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Effortless Events Reviews

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Reviews

4.9 out of 5 rating
48 Reviews
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97% Recommended by couples

Awards

48
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2012 Winner
  • Jennifer
    Jennifer P. Sent on 11/27/2023
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    Second to None

    Hiring Cindy and her team at Effortless Events was, without a doubt, one of the best decisions we made when it came to the wedding. I had thought having a Day of Coordinator would be helpful, but even at the time I didn’t realize how invaluable Cindy would be. She knew all the right questions to ask and also knew all the right questions I should ask other vendors. She kept everything on track, both leading up to the wedding and the day of, and I am positive that the reason everything ran so smoothly on our wedding day was because Cindy was on top of it. Especially in the last couple of months before the wedding, at least once a week my fiancé and I would say to each other “Thank God for Cindy, she’s worth every penny”. I even had one of my guests ask for her card at the wedding because they were that impressed with her work! I am so grateful to Cindy and her team for all that they did to make our wedding day truly perfect.
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    Kelly S. Sent on 08/08/2023
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    Professional Event Experience

    As a venue we have the opportunity to work with many event specialists. Emily with Effortless Events was outstanding. She learned the venue provided support and details. Superb and prompt assistance during the entire planning process and all wedding day.
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    Sandy W. Sent on 12/31/2019
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    The BEST Wedding Coordinator EVER!!

    I've never written a review before but I just have to praise Cindy Shanholtz of Effortless Events and her able assistants Tiffany and Alex to the rafters.
    I wanted a Day of Planner for my son's wedding and asked Stacey Combrzyinski, of Catering by Michael's who I was working with, for a recommendation. Stacey was a dream to collaborate with, and I had the utmost confidence in her advice. She only had one name for me, and it was Cindy. It took one conversation on the phone with Cindy, and one look at her 8 page sample timeline, and I was sold.
    Cindy immediately set up a 3 hour meeting with my husband, our son, his fiancée and me, and the wedding was over 8 months away! Though based in Naperville, she and Tiffany came to our home in Glenview for the first meeting. (Even though she is in Naperville, she knows all the North Shore vendors, so don't be put off by that, if you are a north suburbanite). I had no idea that her "Day of Services" would encompass so much more than just being present the day of the wedding. I also did not expect that she would have 3 people present at the wedding to make sure everything was executed flawlessly.
    Cindy gave excellent advice and direction on both the big picture and the smallest detail. While I had booked the venue, the caterer and the band before I hired her, I needed a recommendation for the florist/decor company. She gave me one name, and I didn't look elsewhere, because by then, I had complete trust in her recommendation – she was the consummate professional. Atmosphere Events Group did an amazing job with the flowers and lighting. And, it was such a reasonable price, I couldn't believe it. I never would have found them on my own, and would have spent thousands of dollars more, hiring another company.
    No detail was too small for Cindy's input; she even advised on the color of the beverages on the bridal party bus – only clear liquids like water and Sprite, because Coca Cola could stain!
    Planning the wedding was extremely stressful for me; the kids are an interfaith couple and the ceremony was in a church, which was a foreign concept to me. Additionally, I am the mother of the groom, not the bride. Cindy prepared me for the very strict rules of the church, which was a godsend...no pun intended. She became my confidant, and I valued her straightforward, candid advice and opinions. She constantly asked me what she could do to make everything less stressful, and what she could do to take things off my plate.
    I have to acknowledge Tiffany Beales, her right hand woman, who was incredibly organized and very responsive to my numerous questions (she gave excellent advice, too), as well as Alex Contreras, who was Johnny on the Spot, in making sure the grandmothers had their favorite drinks in hand and appetizer plates filled. I am very thankful to both of them also. You can't hire a better team than Effortless-Events for a wedding, Bar Mitzvah or corporate event, and I am so grateful that I did!
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    Grace P. Sent on 09/25/2021
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    Best Day Ever!

    Cindy helped us to plan the wedding of our dreams. She captured our vision perfectly and connected us with excellent vendors. Her expertise, professionalism, and organization made our day perfect. During the planning process Cindy always advocated for us and made sure we were getting what we wanted. Thank you Cindy!! I would highly recommend Effortless Events to anyone who is looking to plan an event- big or small!
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    Nao O. Sent on 11/07/2020
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    Best Planner

    Cindy is the best! Without her and Alex, we had been lost in this pandemic period. Our original venue refused us having wedding in last minute but Cindy found better place just after 2 hours. We will never forget our wedding with effortless events. Highly recommend!!!!
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    Mandie W. Sent on 11/03/2019
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    Absolutely Amazing!

    Cindy and Alex are AMAZING! They both were such a pleasure to work with and helped make our wedding an easy, organized and wonderful event! I can't thank them enough for all the perfect suggestions and for making this bride feel like there was absolutely nothing to worry about! Every detail was exactly as we wanted and the wedding went off without a hitch. Thank you both for such a wonderful, beautiful wedding!
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    Cherina Sent on 06/20/2019
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    All Class and A+ Service

    Cindy with Effortless Events was always prompt, professional, responsive, and most importantly ready for any challenge thrown at her. And ladies/gentlemen she even brought sunshine on my outdoor wedding. Effortless Events is all class and provided a piece of mind.
  • Caitlin
    Caitlin Sent on 10/14/2018
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    When looking for a planner, we had a pretty strong idea of what we wanted. Having a background in Stage Management, I am very detail orientated and love organization. We started our search by asking planners for a sample of a timeline they’ve created in the past. So many were one page, very basic and felt like something I could honestly do better myself. I was starting to doubt even needing a coordinator. That’s when Cindy and Tiffany came into the picture.

    Let me tell you, that timeline was a thing of beauty. Absolutely no detail was left out. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to meet with them. That’s really what sealed the deal. We instantly felt comfortable with the two of them. We left that meeting saying “I can’t believe we thought we could do this by ourselves.” There were so many things we hadn’t even thought of until they asked us. We enjoyed their company so much, one of the meetings was having them to our place for dinner. They never felt like just coordinators to us. They were a crucial part of our wedding. They stayed on top of everything the entire process. They guided us with our own “homework”, and answered any and all questions we had in record timing.

    Unfortunately, both my partner and I got sick a week before the wedding. Then our dog was attacked requiring an emergency vet trip. Both Cindy and Tiffany were continuously asking, “What can we do?” “What can we take off your plate?” “What can we cross of your to-do list?” From the very start, we knew they were going to be some of our favorite vendors. I truly can not write enough about these ladies. If you are looking for a wedding planner or day-of coordinator, I promise you that you will not find anyone like them. They LOVE what they do and it shows in every aspect of their work. We nick named them our “Sanity-Savers”. So, so, so much love to these ladies and all the gratitude in the world for giving us the ability to really enjoy a stress free wedding.
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    Teri Sent on 07/17/2018
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    I hired Cindy as my day-of coordinator for our June 2018 wedding at The Langham in Chicago based on recommendations from the venue. Cindy was ultra responsive and organized from the beginning. She came into the city early on so we could meet to walk through every detail about the wedding weekend, which helped me identify all the little things I hadn't even thought about yet. Cindy would check in every so often in the months leading up to the wedding and was always responsive on text or email if I needed to run something by her. She was much more than a day-of coordinator, she was a resource in picking florists, favors, and even saved us a few hundred dollars by coordinating a limo through a company cheaper than what I had found. She reviewed all of our vendor contracts to make sure we were getting a fair deal and provided a guide to help me figure our appropriate gratuity amounts for our vendors. On the actual wedding day, Cindy had 2 assistants with her to help manage everything. Someone was always present but never in the way. She made the day easy and stress free to me, my family, and my bridal party.

    As Cindy will tell you, her style is no-nonsense. She isn't afraid to tell you what she thinks while still respecting your opinion. She gave me great, candid feedback on certain vendors when I was making my selections which I found really helpful. She is professional and polite but straight forward. I love her style, especially in the wedding scene where everyone seems to sugar coat everything. Would highly recommend.
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    Amanda Sent on 10/22/2017
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    Cindy and her team worked so hard to make our reception party a major success! They helped us from start to finish to make the entire process as easy and stress free as it could be when planning outdoor reception party for October. Effortless Events made sure that despite 8 inches of rain, the party went off without a major hitch. We enjoyed working with Cindy, Tiffany, and Danielle. Highly recommend!
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    Isabella Sent on 06/26/2017
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    Cindy and her team were truly the BEST decision I made for my wedding. I spoke with Cindy before hiring her and explained my budget and what I needed and she was able to accommodate me very reasonably so that I could get everything I needed and wanted. EE (Effortless Events) had fantastic vendor recommendations, I highly suggest working with only EE recommended vendors, those who weren't fell far short of the standard her vendors set. The EE Team met with me, my mother and the groom to go over the wedding sometime before the wedding, and the knowledge they showed was astounding, the epitome of event professionals. Now for my event, my wedding was PERFECT, and it is all due to Cindy and her team, our venue lost power, they were lighting lanterns and creating ambient mood lighting so good, that by the time the power came on, I asked them to dim it! My florist did not build the arbor correctly and it fell, Cindy's team fixed it. I had a vendor (non-EE recommended) that turned out to be a no-show/scam, Cindy was able to find a replacement for my wedding with barely 48 hours notice. Not only did Cindy and her team solve all these issues discreetly (I don't think our guests ever knew anything went wrong!) but they still took the time to go above and beyond! With such things like our venue being pepsi (oh no!) and her team finding me (the bride) coca-cola to have at my wedding!

    Cindy and her team were truly an island of sanity for me throughout the planning process, I was able to call and email her regarding any concerns I had and they were always fully prepared with resolutions. As long as Effortless Events is available, I will use them for any event I ever put on, no question. I will be recommending them to everybody I know.

    Thank you Cindy and Team for making my wedding perfect!!
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    Izzy Sent on 08/29/2017
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    Cindy and her team were truly the BEST decision I made for my wedding. I spoke with Cindy before hiring her and explained my budget and what I needed and she was able to accommodate me very reasonably so that I could get everything I needed and wanted. EE (Effortless Events) had fantastic vendor recommendations, I highly suggest working with only EE recommended vendors, those who weren't fell far short of the standard her vendors set. The EE Team met with me, my mother and the groom to go over the wedding sometime before the wedding, and the knowledge they showed was astounding, the epitome of event professionals. Now for my event, my wedding was PERFECT, and it is all due to Cindy and her team, our venue lost power, they were lighting lanterns and creating ambient mood lighting so good, that by the time the power came on, I asked them to dim it! My florist did not build the arbor correctly and it fell, Cindy's team fixed it. I had a vendor (non-EE recommended) that turned out to be a no-show/scam, Cindy was able to find a replacement for my wedding with barely 48 hours notice. Not only did Cindy and her team solve all these issues discreetly (I don't think our guests ever knew anything went wrong!) but they still took the time to go above and beyond! With such things like our venue being pepsi (oh no!) and her team finding me (the bride) coca-cola to have at my wedding! Cindy and her team were truly an island of sanity for me throughout the planning process, I was able to call and email her regarding any concerns I had and they were always fully prepared with resolutions. As long as Effortless Events is available, I will use them for any event I ever put on, no question. I will be recommending them to everybody I know. Thank you Cindy and Team for making my wedding perfect!!
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    Eileen Sent on 10/18/2016
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    After my daughter got engaged we booked several vendors as we planned the wedding. We decided a planner would be useful to guide us through the process and we were thrilled with the service we received from Cindy and Danielle. We had several meetings and countless emails in the 6 weeks before the big event. They were professional, full of fantastic ideas and saved us so much time with all of their experience to draw upon.
    Beginning at the rehearsal Cindy and her assistant took charge. I felt able to relax and be present at the mass and reception. I don't know how a mother of the bride does it on her own. I feel I would have missed so many moments that are now etched in my memory forever. I can even say I felt like a guest at my own party.
    It only looked effortless! I truly appreciate all their advice and insight that resulted in a magical event.
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    Sarah Sent on 10/25/2016
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    I worked with Danielle from Effortless Events, and she was truly amazing! She made the planning process so much easier- she suggested amazing vendors that I wouldn't have found on my own, kept everything incredibly organized, and offered her honest opinions without being pushy. (And she was fun to work with- bonus!) She and Cindy made the day go so smoothly, and I loved being able to enjoy the wedding without worrying. I can't recommend Effortless Events highly enough!
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    Michelle Sent on 09/08/2016
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    Where do I even begin with Effortless Events? When I met Cindy, Danielle, Nicole and Dana, I thought these women would just be there to help me plan my wedding. Instead, they became every "person" a bride could ever need on her wedding day and during the time leading up to it. They were friends to share ideas with, sisters to complain to and laugh with, crutches to lean on when you're feeling overwhelmed, and experts who take on a motherly role to advise you in moments of uncertainty. From the planning stages, to the end result, Effortless Events completely exceeded my expectations, and did everything in their power to ensure I had the wedding of my dreams. The moment we started working with Cindy and her team, I was finally able to enjoy planning my wedding. The first time we met with the team, my mom and I instantly felt a sense of relief. They knew exactly what they were doing, what we wanted, and what needed to be done in order to make it happen. My only regret in hiring Effortless Events was that we didn't hire them sooner than 60 days out. My main reason for hiring a wedding planner/coordinator was to ensure that my mom would be able to enjoy herself on my wedding day. I didn't want her to have to run around and keep everything organized. Cindy went above and beyond in every possible way to make sure my day was absolutely perfect. More importantly, she made sure that my mom and I were able to enjoy ourselves stress-free on the big day. Cindy and her team kept every single vendor in check. The day of the wedding, there were several vendors (venue management, photographer, dj) who were not doing what they were supposed to be doing at the correct time. I didn't even have a chance to notice because Cindy and her team had already taken care of it. They made sure that everything was exactly the way I wanted before I even arrived to the reception site. To Cindy and all the girls at Effortless Events, thank you for making my day absolutely incredible.
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    Michelle Sent on 09/25/2016
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    Cindy and Danielle make for a great team that consistently went above and beyond in every single aspect of planning/coordinating our special day. We could not have entrusted a better duo to make sure every single aspect of the wedding, down to the most granular detail, was well thought out and absolutely perfect. They had solutions to problems we didn't even think we would have and they truly gave us tons of amazing advice. If you are planning a wedding in the Chicagoland area, look no further, Effortless Events more than lives up to its name; Cindy and Danielle will guide you through the entire process and somehow manage to turn a daunting task into a truly "effortless" experience.
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    Sahana Sent on 11/21/2016
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    If you're looking for an amazing wedding/event planner, look no further. Cindy is, hands down, the most knowledgeable planner in this area and her team is amazing (Danielle and Nicole). I am so incredibly glad that we hired her. Even though we had a 20-month engagement, I knew I wasn't an event planner -- especially when it came to weddings. Cindy, on the other hand, has planned well over 400 weddings (many of them at my venue) and she's an expert. She knows all the best vendors and will not settle for anything less than the best for you. That is one of my favorite things about her. Cindy will be your champion when it comes to vendor interactions, making sure that your day is *your* day and that you get what you asked for.

    I could not have imagined that day coming together any better than it did. Leading up to the wedding, I didn't need to feel anxious about anything because Cindy took care of everything -- vendor emails, receiving contracts/invoices, keeping us on track. I didn't feel worried about the schedule on the day of, because Cindy was there with her amazing team, keeping everything moving as smoothly as it was supposed to. I attribute that to Cindy's fantastic planning. Even better, so many of our guests came up to me to tell me that our wedding was the best they'd ever been to. I know that Cindy played a huge role in creating a wonderful experience for our guests.

    While she offers large and small packages, I recommend you at least get her partial planning services. You won't regret it. She will help you with vendor appointments if need be, and she will be there for you every step of the way. I have no idea how everything would have come together without her guidance and expertise. She knows everyone in the industry, and you will have access to a whole world of knowledge you never knew existed. I can neither recommend her highly enough, nor thank her enough for giving me a perfect wedding day. She is a rockstar, and a wedding planner to boot.
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    Kimberly Sent on 07/11/2016
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    Cindy and Danielle helped us with our 6/11/16 wedding and they were one of the best decisions we made for the wedding. We chose the partial package. From the first phone call I felt comfortable. We had spoke to other wedding planners prior to our decision but when I spoke to Cindy I knew she was what I was looking for. She was confident, lead the conversation, but in a way that made me feel like we were working together. That is what I wanted. Someone I could trust their advice but yet still give my opinions and questions. They had quality vendor recommendations in a variety of price ranges, many of whom hired. They keep a day of plan that keeps evolving as the day gets closer and something I could refer to when emailing the bridal party or answering questions. The last few months they really took control of managing my concerns and kept me on track with what I needed to complete and what was already completed. By day of, I really wasn't worried about things running smoothly. I appreciate all the time they took meeting with us, the countless emails the answered (and probably re-answered as they wedding got nearer and I got nervous) and the phone calls with random questions. Nothing was missed, forgotten, left out and no person was out of place when it came to that wedding. I highly recommend both of them and would not have changed any part of our experience with them.
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    C Sent on 04/26/2016
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    We worked with Danielle Kuhn at Effortless Events in connection with our April 2016 wedding at the Thornhill Education Center at the Morton Arboretum and were thrilled and delighted with their services! I knew I needed someone for "Day Of" coordination because I wanted my family and loved ones to just sit back and enjoy the day without needing to worry about how all the moving parts would come together. I came across Effortless Efforts because they were a recommended vendor of our venue. After an initial inquiry they told me about the "Essentials" package which was really everything we needed, at a lower price point within our budget. But even with the Essentials package, we received a lot more than just Danielle's help on the actual day. Danielle's advice and familiarity with the venue was so valuable to us and we are so grateful to her. Danielle's philosophy is to make sure we are aware of all our options (and potential pitfalls) so that we can make fully informed choices. So she pointed out certain things to us that we might want to consider adding, but then was completely respectful and not pushy at all if we decided against her recommendation. But in many cases we took her recommendations because they were grounded in experience and wisdom (i.e., she recommended we add more appetizers and late night snacks and we were so glad we did because they were gobbled up by hungry guests).

    Danielle met with me two times in downtown Chicago (close to my office) to help me with planning (and she offered to meet more frequently if I needed it); she provided us with a detailed Day Of Schedule that I never would have thought to do, and would have needed to do a lot of Googling to put together on my own. On the wedding day, both Danielle and her colleague Cindy were there to help! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
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    Claire Sent on 05/28/2016
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    When my fiance and I chose to have our wedding at the Morton Arboretum and started exploring day-of coordinator options, there was one clear choice for who that would be: Effortless Events. We couldn’t have been happier to have found Cindy and Danielle! With over 90+ weddings at the Arboretum under their belt (just one venue where they have significant experience), we immediately felt confident in them. Throughout the planning process, my parents, fiance and I constantly talked about how grateful we were to have Cindy and Danielle. And it couldn't have been truer on the actual day, which unfolded without

    Engaging Effortless Events was one of the single best investments in our wedding. They lifted the burden of having to know “what do we do next?” or “where do we go?” and let us fully be present in our wedding day - which is everyone’s dream!

    One surprise of the planning process was figuring out all of the transitions and timing of the wedding day, especially as we were hosting 230+ people to our wedding and shuttling 100+ of them to and from the nearby hotel. Lucky for us, we had Effortless Events to advise and revise multiple day-of itineraries - and arrive at was truly a joyful, smooth day for us, the wedding party and all of our guests.

    We worked with Danielle Kuhn primarily in planning all of the logistics and vendor coordination as part of the 6 week package, and she is fantastic. Danielle is highly responsive, detail-oriented yet keeps the big picture in mind, patient, flexible, and on top of things. She draws from experience with many clients and can therefore offer input, but is never pushy. Not to mention she is lovely as a person to work with!

    I highly recommend Danielle and Cindy to any bride and groom-to-be who want to truly have a day that feels effortless - that elusive quality that is found in their combination of experience, organization, precision, and genuine happiness for their clients on the most important day of their lives.
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    Rita Sent on 12/06/2014
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    I hired Effortless Events this year for my daughter's upcoming wedding in 2015 and am so happy I did! Cindy Shanholtz, the owner, is not only great to work with, she has already saved me so much time and money. Her industry contacts are top-notch, her negotiating skills for contracts amazing and she is the most organized individual I have ever met. Many of my friends said, "don't you want to plan everything yourself?" I am planning it, with Cindy's expert guidance! EE has the leverage to get the best prices because, as Cindy says, EE is repeat business for vendors, unlike using them on your own. EE will actually save me much their fee, due to their expert negotiations. EE does all the research on vendors, sets up your appointments, reviews all contracts and generally keeps you sane and on track. If you do one thing for yourself in planning a wedding, hire Effortless Events...you won't be sorry!
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    John Sent on 09/29/2015
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    I am the father of the bride for an extraordinary wedding last weekend at Moonlight Studios in Chicago. We worked with Cindy Shanholtz, owner of Effortless Events Chicago.

    This was Cindy's 358th wedding. Her expertise was evident. Cindy is thoughtful, cordial, accessible, approachable, communicative, informed, and importantly, well known and respected by the various vendors that have a hand in weddings and receptions.

    It’s a challenge to negotiate directly with event vendors because they know they will never see you again. But they know Cindy and understand she has influence over their selection. So they listen to her about how things will be done and what charges are unreasonable.

    Cindy is a phenomenal producer, organizer, scheduler and strategic thinker, who used her experience to anticipate what could go wrong and made sure nothing did.

    Our wedding party knew exactly when and where they needed to be, and what the big picture looked like during the week of the wedding, for the rehearsal and dinner, and for the big day itself. Cindy was readily accessible if a question came up.

    No one likes eating dinner at 10 p.m. at a wedding reception when it's supposed to be served at 7:30. I don't know how she did it, but Cindy kept our reception to within 10 minutes of the minute-by-minute "day-of" schedule. She would have been right on target had I given a shorter welcome speech!

    If you want to lower your stress in the wedding planning process, and partner with a talented professional who is easy to work with and can help make your family wedding a huge success, I cannot give a strong enough endorsement of Cindy and Effortless Events Chicago.

    Cindy, Caroline, Danielle and Kelsey - you were fabulous. I would give Effortless Events Chicago 10 stars if I could!

    We can't thank you enough for making an extraordinary day even better. Thank you! Thank you!

    Have anyone contact me directly if they want to hear more. –John Kula
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    Tami Sent on 09/28/2015
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    Effortless Events flawlessly executed our vision for our recent wedding at the Boise Train Depot. I have had many people comment that it was the most beautiful wedding they have ever been to...it was truly amazing & worth every penny. I know it was probably one of the most laborious and complex weddings they have done and they did a great job pulling their team together to make it happen. I am giving 5 stars as they were able to pull it off without a hitch (as far as I know;) and at the end of the day that is all that really maters. I think as their company matures and they have more weddings under their belt, they will become even better. There were a few small things that I may provide feedback on privately, however, overall we are thrilled with how everything turned out. Thank you Stephanie & Cassie for all your hard work and ensuring the decor, schedule and theme were exactly as I had envisioned!!!
  • User2351322 Sent on 10/05/2015
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    Danielle and the crew at Effortless Events Provided top notch service, we could not have planned the wedding without her help! The day of our wedding, she was the first person at the venue and the last to leave. She was prompt, always available, and the detailed wedding timeline put us at ease that the day of would go without any problems. Without a doubt, I would use Effortless Events again!

    Thank you Danielle for all your hard work!!
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    Heidi Sent on 09/04/2015
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    Our daughter got married August 2015. The smartest thing we did was hire Effortless Events. Because our daughter and her fiancé wanted a specific caterer and a specific location, everything had to be “a la carte.” By that I mean there was the wedding ceremony venue, the reception venue, photographer, 2 caterers, a tent, a restroom trailer, flowers, tables, linens, air conditioning, even a generator! There is NO WAY this event could have taken place without a hitch if it wasn’t for Cindy and her team at Effortless Events. Cindy was out at the venue every week talking with the staff or meeting a vendor out there to look over the place. Cindy has connections with so many vendors that we never would have had. She was able to find an obscure beer that the groom wanted and the main beer vendor couldn’t find. She and her team have so much experience doing these events that it just takes all the worry away from the bride, groom and parents! Again there is NO WAY we could have planned this wedding and put it on ourselves. Effortless Events came through with amazing vendors. REVEL Décor transformed the bare hall into a beautiful room with café lighting and gorgeous flower arrangements. Cindy had worked with REVEL before and knew they were fantastic. Everything Cindy and her team did took stress away from us. We were able to really enjoy the day with our family and friends. Thank you Effortless Events!
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