch team again for my daughter’s wedding and she is once again providing superior guidance and that much needed comfort and calm in what is an uncertain time for weddings.

here were real world consequences. What could have easily been a work space that was contentious, stressful, and hard to work in, Julie was a master; she handled everything with ease and grace, and always, ALWAYS had my back. That being said, when I got engaged, I knew there was no one else I would rather have in my corner than Julie Park. I had so many ideas, so many Pintrest boards, thoughts and wants, I became easily overwhelmed and panicked. My first meeting with Julie, all of those worries, and doubts were put at ease. She took my hand and quickly laid out a plan that would serve as a framework for the rest of our planning. She was there for every meeting, every decision, and just like at the Pentagon, she had my back. Julie has the uncanny ability to see through the trends, the magazines, the overwhelming information that wedding websites throw at you, and really see you. She can strip away all of the fluff and create an event that speaks for you and your partner. She cares deeply about giving you the day you deserve and works tirelessly to make that a reality. Her attention to detail is second to none, she helps you create these “moments” the type of moments you hold in your heart for a lifetime. I was lucky that I knew Julie was capable of all of these things before I needed a wedding planner, but for those of you who don’t have the absolute pleasure of knowing this amazing woman, take it from me…she is who you need to help guide you through this amazing and STRESSFUL time, and she is who you need in your corner for the happiest day of your life. You won’t regret it for a second!

t of wedding planning ourselves. But we soon learned we were wrong. Thankfully, we found Julie and Kristina of Birch Event & Design. We are SO glad we connected with Julie and Kristina, and cannot imagine our wedding day without them. From day one, Julie knew exactly what we were looking for and even what we didn’t know we were missing. We gave Julie a rough budget, and she came back to us with vendor and style recommendations that were both (1) precisely aligned with our design aesthetic and (2) within our price range. All we had to do was sign the vendor contracts. Julie’s incredible stylistic vision was (somehow!) matched by her many other skills. Her experience having coordinated events for the Secretary of Defense was obvious. Just weeks after signing with Birch, arrangements with the caterer that me and my fiancé had ourselves booked fell through. Julie worked diligently to make sure our replacement catering was not only comparable but superior. Birch went the extra mile every step of the way. It was an unexpected surprise that we were able to meet with Julie for brunch, rather than by phone, when our travel plans happened to overlap in Northern California! Thanks to the efforts of Julie and Kristina, and the impeccable itinerary they put together, every detail of wedding day went on time and as planned. This was no small task given that my fiancé and I had picked ceremony, reception venue, and hotels at different locations. Yet everything went without so much as a hiccup. Having the opportunity to celebrate with our family and friends without worry was like a dream, and made our day unforgettable. 10/10 would recommend!

ugh every step of the process - we don't know how we would have done it ourselves! Julie is responsive, creative, friendly and has a very calming, positive vibe. After our first meeting, my mom and I were in awe and were so impressed with her organization skills and her ideas! We knew we couldn't pass up this opportunity. My husband was so relieved when Julie swooped in and took over, we were finally able to breathe and enjoy the process! Which is how it should be!! On our wedding day, we didn't have to worry or stress about a single thing. Julie handled everything flawlessly. We were able to enjoy the ENTIRE day without a single ounce of stress. It was amazing to see our vision, the little details we talked about, her creative suggestions, all come to life on the day of! Julie and her team later helped put together my sisters elopement then helped plan my brother-in-laws wedding! Julies planning, guidance and support was priceless and there isn't a single thing I would change from our experience with her. Julie went above and beyond without being asked. It is clear that she loves what she does! We are forever grateful for Julie and are able to look back at our wedding planning process with positive and happy memories!

a joy to work with! She is a true professional and always knows the right thing to say to put your mind at ease. We used Julie as a partial planner, recommending and helping us lock in some of our vendors as well as handling everything on the day of our wedding. The day of the wedding ran so smoothly. Julie worked with our vendors and put in additional effort to make everything look so beautiful. Our wedding was the single best day of our lives thus far, and Julie deserves much of the credit for that. If you choose Julie, you're making the right choice. She's the BEST! I can not speak more highly of Julie, and anyone who works with her is so unbelievably lucky.

the information needed to bring my dream wedding to fruition. She helped me establish a budget, provided recommended vendors within my price point, and worked with me to finalize all the contracts. She sent personal introductions to all the vendors so I could meet them, review their services, and make final decisions. Additionally, she and her fabulous assistant, Kristina, were side by side with me for the tastings, design meetings and venue walk through with the caterer! All that was before the actual day! On the day of the rehearsal and wedding they made everything completely seamless! My venue required a pretty tight room flip, and they literally transformed the ceremony space for the reception in a way I wasn’t even sure was possible! Additionally, they helped ensure everything occurred according to the timeline, and that all the guests were well taken care of. Overall, Julie has the best taste and knew exactly how to help bring my ideas for a “winter wonderland” wedding to fruition. I could not be more pleased with how everything turned out, and could not recommend her more to any bride for making their wedding day unforgettable!

loop and then quickly answered any question I had. On the wedding day, Kristina and her team took care of every detail and I didn't have to think about a single thing. I'm an event planner and Kristina really made sure that I wasn't "working" my wedding. The room looked absolutely beautiful and Kristina set everything how we discussed and maybe even better :) The day went so smooth and so much of that was due to Kristina. We can't recommend her enough.

ch team is absolutely incredible. We initially were looking for a planner to help with "day of" efforts. My MOH is a wedding coordinator and I'm a former event planner so the type A level of perfection our wedding planner had to hit was high. Julie won both my MOH and I over on our first call with her and I hired her on the spot after meeting her in person for our first interview. Although I initially hadn't planned on doing design services and more intensive planning, my husband and I loved Julie and we ended up doing an add on to expand our work with her. We got married at the LINE hotel in DC in June with lots of moving pieces and parts. Julie handled everything flawlessly from recommending the perfect vendors and executing our vision of the day perfectly. This included deciding I wanted a champagne wall as my escort cards and Julie taking the reigns to make this happen with Something Vintage! In addition to having an excellent eye for design, attention to detail and overall calming presence, Julie handled some day of personalities flawlessly including making sure my uncle took off a hat that I didn't want in pictures. Julie and the Birch team were incredible and they ended up doing my best friend's wedding 2 months later after we fell in love with them. She's also on the hook for another friend's wedding in 2020! To finish up, Julie and I stay in touch and are still great friends and have our champagne / french fries dates scheduled!

ng process and were always thinking a few steps ahead. They have a great network of vendor contacts, which helped to streamline and navigate the complex planning process. We used them for partial planning services and they were invaluable for every step of the way. They were there for everything we needed leading up and including our big day.

sion/dream wedding. Enter Julie - she assembled the most wonderful team of vendors and worked with us hand-in-glove each step of the way to ensure that our wedding went off without a hitch and at budget. Not only was she incredibly organized, paid attention to every little detail - she was also just a great person to work with and be around. Can't recommend her enough!

rised us by going above and beyond our expectations. Julie quickly earned our trust as a prepared, experienced, detail-oriented, consistent, and thoughtful team leader. Her reliable high performance gave us so much comfort throughout the process because we knew Julie was always one step ahead and capable of tactfully managing a network of personalities and resources. Julie has developed a high-caliber network of vendors with whom she regularly works, and who can be trusted to flawlessly execute your special day. We cannot speak highly enough of Julie and would recommend her wholeheartedly, and without any reservation, to any discerning couple looking for the best of the best.

oach as if we were starting all over again. First - if you think you do not need a wedding Manager, you’re wrong. When I was engaged I was a senior leader in the experience/events marketing space and knew that my skill set was not in wedding management. There were so many details BEYOND hotel, catering and outfits that Julie and her team managed along the way. We actually interviewed other wedding managers to get a comparison and Julie was by far, most qualified, honest/transparent and had the right vision. Hiring our wedding Manager was first on our list, before venue, photography, catering, everything. Because — Julie and Birch events brought along the A team for other vendors. Second - trust your wedding Manager (they’re the experts, not you)! We often sought out Julie’s opinion and even in most cases had her as the tie breaker or often, she gave a different direction and we went with that. Third - So, why Julie and Birch? Julie and Birch bring a real organized and coordinated approach to the wedding leading with a very creative vision and direction. The great thing is we would often NOT know exactly what we wanted but the idea and the Julie and the teams would present their creative ideas and vision (which 100% of the time was spot on!). If I could use one word to describe Julie and her team, it would be Ninjas. They are every where you need them to be, they are precise, in the background (if you need them to be), by your side when appropriate and have a plan and back up for everything. Lastly, I use the term manager instead of coordinator because Julie and Birch events do much more than just coordinate. It’s almost like the conductor of a symphony, she really manages, directs and makes beautiful music! Our entire wedding was executed flawlessly by Julie and her team in a collaborative vision between us and her team of experienced professionals. While I imagine you as the newly engaged gave many things to consider and do (it may be over whelming), take a minute - step back and call Julie and Birch team. No wedding to small or too big for her, her experience and what she brings to the table will make your wedding 100x that much more enjoyable, not to mention keep you both sane through the process.

tell she was one of a kind. Her professionalism, creativeness, and excitement for wedding planning is top notch and unbeatable. She was patient with us when we couldn't decide on our wedding venue (we probably toured 10+ locations and she attended every single one with us) and put our best interests first when helping us make the final selection. She helped us find vendors, meet with them, convey our opinions, find creative ways to work with our budget, and keep on time with deadlines. She was constantly in touch with us and never let us feel overwhelmed because she took care of everything with such speed and precision. Did I mention she somehow also found time to give birth to her fifth child in between all this and never missed a beat? She's a living Wonder Woman! Then on the day of the wedding , Julie's preparedness and quick problem solving saved the day - multiple times! Without Julie, I wouldn't know what to do with the number of last minute changes and curve balls thrown our way. But the moment I brought up something up with Julie, she already had the solution. I didn't feel a moment of stress and I actually enjoyed my wedding! Bottom line. Go with Julie and the Birch team. You will not regret it.

ve, thorough, creative, and incredibly helpful as we navigated the complex set of choices involved in wedding planning. She introduced us to great vendors, identified excellent options, joined us for meetings and discussions, and helped us make all our most important decisions. Her eye for design is outstanding, and she guided us to the right decisions whenever we got stuck. On wedding day, she handled EVERYTHING, managed our last-minute switch from outdoors to indoors, pivoted effectively when the weather and other bad luck intervened, and ensured that we didn't have to focus on anything but each other and our guests. Julie is the consummate pro, with a resume and lovely personality to match. We can't say enough good things about our experience with Julie, and we strongly recommend her to other couples-- the earlier you start to work with Julie, the more relaxed and confident you will be and the more fun you will have planning your big day.

y... Julie was supposed to only be our month of coordinator. But, when we our venue turned from a dream into an absolute nightmare, we reached out to her and she graciously stepped in early to make sure everything went smoothly. She was an absolute champ; professional, friendly, helpful, detail oriented and absolutely on top of everything. I had absolutely no issues with handing over the reigns and trusting that everything would go according to plan. The day of, Julie and her team put out all fires and my husband and I had no idea there were even any issues! My family and friends were all extremely impressed with Birch, as were we. I would recommend anyone to hire Julie and Birch Event & Design for their wedding... she was, hands down, the most important investment we made.

confidently say that the wedding of our dreams would not have come together so easily and ran so smoothly without Julie's assistance and guidance. When we hired her, we had done most of our planning and were extremely organized; nevertheless, Julie thought of numerous things we hadn't and was able to make our wedding vision come together even better than we initially pictured! Julie's relationship with wedding vendors in the DC area and knowledge of wedding coordination was an invaluable asset. Given that we held our ceremony and reception in different locations, had many different vendors, and tight timelines on the day of the wedding---there were so many moving pieces that needed to come together for it to be a successful event. Julie and her team were not fazed at all and knocked it out of the park! Our wedding was perfect, and we truly have Julie and Birch to thank. Julie is also the sweetest person, incredibly easy to get along with, and her assistants are wonderful as well. We will be recommending them to anyone we know getting married in the area!

at eye for detail and is inspired in the many aspects of planning. We had such a lovely wedding and the Birch team was integral in pulling it all together!

she is great about highlighting which options give you the most bang for your buck. A few things fell through the cracks, but I take responsibility for those details because I did not run them by Julie before finalizing them with my vendors. I was tickled pink when Julie brought her experience as head of protocol for the Department of Defense into play when she corrected everyone about the proper protocol for men escorting women down the aisle. Her day-of execution with Ray and the rest of her team was impeccable. She kept my groom anxiety-free when the bridal party ran late, and she made sure I had the opportunity to center myself before the big moments. The highlight for me was how Julie helped me pull off a surprise performance by my groom's favorite recording artist for our first dance. What drove it home was how Julie and Ray anticipated the things they knew we would forget so we could just enjoy our special day ("Who has the wedding license? Oh, Ray took it!" "Did anyone pick up my mom's champagne glasses that we used for the toasts? Oh, here they are in our suite - right next to our wedding license!"). If I had to do it all over again, I would hire Julie sooner.

for my eldest daughter on July 7. It was meticulously planned down to the last detail, which not only resulted in an amazing execution but also in considerably lessening our stress levels. I can't imagine what it would have been like without them. This was the first wedding on my side of the family since 2007 and I was determined to make it an event to remember. We received so many compliments from family and friends about how high we have set the bar for future family weddings, so I feel like we accomplished our goal…and then some. Julie’s advice, contacts, and immediate response to our smallest question was invaluable throughout this process. Her confidence was infectious and allowed us to trust that everything would go smoothly that night. How she manages everything that she does is truly impressive. Brooke was our night of coordinator and her engaging and totally thorough approach to our special day was fantastic. She was everywhere she needed to be, before she needed to be there. Her energy and professionalism permeated every minute of the night and so many people commented on her upbeat presence. Everything during that way went off on time and without a hitch. We were very proud to have both Julie and Brooke be such an integral part of one of the biggest days of our lives to date. I am an organized person and really questioned why we needed a wedding planner. Not only are there so many details that Birch thought of that we hadn’t, the moral support and encouragement throughout the process helped make what could have been super stressful, manageable. I highly recommend Birch to any couple out there planning a wedding. You won’t go wrong with this dynamic duo.

now it is the most valuable element! Our wedding was something I always planned to design myself, but as the day approached the logistics and details started to become overwhelming! I found Birch Events on The Knot, sent a message, and within hours was on the phone with Julie. In spite of having five children (including a newborn!), Julie made our day perfect. She handled everything in the weeks leading up to our wedding, coordinating all of the details (which I really went overboard on!) that I envisioned but never could have executed so perfectly. Julie’s attention to detail and people skills made everything easy for my husband and I. She was a source of peace during such a hectic time, and her sincere understanding and desire for our wedding to be as wonderful as we imagined was evident from the moment we met. I would recommend her a thousand times over!!

ded tons of ideas on how to make things prettier, easier and more affordable. On the day of our wedding, it ran impeccably smooth. Julie and Brooke were a dream team. As our guests arrived at the ceremony location, a winery down the road began hosting a band practice. Without any drama, they had someone drive over and request the band to stop for our ceremony (and it worked!). We also had two guests who had declined their invitation but attended at the last minute. We literally realized they were there during the cocktail hour! They adjusted our table settings as guests entered the venue and no one was the wiser. And finally, we ran out of two liquors very early in the night. Apparently our guests were really enjoying the first warm weekend of the year and decided to indulge. The Birch team made a last minute liquor store run for us – and kept our reception running to perfection. I can’t express how grateful I am that Julie and Brooke were with us on our wedding day. Even with the hiccups of planning an out of town wedding, we never felt stressed and loved every minute of the wedding. From our rehearsal dinner to the post-wedding brunch – everything was better because of Birch – especially our wedding. Julie and team definitely delivered a dream come true weekend for us.

s is a top notch team! The event we did with them was complicated with two totally different sites and lots of moving parts. But Julie was a great communicator, super organized, and delivered an amazing event for her clients! Absolutely recommend!

l off the top of her head, and also came to the rescue on many occasions. One of which was when my dress was mishandled in alterations and I had to get a new dress two weeks before my wedding - she arranged for an emergency fitting and follow-up. She also is great about in person meetings, calls, and making the process easy on the groom. The day ended up being beyond our wildest dreams and we have Julie to thank. If you want peace of mind, and to have someone else worry about "all those details," hire Julie for all this done with class and effortless grace.

to handle any question or issue that came our way. She was organized, patient, exacting in the most helpful way, and an immensely helpful not only before the wedding but a vital reason why the day itself went so smoothly. It was a pleasure to work with Julie and she gets the highest praise we can give.

n Julie throughout the entire process, and working with her was one of the best decisions I made for my wedding! Julie is the perfect mix of creative and professional. She would brainstorm innovative details for the vision I had for my wedding, and given her professional background and passion for event planning, I always had complete confidence she could pull off every last detail. On the day of my wedding, bad weather forced us to move the ceremony and after party inside. I'm sure there was a lot of decisions and stress that accompanied this change, but I never heard a word of it, because Julie worked seamlessly with my vendors to make everything perfect. All the time that day that I would have to have spent making last minute arrangements, I got to instead spend with my family and now-husband enjoying the day. As any bride will tell you, time is the most valuable gift on your wedding day, and this was something else working with Julie gave us. I would also highly recommend hiring Julie for the entire wedding process, if your budget allows. When I first got engaged, I debated even getting a wedding planner since my venue had an on-site coordinator, but am SO grateful I had Julie because she helped me with things I didn't even know I needed to know to plan a wedding! Everything from negotiating contracts to designing the room layout to organizing tiny details for each vendor... Julie was there every step of the way, making the process as enjoyable as possible. Julie, thank you for everything you did to make our wedding so perfect!! You are amazing!