Alena Thomas was our reception coordinator and she was absolutely amazing! Her attention to the fine details made us confident that everything was taken care! She looks after her clients like family and truly wants the couple to enjoy their day without any worries. So many times she would check in with us and make sure we were having a good time, and that we were not worrying about anything. She took care of everything and made sure we stayed on schedule so we, as well as our guests, really appreciated that! She is extremely organized and thorough and as we prepared for the big day, she was with us for every step of the way! As a bride, I felt like I could go to her for the coordinating and a listening ear. I would recommend her to many! She’s the best!
-Jake and Milani P.
Alena played an essential role in making our dream wedding a reality. We’d like to believe that we are an organized couple and did a lot of the planning and preparation for the big day on our own. However, when it came down to the day of the wedding, we realized we needed some help. Enter in Alena! We asked Alena to be our day-of coordinator. From there, they planned meetings with other helpers and organized with us what all needed to be done. She made sure that anything that could go wrong (and did go wrong) didn’t come back to us and that we can truly enjoy our day, stress-free! We have and would recommend Alena to anyone and everyone that comes our way who need help with coordinating their big day. Without her help and amazing organizational skills, we would not have enjoyed our wedding as much as we did!
-John and Stephina P.
Most girls dream of their wedding day since childhood and it’s pretty much one of the biggest days of their lives. Having a day of coordinator is important to make sure those dreams come true and everything goes smoothly. As someone who likes to do everything herself and be in control, I planned our whole wedding on my own but knew that on the day of- I would have to hand over my reigns to someone else. As a bride, you really can’t be doing anything else on the big day except smile for pictures and just take it all in as it’s happening and so this is where Alena came into our story. Throughout the months leading up to our wedding, I had several conversations with Alena about how things should be on our wedding day. She was familiar with our timeline and in touch with our vendors. She ran our rehearsal and came to both of our locations the morning of to make sure things ran smoothly. She made sure that everything ran on time and was checking in on us throughout the day. We received many compliments from our guests about our big day- and Alena definitely played a role in making our day go smoothly. We are so glad that we chose Alena to be our day of coordinator as she helped make it one of the most memorable days of our lives!
-Mr. and Mrs. V.
Alena helped in all aspects of the wedding planning and day-of coordinating without us having to worry. She came in town a day early to help me with finalizing little details and putting together goodie bags. She was the coordinator of our rehearsal the night before our wedding and ensured everyone from parents, bridal party, and priest were all on the same page, while still respecting the bride and groom’s wishes. She was the saving grace to all the little things that went wrong on the day of our wedding, and I had no idea until after it was all over! She sprang into action when it was needed and made sure our wedding day was stress free so we could focus on the enjoying the best day of our lives. Alena is reliable, personable, and great at directing people in a polite and respectful manner. I would wholeheartedly recommend Alena for any of your wedding planning needs.
-Ryan and Mimi M.
Alena is amazing! My husband and I chose Alena/I Do Wedding Planning for the day of coordination (although she went above and beyond what we expected) and this was probably the best decision we made. At first my husband did not think we needed a “day of coordinator." After our wedding day, we both were so glad we hired Alena to take care of our special day. Alena is such an easy going person, that from the moment we met her we were so relaxed and comfortable with her. Alena is always on top of everything. She was always thinking two steps ahead which is what you need when planning a wedding. Our special day was so smooth because Alena coordinated everything between vendors, the venue, and families. We were able to enjoy the day because we knew we left everything in good hands. We don’t think we would have been calm or enjoyed our wedding day so much if it wasn’t for Alena. We highly recommend hiring Alena/ I Do Wedding Planning for a stress free wedding day!
-Jerry and Jensine T.
"Words cannot explain how great of a wedding coordinator Alena is! We hired her as the day of coordinator but we felt like we got so much more than that. We did not stress one bit on our wedding day because of Alena. She made sure that everything went so smoothly and in a timely manner. Even before our wedding day, she would constantly check in on us to see how we were doing and offered a helping hand. She is extremely organized and sets up a timeline that is so easy to understand. She stayed in communication with all our vendors and our bridal party before the wedding to make sure they all knew and understood the timeline. Her incredible organizational skills not only helped everyone that were a part of our wedding but also helped us stay on track with what we needed to get done before the big day. From the moment we met Alena, we could see the joy and excitement she had for wedding planning. She talks about it with so much passion. Alena truly is one of a kind and I could not recommend her enough to any couple planning a wedding. Thank you Alena for everything you did to make our dream into reality!"
-Mickey and Minu M.
Alena Thomas was one of the very many unexpected blessings Amith and I received during our crazy COVID-19 wedding. We were advised by many of our married couple friends to make sure to hire wedding planner, or at least a day of coordinator. We decided to go with a day of coordinator and began our research. Within our friend's circles, Alena's services was mentioned multiple times! I actually knew Alena but had no idea she was in the wedding industry, so I was so excited to reach out to her! After our first phone conversation, I knew there was no one else out there for us but her!! She was so thorough when answering all my questions and she asked me a ton of questions to get a better idea of what we envisioned for our wedding, and what mattered to us the most. As it got closer to our wedding date, we found ourselves in the middle of a pandemic and Amith and I felt like our world was falling apart. All the time and effort we took into planning out the tiniest of details seemed to have been for nothing because we didn't think we were going to be able to get married. That is when Alena went from a day of coordinator to a wedding planner, an advocate, a therapist, and just an amazing friend. She pulled us out of the little hole we dug for ourselves and helped us make those tough decisions. The entire time she reassured us no matter what we decided, it was going to be okay, and it was more than okay. It was absolutely beautiful. We had to make major changes weeks before our wedding and all of that was only possible because we had Alena. Pandemic or not, the best advice I could give couples planning their wedding is to relax, remember that no matter what it's going to be okay, and to hire IdoWeddingPlanning for the most important event of your lives. It'll be the best decision you make!
-Amith and Johncy C.
Alena was our day of wedding coordinator and just went above and beyond what we expected. She did an amazing job coordinating our wedding and listening to our requests and guiding us through our wedding process. Although she was a day of wedding coordinator, she started with us a few months before, which was amazing. We are so glad we hired her because we knew we were going to need help the wedding day and make sure things will run smoothly. And she did all of that! We knew we would forget things for the wedding, but Alena made sure we remembered them. Our wedding day went so smoothly and we had so much fun. It was a completely stress free wedding day all thanks to Alena. Also special shoutout to Melanie for making the day run smoothly as well. I highly recommend I Do Wedding Planning for your wedding needs. You are in good hands with her. Hiring Alena was one of the best decisions we made for the wedding. Alena will make sure it is a night you will never forget!
-Princeton and Ancy J.
My fiancé and I both do not currently live in Chicago so having a wedding planner that is local and knows the landscape was very important to us. We scheduled a consult with Alena and asked her for vendor recommendations in 3 areas. Alena went above and beyond by not only recommending several vendors within each category but also catering each category to what we were specifically looking for. She even took it a step further and contacted some of the vendors to check if they were available for our wedding date. If she is this thorough with the consultation we know that our wedding is in good hands! If you’re looking for recommended vendors or general guidance for your wedding day, we highly recommend scheduling a consultation with Alena!
-Melissa & Wesley
Alena was an amazing wedding coordinator for our big day!! From the start, she helped me and my wife with all the little details that we completely forgot about. She’s such a kind and caring person who wanted to make sure our wedding day went perfectly. Alena did a great job making sure to keep things on schedule - it was what we needed especially since it's an Indian wedding and people arrive Indian time 😉. It was her first time coordinating a wedding in Detroit and away from her hometown of Chicago, but she did a phenomenal job! I highly recommend Alena to anyone looking for a dedicated and professional wedding coordinator. She helped make our special day truly unforgettable. Thank you again Alena!!
-Neil and Rita V.
We do not know where to start... Alena was the absolute best planner and we are so blessed to have had her as our planner! Alena is very professional and so down to earth. She went above and beyond our expectations and ensured every little detail was met to our satisfaction. We also appreciated and loved having her meet our families and go over the day-of timeline as well as go over any questions or concerns we had moving forward. We received SO many compliments with how smooth our ceremony and reception went. My dad especially adores Alena and her team. We still talk about how well everything went and it's been 5 months now!! Without Alena and her team, there is no way we would have been able to relax and truly enjoy our wedding day. People always question whether it is a good idea to get a day of wedding planner, and to be honest, it is worth it if you get the right person/team. We have recommended and will continue to recommend IDoWeddingPlanning to all our friends and family because they have truly become our family!! Alena, we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts and send our love and thanks for helping us create and celebrate our special day!
-Jojo and Stacey G.
Right after our engagement, the first vendor we reached out to was Alena to be our wedding coordinator. Alena is the breath of fresh air that we needed on our wedding day and the month leading to it. She is so amazing and dedicated at what she does and will make sure every detail of the wedding is planned out to ensure the day runs smoothly. Alena was so quick to respond when we had any questions and was always there for us when we needed to vent out our wedding stress. She truly is a godsend and took some of the burden off of our shoulders when dealing with some vendors. She was able to communicate effectively to our vendors and helped make sure that everything was completed for the wedding.
Not only did we feel at ease the weeks leading up to the wedding but our parents were also at ease as she explained everything in such great detail to them! Her organization, communication, and coordination kept us, the bridal party, and the parents well informed of what to expect on the wedding day. Alena seriously made our wedding day stress free and we are so thankful for all her help! Would recommend her over and over again as she truly is one of the best in the industry!
-Danny & Shaina J.
My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Alena from I Do Wedding Planning for our special day, and we cannot express how grateful we are for her incredible services. Though we chose her for day of coordination as opposed to a wedding planner, it is safe to say she went above and beyond those duties and we are forever grateful to her commitment to her trade and to our wedding. From the moment we talked to her, it was clear that Alena was a true professional, and her impeccable organizational skills were evident throughout the entire wedding planning process. Her attention to detail was unparalleled and she asked us all the right questions to keep us on track with our planning and ensure nothing slipped through the cracks.
What truly set Alena apart was her dedication to going above and beyond the role of a typical day-of coordinator. When we unexpectedly lost our venue 2 months before the wedding, she handled the situation with grace and expertise, swiftly finding us alternatives and helping us remain calm. Her ability to think on her feet and solve problems seamlessly was truly impressive and needed for a large wedding.
One of the most beneficial things Alena does is to have a sit down meeting with the couple and both sets of parents close to the wedding. Her ability to communicate with Malayalee parents and ensure that they see our vision and abide to the timeline was crucial to the wedding running smoothly. My mom still brings up the fact that she didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to Alena at the end of the reception. That’s just how much she touched our lives and became an integral part of our wedding and family!
Throughout the day, Alena and her assistant Melanie worked tirelessly to ensure that every detail of our itinerary was executed flawlessly. Despite the challenge of three outfit changes, they kept us ahead of schedule. At the end of the night Alena and Melanie packed up all our belongings and sent us a detailed message with who took what items home. It was such a relief to know that everything was taken care of, allowing us to focus on the joyous moments of our wedding day.
Having been involved in other weddings as a bridesmaid, I can confidently say that I have worked with many wedding coordinators and day-of-event planners. However, none of them even come close to Alena's level of professionalism, work ethic, and ability to command a room while still wearing a radiant smile. She truly made our wedding day unforgettable. We can't recommend Alena and I Do Wedding Planning enough. If you want a wedding coordinator who will exceed your expectations and ensure that your special day is flawless, Alena is the one to call!
-Brian & Lynne M.
We had the pleasure of working with Alena and I Do Wedding Planning for our big day, and we are so thankful to her and her team for going above and beyond in every way! Our mom happened to see Alena in action at another wedding, and that, coupled with glowing reviews from family friends led to us giving her a call. Hiring Alena was, hands down, one of the best decisions we made for our wedding day! From the start, Alena was professional, organized, and so ready to bring our vision to life. It was clear that she has excellent experience that allows her to connect with anyone, take control of any situation, and carry herself through any and every challenge with grace.
My husband and I were out of state during our wedding planning process and were concerned that it could be difficult to handle unexpected hiccups while being hundreds of miles away from our vendors and venue. Alena and her team were also based out of town, but her expertise allowed us to overcome all of this— she proactively asked all the right questions, contacted our vendors well in advance (and even had working relationships with several), and ensured nothing slipped through the cracks. Even as our vision evolved, she remained open and worked diligently to make sure our day was perfect.
From vendors, to bridal party, to family and friends— Alena made sure everyone was on the same page with schedules meticulously designed with the appropriate level of detail for each. Those plans were a work of art, and both Alena and her assistant, Melanie, made sure we all stuck to it, no exceptions! We are so thankful that we got to fit in every single event, outfit change, and picture with plenty of time to socialize with our guests and have fun!
Alena went above and beyond in so many ways that she made a memorable impression on both our families! In all the stress and nerves that come with the day, Alena’s calm and reassuring smile and support was a constant that made all the difference for both us and our families. Some memorable instances were when she jumped in to pin up my bridesmaids in their saris without being asked or hand-feeding me breakfast so I could eat before I got my makeup done! We, along with our parents and siblings still talk about how hardworking and down to earth she is, and we recommend her to everyone who is looking for an excellent coordinator.
Throughout the planning process, we were always told that you shouldn’t expect your wedding day to be perfect— plan all you might, things happen. Looking back, we still have no idea exactly how many little fires happened on our big day. All we know is that Alena was right there, putting them out one by one. We are so thankful that we truly got to enjoy a perfect day as a result of Alena’s hard work. We cannot recommend I Do Wedding Planning enough. The only regret we have with this experience is that we didn’t hire them sooner!
- Aaron & Shannon
Check out Allen and Reshma's Thank you Speech at their wedding :)