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.
With the release of Practical Magic 2 I was inspired to watch the original again to remind myself of why I liked that movie. Of course, the most iconic moment is the Midnight Margarita scene set to the hypnotic sounds and lyrics of Harry Nilsson’s tune “Coconut.” The scene is as simple, organic and delicious […]
Almost exactly two years ago, I wrote a blog celebrating ten years of Events by Marylee and sharing something very close to my heart—our Signature Service Experience. I shared the importance of the client experience, what it is like to work with us – that our actions are intentional and we operate like your personal concierge […]
February = Love = Chocolate + Pistachio = Dubai Chocolate Valentine’s Day is often associated with Chocolate, so I thought this was a perfect time to talk about a chocolate flavor that is becoming as ubiquitous as pumpkin spice in the fall, called Dubai Chocolate. The new flavor combination is chocolate and pistachio with some […]
Did you realize that 50th Anniversaries and Birthdays for this year are for those who were born or married in 1975! For some people, 1975 seems like ancient history, for others it may bring back fond memories and nostalgia of high school, youth and good times. Who could forget tuxedos with ruffled shirts! It was […]
February may be the shortest month of the year, but that doesn’t mean we have any less to be thankful for or fewer opportunities to celebrate! The Groundhog has already made his predictions—depending on who you believe. While we may see some snow in the forecast, the sun’s angle is higher, and any snow is […]
Happy New Year! As January comes to a close, are you still feeling positive about your New Year’s resolutions? Interestingly, this year, in the blogs and podcasts I follow for personal growth and inspiration, I’ve noticed more emphasis on making New Year’s Intentions with goals, rather than just resolutions. There’s encouragement to take action, instead […]
1. Check Your Oven Temperature – Get a Separate Oven Thermometer Cooking times are based on both the size of your turkey and the temperature of your oven. As we enter the busiest cooking season of the year—Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Chanukah celebrations—it’s a great opportunity to perform a little preventative maintenance on your oven to […]
Taste is one of our most fundamental senses, intimately linked to our basic human need for sustenance and survival. Throughout history, food has been central to rituals and ceremonies, and today, sharing meals remains a vital part of our social lives and celebrations. Breaking bread together is a universal tradition that has evolved from mere […]
Light and lighting are Extra Sensory elements that can create mood and enhance the experience of your events, surprising and delighting your guests. They can be purely functional or transform your event into an ethereal experience! An example of functional lighting is how it impacts events in the evening and the importance of properly lighting […]
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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.
“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
