Top 5 Event Planners in Portland
-
Editor & Publisher -
Client Services Leader
- June 24, 2026
- 18 min read
- Events
Source: Peerspace
Portland, Oregon, does things differently and its event scene is no exception. Known for its creative spirit, lush Pacific Northwest landscapes, and a culture that celebrates individuality, Portland offers an event backdrop unlike anywhere else. Whether you’re planning a wedding at a vineyard in the Willamette Valley, a corporate retreat overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, or a milestone birthday in a converted Pearl District warehouse venue, this city gives you plenty to work with.
That creative energy extends to Portland’s event planning community. The planners here understand how to blend the city’s natural beauty with its eclectic urban character, navigating everything from rainy-season contingency plans to sourcing vendors from Portland’s thriving local food and art scenes. With so many talented professionals in the area, you’re in a strong position to find someone who gets your vision.
We’ve curated a list of Portland’s best event planners, along with practical tips for choosing the right one and planning around the city’s unique quirks. Every planner on this list has been carefully vetted, so you can browse with confidence. Let’s get into it.
How we curate our list
Every planner on this list has been carefully vetted based on criteria that actually matter when you’re trusting someone with your event.
Our selection criteria include:
- Client reviews across multiple platforms: We look at Google, Yelp, WeddingWire, The Knot, and other review sites to get a well-rounded picture of each planner’s reputation.
- Industry recognition and awards: Press features, editorial mentions, and professional accolades help us identify planners who stand out among their peers.
- Professional credentials and associations: Certifications like CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) and CWP (Certified Wedding Planner), along with memberships in organizations like MPI and ISES, signal a commitment to the craft.
We also review portfolio quality and diversity to ensure each planner brings both creativity and range to the table. Active social media accounts and well-maintained websites tell us a planner is engaged, current, and proud of their work. Every planner featured here meets high standards for professionalism, creativity, and attention to detail.
Best event planners in Portland
Here are the five Portland event planners we’re excited to spotlight—each bringing something distinctive to the city’s vibrant celebration scene.
1. Event Planner Shi
Company name and founder/lead planner: Event Planner Shi / Shi Choong
With a background in engineering and a heart for celebration, Shi brings a unique blend of structure, creativity, and care to every event she plans. Known for her bold approach, calm presence, and passion for meaningful moments, Shi partners with you to create experiences that are thoughtful and unforgettable. After earning her Ph.D. and working at Intel for six years, she transitioned to full-time wedding planning.
Specialty/niche: Event Planner Shi is an Oregon wedding planner specializing in thoughtful, inclusive, and beautifully organized celebrations tailored to each couple’s unique story. Their expertise also spans fashion shows, elegant galas, and impactful fundraisers. Shi is especially known for her work with intercultural weddings and multicultural celebrations.
Notable projects or signature style: One standout wedding started with a garden ceremony at the Historic Overlook House and ended with a galactic-themed celebration at Portland’s iconic Crystal Ballroom. One couple praised Shi for embracing their multicultural wedding vision with Chinese, Colombian, and Western influences. Beyond weddings, Shi is also the Founder and Event Producer of She Dares to Rise PDX, an annual celebration of fearless women who have dared to break barriers.
Pricing: Investments vary based on your specific needs. Contact Shi directly through her website to request a custom quote.
Why we love them: Shi is an award-winning and published wedding planner whose science background and corporate project management experience give her an unusually structured approach. Her personal story as an immigrant from Malaysia brings genuine cultural sensitivity to every event. Testimonials highlight her calm, effective problem-solving under pressure and strong vendor coordination. Reviewers consistently note her warm, personal approach, with one couple sharing, “From our very first call to the end of the night, we felt Shi’s warmth, care, and genuine desire to make our wedding day just perfect.”
Connect with them: Follow @eventplannershi on Instagram.
2. Events By Emily
Company name and founder/lead planner: Events By Emily / Emily Steadman
Emily Steadman is the owner and operator of Events By Emily, LLC (EBE), established in July 2015 in response to market demand for non-traditional wedding and event production. EBE is LGBTQ+ and woman-owned and led by Emily, a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) and Certified Wedding Planner (CWP).
Specialty/niche: Events By Emily specializes in ceremonies and receptions for the alternative couple. The company was born from a need that dismantled implicit socioeconomic, gender, and racial bias in the event production industry. If your event doesn’t fit neatly into a traditional box, Emily is the planner who’ll celebrate that.
Notable projects or signature style: Emily began planning events in 2000 through civic engagement and fundraising functions, and studied Public Health Promotion and Education at Oregon State University. One couple shared that their wedding featured three music acts, a photo booth, oxygen bar, party bus, late-night pizza and doughnuts, a tea lounge, and a fortuneteller. In 2011, she began planning and managing several large-scale arts events and festivals, and also serves as a Regional Contact for Burning Man Portland.
Pricing: Events By Emily creates custom packages for each client based on their unique needs. Contact Emily directly to request a custom quote.
Why we love them: Emily brings a genuinely unconventional perspective to event planning. She was selected two years in a row as WeddingRule’s #9 out of the Top 25 Best Wedding Planners in Portland. Her public health background and arts festival experience give her a uniquely versatile skill set. According to reviews, clients consistently praise her exceptional organizational skills and calm, reassuring presence that reduces stress for couples and their families. Testimonials highlight her ability to intuitively understand client preferences, with one reviewer noting, “Emily made our wedding planning and wedding day perfect! She was relaxed, professional, and fun.”
Connect with them: Follow @eventsbyemilypdx on Instagram.
3. EJP Events
Company name and founder/lead planner: EJP Events / Emee Pumarega
Emee Pumarega has been working in hospitality since 1997, launching her career in Austin, Texas, before establishing nearly two decades as an event professional and business owner in Portland. A Yale University graduate and Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Emee brings a rare combination of corporate rigor and creative warmth to every event.
Specialty/niche: EJP Events specializes in weddings, celebrations, and boutique corporate events—especially those with unusual or unique needs, themes, and ideas. The team goes the extra mile to ensure every aspect of your event makes you and your guests feel right at home, and operates worldwide with conference planning and destination wedding services.
Notable projects or signature style: EJP Events focuses on the details no one notices until they go wrong—signage, maps, logistics, itineraries, and accessibility—planning the guest experience from the moment they open their invitation to the time they leave the venue. Emee’s client list includes Providence Health & Services, Point B Solutions Group, and Intel, and the team has supported multi-day tech conferences and nonprofit galas attended by Oregon business and political leaders.
Pricing: Costs vary based on the nature of your event and desired level of planning support. For events and meetings, initial kick-off meeting start at $250. Contact them directly for a custom quote based on your specific needs.
Why we love them: Emee was named Best Party and Wedding Planner by Portland Citysearch, twice named Best Wedding Planner by Oregon Bride Magazine, and is a founding member and Past President of the International Special Events Society–Portland Chapter. With over 25 years in the industry, EJP Events brings institutional-level planning to events of every size. Clients consistently praise their professionalism and polished, client-focused approach. According to customer reviews across platforms like WeddingWire and The Knot, Emee is a reliable resource even when hired late in the process, with one client noting, “Emee and her team are amazing! They are professional, responsive, creative, and wedding life savers!”
Connect with them: Follow @ejpevents on Instagram.
4. Adornment Events
Company name and founder/lead planner: Adornment Events / Carisa Smith
Adornment Events was founded by Carisa Smith after 18 years managing custom experiential events nationally and internationally for brand marketing teams across athletic and tech companies on the West Coast. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Carisa’s passion for color, art, and creating space has kept her growing and creating events since 2008.
Specialty/niche: Every client is unique, and Adornment believes in curating designs by honoring clients’ stories, personalities, and inspirations. The team handles everything from Pacific Northwest weddings and destination celebrations to corporate events, with a diverse crew of design professionals, logistics stars, and talented wedding planners.
Notable projects or signature style: Adornment dedicates their calendar to a select number of events annually so they can focus their full creative attention on each client—every piece of the weekend is custom designed and produced by their team. They’ve worked in the Portland area for over 15 years, handling everything from intimate orchard weddings of 20 guests to high-touch corporate galas. Their emphasis on waste-free events resonates strongly with environmentally conscious couples.
Pricing: Adornment Events creates custom packages for each client. Contact them directly via their website for a quote.
Why we love them: Adornment Events’ team includes a deep bench of event managers and coordinators, meaning you get a full crew dedicated to your day. Customer reviews overwhelmingly praise their exceptional event execution and warm, stress-reducing planning experience. Lead planner Carisa is frequently singled out for her skill, with one client stating, “Carisa is the absolute best. For real. She and her team at Adornment Events have superb attitudes and abilities.”
Connect with them: Follow @adornmentevents on Instagram.
5. Party To Go-Go
Company name and founder/lead planner: Party To Go-Go / Nicole Fleishman
Party to Go-Go started in 2014 after owner Nicole Fleishman spent several years planning boutique children’s parties. Nicole ran the business while working at an upscale department store planning spa events, and in 2014 Party to Go-Go became her full-time venture.
Specialty/niche: Party To Go-Go is a full-service event planning company in Portland specializing in event management and production for intimate weddings, milestone birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers, product launches, and more. The company is a team of fabulous women aiming to inspire everyone to celebrate each day to its fullest.
Notable projects or signature style: In 2018, Party to Go-Go was chosen to host a segment on Portland’s local news magazine KATU2’s Afternoon Live, bringing party ideas to their viewers. One client praised Nicole for a Halloween-themed baby shower with creative decorations and special touches. Another client shared that Nicole saved their wedding—initially hired as a day-of coordinator, the couple asked her to take over as full wedding planner, and Nicole handled all the details so they didn’t have to lift a finger.
Pricing: Microweddings start at $2,500 plus travel costs. Day-of coordination starts at $3,300 + travel and full service planning starts at $6,000 + travel. Get in touch through their website to set up a consultation and request a custom quote.
Why we love them: Nicole is an Oregon-based event planner with over 12 years of experience. What sets her apart is her genuine warmth and hands-on approach—she shows up, sets up, stays present throughout, and handles teardown at the end of the night. Clients consistently describe her as affordable and easy to work with. Testimonials highlight her exceptional decoration and event styling, as well as her seamless, end-to-end coordination. Reviewers frequently note her strong value, with one client sharing, “10/10 would recommend, great to work with and way more affordable than I thought.”
Connect with them: Follow @partytogogo on Instagram.
Choosing a Portland event planner
With so many talented professionals in Portland, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Here’s how to narrow it down and make sure you’re picking someone who truly fits your event.
Test their knowledge of neighborhood logistics
Don’t just ask if they know Portland—test their knowledge. Ask specific questions: “What’s the parking situation in the Pearl District on a Saturday evening?” or “Which neighborhoods have noise ordinances that could affect our reception timeline?” A planner with real local experience will answer immediately and offer alternatives. Vague responses like “we’ll figure it out” are red flags. Ask them to walk you through how they’d handle guest transportation between a ceremony in the West Hills and a reception in the Central Eastside. Their answer reveals whether they’ve actually managed events across Portland or are just listing it on their website.
Evaluate their vendor network depth
Ask: “Which caterers, florists, and rental companies do you work with regularly, and why?” Strong planners will name three to five vendors per category and explain the relationship. Then ask: “What happens if they’re booked?” The depth of their backup list matters. Ask for introduction calls with two or three key vendors. During those calls, gauge the vendor’s enthusiasm—do they light up mentioning this planner? That chemistry translates to better service, priority scheduling, and problem-solving on your event day.
Assess their crisis management for Portland’s weather
Portland’s weather is famously unpredictable. Ask about backup plans: “What happens if it rains on the day of our outdoor ceremony?” or “How do you handle a heat wave during a summer wedding?” Experienced Portland planners have protocols ready: relationships with indoor backup venues, vendor cancellation policies they’ve negotiated, and guest communication templates. Listen for specifics—did they have tent sidewalls ready for wind? Climate-controlled spaces secured as backup? Generic “we’re flexible” responses indicate they haven’t stress-tested their process in Portland’s real conditions.
Review their portfolio for Portland specifically
Don’t just ask for their portfolio—ask for events specifically in Portland or the neighborhoods relevant to your event. Request three to five examples similar to yours in event type and size, budget range, and neighborhood or venue style. During portfolio review, ask: “What was the biggest challenge in executing this event?” Strong planners will cite Portland-specific obstacles—parking logistics in the Alberta Arts District, weather backup plans for a Willamette Valley vineyard wedding—and explain their solutions. Follow up by asking to contact a past client for a reference.
Measure budget realism for the Portland market
Share your budget range and ask: “What’s realistic for my event type in Portland with this budget?” Good planners will be honest: “For a Pearl District venue, expect this range. Here’s where we can save: off-peak days like Fridays or unique Portland event venues on Peerspace.” Warning sign: promising everything without discussing tradeoffs. Ask them to compare two past events at different budget levels so you can see what the extra money actually bought.
Planning an event in Portland
Event planning is all about timing, and Portland has its own rhythm you’ll want to understand before locking in dates.
Weather patterns and best seasons: Portland’s dry season runs roughly from late June through September, making summer the prime window for outdoor events. Expect temperatures in the 70s and 80s, with occasional heat waves pushing into the 90s or higher. October through May brings Portland’s famous rain—not usually heavy downpours, but steady drizzle that requires covered or indoor backup plans. You can check historical averages and forecasts on the National Weather Service Portland weather forecasts page to help you pick the right date.
Tourism peaks and when to avoid: Portland’s busiest tourism months are July and August. Hotel rates spike, popular venues book up fast, and restaurant reservations get tighter. If you’re planning a large gathering, booking venues and vendors six to eight months in advance is wise during peak season. The Travel Portland official tourism website is a great resource for understanding what’s happening in the city during your target window.
Major events that create capacity issues:
- Portland Rose Festival (late May–mid-June)
- Oregon Brewers Festival (July)
- Portland Pride (June)
- Waterfront Blues Festival (July)
- Hood to Coast Relay (August)
- Portland Marathon (October)
- Holiday Ale Festival (December)
These events can affect hotel availability, traffic patterns, and vendor pricing. Check the Travel Portland’s city events calendar for the most current listings.
Traffic and transportation: Portland’s traffic can be heavy during rush hours (7–9 AM and 4–6:30 PM), especially on I-5 and I-84. The city’s bridges over the Willamette River can create bottlenecks. The good news? Portland has excellent public transit via the TriMet public transit system (buses, MAX light rail, and the streetcar), which can be a real asset for events downtown or in the inner eastside. MAX Light Rail connects Portland City Center with Beaverton, Clackamas, Gresham, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, North/Northeast Portland, and Portland International Airport, making it especially convenient for guests flying in.
Marriage licenses: If you’re planning a wedding in Portland, you can fill out your marriage application at the Multnomah County online marriage application portal, bring photo identification for both parties, and note that both parties must appear in person to issue a license. There is a three-day waiting period from the day the license is purchased until it can be used, though the county will waive the waiting period for an extra $5.00. Plan accordingly and visit the Multnomah County official marriage license guidelines page for full details.
Event permits: If you’re planning an event in a public park, on a street, or in certain commercial zones, you may need permits from the City of Portland. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) issues Special Event Permits to allow moving events on city streets or sidewalks. Noise permits, temporary use permits, and liquor licenses all have processing times—plan to file applications at least four to six weeks in advance. For events involving alcohol, special event license applications must be submitted to both the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) and the City of Portland temporary liquor sales licensing office for approval.
FAQs: event planning in Portland
When should I hire a Portland event planner?
We recommend hiring at least six to eight months in advance, and 10–12 months out for summer weddings or large-scale events. Popular Portland planners book up quickly during peak season (June–September), so the earlier you start, the better your options.
How much does an event planner cost in Portland?
Costs vary widely depending on the scope of your event, but most Portland event planners charge either a flat fee or a percentage of your overall event budget—typically 15–20%. Day-of coordination packages tend to start lower, while full-service planning for weddings or corporate events can range significantly higher. Always ask for a detailed breakdown during your initial consultation.
Do I need a planner if my venue has a coordinator?
A venue coordinator focuses on the property itself—making sure you follow the venue’s rules, managing the space’s setup and teardown, and handling on-site logistics. An independent event planner works for you. They manage your full vendor team, design the event experience, handle the timeline across all locations, and advocate for your vision. The two roles complement each other but aren’t interchangeable.
Why hire a local Portland planner versus bringing someone from out of town?
Local planners know Portland’s permit requirements, vendor landscape, neighborhood quirks, and weather patterns intimately. They have established relationships with the best local caterers, florists, photographers, and rental companies—relationships that often translate to better pricing, priority scheduling, and faster problem-solving on event day.
Great events start with standout spaces—and the people who bring them to life
The right event planner takes the stress off your plate and turns your vision into something real. And in a city like Portland—where creativity runs deep and unique Portland venues are around every corner—you’ve got an incredible foundation to build on. The planners on this list bring years of local expertise, passion, and the kind of attention to detail that makes the difference between a good event and one your guests won’t stop talking about.
If you have feedback on our list, our team would love to hear from you. Reach us anytime at [email protected] with suggestions, corrections, or additions.
