Reviews of Simply Elegant (Event Planner)

Jennifer Quaas

Simply a one stop Shop, simply great Service, Simply Elegant!

Kelly Hopp

They were amazing to work with and made my job as the event planner so easy. The customer experience with everyone I worked with was so good, they were accommodating, friendly and very professional. The food was a huge hit, very nice presentation and the staff at the event both behind the bar and managing the floor were so great! I would recommend them in a heartbeat and look forward to our next event!

Ken Moghadam

Amazing staff and wonderful food! We had the best Casino Royale party ever!

William Van

We first discovered simply elegant back a year and a half ago while we were searching for our wedding venue. At the time they had a venue called Skyline which we really liked and fit the vision we had in mind. So to our delight we went ahead and booked with them hoping for the best. Jade was our main point of contact and she was very professional in helping us plan for our big event. Then COVID happened, and all of our initial plans were put on a hiatus. As unfortunate as it was, we believed safety was a priority and postponed our event until restrictions were lifted. All parties were on board as there wasn't much else we could do during this situation. A year later, to add more challenges to the situation, their Skyline venue closed down. As unfortunate as it was to hear, Jade and Simply Elegant put in all the necessary effort to find alternative options for us. We ultimately decided on Studio Bell, adding on another point of contact, Peter to assist with our event. Both Jade and Peter were very professional and accommodating throughout the entire process. We were very happy to have worked together with them as both Jade, Peter and all the staff did an amazing job. In the end, we overcame all challenges together and the event I'm delighted to say, was a huge success. The venue setup and décor looked gorgeous, the catering was spot on, the food was delicious, and everything was handled so well! It took a year and a half to finally get here, but we are so glad to have chosen Simply Elegant. I highly recommend to anyone looking for their service! Thank you Jade, Peter and all SEC staff involved, you guys all went above and beyond and we couldn't have done it without you guys. Much Love!

Sandi B

We had the prepared turkey Christmas dinners at home from Simply Elegant. We followed the simple heating instructions ~ only 12 minutes! The presentation, ingredients and taste were absolutely perfect! We would highly recommend for an authentic, carefully prepared turkey dinner Lovely!!! Thank you so much!

Katherine “Ksimera” T

Well, the name is right for them! They made one of the best events we've ever attended, and it was truly elegant in every little detail.

Erika Donald

Had a fantastic experience with Simply Elegant for our wedding and recommend them wholeheartedly! Peter was wonderful to deal with and had his chefs create a whole Southern-inspired buffet menu at our request - all of it was delicious! To put it in context, we'd previously tried pretty well all of the Southern restaurants in Calgary and found each of them to have some good dishes and some bad. Simply Elegant's pulled pork, mac and cheese, cornbread and creamy coleslaw were definitely tastier than anything else we tried. We also requested a pistachio cake, which was delicious, and collard greens which were a huge hit. The food was definitely a highlight of wedding, just as we'd hoped, and we keep getting tons of compliments on it. I only wish I could enjoy the whole menu again! I should mention that the service at the wedding itself was also great. We've already recommended you to friends. Thank you!!

Cassandra Hiltz

Very knowledgeable event planning associates. They will ensure that your wedding or event will be clean, organized and successful.

SARIMS Chapter

We selected Simply Elegant as our caterers for a cocktail function of 250 people. They were flawless. The food was fantastic, the service was excellent and they were a "one stop shop" for us taking care of linens, table rentals, alcohol, etc. We are a non-profit and they worked within our budget which we greatly appreciated. They were flexible with changes and were extremely professional throughout the whole process. I would highly recommend them for an event of any size.

Hospice Calgary

Simply Elegant has been our ‘go to’ caterer for the past seven years. Whether serving a BBQ lunch to a crowd of 600+ or an intimate Board function, they have customized their menus and service to meet our exact needs. Hospice Calgary wholeheartedly commends Simply Elegant as a caterer of choice.

Ambereen Weerahandi

great options, they do decor rentals too! Provided a very nice sample menu and worked with us to stay within our budget and taste preferences. Very affordable and pleasant to work with, got lots of compliments on the food

joshua waselynchuk

I have been working closely with the catering staff at Simply Elegant for over 8 months now, and every time I deal with them, it is nothing but a pleasant experience. The staff is very friendly, welcoming and very knowledgeable, they can answer any question I ever have. They are very fast and efficient when it comes to ordering food and make the entire experience easy and painless. Their menu has a lot of different options to choose from and are very flexible when certain needs are required. They have many options that can be used for different occasions/events. I truly enjoy working closely with Simply Elegant when it comes to arranging food for clients and very glad to have that relationship with them.

Andrea Johnston

After a disastrous experience with Pop-Up wedding, my fiance and I went to Simply Elegant for help planning our wedding. What a difference! Simply Elegant was professional, caring, enthusiastic, and responsive. They made us feel so cared for and got us so excited for our special day after we were feeling forgotten. We could not recommend Simply Elegant more! They are the best of the best and your one-stop shop for any event you're planning. 5 stars all the way!!

Roberta Kuzyk-Burton

Sharon at Simply Elegant responded to a last minute request, and came up with exactly what we needed to make the evening shine with decor. She was professional, prompt, and open to our suggestions. We'd work with her again in a heartbeat.

jeroen maes

I just love simpy elegant catering ! They do magnificent floral decorations and provide you with ideas for your event, you would never think of yourself !! The service provided by Sharon and Peter is very professional and they know what they are talking about guiding you through your entire event ! I can highly recommend this catering company for your next event !!! Thank you for the great service Simply Elegant !!

Logan Hamblin

We used Simply Elegant for our wedding June 2020. They did a grazing table and served a sit-down supper. The food amazing and many guests asked who we used. Peter and his staff came to our house in the country and made-due with what was provided. They left our kitchen spotless and the service was fantastic. Simply Elegant accomodated many of our changes due to Covid-19 and were wonderful to deal with. Our family will definitely use them for any future catering needs.

Toni Guffei

This is a fantastic company with outstanding food and service. I've used them many times in the past for my association's events and have always been pleased with the results. They made me look good!

Krystine Hebert

We tried the new corporate catering menu for our office lunch meeting yesterday. The guys really enjoyed the new sandwiches! We tried the Pulled Chicken Pesto, Smoked Turkey and Shaved Roast Beef with a side of the Orzo Roasted Vegetable salad. Even my really fussy guys enjoyed it! One of the guys even said the pesto chicken was his new favorite sandwich. I personally got to enjoy some of the orzo salad and half of a vegetarian sandwich; I’m not sure how you made that grilled tomato so delicious but it was juicy and oh so good!! Just thought I’d let you know we really enjoyed it :) We will be ordering for our corporate lunch again soon!

MyraBelle Ignalig

I cannot find the words of how thankful I am for Sharon having to share her knowledge with us in the field of event planning. Sharon Barcwick was my Instructor in Wedding and Social Events Planning at Mt. Royal University and I am greatly honored to be one of her student. Her passion and dedication made her the best in what she do. I highly recommend her expertise in this industry :)

Genna Zimmel

Organizing my first fundraiser with 250 people in attendance could have been daunting, but not with the team at Simply Elegant by my side. Peter was an absolute joy to work with, as he has the experience to know exactly how an event can function flawlessly. I also worked with Sharon on decor. I showed her one picture of the flower arrangements I wanted and she delivered precisely. I could not have been more pleased. The fundraiser was May 27th, 2017 and went off without a glitch. The food...the service...the energy...it was all exquisite. I would work with Simply Elegant again and again and again!! Simply Excellent! :)

Jyllean Sloan

So excited to be working with this team! They are professional, friendly and very creative.

Dustin Engen

Peter and his team provided excellent service throughout planning and the event itself. They were able to customize the menu, deliver a delicious meal and provide support in arranging linens and tableware. We would recommend Simply Elegant to anyone looking to add class at excellent value to their event.

Bonnie Armstrong

Rob Vidra and his team did a fabulous job for our Corporate Event! The food was delicious, the decor amazing and I didn't have to worry about a thing. It was all taken care of. We went through an extensive meeting process to ensure that no stone was left unturned. I don't know what I would have done without their expertise. Our event was a huge success, thanks to Simply Elegant.

Lina Asensio

Budaya Nusantara Association had our Third Annual Anniversary Celebration this year with our members and their families at Simply Elegant’s Waterfront Park Venue. The location inside the Pavilion tent was perfect for our family picnic event. The location is a hidden treasure in Calgary, lush greenery by the lagoon near The Bow River. Thank You Simply Elegant, specifically to Rob and Jade, for the opportunity to have our celebration at the Waterfront Park, the service is second to none. I highly recommend having Simply Elegant Coordinate any events. Their team is professional, attention to detail and pleasant to work with.

Courtney Johnson

Peter and his team were wonderful, they made everything really easy for us, the food was delicious and all of our staff raved about our event. It could not have been a success without all their help. Thank you!

Zachary George

Impeccable customer service. Everyone I met at the office was upbeat, helpful and showed genuine interest in helping me! Will think of them first for event planning and highly recommend using them!

Cecilia Ye

I had wanted to write this review for a while. This company has cited others not understanding their situation during Covid-19, but that's rather hypocritical for a company that has time and time again shown how blinded to the needs of their clients they actually are. As the world was halted by the on-going effects of Covid-19 for a year and a half, this company tried to force us to undergo unwanted experiences during a pandemic. My partner and I had booked Skyline in Kensington for our wedding in 2020, but of course the global pandemic disrupted those times. The same restrictions for covid-19 which have been in place since March 17, 2020. Further we had sent our wedding venue deposit of $3000.00 on March 16, 2020. Less than 24 hours before the government announced provincial restrictions, we were told by the venue that the deposit is now non-refundable. In an effort to try and not feel discouraged about our wedding by this company, and wanting to support local businesses, we decided to see if we can delay it by a year. While I do appreciate that the accountant (that's right, only person we had contact with the entire time because they only reached out when they wanted more money) helped move our date, this was simply not enough. As we know, much of this year had remained the same with covid-19. As such, we had requested the venue to return the deposit as the conditions at the time did not allow for a ceremony of any kind and at that point as we did not want to keep delaying our wedding. We were told that that was not possible and that we had to have 150+ people since that was the original plan. Okay, frustrating but again we are understanding people. In an effort to compromise, we asked to hold a smaller ceremony instead and use the deposit towards a more elopement style ceremony from their ad. Nope, again the company told us that that was not possible and we would have to spend over $20k in order to not forfeit our deposit. Please note, that like any engaged couple, we would have LOVED to have a big celebration, had it been regular times. However, we were doing our due diligence to follow provincial guidelines at the time and even tried to compromise on multiple occasions. We contacted legal professionals and they also indicated we were in the right and we would have a case in civil court. Ironically, we have since found out that Simply Elegant was shutting down Skyline (again from the same company) the same day we would have had our wedding (July 17, 2021). We were not told of this, and they kept our deposit and likely others and used it on their new Waterfront venue without any notice. In the end, we got married somewhere else and we had to plan a wedding in a month because of this mess. I would recommend everyone else to tread lightly with this company. Over-priced, unprofessional, and only responsive when they want more money from you. Also, if the owner responds to this, that would actually be great since we have requested to speak with you multiple times and each time told you didn’t have time and were “not available to talk to us”. Edit: well look at that, CEO responds with no accountability. Btw, we were also not told anytime in the 3 months prior to Skyline shutting down, except when your accountant asked for even more money. And we still haven’t received any “reaching out”. We had to find out on our own through Facebook. Just unprofessional.

Alanna Murphy

We had Simply Elegant as our caterer for our wedding on Aug. 5, 2017. Right from the get go Peter was such a pleasure to deal with!! He was always in communication with us and made sure he had answers for any and all of our questions. The food was absolutely outstanding and we received many compliments from our guests. We served our guests pan seared chicken and braised boneless beef short ribs...both were delicious, moist, and hot! The bartender was very attentive and made sure the wedding party had a little extra attention. We couldn't be happier with how our event was catered and would highly recommend Simply Elegant! Thanks for making our wedding such a great event!

Tracey Bell

Great food, meticulous attention to event details and exceptional staff.

D.E. Laird

Simply Elegant catered our wedding on August 28, 2021, and they were AMAZING!! The entire team was awesome to work with from the first day we met. From the initial meeting, the team created an experience we’ll never forget. They are professional, accommodating, helpful, and go above and beyond to create a wonderful and unforgettable experience!"

Maureen

At Astoria Homes we use Simply Elegant Catering when we require a business lunch. The service is fantastic, courteous staff, excellent food and great value.

Julie Yepishina-Geller

Peter and the staff at Simply Elegant were AMAZING to work with - the perfect combination of professional, fun and practical. We used them for our wedding at the beginning of February 2017, and were extremely pleased with the service, the quality of the food, and their decor services . Peter worked closely with us leading up to our wedding to develop a menu and set up that stayed within our budget. He also acted as the go-between with our venue and was able to provide a lot of guidance and expertise on how to best orientate the space. We also used Simply Elegant staff to operate the bar and for the event set up and take down. They took care of everything on the day of, which allowed us to simply enjoy the day with our friends and family. We had such a great time in fact, that I think they were also potentially the only "responsible adults" left standing by the end of the night :) Thank you for all your hard work and for making our day so special. - Julie & Steve

Feriel O

"I like to call her the wedding fairy" I had the privilege to have Simply Elegant manage our wedding. This business is comprised of a team of extremely talented professionals that will truly treat you nothing short of a princess or a prince. Our wedding was a large wedding of 600 guests! I had a vision of a Parisian glamour themed wedding and was very worried a size this large of a wedding would quickly turn into a nightmare. Let me tell you, I was wrong! Enter the Wedding Fairy, Sharon Barwick and Simply Elegant owner, Robert Virda. Sharon is everything you would dream a wedding planner to be. She is empathetic, a great listener, an excellent problem solver (she actually foresees problems before they occur) and an extremely talented artist all in one. Her approach is so refreshing, she will not let you panic, provides creative solutions and is always there to listen to any concern you have, no matter how many you have! Sharon designed my floral including my bouquet, my bridesmaids’ bouquets, the groomsmen's boutonnieres, floral at the venue, tables decor, cake table, our wedding party table and much more. All this while providing ways to cut on cost without compromising our vision. Did I mention we had 600 guests? Sharon and Rob were there for us the entire time helping us plan and providing us with valuable insight. They also learned about our culture and how to address everyone in our family. On our big day, Rob and Sharon had become a part of the family. Rob came and congratulated us and we felt like we were in great hands. Sharon was there reminding me to enjoy every moment, look up and smile while going down the stairs and walk with grace, she helped us stick to our schedule to the minute. Really she was my angel guardian that day. Due to my outfit changes we had a tight schedule, she made sure everyone was where they needed to be at the right time and let me tell you; that is no easy task when there are this many individuals to manage! She even managed my aunt who came from overseas and only spoke French! Yes, Sharon speaks French as well :) I could honestly go on and on about how amazing Rob and Sharon are as well as their talented team who always smiled when they saw us and treated us like family. If you are thinking about Simply Elegant for your wedding, don’t hesitate. It will be the best decision you made after getting married of course :) Cheers! Feriel

Peggy Jones

I recently attended a banquet which Simply Elegant catered. Over the years I have attended quite a few banquets for various events. At this particular banquet the roast beef was a bit too rare. Now I realize that alot of people like their beef rare but there are those who don't. The limited variety of vegetables were tasteless and overcooked. The caterer ran out of butter for the buns. Finally the assortment of desserts and/ or dainties was disgusting. One can get better assortment of dessert trays from Costco. Unfortunately I happen to know that I will have to attend banquets in the future that are catered by Simply Elegant and I wish that I could say that I am looking forward to the meal.

Melody Herman

We had a very small family celebration for our son’s graduation in our backyard. The meal Simply Elegant provided was superb. And I mean that. Working with them setting it up was easy! When Chef Jeremy arrived, with a completely professional preparation of food to be cooked in my kitchen, I was able to relax and enjoyed the evening. The steak - it was so tender! My son said he could have used his spoon to cut it. Highly recommend them.

Karlene Pitze

Sharon Barwick is an instructor for the Wedding and Social Events Planning certificate at MRU, and there couldn't be a more suited industry giant to teach and to learn from. She personally connects with every student, is very honest and a clear communicator. Her creativity is beyond measure. Any person looking to get into events must take a course from Sharon because they will leave feeling confident, inspired and enabled for success.

Jennifer Cunningham

I recently contracted Simply Elegant to do the catering for my wedding and from the first step a year prior and right until the end I was completely satisfied with my service. Peter was incredibly helpful and offered so much advice and let me customize and then change my menu a few times with no problems, he even remembered me mentioning my husband had dietary restrictions and accommodated his needs without being asked. Everyone I spoke with was friendly, professional and very helpful. They day of my wedding with off without a hitch in regards to the role Simply Elegant played. They knew exactly what they were doing and I was able to enjoy my day with confidence that no issues would arise. If you're looking for catering, definitely choose Simply Elegant.

Shauna Tutty

I can not say enough good things about the skyline venue and it's staff! We had an absolutely amazing time at our 20's themed gatsby wedding. The venue was beautifully decorated inside and our spectacular Calgary skyline backdrop was the icing on the cake. The food was superb and beyond our expectations! Peter and his staff were incredible and I would highly recommend Skyline to anyone thinking of having a memorable event! I want to get married all over again just to experience the day over again!! Much love! Shauna and Brendan Tutty

Corrie Rhyasen Erdman

We worked with Simply Elegant to cater a family birthday celebration. It was a small, intimate dinner of 6 people. We appreciated Peter’s willingness to have his team prepare such a wonderful meal for our small group. The meal was hearty and elegant! The presentation was lovely, the portions were generous and everything tasted delicious. The short ribs in particular were melt in your mouth delicious!

Michelle Crone

Excellent service for a small gathering. Showed up on time and catered to our needs. Staff was able to go with the flow when needed - food was excellent and house was left spotless. Can't thank you enough - such a great experience.

Christina F

Simply Elegant did my sons grad. They decorated and made the meal! It was amazing! The staff was awesome and the food was equally as awesome. Love these guys and would recommend them to anyone for all their catering needs. Thank you again for making our night more memorable!!!

Western Site Reception

Amazing food and great service !!!

Derek Latif

We worked with Simply Elegant for planning our wedding, and were extremely pleased with them. Planning during COVID-19 was really tricky, but the team was helpful through the process, and was very flexible in making sure we had the wedding we wanted. Peter and Jade are very professional, always went the extra mile, and were very respectful of our wedding budget in helping us plan. I would absolutely recommend Simply Elegant.

Laura Kidner

Each and every has had WONDERFUL food and service. So good there were few leftovers....

Michelle Lawrence

I had Sharon Barwick as an Instructor at Mount Royal University in the Event Management Certificate. She was very open and honest about her experience with the class. She really cares about her students and in turn her clients. She has had many roles in the event industry that makes her a wealth of knowledge. I will be recommending Simply Elegant in the future!

Jeff Jimenez

Simply Elegant is indisputably the best event managing service in Calgary. Simply Elegant was suggested to us from Norton Rose LLP's marketing department and after initial contact with Simply Elegant, within a day I received a phone call and I was swept away with their proposal. As the VP Finance and Facilities for the Alberta Student Energy Conference (ASEC) 2013 we had unique and specific requests and Simply Elegant was able to provide all we requested and more. They went above and beyond their scope continuously thinking of new and innovative ideas to ensure our event was successful. They are amazing people to work with and are the best communicators. Not only do they reply in a timely manner, but also give concise and thorough details. The Alberta Student Energy Conference is a professional development and recruitment seminar and was held at the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre on March 1st, 2013. Due to the nature of the conference a lot of the decision making was needed to be completed near the date of the conference and Simply Elegant was always readily available to us and we never had to worry about them! We will never forget the moment the doors to ASEC was opened. It was breathtaking. Our sponsors were extremely pleased. We couldn't have asked for anything more. A huge thank you to Sharon and Jil from Simply Elegant. Simply Elegant was the best decision we made.

Victor Ryapolov

Absolute pleasure working with Peter and his staff! We hired Simply Elegant for our wedding and were very happy we did. Peter was very accommodating when it came down to choosing our menu; most of our tastings had to be scheduled outside of business hours, and Peter and his chefs had no issues staying late to prepare a wide variety of dishes for us. We were very pleased that we could keep some of the glassware over night and return it the next few days at no extra charge. At one point we mistakenly returned some trays that did not belong to Simply Elegant. I was very thankful that this mistake was caught by the caterer, who not only acknowledged it, but personally delivered it back, again at no cost what so ever. Food was top notch, both quality and presentation. Very professional caterer with exceptional attention to customer service and food quality. Once again, big thanks to Peter and his staff. Highly recommended.

Mandy M

If you sincerely want to enjoy the experience of your own wedding, please hire Sharon Barwick for your own wellbeing. Believe me, I never care to write reviews online, but I know I am doing future brides a favour by telling everyone else that she is a “wedding fairy godmother.” I mean, where do I start? She is incredibly intuitive. I was shocked how she “got” my vision in an instant, and she could finesse the details seamlessly. She is hyper-organized even for my standards— and yes, that’s saying a lot. She’s also so darn honest. Even when everyone else says your lipstick looks “stunning” she can spot how you might look a little “off” and kindly help you achieve the look you know you want deep down inside. And get this, with her expertise, Sharon even saved me money while we were planning the décor and floral arrangements. Did I mention she stayed under budget? Having said all that, I ultimately I love her because she innately has a good, vibrant, and sincere energy to her. I think that is essential for every wedding. My entire family fell in love with her. That’s why I made sure her picture is part of my wedding album. I just wished I hired her when I first planned the wedding. She made this horrid planning experience fun! Yes, I said it, it was fun with Sharon! Anyway, I am so grateful she serendipitously fell into my life. Now I am paying it forward by introducing Sharon to all of you. Good luck!

Cheryl Ryan

My experience with Simply Elegant was outstanding. Starting with creating my vision to the day of the Wedding. I would recommend Simply Elegant in a heart beat. Everything was beautiful and I didn't have to worry about a thing on my wedding day. Everything was taken care of with so much attention to detail.

Sara Lua

It was wonderful to have Simply Elegant cater our family wedding. I had the pleasure of meeting Sharon and Peter who were very kind, respectful and always ready to answer any of my questions. The food was exceptional and all our guests had only excellent things to say. The staff went above and beyond! Kind to all the guests, very professional and were constantly checking in to make sure we had everything we needed. I would absolutely recommend them to my family and friends. Thank you Simply Elegant for being a part of our special day. Betty.

Maki T

Spectacular! Thank you Peter and the staff of Simply Elegant for making last Saturday magical for my son , my daughter-in-law, our families and our guests! It was an experience beyond of any expectation..... You and your staff were so professional but at the same time so personable, so accommodating.... All of our requests were granted with no hustle .....and there were few.... It was fantastic venue, decorations, presentation, very tasty and outstanding food (and lots of it), you and everybody at Simply Elegant that helped this day run so smoothly..... Our guests and our families were stunned with the overall experience ! “ this is so amazing .... I want to get married ....again....here...!” Funny thing is that not just one person said this.... I am sorry I do not remember all of the names of the people that took care of us but please please thank them from the bottom of our hearts ! And for the people that are reading this review : Do not think twice ....Simply Elegant is the company that will make your event memorable ....Skyline location provides spectacular view that takes your breath away ! If I had an option I would give them 10 stars ! Thank you !!!!

Leanne Northwood

We ordered Christmas dinner from Simply Elegant catering and everything about the experience was great. The ordering process was easy and they were very responsive to questions. The quality of the food and presentation exceeded our expectations. We may never cook Christmas dinner again :)

Lulu Bella

Working with Simply Elegant was amazing! I highly recommend using them for any event you have in mind. They will work with you to understand your needs and deliver an end product that goes beyond your expectations - worry free. Peter and his staff did a spectacular job with the food, set up, accessories, and the presentation was beyond visually appealing. I cannot say enough good things about my overall experience. I would hire them in a heart beat for our next event. We held a professional workshop with a very eclectic group within our industry and our entire audience raved about their experience. These are people who hold a high standard for beautiful things with style and quality. A true success. Thank you team! Working with you was the easiest part of the planning process. Peter your food was delicious and so well presented. Looking forward to working with you in the future! Cheers Lulu Bella

Brenda Rains

After speaking with a number of other caterers, we were referred to Simply Elegant by the catering consultant at SAIT. It's great to hear other industry members make such impromtu referrals and Peter was fantastic to work with. He understood the scope of our event, our guests, and worked to make every detail a simple one. The onsite staff were efficient and very helpful. Set up and tear down was very well executed and the food was delicious. They dealt with a small prep and service area and delivered a great experience. In an industry with mandatory auto gratuities, Simply Elegant leaves that up to the client based on service received. This is a group that deserves over and above.

Stacie Murray

I cannot say enough good things about the service at Skyline Room. COVID really threw a wrench in our original wedding plans, and Skyline was so incredibly accommodating with our forever changing plans, reduced guestlist and reduced budget. They definitely made the entire COVID transition seamless for us and went above and beyond our expectations. In order to keep ourselves and guests safe, we implemented a few COVID safety practices. First off, we limited our guest list to our core people, so immediately family and best friends and we request that everyone guest get tested for COVID the week before the wedding, and then asked that they limit their exposure to the outside world. We also incorporated a pin system, where any guest could wear one of the pins provided and that would signify that they would like to maintain 6 feet of distance when chatting to another guest. There was also hand sanitizer available when guests first walked into the venue, on every table as well as a mask for every person. Skyline also provided table service for all drinks to avoid any gatherings at the bar. All in all, every guest at our wedding felt safe and are still raving about the service provided by Skyline. Thank you Peter, Jade and the rest of staff for pulling off a safe COVID wedding for us.

Kaitlyn van Bakel

Sharon is the wealth of knowledge you NEED if you are looking to plan a wedding or social event! I recently took a Social Event and Wedding Planning course at Mount Royal which was taught by Sharon. I have taken many courses in my school career and I can 110% say that this was the best course yet! I was blown away by Sharon’s experience as well as her fun and honest personality. She’s a rare gem that is truly willing to go the extra mile to make your experience fantastic. Not only does Sharon's demeanour make her a great instructor and event producer, but it also speaks to the corporate culture at Simply Elegant. I would recommend this company to anyone looking for a genuine experience. You’ll be in great hands!

April Koch

I have used Simply Elegant many times for catering though my work. While planning my wedding this past year, I had contact them to get quotes on catering, and to my surprise they also do wedding flowers. Now, being the procrastinator that I am, I left my flower purchase until the very end and not much left to spend on them either! After many emails back and forth with Sharon, she went above and beyond my expectations and saved me loads of money, while not compromising on the quality to get the flowers that I needed for myself, my husband, 8 people in the wedding party, parents and grandparents. I believe these flowers really added the special touch (and pop of colour) that would have been missing, and my husband and I could not be happier with the outcome. I continue to use their catering whenever I can through work, and would highly recommend them to anyone one looking for exceptional quality, reasonable price and friendly staff wanting to help with any request you might have and then going over and beyond what is expected. Thank you again to all the staff (and especially Sharon) for making our Wedding Day extra special! April and Dana Koch

Laurie A. Fitzherbert

I called Simply one Saturday afternoon, in desperate need of a caterer for a Tuesday meeting. Peter created a menu, presented, and delivered 100% on time! I have used them two or three times since, and each time is exactly the same! Professional, prompt and perfect! I don't look for anyone else anymore. I always call SE!

Wanda

As the Event Coordinator for our company, I have had the honor and privilege of working with the incredible staff at Simply Elegant on a number of occasions. Each of the staff are true ambassadors for not only their employer- but for each and every person who attends our events. They are all highly personable, professional and efficient. The planners and coordinators are brilliant in their recommendations and executional abilities! The quality of food is superb; creative, delicious and delivered with exceptional presentation. This cohesive team works well together and have found a "rhythm" that delivers fantastic results every time. I can't recommend Simply Elegant enough!

Peter Schwarz

Best company in Calgary to work for.

David Martenson

Our family Christmas dinner, catered by Simply Elegant, was excellent! It was one of the best I’ve had - in terms of quality of food and creative recipes (sorry to any family members reading this who may have cooked a Christmas dinner in the past!). Our group was small but Simply Elegant was prompt in responding to our requests. I’m not one prone to writing a gushy review, but Simply Elegant deserves one! Thank you for making our dinner special.

Erin Hunley

We chose Simply Elegant to provide decor for our corporate Christmas Party in December 2012 at Mercato Restaurant, and cannot say enough about how they transformed the venue. From just the initial phone call, Sharon immediately grasped the feel we wanted for the event, and provided an endless array of ideas to create the look. Sharon and her team executed every last detail as discussed, and finalized the look on time and within budget. They made our party elegant, classy, and inviting. All of our guests raved about the decor. For anyone, personal or corporate, looking for a great team to assist with their event planning, I would highly recommend Simply Elegant be the company you call for all of your event planning needs. Erin Hunley, Rayne Capital

Alison Wadey

The "Harvest to Table" event was a night to remember! Excellent showcase for all that Simply Elegant has to offer; exquisite food, exceptional service, lovely decor!

Kiran Fatima

Great organization to work with. I hosted a surprise baby shower for my sister-in-law and they provided some beautiful centrepieces for the party. They are really accommodating, prompt with communication, reasonable in their rates, and meticulous in their creations. I initially had some doubts but you just have to trust them to do their magic!

Brendan Tutty

Couldn't possibly have gone any better! Seriously amazing location, absolutely professional staff and the food was so delicious. Very accommodating management with the covid precautions. I would recommend

Rhonda Richardson

Simply Elegant, the name says it all. From start to finish service was executed at a very high standard. Despite the weather Rob, Peter, Jade and the rest of the Simply Elegant team were fabulous in putting things together and seeing it run smoothly for our June 25th event. Great eye for detail and were in tune to what we were looking to achieve. Sharon, "Dame Extraordinaire". Merci beacoup! Mere hours before our ceremony last minute request were being sent and she was able to make it happen. Words are not sufficient to describe our gratitude nor the the quality of service we received. Whether your event is on a small or large scale these are the people you go to. They make visions a reality.

Kimberly Espanol

We were bullied by Simply Elegant in to cancelling our contract. We have our event booked at Waterfront Parks (original venue at Skyline which apparently closed according to Simply Elegant) for July 2021 and they told us around 20 days before our event that there was a scheduling conflict so we cannot have the venue anymore on the date that we're suppose to have our event. They offered us a refund of the venue cost if we move our date, or move us to Venue 308 or Brownstone but with no compensation for the trouble, or full refund to cancel our event. All of these options are made on their own terms with no room for negotiation (we tried negotiating!!). We don't understand how they can double book the venue and choose to kick us out instead. Either they accidentally double booked or a bigger client wanted our date so Simply Elegant chose to boot us out, which was a clear breach of contract. We wanted a refund before (even just 75% of our money back) but they wouldn't let us which I understood because we signed a contract but we asked them anyway just in case they will allow it. And then 20 days before our event, they are springing the news to us that we will not get the Waterfront Park venue. That was so shady. They told us that there was a scheduling conflict with the Shriners which was a lie because we checked the Shriners website and they do not have an event at that venue on our date. We were left scrambling and we felt cheated and bullied by this company. We would have settled with them moving us to a different venue if they would just refund us the venue cost but they did not budge. They didn't even try to meet us halfway, they did not want to negotiate. We were suppose to have a skyline view, then they moved us to Waterfront Park which would have given us a lake view (so comparable to our original venue), but now they wanted to move us to another venue with no view - so we felt they should at least compensate us. Changing our date was not an option given how late it is already for us to ask our other vendors and our guests if they can work with that. We chose to support them during the pandemic (we booked our event and signed a contract in October 2020) but as soon as everything opened up, they chose to screw us over because now it is convenient for them. I am 6 months pregnant and the emotional distress they have put me through is unbelievable - especially for a company that is supposed to be a champion in hospitality and client service. We decided to deal directly with the venue that they were going to move us to as I couldn't imagine them still holding our event after how they treated us. As soon as I told them that we would opt for the full refund (after us trying to negotiate and them not making any counteroffers), they told me that they will mail me the cheque - knowing full well that we need the money right away so we can pay the new venue and new caterer. There was no sense of urgency on their end. When we paid them they were etransferred so they received our money instantly, and for the refund they wanted to just mail the cheque. We ended up picking up the cheque and that's how our relationship with them ended. They're probably just going to delete this review.... EDIT: Hi Mr. Vidra. I would love to have a chat with you of what "reality [I] believe exists". I have not dealt with you directly so maybe you were also misinformed of what happened. Please do not dismiss my grievances by insinuating that what I wrote on my review did not happen. I have emails to prove all my claims. I'm not here to start a fight, I was just leaving a review base on my experience with the company. Also, a couple of things: 1. Our original date was not September 29, 2020. Please check with your staff for the correct date as I might not be the client you're referring to. 2. I did not say that COVID did not exist. I said I felt bullied but I didn't say that COVID did not happen.

Alyssa Haunholter

Worked with Simply Elegant for both catering and decor. Every little detail was taken care of beyond expectation. Would use them again for any event

Sheila Gair

Peter and staff's professionalism and attention to details, from start to finish, was very reassuring. Simply Elegant made the catered portion of our son's wedding absolutely worry-free and the meal was delicious. Thank you so much. I would highly recommend their services and would definitely hire them again. Cheers - Sheila

Giorgio Giglioli

We work at office and they have the best well balanced frozen food, 5 minutes into the microwave and voila!! Perfect for those are looking to have a well balanced portions

Shelina Esmail

Ordered short rib dinner for Christmas....absolutely AMAZING!!! Tried Simply Elegant for the first time and waiting to see what the next special dinners are as it was superb!! Definitly a "get again" dinner! Thank you!

Chris Judge

THANK YOU so very much for the delicious food that you and your team provided for our event in Calgary! Working with Simply Elegant was a breeze! The pricing was fair, follow-up and contact with us was spot on, and the food did not disappoint! We will most definitely use Simply Elegant next time we do an event in Calgary, and we will spread the word as well!

Veronica Groat

The entire team is FANTASTIC! We hired Simply Elegant for our Winter Celebration party at Skyview (amazing venue). Jade, Peter and Sharon took our vision of a New Orleans theme and nailed it - from the décor, drinks, food, performers...we all felt like we were transported there. I was impressed at the type of décor they had access to. We came to SE on very short notice. They had about 1.5 months to build out the concept and arrange for items to be shipped from the US and elsewhere. Of course, we were also on a tight budget. Peter and Sharon kept us on track and they're true experts and lovely humans to have by your side as you manage your event. Our event lead for the night of knew what to anticipate and responded to any needs immediately. The team is very professional and accommodates your needs without hesitance. I highly recommend SE for your next event.

Olivia Dupuis

We had our wedding on August 8th, 2020 at Simply Elegant's skyline venue and it couldn't of gone more perfectly. A HUGE thank-you to Peter, Jade, Rob and all of your wonderful staff at Simply Elegant for putting on the wedding of our dreams. Jade and Peter were extremely accommodating through our wedding planning with Covid and ensured that our guests felt safe, comfortable and everything was set up for social distancing. The ceremony went seamlessly, our dinner was fantastic, nobody waited more than 3 minutes for a drink to be served to them, it was INCREDIBLE. The venue itself was decorated beautifully and they captured my vision perfectly. The bridal suite (pictured below) was one of my favourite parts. Thank-you to everyone at Simply Elegant for all of your hard work and for ensuring we had the best and most beautiful wedding.

Cian Calvert

Just finished my “Business of Wedding and Social Event Planning” course at MRU, taught by Sharon Barwick! She is full of knowledge and such an amazing individual. Would give more stars if I could! Love love love her.

John Boardman

I was enrolled in a Social Event Planning course this Summer at Mount Royal University with Sharon Barwick as my instructor. Sharon is a highly talented and experienced event planner and her tuition was highly valued by myself and my student peers alike.

Linda Hollington

I recently worked with Simply Elegant to plan an event hosted for family and friends. The team was professional, caring and did everything possible to please. Everyone enjoyed the amazing food, service and decor. I would highly recommend this outstanding skillful team for your event. I will definitely be calling on them again. Thank you everyone at Simply Elegant for making our event a great success!

Fiona De Sa

I recently took a course at MRU taught by Sharon Barwick, Director of Special Events at Simply Elegant. Her level of expertise and knowledge of the events industry was invaluable to myself and others in the class. Her years of experience in the industry and first hand knowledge of every area in the event planning world far surpassed any textbook I would have found on the subject. I am grateful I had the chance to learn from someone as passionate and skilled in her career as Sharon. I have no doubt who I will be calling for any events/parties in my future.