Reviews of Heirloom Events and Decor (Event Planner)

Gabrielle Kedzierski

One of the first things we did after getting engaged was hire the best wedding coordinator I’ve ever seen or heard of, Marianne from Heirloom Events. She understood our vision from day one, helped us make every key decision, and put together venue and ceremony décor that was so far above and beyond what we expected. Her creativity, positive energy and expertise were honestly such a blessing to have throughout the destination wedding planning process. When we walked into our wedding venue we were blown away by the beauty of the set-up she had created. Working with Marianne made wedding planning fun, and I always felt like we could trust her 100%, which really helped alleviate a lot of our wedding stress. Marianne for president. All day every day. This girl is amazing.

Marlee Dippolito

If you are looking for a wedding planner that is scrappy, creative, and dedicated to exceeding your every expectation, Marianne is your girl. We worked with Marianne over the course of a year and a half to plan our backyard destination wedding, working with dozens of vendors to bring in every single rental and design element. We had some wild ideas and were quite picky, and Marianne never told us we were crazy or difficult. In fact, she seemed to revel in every challenge we threw at her! As it was a destination wedding, she went to garage sales for us, made runs to Ikea, and even brought items from her home in order to get every design element just right. On our wedding day, we were presented with some seriously challenging weather--insane humidity and intermittent thunderstorms, which meant Marianne was hauling things in and out of the tent all day. She never complained, remained calm under pressure, and pulled it all off just as the skies cleared and our ceremony began. Marianne is so dedicated, caring, and just plain pleasant to work with and we now consider her family. Do yourselves a favor and hire her to bring your dream wedding to life!

David Prior

Marianne, the owner/operator of Heirloom Events, was an absolute pleasure to work with! She went above and beyond our expectations. From our first meeting, to walking through the venue with us, to week-of touchpoints, she put as at ease that everything was taken care of for our big day. She was incredibly easy to work with, and made sure our vision came to life. I would happily recommend Marianne to any friends or family!

Bride and Groom

We consider ourselves busy people, so when we got engaged, getting a wedding planner was definitely on our mind. Our vision was to have someone to help us with odds and ends, maybe have some connections with vendors, and someone to help us on the big day. Marianne blew our expectations out of the water. From our first meeting with her, we knew she was the one we wanted to work with. Her passion for making sure our day was special was apparent from the start, and she while she was incredibly humble, we were blown away by how organized, intelligent, and creative she seemed to be. Working with Marianne was nothing but a pleasure. She frequently checked in on us to make sure things were going smoothly, while not hounding us about things that we couldn’t get to. She supported us when we came to her with ideas (sometimes bad ones) and guided us on making the best choices for our budget, our vision, and our venue. Most importantly, she was always there when we felt overwhelmed - whether it was the seating chart, or the menu design, or even just a rough day of trying on clothing. Without Marianne, our day would not have gone nearly as smoothly as it did, and she managed to do it all while staying in the shadows. We couldn’t be happier to have worked with Marianne, and our recommendations extend far beyond 5 stars.

Stella Speigel

I honestly cannot thank Marianne enough for the incredible job she did planning our wedding. She was organized, kind, accommodating, and went above and beyond in every way! She managed to put on the perfect event despite being at a venue with no water, electricity, or washrooms. She is a true DREAM to work with!!

Micaela Pontello

Thinking about dealing with the logistics of the wedding and the decor on the day of was keeping me up at night! Hiring Marianne as our day of coordinator and to do our design was the best decision. After meeting with her I was put completely at ease. Marianne went above and beyond to make sure that we were able to enjoy our day and the decor came together better than we could have imagined. She was everyone’s go-to throughout the day as she had the answer to any questions. She is so well organized, helpful and has a great attention to detail, not to mention that she is lovely to be around! The day-of, and month leading up to it went so smoothly and perfectly. We are so grateful that we were truly able to enjoy it and that is all thanks to Marianne!

Patrick Waller

Heirloom Events was amazing and delivered beyond expectations. I would recommend Marianne as she has a wealth of wedding knowledge, great eye for design, and a contagious positive attitude that combined can take on any wedding challenge.

Catherine Traer

Could not have asked for more!! My husband I picked Marianne to work with as our wedding planner just before moving overseas to Italy for the year. Marianne was SO helpful from the beginning and answered every question we had. She worked within the budget I provided her with for decor and she truly made my vision come to life. My wedding was perfect. I heard from many of our guests that our wedding was the best wedding they'd attended and that the decor was simply beautiful. She gave the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club the perfect makeover to the almost boho-rustic-chic theme I had always dreamed to have! I wouldn't hesitate to hire Marianne for any event as she is simply amazing and so so sweet. She was a breeze to work with! HIGHLY recommend her!

Tess Crosby

Hiring Marianne for our weddings was one of the best decisions we made. At the time I wasn't entirely sure we needed a planner, but as we realized more what was involved and especially as the date got nearer we were so happy to have her support. It was wonderfully reassuring to work with someone so competent and experienced, and who took the time to really understand how we wanted to day to go. In addition to the coordination, her work on the design side was really incredible. The ceremony and reception were beautifully decorated, and she pulled it all together for much less than i would have expected.

Stephanie Cheung

We loved having Marianne with us for our wedding! She worked with us the month of our wedding to coordinate decor, the rehearsal, set-up/tear down, ensuring everyone knew where they should be/what they were doing, etc. etc. I am a total type-A planner, and knew that I needed someone who I could trust to execute everything I had so meticulously planned. I provided Marianne with my detailed planning spreadsheet, along with rough sketches, and from there trusted her to run with it. I knew she would be able to problem solve on her feet and that I could trust her taste in styling our tables and decor. And I was right. Our wedding day was super windy, so some of my original plans didn't work out so well. But Marianne made things work and kept things protected from blowing away or signs from turning into sails. Everything was beautiful and ran very smoothly all day. Marianne, thanks for being such a pleasure to work with and for making our day such a breeze!

Rebekka Bond

Marianne and the rest of the team at Heirloom events are incredible. We could not have pulled off our special day without them. We are so grateful for everything Marianne did to help us get organized from helping with design, to managing contracts, to coordinating with vendors, and (most importantly) executing our vision on the big day. We did not worry about a single thing the whole time, because we knew we were in good hands. 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking for wedding planning and / or day-of coordination services.

Ali & Batoul Photography

As a wedding photographer, I breathe a huge sigh of relief and get giddy inside when my couples decide to work with Marianne of Heirloom Events and Decor. The reason for this is because Marianne is one of the most detail-oriented, organized and intelligent wedding planners and decorators I have had the privilege of working with. She makes all her couples' wedding planning experiences such a breath of fresh air. When last minute changes need to happen, Marianne takes the lead and makes the wedding day go smoothly. She is also well known and loved in the Ottawa wedding industry. On top of all this, Marianne has such a calm and down-to-earth demeanour that is contagious. Which is very important when working with a wedding planner and decorator. I love working with Marianne because she prioritizes the couples and ensures that I get enough time to take all the important photos throughout the day that last a lifetime for my couples. Two words. Hire her.

Angela Donato

Heirloom events brought our dream wedding to life! Marianne is creative, detail oriented, and hard working, a perfect combination.

Lindsay Oliver

Marianne is AMAZING. She is so organized and thoughtful. Having her there to coordinate the day of allowed us to truly relax and enjoy our wedding.

Leanne Pestell

I couldn’t be happier with the decision to hire Heirloom Events and Decor for my wedding!!! I wasn’t sold on the idea of having a wedding coordinator at first, but I am SO glad that we decided to hire Marianne from Heirloom events! Marianne, even though we only had you for a short time, you really helped to piece everything together during the planning process, and on the day itself. From the first conversation I had with you I knew that you were going to be the right person to help bring everything together for the wedding. You are so personable and absolutely hilarious, and we bonded over our list -making tendencies. You are so incredibly organized and detail-oriented, but also so easy to talk to and bounce ideas off of. You are also so knowledgeable about the industry and know how to get things done, and that really shone through in our conversations leading up to the wedding. My wedding day was magical and Marianne and her assistant Courtney were a big part of that. Shoutout to Courtney who was fabulous in keeping things calm and organized. You could tell that she really loves what she does. From the set up to the take down and everything in between Marianne was there making sure everything was going according to plan. I actually got to sit down and relax on my wedding day! I felt so comfortable with Marianne and had complete trust that she was going to help make the day one to remember and she did not disappoint. Marianne you absolutely exceeded our expectations and took our vision to the next level and I can’t thank you enough!! Leanne & Tom

Natalie Harris

Marianne is a dream come true for your wedding day. She executed the design and feel we had hoped for with absolute perfection. Our day wouldn’t have been the success it was without her there. Marianne has an extraordinary talent for design and she’s also just a really nice person! I highly recommend Marianne and her team.

Anuj & Kristine Shah

We only had eight months between getting engaged and the wedding date we chose. Planning our wedding was taking up all of our free time and we knew we did not want to continue planning without help. We hired Marianne and the are no words to describe how much we appreciate everything she did to help us through the process. During our time working with Marianne we often felt like we were the only people she was working with. Whenever we had a question she was available through a text message, an email or a phone call. Having such a short timeline we were worried about finding vendors we loved who were still free on our wedding day. Marianne always made sure we had many options to explore and understood what we were looking for in terms of style and budget. She sourced the majority of our vendors and even found us a videographer only a few weeks before the wedding date. Marianne brought our vision to life and along with Amanda of The Gathering Events Co. created a cohesive theme to the entire day. I cried the first time we saw the hall fully decorated. Marianne definitely went the extra mile to make sure our wedding day was perfect. Marianne was always calm, organized and professional. On the day of the wedding she dealt with small issues without us ever knowing they happened. Her creativity and vision blew us away and our wedding day would not have been the same without her. We fully recommend Marianne to anyone who is planning a wedding.

Aleah Ostrowski

Where do I begin?! We hired Marianne to help us with the month of and day of coordination for our wedding day and it was without a doubt the best money that we could have spent for our wedding. Marianne was warm, professional and truly a pleasure to work with. She provided us with advice and recommendations based on her expertise and she made sure that our best interests were looked after. I can honestly say that if it weren't for Marianne I don't think either of us would have been able to enjoy our wedding day as much as we did and really be present throughout the entire day. We 100% recommend her to anyone looking for help planning/coordinating their wedding day and truly hope that we can cross paths again in the future! Thanks again Marianne :)

Katie MacEachern

Marianne fully planned my wedding this past September. We worked together for over a year and from the start she was easy going, so creative, and the nicest person to work with! She kept us on schedule for all of the planning details and helped us to navigate the uncertainties that Covid brought. She was always available to chat and answer any questions that I had. She knew exactly what I wanted before I even showed her any elements that I liked for the wedding theme and colours! She recommended the best vendors and helped us to choose the services that fit our budget. She helps with every aspect of the planning; from finding the invitations, to creating the most detailed schedule I have ever seen, to organizing the guest lists, designing and creating the menu, placards, etc., I didn't have to do anything! She was always there to lend a helping hand without me having to ask! The design and mood board that she created for the wedding were exactly what I was dreaming of, and she brought that vision to life! On the day of the wedding, she was there as a support system, she was organized, and a calming presence. She kept us on schedule, even though there was a protest of thousands of people where we were getting ready. She took care of all the small details, like helping me with my dress and showing my bridesmaids how to hold their flowers properly so they look good in pictures. Everyone in the bridal party knew what they had to do and where to be because of Marianne. She made the venues look BEAUTIFUL and exactly how we planned, adding elements I didn't know I wanted or needed! The decor she brought were so beautiful and added the small details that made our venue even more amazing. Her assistant Rachel was also wonderful and was there to help us whenever we needed. All of our guests said it was one of the most beautiful weddings they had ever been to! Nothing went wrong on the day of! I can honestly say that Marianne becomes a friend throughout this process and I plan to keep in touch with her! If I could get Marianne to plan every event I ever host, I would. She is amazing, wonderful, and goes above and beyond in everything that she does. I cannot say enough good things about her.

Alexandra Gow

We really can’t say enough about Marianne!!! Our wedding wouldn’t have turned out nearly as beautiful, nor run as smoothly without her. From the moment we met Marianne we could tell she was not only organized and hardworking, but that she was also just an all-around wonderful person and a calming presence. We are very organized people so wondered at first if we needed design and coordination help, but can’t tell you how glad we are that we had the extra support. Marianne was able to help us refine the ideas we had and make them even better. She understood our vision perfectly, helping us bring all our ideas together to ensure elements worked well holistically and the end results exceeded our expectations. If you are looking for a coordinator who is easy to work with, has great connections in the industry and is willing to go above and beyond, then Heirloom Events is definitely who you want to hire!!!! Thank you Marianne for everything!!! We trusted you 100% and you seriously over-delivered, we can't wait to see you at all our friends' weddings (as they saw in action how awesome you are)! Cheers!

Lenore Gale

Having Marianne as our event planner was one of the best decisions we have ever made. She made planning the wedding stress free and fun as she recommended and coordinated with vendors and helped us realize our vision. We had a 1950s style wedding at the Diefenbunker, and she helped us fill the venue with interesting antiques to add to the 1950s vibe we were looking for. So many of our guests complimented all of the small touches, many of which were thanks to Marianne. She took initiative to find things that we may be able to use around the venue and she did so much leg work in getting things in place. On the day-of we didn't have to think about anything, she handled timing, was texting my maid of honour on the sly to make sure I was eating and drinking, and had everything torn down and packed up as we were mingling with our final guests. Above all else, she is a very kind and genuine person that has been a pleasure to correspond with through every step of the process. Our wedding was a blast and was very unique and memorable, and we couldn't have done it without her!

Josh and Katie Wedding

There are not enough words of appreciation in the dictionary to describe how we feel towards Marianne. Her style, vibe and organization were key to making our day perfect. We did not make her job easy when it comes to logistics of organizing and setting things up - a breezy day on a dock and a boat in the middle of the river - but she made it absolutely gorgeous. The decor matched the style I was going for to a "T". She did more than I could ever imagine. Not only did she make the entire event run smoothly, answer all my questions and concerns, have a calming presence, and deal with all problems so I did not need to be privy to them, but she made the smaller details just perfect too - the bouquet she had made for me was something out of a dream, the cake table, the guestbook/fuji camera table - again heavenly! Her knowledge of style and how a wedding should proceed - made for a successful event. However the most important thing, is she was a pleasure to work not only the day of but for the months leading up to the event and made us feel so special. If there was ever something or someone you should get to help you with your wedding - it's Marianne and Heirloom events!! It makes everything you've worked so hard for come out in the most beautiful way possible. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Marianne!!!!!!!!

Rachel Goard

Marianne (and her assistant Courtney) made our wedding day amazing! She worked with us as a month-of coordinator for our wedding at and truly did an outstanding job; we did not have to worry about anything she was taking care of. She was a great communicator, trustworthy and made us feel at ease throughout the entire process. The decor setup and takedown, vendor management, and organization of the day all went smoothly, and she really helped make our wedding vision come to life. She was invaluable to us and would absolutely recommend her, especially for any events at The Opinicon (she's got lots of experience there!). She was a great soundboard to help with recommendations and decisions throughout our planning process, even more than a month out. Plus Marianne is just the loveliest person to work with!