4.9 out of 5 stars and 40 reviews
4.9
(40)Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New England and beyond
About this vendor
Kate Murtaugh Events & Design is a bespoke wedding event planning and design studio serving New England and beyond. With offices in Boston and Watch Hill, Rhode Island, our team offers full-service wedding and event design, styling, planning and production. From tented ocean-side affairs and intimate elopements to elegant black tie soirées, our team designs celebrations to be gorgeous, dream-like, and distinctively yours in every way. We absolutely love what we do and derive absolute satisfaction from translating the unique personalities of our clients into personalized, breathtaking and love-filled events.
Details
Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Planning
Planning
- A la Carte Wedding Planning
- Budgeting
- Day-Of Coordination
- Destination Wedding Planning
- Full Service Wedding Planning
- Honeymoon Planning
Wedding Activities
- Getting Engaged
- Engagement Party
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Bachelorette Party
- Bridal Luncheon
Awards and Affiliations
2-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2019.2018.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
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Reviews
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4.9
out of 5.040 reviews
Several months into planning my wedding, Kate unexpectedly terminated our relationship by email, citing “misalignment.” There had been no prior conversation indicating she had conc...
erns about working with me or was considering termination. Just three days earlier, she had written, “I’m glad we’re aligned,” proposed a recurring monthly planning meeting, and said she was “looking forward to continuing to make progress together.” The sudden reversal was incredibly confusing.
I immediately asked Kate to speak by phone so I could understand where we were misaligned and discuss her concerns. She refused my request, leaving me no opportunity to understand or address the reason she gave for ending our relationship.
Misalignment can happen, but I would expect any professional to have a conversation with a client before unilaterally terminating the relationship. Instead, Kate ended it without ever discussing her concerns with me, declined my request to speak afterward, yet asked me to sign a termination agreement. I was never given the courtesy of a call to even discuss the termination before being asked to sign it.
I would absolutely not recommend KMED to other couples.
We had the opportunity to work with Kate and her staff this past weekend. Excellent customer service. Lauren has extremely helpful with the pre-planning. Kate beautifully carrie...
d the day of the event. A lovely wedding enjoyed by all. Kate does an outstanding job.
I recently got married on Block Island and I am so happy that I hired Kate Murtaugh Events as my wedding planner. Throughout wedding planning, this team was incredibly organized an...
d meticulously planned every detail perfectly. They took every crazy vision I had and brought it to reality and I could not be happier. They even were able to handle the rare hiccups in planning professionally and immediately to the point that I was barely ever stressed during the process. On my wedding day, I was so calm and happy and truly was able to enjoy the day thanks to this team!! Kate and Lauren were a dream come true and one of the best decisions I made when it came to planning my wedding!!
My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Kate and Lauren for our recent wedding, and we cannot express enough how incredible our experience was. From start to finish, Kate...
and Lauren seamlessly orchestrated every detail, ensuring our wedding planning journey was nothing short of a dream.
Right from our initial meeting, Kate and Lauren exuded professionalism, warmth, and a genuine passion for creating unforgettable moments. They took the time to understand our vision, preferences, and unique quirks that made our celebration truly ours. Their ability to balance professionalism with a personable touch immediately put us at ease, making the entire planning process enjoyable.
One of the standout qualities of Kate was her remarkable problem-solving skills. When we encountered challenges with a difficult vendor, Kate handled the situation with grace and efficiency. Her experience and expertise were evident as she navigated the issue, ensuring that our vision was preserved without any added stress on our end. Her ability to manage unforeseen circumstances is a testament to her dedication to her clients.
As the big day approached, Kate and Lauren seamlessly coordinated all the moving parts, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the joy of the moment. From vendor coordination to timeline management, they ensured that every aspect of the wedding day was executed flawlessly, leaving us to focus on the celebration rather than logistics.
On the wedding weekend itself, Kate and Lauren went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly even when a Hurricane was headed toward Cape Cod! Lauren even helped hem my bridesmaid's dress when we were getting ready. Their attention to detail was evident, and their calming presence allowed us to truly enjoy every moment without a hint of worry. It's rare to find a team that is both highly professional and deeply personable, but Kate and Lauren effortlessly embodies both qualities.
In conclusion, Kate and Lauren played an indispensable role in making our wedding day extraordinary. We are immensely grateful for her dedication, expertise, and the genuine care she invested in making our celebration uniquely ours. If you're looking for a wedding planner who will not only meet but exceed your expectations, Kate Murtaugh Events and Designs is undoubtedly the one to trust with your special day. Our wedding was everything we dreamed of, and Kate and Lauren played a pivotal role in bringing that dream to life.
Kate Murtaugh and Lauren Quinn were a dream team to work with for our daughter's wedding. We were absolutely thrilled with the planning and execution of a very detailed wedding ...
weekend in the midst of Hurricane Lee. Due to the expected weather, the extra coordination that was required was seamless as a result of the expertise and thoughtful communication of Kate and Lauren. Outstanding!!
Kate Murtaugh and Lauren Quinn helped make our wedding day dreams come true. From start to finish we could not have asked for a more dedicated team. The entire weekend was execute...
d flawlessly, and everything turned out beyond expectations. We are forever grateful for Kate Murtaugh and team.
Kate and Lauren were so wonderful throughout our entire wedding planning process! Almost immediately after I got engaged, I knew I wanted to work with Kate. The weddings that she i...
s a part of are all absolutely beautiful and personalized to the couple. Our wedding was very custom and non-traditional. There were a lot of things we needed to figure out logistically, which we really could not have done without the help of Kate and Lauren. Kate was always there to help talk me off the ledge and she continued to keep calm even when we had complications with some of our vendors and venue. My husband and are so happy that we had Kate and Lauren by our side to help make this beautiful day come to life!
Kate and Lauren were truly the MVP's of my wedding. My husband and I always knew we wanted an intimate sized wedding of 40 guests and we could have never pulled it off without the ...
help of Kate and her team. I am not someone who has always dreamt of her wedding so there was a lot I naturally overlooked or didn't have an opinion on and their guidance was invaluable to us. They were key in helping us pull off an elegant event, hitting all the priorities all while making sure we stayed on budget. I feel so lucky that I didn't have a thing to worry or stress over when it came to wedding day - I simply was able to show up and enjoy the day! Anyone who has been a bridesmaid knows this is rarely the case for a bride and groom and I cannot sing their praises enough. If you're looking for a sign to hire them - this is it!
Kate and Lauren did an incredible job bringing the vision for our intimate wedding day to life. I myself am a wedding photographer, so I had a very specific idea for what I wanted ...
our celebration to be. I knew Kate was the right person for the job after seeing the beautiful elopement experiences she created for her couples, both on land and at sea. Our vision was to incorporate the sailboat we got engaged on in Newport, RI as part of our special day — and Kate truly made that happen. From her keen eye for design to her unique ideas (that even as a wedding vendor myself, I simply wouldn't have thought of) and masterful coordination of many (many) moving pieces, we are truly so appreciative of Kate and her team, and cannot recommend her enough. Endless thank yous, Kate!
Kate and her team planned our 50-person tented wedding and we could not have done it without her! Kate knows so many talented vendors in the industry and we had a positive experien...
ce with all the vendors she recommended. Kate has a wonderful eye for detail, and as a bride who had only vague ideas about what she wanted design-wise, Kate took my vague notions and turned them into something stunning. We received many compliments from guests about how beautiful the decor looked. The day of our wedding, everything went so smoothly, thanks to the work of Kate, Tracy, and Lauren -- despite our last-minute move to our rain plan. We were beyond impressed with how they pulled everything off! Thank you Kate, Tracy, and Lauren, for making our wedding happen! You are amazing!
Where do I begin - Kate is the absolute best! I could have never even dreamed of having the wedding that I did without Kate. She pulled my vision together and made it come alive fr...
om a design perspective. She went above and beyond helping us find the best vendors, held our hands through Covid where we canceled our wedding reception twice and had to reschedule everything, and then pulled all of the details together in absolute perfection when the big day finally came! She also helped us navigate a plan to accomplish what was important to us during Covid, which was to have a small ceremony to get married and do photos! She is so creative, professional, friendly, knowledgeable, responsive, detail oriented, and just thinks of every little thing to make sure the wedding is amazing. Her style and design talent is outstanding. I would recommend Kate to absolutely everyone she is incredible.
Kate designed and planned my May 2021 wedding, and she and her team were the best investment I could have made. I was wary at first thinking I could handle most of it, but Kate is ...
so knowledgeable, has an amazing eye for design, the most creative and fun ideas for special details, and an amazing vendor network that truly bring the event to the next level. Her support also extends far beyond planning and design. She worked with us through rescheduling due to COVID-19, navigating COVID rule changes, and advocating for us with our venue and vendors. She is a true professional - always calm and collected, but also acted as a therapist at many moments, and I now consider a friend. I recommend her services to ANYONE. You will get an amazing event, but even more importantly, total peace of mind to be able to fully enjoy the experience and the day. Kate is 100% worth the investment and beyond!!
If I could give Kate and her team a million star review, I would in a second. We can all agree 2020 was a WEIRD year. My fiancé and I had booked a wedding down the cape for Septemb...
er and had already been engaged/planning for a year and a half when the pandemic began. Back in May I had a serious gut feeling, much like many other 2020 brides, that it wouldn’t be likely we would be having the ‘wedding of our dreams’ this year and needed some serious back up planning.
We searched for wedding planners and Kate’s name kept popping up, great reviews and an amazing social media. Kate was INSTANTLY responsive and the first time I talked to her she completely calmed my nerves. I had been a nervous wreak for weeks looking for backup plans and for the first time I could breath and relax.
Long story short our backyard backup plan became our new goal once the governor threw enough obstacles in our way. By this time we had about 2 months to throw it together. Kate NEVER made me concerned that we couldn’t get it together in time. She would reach out almost daily to ask my opinion on things, and if it had ever (rarely) been a couple of days that I hadn’t heard from her and wondered what was next up, she would reach out and talk about the actual millions of things she had been able to get done for us. On top of her unbelievable organization skills, her attention to detail and design ideas are out of this world. I could have never dreamed of the designs she came up with for us. Not only came up with, but executed better than what we even imagined.
Kate is a MIRACLE worker. What initially felt like the ‘consolation prize’ or ‘backup’ wedding ended up being the absolute best thing to happen to us and the actual wedding of our dreams.
I can’t even put into words how much my family and I appreciate Kate, we genuinely keep saying how much we will miss working with her. In such a crazy, scary, sad year Kate gave us the best day of our entire lives. It was beautiful and everything I had dreamed of since I was a little girl. Kate, her team and all of the AMAZING vendors she found us made the day so smooth and perfect. Trust me, you NEED Kate!!
I don't even know where to start! Kate simply made my dream wedding happen, AND she made it fun. She started by truly getting to know my husband and I, and the vision we had for ou...
r special day. She approached every step of the planning process with not just killer design instincts and an eye for detail, but also always with an open mind. She was all about collaboration -- I had lots of ideas going into wedding planning, and Kate honestly just took every single one and made it even better, with the help of incredible vendors with whom she had strong relationships. When I told her I wanted my wedding to look like "the Kennedys meets the Great Gatsby by the beach," she knew exactly what I meant and she designed the most unique, breathtaking event, from the linens to the lighting to the welcome bags. Kate also has a way about her that is just calming; she made sure that we always understood everything from top to bottom, that we were happy with our decisions and that we knew what to expect. And during the actual wedding weekend, that was where Kate and her team truly shined. I can honestly say I never once panicked - KMED took care of everything, which is no small feat for a 200 person wedding in a remote part of Cape Cod with little cell service and multiple events. Logistics were simply never a problem. She also went out of her way to ensure my parents were happy and enjoying every part of the day (those of you with over-involved wedding planning parents get it!).
We heard from so many people that it was the best wedding they'd ever been to, and call me biased, but I couldn't agree more. If you are getting married in New England (or honestly anywhere) there is simply no one better. We'll always be thankful to Kate and her team for creating the perfect day for us!
Kate was an absolute joy to work with. Originally I didn't plan on hiring a wedding planner, but about 6 months into wedding planning I decided I needed someone to help me bring my...
vision to life, help me keep track of the nitty-gritty details leading up to the wedding, and someone to stay on top of the schedule on the big day - not to mention someone to help keep my worries at ease. Kate and her team fulfilled all of that and more! Kate has wonderful taste when it comes to design, as well as an ability to understand your taste and help you execute what you're envisioning. She also has endless contacts and knows the Boston area inside and out - having her expert opinion when it came to vendors, photo locations, etc. was invaluable. Kate was also extremely responsive and on top of everything, and not to mention just a wonderful and kind person. My only regret is not hiring Kate and her team sooner!!
Kate and her team are incredible! I knew I wanted to get married in Rhode Island and Kate’s expertise in the area made all of our vendor bookings absolutely seamless. She knew all ...
the right people to contact for every little detail and did so with efficiency since we only had 9 months to plan. Kate helped us make our dream wedding happen at the idyllic Weekapaug Inn this past October. It was the first really cold day of the year and she immediately set out pashminas for guests as they entered the ceremony and adjusted our florals so the wind wouldnt knock them over. She did all of this based on instinct and I knew I did not have to worry about a single thing once I saw her go into action. She also sourced an incredibly talented artist to design our custom stationary, our amazingly patient and skilled photographer, our florist who understood my vision immediately, a talented HMU team and a band that our guests still cannot stop talking about. Kate is amazing, anyone would be lucky to have her by their side during the wedding process.
Kate and her team were an absolute dream team. From her creative vision to her industry expertise, Kate worked with us for almost two years to create the wedding of our dreams.
O...
n the day of the wedding, Kate, Traci and Katie were worth their weight in GOLD. Everything was so seamless and professional and ran without a hitch. They are all so wonderful and supportive and truly by the end of the night I just wanted to plan a time to grab drinks with them! Highly recommend adding Kate to your team!
I Have had the pleasure of working with Kate and her team on several events this past wedding season. Her attention to details and overall execution of the day is spot on! Look n...
o further then KMED for all of your wedding planning needs! Highly recommend.
Kate and I have worked together on a number of upscale weddings, and hopefully many more to come. As a caterer, we see many event planners and how they operate, and Kate's defini...
tely among the very best. She's efficient, practical, honest, and very easy to work with. I've seen her take blank slate venues (a summer camp in one case and an oceanfront Chatham estate in another), and turn them into absolutely gorgeous wedding scenes. She has great relationships with some of the best photographers, DJs, etc, and seems like she can pull anything off!
Kate and her team are AMAZING! I had a six month engagement and was nervous I wasn’t going to be able to have the fairy tale wedding I was imaging, but Kate made it happen! She ha...
s such great style and is so creative. Even with the time crunch, she was able to take all my needs and budget restraints into consideration to create the perfect day as well as help me find the best vendors out there! Everyone involved with the wedding raved about how great Kate was to work with. Also, two days before my wedding we learned there was going to be Nor’easter rain storm. Kate and her team not only kept me calm prior to the day, but they also managed to help make the day run sooooo smoothly that you wouldn’t have even known it was raining out! I can’t say enough good things about Kate Murtaugh Events & Design!
Kate was so amazing to work with and hiring her was one of the best decisions we could have made!! We instantly felt a connection and knew that we picked the right person to be the...
re for our big day! Our wedding venue was a blank slate that required an immense amount of planning, designing, and thoughtful execution. Kate also helped us put together our "dream team" of vendors. She was involved with every step of the planning process and we felt so confident knowing that she was running the show on the wedding day. Because of her, we were able to enjoy every part of our wedding weekend. Our wedding day was literally magical and we couldn't have done it without her!!!
I've been working with Kate as a fellow creative for a few years now and I can't recommend her enough. Her attention to detail is impeccable as well as her taste, she is organized,...
creative, and goes above and beyond to make sure each detail is tailored to exactly what her client wants. On your wedding day she will help you feel nothing but at ease by ensuring that your timeline and details are in check at all times. I look forward to many future projects together and you will not find yourself in better hands than you will with Kate!
There is no one I would recommend more than Kate Murtaugh and her team. She helped us design the wedding of our dreams and it was exactly what I wanted. She was gracious, calm and ...
organized and helped me through so many unexpected bumps in the planning process.
Working with Kate and her team was a true treasure. I don't know what we would have done without her creativity and organization. Our wedding was beyond magical and it's because of...
the team behind KMED. Thank you so much!!!
I engaged Kate Murtaugh Events & Design at the 11th hour (three and a half months before our wedding) when I started to become overwhelmed by wedding planning and desperately neede...
d design help. Kate quickly eased my anxiety; she was supportive of, and enthusiastic about, any planning/design ideas I voiced while also giving her honest input. Kate's design aesthetic and attention to detail provided us with a gorgeous wedding and her organization and professionalism helped streamline the planning process.
Lauren Q. was our day-of coordinator and was instrumental in our wedding day running smoothly. Lauren did everything, including helping to set up the venue to handing out tips and packing up our car at the end of night, so my husband and I could just "drive off into the sunset." Kate and her team are a vendor we could not have done without!
Kate was an absolute pleasure to work with! We had a backyard wedding that required a ton of coordination. Kate worked with our needs and provided recommendations and guidance on ...
details to make our day a success. She was dedicated to making our day as easy as possible, and did so with poise and professionalism. I would highly recommend Kate to help with your wedding/event planning efforts.
Kate was fabulous. She was enthusiastic and always supportive. Throughout the planning process she made us feel that what we wanted was easily achievable, understood our taste, and...
spoke up when necessary. She also has relationships with other great vendors which is a wonderful resource. She made every situation less stressful. If anything did go wrong on the wedding day, I wasn't aware of it. It seemed perfect to me!
My family had the pleasure of working with Kate for my son's wedding in Plymouth, MA this summer. Kate helped us plan the perfect rehearsal dinner and wedding! Her vision and exec...
ution made possible the most magical and unique wedding weekend we could have imagined. Kate's calm and competent professionalism was always evident during the months of planning. We are so grateful to Kate because our family will have such wonderful memories of this special event.
If you think you need a wedding planner - then you probably do - and look no further! Kate is an absolute dream to work with! For someone who had no idea what they were doing, Kate...
curated my vision of sophisticated fun, which came to life perfectly - even with our 200 person guest list (and some less than helpful vendor-provided staff). Most importantly, Kate ensured our big day ran more smoothly and perfectly than I could have ever imagined. Thank you, Kate!
At first we were debating about hiring a wedding planner, let's just say that we were blown away with Kate and so glad we hired her and her team members. She is undoubtedly one of...
the best vendors for our wedding. She is absolutely talented and has a sophisticated and creative eye. She spends time to get to know you as a couple and really incorporate those details into the wedding. She is always available and easy to get ahold of even being in a different time zone!!
Let's just say that if I didn't have Kate, our wedding would have been a disaster because our farm tables were never delivered for our wedding!! She never once made us stressed out and worried about anything. Kate stepped it up and hired another vendor after discussing it with my mom, I literally didn't know about this until the next day when my mom told me what happened. I texted Kate and was sincerely appreciative that she handled it all without making us stressed out....she really wants your day to go completely flawless and stress free and I couldn't be more grateful to have her as part of our wedding team.
I HIGHLY recommend Kate Murtaugh Events & Designs, you won't be let down!! Totally worth every single penny!! Thanks Kate!!!!
Kate has such an eye for sophisticated and beautiful wedding design. Our wedding was the most gorgeous day and we couldn't have done it without her team!
Hands down, the easiest decision we made during our wedding planning process. I can't imagine a better partner to help design and plan our wedding day. Thank you to Kate and team!
I can't imagine a more perfect and beautiful day. Kate and her team have a true sense of class and are incredibly talented at bringing your vision to life- just the way you dreamed...
.
Working with Kate was just what we needed to make our day come to life. It was the most beautiful day ever and we are so thankful for her guidance and attention to detail. She was ...
the glue that held everything together.
Kate and her team were FANTASTIC! They took care of everything so we could sit back and relax our day and not have to worry about a thing. Her eye for design was beyond beautiful.
Kate was a phenomenal asset to our wedding planning and wedding day! She went above and beyond to make sure all t's were crossed and i's were dotted. Always on-time, flexible, and...
willing to work within your vision of your special day. Highly recommended :)
Kate is absolutely amazing!!!!! She easily understood our vision and added her personal touches that made my daughter's wedding a fabulous event. Kate is extremely responsive and d...
etail oriented....no stone was left unturned and we never had to worry about anything! Very highly recommended!
Kate is incredibly talented; her mind is always at work, coming up with unbelievably creative, interesting and unique ideas that she then brings to life with grace and pure magic. ...
She truly wants your big day to be as special as can be, and will stop at nothing to make sure it is no less than perfect. Kate has an unparalleled ability to identify your personal style and authentic self, and transform your wedding venue to perfectly reflect who you are as a couple. She is organized, buttoned up, on top of every detail, and anticipates every situation before it happens; a huge benefit to anxious brides and grooms. Kate is truly a joy to work with, and I recommend Kate Murtaugh Events & Design with my whole heart! XO
Planning your wedding or special event? Look no further than Kate Murtaugh. Hiring her to help with our wedding was the best decision we ever made. Kate is unbelievably detailed, o...
rganized and creative. She will fully execute your vision and help refine your ideas so that your event is unforgettable. Her polished and professional manner is unparalleled, and she is a pleasure to work with. She enhanced our wedding experience and looking back, I cannot imagine planning our special day without her. I will never forget the feeling of seeing our wedding venue set up for the first time -it was pure magic. Anything Kate touches turns out perfect, and she left us as well as our guests wowed with the wedding decor and special, personalized touches. If you're looking for someone to help you with your special day, I urge you to end your search here with Kate. She is first in class and the best in the business!
We would recommend Kate Murtaugh Events & Design to absolutely anyone who plans on getting married in the future. We interviewed numerous planners before falling in love with Kate....
Without all of her hard work, our wedding would not have been the same. Kate went above and beyond to ensure that all we had to do on our wedding day was get married.
Leading up to your wedding day you are filled with a mix of emotions, Kate’s number one priority is making sure you feel like yourself on your day that way you can enjoy this brief moment in time. She is compassionate, hardworking, extremely patient, and willing to bend over backwards to make sure things get done. Kate provided significant guidance and support in choosing vendors, designing our venue layout, as well as day of planning and execution. She gave crucial input into matters both big and small and made sure that we were happy with our decisions. Kate is the best in the business and was instrumental in making our day so special. The absolute best thing you could do for your wedding is hire Kate Murtaugh Events & Design whether it be for day-of coordination or for the whole kit and caboodle!
Contact
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New England and beyond
Kate Murtaugh Events & Design