REAL WEDDINGS, REAL TALK

Advice & Insight Carolyn Johnson Advice & Insight Carolyn Johnson

PLEASE be cringe on your wedding day.

What do you mean you don’t want to be open and earnest and deeply in love and goofy on your wedding day!?

What do you mean you don’t want to be open and earnest and deeply in love and goofy on your wedding day!?

Please please please shelve all feelings of “I must be cynical and over it and too good for it” all the time, but especially on your wedding day.

Smile big, laugh out loud, and most of all, be so in love everyone in the room can feel it.

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Advice & Insight Carolyn Johnson Advice & Insight Carolyn Johnson

What does a Day of Coordinator / Event Manager do?

Let us lead the team you’ve assembled leading up to and on the day of so the that experts you’ve hired can do their jobs.

We are here to take all the stress off your shoulders! Planning your wedding goes well beyond hiring your vendors.

Let us lead the team you’ve assembled leading up to and on the day of so the that experts you’ve hired can:

- focus on their important jobs
- stay on the same page
- eat!
- stay in the moment with you
- not worry about coordinating the whole event (photographers should be focusing on their art, not their watches!)

We also do about a million other things, but leading the vendor team is a big part of our job. And then you get to relax and enjoy your day, your people, and your love.

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Advice & Insight Carolyn Johnson Advice & Insight Carolyn Johnson

What is the difference between a venue coordinator and a wedding coordinator?

An Event Coordinator (that’s us) is NOT the same as a venue coordinator! And we LOVE our venue coordinators. But they don’t do what we do. If you want your event to run smoothly without running around yourself, we independent Event Coordinators are what you need. What do we do?

An Event Coordinator (that’s us) is NOT the same as a venue coordinator! And we LOVE our venue coordinators. But they don’t do what we do.

If you want your event to run smoothly without running around yourself, we independent Event Coordinators are what you need.

What’s the difference?


Venue coordinators are in charge of the building—making sure it’s open, making sure everything from the venue is correct. That can include chairs and tables, but not always, lighting, temperature, bathrooms, etc.

What about us? We:


🩷 Lead the vendor team, including the venue coordinator! It’s a collaborative effort.

🩷 Create the full wedding day timeline, from styling to the end of the night

🩷 Contact all of your vendors and are the POC for them, so we’re all on the same page

🩷 Make sure all of your deliveries come correct and fix them if they don’t

🩷 Are a one stop shop for you—ask us anything and we’ll get the answer! You don’t have to wonder who to ask.

🩷 Manage the flow of the day, fix logistical issues, and handle the rare emergency

🩷 Make sure you EAT.

🩷 Make sure that everyone is ready for every event from the ceremony to the family dances to a surprise flash mob

🩷 Set up your personal items and pack them up at the end of the night.

But mostly, we protect your peace, making sure you have little moments to be alone and you stay worry-free and can enjoy the day you’ve been planning for so long

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Real Wedding Carolyn Johnson Real Wedding Carolyn Johnson

AELO Alumni | Bre + Krystle, 9/13/25

VENUE: THE STANDARD | PHOTOGRAPHY: ZACH CADDY | CATERING: 27 ALUNA | CHARCUTERIE BOARD: BOXWOOD EVENTS | CAKE + DESSERT: CAKE ONE FIVE | VIDEOGRAPHY: FUTURE MEMORY MEDIA | DJ: LUXE ENTERTAINMENT | FLORALS: KAREN ARCHER DESIGNS | LINENS: WINDY CITY LINEN | STYLING: PARELLA BEAUTY COMPANY | OFFICIANT: NO WORRY WEDDINGS

We LOVE love and are so happy that we were able to be a part of this special couple's wedding day! On a beautiful and sunny fall day, Bre and Krystle had a touching ceremony on the rooftop of The Standard (what a cool venue!) in downtown Rockford, IL. Afterwards guests mingled on the rooftop while enjoying delectable grazing tables and large yard games. As a nod to Krystle’s heritage, guests enjoyed an unforgettable Filipino dinner prepared by local Rockford restaurant 27 Aluna and the dancefloor was PACKED all night! Congrats again to Bre and Krystle, we know you'll have a happy and beautiful life together!

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Real Wedding Carolyn Johnson Real Wedding Carolyn Johnson

AELO Alumni | Ginny + Chrissy, 10/31/24

CEREMONY: THE MUSIC BOX THEATER | RECEPTION: DIVINING SPACE | PHOTOGRAPHY: KATE SCOTT | CATERING: MAGGIANO’S | DECOR: THE COUPLE! | FLOWERS: STEVE’S FLOWER MARKET | TRANSPORTATION: CHI TOWN LIMO BUS | CAKE: COLD STONE CREAMERY + COSTCO

The Halloween wedding of our DREAMS. We had so much fun planning with these two amazing people, and the day was absolutely perfect. Honestly can’t believe the vows—almost poetry as they expressed their love for one another. Together with 30 of their closest friends, Ginny + Chrissy celebrated a decade-long love. After the incredible ceremony at the iconic Music Box Theater, the couple joined us over at Divining Space for a dinner of Maggiano’s and a night of horror movies. A low-key, perfect celebration for two of the best humans we’ve had the pleasure of working with.

Congratulations, you wonderful people! We wish you a lifetime of happiness!

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