Anticipation Events is a boutique event planning and styling company specializing in atypical and stylish weddings, social occasions, and special events. We're crazy good at making sure every detail is in place down to the last disco ball. Our attention to detail and ability to organize, paired with an eye for style means you get the best of both worlds: planner and designer.
With hundreds of events planned, dozens of crises averted, and countless candles lit, Team AE is your secret weapon to a stress-free event. When we’re not at a party, we dabble in music, food, interiors, and travel to keep our senses honed and inspiration flowing. We call Chicago home, but you can book us worldwide.
Elizabeth Tulipana
Elizabeth lives in Logan Square with her human companion, Tom, and their various plants. Prior to founding Anticipation Events in 2009, Elizabeth worked as an event planner for four years at one of Chicago’s most beloved cultural institutions, Shedd Aquarium. She stays busy in her free time with a variety of creative pursuits—she’s written pieces for the likes of Marie Claire Magazine and Conde Nast Traveler, and she continues her globetrotting adventures every chance she gets. Her best dance move is the running man, her favorite sandwich is a gyro, and her favorite animal is a flamingo.
Laura Hayes
Laura lives in the Beverly neighborhood with her husband, John, son, Henry, and black lab, Howie. She’s been planning events since birth and focused on weddings for the last six years. Her best (and only) dance move is a foxtrot, her favorite song to hear at a wedding is “You are the Best Thing,” and she’ll drive to Michigan to get her favorite sandwich – a trainwreck from Gurney’s.
Aimee Webster
Aimee lives in Old Irving Park with her husband, Kent, and their two sons, Henri and Louis. She has been planning events for 10 years. Her favorite song to hear at a wedding is “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” her favorite animal is a Pacific white-sided dolphin, and her best dance move is the pop-around back swing lift (whoa).
Journey Leary
Journey grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and now lives in Ukrainian Village. She has been planning events since she insisted to her parents that she plan her own birthday parties, but professionally for five years. Journey’s favorite song to hear at a wedding is anything by Bruno Mars, her favorite animal is an elephant, and her best dance move is the shopping cart.
Jeremy + Steven's wedding was featured on Lakeshore in Love in March 2021. Lakeshore in Love is the ultimate Chicago wedding planning resource.
We won! The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards recognizes the top 5 percent of local wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada that demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. The WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards are awarded solely based on the reviews from over a million newlyweds.
Allie + Cloie's wedding was featured on Offbeat Bride in July 2020. Offbeat Bride is a celebration of couples who dare to walk off the beaten aisle.
Ashlee + Keny’s wedding was featured on Chicago Splash in November 2018. Splash is Chicago’s resource for style, society and celebrity news.
Ruk + Matt’s wedding was featured on The Big Fat Indian Wedding blog in October 2017. The Big Fat Indian Wedding is a wedzine (wedding + magazine + online) that helps South Asian couples plan weddings around the world.
Our Camp Indie Wed photo shoot was featured on Bespoke Bride in December 2016. Bespoke Bride is a kickass blog that helps brides avoid a cliché ridden, cookie cutter wedding.
Britta + Ty’s wedding was featured on Grey Likes Weddings in May 2015. Grey Likes Weddings features a variety of weddings that lean toward a classic, sophisticated, timeless bride with a fashion forward bent. Most importantly, Grey Likes Love, Well-Styled.
Megan + Parker’s wedding was featured on Style Me Pretty in January 2014. Style Me Pretty is a style-savvy blog devoted to the modern bride. They feature the chicest and style centric wedding related content like this glamorous dinner party.
Lindsay + Bobby’s wedding was featured on Green Wedding Shoes in August 2010. Green Wedding Shoes believes that there is no “right” way to throw a wedding. From a weekend camping adventure, a handmade wedding in a loft or an intimate wedding on a farm like this one, they love them all!
Elizabeth was featured in Martha Stewart Weddings in September 2018! Elizabeth shared some of her own wedding experience in “Women Share What It Was Really Like to Be the Last of Their Friends to Get Married.”
Tory + Brendan’s summer backyard wedding was featured in Modern Luxury Weddings - North Shore magazine’s 2018 issue. Modern Luxury Weddings - North Shore is the leading source for wedding and event news in Chicago’s north shore.
Meg + Kevin’s effortlessly cool wedding was featured on Elizabeth Anne Designs in August 2018. Elizabeth Anne Designs is the ultimate wedding blog for classic, elegant, and timeless brides and grooms.
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Elizabeth is like someone else said "the best friend you never had". I wanted to work with Elizabeth years ago when I started seeing her work -- unlike so many other coordinators, the range of her work is so eclectic! She does DIY barn weddings, glamorous ballroom weddings, cool city-vibe loft weddings and so much more. As a wannabe wedding planner, I planned my wedding top to bottom but knew I needed someone to bounce questions and ideas off of, as well as fully execute my vision the day of the actual celebration, so we hired Elizabeth as our day-of coordinator. Elizabeth made it happen for me, she truly made my dreams come true. It was such a thrill being my own wedding planner and stylist, but that could have never happened if I didn't have Elizabeth as my "boots on the ground". She is the best. When you're getting married, you have more important things to be worrying about then making sure the easels are set up and the place cards are where they are supposed to be. Let Elizabeth help you -- she's a total pro and will faithfully execute your vision just as you would (or better!). One of the best decisions we ever made was having Elizabeth around on our wedding day, we are truly grateful for all the time and energy she put in to make our day absolutely perfect. Thank you for coordinating our day, dear Elizabeth!
- Sarah + Elliott
I echo all the reviews already on the page for Anticipation Events and I wish I could give them six stars for Value & Quality. Elizabeth and Laura were fantastic to work with throughout the planning of my wedding. They were always ready with answers to my random questions and their day-of coordination took a huge weight off my shoulders. They made sure everything was perfect down to the last detail. When she found out I was planning to stamp and organize all of my place cards the night before my wedding, Laura was quick to take that responsibility off my plate which allowed me to fully enjoy my welcome reception with my family & friends . I can't say enough about AE. If you haven't hired them yet, what are you waiting for?
- Christina + Brad
Working with Elizabeth and Anticipation Events was one of the best decisions we made while planning our wedding! My husband and I are admittedly hard to please. We work in the design industry so we're that extra annoying combo of type-a with very specific tastes, but we're also kind of artsy so we foresaw getting pretty stressed if we had to engage with every detail of our wedding. What all that means is we needed to find someone whose taste was on-point, was more organized than us, and who knew when to pull us in for decisions vs when to make the call. Elizabeth was that person- and the wedding turned out better than we could have hoped. Elizabeth was both our day-of coordinator (everything went VERY smoothly) ,and helped us plan for about 4 months leading up to our big day. She took the time to understand our vision, and removed all the bumps in headaches on the road to helping us achieve it. Highly recommended.
-Grace + Greg
-Amy + David
