Blue Lily Wedding Services

A Coordinator Without a Plan B?

I was blown away by the service the brides appeared to receive and the seeming awareness of mental health. After spending 60K on the big day a coordinator so we can be guests at our own event was a no brainer. She touched base, gave us a checklist, and mid July started to reach out to our vendors. She visited our venue, and we were doing everything on our end as I'm a Type A bride (I had my own binder, detail lists, etc.). Tahirah, who's an Oct 2023 bride, offered to let me use her bust for my dress pictures etc. On 8/26 we received an email that appeared to be worded by Tahirah that she was hospitalized and "would be back in the saddle 8/30". After receiving no communication on 8/30 (3 days before our wedding) I start sending her emails and contacting vendors for alternative points of contact. The afternoon of 9/1 I got a call from Tahirah that she's been released and will be attending the rehearsal dinner we have scheduled for 9/2. I was immediately uncomfortable as the groom's grandmother is in her 90s and I had an immunocompromised bridesmaid. At this point I had done the wedding week list that I paid her to do and incurred all the stress I was looking to avoid. We agreed to a 50% refund and instead of coordinating the entire day she would do the reception onward and manage the vendors. Then 24 hours before my wedding Tahirah states she has resurfacing symptoms and will be sending 3 of her staff in her place to do the coordination. No staff sent a message during Tahirah's alleged hospitalization, visited our venue, or met our vendors. At this point I'm livid but hoping after this disaster the assistant will step up. It's unclear to me why the compromise wasn't declined and a full refund issued if she knew the "staff" wouldn't be able to replace her. The groom seeing my distress took over from here, all 3 of this staff were on the briefing call and it increased my comfort as one of the staff was her original assistant for the day. On our wedding day, we only saw 2 "staff". The prior assistant was never seen. The staff was her husband and an older lady. After someone stepped on my train and tore it and I started screaming, someone went to get the Blue Lily staff member who was to help with my dress pre-ceremony. She apologized and asked why we had not come get her. The staff was there on time, saw both limos pull up and never came to me...I in my wedding dress was supposed to come get them. While they were happy to help when asked to do something, they were not coordinating anything. I pulled the venue manager aside when the timeline went askew, I had bridesmaids checking decor and locations, and finally the one thing I wanted which was not to lose any puzzle pieces from our guestbook did not happen. I paid 1K for essentially more helping hands and not day of coordination. We had a large enough bridal party and didn't need helping hands. Finally, my husband tried to confirm we would get our refund as agreed. Tahirah advised on 9/17 she had medical bills she was prioritizing and would make sure we had our refund by 10/10. To be told she was using money for a service she did not provide to pay her personal bills is unacceptable. The distasteful honesty that she used our money for her vendors would've been frankly better than insulting our intelligence. You were not discharged on 9/1 and have a bill on 9/17. Hire a coordinator not doing this as a side hustle. The glowing reviews and content ending up getting me hustled.