The Amalfi Experience - Wedding Planner

I have deliberated a long time about writing this review and take no pleasure in it, but I would hate for another couple to have the same experience we did with TAE. For us, they were an overpriced translation service, sloppy at best and heartbreaking at worst. The owner charmed us initially but once she had our money we were palmed onto an off-sider without so much as an introduction. Far from making our lives easier, she offered few suggestions beyond the obvious and we found ourselves repeatedly chasing up quotes and responses. This made it impossible to balance our budget. Nonetheless, not wanting to make a fuss or be "that" difficult couple, we pressed on. In the final weeks to our wedding, our planner seemed to disappear almost entirely. We found it very difficult to get a response to our emails. Then, mere days beforehand we were told that the decorations we had planned for our reception would not be permitted at the venue, requiring us to spend even more money. I was sent a manicurist who arrived completely unprepared and without the proper equipment, so she tried to give me a pedicure using the hotel bin as a basin. She then proceeded to hack off my nails, leaving me in pain and frantically searching for someone to fix the mess she had made. Other requests we had made in respect of our suppliers appeared to go un-relayed. On the day, despite a prior rehearsal on timing, TAE started the wedding ceremony whilst my maid and honour and I were still getting ready in our hotel room, forcing us to rush down the isle. Given there were *three* TAE staff members present, this level of incompetence verges on being laughable. Most heartbreakingly of all, TAE managed to ruin our plans for our reception setting. Despite being provided with a clear, documented brief, pictures, and dozens of emails and Skype calls, we arrived at our wedding dinner to find our expensive flower arrangements were dumped on the ground against instructions, and our expensive table design was ruined. In fact, what TAE produced was what we had specifically told them *not* to do - the very opposite of what I had spent months painstakingly planning. When I complained about this, Jacquie refused to accept responsibility and criticised me for not raising it on the day - as if I was going to spend my wedding day making sure she was doing her job properly, and completely ignorant of the fact that her company was paid thousands of Euros precisely so that my husband and I could enjoy our wedding day without worrying about such things. TAE cost me a lot of tears and many hours of sleep on my honeymoon. I would hate for any other couple to have that experience.

My husband and I could not have imagined a more magical wedding day, let alone an entire wedding week of celebrations that TAE put together for us. We so appreciate all the work Jacquie and her team (Hi, Lucy!) put into making our wedding week such a success. We felt great about having you at the helm from the beginning, Jacquie. We are truly indebted to you fabulous gals (and guys -- shoutout to Piero, Gianni, and our florist!).

Where to begin… We cannot recommend The Amalfi Experience enough, because of Jacquie and Lucy we had the most incredible wedding week in Ravello which our family and friends still talk about! The ladies worked with us closely for 16 months to create our wedding. They were incredibly organised and prompt in responding to emails (and even answered guest emails about accommodation and travel recommendations), nothing was ever too much for these lovely ladies. When we arrived at our reception and saw it for the first time it was more than we ever could have imagined. The Ladies captured our vision perfectly, every single detail was thought of. There is no way that we ever could have pulled our wedding off without them. Each vendor that the Amalfi Experience use and recommend is first class. We will always be eternally grateful for the job the Amalfi Experience did in planning our wedding. They went above and beyond and we would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone planning a wedding in the beautiful Ravello!

Once my husband and I decided that having our wedding in Italy was a feasible option, I started to do my research and came upon The Amalfi Experience (TAE). I reached out to the company and Jacquie Coppolaimmediately answered my email with paragraphs of information. I was amazed at how much time she was spending answering my emails in such an early stage. She helped me make my decision without pushing me one way or the other. She gave me objective information including (anonymous) spreadsheets from other weddings that we could look at. She was very patient with me while I changed my mind multiple times (as im sure most brides do) and gave me different solutions to my concerns. She was very professional and really went above and beyond to supply me with options and information. Once we decided on the venue (NH Hotel Grand Convento di Amalfi) she connected me with one of her colleagues, Jo (Joceyn) who was equally as amazing. Jacquie and Jo became the best email buddies I’ve ever had! I would look forward to their daily emails. They truly made me feel like anything was possible. I knew they have been planning weddings on the Amalfi coast for years, and this was very consoling to me. I knew that I could trust their opinion which is so important when planning a wedding over seas. They personally knew the vendors that they worked with, and again, without knowing any of them I was able to invest my trust (and money) and they did not disappoint. Every single one of their recommendations was phenomenal. The flowers were stunning, the music was fantastic, the makeup artists and hair stylist were spectacular and the venue was perfect for the amount of people I had and the vibe that I wanted. The photographer (Gianni DiNatale) was absolutely incredible and inspired and I would have never have found him if it wasn’t for TAE. We had the most amazing time and it was because of TAE. I would recommend them over and over. On another note, not only were we over the moon happy with how seamless our wedding went, but so were our guests. Jocelyn and Jo organized the majority of the transportation and lodging for our guests, as well as our transportation throughout the coast. Guests would come up to me and tell me how lucky I was to have had such amazing wedding planners. Even the drivers that we had were exceptionally professional, and skilled at what they do (if you know the Amalfi coast you know how treacherous those roads can be). Lucy, another one of their colleges, was also vital in organizing our day trip to capri the day after the wedding, and again, she did not disappoint. We are SO THANKFUL for TAE team and as I mentioned before would recommend them highly to any bride that wants to get married on the Amalfi Coast!

The Amalfi Experience dotted every "i," and crossed every "t," to ensure our daughter's wedding and the events surrounding it, were absolutely perfect. Planning a wedding is challenging at best, particularly when doing so from a different country. Rest assured, TAE alleviated all of our apprehensions, and afforded us a dream wedding experience. Jacquie & Lucy are professionals. All of their suggested vendors were outstanding and quite frankly, at such a high level of expertise in their field, exceeding our expectations. On the big day, Jacquie, Lucy and staff divided themselves between the church, bride & bridesmaids, groom & groomsmen, and wedding venue, (The Hotel Santa Caterina), making sure everything and everyone was spot-on perfection while cool as a cucumber. They were simply, amazing!

The Amalfi Experience were simply incredible from the word go. Having completed an inquiry form Jacquie was the first to respond with lots of really useful information about getting married on the Amalfi coast which made the decision to choose them very easy. Lucy was our assigned planner and she was superb. Nothing at all was ever too much trouble and she made everything feel relaxed. The organisation was exceptional and from beginning to end. Everything was really clear and well explained. There were so many comments from the local community that they were the best wedding planners to have so if you are planning on an Amalfi wedding I would highly recommend their service. It was above and beyond our expectations and our guests had a fantastic day with Lucy and Jo ensuring everything went smoothly.

It is difficult to describe Jacquie and the TAE team in a couple of short sentences. They planned three separate events for our special week, and somehow managed to supersede our every hope, wish, and expectation, start to finish. Their level of service and expertise was clear from the beginning, as was their ability to “get us”, even after one Skype chat. Jacquie’s knowledge of The Amalfi Coast is vast, and her relationships there are abundant, which makes just about anything possible! I was anticipating a stressful planning process (especially with the distance and time difference), but I can honestly say that I loved every minute of it….working with them is SO.MUCH.FUN…!! Choosing a planner is the most important wedding decision you’ll make. Anyone can take direction, offer ideas, or make suggestions. But only a rare few can interpret abstract visions (like a bride’s dream day!) and then bring them to life... in a next level way. THAT is exactly what Jacquie and Team TAE did for us… and exactly what sets them apart from all the others.

Enlisting The Amalfi Experience was one of the best decisions we made when planning our wedding in Ravello. The thought of preparing for a destination wedding so far away was overwhelming, but our fears subsided as soon as we had Lucy, Jacquie and the rest of the team working with us to realize our vision. Their extensive resources and relationships with vendors on the Amalfi Coast made our lives so much easier, with their fluency in Italian and English bridging the language barrier. Over a year of emails, calls and one in person visit led to a seamless wedding week. We could not imagine our wedding without The Amalfi Experience and could not recommend them highly enough. Max & Lauren Bobinski New York, NY