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Weddings

About

For over two decades Alchemy Events has provided full service luxury event planning & design from their home base in New Orleans, producing events for clients who are looking for something truly unique. Whether it's a classic, over the top look to wow your guests or a non-traditional wedding that pushes the envelope, Alchemy Events produces events unlike any other, often incorporating breathtaking production elements & custom made installation pieces.

Featured in many publications & international blogs as both a contributor & with their client's weddings being featured, Alchemy Events owner Rena Sweeney only accepts a limited number of clients per year to make sure you are truly their focus. An expert in her field, she hasn't just been involved in multicultural or belief specific weddings, her unmatched expertise means she intimately understands & guides you through the planning process. This includes Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim weddings & more. No planner in the Gulf South has more multicultural experience & depth of understanding.

Alchemy Events offers a complimentary consultation after which a proposal for planning & design services can be sent.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do you limit the amount or type of communication? No, we believe the more communication, the better, so each client is given Rena's cell number and can call, email or text at any time. Working with clients in many different time zones means we are also sensitive to working hours or time differences so we are flexible to meet our clients needs, whatever they may be.

Will you personally be at my event? Yes! I am personally on-site, hands-on with each event I produce and while I have staff that work alongside me, I am always the lead on each and every event that Alchemy Events produces! I don’t show up as you walk down the aisle or leave you in an associate’s hands after the first dance, I am there from start to finish.

How many weddings do you plan a year? I am dedicated to giving you the experience of a lifetime! As such, I typically plan no more than two events in the same month at the most. I never book more than one event per weekend, ensuring you are my sole focus!
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About Rena:
Rena has worked with weddings, private events, corporate & non-profit clients for over two decades during which time she has both owned her company & also been the in-house coordinator for several New Orleans venues. She has also consulted on the building, design & staff training for another local venue. Rena is the Creative Director for NOW Weddings magazine & serves on the board of the Humane Society of Louisiana where she helps with festival/event production, animal rescue, fostering, disaster relief & animal rights legislation.

  • Woman-owned
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Frequently asked questions

Do you offer an hourly rate?

No

What wedding events do you provide services for?

Ceremony
Reception
Rehearsal Dinner

What wedding planning services do you offer?

Full Planning

What weddings do you have experience planning?

Civil
Cultural
Destination
Double Weddings
Elopement
Eco-Friendly
Military
Non-Religious
Religious

How many planners are on your team?

5

Reviews of Alchemy Events

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
13 reviews
100% recommend it
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Brianna S. Sent on 02/21/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing + Stress Free!

Brianna Gallo

10:01 PM (0 minutes ago)

to me
Rena Sweeney exceeded any expectations we could have had for a wedding planner.

We are from out of town and had already decided to have our wedding at the New Orleans Museum of Art—a venue which is not specifically tailored for weddings—and we knew this would pose many logistical challenges. After consulting several planners recommended by the venue, Rena stood out to us with her genuine approach and deep understanding of New Orleans' wedding industry during our preliminary discussions.

From the moment we signed the contract with Rena and Alchemy Events, we knew we made the right decision. At the beginning of our time working together, about 18 months before our wedding date, Rena gave us clear expectations about the timeline of the planning process and which vendors to prioritize booking. She took the time to get to know us as individuals, and suggested vendors who fit our personal needs (and our budget!).

As the wedding got closer, we met with Rena more frequently to finalize the details of our wedding. She was consistently available to talk to which was really comforting for us — although we live hundreds of miles away from NOLA and a lot of the details of the wedding felt out of our control, we never actually felt stressed because we knew how organized and thoughtful Rena would be. Even when one of our vendors had a scheduling problem which interrupted our anticipated flow of the wedding day, Rena advocated for us and accommodated us as best as possible.

The day of the wedding, Rena and her team worked incredibly hard to make sure that we had the best day possible — and it was amazing. At no point in the day did we feel like we needed to stress about vendors arriving or doing what they needed to, because Rena was taking care of it. She gave us the space to just enjoy our day but was there in a heartbeat when we needed her.

We cannot recommend Rena and Alchemy Events enough for their unparalleled service and dedication. They not only made our wedding day exceptional but also transformed the entire planning process into a stress-free and memorable journey.
K
Kristina Sent on 10/21/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Rena is the best of the best!

I cannot say enough good things about Rena. She is amazing at what she does, and truly made my dream wedding a success. She was responsive, professional, provided great recommendations for my other vendors, and was always extremely insightful & helpful throughout the planning process (around 2plus years!). The day of my wedding she provided that calm energy I needed, especially when unexpected things happened, and was able to executive new suggestions from either me or my husband. She is the best of the best, and I highly recommend her for whatever wedding coordination anyone may need
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Renee' H. Sent on 11/16/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Literal Perfection

Rena and her staff at Alchemy Events will go above and beyond your expectations. Rena began working with us a year before our wedding and it began with a consultation. She wanted to hear our vision and see how she could bring it to life. We talked with her for about an hour, sent over our engagement photos and it was a quick partnership from there. Through the planning process, Rena checked in regularly, came up with ideas, sent mood boards and asked for our input, connected us with vendors, and overall made the out of town planning process seamless. We even had a hiccup with the second line license and she was able to figure out an alternative smoothly. For day of planning, again Rena ensured everything was seamless. Our day was literal perfection and I know so much of that was due to Rena, her staff and the vendors she partnered us with. They got awesome behind the scenes pics too! We were able to actually enjoy our day and not stress because we had complete trust and faith in Rena and knew she had everything on lock.

If you have an event you need help planning, Alchemy Events is the best of the best. Rena has positive connections with so many vendors and professionals and is not afraid to stand ground for her clients if needed. She has such a sweet Southern nature with a badass, culturally-aware twist that is unmatched and she and her staff will not disappoint in planning any kind of event. We were scared we wouldn’t be able to find someone who vibed with us and our vision but Rena took our ideas to the next level and brought them to life.

Thank you Rena and Alchemy Events for joining our journey and making our day absolute perfection. Y’all will always hold a special place in our hearts and if we ever plan an event in New Orleans again, y’all will be first on our call list!

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