Michigan Avenue Events

Fantastic experience: We joke that we would not have gotten married without Brianne, but the reality is that we would not have such a cherished memory of our wedding day if it weren’t for her and her team at MAE. We waited a while before saying I do, because we knew we wanted it to be an affair to remember. Something as grand as we felt with thoughtful details, where everyone felt welcome and would have fun as we celebrated such a wonderful milestone. As we got into planning, we realized there was no way we could handle delivering the event we envisioned while maintaining our work and volunteer commitments - enter a planner. We wanted to be involved in the planning - we’re both very passionate (read: opinionated), and we were looking for a planner that could help us figure out the logistics of creating our vision, stay organized, and keep us in the loop enough that we could feel like we got the “wedding planning experience”. We created a scorecard, started interviews, and when we met Brianne, she blew us and our scorecard away. She took the time to get to know us very well, used a helpful portal to centralize planning details, and offered an expert perspective at every step. She gave us enough options to review/compare for every vendor, so we didn't feel we were drowning in options or that we might be missing something better out there. It was the Goldilocks “just right”. She was dedicated to surrounding us with a team that would create the best environment for our wedding weekend, and she delivered. We felt like true VIPs the entire time, like any bride and groom should! We truly got to enjoy every moment because we knew she had everything covered. (and she did) It was a joy and a pleasure getting to know Brianne and her team, and we are so incredibly grateful for their talents, time, positive energy, and efforts. For anyone out there looking for a planner who will have your back and create a memory to last a lifetime, we cannot recommend Michigan Avenue Events highly enough.

Fantastic experience: I can't speak highly enough of Brianne and the MAE team and feel we got an incredible value for the services they provided. The level of professionalism, polish, attention to detail and expertise they provided throughout the entire wedding planning process really put me and my husband at ease as we knew we were in great hands. So many of the suggestions they provided in the planning process made the wedding flow feel seamless, and our guests are still raving about their experience. Working with MAE provided us with the wedding of a lifetime, and allowed us to truly enjoy and savor the day without having to worry about the logistics and coordination with all our vendors. The vendors MAE suggested were all reliable and incredible to work with, and saved us time in the vendor vetting process (which is a full time job in and of itself). They found ways to help us streamline costs and save throughout, and we ended up with a wedding that completely surpassed expectations for what we thought our budget could achieve.

Fantastic experience: Brianne of MAE did the most incredible job planning and managing my wedding at ShoreAcres on the North Shore. She is so warm and friendly but also so good at taking care of business. I have been working in the wedding industry for 18 years and have not come across another wedding planner that takes such good care of her clients. She's not only someone who you want to plan your wedding but you will also want to be best friends with her afterwards!!!

Fantastic experience: Words cannot express how incredibly pleased we were with Brianne and her staff. Brianne exudes professionalism, she is a great communicator, extremely reliable, keeps composure in a tense situation, pays attention to accuracy and detail, she is trustworthy, and endearing. If ever we plan an event, personal party or milestone celebration we would only use MAE!

Fantastic experience: Brianne is the best. She was such a calming presence on our big day. We love her so much and can’t recommend her and the MAE team enough!

Fantastic experience: My husband and I are based in New York, but I wanted to have a hometown wedding in Chicago. I was looking for the right planner and team to deliver on my vision of a sleek and modern Indian wedding in the heart of the city—and Brianne did just that. From the very beginning, it was clear she was the perfect fit for us. She was diligent, detail-oriented, and incredibly communicative—all the qualities you hope for in a planner. With her wealth of experience, she brought invaluable insight and had connections to a variety of vendors, making the planning process seamless. What truly stood out, though, was Brianne’s cultural sensitivity and her genuine effort to understand the specific traditions we wanted to incorporate. Our wedding was a fusion of Indian and Sri Lankan traditions, and she not only took the time to learn but was already well-versed in many aspects, which made the process so much easier. Brianne’s creativity shone through in her innovative ideas, from the tablescape design to finding thoughtful ways to incorporate our stories and work into the wedding itself. It felt so personalized and unique to us. Her day-of coordination was simply impeccable. She brought her incredible team, and they executed everything flawlessly. My husband and I felt completely supported the entire time. If anything went off schedule or didn’t go as planned, we had no idea—Brianne was always there with a solution and kept us on track. I cannot say enough good things about Brianne and her team. She made the entire process stress-free and brought our dream wedding to life. If you're considering her for your wedding, don’t hesitate—I’m also happy to chat further if you want to hear more about our experience!

Fantastic experience: Brianne Garritano and her MAE team are outstanding! As busy professionals we wanted someone we could rely on to help execute our wedding vision. We trust Bri wholeheartedly to help plan and coordinate any event we have. Getting married out of the country added another layer of uncertainty. We hired to help with the entire wedding planning process from venue selection to the day of the wedding. Her professionalism, knowledge, expertise, and connections made planning a destination wedding a seamless experience. We appreciated her availability throughout the process. Any questions and concerns we had she would respond to in a timely manner. She made working with the vendors in Mexico a much easier process than it would have been on our own. She truly went above and beyond to make sure we had what we wanted for our wedding and we will always be grateful for her. Bri and her MAE team are the best! Do yourself a favor and hire her!!

Fantastic experience: We had an absolutely amazing experience working with Michigan Avenue Events for our wedding planning. From the very beginning, they were incredibly communicative and always made us feel supported through every moment—both the highs and the lows. Their professionalism shone through in every interaction, and it was evident that they had well-established relationships with other top-notch vendors in the area. One of the standout aspects of Michigan Avenue Events was how fun and enthusiastic they were throughout the entire process. They really knew how to keep our spirits high and made the planning process enjoyable and stress-free. Their organizational skills were impeccable, ensuring that every detail was meticulously planned and executed. There were no negative aspects to our experience. Michigan Avenue Events exceeded our expectations in every way possible. Yes! We wholeheartedly recommend Michigan Avenue Events to any couple looking for a top-tier wedding planning service. They are not only professional and well-connected but also incredibly fun and supportive, making the entire wedding planning journey a memorable one.

Fantastic experience: It's officially been 2 weeks since our wedding and it was the highlight of my life thanks to Brianne and Team MAE. Brianne is smart, charming, and confident, and exactly what we needed to feel comfortable planning our 3-day Indian/Pakistani wedding in Chicago all the way from Texas. While I have ZERO complaints about their services, I could speak for days on end about why they are the best in the business. From the day we hired them, Team MAE went above and BEYOND in every single aspect of our planning. Her team was always 3 steps ahead of us, and helped alleviate our wedding stress by taking care of most vendor communication, details, and concerns without us ever having to ask. She and her team were also extremely well versed in our traditions, cuisine, and dress which made us feel understood. Although we knew Brianne was constantly managing other clients, traveling, and attending events, we never once felt like it was difficult to get a hold of her, and most meetings were scheduled when it was convenient for US. In fact, if I didn't know any better, it felt like we were her only clients, which just speaks to the unwavering care and attention she has given us (and is STILL helping us take care of post-event details) since we hired her over a year ago. If you are looking for a planner who knows this industry forwards and backwards, who can give you tasteful recommendations, advocate for you in every situation, and make wedding planning ENJOYABLE, then look no further than Team MAE.

Fantastic experience: Brianne and her team went above and beyond to ensure that we had the wedding of our dreams at the Waldorf Astoria. From our very first meeting, Brianne was attentive, knowledgeable, and energetic. My fiance and I planned our wedding in Chicago while long-distance and Brianne made our planning process so much less stressful with her expertise and attention to detail. I am especially grateful for how Brianne jugggled multiple asks from our family members and helped walk them through everything over a zoom call leading up to the wedding to address any and all concerns and questions. Any time a potential issue came up, Brianne was ready with a plan of action and always asked for our input to make sure everyone was happy. On the day of, she and her team truly delivered on their promise that they would be there for me from start to finish. She had multiple team members present to handle logistics with vendors, timelines/schedule, and even be literally by my side throughout the day, helping with my dress and my outfit change and everything in between. Wedding planning is such a stressful time and I can’t imagine how we could have gotten through it without Brianne. While Michigan Avenue Events does specialize in luxury events, we really appreciated how Brianne helped us stay within our desired budget and helped negotiate our contracts with vendors. We are so incredibly happy with our wedding and can’t recommend Brianne and her team enough. Brianne is an absolute gem and you will love working with her.

Fantastic experience: As a wedding photographer, I've had the pleasure of working alongside Michigan Avenue Events on several occasions, and each experience has been nothing short of fantastic. Brianne & her team's professionalism, attention to detail, and ability to create a seamless, joyful experience for the couples is truly remarkable. What sets them apart is not just their knack for organizing and executing the perfect day, but also their warm, approachable manner that puts everyone at ease. Whether it's coordinating with vendors like myself or managing last-minute changes, their team handles everything with grace and efficiency. I highly recommend Michigan Avenue Events to any couple looking for a wedding planner who will go above and beyond to make their special day unforgettable. - Lauren Ashley Studios

Fantastic experience: I would give Brianne 100 stars if I could. Do not hesitate to book her and her team for your wedding. We threw a lot at her team: a large irish catholic guest list, small children that needed to be corralled, old people with a strong likelihood to wander off, pretty much the works. Brianne and her team handled the entire day with grace and efficiency. Brianne truly went above and beyond and I'll give you a few examples: - the Mother/MIL zoom conference two weeks before the wedding. I did not think we needed this, but Brianne insisted and we definitely needed it. She sat down with my mom and MIL for over an hour, answered every question, made them feel great about the day, went through the entire minute by minute schedule that she created until both my MIL/Mom were satisfied. You know who didn't have to answer random questions from her family the whole two weeks leading up to her wedding? Me, the bride. The moms, armed with the info they needed handled everything. It was amazing. - The aforementioned minute-by-minute schedule. Brianne and her team work with you very closely to plan your whole day down to the minute. They worked with our vendors to make sure everyone was on the same page, and they baked in special time and moments for just me and my husband to spend together away from all the people to take it all in together. It seems unnecessary when you are in the midst of planning it, but it is both necessary and wonderful. -Brianne even asked us what songs we didn't want to miss the band play and made sure we were in the room and dancing for all of our favorites. It's the small things that she definitely wasn't required to care about but because she did care about made our wedding all the more special. I think the best part about hiring Brianne was that I never for a second worried or even thought about the operations or logistics of our wedding and neither did our immediate families. We all got to attend/experience it pretty much how our guests did- and that is a pretty magical gift to give a person. I really could go on and on but the point is, Brianne is a superwoman and if you are concerned (like I was) about the prospect of planning a 260 person wedding (but really any size) in downtown Chicago, hire this gem of a human.

Fantastic experience: Hiring Brianne and her team was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding! We had the pleasure of working with Brianne and Mariella, and Arika joined on the day-of. Brianne and Mariella provided us with thorough and thoughtful guidance throughout the year-long planning process, and connected us with wonderful vendors. On the day-of, we were kept at ease as the MAE team worked as a professional, well-oiled machine behind the scenes, leaving us and our families with peace of mind and a truly magical wedding day. In the days after our wedding, my husband and I agreed that MAE was key to making our wedding dreams come true!

Fantastic experience: We witnessed MAE's amazing work at our friend's wedding in 2021. After getting engaged and started planning, we decided to reach out and use them for our wedding! From the beginning, it was clear that MAE was the right choice for us. Brianne was so easy to work with and immediately understood our vision. She helped guide us through multiple conversations with vendors and helped ease any stress. After all the planning, we were finally ready for our big day. The security and peace of mind that Brianne and her team provided on wedding day was worth every penny. From helping us with final details, to even having all our reception supplies back in our hotel suite at the end of the night, their work was like magic. Even our family and guests couldn't help but compliment their professionalism and kindness. For anyone looking for a completely stress free wedding day, we highly recommend MAE!

Fantastic experience: This team was AMAZING to work with. They made our experience beyond anything I could have every imagined. They were very organized and help coordinate all the meetings leading up to the day. Everyone was so nice and willing to answer whatever questions you had. They were a pleasure to work with and I would recommend them to anyone over and over again. They made all of my wedding dreams come true and then some. Brianne is the most amazing person and was even more amazing to work with!

Fantastic experience: I just got married a little over a week ago and I’m already having withdrawals from my MAE team! I interviewed 8 wedding planners/ month of coordinators for my wedding but right after my call with MAE I knew that I wanted to work with them. Mariella was the lead planner for my wedding and after it’s all said and done, I would consider her a friend. They took the time to get to know me and really understand my vision and from there helped guide me through parts of the wedding that I would never have thought of on my own, kept me on pace and did all the heavy lifting so that I could thoroughly enjoy my day stress free. I truly don’t think my wedding would’ve been as beautiful as it was without this team! Thank you all so much for being a part of our special day and making it unforgettable in every way!

Fantastic experience: I cannot stress enough how amazing Brianne and her team were to work with. In the beginning of planning my wedding, I thought to myself "do I really *need* a planner?? Can't I just do it myself?" Thank GOD I ignored myself. My wedding day was 1000x more peaceful than I ever thought. Everything was absolutely seamless and Brianne was there with me at every step of the way. She caught the smallest details that I truly would never have thought of. I was able to enjoy myself AND have a stunning wedding at the same time. I honestly probably enjoyed myself too much since I know I didn't have to worry about anything. 10/10 recommend!! Save yourself and let this team help you. My husband was hardly involved in anything, and even he talks about how helpful this planning team was. Thank you so much Brianne!!!

Fantastic experience: Brianne and the team at MAE made our short-window wedding planning time frame a reality! We were able to pull off an elegant, intimate wedding in Chicago amidst the sky scrapers and summer breeze. Team MAE executed our wedding in less than 8 months, advocating for us and making sure our needs were met at every step of the way! They helped us to dream big, and find a venu we initially would not have even thought about or known about, and also were very respectful of our projected budget. Most importantly, on the day of the wedding their calm and collective presence ensured our day ran without a flaw! Our wedding would not have been possible without them. Brianne demonstrates exceptional leadership skills, communication skills and elegant taste. She is 100% here for the couple, always. We loved that she identified a team member who matched our communication style, and had that individual support us through the entire wedding planning process. Shout out to Michelle Dallas, a rising star and an absolute gem to work with! We have sincere gratitude towards Brianne and team MAE, they will always hold a special place in our hearts as we continue to celebrate our marriage!

Fantastic experience: Brianne and her team were one of the best investments we made for our wedding! From meeting weekly to help bring my vision to life, hearing her knowledge about best practices, to helping negotiate pricing with vendors, her support was invaluable. Over the course of a year we worked intimately through every detail of my wedding (as I had full planning support). During this time Brianne made herself available, day and night, and was even a shoulder to cry on from time to time (THANKS Brianne!). Her expertise, organization and emotional support helped set up our day to be the most meaningful moment of my life. My husband and I are grateful for her support and HIGHLY recommend her!

Fantastic experience: I am writing this review for full-service wedding planning with MAE - in short, I highly recommend this company! Professionalism - there really is no problem that Brianne and her team can't fix. They will work with you to come up with a solution, and they will go through all their contacts and friends to help you find what you need. My family was so impressed with the MAE team and how they kept our wedding weekend running and ON TIME (which is a miracle for Indian weddings.) Value - You absolutely in this industry get what you pay for. I knew that I needed the help of a talented professional who knew how to make things happen in Chicago, and I found that in MAE . The entire team was there on deck during the wedding weekend, with multiple events in various locations, making sure things happened. You cannot predict what the weekend is going to look like - so you need someone who knows how to shut down Michigan Ave for a baraat or find some random thing at the grocery store you forgot, or know how to talk to vendors on your behalf to get the best of the best. Operations - We felt confident in MAE's ability to run the show - Indian weddings often have multiple vendors and family members who need to be dealt with and managed - Brianne in particular is very good at dealing with both of these things and took a lot of that stress out of the equation for us. Execution - The wedding weekend went fabulously, and I have to credit MAE for that. There is no way that we could have pulled it off without them, and I am so grateful! They take pride in executing excellent work, and you can see that in all the final products. The Team - Everyone on Brianne's team (and Brianne herself) really care about their work, the quality of their work, and you can see that in the way they show up. I am really glad we got to work with them - they're all kind and wonderful people and make you feel like the most important people in the world on your special weekend. Hire MAE for a luxurious, beautiful, experience - I promise you will not regret it!

Fantastic experience: Brianne and Team MAE are truly the best! I hired Brianne for month-of wedding planning and I was so relieved when she took the wheel about 6 weeks out from my wedding day. She gave great recommendations for vendors while keeping our budget in mind. Her expertise helped us consider details that I would not have thought of myself. I had complete faith in all of her recommendations from vendors, itinerary, and wedding day details. My family was very impressed with the attention to details and we were so happy to have a detailed timeline. Brianne and Team MAE are professional, organized, and fun to be around! We had 300 guests at the Four Seasons Chicago and everything truly turned out perfectly. MAE is a MUST for wedding planning, I cannot recommend them enough. Thank you, Brianne!!

Fantastic experience: LOVE LOVE LOVE! I am honestly speechless with how incredible beautiful and wonderful and stress-free MAE made my wedding!!! With 4 postponements due to COVID they walked me through all the stressors and hiccups flawlessly. They are the most amazing and not to mention FUN people to work with. Cannot say enough amazing things about them!!

Fantastic experience: Brianne and her team are absolutely incredible! From start to finish they made us feel so special and showed us so much love and excitement. The team is so detail oriented and make the planning process so seamless with proactive outreach, detailed timelines, walk throughs, video chats, etc. We would have been lost without Brianne and her team and we are so thankful for our decision!

Fantastic experience: Brianne has such great energy and her team can produce such amazing events.

Fantastic experience: It's tough to truly communicate how amazing Bri and her team at MAE were. My wife and I immediately knew Bri was the planner we wanted to go with after our first meeting. She was able to show us and prove how much she cared, her empathy towards the process was second to none. MAE were so attentive and wouldn't let any detail be too small to review. Of course, our wedding was postponed cause of Covid...but Bri wouldn't let that affect us! She kept in touch throughout the entire time and was a huge help in our efforts to re-plan and finalize everything. We had known Bri came highly reviewed as two mutual friends of ours used her for their weddings but nothing could have prepared us for how impressed and how thankful we would be for her. Our wedding would not have been what it was without her Bri, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!! Mike and Lexi

Fantastic experience: I had an excellent experience working with Brianne and team MAE. When I was planning my wedding, I had so many people tell me "Don't worry, no wedding is perfect, there's always something that goes wrong" Well, not my wedding! Thanks to the team at MAE, my day was absolutely perfect. They worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure that every detail was in the right place. They also helped me the month before my wedding with planning and logistics, and helped me make sure I had thought of everything before the big day. I can't say enough great things about Marquette Avenue Events!!

Fantastic experience: Bri has been a true Godsend. As a Type-A, perfectionist bride, she answered every single phone call, every email, every correspondence. She always had such positivity with me and always reminded me of what’s important! Honestly the entire wedding planning experience was made SO much better because of her! I am so grateful for her help and expertise! I would recommend her to anyone. She makes wedding planning so fun and enjoyable!

Fantastic experience: Brianne and MAE were absolutely PERFECT to work with. Brianne was always extremely responsive and always made us feel that our wedding was very important to her. We really felt like we were the only wedding that she was focusing on. The day-of execution was flawless as well. We had multiple guests tell us how perfect the day was and how everything seemed to flow together without any effort. I quote the mother of the groom directly: "I always found myself exactly where I needed to be without ever feeling like I was being led anywhere, it was like magic." If that doesn't sum up how perfect MAE executes an event, I don't know what does. Thank you so much for everything you did for us, it was the perfect day and more!

Fantastic experience: When we started the wedding planning process and decided to throw a giant party at Lottie’s, that seemed like a fun, easy idea. As it turned out, holding a wedding reception at a dive bar unaccustomed to hosting such an event presented a laundry list of challenges. But Brianne at MAE faced each and every one head on, from helping us figure out how to make as much usable outdoor space as possible, to working with their kitchen staff to ensure 300 people could eat at the same time, to creating the tequila bar of our dreams with a ton of special little touches that could not have better represented who we are as a couple. She also talked me off the ledge about a hundred times, as pandemic wedding planning is not for the faint of heart. I would recommend the MAE team to anyone looking to do something a little different but with no clue where to start, as they truly gave us the perfect wedding rager/reception of our dreams.

Fantastic experience: Brianne and her talented team were beyond amazing. We had the perfect day for our daughter's wedding and it was all made possible through the care, professionalism, and attention to detail from Marquette Avenue Events. Since this was held on our property, there was a ton of extra planning necessary to pull all the vendors and plans together seamlessly. And that's exactly what Brianne and team did. Fabulous! I recommend MAE to anyone wanting to enjoy a perfect day!

Fantastic experience: I can't say enough good things about Brianne and her team. They made my daughter's wedding day stress free and took care of every last detail to make it a perfect day. I highly recommend Brianne and Marquette Avenue Events!

Fantastic experience: If I could give Brianne and her MAE team a 100 stars I would. They are absolutely incredible in all aspects, I would never have had the most perfect day if it wasn’t for them. Brianne planned my mother’s wedding in 2018 and became a close family friend and I was honored to include her in my planning. She is meticulous, kind, and an overall genuine person that gets work DONE. She took care of any hiccups that occurred on my day and her assistants Mariella and Kristi were a dream. Having them there made me the most calm and collected I could have been on my day knowing they would take care of everything. We love MAE!!

Fantastic experience: Brianne's love and passion for weddings is evident from the moment you first talk with her. She cares as much about your wedding as if it was her own and she'll do everything in her power to make your wedding day special and memorable. She has a great team behind her and they all helped make our COVID wedding as great as we could have hoped for!

Fantastic experience: If you are unsure about your wedding details and think you are a “do-it-yourself” bride—please stop the nonsense and call Brianne and the MAE team! You will not be disappointed! :) My husband and I had been attempting to plan our wedding for a year without a planner. Our venue indicated that they take on most of the heavy lifting on our wedding day, so we thought we could find the vendors and be done! Then COVID happened, everything was closed and our September date was in jeopardy. When things finally started opening in July, we went out on a limb to try to have our wedding anyway and a month in, we realized that only a crazy person would be able to pull off having a wedding, especially with no planner, during a pandemic. Especially after having to reduce our guest list and throw away most hope for a normal wedding. Frantically looking though wedding websites for wedding planners, and with all other companies declining our request stating the event was too soon, we came across Marquette Avenue Events. From the first call I had with Brianne, I knew she would be awesome. Brianne wanted to know everything about the day, and was genuinely ready and willing to help, even with short notice! We were a little over a month away and I was still on the fence about hiring a planner (crazy me!), but she started assisting immediately even before I’d made a payment! She genuinely wanted me to have the wedding day of my dreams. Brianne is on top of everything. She would call/text daily not only to handle business (business we didn’t even know we had) but to make sure we were happy, healthy and ready for the big day. Brianne is literally like the maid of honor every bride dreams of, project manager, and cheerleader all in one! It’s hard not to love her with her positivity and ability to get things done both creatively and professionally. You can literally just tell her what you want, and she delivers (sometimes even more than you asked for)! For example, we needed a DJ and she got us a live musician and a DJ for less than the price of one! Needless to say, I was able to wake up the morning of the wedding knowing I could relax and Brianne would handle the rest. Our day was beyond beautiful! My husband keeps saying that our wedding was the best day of his life and I couldn’t agree more! We owe it all to Brianne! If we could do it all over again, the only thing we would change is that we would have hired her sooner!

Fantastic experience: Our daughter lives in Chicago and we live in South Carolina. Due to the complexities of long distance and Covid scheduling, we reached out to Brianne to assist. She responded promptly and delivered a gorgeous wedding in about a month! Working with Brianne team MAE, you can expect frequent communication to make sure everything is on track and phone calls as needed. The MAE team is very detail oriented and will explore every avenue to ensure expectations are met or exceeded. If you want a planner who will help with every detail, I strongly recommend team MAE.

Fantastic experience: Let me begin by saying Brianne and her team at MAE are the BEST event planners you will ever come across. No one is more dedicated to their craft than MAE. We had planned a destination wedding for March 2020 in Florida, but wanted to be legally married in our home church in Chicago. Brianne not only helped us arrange our church ceremony but went out of her way to even help and advise for our destination wedding. We began by meeting and getting to know each other. Brianne’s kindness, sweetness and imagination exuded in her. We instantly were able to connect both in personality and vision. She completely understood my vision and then expanded on them in ways I never could have imagined. Throughout the process Brianne personally escorted us to bridal and tuxedo fittings, venue locations, tastings, florists, etc. It was beyond comforting to have her hold our hands through this scary and stressful time....and that was only the beginning!! We were one of the unfortunate couples who were effected by COVID-19. My destination wedding in FL had to be cancelled and now our ceremony was supposed to be cancelled. The week leading to the ceremony was chaos. Two days before our ceremony date, the City of Chicago/State of IL announced that a “shelter in place order” would take effect the day of our ceremony. Brianne and her team worked diligently to get all the information they could to see if our ceremony could take place. Behind the scenes, unbeknownst to me, Brianne negotiated with our church, florist and photographer to squeeze in our ceremony just 2 hours before the Shelter in place order took effect! When I arrived at church it was beautiful! The church was beautifully decorated and the floral arrangements were stunning. Brianne was able to calm me down. I was a nervous wreck! Covid 19 was such a new and scary thing at that time that I was a mess. She called me down, confirmed that she personally disinfected the church prior to our arrival, had Hand sanitizer available for everyone and even was wise enough to socially distance our family before socially distancing was even recommended! After our ceremony she escorted us and our photog through the city in a timely manner to get our photos done before the lockdown went into effect. A few days later, Brianne called to check in and see how we were doing. It was on the phone call that she revealed to me all of the chaos that was happening behind the scenes the day of the wedding. For example, the florist never delivered all of the flowers that I ordered. Among those missing flowers were boutonnières and bouquets for me and my maid of honor. I had no idea that Brianne scrambled to make boutonnières and bouquets herself from flowers she pulled from our altar arrangements! The bouquet she handed me when I arrived at church were just as beautiful as the ones I had originally ordered from the florist!! When it was all said and done Brianne also took lead to deal with the vendors who did not hold up their end of the agreement. Brianne may be small and sweet, but do not for one moment think that this chick is gonna get pushed around. Brianne guards her brides and grooms like a fierce pit bull and will always protect YOUR best interest, even after the wedding is over. In uncertain times like these everyone MUST have someone like that to advocate for them. Brianne will always fight for what’s best for you. Please, trust in me when I say you could not be in better hands than Brianne’s!

Fantastic experience: We had a PERFECT wedding because of Brianne! There are no words available to express the gratitude and appreciation we have for the energy and effort Brianne put into our wedding in September 2020 in Chicago! Due to the pandemic, we decided (in June 2020) to cancel our 150-Guest-September-2020 wedding that we had been planning for 3 years on our own, and to instead have an intimate micro wedding of 30 persons. We were cancelling 3 years of planning, and creating a brand new wedding from scratch in only 3 months. We are both healthcare workers, and we did not have the time to make this happen. We found Brianne from searching through all the wedding websites, and reached out to her. We told her our goals and budget over a phone call and honestly, she did the rest. In only 3 months, she canceled (and got us refunds) from EVERY vendor from the canceled wedding, and then scheduled us to meet with new venues, DJs, tailors, florists, make up teams, livestream, etc… She only chose vendors that she thought would fit our tastes and budget based on what we told her we liked and disliked. We had never heard of the majority of these vendors (who were all very professional) so having Brianne was ESSENTIAL! We could not have found these businesses on our own in that timeframe (or ever!). Along with finding venues, Brianne was amazing at negotiating prices down. We didn’t pay the listed price for any of the vendors. Brianne responded to ALL of our messages at any time of day. Our contract with her mentioned that she would be available something like M-F 8:00 AM -6:00 PM to plan the wedding but we found that she responded on weekends and at night whenever we emailed or sent her a text message. She told us that since we were healthcare workers and had busy schedules she would accommodate us any time. Brianne was very familiar with the local laws and guidance for the pandemic. There was no point where we felt unsafe due to Covid19 – and again – we’re healthcare workers so we have high standards (masks, social distancing, limited travel, etc…)! She even made sure all of the vendors abided by the pandemic rules. On the wedding day, she had every logistic planned. She had first aid kits, a little fabric sewing kit in case clothes got damaged, she was tracking the weather, all the vendors, the rides, all the little trinkets and decorations, our rings, you name it! We didn’t keep track of ANYTHING because Brianne did it for us. Brianne was professional, timely, and well-networked. She was both assertive, and kind. She made us the center of our own wedding. After a few weeks with Brianne, we barely stressed at all! On our wedding day, we weren’t wondering about the music, the photographer, the food, etc.. It literally felt like we were guests going to a cool party where the theme was “us”, and then we got to take credit at the end for being great hosts! It’s 8 weeks later and a coworker just told us that they re-watched our wedding video because it was so gorgeous! It was an absolute privilege working with this amazing wedding planner. Thank you Brianne. We will cherish our wedding day forever because of the work you did for us.

Fantastic experience: Brianne is amazing! She was referred to me by my cousin, who is in the wedding industry - so I knew I would be in good hands. Marquette Avenue Events went above and beyond and exceeded all of my expectations! I was so relieved to have Brianne and her team help my husband and I create and plan the wedding of our dreams!!! Looking back, there is truly not one thing that went wrong (or that I know about) because every step of the wedding process was handled so professionally. At the beginning of the process, I explained to Brianne that I did not have a clear vision and I was not the common bride who had Pinterest boards/clear ideas of what they wanted in their wedding. When I look back at videos and pictures, I am in awe with how well Brianne helped me follow a vision I never knew a had, from the smallest to the largest details. Brianne has impeccable taste and I fully trusted her with her amazing ideas. When I was stuck between two choices of something, she always knew what would work best for our special day and she was right. My husband and I are so pleased with Marquette Avenue Events and I am so glad that I was referred to her! If you are in the process of looking for a wedding planner, look no further- you are absolutely in the right place. I will share some pictures below of our perfect day, because Marquette Avenue Events made it all happen :)

Fantastic experience: Brianne and MAE worked with us to plan our winter 2019 destination wedding in Cancun. Brianne came highly recommended from a close friend. The wedding was a three-day extravaganza packed with events that blended Indian and Latin cultures. My wife and I wanted to share unique elements with our guests at all of our events including live musicians, bands, Mexican and Indian caterers, photo/video, DJs, venues, etc. With the help of the Brianne and Diana, we were able to secure a long list of amazing vendors in the Cancun area and bring our vision of a destination wedding to life. Both Brianne and Diana accompanied us on visits to Cancun to help select our wedding hotel, meet with vendors and make sure all logistics were ready to go. We appreciate their months of hard work and dedication and the countless phone calls, video conferences, emails, and in-person meetings along the way! Our wedding was an unforgettable experience and our guests are still raving months later. Thank you MAE!

Fantastic experience: Hiring Brianne and her team was the absolute best and easiest decision my husband and I made while planning our wedding. The whole process was incredibly stress-free and at the end of the day, our wedding was everything we could have dreamed of and more. So many of our wedding guests told us it was the best wedding they had ever attended- and that was all because of MAE! From the moment we met Brianne her professionalism, optimism and love for wedding planning was contagious. MAE was so involved in the entire process (coordinating calls or site visits with vendors, menu tastings, etc.) ,was on top of every detail from the florals, linens, lighting, etc. and created the most extensive timeline to ensure the whole day ran smoothly. We were so lucky to have Brianne and team help us plan our special day, and we wish we could do it all over again. MAE is the best in the business!

Fantastic experience: Hiring Brianne and team as our wedding coordinators was one of the best decisions we made while planning our wedding! We had issues with a previous planner who didn't follow through for us, so I contacted Brianne about 1.5 months out from our wedding scrambling and knew from the second that we spoke that she could dive in and help. and she did!! She made the entire month leading up to our wedding (and day!) stress free. She was organized, responsive, kind, and on top of EVERYTHING. Our whole family loved her, the vendors loved her and she kept everything organized and running smoothly. The day of her and Michelle made everything flawless, if anything went wrong, we had NO idea. From giving me advil when I had a headache, to making sure timelines ran smoothly, lighting candles at the reception if they went out, and directing over 400 people, the MAE team did it with a smile. We are SO grateful to the team, and would recommend them to ANYONE planning a wedding who wants to enjoy the day and not worry about the timeline and anything going wrong. We were so lucky to have Brianne, Michelle and team part of our day. THANK YOU for everything that you did to make our wedding perfect, we are forever grateful!!

Fantastic experience: Brianne and her team at Marquette Avenue Events were SO on top of every detail for wedding planning my family and I were beyond impressed. Our wedding day turned out better than I could have ever imagined thanks to Brianne and her team. From lighting to florals to wardrobe and music they were there every step of the way to help us make decisions big and small. The day of went flawlessly without a single hiccup. Thank you again team Marquette!

Fantastic experience: MAE planned our September 2019 wedding. More than the gorgeous day we had (and it was absolutely gorgeous) and more than the commitment and professional quality of work that Marquette Avenue Events created and coordinated for us - what puts Brianne and her colleagues in the highest regard in my opinion is the care and genuine love they put in for each one of their couples. They will help you find exactly what and who you are looking for to make your day truly special and put so much heart into it. They have built amazing relationships with both their clients and the vendors they connect you with. They will advocate for you and give you so much confidence and the highest standards. Brianne was the best decision we made (besides choosing each other!). We cannot thank her enough. An extra note - my veil ripped a gigantic hole minutes before our ceremony. Brianne and Diana were as cool as cucumbers and performed basically miracle veil surgery and it still looked beautiful going down the aisle. This is just one of many moments they went above and beyond!

Fantastic experience: We put ourselves in MAE’s capable hands and never looked back. The rehearsal dinner was magical, the wedding day personal and seamless, and the brunch warm and inviting, thanks to Brianne’s attention to detail, experience and professionalism. We all received personalized attention and unlimited hand holding, which calmed jittery nerves and made the process fun and creative. I always felt the team had our backs, and they kept the project on track and on budget. Bravo Brianne!

Fantastic experience: So many great moments for our bride and groom! We are beyond grateful to you and your entire team who coordinated and executed the perfect wedding! There was more magic than we hoped for. Thank you for your many contributions, hard work, and commitment! We strongly endorse MAE and everyone on your team!

Fantastic experience: My wife and I were both so happy we went with Brianne, Diana and the rest of the team at Marquette Avenue Events to plan our March 2019 Chicago wedding.  We went with the full wedding planning package and were introduced to the best of the best of Chicago's wedding vendors.  The suggestions on every aspect from venue to design to music to photography/videography and everything else we needed helped us put on an event that we loved and our guests of all ages raved about.  Thoughtful suggestions, attention to detail and extreme professionalism were all part of the package.  Day of coordination for both our rehearsal dinner and reception was seamless.  We were able to focus on having fun in the moment with our guests.  I would definitely hire them again if I ever needed to coordinate another big party and hope to have the opportunity to do so sometime soon.  Thanks for everything again Brianne and team.  - Robert

Fantastic experience: It was the best decision to work with Brianne and her team at Marquette Avenue Events. I didn't know how much we needed a planner until we had one! She is professional and no request is greeted with any hesitation. Because of her team, our entire families were able to enjoy the day without worrying about any details, timing, or logistics. Thank you MAE!

Fantastic experience: Brianne is amazing, our wedding was out of this world♥️

Fantastic experience: Brianne and her team at Marquette Avenue Events were absolutely the best at planning and executing our vision for our wedding. Trust me people, you will never regret the decision to work with them. Brianne is hands on and listens to what you want and sees it through. She is also a master at getting all the vendors on the same page. Our wedding was flawless and our family and friends are still talking about it.

Fantastic experience: My wife and I were absolutely impressed with Brianne and her team at MAE. I can say that hiring Brianne was, unequivocally, the best, 'most important' decision we nailed in preparing for our wedding weekend. Having done a lot of due diligence and tirelessly searching the 'best of's' for a wedding planner, we fundamentally believe there are 5 key differentiators in Brianne's approach that sets her far apart from the marketplace. 1. Network and relationships - Brianne's relationships across the vendor market place is expansive and deep. Through her connections, we were able to access vendors and 'squeeze more juice' in the services that otherwise wouldn't have been offered had we simply DIY. Yes, there are a lot of lists out there you can access, but having those lists curated and tweaked based on your unique circumstances (cultural, tastes, preference, themes) cuts a lot of the noise and allows you to focus on vendors most aligned with what you're looking for. You can tell Brianne has a lot of clout... the time she spent building a solid connections shows as you work with vendors who are fully invested in you and your plans ---- you can't help but feel pampered and like royalty. 2. Strategy and Coordination - We were absolutely impressed at the execution and Brianne's ability to run the pre/actual/post show. Full disclosure, my wife and I are unsophisticated when it comes to wedding planning, but through her eye's wide open approach, seeing the flow of the evening, vendors and timing all working flawlessly allowed us to fully indulge in the evening and spend quality time with friends and family who traveled from across the world. We felt comforted that Brianne had organized complex weddings with different cultures backgrounds (like us), for celebrities, and weddings with up to 1200 guests! 3. Cost and negotiation - my wife and I are atypical in the sense that we did not have one set (or both) parents pitch in unlimited resources / swaths of money to throw one heck of a party. From the guy perspective, this was the best value-add in hiring MAE. Brianne's ability to sit on the same side of the table and find ways to scale, and negotiate minimums on your behalf was an absolute game changer. In both helping optimize costs, lower minimums and get the 'most bang for your buck' we felt like we were able to have our dream wedding (that sounds cliche, but it was really was dreamy!) without overextending to achieve it -- simply put, we were able to drive a lot of value, both quantitative (ie. minimums, discounts, upgrades) and qualitative (engaged vendors, availability after hours, second opinion, energy, creative solutions and surprises, etc.). 4. Elbow grease and rolling up the sleeves. There are many wedding planners and in speaking with them, felt mass produced and like we would not be considered a big enough relationship for white glove service. Brianne brought new meaning to boutique, from serving wine to guests at our rehearsal dinner, to helping steer hotel guests away for our 'first look', it would be difficult to find someone who hustles harder than Brianne. There's this south-side Chicago charm, a combination of getting it done and 'go the extra mile' mindset that you absolutely appreciate when the unexpected occurs. She is available during uncommon hours, and was very accessible whenever we had questions. 5. Know how - Yes, Brianne's track record and expertise is why we hired her (ie. vendor searches, planning, negotiation). What you don't know is how helpful she is with the inbetween things, texting her about how my wife and I had a difference in opinion, where are brides / grooms having their bachelor(ette) parties - there are so many nuances and things that arise in the normal process of throwing a terrific event, having someone who lives and breathes this space and can synthesize the current industry into tailored advice was incredibly insightful.

Fantastic experience: One of the best decisions we made throughout a year and a half of wedding planning was enlisting the help of Brianne and MAE. She was an absolute dream to work with and my family and I are still blown away by how seamless and perfect she made our wedding day. She was professional, organized, extremely responsive, and did an incredibly impressive job of commanding a room full of vendors, bridal party, and family. When my husband and I reflect on our wedding day, our standout memory is being able to fully enjoy one another and our loved ones - while never once having to stress about logistics or coordinating vendors. I cannot recommend Brianne and her team highly enough.

Fantastic experience: The BEST!! Brianne and her staff at Marquette Avenue Events have done amazing work for us and I can recommend MAE without reservation! As father of the bride, I was impressed with the easy authority Bri displayed in handling my daughter's wedding. I saw how the vendors appreciated the professionalism and easy decision-making on items big and small. Brianne made quality suggestions and accepted our input and made it all happen. She supported and worked with my wife throughout every phase of planning, scheduling and execution that produced a perfect wedding day that was the model for many in attendance :) Well Done, Brianne and Marquette Avenue Events!

Fantastic experience: In my search to find the perfect wedding planner, I vetted over 20+ companies, and landed on MAE due to their experience in multi-cultural weddings (Owner Brianne was an Indian Bride herself), the confidence I had after our initial meeting where she walked me through every step and her promptness and professionalism during the process (you’d be surprised to know just how many vendors don’t reply to you for weeks). My fiancé and I booked Brianne months in advance for her “month of” package and while we weren’t going to roll up our sleeves until 30 days out, Brianne provided us guidance along the way whenever we had a question, never too busy to respond to an email/text/call. 30 days finally came and I thought I was a bride who had most things figured out but it isn’t until you are putting together a minute to minute timeline of the big day, coordinating with all of your vendors, that you realize things can go downhill fast. Brianne and Becca thought of everything – things that wouldn’t have come across my radar in 100 years. And once the timeline was in place, any questions or communication with vendors or our wedding party they owned which was one thing off my list. The big day came and it was orchestrated chaos. I say that because our wedding day brought 250+ guests, many from out of town, to Chicago for not 1 but 2 ceremonies. This included multiple outfits and vendors to coordinate and two blocks of time for photographs and on top of that, I had a bridal party of ~20 that also was Brianne and Becca’s responsibility. Like I said, chaos. We started at 7:30am and they were with us every step of the way until the last song at 11pm. If it wasn’t for these two orchestrating it so beautifully, there is absolutely no way this day would have happened. My father jokes that we’d still be there trying to get everything done. As a bride, I was so relieved to not have to worry about 1 detail or problem and trust me, we had a few….outside ceremonies in 40 degree weather, shuttle bus delay due to bridges being raised and missing wedding cakes but yet, myself, my husband, our families and guests were completely shielded from this due to Brianne and team which was a blessing. At the end of the day, my now husband and I believe that Brianne and team were the best money we spent on our wedding – hands down. Even though I took it upon myself to plan most of the details leading up to the big day (blame my OCD), your planner should be your insurance policy to make sure everything happens just the way you envisioned it and Brianne and team exceeded expectations. In this business, you do get what you pay for and after the experience we had, I am so glad we didn’t go with the cheapest option as it would have came with some serious sacrafices. Also, both Becca and Brianne have such a calming demeanor and are always positive – ALWAYS. Like positive to the point where you don’t think its real life. Out of the all vendors we used, Brianne and team were not only my personal favorite but they were the reason me and my husband have great memories of our wedding day.

Fantastic experience: After much deliberation on whether or not I needed a planner, my now husband scheduled an appointment with a local big group planning company that in short, I absolutely hated. Compromising that a planner was necessary, I somehow had the fortune of finding MAE through references on beautiful Instagram posts of weddings I wished we could imitate. Brianne's team seemed to host the most beautiful weddings, and that is how we first found MAE. Since our initial meeting, we were in love. Professional, tactful, and with excellent taste, her team helped us execute the most perfect reception. There were, of course, numerous mishaps, but somehow Brianne had already caught them and was in the process of getting it fixed before I was even aware of the situation. I was so incredibly stressed throughout my entire engagement planning the wedding, but my wedding day was so relaxed and wonderful. MAE truly was such a big part of that and we can't thank them enough. I would refer them to anyone in a heartbeat!

Fantastic experience: Brianne and her team were so incredibly professional, and thought of details that would never have even crossed my mind to make our wedding day perfect. Her level of organization and coordination with all of the other vendors made it so that on our wedding day, we didn’t have to do anything besides enjoy ourselves. She also has great connections in the industry, and is able to make vendor suggestions and work with them to get the price to work within your budget. She kept everything on track with weekly calls leading up to the wedding, and I was infinitely less stressed because of her work. Not to mention, she’s a ton of fun! Love love love the Marquette Avenue Events team and would HIGHLY recommend!!

Fantastic experience: We hired MAE for our wedding and we couldn’t be happier with our decision. We chose the “partial planning” package and worked with them for several months prior to our September 2017 wedding. The MAE team was phenomenal. Specifically, we worked with Brianne, Becca and Michelle. We had weekly calls with their team to ensure that we stayed on track. In addition, MAE had calls with our vendors, toured potential rehearsal dinner locations, created customized schedules for our vendors/bridal party, and provided guidance on numerous decisions (e.g., invitations, décor, transportation). They organized a walk-through with all of our vendors a few weeks before the wedding. Finally, Becca and Michelle were extraordinarily helpful during the rehearsal and on the day of the wedding On a personal note, Brianne, Becca and Michelle are extremely friendly and easy to work with. They provided reassurance, fixed problems and tied up loose ends. Remarkably, my wife and I were very relaxed during the week of the wedding because we knew MAE had our back. If you are a busy professional, I cannot overstate the importance having a team like MAE by your side. We are extremely grateful to MAE for helping us plan a seamless wedding.

Fantastic experience: Simply amazing ladies to work with. I can say I don’t know what I would have done without them. Thank you for your hard work! This team is the best of the best!!!

Fantastic experience: I had no idea where to start when it came to planning our big day so I knew I needed someone that was an expert in the business to help me. I met with Brianne shortly after getting engaged and making the decision to work with her and her team at MAE was an easy one. From our first meeting I knew she was going to the be perfect fit for planning our dream Chicago wedding! Our wedding is April 2017 so we have not yet made all our final decisions but she has been extremely helpful every step of the way. She knows our vision and is working hard to make sure that we can get everything we want but within our budget. Brianne and her team at MAE have a vast network of vendors that they work with and are developing relationships with new ones every day! She has not only brought us amazing vendors to work with but in each instance provided multiple choices to make sure she finds the best fit. I think our hardest part has picking which one we are going to go with because they all have been great. To be honest, if it was not for Brianne I’m not sure we would be pulling off this amazing Chicago wedding. She has saved us thousands and we are not even done yet! Brianne is definitely someone you want sitting on your side of the table when it comes to negotiations. So my advice to anyone planning a wedding is HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER, specifically Brianne at MAE you will not regret it! UPDATE: WEDDING DAY Words cannot express my gratitude for Brianne and her team at MAE. Our wedding day was a wonderful day that we will never forget. Every detail of the day and evening was perfect. Brianne, Janet, Chrissy and Melina were such a pleasure to work. Knowing that they were there and on top of everything helped alleviate some of the stress you feel as a bride on your wedding day. My groom and I were truly able to enjoy our day instead of worrying about the details. One of the best things that helped make the day run so smoothly were Brianne’s incredibly detailed timelines, one for the vendors and another for the wedding party. These timelines enabled everyone to stay on track, know where they needed to be and when. We could not have planned and executed our wedding without Brianne’s amazing skills and support. So, if you think you don’t need a wedding planner, think again and then hire Brianne and her MAE team!

Fantastic experience: I was Maid of Honor in My Bestfriend Rian's wedding in March in Park City , Utah. From the weeks leading up to the second we got into town the planning and organization was impeccable . Brianne's leadership and ability to adjust on the fly and make everything appear seamless made for a weekend the entire Wedding Party will never forget!

Fantastic experience: Brianne was amazing to work with! Our parents keep mentioning how thankful they were to have her organizing the vendors and wedding party throughout our entire set of events. She even helped to keep the Groom relaxed - she had everything under control - no worries! As a Bride who has organized events before, Brianne did a great job of taking the reigns and allowing me to enjoy my special moments. She made adjustments and handled everything to make our day perfect! If you need a reliable resource for your destination wedding, be sure to meet with Brianne and her team - we are positive they'll be a good fit!

Fantastic experience: Don't hesitate to hire MAE for exceptional wedding planning services. My only regret from my wedding is not hiring Brianne as our wedding planner right from day one! It took us some time to figure out that we needed a wedding planner, and as soon as we hired her, she got us on track and made our planning smooth. We got a lot of feedback from friends and family about their great experience at our wedding, and Brianne deserves much of the credit. She is kind, dedicated, and takes extreme ownership of her responsibility to give you the vision you desire for your wedding day. I have no doubt that our wedding day would not have been as magical and stress-free if we hadn't hired Brianne to plan and execute our vision. Brianne anticipated our needs and embraced additional work when she saw that we needed the help, delicately handled family dynamics, and was relentless in getting us good deals with vendors without compromising quality. We credit Brianne with making our wedding day absolutely perfect, from keeping everyone on schedule to taking care of anything that arose. I had absolute confidence and trust in her, and I would hire her again in a heartbeat. Don't make the mistake that we made by waiting to hire a wedding planner -- get Brianne from day one, and you will never regret it. She was affordable, professional, compassionate, and dedicated to making our wedding day an incredible experience. A final note: I had a viral infection the week leading up to my wedding, and I was still popping Dayquil on my wedding day. I wasn't quite symptom-free on the day of my wedding, but it remains the most magical, beautiful, perfect day of my life. What better test of Brianne's magic than that me being sick had zero impact on my wedding experience. It was the best day in part because we had the best wedding planner.