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.

Thanksgiving is upon us and we are all preparing to celebrate a little differently this year. Even though this has been a year like no other, there are still plenty of things to be grateful for, as well as ways to make the day special, even if we can’t all be together as we normally […]

Event Planning

Thanksgiving

Read the post

We have all heard of Farm to Table events. They grew to be quite popular before the Pandemic. The concept is to cook and serve only fresh ingredients directly from a farm or the farm where the event might be taking place. There are a lot of variations on the theme. I attended one once […]

Event Planning

Farm to Table to Farm

Read the post

Have you heard of a Sneeze Guard before? Of course I have seen them, but I am not really sure that I knew that is what they were called until we all met COVID-19. Think back to the golden days of Salad bars and Supermarket Hot Food Buffets, and even Raw Bars…The Sneeze Guard is […]

Catering, Tips & Tricks

What is a Sneeze Guard and Why is it on my Buffet?

Read the post

Have you heard of a Sneeze Guard before? Of course I have seen them, but I am not really sure that I knew that is what they were called until we all met COVID-19. Think back to the golden days of Salad bars and Supermarket Hot Food Buffets, and even Raw Bars…The Sneeze Guard is […]

Guides

What is a Sneeze Guard and Why is it on my Buffet?

Read the post

Nothing says Fourth of July more than a Pool Party and a BBQ. The question is, how do you host your celebration and practice responsible socializing while being mindful of the contactless style of service that COVID 19 has created and still have a fun and safe time? One way is to provide a Grab […]

Event Planning

Grab and Go Pool Parties and BBQs

Read the post

It is true that we can’t have open, self-serve buffets. Stationary hors d’oeuvres and grazing tables are currently a thing of the past. Yes, it’s true, we won’t have to see the eternal crudité and cheese platter at every event anymore! Maybe that is a good thing! Lol!  We have all heard so much about […]

Catering

Tapas! The perfect COVID catering solution!

Read the post

It can be said we all are literally captive audiences these days. There is a constant barrage of information from all media outlets, between the news, webinars, and Zoom panels, it is hard to take it all in and sort it out. Outside of the standard sources of media, I have also been plugged into […]

Guides

Sharing Our Resources

Read the post

There is a saying that goes, “Things come in Threes.” The idea seems to derive from the Latin phrase, “Omne trium perfectum” (Everything that comes in threes is perfect, or every set of three is complete.) Generally people refer to bad things happening in Threes. The same can be said for good things, but we […]

Event Planning

Daily Disasters!

Read the post

I have heard from a number of different people, from all walks of life, that they are working harder and longer now that they are working from home.  What is happening is that we have lost those natural triggers and boundaries that used to prompt us to stop what we were doing (working) and go […]

Sustainability

Blurred Lines: Home/Work/Life Balance

Read the post

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”

Read the post

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. 

next
prev

“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

Services

Explore

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.