The Road to Marriage - Irvine, California

Callista Cowin

Hello, newly married Calli speaking! Just wanted to take the time to talk about how truly amazing working with Helayne was. If I could give infinite stars I would. Saying that working with Helayne from The Road to Marriage was wonderful just feels like an understatement. Right away from our first interview, I knew we would be a great fit. I had heard that having a planner was the best way to go about planning a wedding, but as someone who typically prefers to do most things herself, I struggled with the idea of trusting someone with my big day. But with Helayne, I knew I was safe. I felt like I could give Helayne my half baked ideas or “vibes” and she could just run with it and guide me towards exactly what I wanted. I never felt pressured or rushed, and no questions or concerns of mine were ever silly. I felt like she genuinely understood what our priorities for the big day were, and she did everything possible to help make our dreams come true.

More than just being a joy to work with, Helayne is an absolute professional. She always responded to my texts and emails promptly, and was so accommodating when it came to meeting either in person or online when my schedule changed. She worked directly with the vendors on my behalf, which took so much off of my plate and made the entire process so much less stressful. She looked over the contracts and would help explain anything I didn’t understand. She would be very honest whenever I had questions on the pricing difference between vendors and gave her honest and valid opinions, which helped guide my decision making process.

Helayne gave us very clear timelines and “to do” lists that helped make the entire planning process way less stressful. And it wasn’t just the planning process that was seamless: her organization and clear communication on the actual day made her the best damn day-of wedding coordinator ever. I had so many wedding guests walk up to us and say how impressed they were with my wedding planner. One person told me that Helayne made it seem like I was a high-end celebrity with the efficiency and care she treated our day with! I know you hear horror stories about all the things that can go wrong with a wedding, but from our rehearsal dinner, to the big day, to checking on us before out honeymoon, Helayne made our wedding weekend flawless. While weddings are never stress free, Helayne made it to where I could truly be in the moment and just enjoy the product of all of our hard work.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention how hard Helayne worked to make sure to include my sister in all of the wedding planning. Living so far from home, I thought I wouldn’t be able to work as closely with my sister as I would’ve liked. But Helayne saw how close I was with her and made it a point to include her each step of the way.

From the bottom of my heart, I recommend Helayne to anyone seeking a wedding planner. If I had to do the whole process over, I wouldn’t change a thing. Whether you’ve been looking for a while, or this is your first stop on your search, I promise you, you can stop here; with Helayne, you have found the best wedding planner you could hope for.

Caitlin Cowin

We had an absolutely wonderful experience with Helayne from The Road to Marriage. Her expertise and organization made the wedding planning process seamless and stress-free. Helayne provided invaluable assistance with vendor selections, contract management, and flawlessly handled day-of coordination. She kept us on track with timelines, ensuring everything was executed perfectly. Thanks to her, my sister could fully enjoy her special day without any worries.

Helayne’s communication skills are exceptional. She is not only prompt and professional but also incredibly kind and detail-oriented. Her thoroughness ensured that no aspect of the wedding was overlooked. Her professionalism and compassionate attitude throughout the planning and the event itself made a significant difference, lifting much of the stress from our shoulders.

A standout moment for us was Helayne’s flexibility in working across California and Texas. As her sister living in Texas, I was responsible for many details locally, while my sister lived in California. Helayne kept us both engaged and informed through various meeting formats, making coordination effortless.

I wholeheartedly recommend Helayne to anyone seeking a wedding planner. Her dedication and expertise are unmatched, and I would trust her with my own wedding without hesitation. Choosing a planner is more than an expense; it's an investment in peace of mind and the success of your wedding day.

If you're just starting out, make meeting with Helayne your first step. Her guidance and connections can transform your wedding experience into something magical and truly unforgettable.

Kelsey Wilson

Review for Helayne - Wedding Planner Extraordinaire

When it came to picking a wedding planner, our top priorities were finding someone experienced, knowledgeable, and reliable. We needed someone we could trust to bring our dream wedding to life. That's why we chose Helayne.

From our very first meeting, it was evident that Helayne was the right choice for us. Her professionalism and dedication gave us the confidence that we could depend on her throughout the entire process. She listened attentively to our ideas, understood our vision, and offered valuable insights that helped shape our perfect day.

Our experience leading up to the wedding was nothing short of amazing. Helayne was with us every step of the way, providing guidance, support, and peace of mind. She meticulously handled all the intricate details, ensuring that everything was taken care of smoothly and efficiently. We truly felt that we could relax and enjoy the journey, knowing that Helayne had everything under control.

For those just starting their wedding planning journey, our advice is simple: Take the time to do your due diligence in finding the right person for the job. However, if you want to save yourself the stress and uncertainty, we wholeheartedly recommend working with Helayne. Her expertise, professionalism, and genuine care for her clients make her an exceptional wedding planner. With Helayne by your side, you can trust that your wedding will be nothing short of perfection.

Thank you, Helayne, for making our special day unforgettable. We couldn't have done it without you.

Mary Wade

Helayne helped my sister plan and then re-plan her wedding many times during Covid. When I got engaged I didn’t entertain the idea of using another planner as I knew my sister had a fabulous experience working with her. Helayne once again did a fabulous job helping me and my husband plan our wedding!

Helayne helps outline all the steps in the planning process, remains open to answering questions and provides professional advice along the way. Helayne was extremely available throughout the process. She met with us monthly, and answered all questions very promptly. I almost forgot she has other client because of how much support she constantly provided us. Helayne’s commitment to her clients far exceeds the price of her services.

Our actual wedding day was even better than I could have imagined. We were completely relaxed and got to enjoy our day. We owe so much of that to Helayne. We are so appreciative of her hard work. If you are looking for a planner that’s organized, easy to work with, and loyal, we cannot recommend her enough!

Evelyn Ordones

I want to express so much gratitude to Helayne that I don’t think a Google review can truly do it justice—but I’ll try my bestest! 🙂

For us, the most important part of choosing a wedding planner was finding someone who could understand our vision—even when we didn’t have the clearest picture ourselves. I wasn’t the type of bride who spent years dreaming about her wedding, and as soon as planning started, I realized just how many details I hadn’t considered. My partner and I knew we needed extra support, and that’s exactly why we chose Helayne.

Helayne never made us feel like our ideas were silly. She asked thoughtful, inquisitive questions that helped us solidify our timeline, and she supported us through every twist and turn—whether it was a wedding dress mishap or moments of anxious indecision over what to book next. She was there for all of it.

One thing my partner and I learned from this experience is that the day itself flies by, but having a great team makes all the difference in how smoothly it goes. Helayne was pivotal in coordinating with vendors approved by our venue and connecting us with reputable ones she had worked with before. For example, she introduced us to Lucky Orchid Designs, who created stunning table and escort cards (and other stationery) that our guests adored.

If you need someone who is on top of their game, takes diligent notes, and is incredibly kind and supportive, look no further than Helayne. She’s amazing, and we’re so grateful she was part of our big day! 😀

Andrew Schmidt

Helayne was our wedding planner, she did an excellent job the day of the wedding. She is incredibly organized and she has lots of connections to the San Antonio wedding network. Our wedding ended up being incredible but it did go over our budget. I would recommend Helayne but I would suggest you make sure she understands that the budget is the budget, I felt like I had to look for cost savings opportunities when I thought that she should have been doing that type of work. She is very knowledgeable about what would work, how to do things and when to do them. She is very responsive, most of the time she is almost immediate.

Michelle Wu

When we first started this process, my husband wasn't entirely sure about a wedding planner. To be frank, on paper it can seem like a large line item cost and there will be a temptation to just want to do it yourself. I am going to be blunt and recommend you spend on a wedding planner. The LAST thing you want on your own wedding day is to deal with every small logistical issue under the sun. It's a stress that is not needed on your big day.

When looking for a wedding planner, it was really important that we find someone who would be a fit for our blended family and backgrounds, someone who could treat our cultures with respect. And so thank goodness for Google, we found Helayne.

A few details about our wedding, we had 220 people attend and wanted to have the wedding feel as customized to our personalities and who we are. Additionally we had a Chinese Tea Ceremony and Welcome Party. Helayne made this all happen. And it wasn't easy. To ensure we got a wedding that felt in every part like our wedding, we had to work really hard (all of us). Wedding planning is always going to be stressful. So it's not a matter of askign if a wedding planner takes away the stress and more about finding someone who can be on this journey with you and ensure that (stress or not) your vision comes true. Below are some of the amazing things Helayne and The Road to Marriage brought to the table.
1) Eye for detail. Helayne truly made us feel seen and heard in what we wanted - from the vendors she matched us up with (shoutout to Lady Buggs Flowers who was an amazing connection made) to the consultative advice she provided. For example, she recommended to our stationer that it might make more sense to have the table seating chart be lsited by start of last name (alphabetical) vs by table grouping. Such a seemingly small suggestion that ended up being a game changer.
2) Efficient execution and operational excellence. If you're looking for a strong operator who can ensure an event as important as a wedding actually gets done correctly, then Helayne is the right person. Her strong skills in logistical planning, vendor execution, and operational planning kept us on a solid schedule and resulted in what I can honestly say was the best weekend of my life thus far.
3) Day of crisis management. I expected this but was still surprised by how many things the day of the wedding didn't go 100% as expected. Not because Helayne or we couldn't control it but because things happen when you have 220 people in the same room and different vendors working together! Helayne handled everything with grace. I never felt one minute of stress or anxiety.

I wanted to specifically call out Helayne's work on the Chinese Tea Ceremony. This is an event that was not necessarily in her cultural wheelhouse, but the level of respect and care she took to work on this was outstanding. Every moment of this ceremony was deeply impactful and resonating and she helped make this happen for my family.

We would be remiss if we did not mention Helayne's biggest bonus asset which is her personality. She is genuinely a kind and caring professional, with a holistic eye for design. She cares about her clients at a level that is rare to find. We genuinely loved working with her, and would recommend her to the moon and back.
- Michelle and Brandon Scott

John David Weddings

As a wedding photographer I've worked with a lot of amazing wedding planners (some not so good ones as well). Very few of them hold a candle to the level of effort, detail and passion that Helayne puts into her weddings. Helayne is the perfect mix of fun and professional, she really takes time to get to know all the vendors in the area in order to match them her couples' taste and preferences. Every time I've worked with Helayne she executes the couples wishes spot on and they are happy every time. She surrounds herself with a hardworking team who've had some of the best attitudes I've seen during a wedding day. She will not stop working hard until the final confetti is vacuumed from the floor. I HIGHLY recommend her services and can guarantee you wont be disappointed. If you are reading this then look no further, you've found the right wedding planner for you! Now to relax and let her plan your wedding. 🙂