Reviews of Katharine Phillips Event & Design (Event Planner)

Lauren Courtney

I knew going into wedding planning that, at the very least, I wanted to hire someone to manage the day-of details so that my husband and I could fully experience and enjoy the day. But when I first met with Katharine, I knew she would be so much more than that for us! Her incredible eye for design made her a partner in my wedding design vision. Her attention to detail and styling made me confident that she would bring to life the most beautiful version of my vision. And her tireless work ethic and passion for what she does allowed us to truly feel at ease and relaxed going into what, for some, can be a very overwhelming day. She made us feel all of these things from our very first meeting, and so I hired Katharine for her services in the months leading up to our wedding day. She played a pivotal role during these months, in all things management, logistics, and planning. BUT, it didn't stop there... Her real magic is in the details - the parts of the wedding weekend where you need some unexpected help and the moments where she seamlessly coordinates and makes things happen, without you even noticing. A few examples: - As of the week of my wedding, we still didn't have a wedding cake vendor. We weren't planning on serving cake to our guests for dessert; I really just wanted a beautiful cutting cake (for the photo op) ;-) That said, I just hadn't prioritized it, and I really wasn't looking to spend an arm and a leg on a cake for this purpose. Katharine not only found someone available to make my dream cake super last minute from an amazing local bakery (at an insanely reasonable cost), but also picked it up herself and transported it to the venue. A godsend! - The venue for our reception was very simple and open-concept with minimal decor (part of why we chose it, we knew we could set up the space from scratch!) While I was excited about this opportunity to design a blank slate, I was also totally overwhelmed. How do I source and coordinate my dream tables, chairs, linens, table settings, flatware, candles, and florals, when they are all coming from different vendors (some outside of Buffalo)?! Not to worry, Katharine had it covered. She coordinated all delivery times, storage of items at the venue in advance, day-of setup, and cleanup and return of all rental items! She even is there herself (or her assistant) during setup, to ensure everything is laid out the way YOU envisioned it. She is an extension of your brain, and it is a beautiful thing! A few other magic moments: - When we got into town for the weekend, the last big task I had to do was assemble 'Welcome Bags' for our guests. Katharine drove out to my parents' house to get the bags from us and distributed them at the hotel before our guests arrived! - We wanted there to be beverages for our guests in the party bus and in our limo for the ride from ceremony to reception; Katharine saved us a major trip and picked up the drinks to bring to the limo company the night before! - When I got to the church for our ceremony, I realized I didn't have my comfy shoes for reception! Not a problem, her assistant, Erin, went back to my hotel room to get them for me (they were waiting for me at the reception!) - At the reception, we truly did ZERO hosting or corralling of guests at any point in time. She did it all behind the scenes. The night just flowed perfectly, and we were able to be guests at our own wedding - it was amazing. - When we got back to our hotel suite that night, she had set up our room with our reception Welcome sign, chocolate strawberries, champagne on ice, and our wedding florals! I am honestly tearing up writing this because it was just such a heartfelt, unexpected gesture that capped off an incredible day with such a feeling of gratitude. Katharine was the design partner, the logistics coordinator, the lifesaver, the realist and optimist, the wedding magic-maker that we never realized we needed...until we did. We are so grateful for her!

Colin Gordon

I hired Katharine for my wedding and it was the best decision I ever made! First and foremost, she's just an awesome person to be around! Secondly, her attention to detail throughout the whole process really blew us away. We told her the vibe we were looking for and she absolutely nailed it! Also, her intimate knowledge of/relationships with local vendors was straight up impressive. 11/10 would recommend!

Sarah Stothers

Katharine was the best decision we ever made. We were planning a destination wedding in a very remote location in the Adirondacks for which we had a guest list of close to 200. From the beginning, Katharine exuded knowledge, confidence, calmness, and was just plain fun. For a woman who lost her mom young, I had no idea what I was doing when it came to planning a wedding or the formal etiquette that goes with one; she made things so much easier for me and everything much more meaningful. She noted my anxieties about family dynamics and/or concerns when it came to our guests comfort and immediately stepped in and had solutions and calmed the waters. She even managed to calm my then fiance's particularities about the guests tables being too cluttered. She is a sweetheart through and through and it definitely shows in her work. She made every moment special and always asked me if there were details or elements that would make it even more special for me and my husband. On the day of my wedding, we had set-up a special chair with flowers with a picture of my mom and grandmother who had sinced passed. Before the ceremony, Katharine caught several pictures of a monarch butterfly that hand landed on the side of the frame. Before I walked down the aisle, she showed me this image telling me that my mom and grandmother were there to witness this important day. This is the kind and beautiful heart that Katharine shows with her couples. I feel so special to have gotten to work with her. She is definitely great at what she does and is an all-around wonderful person.

Katie Campofelice

Hiring Katharine was the best decision we made when it came to our wedding! We didn't have a clear direction when it came to theme, pricing, or timeline. Katharine helped us establish all of that off the bat. By just giving her a few descriptive words she was able to curate the most beautiful setting for our special day. She kept us on track, on budget, and added the most unique details. Katharine even hand painted our drink menu herself! She is a DIY genius! On the day of I didn't have to do a thing, from table settings to tipping the vendors at the end of the night she made sure everything was covered. Even months after our wedding she continued to follow up to make sure we were satisfied with our photographs and video. Katharine was such a pleasure to work with and I would recommend her a hundred times over.

Anna Plunkett

Katharine acted as our Day-Of Wedding Coordinator, but that title doesn't do her justice as all. She went so above and beyond to make our dream day a reality and I will always be grateful to her! Months prior to our wedding, Katharine and I met both in person as well as over numerous phone meetings. She kept me organized which led me to feel confident – this made it possible for me to focus on my excitement and the aspects of the day that were most important to my husband and I. Before I knew it, the stress I had simply melted away. Katharine prioritized the small details and ensured that nothing went overlooked. She even took the creation and implementation of the seating chart and table numbers off of my plate, which was incredibly helpful. Throughout our wedding, she (and her assistant, Conor) made my husband and I feel so special – ensuring that we were fed and having fun from start to finish. We had a wedding party of 20 and had over 250 guests at our reception – Needless to say, there were many moving pieces and personalities to manage. Yet – Katharine handled it all with ease and kept us/our guests/bridesmaids/groomsmen/vendors on the same page at all times. Katharine is a true creative who will work tirelessly to make your event dreams come to life. I truly don’t know what we would have done without her! If you are looking for expertise when it comes to planning a party or social gathering of any kind – Katharine is your person. You will NOT be disappointed!

Larissa Mckenna

Katharine was a true professional with the best personality! Not only did she have our confidence, she was a joy to work with. Always punctual, informative and calming! If you are on the fence about whether or not you need an event planner, YOU DO! Katharine is the best.

Courtney Walsh

I am an event planner myself and had the pleasure of planning my sister’s wedding for 09/05/20. I hired Katharine to handle the wedding day coordination because I was a bridesmaid and was hoping to enjoy the day as a sister, not a planner. All I can say is WOW. I knew the day would be in great hands immediately after meeting with her. She was thoughtful, thorough and a true expert. She treated the day as if she had planned it from the beginning, which I really appreciated. She was fantastic with the other vendors - managing them firmly while keeping the vibe light, and my own family absolutely loved her. She solved a few challenges that popped up before they came to fruition - a skill that is so valuable and not everyone possesses. She kept us informed on the day’s progress consistently and I never felt out of the loop while still focusing on being a bridesmaid. The day went off without a hitch thanks to her incredible attention to detail. If you are considering hiring a planner - look no further. I couldn’t recommend enough. 100/10!

Kristen Almeter

I can't even put into words how critical Katharine was the weekend of our wedding! Prior to getting married, I was so overwhelmed with stress due to the details/coordinating from a distance (I was living in Texas and planning a Buffalo wedding). The stress continued to grow as it got closer to the wedding, and my sister in law recommended Katharine's services. To brides that may be apprehensive about booking a wedding coordinator/planning services-I know how you feel. However, I can't stress this enough-Katharine was hands down the best investment of my entire wedding! Katharine was A LITERAL GODSEND! Her experience, communication skills, coordination abilities, and creative eye were absolutely priceless. Once I brought her on board, she took over all communications with my vendors and set up a timeline for my wedding weekend (which I had no idea of how to do). When the wedding weekend arrived, she was there assisting with everything! She ensured that everything was smooth, organized, and most importantly on time! The bridal party knew exactly what to do/where to go because Katharine was there helping with everything. Following the services, I needed some things brought to the limo, and her colleague brought them to us while we were driving around for pictures! Once we got to our venue, I was blown away as it was absolutely gorgeous and just like what I had envisioned. Katharine was there ensuring we always had a drink in our hands and a plate of appetizers to choose from. All of our families could fully enjoy the event as they were not responsible for the tidying up afterwards. Katharine even surprised us with desserts and decorations to enjoy in our room following the wedding. I would recommend Katharine to anyone and continue to recommend her services to anyone that I know getting married, I promise you she will be amazing!

Natalie Vogl

Hiring Katharine as our day of coordinator was one of the best decisions of our wedding! She was a dream to work with! I had a pretty good handle on how I wanted my wedding day to look, feel & flow and she made sure every loose end was tied up to make our day a dream. She took all the last minute calls, coordination and set up off our plate so we could sit back and enjoy our day. I heard great things from all of our vendors about working with her & the team as well. Katharine handled any last minute fire drills (i.e. our florist couldn't get into the room to set up) and I felt so comfortable leaving my vision in her hands. They delivered hotel gift bags and even ran out to get extra drinks for our limo between the ceremony and reception. They exceeded every expectation and even my husband (who was very skeptical to this purchase) raves about "the best money we spent".