praise
Carlene, the owner of Naturally Yours, was an absolute dream! From start to finish, she kept our budget, individual visions, and love story in mind. We are a artsy duo with very specific tastes, and she really made the day as beautiful and seamless for the wedding party, staff, and guests as possible. We keep getting compliments from family members regarding Carlene! We HIGHLY recommend booking Naturally Yours to make your day exactly the vision you dream of.
Shea & Zach
If I could give Naturally Yours Events 10 stars I would! My wife and I worked with Liz and Sarah and they did a wonderful job for our wedding. We literally could not have done it without them!! I would call them the glue that held it all together. Liz and Sarah went above and beyond to make our special day an absolute success. There was rain in the forecast for our outdoor wedding and Liz came up with multiple contingencies for the ceremony if the weather didn't cooperate. If you're on the fence about hiring a day of coordinator, do it because trust me you'll be glad you did!
Lori & Brian
Tempris was amazing. She was on top of things, professional, caring, and personable. We were sooo thankful for her especially in the weeks leading up to the wedding when she coordinated all of our vendors. We had wondered prior to wedding planning if we needed a planner or coordinator, and so thankful as the wedding drew close that we had got one and got Tempris in particular! When an unexpected tragedy occurred half way through the wedding, she handled everything with love, kindness and poise. She is more than a planner, she is a true friend.
Michelle & Linh
We LOVED working with Mel at Naturally Yours Events! Their day-of planning option was perfect for us - the team shared an entire spreadsheet of resources for us to work from in planning things initially. Mel came into the fold about two months out to take over from there and oversaw all of our day-of logistics and vendor communication. Her cool and calm demeanor kept things low stress and her amazing attention to detail kept us on track. She and her team had worked with our venue, caterer, and floral vendors too, so vendor coordination was a breeze. She also helped to plan last-minute logistics for a day-after brunch that my parents hosted - she's THE BEST! We also loved Naturally Yours' focus on environmental sustainability - they promote re-selling of decor items through events with the Great Wedding Recyclery. This helped us reduce waste/avoid buying new items for decor while saving some money too. It was an amazing experience!
Rosie & Kirk
Kristen was SO great to work with! Friendly from the start, sincere and a great listener. We utilized NYE's day of services along with two pre-wedding meetings to help with "look". Bringing the team in early really helped us secure their recommended vendors whom were also very budget friendly. All of our guests said they had never seen a better planner. We feel very lucky and enjoyed every moment of our wedding day!!
Ravi & Tim
We LOVE Carlene! We interviewed five planners and instantly knew that we wanted to work with Naturally Yours. Carlene’s friendly, yet calm demeanor put us at ease. Importantly, she is experienced, honest, objective, detail oriented, and a great listener. During our meetings, we always felt like a priority and that she genuinely cared about us. She helped us think through everything we wanted (or could want) for our wedding - as well as what we wouldn’t need - so we could craft a day that was joyous, meaningful, and authentically ours. On the day of the wedding, we were surrounded by incredible vendors all recommended by Naturally Yours. Carlene and Kristen worked magic behind the scenes. Carlene came prepared for everything, from fixing my husband’s boutonniere to sewing my bustle. I also forgot my dad’s gift at the hotel; she was able to have it brought to us before walking down the aisle. The photos of my dad and me at that moment are some of the most precious from the day - and they wouldn’t exist without her. Naturally Yours is an incredible value add for your wedding!
Alexa & Jake
NYE was 100% the right choice for us. Evelyn, our coordinator, was such a calming presence during a very stressful time. NYE's planning tools they shared with us were really helpful and my husband and I both felt like Evelyn dedicated a lot of time to us even though we went with the "day-of" coordination package. On the day, she was awesome. My mom specifically mentioned she was so happy we had Evelyn to help out and make sure everything went smoothly. Evelyn and her assistant even saved the day when we couldn't figure out how to bustle my dress! The whole NYE team was so nice and professional, I highly recommend their services.
Gwen & Brandon
Liz B, our coordinator crushed it. I mean literally, the number of people involved in our wedding party that commented on this was laughable, they kept saying she was great and asking where we found her.
She was SO organized. She made our vision come to LIFE!
Every detail of it, even when my husband and I had opposite ideas at times. She put out fires when needed (although from my view there were none ha), she organized a very large wedding party, worked with our abundance of vendors and handled so many details we never could have managed. We TRULY got to enjoy our day and every moment of it without a worry because of her. Newly engaged couples: If you are debating a coordinator, I promise it is worth every penny and then some.
I was the first to say I didn't need a coordinator - I sincerely would have been lost without one.
Leyla & Kyle
From my first discussion with Kristen, I knew I wanted to work with them because I could tell how organized and on top of it they were. You could also tell by the super detailed month-by-month planning tool that they provided (which we used religiously). We found out our lead coordinator was Lauren 3 months out and she was truly a gem! We had 2 long planning meetings, an on-site visit, and a ton of emails back and forth throughout the whole process. She was particularly helpful with all our last minute covid questions since our wedding was during the height of the delta variant. On the day of, she kept things rolling but was also calm and collected the whole time. If there were any mishaps, I had no idea - I trusted her to take care of things! Huge thanks to Naturally Yours for coordinating the most amazing day.
Kristi & Brian
Many thanks to Liz and the rest of the NYE team for making sure our wedding celebration was special and went by without any issues! With all her event planning experience, we felt like we were in good hands. Liz was very communicative throughout the process and took the time to make sure she understood our vision of the day. Due to COVID-19, we ran into a number of logistical challenges like moving the reception outdoors and trying to find a tent at the last minute, and Liz helped us each step of the way.
Gladis & Justin
Carlene and her team made planning a wedding in a pandemic a very smooth experience. From our first meeting, we felt like this was the right match for us. Carlene takes the time to get to know her couples as people and not just as clients. First and foremost, her priority is to make sure the wedding is carried out with our vision. In spite of everything going on the world, her ability to pivot in this current environment and continue to provide excellent services made it all worth it. Her knowledge of how to plan an event that incorporates sustainability and eco-friendly products was exactly the expertise we were looking for to make our wedding happen. She trusts her vendors and they all delivered flawlessly. Carlene is incredibly collaborative and her realist outlook made it easy for us to stay within our budget and carry out a wedding that exceeded our expectations.
Carly + Jonathan
We hired Evelyn for day-of-coordination. We spoke/met with her several times prior to our wedding day. The wedding planning tool they provide is a pain in the butt to fill out, but worth it to make sure you go over all the details. Our favorite part was right after the ceremony- she made sure we had a private moment to ourselves with snacks and drinks waiting for us! Planning a wedding for the first (and hopefully only!) time is incredibly stressful and it's hard to know what you don't know. Evelyn was a joy to work with and spend our day with 🙂
Ashley + Scott
We hired Naturally Yours Events to help keep track of our wedding since we were planning from out of state. We worked with Kristen for the partial planning package and she was incredible! We had a very complicated Indian-American fusion wedding with 2 ceremonies and a reception all in the same day. Kristen made the effort to learn about the Indian side of things and made sure that everything throughout the day stayed on track. She was seriously a lifesaver! After working with her throughout the planning process we developed a level of trust and I was able to just hand the reigns over to her the day-of and know that she was going to be able to handle everything without a hitch. Our wedding was incredible and we love Kristen!
Puja + Kevin
We booked NYE Events for our May wedding, and we were so happy we did! Lauren was our Day-of Coordinator and was very responsive to emails, even starting a text chain with us the week of the wedding to make sure she was available for the little questions she had. On top of this, she was extremely detailed and asked the right questions to make sure our wedding was everything we dreamed it could be! On the day of the wedding, there was un-forecasted rain, and Lauren helped us navigate moving the wedding inside & also came prepared with umbrellas that made our wedding photos beautiful, even with the rain. During cocktail hour, her assistant Liz ran out and got more vodka for us when we were unsuspectingly running low - which we really appreciated! In addition, we had a ton of leftover flip flops from our wedding and Lauren/Liz were able to donate them to Share Your Soles. How cool is that!? The best thing about all of this is that Lauren & Liz were extremely wonderful to our friends and family. Would highly recommend them and NYE Events!
Kathleen + Chris
Hiring Carlene was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. We went with full wedding planning. It's difficult to plan a wedding when you're not sure how much each potential vendor may cost, and you want to be mindful of budget. I am the type of person to endlessly research vendors and reach zero decisions (hello, recovering perfectionist!) and Carlene helped allay my fears and feel empowered to make decisions. Not only did she help us assemble a killer team of vendors, but she also helped us stay in budget and save on many wedding-related expenses. Also, our wedding turned out so beautiful! She executed our vision perfectly, and the day of our wedding, my husband and I were able to focus on each other, our families and guests. When you're spending more than a year planning an event, you want to be able to actually enjoy it! Hire Carlene/the NYE team. Truly, even though this may feel like yet another expense, they will help you save your budget according to your priorities and help save your sanity.
Nicole + Clayton
If you actually want to enjoy your wedding hire NYE. Evelyn and her assistant allowed me to really enjoy my wedding and not stress about any of the details. Just with the Day-of Coordinating service you got so much support and expertise. I can't speak high enough of what they did.
Jynell + Nick
We could not have been happier with the service that Liz provided for us in organizing our wedding day. She was very easy to work with from the planning beforehand and just as great on the big day. She had thought out every single detail and was persistent in her communication with other vendors to make sure everything went smoothly. We can’t say enough wonderful things about Liz and we would absolutely recommend her to anyone who is looking for a wedding planner who will go above and beyond what is asked. She is thorough, detailed oriented, fun, and thoughtful. Now that it’s all over we couldn’t imagine going back and not having her there!
Kim + Spencer
If you want someone you can trust to take care of your big day, Carlene’s your girl. The idea of planning my wedding was kind of daunting but once we hired Carlene, the majority of our stress just melted away. We hired NYE based on a friend’s recommendation for full planning. Carlene’s great at communicating, offering advice, making sure to take your thoughts and opinions into account, and just handling things. My day of ran so smoothly, all my bridesmaids told me they had never been to a wedding that was so smooth, on-time, and stress free. Just knowing Carlene was in charge of everything really made the day enjoyable for us. My husband and I agree that hiring Carlene was probably the best investment we made for the wedding.
Marguarette + Andie
We hired Lauren for a Day Of Coordinator of our reception party. She was a total champ and ran the day like a Lady Boss. I had complete confidence in her, which allowed me to relax and enjoy the evening. Thank you Lauren!
Summer + Craig
As a former event planner (non-wedding), I couldn’t imagine hiring a wedding coordinator, but Kristen at NYE was the best decision of our wedding. I interviewed a few coordinators in the process of hiring, and Kristen was a clear choice for me. She was someone who I instantly knew had her “sh*t” together, but also someone that I wanted to be friends with after the wedding. From the first to the last meeting, email, phone call, etc. Kristen NEVER failed to impress me…I couldn’t have done it better myself. She incredibly communicative, HONEST in the BEST way, and super helpful and friendly when helping to drive any decisions. She made the big day something I’ll never forget as I didn’t have to worry about a thing. You know they say that something always goes wrong – but NOTHING WENT WRONG. Not a thing – and I give all of the kudos to Kristen. She’s magic!
Kari + Greg
We were very excited to work with someone who shares our vision of an “eco-friendly” wedding that is chic and elegant. Carlene never made us feel that going green means going short on quality and style, and she was also able to combine our desire for green with our fairly tight budget. Carlene is really accessible, easy to work with, warm, and considerate. She always provided great advice based on her professional experience but never pushed us into accepting only what she suggested. Instead, we felt that she really listened to our ideas as well, and worked like a true partner with us in all aspects of the wedding planning. She also helped us save a lot of money on many wedding items. All in all, we wouldn’t have had such a perfect wedding if not for Carlene’s help, and on top of that, we actually had fun during the planning process because we got to work with her! We highly recommend her to anyone thinking of working with a wedding/event planner.
Belinda + Phyllis
We hadn’t been sitting down for 5 minutes when we knew. Carlene. Was. The. One. We trusted our day in her hands. From there, she handled EVERYTHING. She had idea, after idea, after idea. If we were unsure, she had an answer or knew someone who did. We used her recommendations for multiple vendors and are so glad we did. Carlene’s attention to detail made everything come together. The days leading up to the wedding, she ensured everything was taken care of. As we all know, this can be the most difficult time in the entire process. Without her help, I’m not sure how I would have survived!
Wendall + Franny
Kristen and Evelyn made sure everything ran like clockwork for our wedding. Kristen was a delight to work with offering advice and insights along the way. The company’s dedication to green practices and recycling was also a big draw for us. They provided helpful tidbits such as table runners and paper stands for table menus from their stock that saved us money and time. Kristen and Evelyn took some of our decorations and made sure they will be recycled as well. I’m so glad that we chose the Naturally Yours Events team for our big day.
Emily + Michael
We hired NYE for our day of coordinator and it has been a real pleasure to work with Lauren and Carlene. When it came down to our final walkthrough with the venue and I saw Lauren took charge communicating with my vendors and asking questions I would have not known to ask, I knew right away I had made the right decision in hiring NYE. Communication was always prompt and all the details were taken care. Our wedding day was seamless and I have NYE to thank for such an incredible wedding day. So tick one thing off your list and go ahead and hire NYE for your planning needs.
Theresa + David
Carlene was truly invaluable to us during our entire planning process. From recommendations to scheduling, budgeting and organization, we were kept on track and sane. She reminded us of numerous details that we would never have thought of on our own. She found us an amazing photographer and a wonderful DJ! One thing that was especially great was that Carlene was able to set up all of our initial venue visits for one day so that one of our moms (who is not local) could come in and be there with us. Also, our wedding day was seamless, I don’t think it could have gone any smoother! She was a joy to work with and made our wedding a complete success.
Davora + Roxy
Carlene and her team were wonderful and I’d absolutely recommend them to anyone planning a wedding. We got married at the Harold Washington Library, so unlike hotels or other one-stop-shop venues, we had to bring in every vendor from outside, which often got complicated and stressful – but Carlene handled it every step of the way and we don’t know what we would have done without her, especially when it came to handling all of the logistics. She was incredibly organized, quick to follow up, hardworking, and absolutely calm and focused the day-of and the days leading up to the wedding, which helped us stay relaxed too. Every single vendor she recommended or helped us choose for the day was absolutely fantastic, and we are so thrilled with how the day went. And the best part is Carlene focuses on making sure the day feels like ‘you.’ Our wedding didn’t feel in any way unoriginal or formulaic – it truly felt like us. Everyone told us the whole day was “so you guys” and that’s in large part to Carlene and her team. Would recommend NYE to anyone!
Kim + Sean
We worked with Kristen of NYE for our wedding, and to echo what others have said, it was one of the best decision we made to hire a wedding planner! We were blown away by Kristen’s professionalism, her enthusiasm for helping us with our wedding, and for her endless positive energy. She was so calming on our actual wedding day, and constantly made us feel comfortable and kept us on task. I would HIGHLY recommend working with this company, it is absolutely fantastic, affordable and wonderful.
Shannon + Liz
I’m a very selective person and didn’t want a typical wedding planner. So, finding a planner that met my particular needs was especially challenging. Hiring Carlene was the best decision I ever made. I was married September 2015 and a year later, my guests are still raving about how amazing everything turned out- especially how seamless everything went. We owe that all to Carlene and her team who didn’t miss a beat. If you’re looking for someone who is extremely organized, up front and honest, unique and easy to communicate with- look no further. Carlene will make the wedding planning process a little less stressful, recommend great vendors to work with, all while keeping you on a timely schedule and within your budget. NYE is a great company and Carlene is worth every dime!
Jes + Kevin
Top Notch and Worth Every Penny. We worked with Lauren and from Day 1, was instantly blown away by her knowledge, perspective and professionalism. Could not have happened without her. She gives you specific tasks and tools to use to help your day go off smoothly and she puts the time in to get to know you as a couple so that your day is just that. It's a piece of you both. Not just a couple at a random space getting married. From start to finish, was continually impressed by Lauren.
Elizabeth + Alex
Naturally Yours Events is amazing. I have horrible luck with contractors and vendors for anything I try to do and I cannot believe I stumbled upon someone as amazing as Carlene. She was nothing like the cheesy lady I pictured in my head when I thought of a “wedding planner” (that’s a good thing)! I found that I could really relate to her and felt comfortable talking to her. She is very genuine and real. She has great ideas, great taste, and great connections. She is incredibly organized and technologically savvy with quick email communication and shared documents for planning- something I really appreciate! I seriously cannot even adequately express how thankful I am to have found such a great planner (and person) and I cannot recommend her enough!
Lara + Matt
I met with both Kristen and Carlene. Carlene did my sister’s wedding which was absolutely flawless. Kristen did mine and I felt I was SOO at ease. When I met with Kristen to go over the details she was on top of the game. She knew exactly the things to ask and what to look for. Having her as my wedding planner made my day go absolutely so smoothly. Everyone says that things will come up and not everything is perfect, but Kristen truly made it perfect!! My husband (who is not the best at wedding planning) said he really enjoyed the meetings with both Kristen and Carlene. It is SO worth it to have a wedding planner but FOR sure choose Naturally Yours…they are wonderful and I will continue to recommend them to any future friends getting married!
Abby + Ryan
Naturally Yours Events did a fantastic job with my wedding. I had 2 wedding ceremonies (Indian/Hindu and American) and a reception on the same day. Carlene and her team managed all the events very smoothly. I will totally recommend Carlene and Naturally Yours Events to everyone who needs a “very organized, calm, but taking charge and getting stuff done” kind of planner.
Priyanka + Pat
Planning a wedding sucks. Seriously. Everything everyone else has ever told you is lies! Thankfully Carlene came into our lives, took a major portion of that stress away, and helped to make our wedding even more perfect than we ever could have imagined. I decided to do a lot of DIY projects (because I’m apparently insane) and Carlene always had great suggestions about the best way to get things done. She helped us organize the 6546510684654687 ideas that we had about our wedding into one, amazing, well put together event.
Chelle + Dave
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Chicago History Museum Wedding | Greenhouse Loft Wedding | Chicago Lakeside Wedding
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