About
WORDS OF AFFIRMATION:
OUR LOVE LANGUAGE.
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A PROFESSIONAL PLANNER IS WORTH EVERY PENNY...
BUT DON'T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT...READ WHAT OUR PAST COUPLES HAVE TO SAY.
I really don't know what I would have done without Elise by my side not only on our wedding day, but the past year and a half during all the wedding planning. From the start she was so supportive and knowledgeable. On the day of our wedding, some of my favorite moments were things that I wouldn't have even thought of, that Elise thought of. My favorite was right after the ceremony, Griffin and I were able to have a few minutes just the two of us, to talk, to eat, and to celebrate just us. The wedding day is so crazy, and these few moments were some of the most memorable and I will be forever grateful for them. She also created the perfect reception space, with the dance floor right in the middle! Having Elise by our side on our wedding was the best decision we made! Thank you Elise
ERIN AND GRIFFIN
IRVING STREET STUDIO
Ahh, where do we begin!! We started working with Keen Events PDX over a year before our wedding date. We spoke to several different Wedding Planners in the Portland area and something about Elise's specific approach really stood out to us. She has the ability to see a couple's vision and bring it to life so thoughtfully.Not only did we work with EVERY SINGLE VENDOR she recommended (after giving us several options that she knew would fit with our personalities and style), but we truly couldn't be happier with everyone we encountered - and each one was thanks to our incredible Wedding Planner, Elise. She took the stress out of being over-stimulated by the wedding vendor market and matched us with our dream team.After eight years of dating and two years of being engaged, my fiance and I knew we wanted to make this day not only about us, but everyone who carried us along the way. We chose an intimate venue that would give us enough space to thoroughly celebrate, but also felt unique with our love story. With us getting married in November of 2022 and starting the process in the summer of 2021, we were fearful of the pandemic and what was to come. Elise worked with us along the way to make sure every single detail counted and that there were backup plans in place. We did end up making last-minute pivots but didn't have to worry because of her team.We are so lucky to have worked with Keen Events PDX and recommend them to anyone who is in the wedding planning process! We wouldn't have had our special day without all the hard work, effort, and love that was continuously put into our wedding.
TAYLOR AND DYLAN
BLOCKHOUSE
Without Elise and her team we would not have had the experience of being fully present, enjoying all the intimate moments as well as the big ceremonious moments of our wedding. Planning your wedding can feel seemingly endless, there are a lot of details and aspects of the day you have to consider when you’re inviting a hundred people from all over the globe to celebrate with you for 7 hours. And yet, after our first call with Elise more than a year before the wedding, what was so clear in our minds was that we knew we’d found an expert. One who would walk us through the ins and outs of planning and advocate for us as we put our vendor team together. One who would be our cheerleader, pepping us up when we found ourselves stacked with life stuff and needed to meet deadlines so our big day would go smoothly. Most importantly, one with whom we’d have a good time pulling this off. We had plenty of laughs along the way :) She kept us in tip top shape with excellent project management software ensuring we checked off all the mundane stuff early so we could spend most of our time with the fun stuff. She even negotiated services and responses on our behalf. And then, when it came to the actual day, Jon and I had a quiet, intimate morning enjoying time with our wedding party, grooming and getting ready for the day, while Elise and her team worked tirelessly with all of our vendors and the venue to create the most beautiful wedding we had ever been to. The endless planning was over. We got to stroll into our day with absolute peace and trust that everything would be as we’d envisioned, and if it wasn’t she’d already found a solution that was even better. The special thing about Elise is that she was there to ensure we had moments to step away from the party and be present with each other, to share a hug, a prayer, a funny story and then jump back into the mix. As we danced the night away she would appear with cocktails, dessert, late night snacks and water in hand to ensure we were getting to enjoy time with our people uninterrupted. I’m emotional just thinking about all it took for our wedding to happen so beautifully and Elise was the nucleus, the glue that held it all together. We are so grateful to have been in such great hands for such a momentous occasion. The best day our lives and we owe much of it to Elise.
JONATHAN AND JOSUE
STOLLER FAMILY ESTATE
Firstly, thank you so much to Elise! She was so amazing, kind, professional, and attentive. All of my emails, calls, changes and concerns were addressed quickly and without any hesitation. I quite literally could not have done it without her. Our wedding was beautiful and stress free because I knew Elise had everything under control so I could just enjoy the once in a lifetime moment! Every single vendor recommendation she had was on point, sometimes even making choosing which one to go with a challenge. I will 100% be using Elise and Keen Events for any future events I host. Again, I can’t say enough how easy it was to work with Elise, how professional she was, and how great our day turned out because of all of her guidance along the way. 10/10
ELYSE AND THOMAS
EVERETT WEST
Your wedding will be one of the most memorable, exciting, and likely complex events of your entire life. When we started planning ours, there was no question that a proper wedding planner was a requirement. After we found Keen Events (thanks to some glowing recommendations), there was no question that Elise was going to be a pivotal part of our wedding (and all the days leading up to it).From the start, Elise was a true example of professionalism, extremely organized down to the smallest detail, and a lovely human to have included in our wedding planning. She kept us on track for deadlines, important vendor bookings, and was always willing to share her expert perspective on the event as a whole. Thanks to Elise, we spent far more time excited instead of stressing about the planning — we knew she had everything handled beautifully.It's nearly impossible to list all of the reasons to recommend Elise and Keen Events; there are many. But in short, booking Elise as your wedding planner will be the best decision you'll make surrounding your wedding day... aside from choosing an amazing partner, of course.If you're reading this review, stop anything else you're doing today and immediately lock down Keen Events. 🥂
MICHAEL AND ABBY
COOPERS HALL
With everything that we spent on the wedding, hiring Elise, Keen events was by far the best purchase we made. We had been through the Covid postponement process for so long, when things got real we decided that a wedding planner was a good idea, and we didn't realize how important that was until after our first call. Elise made everything seem easier and she was always there to keep us updated and helped find some of the BEST vendors ever. She was able to understand our vision and really made sure that our day was Exactly what we wanted, and so much more. Not only is she the most genuine of humans, but her attention to detail and workability are unmatched. As someone that is usually the one making the events happen to the expectation of the host, I wasn't sure about letting someone else take control, but she was spectacular and made my wedding day stress free and Beautiful. Thank you so much Elise, you are Wonderful!!
AMY AND ERIC
WEST END BALLROOM
Elise came into our wedding journey about 2 months before our wedding when we finally realized we couldn't do it all. I cannot tell you how grateful we are that our research to find a day of coordinator brought us to Elise. She truly went above and beyond to make sure that our wedding day ran smoothly with smart personal touches and suggestions and ensured we didn't see any imperfections. Our videographer was so impressed and said she had never worked with such a talented and smart planner.
Elise made a point to understand who are as a couple and tailor her advice and suggestions to our tastes and our values. Another great thing about Elise is that she is tough when she needs to be and will go to bat for you as a couple. She is seasoned in the industry, which we didn't realize how big of plus that is until we needed to have some tough conversations with a vendor and Elise handled it swiftly, effectively, and with utmost professionalism.
If you want a planner who truly has open communication, who genuinely wants you to have the best day, and who knows how to make your journey seamless, hire her now.
The only regret we have for Elise is that we didn't bring her on sooner!
P.S. - She has a great sense of humor and is a genuinely nice person to work and speak with. We're going to miss chatting as often now that our wedding is over!
MOLLY AND CASSIDY
IRVING STREET STUDIO
My partner and I knew from the start that we wanted some help planning our wedding. There are so many moving pieces and we knew it would be hard to figure out where to start, what to prioritize, and how to make a planning timeline for ourselves. We both have busy lives and neither of us wanted to take on a 2nd full time job in planning our wedding. Elise did an incredible job guiding us through the planning process, always open to hopping on the phone at convenient times for us and pointing us in the direction of what we should prioritize next. She was also a helpful sounding board as we made decisions or thought through how the night would go (because like most folks in a post-COVID world, we couldn't quite remember how parties work anymore). Collaborating together & with her on the Aisle Planner platform helped to streamline everything and keep everyone aligned on where things were at.Day of, Elise did an incredible job making sure all the setup went as planned and using her EXCELLENT judgement to figure out situations where we forgot to pack something or provide direction about setup. She made sure my partner and I were eating and drinking during the day, provided direction to all our guests who also had little jobs (greeting, managing Spotify, officiating, giving toasts, etc.) and if anything went wrong during the wedding, we sure didn't hear about it!If you're thinking about getting some help planning your wedding, definitely recommend going with Elise!
DEIDRE AND MATTHEW
BLOCKHOUSE
My partner and I knew from the start that we wanted some help planning our wedding. There are so many moving pieces and we knew it would be hard to figure out where to start, what to prioritize, and how to make a planning timeline for ourselves. We both have busy lives and neither of us wanted to take on a 2nd full time job in planning our wedding. Elise did an incredible job guiding us through the planning process, always open to hopping on the phone at convenient times for us and pointing us in the direction of what we should prioritize next. She was also a helpful sounding board as we made decisions or thought through how the night would go (because like most folks in a post-COVID world, we couldn't quite remember how parties work anymore). Collaborating together & with her on the Aisle Planner platform helped to streamline everything and keep everyone aligned on where things were at.
Day of, Elise did an incredible job making sure all the setup went as planned and using her EXCELLENT judgement to figure out situations where we forgot to pack something or provide direction about setup. She made sure my partner and I were eating and drinking during the day, provided direction to all our guests who also had little jobs (greeting, managing Spotify, officiating, giving toasts, etc.) and if anything went wrong during the wedding, we sure didn't hear about it!
If you're thinking about getting some help planning your wedding, definitely recommend going with Elise!
DARA AND RYAN
SIDEYARD KITCHEN AND FARM
Elise is SO good at her job. She has excellent experience navigating the complexities of weddings, couples, vendors, and guests. She provides direct and thoughtful advice that help steer decision making. She is detailed, focused, and organized. The weeks leading up to the event, we were excited and relaxed because she handled everything, which allowed my partner and I to enjoy our very special day. The wedding went off without a hitch and it's largely due to Elise and her extraordinary management. A million thanks, Elise, for all of your hard work and coordination. You are simply the best! For couples who are hesitant or looking elsewhere, stop right here and just hire her. She is worth every penny!
KIM AND NATE
COOPERS HALL
If you are even considering hiring a wedding planner DO IT and without question hire Elise with Keen Events! My now husband and I got engaged in 2019 and had to postpone our wedding until 2022 due to Covid and Elise was there every step of the way over the 3 years and multiple postponements. She would constantly check in to see how we were doing and was such a calming presence during what could have been a very chaotic time. Leading up to the day she was already amazing and then she managed to outdo herself the day of. The entire day was so smooth and a huge reason for that is Elise. I had several people in the bridal party ask how I found her because everyone was blown away by her. We cannot thank her and her team enough for everything they did and would HIGHLY recommend hiring Elise for your wedding!!!
STEF AND MATTHEW
CASTAWAY
Elise is a force to be reckoned with.
I worked with Elise, the owner and lead planner of Keen, to plan and execute my wedding and I couldn't be more blown away. We started to work together at the end of 2019 and ended up needing to push our wedding a year due to the pandemic. Elise was there with me every step of the way to help navigate how to communicate the change to our vendors and our guests; she not only had great advice but that advice was rooted in understanding who we were as a couple and the type of event we wanted to execute. She made herself available to us if we had any questions or concerns and checked in with us regularly as state mandates and rules changed. Having her there to help us understand how the changing news effected our wedding helped to cut the anxiety and allowed us to make thoughtful, real-time decisions that we were confident in.
When we got closer to the wedding day, Elise took over all vendor management and communication. I knew I could rely on her with all of the minute details I had been storing in my brain over the last year and a half and it put my mind at ease to know she was picking up right where I left off. She was hyper-organized and direct when she needed to be - exactly what you want (and need!) from your planner.
Elise also handled the day-of coordination of our wedding, with the help of her husband who was also a badass and handled our music, parking and general assistance. With Elise at the helm, I was able to completely relax on my wedding day. She showed up day-of with the most incredible charcuterie boards for our wedding party (separate for bridal and groom suites), made sure we were happy and had a glass of champagne in our hands and got right to work. She checked in many times throughout the day to ensure we were comfortable and gave us updates on how the setup was progressing (as someone who has trouble delegating, this was so helpful in calming my nerves). She managed and oversaw all of the vendors (which there were many - catering, photography, florals, bar, transportation, restrooms, lighting, etc) and helped to set up four distinct areas that our guests would be shuffled between throughout the evening. She ran the entire event, making sure everything went off without a hitch - including checking in with us to ensure we had a drink in our hands and that any family dynamics were being kept at bay so we could be present and fully enjoy the event.
At the end of the night, my husband and I came back to a tidy suite (including our wedding party who were also staying in the house), flower arrangements thoughtfully placed by bedsides and my cell phone plugged in. She also wrote us a sweet note that tied up any loose end details we might be wondering about. WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR?! She truly thought of everything.
I can't express enough how highly I'd recommend working with Keen Events for any of your wedding and event needs. Their service list is endless (it seems as though there is nothing they can't do!) and their pricing is extremely reasonable for the value and experience. If there was only one recommendation I could make to a future bride, it would be to hire a coordinator so you can relax, enjoy and be fully present on your big day. Well, that and to hire Keen Events.
KELSEY AND JAKE
THE WOODLANDS HOUSE
This review may have taken a year to post, but my gratitude towards Elise’s hard work and fond memories of our wedding have only grown. From the first time we spoke on the phone we KNEW Elise would be the only planner for us. Her mentality, energy, and vision were a direct reflection of us. From the absolutely glowing reviews we found about her service, to the efforts she takes to support good causes and make a positive impact in the community Elise is a wedding planner extraordinaire! She was one of the biggest cheerleaders throughout this process, and was unbelievably patient in keeping us on track. When life pulls us in different directions, Elise never hesitated to offer to step in or help us to refocus. We knew without a doubt leading up to the day that our wedding was going to be amazing because we were 100% confident in Elise's capable hands. This day would not have been possible without her amazing hard work, and we couldn't possibly thank her enough for everything that she does.If you are shopping around for a planner, and trying to see who you’ll hire I strongly recommend taking a few minutes to look at Keen Events. Her pricing is more than fair for the quality of service she provides, she has AMAZING vendor recommendations (she connected us with our wonderful photographer/videographer team, dj, and beauty team), and she will be your biggest advocate/resource for every step of the day. I had considered a few other vendors, but from the first phone call I knew she was the perfect fit and no one else would make our day match our vision or run as smoothly as we hoped.Elise, thank you again for all that you did! You are an amazing person and planner, and we hope you continue enjoy this work because it absolutely shines through in the service you provide, and the impact you leave on your clients.
KELLY AND WALTER
MULTNOMAH WHISKEY LIBRARY
Elise is just the BEST! We had an incredible day and planning was fun and relatively easy with guidance from Elise. We were able to incorporate all of our favorite things to make our wedding truly, ours. Highly recommend Elise, from florals to DJs, she knows the best vendors. She communicated everything to our vendors and made sure everything went smoothly!
KARA AND NATE
CRYSTAL SPRINGS RHODODENDRON GARDEN // UNION PINE
We do not even know where to start, but Elise from Keen Events does, which is why you will be so relieved if you are lucky enough to have her on your team when planning your wedding. We started seriously looking for a wedding day-of coordinator only 3 months before our wedding date even though we had the date saved a year and half before. By some miracle, Elise was available to take us on. We originally were looking for just a day-of coordinator, but every single one we contacted was booked until we received a response from Elise saying she was available but that she does not offer day-of only services, and for good reason. She starts by offering partial-planning, and I think most people need this when planning a wedding if you hope to enjoy any part of your wedding day. The moment we officially booked Keen Events, we had a long and thorough consultation meeting where Elise assessed our progress with a calm and very collected demeanor. We were in mostly okay shape, but still needed to complete hundreds of small details as well as book our final vendors. She laid out our tasks in manageable order and helped us to understand our priorities to get to the finish line.
Working with her on her planning software was easy because she walks you through it, and being able to communicate with her there was so essential to our hectic work schedule. I could open up the software anytime to knock out little tasks, but she also was essential in making sure I was logging in to do so. We had so much work travel leading up to our wedding, but Elise made time every week to check in with us and work on our schedule. We wanted to incorporate so many of our own personal details into the wedding, and she did everything in her power and her network to help us accomplish them. She knew where to triple check on details that we overlooked with our vendors so that we avoided any and all day-of emergencies. I cannot express how valuable her services are leading up to the wedding. There is SO MUCH communication in the final week with vendors and I cannot imagine how much more stressed and worried we would have been if she was not onboard fielding emails and communication left and right. She held down our team of vendors with all the direction they needed and expressed our vision clearly where it still needed to be. This allowed us to actually meet and greet our guests as they arrived in town, as well as finish up all of our final tasks and prep at home. We are so grateful for the role Keen Events played in the success of our wedding day. Our guests had such a wonderful time, and the whole day was so incredibly smooth. We cannot recommend Keen Events enough and can confidently say that the value they bring to the success of your wedding is beyond the price you pay for their services.
SHAMEEM AND JACKSON
IRVING STREET STUDIO
Having a wedding planner is so vital for your wedding, and Elise is the best!! She helped us find our dream team of venders. We were so truly satisfied with everyone we hired, and Elise was pivotal in finding them all. She helped in making my timeline rock solid and made sure that everything I wanted happened through out the day. When our weather was showing 100% rain during what would have been our outdoor photos, she helped me find the right indoor solution. She also helped make sure my grandma was there on zoom, when she couldn't make it in person last minute. She meets you with drinks and food when you need it and makes sure that you are completely taken care of! We loved our day, and it could not have happened without her!
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Elise was an absolute rock star of a wedding planner. My now wife has assisted Elise on some jobs, so we both knew there was no one better for keeping us in line, sane and on schedule on our big day. Elise was great with connecting us to different venues and vendors for our big day, helped us make decisions, and played devils advocate on timeline items as we planned more details. Elise is a tough gal, and doesn't take BS from anyone, that includes us, a crazy family member or drunk friend. Elise is REAL and ultimately wanted our big day to go as smooth as possible, for us to be happy, and all along for us to have realistic expectations. Our big day really could not have gone better, and we are grateful that Elise was there as part of the team.
MEGAN AND JORDAN
COOPERS HALL
If I could suggest one thing to every bride I come across in my lifetime, it's to hire Elise (Keen Events PDX). Elise was worth her weight in gold and so much more! She solved every worry and problem that came up while also making sure I still felt in control. She answered every email, phone call, and text without hesitation! During the wedding she handled everything..I mean everything. From setup to take down she was there either making sure it got done correctly, or doing it herself. She was also ready to handle our wedding crasher situation with whatever force necessary! She is fierce when it comes to the couples she's working with! But more than anything, Elise, you gave me the opportunity and reminded me to relax and absorb every moment and detail of my wedding day. You took the dreams I had been concocting for years and turned them into my reality. Thank you for more than you could ever know.
LEXI AND DAVID
SUMMIT GROVE LODGE
We are so glad we chose to hire Elise as a wedding coordinator! All of us felt a little lost as we started planning a wedding in Portland and her experienced professional insights and tidbits of advice were so valuable. From our initial phone consultation, I knew that she would be an incredible help throughout the whole planning process. Seven months later, even just a few days before the wedding, she was available for our last planning session to assure me that she had covered the millions of little planning decisions it felt like I still had swimming around my brain! Elise obviously has a great relationship with her network of amazingly talented Portland wedding vendors - her advice was so helpful as we built our team of vendors and considered proposals and budgets! In moments of stress during the planning process, Elise was always willing to offer advice based on her extensive experience but personalized to our vision and situation. I cannot imagine how stressful the day of the wedding would have been without her. But with Elise steering the ship, we were all able to rest assured that everything was going to happen when it was supposed to and turn out even more fun and beautiful than we had imagined.
KENDALL AND BRANDT
THE EVERGREEN
Elise was a perfect fit as our wedding coordinator and knocked it out of the park. She is super friendly and professional, and very easy to work with. We started working with her about 3 months before our wedding day, and she jumped right in by identifying all of our outstanding vendors, and matching us with the right people for our unique needs and style. She assisted with pulling together the logistics for the day and communicated with all our vendors leading up to our wedding. She joined us for our second visit to our chosen venue and helped develop an outdoor plan and a backup rain plan for the ceremony.
We did a two-night wedding party at a summer camp on the Oregon coast. We (bride and groom) managed things ourselves on Friday night, and what a difference it made to have Elise arrive there Saturday to relieve of us any responsibilities other than walking down the aisle, saying our vows, and partying our faces off. Saturday morning we were able to go for a morning hike, socialize and relax with all our guests while Elise coordinated all our vendors and setup. She got our bar set up and moved furniture all around to ensure the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception had a cozy and community feeling. It was flawless, and I can't imagine it going nearly so smoothly without her there.
After the reception, she took charge to transform the dinner room into the dance hall in no time, and she brought desserts around to our guests while we partied late into the night. We highly recommend working with Elise as your wedding coordinator!!
KRISTIE AND ROB
CAMP WESTWIND