The Hive Wedding Collective

group to work with and Aris fulfilled that expectation and then some. Aris went above and beyond in planning several calls and meetings to get to know us and make us feel comfortable. They kept in touch with check-ins prior to our 90-day coordination time, and were ready to go full steam ahead when we were three months out. They encouraged us to share our vision for the event, but brought ideas and recommendations based on their experience at the right times. They facilitated contacts with some fantastic vendors! They took over vendor contacts well in advance of the wedding and helped with vendor details we never would have thought of ourselves. On the day of, Aris made sure we were well taken care of at different getting-ready venues, made sure our vendors had all the information and tools they needed, and kept everyone calm, organized, and happy. We felt very well taken care of across our entire wedding weekend. We highly recommend The Hive and Aris in particular when looking for a wedding coordinator in the Richmond area! Photo courtesy of https://vnessphotography.com/

y beginning, she listened to us, recommended incredible vendors, and helped bring our vision to life—ultimately putting together the best vendor team we could’ve asked for and executing everything flawlessly!! Anne Michelle kept us organized and on track, and she was always easy to talk to. She was there to celebrate with us, to keep us grounded, and to gently remind us to focus on what really mattered. She truly understood that we wanted a day that reflected us and brought a beautiful balance of joy, calm, and meaning to the whole celebration. So many guests commented on how thoughtful and seamless everything felt, and we owe that to The Hive + Anne Michelle. She helped make the whole process feel manageable. Whether you know exactly what you want or (like us) have no idea where to start, Anne Michelle will guide you through every step of the way. We’re endlessly grateful for her support and insight throughout the entire journey!!

hout the planning process, she kept all of our meeting notes and files impeccably organized, which made everything feel manageable and stress-free. Leading up to the wedding, Melissa was beyond prepared and incredibly supportive. She truly listened to our vision and executed it with such precision and care. On the day of the wedding, she anticipated every need before I could even ask. There wasn’t a single detail that slipped by her—every question I had, she had already thought of. Her assistant, Deborah, was just as amazing—attentive, on top of every detail, and so comforting to have around. Our entire wedding party and family couldn’t stop commenting on how incredible Melissa was. She brought such a thoughtful, steady energy to the day, executed everything flawlessly, and never once overstepped. Instead, she offered her expertise with confidence exactly when it was needed. I couldn’t be more grateful or happy. Melissa and The Hive are truly exceptional, and hiring her was one of the best decisions we made.

hat would make this post a novella because she was SO helpful at absolutely every stage of planning. Having a knowledgeable, experienced person to guide us through the last 14 months of planning was invaluable. She provided an in-depth list of advice and vendor recommendations at the beginning, really taking into consideration who would work with our style, venue, and budget. Every vendor I booked came from her list and they were all 10/10. She was super responsive any time I had a question, and drafted a seamless timeline to make the whole wedding weekend run smoothly. I kept telling people how stress-free I felt through the whole wedding process, and I owe the vast majority of that to Anne Michelle! She is so good at her job, and made sure my wedding day was absolutely perfect and even more than I envisioned.

hands down the best decision. She is a calm and guiding force every bride needs during this planning process, taking the lead when you need her to and following your vision to a tee! While we didn’t opt for the full service offering, we wish in the end that we had, still we never felt like we received anything less than Anne’s full attention and interest in every aspect of planning. She brings it all together for you in the end so perfectly with such grace and poise and professionalism in the process. She has an excellent reputation in the wedding vendor community in the Richmond and Charlottesville areas and it’s obvious why - she is kind, she is real, she is dedicated and passionate and hyper focused on putting on the most perfect weekend for her brides and their families and it shows. Our daughter’s wedding weekend was beyond magical!

in reviews, but I truly mean it. She was the legitimate glue to our wedding day. I am extremely indecisive, and the planner was an area I was having a very hard time deciding on. In my mind, I could plan most of the wedding and I didn't think I needed someone to do any heavy lifting. My now husband also didn't want to adhere to a strict timeline or to feel like someone was calling all of the shots or herding us around at our own wedding. We wanted someone who would still let us feel like we were just living in the moment of the day. I don't even know how to describe it, but Melissa was literally the perfect fit for us. She was somehow there exactly when we needed her, but also felt like she gave us space to just enjoy our day. She had a super detailed timeline for all of the vendors, but during our wedding she always checked in with us to see if we were ready to move on to the next planned item. She is extremely organized and kind. She is also gentle and compassionate and knows how to approach and deal with every kind of guest. She set up our event flawlessly. She had so many ideas that elevated everything and literally brought our vision to life WAY above and beyond what I could have ever envisioned myself. We had a surprise white elephant gift exchange, and she set up the gifts on the shelves so nicely that people thought they were decorations done by the museum. How incredible. She was the perfect planner for what we wanted for our wedding, but I also know that she would be the perfect planner for anyone. I know she would deliver how much or how little involvement a couple wants, how strict or how loose a couple wants their timeline, and I know she would execute it with grace. On top of this she is truly just the best human. She made each planning conversation so fun and easy. She also took over all communication with our vendors in the weeks leading up the the wedding, which takes off SO MUCH stress. I would have items on my list of people I needed to reach out to, and when I checked me e-mail it was like she could read my mind and had already e-mailed them. She was also always upbeat, on time, and available. She is the best. I could write a novel on how awesome she is but I will leave it there. If this post alone does not convince you, set up a call with her and see for yourself! You will not regret it! Also! Every single vendor we worked with (hair, make-up, venue, etc.) said how amazing the vendor packet was and that it was the most detailed, well put together packet they have ever received. If we were planning our wedding all over again, we would book her sooner.

surpassed every expectation and brought me such ease throughout the whole process. Friends and family kept asking how I never seemed stressed and my answer was always the same - "Ciera." She coordinated with / handled all the back and forth with every single vendor, set up meetings whenever we felt a touchpoint would be helpful, and used her years of experience + connections in the industry to execute the wedding of a lifetime. Every single detail was perfect - most of which was carefully selected by Ciera. Give these incredible women your trust and they will deliver!!! Best money spent :)

ng way more calm and confident than we did heading in. Their packages are structured in a way that makes it easy to find the service that works best for you (whether you want a full-on planner, day-of coordinator, or something in between). We also loved their preferred vendor list, which helped us source quality local bakeries, DJs, photographers, videographers, etc. who wouldn't have been on our radar otherwise. Heather's attentiveness and detail-oriented professionalism ensured there were no surprises leading up to our ceremony; she rolled with last minute adjustments and put out any fires that sprung up on our big day, all while somehow also making sure we had the best night of our lives and always had a drink in our hands. If you're feeling intimidated by the prospect of managing all of your wedding's moving parts, or just looking for someone to help guide you through the chaos that is the planning process, you should definitely reach out to The Hive ASAP!

ke it work. She was such a calming influence on my daughter and me. We did not have to worry about a thing! Lindsay worked with the vendors we hired, she guided us to create the timeline, she handled the rehearsal and she organized the wedding and reception setup. I had thought we could handle the wedding by ourselves but I can't imagine doing it without Lindsay. Getting Lindsay on board was the best decision we made!

anning and decided to do the event management package 90 days leading up to my wedding. I booked most of my wedding vendors myself and Anne Michelle helped me to bring it all together. She reviewed contracts, created timelines, and worked with my florist and venue to bring my design vision to life. When it came to the day of my wedding, Anne Michelle was all over every single detail and kept the day flowing so smoothly. She worked with the venue to hold off on executing a rain plan, and I’m so glad she did because we ended up having the most beautiful ceremony outside! I was able to completely relax and enjoy my wedding day because I knew I was in good hands with Anne Michelle. After the wedding, she packed everything up for us and placed my flowers and other items in our car so we could easily pick it up the next day. Her attention to detail meant so much to us and it did not go unnoticed. I highly recommend Anne Michelle and The Hive Wedding Collective to plan your wedding. They are the best in the business and I’m forever grateful for their support leading up to our wedding and everything they did for us the day of.

t we got off the video call with her that she was the one. We both work in very demanding, high travel jobs and lived in 3 different states during these 20 months. She did not flinch once, even when our initial meeting was as chaotic as they come (bride's fault entirely). She gave us the space we needed after a very difficult season of life and supported us through this entire process. As soon as we signed with her, we felt instant relief that our wedding day was going to be perfect no matter what happened. Between opposite schedules, 3-way phone calls at work, and only 2 visits to VA, she was so professional, kind, and accommodating. Her ability to bring everything together and understand our vision (maybe better than we did) was nothing short of amazing. She is very well connected in the area and did an unbelievable job of communicating with us and vendors. In moments of stress, my husband and I were always able to look at each other and say "but we've got Ciera, it's going to be fine." Our guests were so complimentary of everything, and we owe that to her. We asked her from the beginning to be completely honest and transparent with us because we trusted her 100%. Her knowledge of this industry, pricing/budget, and feel for how to bring everything to life is unmatched. Not only did she make the planning process 100000000x better than we ever could have imagined, but also made wedding day stress free. We were able to enjoy our guests and the dance floor without concern (down to a to go box of food for the night!). Ciera is worth EVERY PENNY and we highly recommend you fit her into your budget She is a MUST HAVE for anyone planning an event. Ciera, we love you. We are so thankful for you. You are no longer just a wedding planner but family.

dsay and her team helped us every step of the way and helped us design and experience a perfect wedding day and experience that vastly exceeded our already high expectations. We cannot recommend her and her services enough and could not have done it without them!

octor and living across the country she made the process so easy and stress free which is priceless in my book. To this day family and friends tell me how amazing and beautiful the wedding was and honestly the pictures can’t even do it justice it was everything!!!

ing to plan on our wedding day and helped us create the perfect day without any hiccups. She always went above and beyond to make our dreams happen and was truly the outlier from all of the horror stories that you hear when starting to plan your perfect day. Highly recommend her!

Hive Wedding Collection is really the group you want to work with because I know Lindsay represented their mission beyond expectations. Okay, a little more detail… I knew Lindsay F. was “the one” as early as our initial consultation call. I had first intended on just fulfilling my venue’s requirement of having at least a day-of coordinator for the wedding, but I quickly realized from all we had naturally unearthed from our call that I needed more help than I realized. With our genuine conversation, I knew Lindsay is THE person to trust, so we worked together to make a plan to have her more involved (scaled to our needs and budget). She really represented the Hive mission that I was expecting (The Hive Wedding Collection already came with high recommendations from my venue), and I was really excited to talk to her especially, because she matched our style perfectly. Lindsay even helped translate my word-vomit ideas into logical and accurate wedding vision-speak. She’s just amazing. There’s so many things to say about Lindsay for all she’s done for planning and the behind-the-scenes work (let me tell you, she had tons of tricks up her sleeves to save the day). My wedding had a big change mid-planning due to some unforeseen health reasons in the family, and without judgement, Lindsay really stepped up to the plate and helped us figure everything out. Having her support was so impactful, because I just don’t have the experience and communication skills to coordinate with the vendors and sort through the necessary adjustment like she did for us. Looking back on it, Lindsay really helped us make the right decisions, whether it was family/friend/bridal party related or vendor/venue related. My wedding turned out to be a lot of folks’ top favorite wedding, and I believe it every time I receive that complement because we had an even balance of personal touch, consideration to budget, and the flow and pace of the ceremony/reception was perfection (even though I know Lindsay was hard at work in the background, allowing us to enjoy our special day). The funny thing is, I know there’s so much more that Lindsay put into making sure the wedding was a success that I don’t even know about—and that’s because Lindsay is someone who will put you first and make sure the day is your day and the day you want to remember fondly looking back for the rest of your life. When I remember my day, I remember how invaluable it was to have Lindsay there when our life got scary and needed to pivot with the planning. I remember every teary eyed Zoom call where she listened as a human being. I remember her at every dress change, correcting buttons and adjusting bustles, sewing back on buttons on tuxes. I remember her standing next to me and cheering me on before walking down the aisle. She’s really the best. All my highest recommendations to Lindsay F. and The Hive!

multitude of vendors and venues, it became increasingly apparent to us that wedding planning and logistics without help is a full-time job, a potentially tedious and frustrating one at that. This is especially the case if you want a seamless wedding experience that really reflects you and your future spouse’s personalities and values (btw congrats!). Personally, I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find a team more qualified or better suited to bringing your wedding vision to life than the Hive Wedding Co. After our experience with them, we can safely say that they are top professionals in the wedding business: they nurture and maintain strong relationships with Central Virginia’s best vendors and venues, they are well-versed in the latest wedding trends as well as the more classical/traditional styles, and the team has a wealth of experience that they pool together. This pooled experience also includes adapting to COVID-19 and minimizing its impact on the entire wedding process. For us, this translated into a great eye for detail, clever and efficient solutions for the expected and unexpected issues that inevitably arose, and most importantly, a chance for my wife and I to actually really enjoy the planning process and being in our wedding. It's very, very cool to have someone you can trust and lean on that will take care of everything leading up to and the day of, and it’s something that I want for every couple who are looking to celebrate their big day with minimal stress and maximum joy. Believe me, it was pretty easy to get overwhelmed planning something this special and this big, especially with everything we have going on in our lives. Do you and your partner a big favor and consider getting a Hive wedding planner, they are kind, awesome, attentive and certainly up to the task.

I owe our whole wedding to her. She kept me organized, she had the most amazing vendor recommendations, she understood my lack of vision and filled in all the gaps, and on wedding day, I was honestly sad I didn't get to spend more time with her haha. It actually feels weird not working with her anymore, and I think that says a lot about how amazing Heather is. Not a single thing went wrong on our wedding day. Heather had everything covered and I will forever remember how joyous our wedding was because of all the work she put into it. She deserves a million stars and a feature in a magazine!

having a planner by your side who has your back and is willing to advocate for you is a worthwhile investment. Christine and The Hive are worth every penny. Christine is thoughtful, attentive, and super detail-oriented. I’m super Type-A, (somewhat) neurotic, and my mind races through details and logistics a million miles a minute. Christine snaps me out of my daydreams and has me focus on the things that need and require attention. Christine just gets me, and it is a GOD send. As with all couples, we were working with a finite budget. She would listen to things that we prioritize and the things that we didn’t and doesn’t force the issue. She helps us come up with creative ways to make parts of our wedding personal and our own. Christine also ask questions like “how can I help?” and “tell me what you need from me” and immediately goes to work. Christine is a problem solver like no other, and even on our wedding day, our transportation vendor royally screwed up the very specific timeline we had and our ceremony was delayed by about 30ish minutes. She immediately went into problem-solving mode and proactively pivoted around the schedule. We honestly would have never known the difference, but it’s because of Christine’s quick thinking and rapid response that it worked out at the end of the day. It also rained on our wedding day -- which, for an outdoor country ceremony was less than ideal. There was a pocket of window where we thought it would stop, but Christine was brutally honest and told us that we needed to go with our rain plan. It broke our hearts, but I'm glad that we did. As I was speaking my vows, the rain started to come down pretty hard. Phew, that saved us from some wet wedding guests (not to mention my brand new outfit). Our indoor ceremony was beautiful, and overcast skies make for AMAZING wedding photos (see attached). On a personal note, we are also an interracial, same-sex couple, and it was super important for us to work with vendors who have worked with folks just like us. The wedding industry has a tendency to be super gendered, and Christine would even go out of her way to call out vendors for not being inclusive to all types of love. Christine would be honest about her assessments and we trusted her along the way. Christine is the epitome of an ally, through and through, and in every definition of the word. She supports our love; she celebrates our love; and she had our back from the beginning. Christine didn’t just provide us with a service, but she provided us with beautiful moments that captured the essence of who my husband and I are — as individuals and now as a married couple. Trust Christine and the Hive — they’ve got your back!

look no further than The Hive. The minute we started working with Anne Michelle, we felt at ease and knew that we were in good hands. Our wedding was certainly on the more complex end of the spectrum (multi-day Indian celebration with 2 separate religious ceremonies, 250+ guests, 20+ vendors). Anne Michelle was patient and took the time to ask questions/learn about our customs. She picked everything up quickly to take the burden off of us and allowed us to focus on all of the fun moments with our family and friends. In terms of planning with Anne Michelle, she was incredibly pleasant and easy to work with. She had quick response times, which helped us feel better especially since some of our other vendors took days or weeks to reply to us at times. We felt that she was always there to support us and never felt alone. She adjusted to our style of preparation and guided us through all aspects of wedding planning (including areas we knew nothing about - who knew you had to pick the style of how a napkin should be folded?!). The more we worked with her and the more she learned about our style, she gave fantastic inputs on decor/designs with an eye for detail. In fact, she was able to work directly with our decorator and rental equipment vendors without us because she understood our wants and needs so well. On top of all of that, she has a practical eye and was able to balance all of our wants with our budget. What really helped us the most was her ability to become the point person for all vendor communications - having her join every vendor meeting and fill in details that we just didn't know was incredibly reassuring (especially as the date became closer and we were becoming more stressed). Most importantly though, family is very important to us, and Anne Michelle always made sure to receive input from both of our parents with patience and respect. This made both of our parents feel that they could trust her and that she could carry out all of our traditions thoughtfully and with care. During the wedding weekend, the wedding simply would not have happened had it not been for Anne Michelle and the rest of The Hive team. The Hive team was fully present throughout the wedding weekend, and they helped everything run smoothly while also constantly making sure that we and our families were doing well. Without them, we wouldn't have been able to enjoy our wedding as much, but because of their caring attitudes, we were well-fed, hydrated, and could actually enjoy our wedding. Moreover, there was a hurricane happening throughout the weekend, but Anne Michelle and her team quickly created a rain plan during the week of the wedding, shared it with us and our parents, and moved forward from there with no issue. Finally, Anne Michelle really ensured that the broader vendor teams were well taken care of, which helped events run so smoothly. We had some vendors actually come up to us saying they have never been treated so well. We are so happy that our vendors felt respected and taken care of because everyone helped make our weekend absolutely amazing.

her calm demeanor and just overall kindness, really got me through. She was the best support for me and my husband and we are so grateful we had her as our planner. If you’re considering hiring a planner, take this as your sign!

erything together, these planners are EXPERTS within the field and know exactly what to do. I mean... read all of the other 5 star reviews of the Hive. There are not enough words to even describe how PIVOTAL Ciera was in carrying out our wedding flawlessly. I'm not one to plan a wedding (absolutely hated it actually) and I'm not sure what I would have done if it weren't for Ciera. Ciera had one of the most positive reviews so I reached out to her and upon scheduling a phone call with her, I think I reached out to her a couple of hours later (LOL) to ask if she could be our wedding planner. Now on to the wedding planning- I chose the guided planning so had most of my vendors picked out but for the ones that I needed help on, Ciera jumped in and recommended some amazing vendors including 707 for my now husband and groomsmen's suits, the flower guy Bron (absolutely spectacular florist), and DJ Anthony. During the week of the wedding, I was pretty stressed but Ciera took control of everything- came up with a detailed timeline, got all of the vendors familiar with the timeline, etc. She also led a FANTASTIC rehearsal. Her leadership skills are unmatched. Lots of family members came up to me to let me know they wish they hired her as their wedding planner because she absolutely knew how to take control. Also, keep in mind Ciera was dealing with us as a multi-racial couple including me (Korean) and my now husband (Vietnamese) and our families... Enough said. On to the wedding day itself- people have warned me that SOMETHING will go wrong and not to worry about it if it does. Well guess what? NOTHING went wrong, I kid you not. Everything from the set up to the wedding party walking out to the reception went flawlessly... I had my venue at the VMFA in which the coordinator asked if some of my family members could move the ceremony chairs to the reception tables (due to VMFA staff not being able to) but Ciera didn't even ask for us to do it- she and her assistant, Keneil (also amazing) did it themselves. This speaks volumes about their dedication. I also ate my entire salad and dinner entree. There was one point at the end of the reception that we thought we lost our belongings (in a bag) but I had a feeling Ciera handled everything to make sure nothing was lost. When we got to our car, Ciera had put our important belongings in the back of our trunk. I don't know why this was so meaningful to me but if it doesn't show you that Ciera is a power woman that takes care of everything than please message me and I will let you know of the 100000 other things she did to make our wedding go seamlessly. If I haven't convinced you yet to hire Ciera from the Hive as your wedding planner, please think twice. I thought I could plan a wedding myself but it would have been near impossible without a professional wedding planner like Ciera. She was also a friend to us and listened to us and was always available when we needed to chat. My husband, Chris who is an even worse planner than I am said we hit the jackpot with Ciera. Ciera, we are so grateful you were our planner. We know you did SO much that we were aware of behind the scenes and we are eternally grateful. Our guests are still talking about how perfect our wedding was. Thank you for everything. -Esther & Chris

om December of 2020 until our April 2022 wedding. We were planning a wedding in Richmond from New York, while both working in high demand situations. The first conversation I had with Christine she said "My job that day is to make sure that you (as the bride) don't have to worry about a single thing." And she fulfilled that promise and more. We had a magical wedding, and I was able to relax and actually enjoy myself the entire day because Christine was on our side and coordinating everything. There were snafus that came up, and you know what, I had no clue until after the day. I cannot recommend Christine and her team enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

ected it to be wonderful - but it was beyond anything we could have imagined from beginning to end. She is worth her weight in gold! We live in Philadelphia and the newlyweds are a busy working couple in Richmond. From the beginning we thought we would benefit from a planner, primarily because we wanted to enjoy the process and not be continually stressed over the amount of work to do. After interviewing several planners, Christine was the clear choice, and she was invaluable from the minute we began working with her. Christine’s strengths are legion; here are a few that we particularly noted: • Understanding our vision for the wedding, and translating that into connections with well-matched vendors and service providers both locally and online • Extensive experience, which meant she knew when to complete all the steps required, who to contact to get things moving, and how to resolve any issues that arose • Organizational skills, so we stayed on track throughout the process • Prompt communication, with quick turnarounds on any questions we had or tasks delegated to her • Calm and professional demeanor, which gave us confidence and helped smooth over bumps along the way. Parents, family members, friends - and especially the bride and groom - were able to be fully present and celebrate the wedding because Christine and her team were managing every detail. I more than highly recommend Christine and her team at the Hive Wedding Collective – I don’t think you can do better!

ne single thing. Leading up to the wedding and the day of, Christine had our backs. She was our cheerleader, our advocate, and so much more. I can't imagine our planning and day without her. She is so detail oriented, I knew there was nothing to worry about because she had it all taken care of. All we had to do was enjoy the day and get married. It's hard to put into words how crucial she was on the wedding day, but how flawlessly the day went is a true testament to how good she is at what she does. I'd call her a master wedding planner. She's so knowledgeable about the industry and gets things done. I loved working with Christine so much, I'm sad it's over! But our day was amazing and that's thanks in massive part to Christine, and all the work she had put in before the actual day. So if you're planning a wedding, do yourself a favor and give The Hive a call. You'll thank me later.

ly I fell in love with her design skills. When we met with her, she had such a calm and confident energy and I knew that she would be the perfect person to have around us on our wedding day. Without Heather, our Covid postponement would have been such a nightmare for me to handle. Because of her, I didn't have to lift a finger - she handled what I'm sure were a million emails basically overnight. I am positive there is mountain of work that Heather did behind the scenes that I will never know - any time I asked a question, she had an answer, or said "I have already called them", "I was over there yesterday discussing it with them" etc. She was always solving my problems and answering my questions before I even asked. On the wedding day, Heather was calm, collected, and had everything running like a well oiled machine. She brought an assistant, Keneil, who was also just fantastic. Overall, working with The Hive & Heather was a life saver for our wedding and I wouldn't have done it any other way!

t of the design and details planned before plans needed to be cancelled and postponed. Not only did Ciera reschedule all of our vendors multiple times, but she did it making sure all of my priority vendors were available for new dates, etc. Once we were getting down to the final few months before our reception on May 6, Ciera made sure all of the details and adjustments were made for our new guest size, etc. She didn't miss one detail, and I could be fully present during our special day. I had absolutely no worries or concerns, and I enjoyed every minute. We had a ton of rain on our day and so some plans needed to be changed, but I was never stressed over it, Ciera had it handled. Not only do I recommend Ciera to plan your wedding, but if you are a Mother of the Bride, my mother constantly mentioned how great Ciera was because my mom didn't have to do much other than enjoy the party. Ciera is an absolute delight and a pleasure to work with. I'll be sure to hire her again for my next wedding! LOL

n schedule, knew all the details about the venue, and had great recommendations for other vendors. She has a talent for design and excellent instincts on when to give advice vs. when to just reinforce our decisions & give us comfort. On the day-of, she ran the event flawlessly and we couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. Definitely go with her if you're thinking about hiring a planner.

ng planners, I knew we were in good hands. For something as overwhelming as planing a wedding Christine made sure it was not only smooth but fun during thr entire process. Being from out of town we were heavily reliant on her recommendations and relationships and not a single vendor disappointed. On the day of, it was like having a planner, ninja, secret service all in one. If there were hiccups we didn’t know about them because she made sure we were able to focus on having a good time and celebrating each other. We are forever thankful for her and didn’t just gain a planner but a wonderful new friend.

and referrals for reception items, and helped us find last minute vendors for hair and transportation. Heather was calm and reassuring throughout the process and was available to answer any questions we had before and during the wedding. Our wedding day was relaxed and stress-free because of Heather! Book with the Hive!

kground surrounding my review. My wedding was initially supposed to be a destination wedding in Ireland, due to covid I had to cancel that and pivot and plan a wedding locally in less than 4 months. We hired the most popular planner for our venue in Ireland who I felt like I was always following up with her, she made me feel intimidated to ask questions or make requests. Having never worked with a wedding planner before I had no expectations, I just thought this level of service was normal from a sought after experienced wedding planner. Fast forward to the present where we cancel our wedding and started from scratch with all our vendors. I interviewed one other planner in Virginia prior to interviewing Anne. I remember my first zoom meeting with Anne like it was yesterday. Anne was professional, extremely put together, she was kind, compassionate, I felt her hunger and excitement to get the job done. Anne had a way more difficult road ahead of her than my Ireland planner who had a year plus to help me plan a wedding. Anne had less then 4 months! I hired Anne because upon meeting her there was a genuineness about her that is hard to describe but it was different and noticeable. Soon after getting in the trenches with Anne my mind was blown. Her level of service, her attention to detail, HER RESPONSE TIME, it was all something I had never experienced and it blew me away. Anne makes you feel comfortable to explore thoughts and feel safe to be creative. I could always bounce ideas off her and she would share ideas too, I never felt like any question or thought was too small or a waste of her time. Thanks to Anne we planned the most magical wedding in 3 months time! When the day came everything went smoothly, not a single hiccup, everything was so calm and perfect its how you imagine your wedding day to be- that you just show up and everything is perfect and that is what you get with Anne. One thing I really appreciated about Anne is that she is apart of the Hive and when you hire a wedding planner there you get the whole team. They are a close knit group of wedding planners and they all support one another. If there was something I was asking about that Anne was unfamiliar with she would reach out to her fellow planners and get the answer immediately. I really believe when you hire a wedding planner from the Hive you get the brain power and experience of that whole tribe of planners and that is a lot of bang for your buck. Anne is one of those people that becomes more then your wedding planner, she becomes your friend, she is your person, your right hand woman that makes you feel comfortable, known, and cared for. I know it sounds cheesy but she really was such a huge and special part of my wedding day- I cannot imagine my wedding day without Anne in it. I have so much appreciation for the blood, sweat, and tears (happy tears) that Anne put into the day. I never thought I would say this, but I am THRILLED my wedding in Ireland got canceled and it lead me to Anne who helped plan the most magical and perfect wedding of my dreams. It truly was the best day of my life (and most relaxing and fun day!) all the thanks, gratitude and love goes to Anne Michelle Forbes!

outique team of amazing women who you absolutely want on your side for your wedding! We hired Heather for the Event Management package, knowing that we had pretty much all of our other vendors + design figured out on our end. We naively thought we’d just need a day-of coordinator but that 60-day package proved to be critical! Not only was Heather available for all of our questions from that point on, she was always just an email or text away in the months leading up to our wedding when I just needed to bounce ideas or get her professional recommendations. My husband and I knew from our very first Zoom chat that we loved her calm but confident presence and that she would be someone who could get things done for us. We ran into multiple hiccups with both our venue + hair and makeup and in both scenarios, Heather was there to a) calm me down and b) find solutions and a clear path forward. When my hair and makeup team left me hanging just 3 days before the wedding, Heather worked quickly to find several backup options but never settling until we found the absolute perfect replacement. For this alone, I will be forever indebted to her. On our wedding day, we felt completely taken care of between Heather, her assistant, and Christine, who stepped in to help while Heather had a rehearsal down the street. The way the team was able to work together to ensure our wedding day went off without a hitch is just a testament to their commitment to bringing their very best to their clients. We didn’t have a bridal party getting ready with us so even our interactions with our planning team in the hours leading up to the ceremony were so fun and put us at ease for the entire day. Not everyone knows to consider wedding planning or coordination in their initial planning budget (we didn’t!) but after going through the planning journey, we realize that their services are invaluable and we couldn’t have done it without Heather and the rest of the Hive team. Worth it x a million. Thank you to Heather and team for being the glue that kept our day running, making it so beautiful, and ensuring that it was the best day of our lives.

d I both are hardcore planner types and had jobs that allowed us plenty of time to do our own research, so when we started planning our wedding we definitely were skeptical about the value-add a planner could bring. Boy were we wrong! To begin with, Christine pays for herself in her vendor recommendations. She has a huge list of vendors who are top tier quality and great value for the price. Throughout the process the only decisions we regretted were going off-list to try to save a buck here and there. Don't bother. If a vendor is not on Christine's list, it is probably because the cheaper price isn't worth the sacrifice. But even then, Christine swooped in to make everything right and ensure our wedding was absolutely beautiful! Also, there are a million details and decisions that, unless you are a wedding planner yourself, you are likely not going to anticipate. I was the Maid of Honor in two weddings and a bridesmaid in a third before I tied the knot. I thought this made me the closest thing to an expert in wedding planning short of an actual professional. Turns out, as in most fields, the gap between an informed layman and an actual expert is vast! But even if I had been able to anticipate every detail, the logistics of putting it together is a full-time job - which is why it is Christine's full time job! Her vast experience in the industry means she has seen it all and she knows what works. She knows how many guests you need to plan transportation for, she knows how long set up will take, she knows how to enhance your themes or to make traditional details like a guest book new and creative! Now that I have hopefully convinced you that you need a wedding planner, let me explain why that planner absolutely should be Christine. She is a consummate professional - organized, responsive, and does whatever it takes to make your day beautiful and easy. Even the vendors we talked to all gush about what a great planner she is! When my florist scaled back our flowers due to covid-based price increases, she went out and purchased greenery and candles to fill out the entryway. When my hair and makeup team needed to be replaced due to COVID safety concerns, she found me an incredible replacement. But I think what stands out to me the most about my wedding planning experience is that Christine is so incredibly fun to work with! She is creative, funny, selfless, and just a very cool person. We spoke with several wedding planners before booking Christine, but none of them made us feel so immediately comfortable and excited. My husband and I wanted our wedding to reflect our personalities and our interests. I am a huge Harry Potter fan and my husband loves Star Wars. Christine was able to take my vague outline of a vision and create a beautiful yet incredibly fun wedding that subtly acknowledged our respective fandoms. She was so enthusiastic throughout the whole process and made planning sessions feel like we were hanging out with a long-time friend. From the moment we booked, Christine made herself available for any question we had - long before our 90-day contract began. And when we had to reschedule the whole wedding due to COVID, she took care of the whole thing, again, long before her 90-day contract even began. Christine is worth every penny. Book her.

ails we had yet to figure out. Then she got started on a detailed timeline and floorplan for the day and making sure all our vendors were aware of the plan. And that all of our needs were accounted for in both. On the day of, she took control of the day and made sure everything went smoothly. Ciera shielded us from most things, was super attentive, kept things running on time, and won over many of our Nigerian wedding guests with how organized everything was. She checked in throughout the evening to make sure we were happy with how things were going and sometimes knew what we were thinking without us even having to say a word. Ciera is a warm, personable wedding professional who knows her stuff and is equally fun to be around. A special shoutout to Camille, Ciera’s assistant, too. It was a pleasure to work with them both and I hope more couples get to have the Ciera Pope experience.

e, and was resourceful and full of problem solving when we needed it most! My mother said repeatedly that going with The Hive was the best decision we ever made. Lindsay made everything we hoped for come to life! We are so thankful.

ing covid landscape. From the first call we had way back in 2019, we knew she was the one for us! Ciera was an absolutely joy to work with - always available to answer any question we might have and kept us focused on and excited for our big day, which was no easy feat through multiple reschedules. She was so organized and thorough with all our vendors which made the day run so smoothly. Our pastor even mentioned that he’d be using her timeline template as an example for all future couples to follow. We didn’t have to think about a single thing on the wedding day and got to fully enjoy every aspect we’d worked so hard to plan. Ciera, we love you and can’t thank you enough for everything!

ing process. Her genuineness and honesty attracted us to her in the beginning, and as time went on, her ideas, knowledge of the industry, and vendor connections proved extremely helpful. Not only is she great at her job, but she made us laugh through the whole process - which was wildly helpful in letting go of the stress associated with planning a large wedding. She helped us plan a beautiful 300+ person wedding with 25+ vendors, and then singlehandedly moved the wedding date (TWICE) due to Covid. I was very picky about aesthetic, and she took the time to understand the vision and delivered exactly what we wanted. If you're on the fence about hiring a planner, book Ciera. We can't recommend her enough.

alized how amazing she was and the next day we booked The Hive to help plan the wedding. Christine was a savior throughout the whole process. I was having difficulty getting some vendors to contact me back and with COVID I knew I needed to act quickly. Within a week of hiring Christine she was able to secure my hair and make up, a DJ, and a videographer. Throughout the process of dealing with COVID restrictions and my venue, Christine was always professional but also my advocate. (My venue was being difficult with a few things). She made my dreams come true and I am so grateful for this. I was able to meet a few of the other wonderful ladies from The Hive the day of my wedding and although I don't know everything that went on behind the scenes I know that the day looked flawless to me and it is because of them! To anyone who is considering or is unsure if they need a wedding planner, contact The Hive and have the initial meeting. You will not be sorry! Also, if I have learned anything throughout this process, a wedding coordinator provided by your venue is NOT THE SAME as a wedding planner! Love all of these ladies and I would hire them over and over again!

pen, we switched gears last minute and decided to have a small wedding with just immediate family. Heather not only helped us safely find vendors in a ridiculously short 3 month timeline, but never made us feel like we were compromising any part of our dream wedding just because of COVID. Her design and vision was flawless and we didn’t have to worry about a single thing for our wedding weekend. The Hive took care of everything and kept us completely calm/gave off positive vibes in such a crazy time! Our family had the best time and we felt so special through the entire process. Couldn’t recommend Heather and The Hive Wedding Co. more!

ded I needed help and support to navigate the wedding world during COVID. I met with Christine, and her attention to detail and attentiveness was beyond impressive. I left the first meeting worn out from the questions but thankful to have her to help!!! And then the investment continued to pay off leaps and bounds as things constantly changed, shifted, and morphed including a complete venue change 1 month out from the wedding! So going from just coordinating my work to completely planning a new event in about 2 weeks, Christine KILLED IT! I could not have done it without her!!! She made everything perfect from the new venue to food to music to decorations and beyond. Our guests couldn't stop commenting that this didn't seem like a second choice/completely replanned event! It truly was perfect, and I'm beyond grateful to have hired Christine to execute this day. WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!! THANK YOU!

o much value even before our official timing started. She had great recommendations and insights on vendors I was considering and helped immensely with the ongoing list of wedding questions that popped up throughout planning. My husband and I spent a lot of time discussing how best to adjust our wedding plans amid COVID, and when we consulted with Heather on our changes she was right on board and gave us peace of mind in moving forward with what was best for our guests. Our wedding day turned out to be a dream, and if we were to do it all over again I would definitely want to do so with The Hive!

mediately knew that I needed Christine’s help, advice, and knowledge in planning and coordinating our wedding. Shortly after choosing the perfect gown, we hired Christine and the Hive Wedding Collective. Christine quickly proved her worth. Throughout the first several months, she helped us in organizing our wedding plan, hire our remaining vendors, and constantly provide support through any stressful decision. With several months remaining, we felt well on the way to our perfect day. When COVID 19 hit, Christine’s role evolved drastically. She helped us consider whether or not to have a wedding during a pandemic. After deciding to move forward, Christine helped us to rethink and almost entirely replan our perfect day. All along the way, she provided excellent advice, kept us as calm as possible, and helped us find ways to keep the process fun. Our wedding day was perfect and better than we imagined. While the pandemic definitely complicated everything, Christine and the Hive Wedding Collective ensured every aspect ran smoothly. Because of all of their hard work and preparation, we were able to enjoy our day to the fullest. Guests resoundingly told us how fun the wedding was, and more importantly, how safe they felt because of the precautions Christine recommended and implemented. Our wedding would not have been a perfect day without all of the hard work, dedication, and knowledge that Christine and the Hive Wedding Collective provided us.

Heather has proven that hiring her was the smartest financial decision we have made in the wedding planning process. Although the full list is much longer, here are a couple of the ways Heather has impressed as our wedding planner: 1. In this uncertain and scary time where the wedding industry is being hit hard by coronavirus, she remained professional and unwaveringly supportive of helping us build a new plan for our wedding. She took time out of her weekend to help us advocate for ourselves in a tense negotiation with our venue, and stayed professional and calm when this venue became irrational and manipulative. The emotional support she has given us and her countless other couples is not an obligation, but evidence of the strength and beauty of her character. 2. She is organized and detail-oriented. I am definitely on the OCD-spectrum, therefore my standards for meeting this criterion are high. To say that Heather meets them is a true testament to her as a skilled professional. 3.. She is comfortable coordinating a variety of styles and looks for your wedding, and will work with YOUR style and vision to bring it to life. Heather's planning portfolio is extremely diverse from all perspectives, but it is especially impressive that she can work with a variety of styles from industrial chic to modern minimalist flawlessly. 4. Perhaps most importantly, she is a kind, caring, and fun human being. In working with her for a year and a half, she has gone out of her way countless times to take stress of our plates, even before the current pandemic situation. But she is also so much fun to work with! We always have a great time chatting with her in our planning meetings. 5. She remains calm, even when staying calm feels literally impossible. I honestly don't know how she does this. She is superhuman. But it is such a wonderful quality in a wedding planner. 6. Every vendor she has recommended has been an abosolute joy to work with. Having a curated list of vetted professionals is a must-have when the tense current circumstances are exposing the true colors of many. We elected to chose our venue on our own and not include venue scouting in our package with Heather, but I know that IF we did include venue scouting with Heather, she would have identified the red flags with our chosen venue and recommended elsewhere. Just a note to potential future clients of the Hive: add venue scouting into your package to make sure you are utilizing the full knowledge of your planner!

r, which is a software which made our planning much easier. Heather was ALWAYS easy to get in touch with and highly responsive. She helped me think through every detail beforehand so that when the wedding day came, we were not surprised, but prepared. She also took care of signage for me right before the wedding, something for which I was super grateful. She has a very "can do" attitude and was able to manage, in a calm and collected manner, the multitude of details that arise when coordinating a large wedding. She corresponded with all our our vendors and gave them very good and specific information ahead of time, so that everyone was well-informed and knew to call her if there was any emergency. Heather was gracious and gentle while being clear and direct. She ran our rehearsal on Friday night and made it seems simple and clear. On the day of the wedding, she arranged for flowers from the reception and our other personal items to be returned at the end of the night to our home. Without being asked, she had one of her assistants make an extra trip to purchase false eyelash glue because of a conversation she overheard:). She made an extra trip to our home to deliver back some envelopes filled with tip money that I had mistakenly given her at the rehearsal. She made sure that my husband and I, and the groom's parents, were informed about the events of the reception in a timely manner so we didn't miss a thing! Heather was well worth the expense of having a 90-day coordinator and if she's still in the business when our younger daughter gets married, we will, hands down, call upon her again!

o change venues/caterers 6 months before our wedding. We ended up moving our entire wedding + all of our vendors from Charlottesville to Maryland. She helped ensure the smooth transition and that everything was perfect. That included all coordination with the vendors we already had contracts with, all of whom were Virginia-based. Noelle is professional, kind, thoughtful and organized. She kept my fiancee and I on top of our to-do list leading up to the wedding, while also ensuring us that everything would work out on the day of. She made sure that happened. She was very flexible and accommodating when scheduling meeting locations with us, even driving the three hours to our Maryland location from Richmond for our 30 day meeting. Our wedding was everything we wanted it to be and Noelle had a huge part in making it happen. I cannot stress enough how important having a wedding planner ultimately was for us, and if you are looking for someone to help you out, Noelle and The Hive are simply the best. While planning a wedding is a special and, ideally, fun process, anyone who has had to plan a big event can appreciate how important making everything routine can be. Noelle made it both fun and easy. No headaches. No surprises. Just steady, on-time planning saved us a ton of stress, especially given our late switch of venues. Thank you Noelle :)

without her incredible guidance and organization! My husband and I instantly connected with her no-nonsense attitude and we immediately trusted her. Hiring her was by far the best decision we made in the wedding planning process! We planned our wedding from afar, and she seamlessly worked with our vendors and accommodated our schedule to make the entire planning process stress free. She knew exactly what vendors were the right match for us based on personality and style, and we couldn't be more pleased with how everything turned out. Her organization made the wedding day better for us, our families, our wedding party, and our guests. Everything looked beautiful, but she knew how to set up the spaces and how to make the day flow so perfectly that it enhanced the experience for our guests. Working with her and her team was an absolute pleasure, and we cannot recommend her enough!