TESTIMONIALS
Kind words & reviews written from our wonderful clients.
"I could not say enough about Erika O’Brien Events. I found out my venue didn’t provide a wedding coordinator/planner so I found Erika a couple of months before the wedding. Wedding planning is super overwhelming and she did more than I could’ve asked for. I’m very detail orientated with a lot of things and it was very stressful for me to not be apart of setting up and coordinating the wedding. Erika and I had one on one video meetings to go over all the details and at that point I felt comfortable putting the coordinating into someone else’s hands. She made sure everything went smoothly and she set up all the decorations for me. This included all of the personalized decor. She had a detailed timeline that she gave to everyone in the wedding party which was super helpful to make sure everyone knew where they needed to be. All of this put me at ease so I could focus on enjoying the day. She also coordinated with all of my vendors and made sure they new when to be there and the timeline of the whole day. This was a big help because it was too much for me at times to chase down all the vendors and make sure they were going to show up. With out a doubt, I recommend Erika O’Brien Events, they did an AMAZING job, I couldn’t of enjoyed my wedding to the full extent if they were not there."
"Having Erika as our wedding coordinator was the best decision we could have made! She was professional, personable, and so knowledgeable. I was very on the fence for getting a coordinator as I am a very organized person, but I could not be more glad we did. The day was stress-free and exactly how I hoped it would be! We had regularly scheduled meetings to go through the necessities, and she was extremely responsive if I had any other questions outside of our meetings. Not to mention, she kept me on track for things I had forgotten, and was our go to person for the things we weren’t sure on. I had many DIYs and she was extremely helpful in getting everything where it needed to be, executing my vision perfectly. The day went so smoothly because she had everything under control! She worked seamlessly with our other vendors, and ensured everyone was in their place. We also had a very large wedding party whom she managed perfectly! We could not recommend Erika more!"
"I thought I was organized and on top of things, but then I had Erika coordinate my wedding! I got married in New York City in June 2023 and opted to plan the big parts (venues, menu, specialty things my fiancé and I wanted like musicians and our getaway car), but I couldn't have pulled it off without Erika. She was there to remind me of the little things that often get overlooked like syncing up with vendors prior and during the wedding day, setting up the tables at the reception, and acting as emcee at said reception. She made sure no rock was unturned in terms of anything we may have wanted. All in all, my wedding - which was a "destination" wedding for around 90% of guests and brings its own unique set of worries - was a smooth sailing success thanks to Erika's coordination and communication skills. She was ultra clear in emails and calls and was thoroughly wonderful to work with start to finish. PS: Her husband, Hunter, took photos for our reception and did a beautiful job! He knew exactly how to pose us to capture those glowy, in-the-moment shots and shared in our excitement all throughout. I would totally recommend them as a package dynamic duo if you're also looking for a great photographer."
"Erika is the best! From the very first meeting to the last minute of the reception she was amazing. Her website spells out very clearly what you can expect from her and she delivers everything she says she will. She accompanied us to menu tastings, gave us recommendations for vendors based on our budget and sat in on vendor interviews. She reviewed contracts and made suggestions. She scheduled check in meetings along the way to make sure everything was on track. She asked the questions we didn’t think to ask. She was always available to answer questions and always responded in a timely manner. Erika willingly took on any task or request we asked her to. She coordinated with all of our vendors and was able to troubleshoot successfully a few unexpected and last minute changes that had to be made. Her day of scheduling was literally down to the minute and was executed flawlessly. Erika was always there with a smile and a calm, friendly manner. She was such a huge part of an absolutely successful and beautiful wedding weekend! I’m so very glad we had her there every step of the way!"
Allison
"If you’re looking for exceptional help for your wedding from the kindest, most caring person, Erika is the wedding planner for you. Planning a wedding seemed like it was going to be extremely stressful, but Erika’s wedding planning expertise made it an enjoyable experience. She kept us on track throughout the planning process and smoothed out the nitty gritty details so we could focus on the fun stuff. The day of the wedding could not have been more perfect, and everything flowed smoothly thanks to her keeping everything in order. We had our wedding at a park and even the head landscaper commented that this was one of the most organized and beautiful weddings he had seen. Erika did everything we asked of her and more. We never imagined our wedding could have gone so perfectly and it was all thanks to her."
"On a very shortened timeline, I had two months to plan my wedding which was a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony followed by a dinner with about 70 guests. As someone who is normally very hands on I realized that I’m going to need some help and guidance to pull this off with my sanity intact and I am so grateful to have had Erika with me throughout the process. It was the BEST wedding decision we made. Erika is a delight to work with and I am incredibly lucky to have had her help. She always made me feel very calm (important!), was always quick to respond and ready to jump in to help at any time. Leading up to the wedding, my florals didn’t deliver in time and she went with me to the store to grab various flowers to arrange in the bud vases the night before the event! A total life saver. The day of the wedding ran so smoothly and we could not have been more stress free on that day. She took the reigns on the design and setup of the dinner reception and made everything absolutely perfect. Erika’s commitment to excellence is unparalleled and I would recommend her to anyone looking for an outstanding wedding planner. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!"
"My husband and I had a wonderful experience working with Erika O’Brien for three events for our son and future daughter-in-law’s wedding weekend in St. Petersburg. Our relationship with Erika was somewhat unique in that we are the “in-laws” and wanted/needed her help in planning and coordinating the rehearsal dinner, the welcome party, and the newlywed brunch following the wedding. Matthew and Megan had a separate contract with Erika for the never ending list of wedding related details from beginning to end. Although the two contracts were separate, they worked in harmony to ensure the details and planning were well coordinated. Since we were not that familiar with St. Petersburg as we live in northwest Florida, her advice and help was invaluable! Ten months before the wedding we met with Erika in St. Pete to check out hotels for the guest room block, met with various restaurants and venue coordinators for the welcome party and the brunch. It was a busy 3 days but with Erika’s excellent pre-planning and her being by our side to ask all the right questions, that trip was the beginning of a successful and fun relationship. In those few days we chose Sea Salt for the outdoor rehearsal dinner for 28 guests (an absolutely wonderful restaurant, outstanding food and so accommodating!), the Birchwood Hotel ballroom for the welcome party for 100 guests (coordinators and food were the BEST- our friends still talk about how great all the appetizers and food stations, especially the seafood bar and sliders, were and such a fun venue with both indoor and outdoor spaces), and the Canopy at the Birchwood Hotel for the Sunday brunch (again excellent food, drink and VIEWS!). We also used the Hilton Bayfront and the Hampton Inn as the preferred hotels; both good choices as they were easy walking distance to each event. Thank you Erika for helping us make all these decisions so easy and with confidence. Throughout the months leading up to the wedding, I had endless phone calls, emails and texts with Erika. She always responded within hours and had a “smile” in her voice. Her communication skills are the best! No question or request went unanswered. For example, two weeks before the big weekend my husband suggested we have a photographer for the welcome party. This was not an easy “ask” given the short notice on a busy weekend in May and we needed someone for 2-3 hours to take fun and candid photos of our guests at the party. Unfortunately the wedding day photographer was not available so thinking outside the box was key. After several days without any luck, Erika made a fantastic suggestion. Her husband, Hunter, has experience with event photography and he was the perfect choice for what we wanted. Everyone loved his fun and casual style while taking lasting memories. This is just one example of Erika’s invaluable guidance and help. I can confidently say that Erika was our right hand, go-to person during all those months. She continued to work with us and our event coordinators and fine tune our decisions on just about everything-food choices (which I changed frequently!), decor, table arrangements, guest counts, etc. Each time I went to St. Pete, we met and went through a few more details and visited with the venue coordinators to make sure we had all the details “just right”. Erika was even by my side helping put together my overflowing welcome tote bags and delivering them to the front desks. She has a calming influence when things can become stressful, as they certainly can and do with wedding planning. I truly believe that you will not be disappointed if you choose to contract with Erika. My husband and I started this journey with Erika as our weekend event planner but ended up with a great and trusted friend who I highly recommend! (Matthew and Megan were married in St. Mary Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and their reception was held at the historic Nova 535. What a wonderful weekend to the beginning of a beautiful marriage!)"
Rozanne
"Erika O’Brien Events did a spectacular job throughout my entire wedding planning process. Like many others, I have not ever planned a wedding and had no idea all the details involved in the process. Erika was quick and thorough to reply to my questions, kept me involved in every step, and kept me calm when I got stressed. Erika knows the ins and outs of the wedding industry and diligently works to meet the needs and requests of her couples. Erika’s passion shines through in her work and in the end result of your big day. My wedding day could not have gone more smoothly, all thanks to Erika O’Brien Events!"
"Erika is truly the best!! We could not have asked for a better coordinator for our wedding. She was so calming and reassuring throughout the process of planning the day and the execution on the day of. We didn’t have to worry or stress about anything! She made our day SO special!"
"Erika and her team were awesome!! In addition to making sure everything was running on time and smoothly, she was instrumental in last minute changes and emergency vendor suggestions. Her l emergency DJ suggestion for our rehearsal dinner and Mehndi (who was amazing AND very reasonably priced) solved a last minute problem. She even brought her own wedding card box! Erika and her team managed our Jewish-Hindu wedding with careful and thoughtful planning and professionalism. Her calm nature and organizational skills were well appreciated throughout our events. We were able to relax and enjoy the experience rather than worry about the details and execution. Beyond Erika and her team making us feel comfortable and relaxed throughout our celebration, they interacted wonderfully with our vendors and our guests, with many giving compliments to her demeanor!! Hands down, best decision!"
Adam & Tara
"Erika is an amazing event coordinator and person! She cares so much about her clients, gives great advice and suggestions, and is so fast and thorough with communication. She is highly organized and has great connections in the Tampa Bay area. She was so calming, and made sure we stayed relaxed during the planning process and wedding weekend. Erika coordinated 4 separate events for our wedding that were all perfect. We could not recommend her more!!"
"Erika helped make this process the least stressful it could be! Even with us being in Kansas, she made our dreams possible, and we couldn’t have asked for anyone better. I didn’t once feel stressed on the day of my wedding. We had a lot of anxiety about the day of, but it actually was a breeze. It was almost so easy that we forgot the amount of planning that had gone into it. Erika was doing so much behind the scenes that we didn’t even notice what was happening. She’s always thinking ten steps ahead. Thank you Erika! :)"
"We found Erika late in the process of planning our wedding. She did an amazing job assisting in making my wife’s vision come through! On the day of, she and her husband were constantly moving and working to make sure we didn’t have to worry about anything. They were an amazing team. If you have a chance to book Erika, it will be the best decision you could ever make!"
