Skip to main content
Weddings

About

An Exceptional Event is a full-service wedding and event planning company creating personalized weddings and special occasions in beautiful Loudoun County and throughout Northern Virginia.

Services Offered

An Exceptional Event offers a variety of services including Day-Of Coordination and Partial Planning, with each package curated to match each couple's unique needs.

Known for her superior attention to detail with calm and grace, owner Shawn Marie Carnall has been planning events for over 20 years. She managed events for an educational association, planning conferences for 300-18,000 people and banquets for 200-1,000. A former sales manager for Hilton Hotels, she decided to channel her organizational energies to weddings and conferences in 1999 and created An Exceptional Event. She holds a graduate certificate in Event Management from the George Washington University and has held the prestigious CMP designation (Certified Meeting Professional). She is also a graduate of the Association of Bridal Consultants professional development program

Shawn Marie has planned many, many events at amazing venues in Northern Virginia - and has a special place in her heart for Loudoun County.

  • Woman-owned
illustration popular

Vendors you may like

See other vendors that are popular with couples right now

Frequently asked questions

What wedding events do you provide services for?

Ceremony
Reception

What wedding planning services do you offer?

Day-of Coordination
Full Planning
Partial Planning

What weddings do you have experience planning?

Non-Religious
Religious

How many planners are on your team?

1
illustration question

Any other questions?

Message vendor

Reviews of An Exceptional Event

5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
14 Reviews
99% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

Powered by AI

Shawn Carnall from An Exceptional Event is highly recommended by multiple reviewers for her exceptional wedding planning and coordination services. She is praised for her attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and active management of vendors. Shawn's professionalism, expertise, and helpfulness are commended, and reviewers appreciate her continued support even after the wedding. She is described as trustworthy, organized, and a valuable asset in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable wedding experience. Couples highly recommend An Exceptional Event for their wedding planning needs.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Shawn Carnall from An Exceptional Event is highly recommended by multiple reviewers for her exceptional wedding planning and coordination services. She is praised for her attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and active management of vendors. Shawn's professionalism, expertise, and helpfulness are commended, and reviewers appreciate her continued support even after the wedding. She is described as trustworthy, organized, and a valuable asset in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable wedding experience. Couples highly recommend An Exceptional Event for their wedding planning needs.

Clayton
Clayton R. Sent on 12/30/2022
5 out of 5 rating

An Exceptional Event Coordinator review

We worked with Shawn Carnall from An Exceptional Event and she was an absolute pleasure to work with from day one in our process. Shawn worked as our coordinator for the day of but went above and beyond, making herself available about a month in advance of the big day for questions, active management of vendors, and helping us make sure we weren't missing anything.

Where Shawn really shined was her ability to actively problem solve. We worked with a venue which was quite poor at communicating and all around not up to par with the quality you would expect from a full-time venue, but Shawn actively managed the difficult conversations with the venue staff on the day of and from our walkthrough forward, making sure that nothing impeded our big day!

Shawn's attention to detail was stunning, she helped us through our wedding day with poise, making sure we checked all of our boxes, kept us on time and on track for our schedule, and ultimately helped us have an all around fantastic experience. Shawn is highly experienced in her field and from the first time we spoke with her, we knew she was trustworthy enough to allow us to fully enjoy our day without having to think about any of the logistics.

My spouse and I would recommend Shawn to anybody having a wedding in the DMV because she provides excellent service. True to the name of her company Shawn was nothing if not exceptional in her management of people, fine details, day-of setup, decor, and welcoming demeanor.

Shawn's quality service continued past the day of; she checked in with us frequently after our wedding to wish us well and to see if we had any questions or needed assistance with any final wedding closure. If you are looking for the experience of a highly competent wedding planner or coordinator look no further than An Exceptional Event.
M
Megan E. Sent on 11/18/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Shawn is the best!

Shawn is such an incredible person! She is easy going, fun to work with, and so attentive to detail! Funny not so funny story but my wedding earrings broke while I was putting them on and Shawn was the first person to quickly offer to use her personal earrings for my wedding day!! I couldn't have chosen a better wedding coordinator for our special day. To say she went above and beyond is an understatement. Our wedding day went so smoothly and with literally no hiccups because of her wonderful work. Don't hesitate! Book with An Exceptional Event you won't regret it!!!
D
David A. Sent on 12/28/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful event!

Shawn was extremely helpful with contract review and managing our special day! She was friendly, knew our venue very well, and also helped us through a difficult weather transition. We were very happy with how things went!
illustration message bubble

Are you interested?

Message vendor

Awards

14
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2023 Winner

Map

Other vendors in Washington DC for your wedding

Wedding Vendors