HBIC Weddings
Chicago, Chicagoland, Milwaukee WI & the Tri-State Area
About This Vendor
HBIC makes planning as much fun as the wedding!
With your Head B*tch In Charge, you'll be beyond happy not only at your wedding but while planning it too! Couples will be amazed as they can plan at their own pace and avoid feeling overwhelmed with the tech-savvy ability to keep everything organized in one place thanks to our cloud base planning platform + the total bonus of having fun with a planner. Everything that HBIC Weddings is designed based on your priorities and budgets. From timelines, ceremony scripts, even down to the checklists you'll receive - they're custom monthly bite-size attainable goals, so you'll get sh*t done as long as you have access to your phone or tablet. You're going to enjoy the entire process, from throwing around your wildest ideas with our insanely creative software early in planning (it's like Next-Level Pinterest) to the week before the wedding walkthrough to the last dance at your reception. You won't find pre-set "package proposals" of seemingly endless bullet points, but rather thanks to an understanding of your highest priorities, a proposal of smart options tailored to your priorities, budget, and the right amount of help. You'll love having a planner with 25+ years in the Chicago events industry who knows how to keep you laughing while staying on track and managing your wedding day flow from when you wake up to the last dance of the night. The process is personalized but streamlined because it is centered around what's important to you. Everything you think you need, plus everything you don't even know you need, will be delivered to you. Obviously, we're here every step of the way, guiding the entire wedding party, and family throughout your wedding day. A dedicated "Day-of" team to be your point people for any & all questions from anybody all day long, so sit back and take in the entire day! And if anything pops up, from a wild groomsman...to you name it, HBIC Weddings will swoop in & will address the situation before it goes sideways on you. You'll have a wonderful wedding day because we've got you and your guests covered.
Details
Business Attributes
Woman-owned Business
Destination Weddings
Destination Wedding Planning
Planning
Budgeting, Day-Of Coordination, Destination Wedding Planning, Full Service Wedding Planning, RSVP Tracking, Wedding Design, Wedding Website
Wedding Activities
Getting Engaged, Engagement Party, Rehearsals & Parties, After Party, Bridal Luncheon, Bridal Shower, Couples Shower, Rehearsal Dinner, Welcome Party, Wedding, Ceremony, Cocktail Hour, Day After Brunch, Reception, Rehearsal
Awards and Affiliations
Pricing for HBIC Weddings
Browse HBIC Weddings's pricing PDF for sample services and estimates.
Curious to learn more?
HBIC Weddings Reviews
4.9 out of 5.0
41 reviews
5 Star
93%
4 Star
7%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Hiring Diane and HBIC to plan and execute our wedding vision was, without fail, the best decision we made through the wedding planning process. I interviewed a number of planners who all had good ratings, but the minute I met Diane I knew it w...
as a match made in planning heaven :)
Everything from shortlists of vendors that ultimately saved hours upfront, to support in vendor contract reviews to flawless execution - Diane does it all. The best part: she's a total riot and you'll have a blast with her!! Her day-of schedule that we all got the night of the rehearsal is still a topic of conversation among our wedding party as one of the best things ever! Her attention to detail and the thoughtfulness she brings to the process really focusing on what is most important to the couple keeps you calm and stress-free.
We had some last-minute family stuff come up that required we stream the wedding for a few international guests, and within two days of telling Diane she had everything lined up for us after a few text messages!
My husband, my parents, and I were stress-free and had a wonderful wedding day. I attribute the majority of that to Diane and her team. I cannot emphasize this enough - you won't regret working with her and I would encourage you to book fast as I intend to recommend her to everyone I know ;)
We were planning our Chicago wedding remotely from Houston, and we needed someone to keep us on task: Diane was just the person for the job! She can be brisk (pun intended), but she helps you get the job done and make your vision come to life w...
ithin budget. Her knowledge of the endless number of vendors throughout the city (and connections with the good ones) saved us innumerable headaches and allowed us to focus our attention elsewhere.
Her team was very helpful day-of, though some were unfamiliar with our venue (Adler Planetarium), which tripped us up a few times. It depends on the level of service you select, so we did find ourselves having to wait to get questions answered sometimes when other events were closer. Overall, it was a great experience and would definitely recommend!
Diane was absolutely incredible from start to finish! If you are looking for a full service wedding planner - she is it!! She is honest and will help navigate what elements will and what won't make a big impact on your day, assist with budget p...
lanning, put you in touch with contacts with reputable vendors in literally EVERY category, and generally help you design the wedding of your dreams. Of our vendors, the ones Diane pushed for really ended up being our favorites throughout the weekend. She keeps you on schedule so there is not a mad dash at the end and really helps alleviate A LOT of the stress by managing each vendor. I can honestly say our entire wedding weekend ran flawlessly and was more magical than I could have dreamed, and it's all due to the hard work of Diane and her team!
Any questions?
Diane and her team at HBIC Weddings were absolutely incredible. We cannot thank them enough for making our wedding absolutely perfect! Diane was critical helping us select multiple of our vendors and we undoubtedly would have struggled without ...
her. Beyond simply selecting our vendors, Diane was instrumental in keeping us on track throughout the months leading up to our wedding.
Additionally, we cannot say enough about Diane and her team during our wedding weekend. There was an incredible amount to do and manage to assure our wedding went off without a hitch. There is no doubt that our wedding would not have been nearly as perfect without Diane and her team at HBIC. We cannot say enough about them and are incredibly thankful for them!
Hiring Diane and HBIC was the best decision we made when planning our wedding, they delivered value far in excess of their cost and I could not recommend them more. I shudder to imagine what our wedding (and really the entire process) would hav...
e looked like with out such an amazing planner.
To start Diane was instrumental in vendor selection especially for the venue. Diane was able to negotiate a great rate for us at our preferred location and basically covered the majority of her cost right off the bat.
I am not much of a planner generally whereas my wife very much is, so I won't lie I was dreading the wedding planning process as I anticipated it leading to some tension between us. I'm thrilled to say that did not come to fruition, and a big reason for that was that working with Diane GREATLY alleviated the stressful moments. And really, what is more valuable than reducing the stress load on you & your fiancee during what should be an enjoyable process?
It was a pleasure working with Diane and could not recommend her and the entire team more! They provide great value and go out of their way to make your process a collaborative, enjoyable experience.
Do not walk, but RUN to use Diane and HBIC weddings as your wedding planner!! The cheesy "I don't usually leave reviews" holds true with me but I felt very compelled to make sure people don't make the mistake of missing out on this truly life s...
aving experience and woman. I am, self admittedly, not the best planner so I think it was a no-brainer for me and my wife that we were going to need some help...and wow did Diane and her team go above and beyond my expectations. Here are just a few questions to ask yourself that should help enforce why you also could benefit from HBIC. Are you an expert in negotiating vendor deals and know the right people to work with? I didn't either...but Diane certainly does! Do you have a software to help track EVERYTHING leading up to the wedding including seating charts, budget, vendor information, rehearsal dinner plans, etc? Diane sure does! Do you want your wedding day planned out down to the minute but not have to worry about who goes where and at what time? Call Diane. I could go on and on but the moral of the story is that for most, this is their first time getting married. I can promise you that there are more than a handful of things you may be forgetting that will take your wedding from "good" to "perfect" and Diane and her team's years of experience will make sure it's taken care of. I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention that as great as HBIC was at their jobs, Diane and the whole staff were extremely thoughtful, nice and amazing to work with.
If you are thinking about getting a wedding planner for your upcoming wedding you MUST go with Diane from HBIC weddings! We knew from our first introduction call that she was going to be a great fit. She brings humor and light to the stress of ...
wedding planning and truly knows the industry. Diane was able to recommend so many amazing vendors so we did not have to spend hours searching. She came with us to our caterer tasting, final venue walkthrough, floral appointments, etc. and always came prepared to take notes and had answers to questions when we didn't. When it came time for our wedding day everything ran on time and smoothly. Diane and her team were there from start to finish and took care of everything so us and our family didn't have to. HBIC Weddings is incredible and we can't recommend or thank them enough.
Diane is a truly fabulous wedding planner, and if you work with her you will not be disappointed! My wedding was a dream come true and I owe so much of that to HBIC.
From the moment I got engaged I knew that I would need a top notch wedding pl...
anner to help me execute the vision for my wedding. I have very high expectations and its very hard for me to let go of control over important things, but I also have a very demanding job and knew that planning a wedding would be like a job itself, so I would need someone amazing and trustworthy to do the heavy lifting for the wedding. When I interviewed Diane I immediately felt that she would fit this bill, and she did not disappoint!
Diane's years of experience in the event planning industry are so helpful, especially if event planning is totally outside your wheelhouse as it was for me. She takes time to get to know you as a couple, so she is able to give really thoughtful and tailored advice especially as you move into the "detail phase" of planning - she made suggestions along the way that ended up being some of my absolute favorite aspects of my wedding day. She is also an amazing advocate for her couples. Both pre- and post-wedding, we had a few hiccups with vendors that required some uncomfortable but really important conversations, and Diane took care of everything professionally and with ease, totally relieving me from the stress of having to deal with these issues and achieving even-better-than-expected outcomes each time. On the day-of, her team handled all of the logistics, vendor points of contact, and last minute questions so that my husband and I (and our parents and bridal parties) were able to be in the moment and really enjoy the day, because no one had to worry about anything. I can't even count the number of times during this process that I turned to my husband and said "Wow, I am so glad we hired Diane." Her services were so valuable from Day 1. Even beyond all of this, we had fun while working with her the entire time. I am so glad I hired HBIC, and I would recommend Diane and her team unequivocally to anyone looking for an excellent planner.
Stop your search for a wedding planner and hire Diane and HBIC weddings immediately. It's clear that Diane has been planning events for a long time: she knows what to do and when and how to do it, and she does it with a refreshing directness. M...
y husband and I had a vision, a budget, and a venue when we signed on with Diane, and she took us from that foundation to a gorgeous, immaculately executed event that had guests raving. Diane's great industry relationships meant that she recommended vendors with proven track records who wouldn't let us down. On our wedding day, HBIC weddings orchestrated an event that went off without a hitch. From Diane's personalized, printed schedules for the wedding party and immediate family, to the online planning portal, to the perfectly timed transportation, we felt so lucky to be in HBIC Weddings' capable hands. Diane never tried to push us into anything we didn't want and she was there to support us every step of the way, including a great pep talk when we had many guests declining and cancelling due to illness, etc. If you want a professional wedding planner who can guide you through contractual jargon and share a funny, relevant anecdote in the same breath, hire HBIC Weddings. I wish we had another event to plan so we could start up our regular calls with Diane again!
If you're thinking about hiring a planner - Diane is your girl! She helped our day go off without a hitch (that we saw at least, which is ideal :)). She coordinated with all vendors and had multiple calls with us to make sure we were all set an...
d ready to go! The system she used was incredibly helpful and very easy to use. She has a plethora of documents to use as a guide (from how to tip vendors to choosing hotel blocks, etc.) or to fill out for her to take over (think run of show or music, etc.). I pride myself on being organized, and Diane was the perfect partner. Most importantly, on the day of, I didn't have to think about anything at all - Diane and her team handled everything!! They got everything back to our room safely while we danced the night away. Diane knows what she's doing, and she knows the industry, I'd trust her time and time again!
Diane and team were great to work with! The process was really seamless and, truthfully, stress free. She made the planning enjoyable -- we had a great time leading up to and during the wedding.
My wife and know nothing about wedding planning. As soon as we started wedding planning we said "let's get a wedding planner as our first order of business." We did some googling and came across HBIC. From our first meeting, we were so comforta...
ble with Diane. Telling her what we liked and didn't like. She was so accomodating and has a lot of experience in the industry.
She was the one and only wedding planner we met with, and we were very happy with our decision. There are so many details to wedding planning that the average person would have no idea to consider. Diane, helped us find a gorgeous wedding venue that we never would have found on our own. She was always responsive to ideas and always made sure we were on time and met all of our due dates during the whole wedding process.
If we ever ran into issues with our vendors Diane was the one who took care of things. As a busy couple we couldn't be more appreciative of that.
We couldn't have been happier with how our wedding day turned out. We hardly had to do anything, and felt no stress thanks to Diane managing all of the vendors.
You will not be disappointed if you decide to go with HBIC!
HBIC is amazing! We could not imagine having a better partner to plan our wedding. HBIC quickly understood what was most important to us, then helped us stay focused, find (and coordinate) excellent vendors, and have fun along the way! The wedd...
ing day was a breeze knowing HBIC had everything under control! We were able to focus on each other and our friends and family. Thank you!
When your daughter gets married in Chicago and you live in California, a wedding planner has to really gain your trust. Diane at HBIC did that and so much more. Her 20+ years of experience was invaluable for all the little details a large wed...
ding entails. We also had some last minute snafus with international travelers and Diane stepped in immediately with solutions that perfectly resolved the situation. Diane listens carefully to what the bride and MOB envision for the special weekend and then provides really clear insight and wisdom in making decisions. Besides her phenomenal competence, she's also a hoot to work with.....bonding over Real Housewives.....haha. We felt completely at ease with Diane "in charge". Her easy manner, flexibility, honesty and obvious joy in her work make it a no-brainer that we'd hire her again in a second for daughter #2....and daughter #3......;) Thanks, Diane, you and your staff are awesome!!
I knew I wanted to work with Diane at HBIC within 10 seconds of our first call. I fit the mold pretty well of her typical client--busy type A professional but actually wants to enjoy her wedding day. I've planned dozens of events through work...
so I'm very familiar with the chaos that goes on behind the scenes and knew there was no way I was dealing with any of that on my wedding day! My husband and I come from lovely and very well-intended families but know that they sometimes require some firm direction :) and knew that Diane would be PERFECT for that job. She knows what she's doing, she doesn't take anyone's BS, and she just gets stuff done. It was a true comfort knowing that I had an advocate by my side both during the planning process and day-of. Working with Diane kept the planning stress to a minimum and I had the best, most carefree wedding day ever, thanks to her.
Response from the Vendor on 10/19/2022
Andrea, I had a good feeling within the first 10 seconds of our call too!
Your wedding day was a blast from the music to the one & only Professor Pizza pop-up shop we created for your guests it was quite a night!
Thank you for the kind wor...
ds and 100% trust you gave me to be your HBIC!
I would never have imagined the value of a bridal consultant until I saw HBIC’s Diane and her entire team in action! Her precise, detailed and positive results were flawless from beginning to end. Her contacts for all sorts of vendors and exp...
erts were unbelievable. After a last minute and highly stressful issue arose the last two weeks of the wedding, Diane handled everything within hours to the point that my Daughter-in-law announced that the concern never crossed her mind the day of the wedding. That kind of support and peace of mind is immeasurable! My first thank you that I wrote after the wedding was sent to Diane and her team for all their hard work and help. Best wishes as you plan your wedding—I would highly recommend HBIC.
Carla M. ; Mother of the Groom
Diane is amazing. She was SUPER helpful for us in our initial call with her -- even after we discussed our budget and determined that we wouldn't be working with her. She still gave us all kinds of tips and advice on all kinds of aspects of our...
wedding.
Don't walk, RUN to HBIC weddings! Diane takes the stress away from wedding planning, and kept me on task during the entire wedding process. I loved her direct communication style and telling it like it is. She was my sounding board for all of ...
my ideas, and always let me know if something was realistic/doable within my budget which I appreciated!
If you want your wedding to be organized and not have a single worry on your wedding day besides yourself and your spouse, HBIC Weddings is the way to go!
We LOVED working with Diane and HBIC Weddings!! If you want a wedding planner with experience, impeccable time management skills, and a matter of fact approach to wedding planning this is it!
Diane was a godsend when the nitty gritty parts of ...
planning needed to be addressed, and we appreciated her steady vibe and problem solving skills. Four days before our wedding our videographer backed out, and I was able to reach Diane immediately. She worked her wonders and by the end of the day we had a new videographer within our budget (who also did a wonderful job).
Diane is a great advocate for her clients and was instrumental with bringing our vision to life. Our wedding went off without a hitch and it was so nice to have the space to truly enjoy our day. Perfection.
THANK YOU Diane and HBIC weddings!!
My husband and I cannot thank HBIC enough. We found HBIC through our florist. She was highly recommended and I needed someone to reduce my stress levels. HBIC did just that. If you are stressed out out anything just call her right away and she ...
will take care of it. Throughout the planning process, she was attentive, organized, and resourceful. HBIC is super friendly and easy to work with. As HBIC was highly recommended to us, we highly recommend HBIC to anyone considering hiring a wedding planner.
Response from the Vendor on 12/24/2021
I know we had a rocky road (thanks to Covid), but having to reimagine your wedding day allowed us to create an extraordinary afternoon for those THE closest you to both!
Dawn, thanks for the kind words in your review.
I know that relieving yo...
ur stress was a top priority for you AND, therefore, for me as well.
Delighted I was able to deliver for you.
Leading up to the wedding the HBIC team were a great support system, sounding board, and essential asset in my planning. The platform they use for the planning tool is INCREDIBLE and SUPER helpful! We were able to have calls with them whenever ...
necessary, and I truly felt they had our best interests at heart. The day of our wedding they made everything run so smoothly! I had not a care in the world that day because I knew the HBIC team had everything handled. I cannot thank them enough for the flawless day!! They are super knowledgeable on the wedding industry and truly know what they are doing to ensure you have the perfect day. Highly recommend them to anyone!!
Response from the Vendor on 12/24/2021
Danielle, a carefree wedding day for our brides is one of my standing goals for each wedding day!
As you know, I'm always happy to hop on a call with busy couples like you & Kevin, even if it's on the road for you two! ;-)
Thanks for the k...
ind words !!
We worked with Diane and her team as our day of coordinator and she made everything so much easier for us. She stuck with us through multiple postponements and helped us to navigate last minute issues that arose. For example, our hotel somehow ...
lost our reservation for the groomsmen's suite the day before the wedding and Diane swooped in and saved the day so we did not have to worry! Diane will make the stressful planning process much easier to process we are so happy we got to work with her for the big day!
Response from the Vendor on 12/22/2021
Christine, I almost forgot about the room reservation for Alex! I always think about the surprise dance Alex planned for you with your FOUR brothers now that was a highlight of my year for sure. A close second was one of the said brothers spl...
itting his pants on the dance floor...It's amazing what a roll of black duct tape in my rolling emergency kit can do! Thanks for the kind words, you were a delight to work with!
HBIC uses a very thorough questionnaire that runs through every single detail of wedding planning and the wedding day and makes you think of details you may not of thought of otherwise. The detail tracker allows you to feel comfortable knowing ...
all the details have been addressed. HBIC also created very handy pocket schedules for wedding party and close family to keep everyone on track. Thank you HBIC for the help on our big day!
Response from the Vendor on 12/22/2021
Mallory, working with such a stylish bride like yourself was so much fun!
Your "Built by the Bride" fresh flower wall escort cardholder was perfect; your vision & tools made this idea a lovely feature of your wedding.
I'll think of you & ...
Jeff every time I see blue and white pottery too!
Thanks for letting HBIC Wedding execute your vision and be on the details all day long!
As a groom, I clearly partook in all the wedding planning. Jokes. But Diane certainly helped my new wife implement the most beautiful wedding she worked so hard to plan for over a year. She hit it off with my wife right away and we both enjoyed...
her advice and light heartedness during the stress of wedding planning. Very much a 10 rating working with Diane. We’re so glad we hired HBIC.
Response from the Vendor on 12/22/2021
Moss, I'm so happy that HBIC Weddings was able to take Taylor's hard work and vision and bring it to life for your wedding day. thanks for the 10 rating, we think you guys are a 10 too!
To say Diane helped with our wedding is an understatement. She was amazing every step of the way. We technically hired her as a day of planner but she was always available to help us out even before her takeover. I was already a pretty organize...
d bride but Diane kept it real and kept me sane. Her software website made my excel sheets look amateur. Omg and don’t get me started on the pocket planner. IYKYK. My main goal for a wedding planner was to make sure I literally had nothing to worry about and if something went awry I never found out. Our wedding is over and I honestly couldn’t tell you if something went wrong. I never knew. Our experience with Diane was obviously at 10. We are so glad we hired HBIC.
Response from the Vendor on 12/19/2021
Talyor, your being uber-organized is an understatement too! Anyone who is that on top of her planning I love to go above & beyond for (even to my standards) - your the best!
Speaking of best, your head table was amazing! I loved the look of...
it and looked and the love between your friends there all night!
When I saw “HBIC” in the company name, I knew this was my wedding planner. Diane was truly the “HBIC” of this planning process, and she did so with ease. My expectations of others are high, and she surpassed those expectations by a landslide. T...
hroughout the planning process, she was clear with her expectations and what she needed from me, and made a point to understand my side. I was constantly worried about making sure that everything was going to get done but, with Diane in charge, I never had to worry. She was an absolute delight to work with!!!!
Response from the Vendor on 12/18/2021
OH Maddy, thanks for the kind words!
The fact that you could be worry-free all day long means the world to me!!
Cheers to you & your hubs!
Diane,
As the parents of the bride, we thank you so much for your ideas, your guidance, and your exceptional execution abilities that allowed our daughter's wedding to be a raging success.
We thought it challenging when originally hearing my ...
daughter’s vision of having an elegant wedding in a downtown Chicago hotel while my wife and I live in St. Louis — but engaging you was a savvy move by my daughter.
Throughout the planning process, you worked wonderfully with my daughter and wife, understanding the vision, suggesting tweaks to their strategy, and perfectly and meticulously executing the details using your broad contact list and innate project skills.
The Four Seasons is a spectacular venue — expectations are high, and exceeding those expectations requires great attention to detail throughout the planning process. Most importantly, it requires on-site and steady behind-the-scenes leadership that keeps every detail and action in its appropriate place. Your ability to navigate family dynamics and take on the day of details (both expected and those little surprises) while ensuring that the day was everything that we as parents, and our daughter, wanted was flawless and "perfect."
Everyone had a wonderful time, and we so appreciate your great leadership and laughter while planning & producing our best day ever!
Thank you,
Vinny & Lynn Ferrari
Response from the Vendor on 12/18/2021
Vinny & Lynn, Thanks for the wonderful review - it's so appreciated! Glad I was able to be nimble for your daughter's wedding day - from family to floral I love handling the delicate details for my clients - thanks for entrusting HBIC Weddings...
!
Diane is amazing and will take care of every little detail (and even the ones you forgot about) on your day. I live out of state and had my wedding in downtown Chicago-- everything went flawlessly even though I wasn't even in Chicago for the th...
ree months prior to the wedding all thanks to Diane. On top of that, we had our ceremony at a different location than our venue AND our wedding day was also the Cross Town Classic Baseball game. Diane executed everything flawlessly and I was able to truly savor every moment of my wedding due to her! Could not recommend her and her team more! 20/10
Response from the Vendor on 12/18/2021
Olivia, it still blows my mind that you took the bar a few weeks before your wedding!
I am delighted that you & Matt could enjoy every minute of your day.
My favorite candid photo of the year is of you & Matt enjoying a few hord's in the ...
back kitchen of the InterCon Hotel, waiting to be introduced for dinner.
Diane is a total boss! We were referred to HBIC by our florist, Mark, at Kloeckner Preferred Flowers and were so happy we were. Diane and the rest of the HBIC team were never hesitant to hop on a quick (or lengthy) zoom chat or phone call. We w...
ere impressed with her ability to make last minute changes to our transportation needs...during our wedding! We appreciated her humor and laid back personality and really enjoyed working with her. Hire HBIC!
-Victoria S. (Bride)
Diane was awesome to work with!! Was super cool and chill and helped make the day go so smoothly! She came to appointments with me, answered all my phone calls and texts and worked into the evening/night the days leading up to the wedding. She ...
was soo helpful with the set up and clean up of the decor and making sure everything got to where it needed to go. Thank you Diane!
Response from the Vendor on 12/18/2021
Jenna, Thanks for all the kudos for HBIC Weddings!
Working with you was such a blast & your wedding day was a beautiful fully thought-out.
HBIC Weddings got us through COVID, and they can do the same for YOU!
My fiancé worked with HBIC Weddings to plan our Chicago wedding for late June 2020, at The Shedd Aquarium. As the Groom, my role was to support my Bride; so long as she was...
happy, I was happy, and she was VERY happy with her planner only speaking most highly of her. We met her in person for the first time on a cold January day for our tasting at the Shedd after rushing directly from the Airport. Diane was a godsend as she did all she could to make the experience a smooth one. from checking our flight status, to arranging for parking (a premium detail in downtown Chicago ), Diane guided us through the entire tasting and review of our grand reception to be… and then there was COVID.
Our only wedding planning disappointment showed up entirely out of nowhere - the COVID-19 Pandemic. Even then, HBIC Weddings guided us through the uncharted waters of adjusting our plans (including by leveraging her relationships with vendors to maximize the return of our many deposits). Thanks to HBIC, we were able to quickly pivot from a 250+ guest wedding to a COVID-19 compliant ceremony with a handful of family and friends. The local florist that HBIC Weddings introduced us to was still able to create our wedding day floral arrangements just as my fiancé originally wanted, and in the end, the more intimate event was just perfect for us.
If you want a wedding planner that will have your back, be engrossed in the details of your special day, and be nimble enough to adjust on the fly come what may, call HBIC Weddings! I cannot say enough great things about HBIC Weddings. Diane really had us covered – especially in how they stood up for us in the face of COVID-19 related complications!
Response from the Vendor on 11/30/2020
Kilus,
Thank you for the glowing review & for letting us navigate the COVID challenges for you & Jennifer. Man, oh man, I wish a pandemic did not sideline your wedding. Maybe a vow renewal at The Shedd Aquarium will be in your future?! Tha...
nks again for the review & your graciousness
Diane was a godsend as we were planning what will now be 2 weddings. We had been planning to have over 300 people--and then COVID hit, so suddenly we were scrambling to figure out whether and how we could do a micro-wedding before having a ful...
l reception next year. Diane was able to steer us through that transition and its new challenges, including how to manage a remote officiant who was in self-isolation with a newborn. Our ceremony was perfect, and now we know we are in good hands if/when we get to do the big reception we had always wanted. Diane is exactly the knowledgeably, responsive, steady hand you would want to make sure you get hitched without a hitch.
Response from the Vendor on 11/30/2020
Jamie, Thanks for the kind words about working with HBIC Weddings. Your & Shawn's wedding will go down in our books as the first virtual officiant & will be a stand out for years to come - for sure! Can't wait for the big party next year!
Headling: Wedding Planning before & after COVID
We were introduced to HBIC Weddings via the Shedd Aquarium's catering team. The venue requires a wedding planner & I was thrilled they recommend HBIC Weddings – I heard that she's the best to wo...
rk with, and the rumors were true! I was planning our wedding for 225 guests from New Jersey and found Diane to be available for calls that fit around my hectic work schedule. She was able to help our DJ based in Atlanta source the audio equipment and advise where additional audio was required during the ceremony. I had no clue how to find the right vendor for floral & she connected me directly with a great florist that took my vision and came back with a flexible proposal that could be adjusted as we needed. Plus, she was fun to work with! Our wedding planning was on track; everything was going great, Diane was scheduling the cake tasting, and then COVID came, and it all changed!! No cake, no 225 person wedding.
The support from HBIC Weddings did not stop just because our wedding plans had to; she negotiated on our behalf with the venue and vendors that resulted in us receiving more than expected on our pre-COVID deposits. And when we did make a new plan for a much smaller wedding, she was able to arrange for the floral we needed to show up for our newly adjusted wedding vision. We're not sure if we'll be back to plan a reception post-COVID, but if we do, HBIC Weddings will be our first call!
I highly recommend Diane & HBIC Weddings; they really know how to work well for out-of-town couples that have no time to plan a wedding!
We hired Diane after we had some issues communicating with our venue because we wanted to make sure someone was looking out for us on our day. And Diane did exactly that! In the months leading up to the wedding, she contacted every vendor and m...
ade detailed, individual timelines for each of them. She also answered our many questions and calmed my anxieties when I was having trouble envisioning how the details of the day would go. On the day of the wedding, we didn't have to worry about vendors or schedules or any of the little things because Diane had it covered. Diane also had an assistant with her, Alexis, who was equally fantastic and was such a positive energy. I am sure Diane and Alexis did so much more behind the scenes than I am even aware of to ensure the day ran smoothly. I am so happy we decided to hire a day-of coordinator because it took so much pressure off of us, not just on the wedding day but in the months leading up to it, too. I highly recommend Diane to anyone that wants someone who is truly on their side!
Made the wedding weekend so much easier! Coordinated with my MOH, I don't know what I would have done without HBIC!
Response from the Vendor on 01/15/2020
Lucia, thank you so much for the kind words & for allowing me to be a part of your wedding!
I cannot say enough nice things about Diane! She was absolutely spectacular and helped me survive wedding planning! I honestly did not know where to start when I got engaged, and Diane guided me through the entire wedding planning process, one ...
step at a time. She listened to what I envisioned and was mindful of my budget, but gently nudged me in the right direction when I was lost or falling behind on my timeline.
The thing that separates Diane from all the other planners out there is that she truly cares and goes above and beyond for her brides. When we were trying to get wedding invitations out on time, she drove to the suburbs, picked them up and hand delivered them to my house in the city.
Another day I had a miscommunication with my hair stylist. By the time I arrived at the salon, it all been straightened out and there was Diane with a bottle of Champagne and a big smile. Not only did she take the stress out of wedding planning, but she made it fun! It felt like planning with a friend. I know I relied heavily on reviews for my vendors, and if you are reading this, all I can say is stop. Go with Diane, the HBIC. It will be the best decision you make!
Response from the Vendor on 05/28/2020
Patty, Thanks for the kind words! I loved working with you & your family to create an amazing day. Granted it was a day that started with planning around the Chicago River bridges going up at the same time as your guest transfer from the Hotel...
to Old St. Patrick Church. Got the wedding party & everyone else "to the church on time". I'd bring you a bottle of bubble anytime! Cheers to you & Jon Paul!
Diane with HBIC made the planning process and execution of our big day much easier. She has experience in cooperate and personal planning - which is something you totally want! She has insight into details a normal person simply would not. She ...
took on the communication with many of our vendors to confirm details and put together/distributed a comprehensive plan to keep everyone on the same page. Value wise Diane cannot be beat, I would recommend Diane any day!
Diane truly was an H.B.I.C. throughout the last few months leading up to our wedding, which is exactly what I needed! She was a great listener when I expressed my desires, but she also offered guidance and help from her past experience. Being a...
first timer at going through the wedding planning process, there was a lot I didn’t think of or know the answers to and that’s exactly where Diane came in and she was very thoughtful about it. She catered to my style and jived well with my laid back personality, which helped relieve a lot of my stress. Anything of urgency or concern, she handled in a very calm manner and in most instances without me even noticing! The day of our wedding went off without a bump in the road (at least to my knowledge) and I give Diane a lot of credit for that happening. She let me enjoy my day and have fun and didn’t bother me at all. She kept the day moving on schedule and I didn’t even notice she was there, which in my opinion is a great thing! I highly recommend Diane! She was a pleasure to work with, she gets down to business and the reality of wedding planning, she makes sure the day goes as planned, let’s the bride and groom enjoy their day completely and not have them think or make any decisions the day of and she does all of it with a calm demeanor. If you’re looking for someone to get sh*t done, she’s your woman!
Diane was recommended to us through our florist and she did an amazing job. She was organized and coordinated the vendors leading up to the wedding day and the day of. She made sure that the day ran smoothly and on time. We could not recommend ...
Diane enough for others- her patience and personality made the experience enjoyable.
Diane is absolutely incredible. The amount of insight she will bring to the table is invaluable. From the biggest decisions down to the tiniest she will have input and it’s worth listening to. I couldn’t imagine trying to plan a wedding with...
out someone like Diane by our side. I would highly, highly recommend her services!
Diane is fantastic! She helped me sort out all the details and reminded me of things that I didn't think of. The day went so perfectly. Because of her excellent work, we were able to enjoy the day without worrying about anything.
Contact Info for HBIC Weddings
Chicago, Chicagoland, Milwaukee WI & the Tri-State Area
Meet the Team
Diane Brisk, HB of HBIC
Owner
I’ve been designing, planning & producing events . I’ve worked for over 10 years for the top event & floral design companies in Chicago, so my knowledge is “in-depth,” to say very the least. From the loading docks to adjusting the lighting in ballrooms & everything in between–events are part of my DNA. I know how much time things take during setup & keep the pace of the day on schedule. Understanding working with hotel and venue managers to make their day better will undoubtedly make your day fantastic. It's amazing how a kind word & positive vibe with clear expectations create success!
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Starting Cost: $$ – Affordable
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