Shannon Gail Weddings and Events

Brie Vainisi of Shannon Gail Events in Chicago was our event coordinator for our daughter’s wedding in August 2024. Because of her, we were able to enjoy a worry-free wedding day and two month lead-up to the big day. She is incredibly organized, responsive and well-informed about venues, vendors, timelines, tastings, etc. - not to mention sore dancing feet (her solution: a basket of flip-flops at the reception), how to move all the excess “keeper” wedding stuff back to our hotel (she took care of it), and so much more – basically every wedding issue imaginable. Brie was with us at the rehearsal, the church ceremony and the reception venue, and handled everything so perfectly. She thought of all potential issues before we did and handled them in her efficient way, while always remaining upbeat and friendly to all. Call Brie, she’s the best!

Working with Brie at Shannon Gail completely made my wedding day--Brie was my day-of coordinator, but knew everything about my wedding as if she was there from Day 1. It was awesome to work with her--her genuine joy for our special day was a tone-setter in every room/conversation, and her ability to pivot and be agile when I dropped the ball was incredibly impressive. 100/10!

I could actually cry thinking about how amazing it was working with Ceceila as my Day of Coordinator. She helped with recommendations anytime I asked her leading up to the wedding (far out in advance) and would even hop on the call with me prior to her two month out starting point. I am a very anxious bride so we were in constant communication and she was so helpful with everything and anything we needed. She helped keep the last minute to-dos manageable and kept us organized. She was so flexible to work with as well. The day of our wedding went without a hitch and I completely give her credit for that. Even some of our guests said they've never been to a wedding where everything was SO on time. I'll never forget her coming into the bridal suite and asking me if I'm ready to get married (pictured). She felt like a best friend when the wedding was all said and done. Could not recommend working with Ceceila more!

Marie made our wedding day what it was. From the first time we met her, she was so friendly, helpful, and communicative. She ensured that our wedding was everything we wanted it to be and so much more. Her kindness and attention to detail was invaluable and we are so grateful for everything she did for us from communicating with vendors to support on the day of the wedding. She even went above and beyond on our wedding day to ensure that everything was in place, including by moving large flower arrangements. I truly cannot recommend Shannon Gail Events and specifically Marie enough. She is the absolute best!!

We cannot recommend Kelly O’Bryan enough! She was an incredible planner and close friend throughout the whole process. Incredibly attentive to details, considerate, proactive, solutions-oriented, and kind…you won’t find a better planner for your big day!

I simply do not have words to describe how wonderful Brie and the Shannon Gail team was. Our wedding would not have been the same without Brie. From the minute she started, Brie was attentive, responsive, kind, understanding, and on top of EVERYTHING! She was a tremendous resource and had an answer to every single question we asked (and usually within 2 minutes). Every step of the way she was organized, communicative and supportive of my and my husbands vision. I have so so many example of how incredible she was but it’s probably best summed up by the fact that she drove out of her way to pick up my veil that was accidentally left in Chicago and brought it to our wedding. Our wedding was also the week of the global tech outage and every single cancellation that came up she handled in stride and communicated to our vendors so I didn’t have to worry. She handled every problem and question with grace and calm and was the best right hand lady I ever could have had. As a Type A, OCD bride I had an extremely high bar for a wedding planner and I couldn’t have asked for better if I tried. Our guests RAVED about Brie and her team and how professional and knowledgeable they were. She went the extra mile in every single area and I truly couldn’t have gotten through the last few months without her. I truly miss talking to her every day as she’s become a close friend. Do not hesitate for a SECOND to book with Shannon Gail and Brie!!!

Working with Shannon Gale Events, especially our planner Marie, was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. From the very beginning, my family and friends noticed how at ease I was in the planning process, and that is all because of Marie. I loved that Shannon Gale Events has a la carte options, which allowed us to customize the services to our needs. Marie is a natural at what she does. She made sure all tasks were considered and completed well ahead of schedule. I appreciated her guidance and support given her wealth of knowledge and relationships in the wedding industry. Marie’s coordination with our vendors and creation of a day of time made for a seamless day. Thanks to Marie and assistant Ellie, I was able to cherish every moment of our special day without a worry in the world. Their warmth and genuine care truly made for an unforgettable wedding experience.

Marie at Shannon Gail was my wedding planner and she was phenomenal! I appreciated her attention to detail, organization and advice leading up to the wedding and absolutely loved her calming presence the day of the wedding! Marie had such a bright and welcoming personality that got along with everyone in my wedding party and immediate family. I couldn’t recommend her enough!!

To use Brie’s words, working with Brie was “a dream”. Working with Shannon Gail was the best decision that we possibly could have made for our wedding. Every part of our wedding day that Brie touched went flawlessly. It is one thing to solve problems and be organized, but it was something even more to help us to stay calm and relaxed. Brie made every potentially stressful situation that popped up a non-issue. She was calm and efficient, highly organized, extremely communicative & we never doubted her follow through. She took a tremendous amount of stress off our shoulders & extra care to arrange moments that we will remember forever. We felt professionally managed & personally cared for all at once, from surprise wedding dates to blister emergencies. We would recommend Brie, with Shannon Gail, wholeheartedly to anyone looking for wedding planning assistance.

I loved working with the SG team, specifically our planner Marie. Marie went above and beyond to make sure our day was perfect. She was so helpful in all the planning leading up to our wedding day - from finding the perfect vendors to match our vision to being thought partners about design / floor plans / logistics / everything. During our wedding weekend, Marie thought of every detail and was so accommodating. For instance, we had some last minute drop outs due to sickness and Marie was so good about coordinating with our caterer and design team to make adjustments to our seating chart. During our wedding day, I had a little wardrobe malfunction and Marie was there in seconds with safety pins and a sewing kit. She was such a calming presence during our wedding. We'd highly recommend Marie and the SG team to anyone!

I don’t even know where to start!! Hiring Shannon Gail Events was the best decision I made!!! Christine was the coordinator that I worked with and she was AMAZING! I can’t tell you how many compliments I got from my family and wedding party of how smooth and organized the day was! She kept me calm all day long and I couldn’t have gotten through the day without her by my side! Would recommend Shannon Gail Events over and over again for anyone in the Chicago area needing wedding planning help! Thank you again, Christine, for helping make our wedding day truly PERFECT!

If I could give Shannon & her team (especially our planner Brie) 100000/100000 I would😭❤️ they were so incredible and seamless to work with. Once Shannon assigned Brie and I together every detail fell right into place for our wedding! Brie was straight down to business and made sure everything got done way ahead of time. On the actual wedding day she made sure I was enjoying every moment and took care of everything else. She was seriously the BEST to work with and so so so sweet. I cannot recommend them enough worth every penny to get a wedding planner/ coordinator for your special day (especially someone from the Shannon Gail team!) thanks for making our wedding the best day!

My son and daughter-in law were married last weekend where Haven was the coordinator. She was kind, prompt and top of everything! My son was not convinced a coordinator was necessary but was so thankful they hired her, he said they couldn't have done it without her! Zach said she thought of things they never would have thought of. Thank you Haven for helping to make Zach and Kims wedding such a beautiful event!

I was in a wedding where Haven was th coordinator and she was incredible this past weekend. I would highly recommend Haven, she was friendly, personable, and most importantly on top of every little detail!

Working with Shannon Gail Events, and our incredible planner Cecelia, was one of the absolute best decisions we made for our wedding. During my initial call with Shannon, she detailed all of my different options to move forward (without any pressure to do so!) and immediately put me at ease answering all of my initial questions. I knew from how easy the call was that I had to work with them, and Shannon suggested that we work with Cecelia based on our vision for the wedding and the general vibes—and we couldn’t be happier! We had opted for coordination services, which started two months before the wedding, and also opted for some additional help with creating a timeline to help us get to that point. From the very beginning, Cecelia helped to prioritize based on what we had already done and what there was left to do.We were so excited to work with her from the first call, when we immediately clicked. Once we got into the actual coordination services, Cecelia took over all vendor communications, and truly exemplified her expertise and professionalism. On any vendor calls or meetings, she always made sure to check in with me before and after to make sure we were on the same page and that we were happy with everything going on. In the months leading up to the big day, having Cecelia on our team helped to alleviate all of the anticipated wedding stresses. For the actual wedding day, we could not sing her praises enough—I trusted her 10000% to handle any issues, and I truly felt like I was able to enjoy the day. She navigated us through our timeline and day perfectly, making sure that my husband and I didn’t see each other before the ceremony, that everything was set up, and that all of the vendors were where they were supposed to be and had what they needed (and so much more). For the actual wedding and reception, she timed everything out perfectly—our guests even commented on how well the evening flowed! Cecelia seriously went above and beyond throughout the entire process, and her positive, kind demeanor made everything so easy and so fun. Also, huge shout out to Ellie, who helped make sure the day was perfect and hyped us up throughout!! We couldn’t imagine working with any other planner, and we’re so excited we got the chance to work with this amazing team.

We worked with Christine from Shannon Gail for our wedding in April of 2024 and I quite literally cannot recommend her and the company enough. I actually have already told all my friends getting married to work with them. She was absolutely amazing and blew everyone away with how calm, kind, and organized she was with everything, leaving the bridal party and guests with just the job of having fun. Cannot recommend Christine and Shannon Gail Events enough. I honestly wish I was getting married again so that I could work with them again.

I don't have any sisters, but I had an AMAZING support system around me throughout my wedding planning process. That said, NOTHING compared to having Cecelia by my side. After our first call, I literally teared up because I felt like I had a sister who was as invested in the minor details of this wedding as I was. Cecelia embraced our wedding vision wholeheartedly, and even when my husband tossed out some farfetched ideas (some that I thought wouldn't be possible...) she encouraged us and turned them into a reality. Our wedding day would not have been the incredible production people still talk about four months later if it weren't for her! My husband and I not only found an exceptional wedding planner, but also a dear friend. My dad was so impressed and grateful for her role in orchestrating all the chaos to deliver the most perfect day we could ever imagine. Cecelia was professional, organized, always ten steps ahead, and in control of every detail. Despite thinking I had everything under control, I quickly realized I was in over my head. Cecelia genuinely felt like a sister to me in the months leading up to and on the day of the wedding. She was always willing to hop on a call at ANY time and readily assisted with every task on my never-ending to-do list. On the day of the wedding, everything went so smoothly that if any hiccups came up, I did not even know about them – Cecelia and her team were already on it. That's the kind of energy you need on a day with so many moving parts. When budgeting for your wedding, you might wonder if you need a planner. I hadn't realized just how essential a planner was until Cecelia stepped in. We are FOREVER grateful for this incredible addition to our day and for the lasting memories Cecelia helped create. She truly brought all our wedding dreams to life. Save yourself the stress and book Shannon Gail's team now!

Shannon Gail Weddings was the best investment that we made! Our planner, Marie, was absolutely the best! As the MOB, I appreciated that Marie was always there for us, spending the time and energy to ensure my daughter’s (and her husband’s) vision of their perfect wedding celebration was realized! I honestly do not have enough superlatives to properly describe our experience. Having an amazing wedding planner is essential, and we will be forever grateful for all the assistance and guidance provided by Marie!

We are so grateful to have had Christine as our wedding planner. She turned our vision into reality and made our wedding day flawless. Her calming presence was a blessing, especially when nerves were running high. We couldn't have done it without her support and expertise. If we had to do it all over again, Christine would be our top choice, without a doubt!!

We cannot recommend Shannon Gail Events enough. We met with Samantha for an initial power planning session. This helped us SO much as we started our wedding planning journey. We weren’t sure we wanted to spend the money on a day of coordinator (+2 months before wedding) but we are so so beyond happy that we did. Samantha was attentive, listened to what we wanted, handled all the details including timeline, coordinating with vendors, and making sure all the details (like insurance) was in place. On the day of we just woke up, the rest was taken care of for us. One of the biggest compliments we got was from our on site coordinator, who has been in the industry for many years but hadn’t worked with Samantha before. After our final walk through she told us that Samantha was AWESOME, that she was super organized, on top of everything, asked the right questions, and was easy to work with. That confirmed for us that we were working with the right team. If you are thinking about hiring Shannon Gail Events for your wedding, just do it. It is worth every penny and saved us so much stress. Thank you!!

I had the privilege of working with Marie Straquadine from Shannon Gail Events to help plan our dream wedding. WOW! I cannot say enough positive things about her and her quality of service. Truly, we were blown away. Her friendly demeanor, positive attitude, insane attention to detail, organizational skills and pure talent she shared with us in planning and coordinating our wedding was absolutely remarkable. I couldn't have done it without her. She kept me calm and always was there when I had a million questions and tasks for her. She never hesitated to take the load off my shoulders and gave way more to us than her job required her to do. She was extremely detailed in her work which made the day run as smoothly as it could possibly be. I don't think I have ever worked with someone who went that above and beyond. She far exceeded our expectations all with a smile and cheerful personality. She was worth every penny and honestly is worth SO much more! If something was off, she quickly adapted and found a solution without us noticing a thing. I am not easily impressed but when we began working with Marie and especially on the big day, she blew us away. The level of detail is UNREAL. As a bride, I couldn't have dreamed of a better person to make our dreams a reality. She is there to support you, schedule and communicate with your vendors, take care of all the to do lists, guest lists, payments, schedules, give you ideas when you need it most, quick to give advice and recommendations that are in line with your vision and truly cares to learn more about you. She was spectacular. Even my husband who is not easily impressed, could not believe her quality of work. We are so thankful to have found Shannon Gail Events, but more importantly to have met Marie. She was always on time, overly prepared to every meeting & incredibly quick in her tasks and responses. The planning really is top tier and incredibly useful as you approach closer to the day. I have a full time career as a Doctor, so my time and energy was limited. The timeline we created together was outstanding and was something I truly needed to give myself peace of mind of how the day would go. When you feel burnt out, she is there guiding you every step of the way. She made all of my visions come to life. If you are thinking of using someone to help coordinate your day but also help fine tune all the details months in advance, take care of the essentials, pack everything back where they belong so you don't have to worry about a thing but enjoy, do not hesitate to reach out to Shannon Gail Events and especially Marie S. Thank you to Shannon, Erin and of course Marie for doing a stellar job! I am forever grateful for you ladies!

I had the pleasure of working with Lindsay Green to coordinate my wedding. From the initial phone call I knew that my wedding was in the best hands possible. She is extremely organized, using a highly detailed sheet to map out (down to the minute) your entire day! I felt so confident my vision would come to life with Lindsay. She has many years of experience in the wedding industry and was able to answer hundreds of questions and concerns easily. She supplied contact information for various wedding personnel (I.e transportation companies, DJs, florists). She navigated through initial walk through us and took the lead when dealing with staff at the reception venue. She was available at all times of the day for us to reach out with a question or concern and she replied in a timely manner. There was so much I didn’t realize went into planning for one day, but Lindsay knew everything and kept my worries at ease. Her detailed timing, organization and communication with the staff, our bridal party, church coordinators, photographer, DJ, caterers and us allowed for a seamless wedding day - leaving the bride and groom able to enjoy it rather than worry! Couldn’t recommend her services more. - Anne

Collaborating with SHANNON GAIL proved to be the most valuable investment in our wedding planning journey. Kelly O’Bryan, in particular, orchestrated our day flawlessly. Prior to the wedding, Kelly met with my mom and me weekly, diligently ensuring we stayed on track with both time and budget. Her creative insights allowed us to achieve our desired look and feel for our special day, while staying within budget. Kelly's established rapport with our vendors facilitated a smooth process from start to finish. Even when our cake fell through a week before the wedding, she swiftly provided a backup solution. Not to mention, Kelly even brought a beautiful faux fur dog bed on the wedding day so our dog, Honey, could be comfortable. Kelly went above and beyond, and we are forever grateful for her exceptional care and attention to every detail, making our special day truly unforgettable.

Hiring Shannon Gail as our wedding planner was one of the best decisions we made! Lindsay, our planner, was so integral in making our day absolutely perfect. She helped us in almost every decision during our year of planning from booking the venue, finalizing our details, suggesting amazing ideas to bustling my dress! Most of all, she kept us sane throughout the whole process (especially the day of!). Having Lindsay there allowed us to enjoy our wedding day, without having to worry about any of the little details. Set up, take down, mid-day coffee runs - she did it all for our 400 person wedding! Lastly, she was an amazing friend and an absolute pleasure to work with. Hire Shannon Gail Weddings for your event!

Shannon Gail, and specifically Cecelia (who was our planner), were an absolute joy to work with. From day one, they entire team was responsive and friendly - definitely nice to have someone by your side to help with things along the way. On the day of the wedding, it was as if Cecelia knew what I was going to ask for before even asking! She was so attentive, calm, organized, and overall great to work with. Not sure what we would have done without her. Having someone who know the venue so well (Cafe Brauer) was also a huge plus. Nothing but great things to say about the Shannon Gail - would recommend them to anyone looking for wedding planning help in the Chicago area!

I was lucky to work with Cecelia from Shannon Gail for my wedding in December. From our first conversation, we hit it off so well! Cecelia was so professional, detail oriented and truly cared about the vision of our wedding and we wouldn’t have had the most perfect day without her! Cecelia made everything so easy and made me feel so comfortable. She attended multiple zoom meetings, phone calls and the walkthrough with me and she knew all the right questions to ask. I trusted her with everything! It was honestly like having your best friend take care of every detail the day of while you could sit back and enjoy the full day. All vendors went to Cecelia with questions and she handled everything! She timed everything perfectly down to the second and when we were about to do our entrance and I mentioned I was thirsty she sprinted across to the side bar and grabbed me a glass of water before we walked out to do our cake cutting and then first dance. Cecelia went above and beyond before, during and even AFTER our wedding when we had gotten a double charge from the hotel. Cecelia was so professional and I truly consider her a friend after the event. We’re still in touch and I will be forever grateful to her for holding everything together. Cecelia is amazing and words cannot describe how much admiration I have for her. She’s an expert and if you have the chance to work with her do not pass it up!

My biggest piece of advice to any bride, BOOK SHANNON GAIL EVENTS. We got married 11/18/23 in Wilmette and our day of planner was Brie. She started two months out, was point of contact with all vendors and was truly amazing! She was genuinely so excited for us and was so personable and very detail oriented. I said I needed someone one step ahead of everything and she was exactly that! She communicated effectively with all the vendors and us, and executed our timeline perfectly. We are so grateful for SG and especially Brie!

Shannon Gail was AMAZING!! I worked with Marie Stradquine and she was the best day of coordinator ever. She kept me on track leading up to the wedding and was so organized! My mom and MIL raved about her after the wedding. She made our day go as smoothly as possible. Even my husband was impressed with the day of schedule and how on top of everything she was. Love love love Shannon Gail and Marie!

We hired Shannon Gail for our October wedding at the ULCC. They were a preferred vendor through the Club and we noticed their work in numerous wedding albums during our planning process. We were paired with Cecelia for day of coordination and she was absolutely wonderful to work with! She was invaluable with her guidance, experience, and attention to detail. She was supportive through the ups/downs but was always honest with us throughout planning and gave us a nudge when we needed it! She was knowledgable and insightful as we navigated contracts, made decisions, and made sure we were taken care of the day of our wedding. We could not be happier with her, her team, and the package we chose through Shannon Gail. We would highly recommend their group and wish we could do it all again!

I could not recommend working with Shannon Gail events more! My husband and I had such a positive and seamless experience working with our coordinator, Christine, on our wedding. She and the team are so organized and on top of all the little details that could get over looked. She was wonderful to work with and made us feel super comfortable throughout the whole process. The day it's self was beyond perfect and everyone, vendors included, knew exactly where to be when and we couldn't have done it without her! Cheers, Allie

Christine Cosette and Shannon Gail Events were the masterminds behind our incredible wedding. I did not think that I would need a wedding planner when I first embarked on this journey. As I got further into the process, I realized that I needed help. Looking back on the entire experience, it is crystal clear that having a phenomenal wedding planner is CRITICAL. There are not enough words to describe how impressed we were with Christine. Our planning was stress-free with her guidance. Her attention to detail, concise, prompt, and always pleasant communication, and wonderful ideas kept us on track, inspired, and loving the entire process. There were so many moving parts, and Christine juggled them all with ease. She attended our vendor meetings and venue walk-through. She made a beautiful minute-by-minute timeline for our vendors and handled their parking, meals, and questions. She directed our rehearsal and ensured that our welcome event was beautiful the night before the wedding. Christine was a calm, kind, and positive presence throughout the entire wedding weekend. I was able to be present and relaxed the entire time, which I attribute entirely to her brilliant planning and gentle reminders about what was coming up next. She ensured that I was fed, hydrated, and caffeinated, that our guests and wedding party had everything they needed and always knew where they needed to be. She even sewed my bow to my dress when I had my doubts that it would remain secured during the first dance. Her assistant, Haven, was also fabulous. It was an absolute gift to have such talented, genuinely kind, and wonderful people as Christine and Haven as our support during the most magical weekend of our lives. You need this team. Worth every penny.

I had the pleasure of working with Christine Cossette from Shannon Gail Events for my July 2nd wedding! I could not recommend Christine and Shannon Gail Events more. We had our original call with Shannon when we were vetting which planner group we wanted to work with, and immediately my (now) husband and I said we felt the most comfortable with the services she was offering, as well as her honest approach and outlook during the conversation. We were looking for a "day of" package which actually had the planner starting 2 months out from our wedding date. This was something I didn't know I needed but was SO glad to have. It was the perfect time to "pass" everything over and truly helped immensely with getting organized in those last couple of months. We also added a task list to our package along with help with transportation & hotel blocks as "a la carte" items. We were paired with Christine who was amazing from the start! After we were introduced, she sent a super detailed task list (organized by month, then weeks) that became my bible for 7 months. She also seamlessly handled the hotel block and transportation process (two things which stressed me out the most). She was extremely helpful, kind, detail-oriented, organized, quick, communicative, and POSITIVE - I cannot stress enough how much her positivity helped me throughout the process (including NASCAR being on the same weekend/a flash flood on the wedding day). She even went as far as helping me re-curl my hair after said-flash flood. Her and her day-of assistant, Geena, were everything we could have asked for and more! We have received a number of compliments about their services and we absolutely recommend them to any couple looking for a wedding planner!

Samantha from Shannon Gail was absolutely amazing! From the initial interview, we knew that using Shannon Gail would be a perfect fit. Samantha is extremely knowledgable, experienced, and well versed in the wedding industry. Throughout the entire planning process, she was always happy to answer questions I had, even before her initial start date. Samantha's level of organization and communication is top notch! My mom and I cannot thank Samantha enough for answering our frequent calls and texts! We so valued her guidance and advice, especially for the small details that come up so close to the wedding. The day of the wedding, Samantha ensured everything ran as seamless as possible. Samantha is truly someone you want to be surrounding you on your wedding day. She carries such a calm, positive presence that is so needed on your special day. When we got back to our hotel room, she had brought everything back to our room, picked up the space, AND left two slices of cake in the fridge!!! We were nearly crying of happiness! Beyond her professionalism and expertise at wedding planning, Samantha is extremely kind, genuine, and hilarious. She was a joy to work with and I cannot imagine having any other wedding planner for our special day! Thank you Samantha!!!

Kelly from Shannon Gail was absolutely fabulous. My Mom and I were so pleased with her! As a bride who was pretty laid back with decisions, Kelly knew the things that I really cared about/wanted and did everything she could to get them...even when I was too afraid to ask for them myself. She made the process of everything so easy for us. She was easy to talk with and could see what I was picturing without me doing a great job of explaining it. She was so on top of everything that truly I never worried about anything logistics wise when it came to the wedding. She was very responsive with communication and very flexible with schedules. We trusted her completely. I HIGHLY recommend doing at least the 2 month out package, it is WELLLLL worth it! Truthfully, I'm gonna miss Kelly! She became someone that you could consider a friend the last 2 months and I think that is really so important. She was so kind to my entire family and fiancé. Even when our family puppy passed away unexpectedly the week of the wedding she was there with a hug, kind words and beautiful flowers. Kelly went above and beyond. We cannot thank you enough! Love, Sloane + Rob

We worked with Cecelia from Shannon Gail for our wedding in Chicago and she exceeded our expectations. We wanted a really nontraditional wedding in a pretty traditional wedding space and relied heavily on Cecelia's expertise and connections to create the environment we were wanting. Cecelia never hesitated to coordinate our dream wedding but also had so many helpful tips during the planning phase and even created a mood board for me to send to vendors because she knew that it was out of my comfort zone. The wedding weekend was absolutely perfect because of all the hard work Cecelia put into our events and we are so grateful Shannon Gail matched us with her - we loved her! The only thing we wish we could have done differently is invite Cecelia to our wedding so she could have enjoyed it with us!!

Shannon Gail for the win! Haven was our wedding planner and we couldn't of gotten luckier to have her. It was quite the undertaking to help plan and corral 225 people for a wedding, but she did it down to the every last detail. Her presence was calm (which was immense for us), direct, and oozing in positivity. We would of been lost without her throughout the process. I can't recommend choosing Shannon Gail and specifically Haven to make our vision come to life! Thanks again!

RUN, don't walk, to book Marie Straquadine of Shannon Gail Events as your wedding planner!!! From the moment we started working with Marie it was clear that she is incredibly experienced and that we had made an excellent decision. Marie truly listened to our preferences and never forgot a single detail that we shared. She had a point of view and clear response to every question we asked, which made it so easy for us to make decisions and feel confident in them. Marie suggested the perfect vendors for us based on our vision for the day and managed all of the communication and coordination which kept the process stress free and enjoyable for us. Marie was incredibly organized, kind, supportive, and fun throughout the planning process, and always, ALWAYS made herself available to help us with whatever we needed. Our families and wedding party were all blown away by how seamlessly she fit in on wedding day and so calmly ensured that everyone knew where they needed to be and what they needed to be doing at all times - we are eternally grateful this didn't fall on us! On top of making sure the day was flawless (literally, nothing went wrong), she also managed to take hundreds of photos and videos which she immediately shared with us after the wedding - it was such a thoughtful, special touch! In the weeks leading up to the wedding, so many of our friends commented on how calm we seemed, and that is all thanks to Marie. We were able to be truly present for the duration of our wedding weekend and will be forever grateful for that. Working with Marie was hands down the best decision we made throughout the wedding planning process - it was an absolutely outstanding experience and we wouldn't change a thing!

We worked with Kelly from Shannon Gail and had the best experience. As a VERY anxious bride, I couldn’t have asked for a better day of coordinator. Kelly was very calm, patient and professional. She handled everything I threw at her with ease and made my day exactly as I dreamt it would be. Kelly made me feel as though she was my friend, there to take charge when I needed her to, calm me when I was frantic, dealt with any mishaps like a pro and let me gossip about everyone stressing me out that day. She truly was such a dream to work with!

We worked with Kelly and I couldn't have asked for a more amazing wedding coordinator! As a type-A bride myself, I was nervous about handing things over to someone else to run but Kelly’s attention to detail, organizational skills, and calm demeanor eased my nerves and she made our wedding weekend flawless. From start to finish, she was an absolute gem. She always made herself available and turned around responses very quickly. She made the months leading up to the wedding so much less stressful, coordinating with vendors and being the other half of my brain. We always felt like our wedding was top priority for her. During the wedding weekend, she ensured everything ran smoothly, handling all unexpected bumps with poise and efficiency, allowing us to fully enjoy every moment. She even helped my MIL plan a spectacular rehearsal dinner and welcome party event the night before the wedding. Throughout the whole process, there was not a challenge too big for Kelly to handle. Her professionalism and warm personality made her a pleasure to work with. We are forever grateful for her expertise and dedication in making our wedding day truly unforgettable. Kelly really made the wedding weekend of our dreams come true and I could not recommend Shannon Gail enough!!

Marie was amazing! We worked with her for day of coordination, which included her stepping in two months prior to our wedding. She was always on top of everything, whether it was coordinating and finalizing details with vendors, or ensuring we had all decisions made and situations resolved in a timely and stress-free manner. On the day of our wedding, she made sure that the timeline was followed and all events fell into place. We didn't feel like we needed to think about anything, which really allowed us to soak in and enjoy the day. Marie is incredibly personable and a joy to work with. We cannot recommend her enough!

Where do we even start?! We were new to the city of Chicago wedding scene so finding a venue and planning a wedding with no background information was tough and a lot to handle. When we first started working with Shannon Gail Weddings and Events we knew right away that we were in good hands. We had the pleasure and honor of working with Cecelia from the very start of finding our perfect wedding venue (toured 17 to be exact) and day of coordination. Throughout the whole experience Cecelia was patient, helpful, knowledgeable, and trustworthy. It was the perfect balance of being involved without being too overwhelming. At times things would get hectic and Cecelia's passion for planning, organizing, and having fun while she worked truly shined. She saved us during the wedding planning process and made it seamless, not stressful, and enjoyable while working through all the big, small, and everything in between. She stuck to our timeline, made realistic goals that were achievable, and did it all with a smile on her face. She was not just our wedding planner but someone we would consider as a close friend. She was always positive and easy to work with! She was our #1 hype girl and biggest supporter! I have nothing but amazing things to say about Cecelia and Shannon Gail's team! I cannot recommend them enough! Thank you for all that you do and making our wedding day dreams come true! Xoxo Natalie and Mitch (See pictures of when Cecelia drove me to our private first look spot, helping me with my heavy dress, and when she saved us after family photos with water and food)

Kelly was amazing to work with….professional, positive, incredibly valuable in planning the rehearsal dinner for me as I lived out of town. Her follow through, communication, value were exceptional!

My experience was amazing with Kelly O’Bryan and Shannon Gail events! Multiple people had told me to use them and I would tell anyone the same. I had Kelly start 2 months prior to the wedding and she couldn’t have been kinder and more organized. She was so on top of everything and kept me sane leading up to the big day. On the big day, I didn’t have a worry in the world and everything went perfectly. They are truly fantastic!

We cannot say enough good things about Marie Straquadine and Shannon Gail! Marie worked with us for months to plan our May 2023 wedding at the Adler Planetarium (as well as helped us find a location for our Friday night welcome event) -- and it was all perfect, thanks to her! Marie was meticulously organized and communicative, making sure we were always meeting deadlines, answering our (sometimes constant) questions, and constantly juggling multiple different vendors and tasks at once. She listened to all of our requests and ideas, and did everything she could to help us execute our vision for our wedding. When any issues came up, she was quick to come up with alternate solutions. Most importantly, the day of our wedding, Marie had a detailed plan and made sure everything ran seamlessly -- she made it so that we were not stressed at all and could just enjoy the day. And while doing all of this, Marie was always friendly, supportive, and had a smile on her face :) Overall, hiring Marie and SG was one of the best decisions we made in planning our wedding -- if you're on the fence, hire them!!

Working with Cecelia at Shannon Gail was the best decision we could have made in our wedding planning process! We cannot express enough how much she helped us through the ups and downs of planning our Chicago wedding from afar. She helped pair us with the perfect vendors- our photographer, band, and florist, to name a few- and was so patient with us as we had trouble deciding on things! I can 100% say we would have never been able to find such perfect fits for our wedding day or stay organized without her. She also helped us create the whole vision for our wedding, which I was having trouble putting into words- the Style Guide that she put together as part of the early planning process was SO cool and really helped me imagine the look and feel of our wedding day! And while working with Cecelia throughout this WHOLE process was such a joy, it was the most obvious on our actual wedding day that she was truly irreplaceable! She was calm and confident and thought of every last minute detail- I truly didn't have to think about anything other than getting married!! We're so grateful for all her help making our day so special and cannot recommend her enough.

It is evident when reading the reviews for Shannon Gail just how consistent their team is when it comes to service. I do not even know where to begin with how wonderful the team was and how thankful we were to have them be a part of our big day. We initially were unsure about hiring a day-of coordinator, but I am so glad we did. We spent hours researching, interviewing, and booking vendors - hiring the SG team was by far the best decision we made. Christine was EXCEPTIONAL, and I cannot imagine our day without her. She took the time to get to know us, she listened carefully and paid attention so intently, she understood our vision for the day, and took care of so many things behind-the-scenes for us (some of which I am sure I don't even know about). We also had the opportunity to meet and work with Brie who is just a delight. She was so organized, did not shy away from any job, and had a smile on her face the entire day. Having Christine and Brie be a part of our day fully allowed us to focus on what was most important: each other and spending time with our loved ones. We were completely free of worrying about small details, logistics, or issues and that honestly was the best gift we could have asked for. They both made the day so enjoyable, positive, and calm, and I am so glad we made the decision to work with Shannon Gail. I would recommend their team 1000 times over and to any of our friends or family. Entirely worth the investment!

Working with Cecelia at Shannon Gail was the absolute best decision we made for our wedding celebration in June 2023! We chose to work with Shannon Gail because of their a la carte service options; we wanted help beyond just the day of the wedding, but didn't need partial or full planning services, so Shannon Gail was the perfect fit. We started working with Cecelia 18 months prior to our wedding and she helped us set and maintain our wedding budget, choose all our vendors via a curated and cohesive vendor guide and of course, plan and execute our wedding day. In addition to all the qualities that make an excellent wedding planner (e.g. organized, detailed oriented, etc.), Cecelia is kind, thoughtful and so much fun to work with! She was extremely responsive to any and all communications and we consistently felt that she went above and beyond the services spelled out in our agreement. Our rehearsal and wedding day were completely flawless thanks to Cecelia and the Shannon Gail team. We're so grateful to them for making our wedding day the best day ever!!

My wedding day and the weeks leading up to it were practically stress free thanks to Shannon Gail! They helped seamlessly coordinate everything and kept us on track with our planning and timeline. We worked with Marie Straquadine leading up to our wedding and on the day of. She was amazing and made our wedding day so easy and fun! Paying for a planner and working with Shannon Gail was worth every penning and I would highly recommend them.

Working with Shannon Gail was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. Kelly O'Bryan was our coordinator and was truly amazing. From the beginning of planning, she offered so much advice and expertise that we really relied on in choosing our vendors. During the 6o days leading up to our wedding, she was instrumental in keeping us calm and excited, not stressed. She handled so many emails for us and we felt so at ease knowing she had things handled. We received so many compliments from our parents and bridal party at how wonderful she was. We are so thankful for Kelly, our wedding wouldn't have been the same without her!

My husband and I were married in Chicago on June 10, 2023 and Bridget Rogers from Shannon Gail was our planner. She helped us plan an intimate family ceremony on Thursday evening, a large welcome party on Friday evening and of course the actual wedding day on Saturday. In short, the wedding weekend went off without a hitch and was a smashing success. Much of that success is due to Bridget. She is a seasoned planner/leader, has great instincts and industry relationships, has access to an unbelievable cadre of vendors, is business/budget oriented and is also so very creative. Bridget always went above and beyond for us and is an absolute joy to work with. If you're looking for a planner, look no further. Go with Shannon Gail. You will never regret it. And thanks to Bridget! We're so grateful for you!

Working with Shannon Gail Events for our wedding was an outstanding experience and we would recommend them to anyone planning their wedding. From the first interviews, we were impressed with the professionalism of both Shannon and our wedding planner Lindsay. All materials were readily available to us throughout the entire process, all recommended vendors were excellent, and they made sure to meet with us often to keep us on top of our planning. The personalized budget and vision book were extremely helpful in organizing our approach throughout. Beyond their excellence and professionalism, we truly appreciated getting to know our planner as an individual. Lindsay was exceptionally kind, accommodating, accessible, and respectful every step of the way. We could not have done the wedding without her help and her attention to detail helped us create a perfect wedding we will always cherish.

Hiring Shannon Gail and working with Marie Straquadine was the best decision we made throughout the wedding planning process. We worked with SG as a "day of coordinator" and it was such a great experience. Marie was so kind and organized throughout the whole process. Working with Marie took SO much stress off of my plate. Prior to working with SG, I was feeling very overwhelmed with wedding planning. Once Marie stepped in, I was able to relax and enjoy the last few months leading up to the wedding. Everything went so smooth the day of and we received so many compliments about how smoothly the wedding went. I highly recommend using Shannon Gail! They know what they're doing!

From the minute we met Lindsay we knew we were in good hands. She is the consummate professional, she does everything with a quiet competence . She executes every aspect of wedding planning effortlessly with an absolute meticulous attention to detail. I never once had to look for her, she anticipated every need and kept us beautifully organized and informed without us even realizing she was doing it. And, she did all this with a light and joy that added to our special day. We can’t even imagine a more efficient , competent and congenial wedding planner. I promise I’m not related to her, but I would love to call her family. Maureen and Bob

I don't even know where to begin or if words can describe how thankful we are to have worked with Marie Straquadine at Shannon Gail Events. When I first started having consultations with day-of coordinators and planning companies around the city, I was so torn on who to go with. Shannon Gail was on the pricier side for the day-of coordinator packages, but deep down, my gut was telling me that it was worth the extra money and to go with them. I am SO glad that I did! Marie is the reason my wedding planning process was so stress-free. Even before she was technically supposed to begin (2-months before the wedding), she never batted an eye when I would email her questions asking for her opinions and advice. She went out of her way to support me before she officially started, and then kicked it in to overdrive at the 2-month out mark. She is the most detail-oriented and organized person that I have ever met, which meshed very well with my Type A personality and the need for having everything planned out. I never had to worry about anything knowing that Marie was handling it. On the day of the wedding, she helped keep my nerves calm and reassured me that everything was going flawlessly. She managed all vendors and truly executed on my vision. I have friends who are getting married, and they even noticed how wonderful Marie was and asked if she as available for their wedding date - that is how good she is!!! Additionally, her assistant, Erin, was truly incredible and they made such a great team! Thank you for making our wedding day one we will remember forever! It truly would not have been the same if it weren't for Marie and the Shannon Gail Team!

Hiring Shannon Gail Weddings for a "day of" coordinator was the best money we spent for our wedding, hands down. Our planner, Cecelia, made sure our day went off absolutely perfectly and helped us through the two months before our wedding so, so much. My husband and I were comfortable booking all of the vendors and doing all of the "big" stuff on our own, but having someone to help us through those final two months with all the nitty gritty details and help us with all of the things we didn't even know we needed to know was so incredibly helpful. Getting to know Cecelia throughout the process and chat with her was so lovely, and I would recommend her and Shannon Gail to anyone.

Where do I even begin! Working with Shannon Gail's team was the best choice we made. Cecelia was so wonderful to work with. She is extremely organized, responsive, and all around a genuinely wonderful person. Words can't even express about thankful we were to have had Cecelia throughout the process. She played a huge role in making our wedding day truly the best day ever.

It is quite hard to put into words how thankful we are for Shannon Gail Weddings and Events, especially Marie Straquadine. She took every worry or anxious thought off our plate and approached everything in the most calm and confident way. Her knowledge, organization and calm demeanor is what helped make our day so perfect. We are fairly confident the planning process and the wedding day would not have ran as smooth without Marie and her team. A million thanks to Shannon Gail, Marie and Tracy! We are eternally grateful! - Ryan & Maddie Fischer

It's hard to find the words to express how great it was to work with Stephanie for our wedding. She was so positive and supportive throughout the whole process. We were planning a wedding in Chicago from the east coast and Stephanie went the extra mile with zoom calls at odd hours and as our on-the-ground resource to check things out and put our minds at ease. Over a few months she really got to know us and our preferences and would always have thoughtful suggestions. When vendors were less than cooperative, Stephanie was our biggest advocate and convinced them to give us extra time or flexibility. She was incredibly organized and on top of all of the steps needed during the planning process. Stephanie laid out a full client folder complete with schedules, vendor lists, instructions for different processes, speech ideas, and more! She also helped us plan our welcome dinner and went above and beyond what was explicitly laid out in the contract (finding the venue) to help us rent equipment and plan the night. She was so generous with her time and did such an amazing job coordinating everything. We couldn't have asked for a better planner!

Marie Straquadine from Shannongail is simply amazing. She is calm, pleasant and organized. She made the months leading to the wedding as stress free as possible. The wedding day went off without a hitch because of her hard work and organization. I am quite sure she was the reason we were able to relax and enjoy the entire wedding.

This was such an amazing company to work with! So professional and up front with pricing...no surprises. My daughter's coordinator was out of this world. The event was flawless, and Lindsay took care of every single detail. We could not be happier!

Lindsay was the most phenomenal wedding planner I could have ever asked for! The most organized and detailed person and paid attention to every little part of my wedding! Highly recommend this company :)

I could talk for hours about how amazing my experience was working with Marie and the Shannon Gail team . As a type A semi control freak I was a little concerned about handing over responsibilities to someone else, but I couldn't be happier that I did. Not one single detail was missed and Marie was always one step ahead of me which gave me the confidence to relax and truly enjoy my wedding day! On top of the flawless execution, Marie was so calm and positive, it brought the best energy to the weekend. She went above and beyond to accommodate any ad hoc requests we had and she even gave me a full drive of photos the day after the event while we waited for our professional photos (which was absolutely incredible!). I have endless amazing things to say, but will close with - I would re-hire Marie 10 out of 10 times and don't think this wedding could have happened without her! Well worth every single penny.

Cecelia was absolutely INCREDIBLE to work with! I hired SG for "day of" coordination, but they do so much more than that. 2 months before the wedding, Cecelia took over everything and ensured every detailed was executed to perfection. She is super responsive, organized and kind.. overall just a great person, the kind of person you want around on the biggest day of your life. On the wedding day I didn't have to worry about a single thing. She handled literally everything which allowed me to simply just enjoy the day. I can't imagine the day without her and I HIGHLY recommend to all Chicago brides out there. If you're wondering if you really need a day of planner... you do, trust me. THANK YOU Cecelia McIntosh & Shannon Gail for making my wedding day complete perfection!

Cecelia was instrumental in making my wedding day run smoothly! From the moment she came onboard, I felt confident she would take care of all the details, build an appropriate timeline, and keep us on track the day of. She went out of her way to attend our tasting, meet me for a final walkthrough, and even help secure a hairstylist after my first hair trial did not go well. She ensured the ballroom was setup exactly as we discussed (which she helped design in my style guide) and gave all vendors cues for when the events of the night would take place. Overall, having Cecelia work with us allowed me to enjoy the day and be present, and not worry about the logistics. Highly recommend!

I do not have enough kind words to say about the Shannon Gail team- especially Lindsay and Marie. I was recommended to SG and they did not disappoint for month-of coordination services. Lindsay was on top of every final detail, in constant communication with my vendors, and even helped with key decisions. It often felt like I was planning with a friend. Marie showed up and showed out the day-off, including calming my nerves the day off. An all-star team.

Worth every penny!! I can confidently say that the wedding would've been much less enjoyable without Marie's help. Her experience, ideas, and organization were invaluable. The "Day of Suite" package was perfect for my needs. We started virtual meetings 2 months prior to the wedding which is also the point that Marie became the point of contact for all vendors. This took so much off my plate and allowed me to focus on other things. Marie made the entire weekend low stress for me, my partner, and our families. I cannot recommend Marie and Shannon Gail Events enough!

Shannon Gail and their planners are AMAZING!! Not only is there "day of" package actually 2 months before the wedding, every single planner - especially Kelly O'Bryan - are the kindest and hardworking people we have ever met! We were so blessed to be matched with Kelly. Not only was she so helpful no one in the bridal party had an ounce of stress, but she also turned into an amazing friend! She handled calls with myself and two moms with too many questions with ease, she ensured every single person was taken care of before, during, and after the wedding, and she was there for me during personal issues while we were planning on our wedding. Every guest that interreacted with Kelly either at the rehearsal/rehearsal dinner or wedding could not stop raving about her. If you are considering getting a planner, DO IT! And make sure you use Shannon Gail and ask for Kelly if possible! You will not regret it.

One of the best decisions we made in our wedding planning process was to engage Shannon Gail Weddings and Events for day of coordination. Our planner, Samantha, was an absolute rockstar! She was attentive, organized, and ensured everything ran smoothly. I’m sure there is so much she handled on our wedding day (and before then) that I