Magnolia Event Design

I had a clue on what I wanted my wedding to be but I couldn’t begin to think HOW I would get it done! I knew planning a wedding was a long process and I would be overwhelmed. Hiring Lindsey and Magnolia Event Design 10 months before our big day was the best thing my mother and I could have done. My mother is creative but can’t function in the technological world of today and I was focused on getting a promotion at my job so we just couldn’t realize our dream wedding on our own. Lindsey has such amazing connections to vendors up and down California, we did little to no extra research when getting the band, lighting, caterer, rentals etc. We had a giant challenge when planning our wedding. We wanted to host 250 people at our family vineyard in Santa Ynez with no indoor options, minimal electricity and NO kitchen. Lindsey and Alia and the Magnolia family had to coordinate and bring in every SINGLE thing for the wedding day. Generators, chairs, tables, lighting, tent for the reception, plants, flowers, flooring, stage etc. They worked incredibly hard for months to make our dream wedding come to life and until this day people are STILL commenting how magical it was.
Not only was the Magnolia team organized but they also brought more to the table than just that. I can’t emphasize how amazing it was for our budget the connections they had. At the last minute, I changed my mind about a videographer. Lindsey called a friend and he was there a week later at our wedding, he brought a drone and captured amazing shots of the vineyard and surrounding mountains (not included in the price we paid) and stayed for an extra hour to capture our exit from the reception.
I can honestly say that we would not have had the perfect day without the Magnolia team and I highly highly recommend Lindsey and her team. My husband and I will never forget out big day and I know our guests feel the same way!

For something as stressful as planning a wedding, you absolutely need a team on your side who will help get things done, keep you on track and organized. Lindsey and her team really helped make my once in a lifetime wedding a dream come true :) At times when I wasn’t sure what to do, or was losing my mind with all the little details, Lindsey was there to guide me and present different options to me.
She understood my vision, what I wanted my big day to look like and I trusted her in making my dream wedding a reality! I would 100% recommend her services to anyone looking for an amazing wedding planner who is very responsive, on top of it and organized.
Give her a call and let her help you plan your big day :)

The company I work for, Strategic Realty, Inc., needed to put together an open house event for one of our million dollar listings in Montecito. We only had two weeks to put together an event to match the grandeur of the home, and Magnolia Event Design was able to not only meet our needs, but exceed them!
They coordinated everything we needed: valet, bar-​tending, catering, décor, etc. We had a variety of desserts displayed in the womens’ changing quarters/​closet, masculine drinks and food choices displayed in the man cave, a bountiful charcuterie spread, delicious, hot, passed hors d’oeuvres, even a giant inflatable swan floating in the private courtyard pool. We wanted for nothing more and the event went off without a hitch. It was spectacular to say the least.
I’m glad we went out on a limb and contacted MED, because it appears that weddings are their forte. With that being said, their talents exceed any boundaries, and these gals sure do know how to put together quite the shindig!
Thank you again, Lindsey and Alia! You rocked our socks!

«That was the best wedding we’ve ever been to.» «I will never attend another wedding like that in my life.» «I have never seen a bride and groom so relaxed» These were just a few of the rave reviews that show the impact and emotions a Magnolia Event Design party can evoke.
I can’t even begin to tell you how happy we were having Alia and Lindsey as part of our team. Hiring them was hands down the best decision we made when it came to planning our wedding, minus choosing each other of course.
A little background — we live out of the country with a 15 hour time difference, chose Santa Barbara as neutral territory as we’re from the US but none of us are from the area and we are a very detail oriented couple who have a background in events therefore we have very high expectations. Lindsey and Alia didn’t disappoint in living up to those expectations.
We knew what we wanted and shared our ideas and then trusted them to execute and boy did they do so. Between facetime (at 6 am their time!), email and phone calls we vetted vendors, coordinated specialized personal touches for our guest, trolleys for transportations, you name it they conquered it. Never throughout the whole process was I worried about anything. Neither of us have ever been so relaxed on the day of a big event.
We had a big hurdle thrown at us when our venue completely screwed (by no fault of Magnolia) up and we had to find a new venue with eight months notice. The team handled it with grace and class and we ended up with a venue that was even better than we could’ve expected.
The girls transformed the Sea Center into the wedding of our dreams. We never saw the venue until we walked through for the reception. We can’t put into words the feeling of walking into this space and how it was exactly what we wanted — sophisticated, personalized and romantic. There were even facets that we didn’t even know we wanted — Lindsey listened and knew what was us. She handled random parent requests with ease, bridesmaid special requests, numerous personalized touches for our guests and dietary restrictions. So much of this happened behind the scenes and was beautifully executed.
We could write a 10 page review about our experience but I will sum it up by saying your biggest mistake would not be hiring Magnolia Event Design to coordinate your event (and maybe your entire life). Not only are they truly gifted but they are great communicators, organized and creative and we wish we lived next door to them as they are the people you’d be friends with for a lifetime.

I have worked very closely with Lindsey on a wedding. She is a true gem and very professional. Not only did she keep me in the loop in regards to schedules, details and reservations but she was quick to inform me with any changes and requests. If I had to work with any event planning company in Santa Barbara, it would be with Magnolia Event Design. Please ask for Lindsey, she is amazing!

Lindsey and the MED Team helped make our wedding day absolutely beautiful. We met Lindsey about 10 months before our wedding, and she helped us with everything; not only did she guide us through finding the perfect venue and fabulous vendors, but she kept us calm throughout the entire planning process, helped to manage our budget, and let me bounce a lot of wedding ideas off of her. I must have sent her over a thousand emails during the wedding planning months. She was always quick to respond and very honest, which I REALLY appreciated given that I was planning an SB wedding while living in Oakland.
My now-​husband and I prioritized finding a great wedding planner who would make sure that the day of the wedding, our families could just enjoy the day and not worry about anything. Lindsey and her team handled all the hiccups that happen at weddings (no matter how amazing the planners are) without any of us ever knowing about them. My mom was so relieved and impressed that Lindsey was so on top of everything; I have no idea what we would have done without her. We also wanted to find a planner who would listen to the things that were really important to us, and Lindsey definitely did that. For example, our top «Must Have» was a fun band that would play songs that would keep all our guests on the dance floor, and our band was better than we ever could have imagined. (Shout out to The Selections, the best wedding band in the entire world, who came highly recommended by Lindsey.)
On my wedding day, everyone kept coming up to me and saying they couldn’t believe how calm I was. I truly felt so at peace knowing that Lindsey and her team were on-​site to handle everything, and it allowed me to focus on my family and friends who had traveled so far to celebrate with us. I am SO thankful that we hired Lindsey and her amazing, composed, professional team.

Lindsey and magnolia events made my intimate wedding magical. Planning an Santa Barbra wedding from Cleveland was easy with the talents, insights, attention to detail, and amazing vendors Lindsey and her team work with. Everything was perfect nothing was missed. Lindsey is a Rockstar who can handle anything with poise, gets results, she can see your vision, making your event special, unique, and everything you ever dreamed of. She makes things happen with confidence and ease. I am still in amazement at how beautiful, stunning, romantic, graceful and elegant the whole feel of our small wedding had. I can not thank Lindsey and her team enough. I was completely relaxed knowing everything was taken care of because I had Lindsey at my side.

would like to start off with thanking Bri from magnolia so much! She went above and beyond for me on my wedding day. We hired magnolia to coordinate for the day of but she assisted me on anything I needed help with months before the wedding like vendor recommendations and phone numbers etc! They responded to my emails almost instantly! They made everything so smooth! My wedding day couldn’t have been coordinated any better! the day of my wedding Bri helped get my son dressed while I fixed my makeup disaster! Lol. She bustled my dress over a dozen times from coming undone. she carried my purse and brush the whole time! Lol. She did the things a maid of honor is suppose to do. I can go on and on! Bri was the sweetest genuine woman ever, I felt so comfortable with her. I would recommend her to any bride. She is amazing. My wedding was planned and coordinated perfectly because of her! THANK YOU to Magnolia Event Design who coordinated our dream wedding! We just celebrated our beautiful wedding in Santa Barbara at the fess Parker resort. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Amira and Diego

Talk about miracle workers the team at Magnolia pulled off a miracle and in only 7 days! My wife and I decided while on vacation to celebrate our 5 year anniversary with an intimate vow renewal… just 7 days before our anniversary. Let me be honest when I say we decided really my wife decided and I’m still not sure in what crazy world I agreed to it but it did! I had just been in a wedding that Lindsey’s team coordinated and so I emailed her to fill her in on our crazy idea and she was on board right away. We arrived home on Sunday, Monday we had a meeting with Lindsey and Bree and by the end of the day everything was planned. I’m still not sure how it all happened, but I suppose that’s the beauty of hiring a planner, or so my wife tells me. Granted it was an intimate affair with only 25 guests, but between catering, the party space and all the stuff to make it pretty it seemed like way to much for us to tackle alone. The end result was more amazing then we could have ever imagined. Lindsey and her team took everything we discussed and amplified it 10x. Lindsey said «this is what happens when we have great clients who trust us to just do our job» I said «this is what happens when you enlist a professional like the ladies at Magnolia Event Design to create something special» Thank you again, we could never have done it without you!

The set up of our venue was amazing and looked exactly how it was described, Magnolia NAILED it!!! If you are looking for a thorough, creative, and dedicated wedding planner then look no further than Lindsey @ Magnolia Event Design, she will make sure your vision is a reality. Lindsey and her team did an outstanding job of keeping all the «wedding day» stress off of my fiancé (now wife) and I which was really important to me. The compliments are still rolling in on our wedding from the layout, to the design and finally the execution which is most important… we keep hearing from our friends that is was the best wedding they have ever been to which is all thanks to MAGNOLIA EVENT DESIGN!!! We are so thankful for Lindsey and her crew as they exceeded expectations and wowed our guests with their execution. Lindsey is now a friend of ours but I can say the day of the event she did not let that friendship cloud her attention to detail which I have seen happen at other events… details, details, details make events extra special and MED did exactly that for us, we could not of asked for a better outcome. Thank you MED.

Lindsey and her team are absolutely wonderful, my husband and I could not be happier with how easy they all made the planning process and wedding day. She is incredibly dedicated to creating outstanding events that capture all of the ideas and inspiration her clients’ have and she organizes them into this beautiful, happy, fun, time for all. We had the pleasure of attending one of her weddings a few years ago and when we got engaged we knew there would be no better planner for us. She is the best ally to have while planning a wedding because she knows every square inch of the wedding planning industry in Santa Barbara and knows which vendors will be the best fit. In addition to this, she will fight for what you want and in a very kind and professional manner discourage any unwanted backseat planners. :)
One reviewer mentioned that Lindsey has favorite vendors that she prefers to work with and will only get proposals from those vendors. That was not my experience, she of course has vendors that she prefers to work with which makes sense because those are people she has experience with and when she refers a client I’m sure she wants to be absolutely sure they will stand up to her and the clients’ standards. There were a few instances in which we decided to go a different way from the vendors she typically uses and she welcomed the opportunity, her main goal is to ensure you have a wedding day that you are pleased with.
I honestly could not be happier with the work everyone at MED did they are awesome and were the perfect choice for our wedding!

If you are throwing a party or event look no further! Lindsey puts her heart and soul into her job and her passion and flair is contagious. She is not only talented but extremely organized and detail oriented. I loved working with her. She is so fun and has a great eye for design ! If you get the opportunity to work with her consider yourself lucky ;)

Lindsey and her team at Magnolia Event Design are truly astute professionals! I have had the great pleasure of working with them on a few different projects in the past year, including a 3 day (4) event hi-​profile wedding production that was executed flawlessly! Aside from really listening to her client’s and their wants, needs and dreams she also listens and trusts her vendor team to «do what they do best» and truly help create unique and stunning events!

I get to work with Magnolia Event Design once or twice a year and it’s always a delight. There is so much pressure and production behind the scenes at a wedding that it’s important to have a planner that can lead the team with skill and confidence. Lindsey has the talent and experience to create custom events that are beautiful, fun and memorable.
Lindsey has great personal style. She will listen to her clients desires, and refer them to event professionals that will be a match to their taste/​style, personality and budget. Her timelines are realistic and keep the event moving and grooving.

I have worked with Magnolia Event Design for a number of years and have always found it a pleasure to work with Lindsey, whether it is at the Four Seasons Biltmore, the San Ysidro Ranch, or a beach wedding. She has an eye and a hand for balance and beauty and with all the details flying around on the wedding day itself, is calm and focused, always able to respond to a last minute situation. As a minister, working along side her, I have always had a stellar experience with Lindsey and Magnolia Event Design and look forward to working again with her this year.
Rev. Miriam

It’s always a pleasure to work with Lindsey and the Magnolia Event Design team on any event. Not only do I work side by side with Lindsey but she was the day of coordinator for my own wedding. She helped make our wedding day seamless for us and all of our guests. Her attention to detail and professionalism is excellent!

Lindsey, of Magnolia Event Design, is truly one of the sweetest people I know. She is a planner who will help you with anything and everything when it comes to you and your special day. Vendors I’ve talked to in the Santa Barbara area always speak so highly of Lindsey and her team. Every vendor she works with and suggests, is truly talented and will work with you to get exactly what you’ve dreamed of. Every event I’ve seen Lindsey do has always exceeded my expectations. She takes ideas and makes them personal to you and your day.
Luckily for me, I had Lindsey to help me with my wedding day, I absolutely love her style. I have to say, without her, my wedding wouldn’t have been what it was. My wedding was gorgeous and went on without a hitch. Lindsey truly has a passion and a talent for what she does. I would recommend her to anyone.

Lindsey and Magnolia Event Design visualize the best design for your special day… and then make it happen! Our day was perfect. From the initial design meeting to the day of the wedding. Lindsey was the perfect buffer between myself and my very opinionated mother. She was so reassuring and made me feel special the entire time. No detail small or big is forgotten. She is an incredible professional to work with and her events show it!

My husband and I used Magnolia for our wedding, and I can honestly say that I could not have done it without them! I actually had Nikki as my go to day of person and she really made my day a breeze. She did everything from calming me down, to getting me a drink when I needed it to enforcing the appropriate force to non cooperating family members. She even made sure every last personal item was taken he at the end of the night (because lets face it, our heads are not on so straight!). Lindsey was the designer of the entire day and was beyond unbelievable throughout the planning process! It really came together like nothing I could have imagined on my own! Thanks ladies for being so amazing! I would recommend you two beauties to anyone who will listen!
Xoxo,
Heather H

I don’t have the space to write a complete review, so here is the summary. I do not recommend her for full service event coordination.
1. Her industry friends are in her best interest; not you (One example: she would only get me proposals from the hair/​make-​up team that she shared her suite with, even though I asked her to twice because it meant some of my bridesmaids would have to have their appointments first thing in the morning, the others 4 hours later in the afternoon, and 2 would have to go to completely different salons because they didn’t have enough staff to cover us. I had to research and hire my own hair and make-​up team)
2. Her work has to be checked (One example: she had be sign a contract for the wrong wedding date; she would approve contracts for me to sign that were erroneous in the vendor’s favor)
3. She won’t go the extra mile (One example: I told her I was gluten free, and she gave me a cake vendor that didn’t have GF options and charged a delivery fee because they were 30 miles from SB). I asked her to find alternatives more than once, and she never did, so I had to research and find my own cake vendor and found an amazing local one very easily on Unilocal that was very cheap, didn’t have a delivery fee, and was $ 2 less per slice!)
4. She will not take responsibility for her mistakes (One example: her team forgot to retrieve my wedding shoes from the venue and now they are gone, and she has stopped responding to my emails asking about them).
5. She creates expectations that she probably knows cannot be met (One example: told us to request certain reductions from our vendors — not her requesting them for us– only to be met with «no» responses that made me feel like an idiot for thinking I could ask in the first place and probably left them with a bad taste in their mouths)
6. She would often just forward emails from vendors and never read the things she was passing on. They were often wrong or not what we had asked for. She never took the initiative to act on our behalf or wishes and deal with issues before we had to see and remedy them ourselves.
7. She wasn’t always truthful — One example: when a vendor was bombarding me with questions, I asked her why she hadn’t addressed these with the vendor already, she said she had and it was the vendor’s fault for not getting back to her. I then realized that the vendor contact info was never even on any of the contracts, so had to ask her if she in fact had their contact info, which they did not.
8. Only bid her industry friends as vendors and never researched any potential new ones that would better meet our budget. We went WAY over budget, hardly got discounts from her recommended vendors, and as such only had one discount passed on to us (from the band).
9. The last month before the wedding uncovered undelivered payments, incorrect invoices, and incorrect budget tracking in her files.
10. Her execution of the wedding the day of was near perfect. There were a couple of minor things here and there (one table short a seat, my head table having too many seats, vendors not sticking to the timelines, etc.), but she was able to resolve them immediately. Her management and control of the process went really well, and the events of the wedding ceremony and reception were incredible.
While I had to continuously follow-​up with her and remind her that I was still waiting for her response to a question (s), she is very knowledgeable and could always answer my questions in detail. She has the perfect demeanor for the high stress of her role. She is always calm, composed, and even keeled. She never seems frazzled or overwhelmed. Other than not assuming responsibility/​apologizing for anything that went wrong, she was very professional.