Your Event - Paula Smith Designs Inc.

ed.  In addition, she works tirelessly and is always upbeat and calm.

ue. 

eone special.  She begins the conversation with love, a passion for happiness, and with care.  She cares so deeply for every moment to be thought out in beautiful detail.  She not only cares deeply for her clients, she makes sure every vendor will have a smooth and easy day from start to finish. I wish every event could be as wonderful as Paula's!  Even our sound engineer said he wish he could work with her for every event.  You are making the BEST choice by having Paula help make your vision come to life!  I look forward to working with her and truly hope I get to work with her so many more times during our careers!

nd her team made the wedding weekend truly flawless. We are so grateful!

ests happy and comfortable. Efficient, cheerful, and wonderful to work with!

when the weather turned, she handled it with total grace and made sure everything looked perfect. She’s wonderful with budgets, creative in her solutions, and her team is just as fantastic—professional, warm, and so good at what they do.

cipate challenges meant zero surprises. Her vendor relationships proved invaluable, securing us great bookings with top vendors that our guests raved about. Paula went above and beyond, handling last-minute changes with grace and ensuring our celebration exceeded every expectation. When our printed menu cards were missing a side dish (our fault!), she coordinated a complete reprint within days of the wedding while keeping other preparations on track. Would recommend Paula 10/10 times.

ng our daughter’s favorite flower in wedding details). She is calm, professional, meticulous, artistically talented and just a joy to work with. She has become an extension of our family! As parents, we wanted someone who would both work well with our daughter and son in law but also us - Paula was phenomenal at both bridging preferences and creating opportunities to blend approaches. Paula also took such care to understand and beautifully orchestrate our Hindu ceremony. She was thoughtful, respectful and engaged. Wedding planning - at its best - can be a stressful and emotional experience. Paula helped make our experience positive and something we’ll look back on as a lovely bonding time for our family!

tart to finish, the entire experience with her was delightful. As a venue manager, I work with a lot of planners and not all of them are able to manage both design and logistics while also keeping clients happy and managing any curveballs. Paula did it all and then some and not even some transportation issues on the wedding day were going to phase her. She was positive and professional but also a whole lot of fun to work with. I can’t wait to work with her again!

and kindness. Her local expertise in the Hudson Valley and strong relationships with a great variety of vendors allowed the vision to come to life and exceed all expectations. By the time we got married, she had become a dear friend! And our families could not have been more grateful for her guidance and support the weekend-of. Thank you for everything, Paula!! 

bout the day of the wedding, which was invaluable, and made sure we were focused on what actually mattered and efficiently handled this stuff we shouldn't have on our plates. The wedding could not have gone better and it was so lovely to work with someone like Paula throughout.

unity to do so!

ed with her for "Month Of" services, but in actuality she was available and helpful to us for the entire year leading up to our wedding. She felt like part of the family, cared about our wedding as if it were her own, and was incredibly detail oriented and professional. Thank you so much Paula!!

are of anything that might come up. We all know that weddings are crisis machines - from weather, to vendor personalities, to unexpected health issues, or a sudden change in headcount - things WILL happen. Paula is the person you want by your side to navigate those things. ***Deep Respect & Warmth***: Paula leads with respect, warmth and care in all of her relationships. This is especially important in her deep relationships with a variety of vendors. Because she is such a pleasure to work with, vendors are often willing to help her clients out with small favors - taking on a role they normally might not, setting up a little early, joining a walkthrough call they didn’t really have to be on. These are things that you usually cannot pay extra money for - they are professional courtesies that Paula’s clients receive because she is so well liked. This respect and warmth of course is a major reason why her clients are so happy and cared for as well. ***A Bespoke Experience***: Paula is curious - about you, about your culture and customs, and about how to meet your every hope for your special day. At the same time, she also manages your (and your parents’!) expectations to ensure you’re planning for a day that can be achieved within your budget and your goals. Once the vision is set, she begins going about creating. She is a beautiful creator. She created something SO special for us within our goals – so much so that we got comments like “this was magical, ethereal and the best wedding we have ever been to”. People felt that the event was not over-engineered, but just magically flowed from one moment to the next. We knew, this was Paula’s doing - to guide the event with a light hand that was imperceptible to most. Wow. Just wow. ***A Swiss-Army Knife Multipurpose Friend***: What you get with Your Event and Paula is an incredibly versatile team. Paula is a wonderful planner, but throughout this process she also served as a therapist, friend, aunt, stylist, decorator, artist, craftsperson, logistics savant - and so much more. ***Calmness***: This was the biggest event of our lives. A lot of money was involved for us. A lot of relationships we treasure, and several that are fragile. This creates anxiety. Out of all the planners we spoke to, we had a sense that Paula would guide us through with calm, joy, and practicality. The fact that she could easily work with both us (the couple) and family members with compassion, and yet a stern hand when it was needed allowed us to delegate even the most tenuous negotiations to her. She was simply a source of calm for us during the process. ***Contingency***: Paula was prepared for anything. You know when the same 3 tennis players win all the tournaments on grass courts, clay courts or turf? Paula is like that - while she only ultimately deploys one particular strategy on the weekend of the wedding, she had to prepare 5 or 6 in advance - which you know she has ready, and so while we would have been disappointed with rain, we know it still would have been beautiful, and we would not have had to do much different ourselves. Overall, Paula is a gift to any couple looking to plan an amazing event with the most magical vibes while remaining calm and level-headed throughout. We cannot recommend her highly enough!

of everything from vendor coordination to logistics. She did it with a sense of calm and heart and was very client-centered every step of the way. With Paula, you get the sense she really cares and that she deeply understands the significance of what milestone events like this mean for our family. I never had to worry about a thing, and she always made herself and her team available to answer questions and address any concerns. But what truly impressed me was how she was able to capture my son's personality and interests in the event. The games theme plus the amazing dance floor was such a creative and fun way to celebrate this milestone and felt genuinely like him - and everyone loved it! The photo collage was a surprise for my son and captured his moments over the years. The way she worked his logo into all the design elements was seamless and so well executed. My guests noted that every aspect of the event was so intentional and there was incredible attention to all the details. That's what Your Event is about! Thank you Paula for helping us create a bar mitzvah that was not only beautiful but also deeply meaningful for our entire family. This was the second time we worked with Paula and we were so glad to have had the opportunity! My son's experience: Paula turned my bar mitzvah into the best party ever. She listened to all my ideas about the games theme and made it even more awesome than I could have imagined. The games were super fun, the food was amazing, and I had the best day with my friends dancing. She made sure everyone had a blast, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate. I love the swag PJ pants-- and so do all my friends and family! Thank you so much Paula for making my bar mitzvah dream come true!

teps ahead of where we even thought we should be! She's on top of every detail, knowledgable beyond compare, truly a gem! And every vendor she brings into the process reflects a warmth, knowledge and candor that exudes from Paula as well. Our wedding was the best day of our lives, and we know it could not have reached the heights that it did without Paula (and having attended several weddings planned by her, we know everyone who attends her events feels the same).

more - we knew we were in the best of hands!

highly recommend them for any event.

a comfort and a joy to be around, while ensuring she brings rigor and precision to the planning process. Every step of the way we felt so assured and that we were in the best hands with Paula. Over the course of the year we worked with her, she got to know us personally - and as it related to our vision for our wedding weekend - both what we wished for as a couple, and what spoke to us individually. Paula was always quick to dream up something I could have never thought of myself, while constantly staying smart, savvy and wary of any budget restrictions. Her curiosity, her ability to understand and go deep with her clients and background in design (and all other things wonderful) made our wedding weekend everything that it was and more. My husband and I both work full time jobs, and during the planning process, were juggling a long-distance relationship on top of it all. If we ever fell short, or flat on our wedding planning responsibilities, Paula held us to account and kept us honest. I can say with 100% certainty, we would NOT have been able to pull off the weekend without her and we so appreciated a planner who kindly held us accountable for the weekend every step of the way. Just as important as it is for your planner to be an expert in accountability, (which Paula is), she also is the perfect partner in creating windows of time during the planning process to unplug and enjoy the engagement. Paula was quick to remind us that despite the stress of planning the wedding - it should be FUN! And for my partner and I - she made it just that. Of course all the planning is for something - and as I previewed - Paula knocked it out of the park during our wedding. In the stressful weeks leading up to the weekend, she kept us grounded and was our biggest cheerleader. As the weekend kicked off, she was a rock. She kept all of our vendors on time and on task, and genuinely was a joy to have there. Both of our Moms and my grandma were thrilled that her calming and reassuring presence was there to guide us through the whole weekend. And after a year of getting to know Paula and planning with her - my partner and I were honored that she was there to witness our big day. Looking back on photos from the weekend, I'm in awe of all the little details that Paula brought to life. It meant the world to us. She is a treasure. Now we just need another excuse to throw a party!

o speed with our vision and vendors, while also providing her expertise along the way. Her communication and prep work the month before the wedding was also out of this world in making sure a timeline was set, all scenarios were accounted for (we had an outdoor wedding, but lucked out with perfect weather!), and all vendors were aware of each step and after the event so that all we had to do was show up! Clean up and break down was also run by Paula and her team and was seamless to the point where all we had to do was pick up the remaining items left at the event space the next day. Would highly recommend to anyone thinking about hiring a wedding planner for their big day - while the planning process is always difficult, Paula and her team made sure we got to enjoy every bit of our wedding day.

considered. We especially appreciated how upfront and transparent our communication was throughout the process. Paula has a truly impressive range of contacts and tremendous local knowledge. This made it possible for us to work through the planning and, by the final weeks, to take a deep breath and focus on the joy of the celebration. All aspects of the wedding felt 'waterproof' because of this attention to detail and amazing execution. Thank you for making this magic possible.

ion and own it as if it were her own. We found that in Paula, but we also found more - Paula proved to be a close friend and ally in addition to a competent and connected planner. Paula’s thoughtful guidance made the planning process relatively painless, and her experience-derived advice gave us confidence in our decisions. She often went beyond her role and offered us knowledge and feedback on details like the signage and graphics that we decided to take on ourselves. And by treating our vendors with the same warmth and tact with which she treated us, she ensured for us a cohesive, well-orchestrated day. Finally, when the forecast began calling for rain a few days before our wedding, Paula began checking in with us several times a day. She let us know exactly how to prepare, and, having prepared, we could relax and be fully present on our wedding day. In the end, our day was better than we could have imagined - thank you Paula and team!

fferent personalities and opinions with ease. My son's wedding weekend success was entirely due to Paula Smith Events

hat was important to us and make it come to life. She was so organized and worked with all our vendors to make sure everything came together on our wedding weekend. We so appreciate the care she put into making all the details of our wedding so special, and making our guests feel so welcome. The whole team reflected the grace, competence, warmth, and high standards that we experienced in our year and a half working with Paula Smith Designs. We were so happy with how everything turned out- it really was a gorgeous, once-in-a-lifetime party, and so filled with joy. It is because of our trust in Paula and her team that we were able to relax and have such a good time at our wedding, and we will always be grateful. We highly recommend Paula Smith Designs!

s floored by Paula. We selected Paula after an interview process with several planners (first test was their reaction when I sent a 10pg vision & expectations presentation – Paula was excited by it). Debating between 2 planners we went back to the reviews. They were all insanely glowing for Paula and now we have fully experienced why (and yes, they’re all accurate). My husband waxes poetry on the way Paula brought our very specific creative visions to life (“A Groom’s Perspective”) but I will deliver a bulletpointed list for those of you who are scouring reviews like I did. Paula is a mindreader. We were so in sync on our wedding day that I would turn to ask her for something and she would hand it to me. It’s a little spooky. I was actually relaxed during my wedding weekend with Paula at my side. This was the best gift as I enjoyed so many more moments with loved ones. Every single vendor said she was the most outstanding planner they’ve ever worked with. People love her, they will move mountains for her. Paula has a rolodex of the best vendors. Every vendor she brought in went ABOVE & BEYOND. When you hire Paula, you’re getting the industry best. She will be your assassin if need be. She will defend you like a mama bear. She is thoughtful & sweet. Paula made the entire journey special. She is the most responsive person I have ever met – emails would be answered in minutes. She protects your mental health, giving you little doses of need-to-know info (or all of it if you ask!) Her superpower is coordination. She has a calm, cool, collectedness that permeates the months leading up to your wedding and while that remained during our wedding weekend, the GET SH*T DONE (but of course, sweetly!) attitude was awe-inspiring. Being a company founder, it can be hard for me to let go. I trusted Paula 300%. She puts the couple first. When she arrived for set-up at our home I offered her coffee and she responded with “This week is about you. Do not even think about me.” She brought her cooler of snacks and was off to orchestrate the many moving pieces. She took my details to the next level – even seemingly silly things like the way she displayed the parasols, and rolling our pool towels for the pool party for a streamlined look, or the glass card box leveled up by putting a vintage postcard and some moss from our cake table inside. She is simply a master. She thinks of everything. Every. Possible. Scenario. Every. Possible. Detail. She advised ordering clear umbrellas two weeks before the wedding as a “just in case” but also acknowledged that we’d still be in the return window if we didn’t use them. Paula has done this so many times over the years years she knows what works. She knows what you need, more than you know what you need. The only thing which could have been improved from our wedding (just one cranky bartender!) was a time I didn’t listen to Paula. Her husband is a pilot and has access to the BEST weather forecasting software Our wedding weekend ended in a standing ovation from our guests for Paula. So many people came up to me to talk about the magical experiences they had with her. Don't let Paula’s calm, zen exterior fool you - she is a mastermind thinking about the thousands of details underneath.

r our wedding weekend. Three years ago we bought a beautiful property on a bumpy dirt road, up in the mountains outside of Cold Spring New York. On this property we wanted to 1) re-create a memory of love, warmth, and family, wrapped in the enjoyment of nature I once experienced in my childhood at a relative’s outdoor wedding, 2) infuse that memory with my wife’s impeccable design sense and creative vision, and 3) produce a sensory feast for our guests with delicious food, all the right music, and gorgeous vignettes or views around every corner. From day one, Paula embraced our vision and began working with us to make it into a reality. From upfront vendor selection to the detailed timelines of the event, Paula never failed to make sure what we were putting together matched the vision, always double checking to make sure what we were building was exactly what we wanted. I’m not going to say it was easy, but Paula was tireless in working with us to pull together all the components of what we would come to call ‘The Love Weekend’. Every wonderful event is a combination of content and coordination – all of the months of curation, my wife’s amazing creativity, the property overflowing with June blooms (with specific props to our poppies and Korean Dogwood who were real showstoppers) was the content. Where we got to see what really makes Paula Smith special was in the coordination, it was like watching an artist at work. Confident in her strokes, masterful with her craft, all done with an appearance of ease which allowed us to put our complete faith in her that everything would run smoothly. And it did. Paula is a maestro, and our wedding weekend was the most beautiful symphony of joy, love, beauty and deliciousness I’ve ever experienced. But most important, I was there to experience it, really there – able to be present in the moment, able to laugh and love with my family, able to take in all the beauty and deliciousness, because I knew Paula would take care of it all for me. ‘The Love Weekend’ was a fantastic success, we recreated that childhood memory, my wife’s unbelievable creativity was impeccably displayed across the entire weekend and every guest left wowed. As seen through the standing ovation we all gave to Paula as our Sunday pool party was winding down. Bravo Paula and thank you.

a MUST to book for your event! Words cannot fully express the gratitude and appreciation we have for Paula Smith and the Your Event Team for creating an unforgettable and beautiful wedding day for us. From the first moment we spoke with Paula when looking for a wedding planner, we knew she would be perfect for our special day. Her immediate care for us as a couple, unconditional support, guidance, attention to detail and the skill and love for her craft was clear throughout our entire year of communication (and beyond our wedding day). She is a true professional in every way, from managing us as clients and our vendors (who she knows of MANY and all adore and admire her), to ensuring every small and big detail was accounted for and making sure we were happy and calm throughout the entire process. Her emails and calls always brighten our days and made us feel calm and supported in both the smoothest and the most stressful days. Her consistent communication, scheduling and management of every detail (and there were many!) was outstanding. Paula always made us feel at ease, finding a solution to anything that came our way throughout the entire process and most importantly the day of. She went above and beyond to make sure our creative vision was beautifully executed, and day of events went exactly as we had imagined and more. Our wedding day was everything anyone would ever dream of – smooth, stress free and full of love and joy. We fully trusted Paula and her team, and we are so beyond grateful and lucky to have had them be a HUGE part of our special day. Paula truly made us feel like family, and she is most certainly a part of ours! We feel so lucky and blessed to have met her and will forever be grateful to her for making our wedding year memorable and special.

best. My only regret is not having hired her sooner, although she did amazing as our month of coordinator. Paula did so much for us, with her creativity and the utmost attention to detail, care, and support all along the way. On the day of, Paula and her team were invaluable. We had multiple unforeseeable complications with other vendors, but Paula and her team seamlessly saved the day with everything. They went above and beyond, and were so flawless in taking care of everything on the spot that we weren’t even aware of anything until days later. We were so grateful for not having to worry about fixing things on the spot on the day of our wedding. Having a wedding can be overwhelming, especially these days, but Paula and her team make it so much easier to handle, so that you can breath and enjoy the process. Paula is ready for any challenge, while always maintaining a calm, caring and nurturing composure. I don’t know what we would have done without her!

s with Paula. She listened well, communicate reliably with me and with vendors, and she was committed to designing and delivering a beautiful day for me and my family. Her attention to detail cannot be overstated. Hire Paula for your next event so that you can live out the day you have been imagining.

was very low stress for us

pecial impression on our guests. Our vision was fully appreciated and carried out by Paula - the wedding was on a farm/village and the event was beautiful, elegant, natural, understated, but elevated at the same time!

of. She made sure everything went off without a hitch. I would highly recommend Your Event!

d her team enough! All of our guests enjoyed the evening - it was truly magical! Every detail was considered, and Paula is thoughtful, professional, and truly a joy to work with. Do not hesitate to hire her for your next event!

e best people we have ever met, period. She led us, our vendors, and her team through 2 reschedulings due to COVID-19, and produced the most beautiful wedding beyond anything we ever could have imagined. Paula is patient, kind, and so humble. Please do take my word on this because as a licensed therapist with a decade of experience, I consider myself to be a fair judge of character. There were so many times when she easily could have fired us (and it would’ve been fair); we didn’t mean to be, but we were bridezilla and groomzilla. We’re perfectionists and both work minimum of 50hrs/week and our work became super busy in the month before the wedding. We worked with her over the course of THREE years and never once was she rude or unprofessional despite the fact that there was a global pandemic occurring that threw the wedding industry upside down and sideways. The other vendors only ever had wonderful things to say about her too. Paula’s skills speak for herself and can be viewed on her website, but what you can’t easily see is that she is so hard working and thinks of details I’ve never heard of! My aunt has unobtainably high standards and was a bit high maintenance at the wedding and even she was impressed by Paula! In sum, if you’re on the fence, call her and see for yourself. Paula, if you see this we love you and our next fluffy child better be adorable because they’re going to be named Paul or Paula in your honor! (No, we’re not kidding.)

f the above and more. I can't recommend them highly enough. Every event we've done together has been perfectly planned, with time set aside to dream up new and interesting ways of making something fresh and unique to the client. Paula truly cares about everyone she works with -- clients and vendors included -- and that care shines through in each of her events.

g her as your wedding planner as she'll make your day absolutely smooth. Thank you for everything Paula

g day more memorable than we ever thought it could be. As the mother of the bride, the last thing I wanted to do, and my daughter wanted to do, was worry about all the details that really make the day a success. Thank you Paula and team because the day could not have been more perfect.

ty and shape that vision into something truly special. Paula was able to craft the entire event to fit with our vision. Oftentimes our ideas did not really mesh well together, and Paula was always able to offer a professional opinion and course correct. In the end, the execution was flawless. Paula made the wedding planning process stress free and fun. She thoughtfully planned out all the decisions we had to make, and stepped in on details that we didn’t want to think about, it was a breeze and we got to enjoy what mattered most: getting married and partying with family and friends. Hiring Paula was the best decision we made for our wedding. She is not only incredibly kind, caring, and communicative, but also extremely effective and organized. Every single vendor we spoke to went out of their way to tell us how much they respected her as the best among all the planners they have worked with. The day before the wedding, there was an impending catastrophe that would have threatened a big part of the day. Paula and her team went above and beyond to handle the issue, and we blissfully didn’t even know about it until after the wedding. Paula made sure that we were focused on the joy of the day itself while she averted the crisis for us. This was such a testament to the abilities and professionalism of Paula and her team. We absolutely recommend Paula for anyone planning their wedding or any other event in the Hudson Valley 100%. You can tell how deeply she cares about the people she works with, how focused she was on our day, and how much joy she gets from making sure it was exactly what we wanted and more.

assist. As the Events Coordinator for the Preston Barn, she supplied me with the needed information before I even asked for it. Top Notch! Paul Smith and her team are always welcome at the Preston Barn.

rson! Words cannot describe how much Paula did for us for our wedding. From our first phone call, we knew she would be amazing to work with, and she we couldn’t have imagined just how amazing. Every detail was perfect and better than the last- from her amazing table settings, to special details we didn't even know were coming, the day was beyond everything we hoped for. She helped us coordinate all the signage and the calligrapher, and our guests commented how beautiful it all was! The venue looked even more beautiful than we imagined, and the day of, she was able to implement a few backup plans that I didn't even know were in place, but she had worked on with all the vendors in advance. Even a few days after the event, she is still providing guidance and support to us! Paula was also so kind, patient and thoughtful throughout the entire process, and was a calming and guiding force for us in the best way possible. She truly had an uncanny ability to know when we were starting to freak out, and were able to reach out with a kind email or just the right advice to calm us down and focus on what was most important. I enthusiastically recommend Paula!!

knows, planning a wedding could be a lot of work. This was especially true for us. Not only did we have to plan this wedding in the midst of the pandemic. We had chosen a remote family estate for the wedding venue. Never before had this estate been used for a big event (which spanned across acres of land). This was without a doubt a ground up build of an event that brought, what some may think were a variety of challenges. But, never once did Paula Smith & her team make it feel that way. Paula's expertise, confidence & skills were unmatchable. With her natural creativity, impeccable attention to detail, unwavering work ethic, strong support & 24/7 communication (for us, as well as the vendors), and above all her strong positivity, made this wedding planning an absolute dream! Paula was always available when you needed her. She most certainly handled far more than I was even visible to. Another aspect which i never realised would be so important, was her ability to help focus and guide you on the process and address topics when necessary. Alleviating any feeling of being overwhelmed in the details. It was an absolute pleasure to have worked with Paula and her team. We all felt we not only gained a invaluable partner in the wedding planning process, we gained a dear friend of whom we are blessed to have spent time with leading up to and on our special day. Paula & her team were quite honestly our fairy godmothers who made our wedding the best day of our lives.

ding became a reality - and collaborated beautifully with them throughout. She brought deep expertise, inspired creativity and positive energy to the planning process — and she brought leadership, precision and excellence to delivering a truly wonderful wedding. Paula and her team took responsibility for ensuring that everyone working on the rehearsal dinner and the wedding performed at the highest level. She also provided a calm, competent and positive approach to every challenge, found new opportunities to create special experiences, and made sure that every detail was attended to. I particularly appreciated how attentive Paula was to the bride and groom, making sure that their preferences and choices were at the fore throughout. Indeed, she supported and guided all of us involved in the wedding with impeccable care and respect. I can’t recommend Paula highly enough. She truly is one of the most outstanding professionals I have every worked with.

c could have been stressful but Paula and her team made it so easy and stress-free. Every detail big and small from the whole wedding weekend was absolutely perfect! I still can’t get over how perfect my wedding day was, it was beyond my wildest dreams! Our wedding was during Hurricane Henri, Paula and her team went above and beyond, you would have never known there was a hurricane. Paula Smith, we love you and we are forever grateful!

ause of the pandemic. Paulas communication, organization as well as absolute lovely and uplifting personality helped us navigate through all of the stress that comes with hosting a wedding at a home. Paulas network of vendors and contacts was a huge help when it came to figuring out who to hire for certain aspects of the wedding. Every single vendor hired through Paula went above and beyond and was also an integral part of the wedding going so perfectly. Paula also had a plethora of rentals from card boxes, signs and any other item you may need for the wedding on top of her also being an amazing graphic designer. Paulas graphic design skills were so incredible and helpful when it came to making signage, ceremony pamphlets and helping with menus to place on tables. I cannot say enough about the unbelievable job Paula and her team did to make my wedding day stress free and everything i could have ever dreamed of. If you are in need of an event planner look no further, you have found the best!