There are not enough words to describe how invaluable Em Devaud is, not only as a wedding planner, but as a support system, cheerleader, therapist, person, and best friend. I will detail my reasons for all of this below as it relates to my experience with her, but if you read no further this is the main take-home message: hiring Em Devaud will be the single best decision you will make (besides saying "I Do!") for your wedding day.


My husband and I made two promises to each other when we sat down to plan our wedding: 1. We would enjoy the planning process and 2. We and our parents would be guests at our own wedding. Though my husband is a native of the Newport, RI area, we quickly realized when we began the process that we would need some extra support in making this a reality. Enter Em Devaud.



Immediately, Em was different. I had hired some vendors prior to working with Em and, I kid you not, every. single. one. of. them. was ECSTATIC at the idea that Em may be a part of this wedding and sung her praises, recommending her 10/10 times. When we reached out to her, she provided a very clear price structure including line items of what responsibilities, jobs, and wedding weekend events were included with her fees. There were never gray areas or moments of "Can we ask her to do this?" or "Who's job is it to do that?" which was EXCEEDINGLY helpful after navigating a sea of different pricing structures with unclear benefits, roles/responsibilities from other planning vendors. She expected to be a part of the process from start to finish, checking in regularly, even 11+ months out from wedding day, and having a TON of resources, google sheets, recommendations, and calendar invites available to you.



Then you talk to Em, and you realize why she prides herself on being your "hired best friend." Fun, up-beat, positive, can-do. If Elle Woods and Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner were combined, you'd have Em. I'd also add, though, that she is also your "hired 'in' for Newport, RI." As I said above, vendors in Newport love and respect Em. It's evident in their interactions with her that I was witness to and its evident in her ability to get things done with them. Her track record is strong, and she is a respected professional in the community.



Em joined us for every vendor meeting, either in-person or virtual, including a meeting that took place only FIVE days after she gave birth to her youngest. She took detailed notes and followed up on all of my questions and concerns. She navigated difficult conversations that I felt too uncomfortable handling, maintaining a professional relationship with both myself and vendors. She gave straightforward advice when needed or asked for and she was willing to make whatever decisions my husband and I decided on work, even if that meant more behind the scenes action on her end.



So, can Em handle challenges and curve balls? We certainly threw her some, and she hit grand slam after grand slam. About a month out from our wedding, our room block and brunch hotel site had a fire that effectively wiped it out from use. The fire began in the 8 o'clock PM hour and Em was calling and emailing solutions and back up contracts starting at 10 o'clock PM that night. We had CHOICES for room blocks and brunch locations (during the summer months in Newport, RI) within 24 hours of realizing we would have to completely switch gears without having done a thing; it had been completely facilitated by Em. We didn't have time to panic, as any problems were solved by Em before we truly realized we had them. On our wedding day, a massive thunderstorm and torrential downpour threatened our outdoor ceremony, and Em had Plans A, B, C, D, E ready to go, though at all cost she was going to make our dreams a reality and make outdoors work. When it was still pouring 30 minutes before our ceremony was due to start, Em put my husband and I in a quiet room (strategically away from people and windows through which you could see weather) with champagne, left us to go back to the venue to subsequently coordinate an entire crew and staff to dry everything for us so that when the rain stopped 15 minutes before my walk down the aisle, we could and did have our perfect, outdoor ceremony.



Our parents, our bridal party, our vendors, and our GUESTS were amazed with Em. So many people came up to my husband and I to sing the praises of "our wedding planner, Em" or to tell us, and I quote, "Is it weird that I just told your wedding planner that I love her?" Some members of my bridal party had hired and worked with some of the most well-known planners on the Eastern seaboard and wished they had known about Em because they would have booked her in a heartbeat instead. She went so above and beyond what is industry standard.



If you are still reading, thank you! Em is everything. In our toast at our wedding I said that the only sad part of the day was that it meant I was not going to be regularly communicating with Em anymore, and I meant that. She will ensure you have the absolute best day, the day you have dreamed of, and importantly, the day you deserve.

Where do I even start? My husband and I are thankful beyond words to have worked with Em. She was there every. step. of. the way.- easing my nerves, making introductions to vendors, providing invaluable recommendations and playing such a vital role in making this the wedding weekend of our dreams. She truly has a gift and her genuine passion for both her clients and her work are beyond evident. She was the support system I never knew I needed but couldn't have done it without and looking back, we truly couldn't have imagined our wedding and the year leading up to our wedding without her being a part of it! She has this unmatched ability as a wedding planner to act with poise and grace and is the peace of mind in human form that EVERY bride needs. If you're on the fence about hiring Em, this is my message to you to not think for one more second and make that connection with Em that you will never regret or forget. I will say that the one thing you're not going to be able to prepare for is having to part ways with Em when your wedding weekend is all said and done. I can't tell you how upset I was that I wouldn't have the excuse to catch up with Em on our biweekly calls BUT she reminded me that this wasn't the end and that we'd stay in touch (and we have because that's how much she cares about her clients). It's been a little over 3 months since our December wedding and our family and friends are still raving about Em and the fact that our wedding wouldn't have been the amazing weekend it was without her. She will forever hold a special place in our heart. I truly cannot express how incredible she is. Thank you for everything Em!

We made no better decision for our wedding than hiring Em. She was the most wonderful, caring, attentive, and meticulous planner, and the level of care and time spent on making our wedding perfect was on full display at our wedding. From the small details, to the large ones, and from dealing with so many requests from us, she came through with shining colors, every single time. Hire her and you will get not only a partner, but a great friend, and she will ensure that you feel like she is your only client.