Your Complete Event Coordination Checklist & Planning Toolkit

The Answers to Questions You Never Knew You'd Have

On our blog, you'll find everything from handy Thanksgiving turkey guides to rental checklists, bar setup ratios, timeline templates, and all the first-hand knowledge we've gathered from two decades of professional event planning. 

This blog is a labor of love that we hope will help give you more of the confidence you deserve and a whole lot less frustration.

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For most of us, the Self-Quarantine and Social Distancing practices have us cooking at home a lot more often than we used to do. Especially considering that it can be up to all three meals a day now with the whole family home. No matter how much grocery shopping we do, I am sure we […]

Event Planning

COVID Cooking:Science Experiment or Episode of “Chopped”

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To My Dear Clients, Colleagues and Friends, I often write to you and remind you to reflect on the importance of family and friends and the significance of celebrating life together. During this time of concern for everyone affected by this virus we can all take the time to reflect and focus on the things […]

Guides

Personal Responsibility and Social Distancing

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Did you ever think you knew the definition of a word or term simply because you have seen it so many times and assumed you knew what it meant? It happened last week when my husband asked me what Confit meant on a menu.  We were on vacation in Jamaica and I noticed that this […]

Catering

Sous Vide and Confit

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Want to add some Spice to your life? Kick up the Condiments! The grey weather we have been having leaves me feeling a little blah and bored. When lunch time comes, I am looking for something to wake up the day as there is usually no sunshine around. How do you wake up a common […]

Event Planning

Crazy for Condiments

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For a short month, February sure packs a big punch! This year we have an added bonus of an additional day due to Leap Year. Those of you that might have or know someone that has a birthday of Feb 29, this is that magical time that comes around every 4yrs that allows you to […]

Event Planning

Good things come in small packages!

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Whenever we entertain we roll out the Red Carpet for our guests in one way or another. The goal of hospitality is to make your guests feel special and valued and there are many ways to achieve that with food, beverage, décor, or staff. However the Academy Awards allows us to literally “Roll Out the […]

Event Planning

Roll Out the Red Carpet!

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I have a friend and coworker that always talks about Acorn fed pork. He says he buys the pork in a local organic market and that the pigs are raised in CT ethically, free range style. I never paid much attention to this conversation as I had no point of reference to it. Then over […]

Guides

Acorn Fed Pork

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Free image Fairyland Christmas landscape (Free photobank torange.biz) / ©torange.biz The obsession with a White Christmas has always fascinated me. Especially since the occurrence of them in our Tristate area is more often rare vs the norm, especially along the coast, which makes them all the more magical when they do occur. In researching this […]

Event Planning

White Christmas Lore

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Tis the Season to raise your glass of bubbly and toast to your family, friends, co-workers and colleagues. Sharing good cheer and best wishes with all. What is your favorite Bubbly or go to Party Sparkler?  In the past, the classic and standard was Champagne, famous for its tiny bubbles as Don Ho would say.  […]

Guides

Bubbles, Sparkles and Sprinkles! It’s all about the Bubbles!

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Download Our Helpful Planning Tips Guide

With years of experience and hundreds of events, our team has learned a thing or two about hosting an incredible and positively memorable event. Download our guide for our free tips on making sure your event goes flawlessly.

Your team in planning excellence.

Our team leads with logistics, builds genuine relationships with our clients and vendors, and believes that doing things right and ethically is what matters most. 

Marylee Santoro, founder and owner of Events by Marylee, has been creating seamless events since 2007, and officially launched Events by Marylee in 2014 after years of planning on the side while working her full-time career. For more than 35 years, she's worked as an environmental analyst and educator, doing work that requires the same obsessive attention to detail and procedure-driven precision she brings to every wedding, gala, and celebration. What started with planning themed formals in college has grown into a full-service planning and staffing company with a team of 95+ certified professionals, built on a simple philosophy: it's not just about the event, it's about the people celebrating it. 

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“The absolute best team I’ve ever had at a party. Truly awesome.

- Roslyn

“Party was great. The staff was amazing - don't know how they took over our kitchen and figured everything out.

Thank you Mary Lee for the guidance, and I loved the blue and white striped straws - made the party vibe. Looking forward to the next one!”

- Barbara

“Thank you for a wonderful party last night. The food was absolutely delicious and all the little details were taken care of so (my wife) and I were able to enjoy ourselves.“

- Larry

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Full-service party planning, professional event staffing, and expert coordination for weddings, corporate events, and celebrations throughout Connecticut, Westchester County, the Hudson Valley, and beyond.