Beyond The Veil Wedding & Event Services Reviews
![Beyond The Veil Wedding & Event Services](https://cdn0.weddingwire.com/vendor/129096/3_2/320/jpg/peters-wedding-512_51_690921-1558098376.jpeg)
Beyond The Veil Wedding & Event Services
Charlotte, NC4.3 out of 5 rating, 21 Reviews
4.3
21 Reviews
Reviews
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.3 out of 5 rating
4.3 Good
4.3 out of 5 rating
21 Reviews
87% recommend it
-
Quality of service 4.3 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 4.3 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 4.3 out of 5 rating
-
Value 4.4 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 4.4 out of 5 rating
![Beyond The Veil Wedding & Event Services - 1](https://cdn0.weddingwire.com/review/1186/original/640/jpg/2256811.jpeg)
![Beyond The Veil Wedding & Event Services - 2](https://cdn0.weddingwire.com/review/9086/original/640/jpg/2256809.jpeg)
![Beyond The Veil Wedding & Event Services - 3](https://cdn0.weddingwire.com/review/3186/original/640/jpg/2256813.jpeg)
+7
User photos
![Beyond The Veil Wedding & Event Services - 4](https://cdn0.weddingwire.com/review/5186/original/640/jpg/2256815.jpeg)
-
Mollie W. Sent on 07/28/20225 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
Book with toia
Toia and Beyond the Veil helped make our wedding the most perfect day. Toia spent many hours with us before our big day to make sure each detail was set.
At the rehearsal, we knew that hiring Toia was the perfect choice. She was able to command our bridal party without being too bossy. She ran a tight ship for wedding weekend, which was exactly what we needed.
My husband and I were able to relax on our wedding day because Toia and her team were making sure that everything was going off without a hitch. Day of, Toia and her team managed our vendors, our guests, and even me and my husband.
We cannot say enough about how wonderful her company and services are. For the price, she is well worth it. We will be suggesting Beyond the Veil to all our friends getting married and re-hiring any time a family member will be getting married.Toia and Beyond the Veil helped make our wedding the most perfect day. Toia spent many hours with us before our big day to make sure each detail was set.
At the rehearsal, we knew that hiring Toia was the perfect choice. She was able to command our bridal party without being too bossy. She ran a tight ship for wedding weekend, which was exactly what we needed.
My husband and I were able to relax on our wedding day because Toia and her team were making sure that everything was going off without a hitch. Day of, Toia and her team managed our vendors, our guests, and even me and my husband.
We cannot say enough about how wonderful her company and services are. For the price, she is well worth it. We will be suggesting Beyond the Veil to all our friends getting married and re-hiring any time a family member will be getting married. -
Quality of service
-
Daemesha S. Sent on 02/18/20195 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
LaToia Ormond & Her Team Are Phenomenal!!!
I've had the pleasure of meeting LaToia prior to contracting her as my planner. On every occasion when we met, she was nothing short of personable, professional and outgoing! After having a formal meeting with her, I knew she was the person to trust with the most important day of my life!I've had the pleasure of meeting LaToia prior to contracting her as my planner. On every occasion when we met, she was nothing short of personable, professional and outgoing! After having a formal meeting with her, I knew she was the person to trust with the most important day of my life! -
Quality of service
-
Kendra R. Sent on 06/13/20215 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
If you want amazing, look no further!
Words cannot describe what this company did for us on one of the most important days of our lives. Entering into my wedding I had a vision of what my dream day would look like. I just needed someone to make my dreams a reality and Beyond the Veil (LaToia and Kendall) exceeded my expectation. A bride can only dream to walk into her wedding day without a care in the world and thank to them, I DID! LaToia was my everything. She answered my questions at all hours of the night. She was there to keep me on schedule and most importantly she was there to listen. Without her I don't think our day would have been as beautiful and as stress free. I know most people say there is no such thing as perfection but our wedding day was the true embodiment of perfection thanks to LaToia and her team. I am so lucky to have meet her and so thankful to now call her a friend.
Beyond the veil will ensure your day is everything you had hoped for. They will put your day first. They will remain professional and most importantly they will show up for you! I know wedding planning can be tough and so many companies fall short of perfection but this one will not. Love you beyond the Veil and Thank you so much for all that you did for us.Words cannot describe what this company did for us on one of the most important days of our lives. Entering into my wedding I had a vision of what my dream day would look like. I just needed someone to make my dreams a reality and Beyond the Veil (LaToia and Kendall) exceeded my expectation. A bride can only dream to walk into her wedding day without a care in the world and thank to them, I DID! LaToia was my everything. She answered my questions at all hours of the night. She was there to keep me on schedule and most importantly she was there to listen. Without her I don't think our day would have been as beautiful and as stress free. I know most people say there is no such thing as perfection but our wedding day was the true embodiment of perfection thanks to LaToia and her team. I am so lucky to have meet her and so thankful to now call her a friend.
Beyond the veil will ensure your day is everything you had hoped for. They will put your day first. They will remain professional and most importantly they will show up for you! I know wedding planning can be tough and so many companies fall short of perfection but this one will not. Love you beyond the Veil and Thank you so much for all that you did for us.-
-
-
+4 photos
-
Quality of service
-
Kelsey M. Sent on 12/07/20205 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
Amazing wedding planner
Amazing & helpful during COVIDAmazing & helpful during COVID -
Quality of service
-
Cindy W. Sent on 10/21/20205 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
Wonderful planner
They are very timely, knowledgeable, friendly and great at communication. I would definitely recommend it to my friends.They are very timely, knowledgeable, friendly and great at communication. I would definitely recommend it to my friends. -
Quality of service
-
Robert T. Sent on 05/17/20195 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
Awesome wedding and event planner
Awesome people very professional and went above and beyond to help us with our needs and wants for our wedding five star ratingAwesome people very professional and went above and beyond to help us with our needs and wants for our wedding five star rating -
Quality of service
-
Caroline Sent on 06/04/20195 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
Btvwe is the best!
Toia and her team are seriously the best! We could not have asked for a better wedding planner for our big day. She is exceptionally organized and gave us tons of ideas we hadn't even thought of. We even had a last minute change that she handled on a moments notice and everything went perfectly. We couldn't have done it without her!Toia and her team are seriously the best! We could not have asked for a better wedding planner for our big day. She is exceptionally organized and gave us tons of ideas we hadn't even thought of. We even had a last minute change that she handled on a moments notice and everything went perfectly. We couldn't have done it without her! -
Quality of service
-
Ashley M. Sent on 05/20/20195 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
Best of the Best in NC
SIMPLY THE BEST IN NC!!!! BTVWE staff are very professional, flexible, and transparent with their customers. Most importantly, very AFFORDABLE!! I(we) would most definitely recommend them to anyone getting married for the first time or anyone wanting a destination wedding.SIMPLY THE BEST IN NC!!!! BTVWE staff are very professional, flexible, and transparent with their customers. Most importantly, very AFFORDABLE!! I(we) would most definitely recommend them to anyone getting married for the first time or anyone wanting a destination wedding. -
Quality of service
-
Marisa Sent on 01/19/20195 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
Great service
BTVWE was absolutely amazing! From the day we first spoke with and met La’Toia I knew she would make our day special. We hired her for day-of-coordination and she went well above and beyond what I expected. She was always available via phone or email in the months leading up to my ceremony and made sure everything was well put together. She thinks about the small details that you wouldn’t even imagine. So happy we booked her for our ceremony.BTVWE was absolutely amazing! From the day we first spoke with and met La’Toia I knew she would make our day special. We hired her for day-of-coordination and she went well above and beyond what I expected. She was always available via phone or email in the months leading up to my ceremony and made sure everything was well put together. She thinks about the small details that you wouldn’t even imagine. So happy we booked her for our ceremony. -
Quality of service
-
Tricia Sent on 04/21/20215 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
The Best Coordinators I've Ever Seen at a Wedding!
Look no further! Toia and the beyond the veil team are the BEST! We recently got married and we were searching for a reception coordinator, and after interviewing several companies, we ultimately decided on Beyond the Veil! Toia and her team continuously go above and beyond before, during and after the ceremony and reception. So many guests and wedding party members commented on how wonderful she was. During the reception she made sure we always had a drink, food, and kept us on time so that we could get to partying! The team even repurposed all of the flowers from the church, and we didn't even think of it! The pew flowers, alter flowers and all! We had light up sticks for during the dancing timing, and instead of just handing them out with an arm full, her and her team repurposed the wicker baskets we used for koozies and handed them out that way! The presentation was such a nice touch and didn't go unnoticed. I feel like I could keep going on and on about how great Toia and her team are, but hopefully you get the idea! She will make your dreams come true.
Thanks Beyond the Veil team!!Look no further! Toia and the beyond the veil team are the BEST! We recently got married and we were searching for a reception coordinator, and after interviewing several companies, we ultimately decided on Beyond the Veil! Toia and her team continuously go above and beyond before, during and after the ceremony and reception. So many guests and wedding party members commented on how wonderful she was. During the reception she made sure we always had a drink, food, and kept us on time so that we could get to partying! The team even repurposed all of the flowers from the church, and we didn't even think of it! The pew flowers, alter flowers and all! We had light up sticks for during the dancing timing, and instead of just handing them out with an arm full, her and her team repurposed the wicker baskets we used for koozies and handed them out that way! The presentation was such a nice touch and didn't go unnoticed. I feel like I could keep going on and on about how great Toia and her team are, but hopefully you get the idea! She will make your dreams come true.
Thanks Beyond the Veil team!! -
Quality of service
-
Jia Sent on 10/20/20175 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
Latoia was a blessing throughout my entire wedding planning process. She went over & beyond to make sure our day was perfect!!! Toia made sure all my contracts from other vendors were in order. She also handled things that I hadn't even thought about. Her & Montae are the perfect pair & complement each other so well. Choosing Beyond The Veil was by far the best choice I could have ever made for my wedding day!!!!Latoia was a blessing throughout my entire wedding planning process. She went over & beyond to make sure our day was perfect!!! Toia made sure all my contracts from other vendors were in order. She also handled things that I hadn't even thought about. Her & Montae are the perfect pair & complement each other so well. Choosing Beyond The Veil was by far the best choice I could have ever made for my wedding day!!!! -
Quality of service
-
Mairin Sent on 06/24/20165 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
From the beginning Jeffrey and I knew we had the chosen the right event coordinator and wedding planner in Beyond the Veil. Both La.Toia and husband Montae are a powerful get-it-done duo and when you add in their team, as a bride and groom stress wasn't apart of our vocabulary. From outlining our day-of vision, to meeting with vendors, and checking off what at first seemed like an endless list of to-do's the Ormond's were always there every step of the way. With Beyond the veil, one thing is evident above all and that's the personal relationship they have with their clients. Just knowing you could call at anytime and ask a question about something wedding related and just talk as friends was always refreshing and put a smile on both our faces. We can't begin to thank the entire beyond the veil team enough for helping to make our special day one we will always cherish. We have already recommended Beyond the Veil event planning to our friends!
With sincere thanks and gratitude, Jeffrey & Mairin PoeFrom the beginning Jeffrey and I knew we had the chosen the right event coordinator and wedding planner in Beyond the Veil. Both La.Toia and husband Montae are a powerful get-it-done duo and when you add in their team, as a bride and groom stress wasn't apart of our vocabulary. From outlining our day-of vision, to meeting with vendors, and checking off what at first seemed like an endless list of to-do's the Ormond's were always there every step of the way. With Beyond the veil, one thing is evident above all and that's the personal relationship they have with their clients. Just knowing you could call at anytime and ask a question about something wedding related and just talk as friends was always refreshing and put a smile on both our faces. We can't begin to thank the entire beyond the veil team enough for helping to make our special day one we will always cherish. We have already recommended Beyond the Veil event planning to our friends!
With sincere thanks and gratitude, Jeffrey & Mairin Poe -
Quality of service
-
Britt Sent on 01/25/20165 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
BTVWE went above and beyond our expectations. Mrs. Ormond and her staff were a pleasure to work with throughout the planning process. We only contracted for month of coordination, but Mrs. Ormond treated us as though we were full service clients. She is very experienced and knowledgeable, and very well connected to key wedding vendors in the Charlotte, NC metro area. We highly recommended her services...you won't be disappointed!BTVWE went above and beyond our expectations. Mrs. Ormond and her staff were a pleasure to work with throughout the planning process. We only contracted for month of coordination, but Mrs. Ormond treated us as though we were full service clients. She is very experienced and knowledgeable, and very well connected to key wedding vendors in the Charlotte, NC metro area. We highly recommended her services...you won't be disappointed! -
Quality of service
-
April Sent on 10/23/20155 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
La Toia and Monta are seriously just the best! My husband and I were supposed to have an outdoor wedding and it was raining so they both took care of absolutely everything for us so that we could relax and enjoy our day together. Before the wedding, La Toia asked questions about things I had not even thought about and she really helped us make sure everything was accounted for. I honestly do not know how the wedding would have even happened without the two of them, they are so friendly and kind and were just the most amazing people work with! HIGHLY recommend them!La Toia and Monta are seriously just the best! My husband and I were supposed to have an outdoor wedding and it was raining so they both took care of absolutely everything for us so that we could relax and enjoy our day together. Before the wedding, La Toia asked questions about things I had not even thought about and she really helped us make sure everything was accounted for. I honestly do not know how the wedding would have even happened without the two of them, they are so friendly and kind and were just the most amazing people work with! HIGHLY recommend them! -
Quality of service
-
Danielle Sent on 04/16/20155 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
They are the BEST. They are patient and down to earth. They will help you from beginning til end. I honestly can't say enough. At the end of the special day, they pretty much become a part of the family. They were accommodating and very knowledgeable. Please do yourself a favor and call them at the very BEGINNING of your engagement. (Example of how much they rock - DJ was late for ceremony. Montae played the piano music I walked down the aisle to. Example 2 - LaToia kept me calm during the whole thing lol). Words could never express just how much they blessed us with their services. Save yourself the headache and call them ASAP!! They were probably one of the best investments for my wedding. You will not be disappointedThey are the BEST. They are patient and down to earth. They will help you from beginning til end. I honestly can't say enough. At the end of the special day, they pretty much become a part of the family. They were accommodating and very knowledgeable. Please do yourself a favor and call them at the very BEGINNING of your engagement. (Example of how much they rock - DJ was late for ceremony. Montae played the piano music I walked down the aisle to. Example 2 - LaToia kept me calm during the whole thing lol). Words could never express just how much they blessed us with their services. Save yourself the headache and call them ASAP!! They were probably one of the best investments for my wedding. You will not be disappointed -
Quality of service
-
Elloree Sent on 05/07/20155 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 5.0 out of 5 rating
Mr. and Mrs. Ormond made sure our wedding day was flawless! They are very professional, outgoing, and family oriented. Mrs. Ormond made sure I was not stressed especially the week before the wedding. She was always there to lend a helping hand or provide a listening ear if I needed it. I am forever grateful for their services and I could not have chosen a better team. Chose Beyond the Veil for your next Event!!!Mr. and Mrs. Ormond made sure our wedding day was flawless! They are very professional, outgoing, and family oriented. Mrs. Ormond made sure I was not stressed especially the week before the wedding. She was always there to lend a helping hand or provide a listening ear if I needed it. I am forever grateful for their services and I could not have chosen a better team. Chose Beyond the Veil for your next Event!!! -
Quality of service
-
Camilla Sent on 04/16/20154.2 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 4.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 4.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 4.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 5.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 4.0 out of 5 rating
Beyond the Veil has done a Phenomenal job with our wedding. Words cannot express how grateful we were. Their diligent work has truly paid off. They are very patient and will work with you. They treat you like family. :)Beyond the Veil has done a Phenomenal job with our wedding. Words cannot express how grateful we were. Their diligent work has truly paid off. They are very patient and will work with you. They treat you like family. :) -
Quality of service
-
Kerry Sent on 12/10/20192.8 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 2.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 2.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 3.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 3.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 4.0 out of 5 rating
Really understaffed and overcommitted
Phew. This is a hard review to write, because as a person, I really like Toia. She’s funny and warm and great company. I want her to succeed.
We hired Toia and BTVE as our full service all-in wedding planners. I have my own business to run, so when I saw she had a full service, do-everything package with great reviews, I was like, “Fantastic! Give me your fanciest package, I want it all off my plate.” Unfortunately, that turned out to be a very bumpy road. My initial impression of Toia and BTVE was fantastic – she seemed super organized upfront. But then when we really got into the project management of the event planning, it fell apart, and I felt like all the little stuff that comes with wedding planning wasn’t carefully managed and monitored. Or sometimes even completed.
Until maybe a month out, Toia shared no checklists or timelines or other tools one uses to manage an undertaking like planning a wedding weekend. In other words, there was a distinct absence of PLANNING. She also habitually missed deadlines, and neglected to follow through on tasks we discussed without repeated reminders – to the degree that we were running almost three months behind the schedule I’d requested. (Some of this was due to a heartbreaking family emergency that required her full attention and time off work, and I tried to be accommodating there. But we were also way behind schedule before that happened.) She delegated tasks to “staff members” who turned out to be temporary interns with no event planning experience, and who consistently made mistakes and lacked oversight.
She told me she managed it all through her Honeybook portal, but it’s basically just a place to upload contracts and pay invoices. We had a Zola website, and Zola comes with all these event planning tools, and she used none of them for our wedding. (Nor the free ones you can get via Wedding Wire and so on.) Vendor contracts would be forwarded to me before she read them, and I’d catch mistakes at every turn. There was no centralized cloud storage (Google Docs, Dropbox, whatever) for contracts, it was all done haphazardly by email, and half the time emails weren’t forwarded so I had no idea where we were in the planning and vendor securing process and found myself constantly needing to text her reminders to follow through. On multiple occasions she’d tell me, “I just sent you XYZ,” and she hadn’t. I don’t know if she has some user error issues with email, overtly lied, or had someone in her contact list with a similar address, but it happened on a suspiciously large # of occasions.
She also didn’t “manage a budget” as her services indicate, she literally just sent me a budget template akin to what you can download off the internet. So I did all the budget mgmt.
In the end, instead of her project managing me, I had to project manage her. And while our wedding weekend was truly beautiful and so much fun and a resounding success by all guest accounts, by the time we got there I was exhausted and burned out from having to micromanage the details that she was overlooking. That's not to say that Toia doesn't bring thoughtful input to the process - she absolutely does, and gave me a number ideas I wouldn't have had without her. And she's quite funny and fun to work with. But she takes on too much, isn't organized enough to pull that off, and has a problem getting.stuff.done.
A major underlying issue is that BTVE is not a team. It’s one person, with a dedicated husband who’s willing to help out; the only “staff members” I encountered were the aforementioned rotating door of interns who clearly had no experience in event planning. There are no employees. I felt a little oversold, in my case, because I was throwing a big wedding with a lot of out of town guests and really *needed* the help and attention of a team.
The issue, BTW, is not a lack of commitment. Toia is extremely committed. She drove crosstown many times in rush hour for meetings or to drop off/pick up stuff at my house. We had a 3-day wedding weekend, and she made sure every event was staffed, decorations were laid out beautifully, and so on. Right before our wedding, I couldn’t get ahold of her, and it was because she was busy figuring out how to evacuate another one of her weddings that was in a hurricane evaluation zone. In the end, my biggest issue with Toia was that she’s OVERcommitted and torn in too many directions. She takes on 30+ weddings a year and, given the kind of service she wants to offer, probably has bandwidth for 20. The net result was that although I enjoyed working with her – she’s very personable and funny and joyful to be around – I progressively grew to lose trust in her. And because of that, I was very close to firing her. Toia’s tapped out her solopreneur bandwidth, and she needs to either take on less and charge more per wedding, or she needs to hire an actual full time assistant planner so that she’s not running ragged and dropping the ball. And either way, she needs to systemize her workflow, so that she has an easier time managing so many weddings at once!
ETA: I just read Michael Riddick’s review here. Oh man, I’m so sorry, that was our rehearsal she left you for, and we had NO IDEA she had another wedding that same week! She was late to our rehearsal too, and now I know why. ☹Phew. This is a hard review to write, because as a person, I really like Toia. She’s funny and warm and great company. I want her to succeed.
We hired Toia and BTVE as our full service all-in wedding planners. I have my own business to run, so when I saw she had a full service, do-everything package with great reviews, I was like, “Fantastic! Give me your fanciest package, I want it all off my plate.” Unfortunately, that turned out to be a very bumpy road. My initial impression of Toia and BTVE was fantastic – she seemed super organized upfront. But then when we really got into the project management of the event planning, it fell apart, and I felt like all the little stuff that comes with wedding planning wasn’t carefully managed and monitored. Or sometimes even completed.
Until maybe a month out, Toia shared no checklists or timelines or other tools one uses to manage an undertaking like planning a wedding weekend. In other words, there was a distinct absence of PLANNING. She also habitually missed deadlines, and neglected to follow through on tasks we discussed without repeated reminders – to the degree that we were running almost three months behind the schedule I’d requested. (Some of this was due to a heartbreaking family emergency that required her full attention and time off work, and I tried to be accommodating there. But we were also way behind schedule before that happened.) She delegated tasks to “staff members” who turned out to be temporary interns with no event planning experience, and who consistently made mistakes and lacked oversight.
She told me she managed it all through her Honeybook portal, but it’s basically just a place to upload contracts and pay invoices. We had a Zola website, and Zola comes with all these event planning tools, and she used none of them for our wedding. (Nor the free ones you can get via Wedding Wire and so on.) Vendor contracts would be forwarded to me before she read them, and I’d catch mistakes at every turn. There was no centralized cloud storage (Google Docs, Dropbox, whatever) for contracts, it was all done haphazardly by email, and half the time emails weren’t forwarded so I had no idea where we were in the planning and vendor securing process and found myself constantly needing to text her reminders to follow through. On multiple occasions she’d tell me, “I just sent you XYZ,” and she hadn’t. I don’t know if she has some user error issues with email, overtly lied, or had someone in her contact list with a similar address, but it happened on a suspiciously large # of occasions.
She also didn’t “manage a budget” as her services indicate, she literally just sent me a budget template akin to what you can download off the internet. So I did all the budget mgmt.
In the end, instead of her project managing me, I had to project manage her. And while our wedding weekend was truly beautiful and so much fun and a resounding success by all guest accounts, by the time we got there I was exhausted and burned out from having to micromanage the details that she was overlooking. That's not to say that Toia doesn't bring thoughtful input to the process - she absolutely does, and gave me a number ideas I wouldn't have had without her. And she's quite funny and fun to work with. But she takes on too much, isn't organized enough to pull that off, and has a problem getting.stuff.done.
A major underlying issue is that BTVE is not a team. It’s one person, with a dedicated husband who’s willing to help out; the only “staff members” I encountered were the aforementioned rotating door of interns who clearly had no experience in event planning. There are no employees. I felt a little oversold, in my case, because I was throwing a big wedding with a lot of out of town guests and really *needed* the help and attention of a team.
The issue, BTW, is not a lack of commitment. Toia is extremely committed. She drove crosstown many times in rush hour for meetings or to drop off/pick up stuff at my house. We had a 3-day wedding weekend, and she made sure every event was staffed, decorations were laid out beautifully, and so on. Right before our wedding, I couldn’t get ahold of her, and it was because she was busy figuring out how to evacuate another one of her weddings that was in a hurricane evaluation zone. In the end, my biggest issue with Toia was that she’s OVERcommitted and torn in too many directions. She takes on 30+ weddings a year and, given the kind of service she wants to offer, probably has bandwidth for 20. The net result was that although I enjoyed working with her – she’s very personable and funny and joyful to be around – I progressively grew to lose trust in her. And because of that, I was very close to firing her. Toia’s tapped out her solopreneur bandwidth, and she needs to either take on less and charge more per wedding, or she needs to hire an actual full time assistant planner so that she’s not running ragged and dropping the ball. And either way, she needs to systemize her workflow, so that she has an easier time managing so many weddings at once!
ETA: I just read Michael Riddick’s review here. Oh man, I’m so sorry, that was our rehearsal she left you for, and we had NO IDEA she had another wedding that same week! She was late to our rehearsal too, and now I know why. ☹ -
Quality of service
-
Loreeta Sent on 11/27/20152 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 2.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 2.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 2.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 2.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 2.0 out of 5 rating
It’s certainly nice to see other people with great reviews of BTVWE, yet unfortunate that I was not able to have the same experience. While I will certainly agree that the Ormond’s are great people, here are some of the reason’s I’m unable to give 5 stars for this service. 1) Lack of follow up when requesting other reception venue options after my now husband and I had expressed concerns about the seating capacity. 2) TWO instances of canceled meetings at the last minute. 3) NO wedding planner on the day of the WEDDING. While this was due to “unforeseen circumstances” it’s unfortunate to not have the actual planner at the wedding on the day of. Kudos to Monte for doing the best he could by himself (b/c the other team member was practically useless). While the overall day turned out to be wonderful with the help of family and friends, each time I watch my wedding video, as the bride, I can definitely tell parts where a planner would have been beneficial. One suggestion on behalf of my husband would be to invest in some walkie-talkies which could have perhaps improved the communication between the “team”.It’s certainly nice to see other people with great reviews of BTVWE, yet unfortunate that I was not able to have the same experience. While I will certainly agree that the Ormond’s are great people, here are some of the reason’s I’m unable to give 5 stars for this service. 1) Lack of follow up when requesting other reception venue options after my now husband and I had expressed concerns about the seating capacity. 2) TWO instances of canceled meetings at the last minute. 3) NO wedding planner on the day of the WEDDING. While this was due to “unforeseen circumstances” it’s unfortunate to not have the actual planner at the wedding on the day of. Kudos to Monte for doing the best he could by himself (b/c the other team member was practically useless). While the overall day turned out to be wonderful with the help of family and friends, each time I watch my wedding video, as the bride, I can definitely tell parts where a planner would have been beneficial. One suggestion on behalf of my husband would be to invest in some walkie-talkies which could have perhaps improved the communication between the “team”. -
Quality of service
-
Vee G. Sent on 05/16/20221.2 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 1.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 1.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 1.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 2.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 1.0 out of 5 rating
Poor Service and Unprofessional
I hired Latoia Ormond of Beyond the Veil Wedding Events as a wedding planner in March 2021, and it was the most awful experience I have ever had. Like some people who consulted with her, I can agree in the beginning she was very nice, professional and had everything laid out as to what to expect and seemed to have it together as a week later she had sourced a complete vendor list for me; however, the services she promised from then on out was very short lived. A month in, I would try to get in contact with Latoia and she wouldn't respond, and when I finally did hear from her weeks later, she would always have an excuse. Once her mother passed away tragically and that it was all over the news which she provided me her mother's name before this conversation and probably forgot. I checked the local news and online obituaries and in the area in which she stated she was from and there was no information regarding her mother's demise. I sure hope she did not lie about her mother like that, but I did get the feeling she was lying to me a lot. The second excuse came when I contacted her and she didn't call me back for two weeks. She met me for a taste testing for one of the caterers and she stated then her husband had Covid-19 and it just so happened to be the Delta variant; however, she said, her and their son never contracted it. The 3rd time excuse of why she couldn't make it to one of our scheduled appointments, she claimed her son's open house for school was changed. I contacted her to inquire on booking my dates especially for catering, DJ, Videography, wedding designer etc as time continued to tick and she was not following through with the services she promised. She proceeded to contact the wedding designer instead of answering me back - very unprofessional! Still I tried to hang in there with her. The 4th excuse was when she stated she had weddings all week and couldn't get back to me. That was the last straw. I wasn't putting up with anymore of her lack of professionalism and dishonesty. I decided to end the working relationship with her and ended up hiring another wedding coordinator and before doing so I had already booked all of my vendors because I didn't trust anyone to take the reigns completely due to this horrible experience I had with Latoia. She also kept stating she had an assistant, but I never met an assistant which she needed one. Latoia seems very lazy and if she can't handle the volume, she may need to hire someone to assist or close the business. I want to save anyone from ever having to worry about putting their wedding planning and the coordinating of their special day in the hands of someone like this.I hired Latoia Ormond of Beyond the Veil Wedding Events as a wedding planner in March 2021, and it was the most awful experience I have ever had. Like some people who consulted with her, I can agree in the beginning she was very nice, professional and had everything laid out as to what to expect and seemed to have it together as a week later she had sourced a complete vendor list for me; however, the services she promised from then on out was very short lived. A month in, I would try to get in contact with Latoia and she wouldn't respond, and when I finally did hear from her weeks later, she would always have an excuse. Once her mother passed away tragically and that it was all over the news which she provided me her mother's name before this conversation and probably forgot. I checked the local news and online obituaries and in the area in which she stated she was from and there was no information regarding her mother's demise. I sure hope she did not lie about her mother like that, but I did get the feeling she was lying to me a lot. The second excuse came when I contacted her and she didn't call me back for two weeks. She met me for a taste testing for one of the caterers and she stated then her husband had Covid-19 and it just so happened to be the Delta variant; however, she said, her and their son never contracted it. The 3rd time excuse of why she couldn't make it to one of our scheduled appointments, she claimed her son's open house for school was changed. I contacted her to inquire on booking my dates especially for catering, DJ, Videography, wedding designer etc as time continued to tick and she was not following through with the services she promised. She proceeded to contact the wedding designer instead of answering me back - very unprofessional! Still I tried to hang in there with her. The 4th excuse was when she stated she had weddings all week and couldn't get back to me. That was the last straw. I wasn't putting up with anymore of her lack of professionalism and dishonesty. I decided to end the working relationship with her and ended up hiring another wedding coordinator and before doing so I had already booked all of my vendors because I didn't trust anyone to take the reigns completely due to this horrible experience I had with Latoia. She also kept stating she had an assistant, but I never met an assistant which she needed one. Latoia seems very lazy and if she can't handle the volume, she may need to hire someone to assist or close the business. I want to save anyone from ever having to worry about putting their wedding planning and the coordinating of their special day in the hands of someone like this. -
Quality of service
-
Michael R. Sent on 10/08/20191 out of 5 rating
-
Quality of service 1.0 out of 5 rating
-
Average response time 1.0 out of 5 rating
-
Professionalism 1.0 out of 5 rating
-
Value 1.0 out of 5 rating
-
Flexibility 1.0 out of 5 rating
Poor service
My wife, Kareema, and I hired LaToia to be our wedding planner. At the beginning, LaToia was professional and stated so many wonderful things and ways to do the wedding. She was great with giving us ideas but the execution was poor!!!!! My wife and I had hired our caterers, dj and photographer before we hired LaToia. We provided her with the list and contact numbers of the vendors. All our vendors were calling us 2 days and the day before the wedding because they had not heard from our wedding planner. In the contract, just on the day of the wedding, there were at least 16 highlighted services that LaToia performs......she only performed 2 or three of those services. LaToia left us on the day of the wedding and didn't return until it was almost clean up time. She went to do a rehearsal for someone else and never stated to us that she would be leaving, until before she left. OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE NEVER HIRED HER!!!! She left us with a lady we had never met before and the lady set on her phone and laptop the whole time. In my opinion, this company is only good for consulting because nothing else was done satisfactory!!!!! Luckily we had a family friend who stepped in to help as much as they could. This company is unprofessional and I would never refer them to anyone. Now we are looking at options to receive a refund or sueMy wife, Kareema, and I hired LaToia to be our wedding planner. At the beginning, LaToia was professional and stated so many wonderful things and ways to do the wedding. She was great with giving us ideas but the execution was poor!!!!! My wife and I had hired our caterers, dj and photographer before we hired LaToia. We provided her with the list and contact numbers of the vendors. All our vendors were calling us 2 days and the day before the wedding because they had not heard from our wedding planner. In the contract, just on the day of the wedding, there were at least 16 highlighted services that LaToia performs......she only performed 2 or three of those services. LaToia left us on the day of the wedding and didn't return until it was almost clean up time. She went to do a rehearsal for someone else and never stated to us that she would be leaving, until before she left. OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE NEVER HIRED HER!!!! She left us with a lady we had never met before and the lady set on her phone and laptop the whole time. In my opinion, this company is only good for consulting because nothing else was done satisfactory!!!!! Luckily we had a family friend who stepped in to help as much as they could. This company is unprofessional and I would never refer them to anyone. Now we are looking at options to receive a refund or sue -
Quality of service