Chicago Wedding Planner reviews and testimonials for LOLA Event Productions

Jessie & Rick
A New Leaf
Photo Credit: Carl Bowler Photography
Brittanie was my wedding planner for my wedding on Nov 5th. She ROCKED.
After my very first phone conversation with Brittanie, I knew that she was the kind of person I could trust with my wedding. Her depth of knowledge regarding wedding etiquette, timelines, vendors, decor, and style is impressive. She immediately put everyone at ease, including the groom and my parents, by demonstrating her quick thinking and ability to gracefully resolve problems.  Every time I mentioned an idea, she found a creative way to bring it to life and shine within my budget. Brittanie took my ideas and turned them into something concrete and fabulous. She helped us create a gorgeous and unique wedding that really reflected our style. Knowing that Brittanie was actively managing every changing detail of the event, I was able to relax and focus on the experience and my family and friends. This was true in the weeks leading up to the wedding as well as on the day of. Her warm, positive personality makes her a treat to work with. I can't thank Brittanie enough!

Terese & Ed
Chicago Illuminating Company
Photo Credit: David Wittig
I'm a Type A personality… I have a hard time relinquishing control. I kept trying to do Lauren's job in the weeks leading up to our wedding. I'm pretty sure I annoyed her. But by Thursday when Lauren came by our apartment to pick up the ceremony and reception supplies and give us a final timeline, I was more than willing for her to take over everything. And did she ever. (She even pretended like I hadn't been annoying over the previous weeks.) Lauren and her assistant, Kathleen, coordinated photo locations, transferred beer and food from trolley to trolley, got 200 guests onto 5 trolleys after the ceremony, made sure CDs were playing in trolleys, bustled my dress, orchestrated the flow of the entire reception, brought all our stuff from the reception back to our hotel and so much more. Oh, and she let me borrow her blush 10 minutes before our ceremony started.

Almost as important as what she did was her personality and how she did it. She was hardworking and effective, but not crazy. The wedding party loved Lauren. Ellen nicknamed her LC and Cousin Kristin gave her the ultimate compliment: "I want to shrink her down and carry her around in my pocket." Thank you, Lauren and Kathleen.

Therese & Dan
Prairie Production
Photo Credit: Dean Thorsen
I don't think I ever got to thank you personally for what an amazing job you did with our wedding.  We had such an amazing time and that is thanks in very large part because of you.  As soon as we dropped off all our stuff with you at the rehearsal dinner, we really didn't worry about another thing.  We actually got to enjoy every bit of the wedding because we knew you were there taking care of everything and doing an amazing job of it.  One of my favorite memories of the day is right after the ceremony, when Therese and I got to head back to the little dressing room and you brought us drinks and the appetizers and we just got to spend some time alone together on our big day.  That was really special.  All of your suggestions for vendors and design were great.  We couldn't have been happier with the Food and the Music.  We had so many compliments on both.  And thanks so much for introducing us to Nate.  He did such an amazing job with the ceremony.  Thanks so much for keeping us procrastinators on task throughout the planning too.  Honestly my mind reels at the thought of doing this whole process without your help.  You really did a phenomenal job and it was great to get to know you along the way.  Thank you so much.

Amrita & Ankush
Hilton Chicago
Photo Credit: Studio 623 Photography
Tara really made our wedding day possible. Without her, I can't even imagine all the stressful events that I might have had to face! She was so professional and was able to handle parental drama and to keep everyone happy and blissfully oblivious of any mishaps. I would recommend Lola Events Productions hands down!

Bridget & Tim
The Ritz Chicago
Photo Credit: Gerber Scarpelli
We just wanted to send a quick email before we leave for Hawaii tomorrow to tell you what an AMAZING time we had last night!  It was exactly what we pictured and more and couldn't be more thrilled. We can't thank you enough for pulling it all together.  You and your team were fantastic and made me feel calm and reassured that all was going off without a hitch!  Our guests have all been RAVING about what a beautiful and fun reception it was and we owe so much of that to all of your hard work. Thanks again!!!

Emily & Jake
The Allerton Hotel
Photo Credit: Michael Rastall Photography
Tara;
Jake and I want to thank you for the fabulous job you and your assistant did for our wedding!  You made the day completely stress free for us, and our families!  We were just so pleased with the set up of the ballroom and the foyer area!  The flowers you designed and executed were AMAZING!- One of my co-workers was recently married and she said my flowers were the prettiest she had ever seen!!  We really, really, really appreciate your fantastic work!! Thanks again!!

Natalia & David
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Photo Credit: Tricia Koning
Dear Lori,
“Gratitude is the memory of the heart”- Jean Baptiste Massieu.  We are truly grateful for all of your help in creating our perfect wedding weekend.  We simply cannot thank you enough for everything that you did for us over the past year. We hope that this note helps you continue to do such wonderful work in the future.

We planned our wedding from out of town and with crazy work schedules as physicians. Lori was, from the very first meeting, up for our challenging schedules and time constraints. We did most of our work via email because this was most convenient for us. When we were in town, Lori was instrumental in organizing our time to create an efficient way for us to make the most out of our trip

Lori has worked on some very high-end weddings and we had a budget towards the lower-end of the spectrum in Chicago weddings. Lori was never was deterred by this. Early on, we established a budget together and outlined areas where we would save money and areas where we would splurge. She narrowed our list of vendors to ones that she trusted and ones within our budget. It gave us such peace of mind that she had worked with just about everyone in Chicago; we knew we could trust her recommendations. Chicago has thousands of vendors for every wedding need- we simply cannot imagine how we would have weeded through them all to get someone who we could trust and someone we could afford without Lori. We could not be happier with the vendors that she helped us select. The end result was absolutely beautiful- our guests thought that we had no budget on our wedding because of how wonderful everything looked!

Danielle & Mike
Adler Planetarium
Photo Credit: Grey Street Photo
I just wanted to thank you again for doing such a great job with our wedding. It was a stress-free day for us, which we are very grateful for!  The flowers you designed looked great – I loved my bouquet!  Your assistant Brittanie was such a pleasure to work with as well. We have nothing but happy memories from the day and we have all our wonderful vendors to thank for that.

Alicia & Bill
Prairie Production
Photo Credit: Allure Photography
We can’t tell you how much we appreciate the time and effort you put into Alicia & Bill’s wedding – the magical event that it was!  You managed to take Alicia’s fantasy and not only turn it into a real life wedding – but a celebratory blow-out that several of their friends have called “absolutely awesome” – and what us older kids would call “amazing.” Alicia may have been the playwright for this affair, but you were clearly the producer and director! You delivered a great show and for that, we deeply thank you.
Merle Hoffman & Peter Lopez (MOB/FOB)

Sunah & Tom
The Drake Hotel
Photo Credit: Studio This Is
You were such a great help and Tom and I really appreciate all the work you did to help our wedding day run smoothly.  My Mom’s friends are still talking about how lovely it was! I still can’t believe how beautiful everything turned out! Thanks so much for all your help!

Jamie & Scot
Prairie Production
Photo Credit: Edward Fox
Lori, Let me just start by saying that you are AMAZING. The best decision I made was asking you to do the planning, design and décor for my wedding.  The whole day ran so smoothly and was so incredibly stress free. I can’t even begin to tell you how much we loved what you did with the reception space and flowers. Just BEAUTIFUL! It was so much more than Scot and I could have ever hoped for – we still get compliments. Thank you for making our wedding the most memorable day ever.

Hartej & Vinny
The Ritz Hotel
Photo Credit: Andre LaCour
Dear Tara;
BAM!  You might think that we forgot about you, but that’s impossible!!!  We can’t thank you enough for all that you did for us.... From the day that we met with you, you were listening to what WE wanted - making sure the day “flowed” well and helping my dad walk back to his seat after his toast!  Top to bottom, you were ON it!  We couldn’t have done this without your help and feel lucky we had YOU helping us!!

Katie & Mark
Brookfield Zoo
Photo Credit: Continuum Photography
Wow!  Where to begin!   From the beginning to the very end, Brittanie is a true professional.  She started by listening to our needs and wants, and then worked with us to create a vision for what our wedding day was going to look like.   She then used her skills and experience to glue all these special pieces together.  Turning our vision into a reality.  On the day of the wedding, Brittanie was invaluable—she made sure that all the “t’s were crossed and i’s were dotted. “ 
On a personal level, Brittanie is thoughtful, creative, professional, knowledgeable, flexible, organized and FUN! She is that sparkle of calm, positive energy that you want and need around on your big day!  On top of all that, she is an extremely hard worker—she was worth every dollar and more. Brittanie went above and beyond to make she every detail of our big day was a success.  Thank you for all the passion and care you provided!

Michelle & Blake
The Ritz Hotel
Photo Credit: Joe Gallo Photography
When I became engaged my fiancé suggested we use a wedding planner. I did not think we needed one but he convinced me to investigate that option by highlighting how our careers keep us very busy.   I agreed to a meeting with a wedding planner with the intention of letting him know, after the meeting, that we could do it ourselves. However, after we met with Tara Moser from LOLA, I became convinced that a competent wedding planner is exactly what we needed. Tara kept us organized and referred us to wonderful vendors that fit our budget.  She helped us navigate unfamiliar territory (vendor contracts, day of planning etc.) and handled the hundreds of little details that come with planning a wedding.  Most importantly, on the day of our wedding, she kept the day running smoothly and allowed my husband and I to truly enjoy our day without having to worry about one thing.  Our wedding day exceeded our expectations in every way.  My guests raved that it was one of the best weddings they had ever attended.  It made me so happy to know my guests enjoyed our wedding as much as my husband and I did.  I know in my heart that would not have been the case without the help and expertise provided by Tara. Tara and LOLA were key in making our wedding day  a dream come true!   -Michelle and Blake Centers

Wish Upon A Wedding
Wally & Debbi’s Vow Renewal
Loft On Lake
Photo Credit: Kevin Weinstein
Thank you for all of your help and your attention to detail! We loved the vow renewal ceremony. It truly was a blessed event.

Lana and Jack
School of Art Institute Ballroom
Photo Credit: Imagine Studios
Tara;
I am so fortunate to have worked with you!  I can’t express enough how much I appreciate your organization and attention to every detail.  I think about my “ to do” list from when we first met, and I can’t believe I pulled this all off!!  You’re hours or time writing and revising the timeline, helping find quality vendors and fabulous ideas and suggestions really set our wedding apart from the rest.  I am the first of my Chicago group to get married- I can assure you that you will be referred when the time comes!
Thanks again for all you did to make our wedding amazing!
 
- Lana Manikowski

Margaret & Brian
Salvage One
Photo Credit: Vrai Photography

Thank you SO much for helping to make our special day perfect!!  You truly went above and beyond our expectations!!!
We realized then, and especially now, that we could never have pulled this off without you!  Thank you again!!

-Margaret & Brian Dougherty

Leslie & Will
The Ivy Room at Tree Studios
Photo Credit: Joe Gallo Photography
THANK YOU!!!!  I really enjoyed working with you. You did a marvelous job. I couldn’t have done it without you. Everyone said the rehearsal dinner set the tone for the entire weekend – that it was the perfect setting to get everyone together to begin to celebrate. The food was excellent. A number of people liked it so much that they went back there the next day for lunch!
 
You also did a wonderful job with the wedding and the reception. So many people told me that it was the loveliest, most fun wedding they had ever been to – and I agree. If I ever have the opportunity to recommend a wedding planner in Chicago to anyone you’ll be the one! Thanks again so much for everything!

-Paul Clifford – Father of the Groom

Marian & Mike
MCA
Photo Credit: Studio This Is
Lauren (AKA, The Mary Poppins of Bridal Consulting!),
Thank you SO much for everything! Words can’t describe how thankful we are for all your help and support throughout the year. Not to mention how many compliments you’ve received. My favorite was Mike’s brother-in-law who said: “Can I hire her to manage my life?” =)

Mary Beth & Dave
The Allerton Hotel
Photo Credit: Monar Photography
I wasn’t kidding when I said that my favorite part of the wedding is the planner! Without you, I don’t think there would have been a wedding. I don’t have the words to tell you how grateful I am for everything you’ve done. You were the most amazing support I could ever have asked for. You made this day everything I always wanted. Thanks to you, my focus that day was on my marriage and not on the details. We will never forget what an amazing event you made possible.

Kaya & Jonathon
Shedd Aquarium
Photo Credit: Zoom Photography
From the moment we met, I knew I could hand over my entire life to Tara! Instead I handed over my wedding. Tara's advice, suggestions and personal touches transformed what would've been another wedding into a spectacular event. No longer worried about finalizing last minute details, my husband and I were able to truly enjoy our day, carefree. Tara managed everything from overzealous groomsmen to the potential rain (we had none!), with grace and humor. I felt like we were prepared for everything. Being somewhat (totally) a control freak, I truly had to find someone as amazing as her to relinquish control and trust that she had everything under wraps- and that she did. From extra guests showing up at the last minute, to blistered feet and endless questions- she was ready for everything. We couldn't have had such a wonderful, magical night without her. THANK YOU TARA!

Lindsey & Mike
Ravenswood Billboard Factory
Photo Credit: Monar Photography
Dear Lori,
Thanks for all your creativity and hard work. Everything was awesome!  The day exceeded our expectations.  The décor you designed was beautiful, your recommended vendors were amazing, you were totally professional, and we really enjoyed working with you.  We will absolutely be recommending LOLA to friends.  We seriously can’t express how much we appreciate you!

- Lindsey and Mike

Jade & Raj
Winter Garden at Harold Washington Library
Photo Credit: Joe Gallo Photography
Hi Miracle Worker,
 
Wedding Planner, I must say you out did yourself!  Sunday was and will always be the best day of my life – well the best day right next to the day Jade was born.  Do plan to coordinate the 10th wedding anniversary celebration!  Everything was beautiful and fantastic – the band and those drummers were amazing.  I am sure by now you must know that we are all very grateful to you and all of your resources in working so diligently with our kids, Jade and Raj in making this event a great success.  I am hearing a lot of buzz around my office building that this is by far the best and most exciting wedding that they have ever attended.
 
Melody Bather-Gardner
(aunt of bride)

Jessica & Joe
A New Leaf

We can’t thank you enough for all of your help throughout the coordinating of our wedding.  It was truly the best decision we made in the process.  Knowing that all would be well taken care of from start to finish allowed Joe and I and our families to sit back and truly enjoy the entire weekend!  Thank you so much for everything.

Photo credit: Peter Pawinski Photography

Tonia & Jerry
A New Leaf

I can’t thank you enough for your help and guidance.  I really don’t know how anyone plans a wedding without you! Coming down the home stretch we have wondered numerous times where we would be without you.  You have been absolutely great in every way.  Much thanks.

Photo credit: Monar Photography

Caroline & Ryan
Oakbrook Hills Marriott Resort

A trusted friend and colleague sat me down and TOLD me to hire you. Looking back, I understand why.  It is not possible for mothers of the bride to know what unforeseen problems are in store for them.  That's where LOLA shines. Most of us have seen the flustered mother, anxiously looking for this or tracking down that...rather than strolling into the wedding reception calm and relaxed. The real benefit of LOLA is truly enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime occasion and not leaving anything to chance.  The flat fee was reasonable and the result was priceless. I am grateful beyond words...not just to you, but also to my friend who knew that the MOB can’t be everywhere at once.  The ability to plan, organize, negotiate, and delegate is simply not enough on the wedding day.  There are no second chances. My daughter's wedding was flawless and I enjoyed every minute to the fullest.  I have three daughters and for me, having LOLA run things is non-negotiable.
Natalie Smith, Wheaton IL MOB


Photo credit: Joe Gallo Photography

Amy and RJ
Mishawaka, Indiana

”Ode To Lauren”
She created sanity where there wasn’t
Thought of fun ideas and colors when I couldn’t,
And offered encouragement and perspective when I needed it. She found partners to help bring art to the day
Planned timelines and details
And handled vendors when they went astray.
She climbed ladders and carried table clothes
Created sparkle and glow
And kept nervous mothers at bay.
But most of all, dear Lauren, she helped me laugh and play on our Big Day!

Beth and John
Café Brauer

So, I am sure people tell you all the time -”I could not have done it without you.” And that is certainly true for us – 1000% true!! But more importantly, you have made this process so much fun, so easy. And your creativity has made this whole event come together. It has been so amazing working with you. And I don’t know what I am going to do without our little meetings to look forward to!”

Photo credit: Real Life Weddings

Anne and Vik
The Allerton Hotel

Now that we're back from Hawaii and have had a chance to catch our breath... we wanted to say thank you so much!!  We had such an amazing time at both weddings - we received countless compliments on how it turned out - and it was largely thanks to your efforts and guidance! (well, and the elephants - they were a big hit :).  Everyone from Joe to Chris to Cornelia were fantastic - not only providing incredible additions in their respective areas but they were all genuinely great people who were fun to have around!  I'm not sure we can thank you enough for all of your hard work, creativity and professionalism.

Photo credit: Joe Gallo Photography

Mary & Vince
Hilton Chicago

Everything couldn’t have gone better! Tara did an outstanding job.  As far as I know, the day was flawless and if anything went wrong I nor any of the guests ever knew it.  I can’t thank you all enough.  We couldn’t have pulled it off without you.  You guys have a fabulous business and are wonderful and what you do. My friend that lives in Chicago just got engaged and LOLA will be my first recommendation to her! Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!!!!!

Photo credit: Fred Fox

Noelle & Cris
School of the Art Institute Ballroom

What an amazing wedding we had!  Cris and I can't stop talking about it. I can’t thank you enough for all your work and dedication through it all.  You were truly an angel to have on the wedding and over the past year.  I really don't know what I would have done without you!  Thank you for always responding to me and answering all my questions (redundant at times!) and never making me feel like I was annoying you! You were such a pleasure to work with and I'm so sad it's all over. It's amazing all the time and energy you put into one single day!  And it seemed to go by in a flash. I'm sure you hear that all the time, but it really is true. As I review the wedding in my mind, it was wonderful - the happiest weekend of my life.  Please be assured that I will recommend you to any of my friends and colleagues who may be in need of you services.

Lindsay & Chris
Chicago History Museum

I am really not sure where to begin in regards to describing just how fantastic and imperative Heather's role was in making our wedding go off without a hitch.  She was running around the entire night - not sure if she sat once!  She made sure everything was done on time; the right way and most importantly did it with such poise. She was very cognizant of not interrupting people's conversations if she needed to speak to them and she somehow knew exactly where I was when I needed to speak to her.
 
It was the little details - such as bringing a glass of water to me just as we began the receiving line at the end of the ceremony, making sure we had a glass of champagne before pictures began, and if there was something minor that went wrong - she knew about it before we even had to say something and she handled the situation with a smile and promptly.  
 
Looking back at our wedding weekend from the rehearsal on Friday to the last five minutes on Saturday, I could not imagine one single person that was more important to making our wedding such a beautiful event.  We had compliments all night about Heather.  Thank you again, for putting me in touch with her!!!

Carrie & Sean
Promontory Point

Alfy & Dan
Salvatores

I wanted to thank you so much for all of your help planning the wedding, leading up to it and obviously the day of.  I could not have done it without you and was so happy to have you be a part of it.  I absolutely love how everything turned out.  The colors, decoration, feel - everything!  It was a perfect day - way better than I could have ever imagined.  Everything ran like clockwork - thanks to you!!!  It was so nice knowing you were there to take care of things.  I was so calm and relaxed that day and was truly able to enjoy it.  I loved the time I was able to spend with Dan, my family and friends.  Thanks for coming to the rescue with the Polaroid - I have to say the guest book turned out fabulous.  Another one of your great ideas!  I can't say enough about the gorgeous flowers and centerpieces you created.  I got so many compliments on all of it, including the linens, color theme and all of your small touches. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU from both of usI!!!!

Tanner & Josh
Hyatt Lodge

The wedding was a huge success.  I told Tanner that I thought that her vision was a reality.  I was so pleased that all that she was trying to developed came together a created a very intimate, delicate, casual yet delicately formal setting.  Despite the rain, the indoor ceremony with the backdrop of trees and rain I think created a very rainforest setting.  The candles helped to soften the windows. The variety of appointments on each table created a very distinct arrangement so that each table was it's own painting.
It could not have been more beautiful....  I am so glad that you were with us to make all of these details come together.   I know that Tanner and I could not have done it without you.

-Anne Marie, Mother of the Bride

Debbie & Jason
Chicago Illuminating Company

We loved our wedding, and I think I had more fun than anyone else there, a testament to you and your staff as I didn’t worry about a thing, and if anything went wrong, I didn’t know about it. The one compliment I kept hearing all night was “your wedding planner is everywhere! She’s amazing”. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Nicole & Justin
Garfield Park Conservatory

Also, thanks for your kind words!  We thought everything went really well, and was just perfect.  You guys did an amazing job.  It was great to hand everything off to you on Friday, and then just enjoy our wedding day. Also, I got a lot of comments from our guests about how hard you both worked - folks were quite impressed!  Just thought you'd like to know that your efforts were widely recognized :) Thanks for helping us have a worry-free and great day! We enjoyed getting to know you, and working with you.

Jim & Kate
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Jim and I wanted to thank you again for all the fabulous work you and your assistants did for the wedding!  It was fantastic! We are so excited about the way everything turned out!  We are still getting compliments from people about everything!  We had such a great time! We can’t thank the LOLA team enough - your  floral designs were PERFECT and organization and coordination were totally indispensable! 

Candance & Justice
Chicago Illuminating Company

What can we say? Thank you wouldn’t be enough.  Our wedding was the best moment of both our lives, but it would have been nothing without you!  You understood our vision, and delivered it t us in a way that was even more beautiful than we could have imagined ourselves.  No matter how crazy our requests, you managed to find a way to make it happen.  You are fabulous, your team is amazing, and our wedding was… well…  RIDICULOUS!

Jennifer and Mark
Francesca’s Restaurant

My husband and I both work for Chevron in Nigeria and had very little time to dedicate to planning a wedding from overseas.  On top of that, neither one of us has ever lived in Chicago or has any family there.  So we were very fortunate to find Lori.  As you can imagine, she did a lot of work for us. She gave us reliable advice & guidance, had great vendors to choose from, and was VERY conscientious about staying within the budget.  She was able to handle our unique situation with minimal upsets.  

For example, we had only one afternoon to decide on a venue when Mark was passing through the US on business.  Lori sent us a spreadsheet a week ahead of time.  We looked at the websites and narrowed the list to 7.  She showed him all 7 places and took care of most of the questioning of the sales managers, made copies of all the menus for him to take home to me, and kept me informed by phone of what they were thinking as they went from place to place.  It was done in a day.  

Lori has a lot of creative flair (as you can tell from the website) and helped a lot with creating the style we wanted within our designated budget.  She is extremely attentive to detail, which is great because you won't want to be on your big day.  It's funny; we caught her playing with the ribbons on the gift bags and adjusting the flowers on the menus at the tables about 5 times before the ceremony started.  

Make life easy on yourself - sign up for the "Lavish LOLA" and let Lori and her team take over.

Nicole & Jim
Pritzker Stage at Millennium Park

Jim and I were engaged in July 2006 and chose to be married on May 12, 2007.   With the venue picked, we defiantly lost focus on the other details that needed to be planned for the wedding.  

2006 turned into 2007 and there were many details still unplanned. We needed to pick out invitations, find a caterer, hire musicians, and decide on the perfect flowers. We knew that the wedding was only five months away but we are both busy professionals and struggled to get things done. This is when LOLA's assistance really paid off. They helped coordinate meetings with vendors, kept us on schedule, and helped guide us in our budget decisions. We own many thanks to Lauren for being a part of this process and for her efforts to get us back on track.

Lauren took the stress out of our planning, understood what we wanted, and took charge of the details. It is no surprise that everything got done, she is quite organized.   Lauren went above and beyond in helping us plan such a beautiful day.   She followed up with our vendors and coordinated what they needed to do, and when it needed to get done.  

From the moment we started working with Lauren, she was very professional and cared so much about helping to make our day perfect.   I am sure there were stressful moments on the wedding day, and things that did not go as planned, but I never knew about it!   Lauren was there to make sure that all the important little details were completed and that everything went smoothly.   In our eyes, the day was perfect! We thank Lauren for all of her help and devotion in making our day wonderful and would recommend her fully for your event.

Melissa and Paul
Riverwalk Terrace & Café

It was wonderful having the LOLA team along side us during the wedding planning process and especially on the big day. Having Lori available to answer our questions from the most obscure to simple things you are embarrassed to admit you don't know made the whole process so much easier. Several things went "wrong" on our wedding day - a downpour, a broken bustle, missing champagne glasses... but with Lori's quick thinking and hard work, everything was adjusted perfectly and without guests even noticing! It was both calming and reassuring to know that Lori was taking care of all the last minute details and making decisions that we did not want to deal with. Lori is very professional and great at what she does - she takes her job and her role very seriously. Yet she has mastered balancing those qualities with being friendly, calming, supportive, and honest. She is exactly the type of person you want to work with when
planning such an important event. 

Peter Pawinski Photography 

Ellen and Jo
The 19 th Century Club

After months of planning on our own, we realized we needed help.  Lori's expertise was exceedingly helpful as we met with vendors and made decisions, calming our anxieties and giving us lots of great ideas.  She saved us a great deal of money on linen choices alone!  She was responsive and helpful with all of our questions and was always professional.  She handled everything on our wedding day from one of our nephews refusing to wear the flower on his lapel, to no chairs for dinner after the ceremony.  As a lesbian couple, we found Lori to be totally at ease with our non-traditional crowd and us as a couple.  It was a pleasure working with her and we highly recommend her services!!

Heather & Mark
Prairie Production

Lori and the LOLA staff was top notch, truly professional and so detail-oriented.  Having them by your side throughout your wedding planning and on-site day-of means you won't have to worry about a thing (in fact, Lori will think of things you won't even have time to consider or remember, especially as things get crazy leading up to the day, which is very helpful).  In addition to that, Lori is so creative and offers great suggestions for lots of little touches that make your wedding so personal and memorable.  I can't recommend LOLA enough... My wedding was absolutely fabulous and it wouldn't have been half the event it was without them!

Brittney & Mark
Klein Creek Country Club

Thank you for all you've done to add to the success of our big event!   You have had many great ideas - and been very gracious and available to us.   I'll have to say that I was skeptical about hiring a wedding planner, but not anymore!   I've told all my friends that are future "MOB's" that they need to call you.   With much appreciation, Joyce Howard - MOB

Gretchen and Alex
Seven Bridges Golf Club

Lori, Thank you so much for all the work you did for our wedding.  I have to say it was absolutely gorgeous.  There has been nothing but talk of this being the most beautiful wedding that people had ever seen - "Straight out of the movies..." - none of it possible without you.  I can never thank you enough!  The set up for the ceremony and reception - everything was just stunning and I couldn't have dreamed of a more beautiful way to get married.   Thank you, Thank you, a million times... Thank you!

Rebecca & Charlie
Medinah Country Club

Because we started our wedding planning process while still living in New York City, we were forced to choose all our vendors online and over the phone.   That is when we realized we'd need help pulling it all together.  After researching wedding planners in Chicago, and speaking on the phone with you, Lauren, I knew we found the perfect person for the job.  You truly lifted a weight from my shoulders throughout the whole process.  You recommended fantastic vendors, were organized and responsive, and really took charge at the rehearsal and reception.  I'm sure things went wrong at our wedding, but the LOLA team made it all look and seem flawless.  Your expertise, professionalism and positive attitude were awesome and greatly appreciated.  Thank you for sorting everything out on Friday and Saturday - it was such a weight lifted from my shoulders knowing that you were in control.  Lauren, truly, you were my favorite "vendor" of the event.  I could not have had such a great day without you, and I am endlessly grateful for everything you did!

Karolyn & Jason
Architectural Artifacts

"Working with Lori while planning my wedding gave me an inside advantage to finding the best vendors to make my dream day come true! She directed me to resources she knew and trusted made organizing the day effortless."

Sara & Scott
Odyssey Country Club

Despite the fact that we only had LOLA for 2 days, they still gave us ideas throughout the planning process.  LOLA met with us onsite a few months before the wedding, and helped us incorporate our ideas throughout the final planning process.  By far the greatest benefit was having LOLA there on the day of the wedding; and we were so happy that we did.  We were planning to have an outdoor ceremony; however, it ended up sprinkling just enough that we couldn’t have it outside.  LOLA handled this potentially major issue wonderfully.  Earlier that day, she gave us a heads up that we may have unfavorable conditions and put together a back-up plan.  LOLA worked feverishly with the reception site to ensure that an empty ballroom could be used as our backup.  In a matter of an hour, our ceremony went from an outside gazebo to a beautifully decorated ballroom.  The ceremony location turned out so nice that it looked like we had planned it that way all along…  LOLA was instrumental in helping us pull off our dream wedding!

Christina & Kent
Metropolitan Club – Sears Tower

“When we got engaged we decided to get married quickly, in less than 4 months.  We thought we thought we could plan it on our own but we quickly realized we were wrong!  Thankfully, Lori was available to help.  Not only did she put together a wedding in less than 4 months, she put together the perfect wedding.  It was fantastic!  She recommended great wedding venues within our budget, and every vendor she recommended exceeded our expectations.  Just as important, Lori was great to work with and made everything so easy!  In short, our wedding was beautiful and the reception was a blast, all because of Lori and the LOLA Team.”

Bonnie & Pierre
Prairie Production

Kari & David
Prairie Production

Thank you so much for everything you did for us on our wedding day and all the days leading up to it (especially the ‘little things’ we are totally unaware of!).  You brought some humor to this madness, and your expertise, style and organizational skills helped make our wedding spectacular!

The LOLA team far surpassed our expectations. They went out of their way to ensure our event ran smoothly and all our guests were taken care of. From planning to execution, everyone at LOLA was courteous, professional, and well-organized. We plan to engage them for future events and I would highly recommend their services.

– Aaron Goldman, CIMA Board of Directors

Private Air Magazine
Ft Lauderdale, Florida

When we were planning the first Aviation Rater Panel event for Private Air, we knew we needed an expert to help with implementation of such a sizeable multi-stage event. From managing vendors, performers, décor, staffing, the load-in and strike to crisis management, Lori was never ruffled and performed like the expert she is—flawlessly executing all of the details of this $250,000 event to perfection.  We were able to relax and rely on Lori to manage the party while we entertained clients and readers.  The event was magnificent but could not have happened without LOLA Event Productions taking the lead and paying keen attention to all the details. 

– Martie Duncan and Deedee Morrison, Private Air magazine

My husband and I live in Virginia and our daughter Emily was being married in Chicago. Shortly after they selected a date, I began to make plans long-distance. For awhile I innocently and possibly arrogantly thought, "This is easy." In fact, I did fairly well for awhile until I realized that planning a wedding in a city you know nothing about is simply not possible.

So I hired a wedding planner who came highly recommended and she took over the responsibilities from where I had left off. Then, about 2 months before the wedding, she disappeared. We could not even get the files back. This was not looking good.

In desperation I was put in touch with Lori Stephenson and LOLA Event Productions in whose voice mail I left a sorrowful, pleading message for help. Lori returned my call promptly. (Now, that was something new and different for me in the wedding planner world.)

Within days Lori had reconstructed the vendor files and called each one to say she was taking over. She made a spread sheet for me for each vendor--with categories listing what I had already paid, what additional money I owed and when. She contacted Emily and Rafael and set up a schedule for what had to be done and when. It was truly amazing to watch. So this is how it's done, I thought.

In additional to my undying gratitude to Lori for saving us, I was astounded by not only her extraordinary attention to detail, but also her ability to understand all the needs of so many different people. Lori was compassionate and wise when it came to getting the cooperation she needed. She was brilliant in the mother-daughter tensions and made everyone feel heard and comfortable. The final product was seamless--not a hitch. How we went from "shambles" to seamless, I will never know. I wanted to hire her to run my life.

I can't say enough about Lori's responsiveness to any phone calls or e-mails and her prompt answers to any questions or concerns. But I also want to mention that she is an amazingly creative person. She knows a lot about design--of everything. Her wedding program was stunning. Her ideas about how the different parts of a wedding--clothes, flowers, food, music, service--flow together were fascinating, fanciful and unusually imaginative.

Lori made possible so many cherished memories of a delightful wedding event. I am a genuine fan, as you can tell. I owe her much more than I paid her.

- Sharon Schambra, Mother of the Bride

Michelle and John
Butterfield Country Club

Because of Lauren I can capture my wedding day in two words: Stress-Free.  My experience with Lauren was fabulous.  She is a great person to work with: punctual, organized, calm (you need that for dealing with brides), and does whatever it takes.   What I liked best was the timeline she created for the day.  Every 5 minutes, not kidding, was outlined out.  Seeing that I knew she had everything together.  She even worked out last minute linens that I needed.  Another nice thing that she brought was ideas.  Of course a lot of planners are going to have great ideas but she just listens and gets to know you so knows what to advise when.  I actually used an idea of hers for my wedding and it turned out to be a great hit. 
 
To show her dedication, on the night of the rehearsal, she had car troubles and found some passerby to drive her to the rehearsal, as there were no cabs! She made sure everyone knew where they had to be on the wedding day. Come the morning of the wedding, she arrived at the promised time, with suitcase in hand. Inside was every form of emergency equipment you could imagine. Her timeline went off without a hitch.   Neither my fiancé nor I had to worry about where to be and when. Even when my bustle was coming undone, Lauren was in the Bride's room with me and a needle and thread not once, but three times, sewing it back together. She was my personal lipstick holder and made everything easy. If you are looking for someone to take away your worries and feeling comfortable that your day is going as it should, you should highly consider Lauren and the LOLA staff!