Chelsey and Rhett
We had a fairly large wedding in Phoenix with several events. It was a daunting planning process and the single best decision we made was hiring Sterling Weddings and Events first. We worked with Care from day one and she made a potentially stressful year very manageable and fun. She’s exactly what you need in a planner - meticulous with details, considerate with family and friends, connected to great vendors and full of creative ideas.
As the event drew closer, Dawn and Kristen came onto our team as well and they reflected Care’s level of professionalism and style. Our wedding weekend couldn’t have been easy for them - it was chock full of logistics and long hours, but I never saw a single one of them sweat. Not only was the weekend perfect (literally, every detail!) but when it was over, I had countless guests comment about how amazing our coordinators were when they interacted with them.
It’s worth mentioning that my husband and I don’t live in Phoenix, so they were our eyes and ears on the ground for the whole year of planning; having them was a priceless investment and we were so lucky to get them on our team. I honestly can’t say enough about this company.
Whitney and Mike
My number one piece of advice for any bride/groom: get a planner. But not just any old planner, you want Sterling Wedding and Events! We hired Care to help us with planning (partial planning package) and she was a life saver! She was incredibly helpful in the planning stages of the event: she had great suggestions for vendors, good tips for saving money (and she saved us a lot!), and would always respond to questions quickly. I knew that if I had a question, no matter how big or small, Care would reply to me immediately and with great insight!
In the days leading up to our wedding, Care was on the ball: sending reminders, finishing up last minute details, and making sure everyone was organized. She sent out detailed timelines to all our vendors, bridal party members, and immediate family so everyone was on the same page. (Several of my recently married friends marveled at that timeline!) On the day of our wedding, Care was so calm, even though we were running late, and everyone who interacted with her (family, friends, vendors) had fantastic things to say about her! Perhaps the best endorsement I could give her is that I had complete confidence in her abilities to make the wedding day move smoothly. I was not stressed at all about the details of the big day because I knew if there was a problem, Care would handle it…and her judgment is impeccable so I knew she would solve it appropriately! If you are looking for someone organized, knowledgeable, professional, and connected, she is your gal! Thanks Care and the Sterling Wedding & Events Team for making our wedding day perfect!
Father of the Bride: Ron
Care Schmidt, owner of Sterling Weddings and Events, is the ultimate in a Wedding Planner. We had a destination wedding in Phoenix to plan, with the bride and groom in Seattle, the groom's parents in London, England and the bride's parents in Tucson, AZ. None of us had a clue regarding Phoenix wedding vendors and resources. Choosing Care Schmidt and her associates was all we needed to do, since she had extensive experience and contacts in Phoenix. All vendors she introduced to us were very professional and well-known in the area. Care outlined the choices available in each category and we made the decision.
She was especially good in introducing us to on-line spreadsheets for timeline planning and budgeting. Care acted as an intermediary with the bride, groom and parents, so that decisions could be made amicably. She helped schedule items, so we could split the responsibilities among us and she made sure everyone met their due dates with her organized, but diplomatic manner.
Of course, the wedding was wonderful, no glitches were encountered, all was so seamless that all of us really enjoyed ourselves without worry. An important reason we chose Care was that she has a solid staff supporting her, so that we were not depending on only one person to coordinate such an important event. She was also thought very highly of by every one of the vendors we used. Especially important to our affair, was that there were unique dietary and cultural issues that needed to be addressed. Her suggestion of a venue which could handle these special needs was on the mark. I would recommend her to a friend without hesitation.
Leah and Chase
Working with Care and Sterling Weddings and Events was a last minute decision for one, but one that I am so happy that I made. I literally had nothing to worry about for my entire wedding day. Care and her team took care of everything and made me feel extra special on my special day. I was so happy each and every time I got a call or email from Care during the planning process because I loved knowing that she was in charge of everything and I knew that if she was taking care of it, it would be handled. I would recommend Sterling Weddings to anyone who is hoping to have a day with no problems and have everything handled and well done. Thank you to Care for making my wedding even more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. You made my visions a reality!
Amy and Tim
Care and her team were nothing short of amazing from the day we had our first meeting until we left the venue after our wedding day. I honestly cannot imagine planning a wedding without Care; she was professional, kind, funny, and a great advisor. She listened to what Tim and I wanted for our wedding and then took it a step further. The 14 months of planning flew by without a hitch and everything was flawless on the day of. She was always open with communication no matter how large or small the question. Care assembled a great group of vendors for our wedding which fit into our budget and the end result was perfect. Our “modern southwest” wedding was just what we had envisioned from the start. If you are considering a planner, look no further than Care with Sterling Weddings and Events.
Gina and Greg
As a bride, I chose to hire Care three months before the wedding because I was overcome with stress. The minute I met her, I knew that she was going to do a great job. She felt more like a friend than a vendor with her flexibility and always knew the right thing to say to calm my nerves. I didn't have to worry about anything.
We absolutely loved Sterling Weddings and Events!! Our wedding was not the easiest and had a ton of moving parts. Care and her crew were there every step of the way, providing valuable insight and made sure all of our ducks were in a row before the big day. We'd have to say that we were most impressed with great attention to detail, and fast, heartfelt responses to all of our questions before the wedding.
On our big day, the staff was there early to ensure that the day we waited our lives for would be perfect, and it really was! Most weddings have glitches, but we can honestly say that we aren't aware of ANY. That is more proof that you can't go wrong with Sterling Wedding and Events.
We received so many compliments during and after the wedding from our guests who were very impressed with the outcome of the coordination and effort put forward by Care and her team.
Jeanette and Shane
Care was a pleasure to work with. She is kind, thoughtful, organized, communicates promptly, and professional! My family and guests loved how friendly and easy going she was. Care and her team were invaluable to the success of our wedding. I couldn't imagine being able to pull off our dream wedding without Sterling Wedding and Events! Thank you for all your hard work!
Cherilyn and Christopher
"Care Schmidt was the backbone of our wedding day. As our Day-Of Coordinator, she executed our vision with such precision that my husband and I enjoyed every moment.
As the big day drew near, Care offered wonderful budget-friendly recommendations on how to create a lounge vibe at our reception. We followed her advice, and it looked great!
Her expertise and professionalism were evident in the weeks leading up to the wedding when she personally called all of the vendors, introduced herself, and asked if there were remaining fees or concerns. This made for a very smooth day without any loose ends.
Many of my bridesmaids mentioned to me that this was the most organized, stress-free wedding they had ever been a part of—including their own! They attributed it to the detailed schedule Care prepared, which included everything from vendor arrivals and departures to a note that reminded the groomsmen to turn of their phones at the church.
Although my fiancé had initially resisted paying for a Day-Of Coordinator, he now could not have imagined our wedding without her. I feel the same. Thank you, Care and assistants, for creating the day of our dreams."
Camila and Tom
"Sterling Event Design was invaluable to the success of our wedding!! I cannot imagine not having Care and team there to make sure every detail was perfect and running smoothly.
Sterling Event Design was one of the best investments we made to guarantee that our night was amazing!
At the start of our planning, we thought that between our families and friends, that we would be able to take care of things. We then realized that they would also be guests at the wedding, and would be unable to take care of vendors setting up correctly, or deal with something like a random wedding crisis. I am so glad that we found Sterling Event Design! Care and her team took the time to prepare, and knew every single detail so that we could enjoy our entire night!
She coordinated with all of our vendors (before, during, and after), reminded us to eat (very important), took a picture in the photo booth before it left, and when we had a small hiccup with the seating during the reception, she was right there to fix it. There are so many things that Care and her team did that night that, and I cannot thank her enough for making our wedding perfect, beautiful, and so much fun! We highly recommend her services!"
Helen and Jacob
Care and her staff are wonderful!!! Care transformed my not so cohesive vision into perfection. She was organized, efficient, and always responsive no matter the time of day. On the day of our wedding we encountered some unexpected hurdles and Care took care of everything. She was flexible and accomodating in everyway possible. The day went on without a hitch. Amazing!!! I would recommened Care and the entire staff at Sterling for any event.
Aubrie and Ben
Thoughtful. Caring. Kind. Diligent. Organized. These are but a few of the adjectives that describe Care Schmidt and Sterling Weddings and Events. Quite simply, we cannot imagine a better event planner. Not only did Care help us from top to bottom with a smile on her face, she helped calm our nerves when need which was infinitely important looking back. Though, we never really worried about anything since we adopted the mantra, “If Care’s involved, everything will be fine.”
Perhaps the best part about Care and Sterling Weddings and Events is that she managed to accomplish planning such a complicated wedding with multiple vendors and organizations while maintaining a friendly, positive attitude. If there were any roadblocks, Care would navigate through them assertively and professionally. To us, that meant more than anything. In fact, we now consider Care a friend. We came into the planning process fairly naïve and uninformed but Care walked us through everything.
If you want an event planner that will go out of their way to make your day/event special, Care and Sterling Weddings and Events is the only choice.
Ashlee and Joe
I cannot begin to say enough kind words about Sterling Weddings and Events and Care Schmidt. Care did an amazing job handling my day of coordination. I would have been absolutely lost without her. Thank you Care!
Prior to the event she sent me many emails and made sure she had all timelines, contacts and materials in place. She shared time saving templates and organization hints. She even contacted and confirmed with the vendors to make sure that she introduced herself. She sent me fabulous ideas for wedding details and made sure that I was completely at ease with the day.
The day of my wedding went so smoothly thanks to Care. She handled all vendors and set up and made sure everyone was on time. When I arrived at our venue, every detail I had wanted was ready and in place. Care executed my thoughts and visions even better than I could have imagined that day. Having a day of coordinator was the greatest choice we made for our wedding. I was not bogged down with anything that day and was able to enjoy the moments.
Thank you Sterling Weddings and Events for making my wedding day AMAZING! You truly are fabulous at what you do.
Brandee and Tim
There is simply not enough space to say all of the wonderful things about Care! Hands down, she and her team are the reason that my wedding went as smoothly as it did! As someone who loves DIY projects, Care was able to take all of my visions and creations and make sure that every detail was executed the way I had hoped. She was spectacular with her responsiveness, ideas, support, encouragement, and advice. I could not have asked for a better day of coordinator. She took the time to get to know my family and friends and we feel like we have adopted her into the family! Thank you so much Care for helping to make our wedding such an amazing event!
Jeniece and Mikel
Initially I wasn't sure if we needed a day of coordinator, I thought I have enough family and friends that can help with the wedding. But when I first met with Carrie, she won me over! I had met with a few other coordinators but Carrie stood out from the others. She really seemed interested in our wedding plans and how she could help.
Carrie and her team of 2 handled our huge wedding superbly! It was a great relief to not have to worry about the reception set-up and handling vendors, we just showed up to the reception and everything was ready! Even better was how organized and smooth the reception ran. Most everyone we talked to commented how fun the wedding was and how smooth it went. With over 300 guests and 30 something guest tables, I cannot imagine this happening without Carrie and her team. From start to finish, they were there making sure everything was going according to plan. I'm sure there were a million behind the scenes tasks too that got done! I'm totally blown away by her experience, professionalism and creativity. Our wedding was everything we hoped it would be and more because of Sterling Event Design!
If you are questioning whether or not you should have a wedding coordinator, don't! Make that a top priority and definitely contact Sterling Event Design!
