Keen Events PDX

We've had the pleasure of working with Elise for over a year now. My (now husband) hired her to help with his big proposal last June (2018) and we quickly hired her as our wedding coordinator for the big day! She has been nothing short of amazing since that day. She was my go-to for everything wedding related, and then quickly became my go-to for everything else too, she has become a great friend and we're lucky to have found her! On the big day, we would have been lost without her as the venue coordinator was unable to perform her duties. With that mess, she still managed to make our day absolutely perfect with her focus on us! For any bride, any budget, any day, Elise is your girl for the job. She will be your best wedding related expense, I can promise you that!

Hiring Elise Handler and Keen Events PDX to plan and execute our wedding was the best decision we made. I hired Elise as a month of coordinator 9 months before my wedding date, but she was involved from the very beginning of our planning process. Leading up to my wedding Elise reached out to me every couple of months and kept track of my progress within Aisle Planner and kept me organized. She was also a great sounding board for other vendors. She recommended our DJ, Brian of Mighty Moves and he did a fantastic job. The month before Elise was working with me on almost a daily basis. For brides out there trying to determine if they need a coordinator, budget Elise into your overall budget. The last thing you want on your wedding day is to be stressed about whether or not decor was put out or if your flowers made it to the venue. Let Elise handle it. You worry about enjoying your special day.

First of all - HIRE ELISE! I can't imagine our wedding without her. If you're on the fence about whether to get a wedding coordinator or if you really need one, I'd strongly suggest you do. Working with Elise was such a personal experience. She's caring, helpful, and intuitive. I don't feel in any way that we got a "standard" level of service - she really goes above and beyond in such a valuable way. She even fed our cats the night of our wedding because we'd left the house and totally forgotten, ha! My partner and I did a good deal of the planning ourselves. We thought that because we were having a smaller, somewhat straightforward event (ceremony and reception at the same space, no wedding party) that we wouldn't need a coordinator. 4 months out from the wedding we realized how overwhelming so many of the smaller details were becoming and decided we needed help. It was such a good decision. Looking back it seems crazy that we thought we didn't need a coordinator. We had initial had calls with 3 coordinators, including Elise. She was by far the most thorough and detail-oriented. She wanted to understand where we were at with the planning and what we needed/expected from her. She instantly made us feel at ease and taken care of, answering questions and offering ideas from the very start. We could tell that we'd have a very personal and thoughtful experience with Elise just based on her approach to our first call and we weren't wrong. Elise met us for venue walkthroughs to discuss layout, flow, timing, etc. She recommended vendors for some of our outstanding needs and also offered her expertise or guidance on certain decisions that we'd had on the back burner. She made our timeline and worked with all our vendors to ensure they were where they needed to be and at the right time. She's super responsive and checked in many times during those 4 months to see if we needed anything or were feeling stressed. It alleviated SO MUCH stress to know we had someone in our corner we could turn to with questions or concerns. Aside from being extremely detail oriented and organized, one of Elise's big strengths is how intuitive she is. She was able to understand us as a couple and what we needed. You certainly don't get a one size fits all experience with Elise. She is great at reading people and offering exactly what they need. My partner and I weren't "OMG RAH-RAH WEDDING" people. We were excited of course, but had a more low key approach to it all. I was nervous that a coordinator would really push that stereotypical "omg wedding" vibe on us or make us feel bad for not being that way. Elise totally read our energy and offered us the perfect vibe back. I have no doubt that she tailors to each couple so that they have an experience appropriate to their personalities and needs. Another example - the only time I got a bit stressed at our wedding was during the family photos. She could quickly sense that I was getting overwhelmed/frazzled and took me somewhere quiet and private before the ceremony to relax for a few minutes. Small things like that made such a huge difference to our overall experience and moods for the day. Elise did an amazing job. The wedding ran like clockwork. She's everything a wedding coordinator should be but offers even more in that she's a kind, caring, and intuitive person. She really takes the time to get to know you, help you, and make sure your wedding is what you want. You won't regret hiring her! Thanks Elise!!

We were seeking a DJ and photo booth for our wedding - this team was able to jump in and quickly deliver a variety of well-thought-out options with various price points, options and guaranteed availability for our date. They made the process of choosing our DJ and photo booth seamless, efficient, and a total breeze. Would absolutely leverage again and instill full confidence/trust in their research and recommendations. Thank you!

My Fiance and I just had our first consultation with Elise and Kourtney, and we could not have been more pleased! They were extremely organized, professional, and supportive. They came to the meeting with great ideas that matched our vision. We felt like they really took the time to get to know us as a couple. They took notes throughout the meeting and sent us an organized copy, along with tips and guides that will keep us on track. We now have a clearer vision of what needs to be done in the coming months. We are so thankful for all that Elise and Kourtney have done so far. They are a perfect team, and we would recommend them to anyone!