Comments: My fiance  and I had always dreamed of having a wedding in the Rocky Mountains.  When we realized that our family was going to be in Durango in July for our family vacation, we put the plan to get married in Durango into action! At first my mom and I tried to do it all ourselves from Texas where we live, but soon realized it was too difficult to do long distance.  My mom found a bride's recommendation for a wedding consultant named Stephanie Sheek with

Protege Event Planning in one of the featured weddings on the Western Colorado Wedding Guide website.

Stephanie was amazing!  My mom and I gave Stephanie our ideas for our 'dream' wedding and Stephanie made them all 'come to life' in the most incredibly beautiful wedding I could ever have imagined.  We could never have done it without Stephanie's assistance.  She was so amazingly great to

work with from start to finish, and by the time we actually met face to face, we all felt like 'old friends'.  We cannot recommend Stephanie highly enough!

Katie Moore - July 3

Midlothian, Texas

Comments: My husband and I were married on June 23, 2007 in Durango.  We had a destination wedding, late booking of the event, last minute venue changes

(ceremony and reception), and Stephanie Sheek of Protege Events handled it all.  She grabbed the bull by the horns, so to speak, and she made sure every detail was executed seamlessly.  Stephanie truly made an invaluable contribution to the happiest day of my life.  Numerous guests at the wedding told me, my husband, and our families that it was the nicest wedding they had ever been to.  Stephanie was knowledgeable, organized, and efficient. 

My husband and I were hesitant of actually hiring a coordinator because of the extra cost involved.  However, let me tell you that it is a true necessity.  We shopped around in the Durango area for a coordinator and decided to hire Protege Event Planning.  Our deciding factor to use Protege verses the other services available was based on Stephanie's knowledge of planning such an event (evident by the phone consultations we had) as well as her staff

that was made available to us on the day of the wedding. 

We truly had an entire  team  to make sure our day was perfect and all details were attended to.  Protege  was a little bit more expensive than the other services, but

worth every penny.  During the time preceding the wedding I think my most common comment to Stephanie was "you are worth your weight in gold" and truly, she is. 

My husband and I didn t book our venue until about 3 months before the actual wedding date.  Because of our late start, I knew that finding available vendors would be a challenge.  I gave my husband the task of finding and booking the DJ.  When his deadline had passed, and we still had no entertainment I knew I had to take action.  (Ladies, I m sure you can relate).  Stephanie was able to recommend amazing vendors on a very short notice.  She found our DJ, a harpist for the ceremony (who was awesome), the officiate, the florist, and the baker with less than 8 weeks to the wedding. Everybody that she recommended was great.   

We also had a last minute venue change of both the ceremony and reception locations!  Stephanie was able to find alternate site locations.  We actually had a couple of different options to choose from.  So there we were 4 days before the wedding driving to different sites.  (Yes, ONLY 4 days!) The alternate ceremony site was beautiful and was provided by DMR.  We chose the Sow s Ear for our reception and they were able to put together a plated dinner for 100+ on very short notice.  I honestly don t know how we would have handled the stress of such a major change without Stephanie's assistance. She handled these changes with professionalism, optimism, and undoubtedly, great skill.  

Now, our wedding was kind of an exception to the rule.  We really put Stephanie to work!  I was able to get up that morning, go to the salon, put on my dress and show up.  That s it!  No stress, no vendor confirmations, no decorating, etc., etc.  Having a team on your side is the ONLY way to get

married. 

Sincerely,

Amanda Thatcher ~ Bride - June 23

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Comments: Stephanie made everything happen promptly and perfectly.  She has a great staff and excellent service providers.  I really enjoyed working with her.  She is very positive and extremely accomodating.  Plus, she gave some great advice that kept everything simple and stressfree for me.

Caroline Munger ~ Bride - June 2

Bayfield, Colorado / Austin, Texas

VENDOR RATING

Western Colorado Wedding Guide:

Stephanie Sheek,

Protege Event Planning, Inc.

Rating:

5 stars [Excellent]

Submitted by:

A. Ortiz

Wed:

July 23, 2005

Comments:

Stephanie truly desires each bride to have the wedding of her dreams she is dedicated to making that happen. I live out-of-state she did a lot of research & ground-work for me that I highly valued & trusted. I would recommend her to every bride!! I cannot say enough good things about her - she is professional, friendly and very sincere.

Thank you note 

Dear Stephanie:

A little over a year after the 'Big Event' held in April 2005, we still have a warm and fuzzy feeling every time we talk about it. That you were able to bring people in from all parts of the country, arrange their lodging and keep it a secret still leaves us very impressed. And the food planning so that nobody had to cook was very smart. We could eat and talk without having to cook! What a deal.Your orchestration of the Friday Night Dinner was flawless. If our Government could function on the level you did - 'WOW' -  The thought is overwhelming. But, what really stands out in my mind is the style and grace with which you pulled it all together. No frantic waving of arms or a raised voice. That is indeed, saviore-faire at its best.

Best Always,

Tom Crum

Issaquah, WA

Thank you note:

Dear Protege Events,

Just wanted to Thank you again - Celebrating a special day is a joyous occasion. Coordinating a surprise three day celebration is less than joyous when you live out of state. Enter Stephanie Sheek. We contacted her to assist in planning a 50th Birthday Celebration. She has a great knowledge of local resources and a wonderful enthusiasm. Working with us, she coordinated everything from invitations, accommodations for many out of town guests, meals, and even entertainment for the little ones. Best of all we were able to relax and visit with family without anyone bearing the responsibilities of hosting.Believe it or not it was a Grand Surprise and a great Memory!

Much Thanks,

Sharon Hiatt /WA

VENDOR RATING

Western Colorado Wedding Guide:

Stephanie Sheek,

Protege Event Planning, Inc.

Rating:

5 stars [Excellent]

Submitted by:

N. Geffe

Wed:

Sept 29, 2006

Comments:

She was absolutely wonderful and so easy to work with.  Although I didnt decide to have a wedding coordinator until about a month and a half before my wedding - Stephanie was able to jump right in and pick up everything that I had planned for the past 10 months.  She was fantastic. I highly recommend her to everyone.

Our experience of working with Stephanie and Protege Event Planning has been professional and extremely detail oriented. Her weddings have looked exquisite, as she is always looking for the best for her bride and groom and their families.We would highly recommend Stephanie and her coordinating services.You will not find any better in the Four Corners area!

Drew & Amy Semel

IlluminArts Photography

970-884-4864

800-730-1906

I have had nothing but positive experiences with Stephanie at Protege Event Planning from the moment I called to inquire.  She has been very attentive, making me feel as though I am her only bride.  Not even having met Stephanie, I know my wedding day will be perfect based on my conversational experiences with her.  We receive bills with a running total of what we have paid and what remains due, which helps put our minds at ease.  Stephanie has been so professional and I trust her 100%!

B.Bonilla / TX

I have the greatest respect for Stephanie and her talents as a wedding coordinator.  She is very professional and takes care of ALL the details. The weddings have been beautifully set and run.  I highly recommend her for any event! 

Rev. Chessa J. Gill

970 259 9859  

VENDOR RATING

Western Colorado Wedding Guide:

Stephanie Sheek,

Protege Event Planning, Inc.

Rating:

5 stars [Excellent]

Submitted by:

E. Hudson

Wed:

May 28, 2004

Comments:

Stephanie was great in preparing and planning everything in our wedding, it was beautiful and went smoothly because of her.

To Whom It May Concern:

     We, at DURANGO PARTY RENTAL, INC., have had the opportunity to work with Protégé Events and Stephanie Sheek on several occasions and have the utmost confidence and appreciation for their professional service and hospitality.  Anything but complete customer satisfaction is not an option at Protégé Events.

Sincerely,

JON SIGILLITO

Owner of

DURANGO PARTY RENTAL, INC.

To Whom It May Concern:

As a veteran of 23 years in the meetings and conventions industry and another 7 years as an independent event videographer I can say without reservation the one situation having the potential of disrupting a important event is fragmented planning.  My most satisfying professional projects always involved a conference planner thoroughly familiar with every aspect of the event, committed to keeping all personnel involved in a communication loop,  and fully capable of making informed decisions to resolve the unexpected  complication.

I first met Stephanie Sheek some seven years ago when she was the conference coordinator for an annual, week-long, hands-on training  symposium on fire fighting.  She had to manage the day to day details  of some 500 fire fighters which included room reservations, class schedules, food service arrangements, equipment and logistical  support.  Her efforts significantly contributed to a very successful event.  She continued to manage this event and a similar symposium dealing with emergency medicine for several years.

Last year our career paths crossed once again. Unlike most wedding  planners, Stephanie adheres to the strict professional standards of  corporate event planning.  She fully understands the role of an event planner. Her recommendations are thoroughly researched.  She's reliable, confident, and detail oriented.  Indeed, she is the only wedding planner I will allow to make logistical decisions on my behalf.

Sincerely,

Waldemar Winkler

Waldemar Winkler Videography

I would trust Stephanie to plan anything and make it beautiful; she is extremely trustworthy and has excellent instincts. She will make your wedding day beautiful and the day of your dreams!

Laura Dickerson/UT Bride

For the bride in search of a coordinator ~ I would tell her that hiring you was the best decision I could of possibly made! Stephanie gave me and my guests the wedding of my dreams. She is professional and always a step ahead. She is only concerned about giving the bride EVERYTHING that she is looking for and really does her best to share your vision for the perfect wedding day. Stephanie didn't let me down in any area and I would use her again and recommend her for anyone who wants a planner to take care of every detail and make your wedding day a breeze! I had a number of guests tell me that my wedding was the nicest wedding they had ever been to! ALL THANKS TO STEPHANIE & HER STAFF!

Sincerely,

Jaime Messier/CO

Stephanie helped plan, coordinate and execute a hoe down at our ranch in Southwestern Colorado and did a wonderful job.  She was responsive, diligent and very budget conscious.  Stephanie was very professional and always a pleasure to work with.  I would highly recommend Protege Event Planning.

Gwen Lockhart/NY

Thank you note:

Stephanie~ 

I had the most wonderful experience with you.  You were able to pick up everything that I had done in the last 9 months, just 2 months before my wedding.  You were able to follow through with all my vendors for me and you were so organized and constantly checking on every single detail, to make sure our wedding day would stay on track.  You made all my guests feel comfortable with your warm outgoing personality.  You really made my wedding be what I wanted, instead of what it should be.  I appreciate everything you had done for me (all the calls, meetings, & staying on top of everything). 

Thank you-  Nicole Kane/FL

I have not worked with Stephanie of Protégé Events for a wedding, however we worked together coordinating for a family gathering/summer party.  It was a pleasure to work with Stephanie and she kept in touch to make sure the details of the party were taken care of beforehand.  All I had to do was provide the catering food. Stephanie took care of decorating the tables and the many other details of the party, which made my job much easier.  I would recommend Stephanie as a coordinator.

Sincerely,

Bill Volk, Owner and Chef

Camp Robber Restaurant

Montrose, Colorado