Chicago, Destination, & South Asian Luxury Wedding Planning
Let’s Celebrate
Luxury Wedding
Experiences
for the
Fun-Loving Couple
Honored as one of Chicago’s top wedding planners by Brides Magazine and Chicago Magazine. Named one of the top destination wedding planners in the world by Destination Weddings & Honeymoons.
Over 20 years of celebrating love…
As a luxury Chicago wedding planner, we coordinate beautiful, unique, and fun weddings and events locally as well as around the globe. With over 500 weddings and events brilliantly planned, our expertise and experience allows us to make each and every event we are involved with spectacular.
Our focus is on telling our couple’s unique stories, creating the ultimate environment for them and their guests to celebrate in, and handling everything that goes into planning a memorable event, regardless of if it’s a hometown bash or a destination wedding.
the
PORTFOLIO
There’s no wedding like a big-city wedding right here at home in the Windy City. Our unparalleled contacts across Chicago give us access to the best venues and vendors, while our extensive experience makes logistics a breeze.
We love to plan destination weddings and have done so all over the world. Our enthusiasm for wedding planning comes with us wherever we go—from an Old World castle in the English countryside to a relaxed beachside resort in Mexico— and we seek to showcase the best of any locale.
We have 18 years of experience planning South Asian weddings and events domestically and internationally. Four days of events for hundreds of people? We’re ready. Securing the cultural details is the challenge that inspires us most, while getting to know each family intimately is the emotional reward for these elaborate affairs.
Meet the Founder
Meet Ali
Wedding planner, world traveler, lover of joy, and searcher of the perfect sunset.
My name is Ali Phillips and I am the President and owner of Engaging Events by Ali. For more than 20 years, I’ve used my love of celebrations and love of people to help couples plan their weddings and other special events.
I bring my kindness, honestly, passion for logistically detailed events, and proactive approach to all of my events, making the wedding planning experience both seamless and enjoyable for my clients. And I love that we get to have fun along the way!
From elegant Windy City affairs to colorful beachside soirées, Ali creates unforgettable celebrations.
While we’re Chicago-based and love working locally, we’ve planned destination weddings for Chicagoans abroad, international clientele domestically, and everything in between. Whether a church wedding downtown, a multi-day South Asian celebration, an intimate elopement at a seaside town in Mexico, or whatever your dream wedding entails, we are ready to help you get married and party.
Ready for your dream destination wedding? Perhaps you want to celebrate with your toes in the crystal waters of the Caribbean, the rainforest of Costa Rica, or the rolling hills of Ireland? If whisking your guests away to a distant land is your wish for your wedding celebration, Ali and her team are the destination wedding planners for you, and are equipped to handle all the unique details of destination events worldwide.
South Asian Celebrations
Worldwide
A four-day party for hundreds, anywhere in the world? No problem! Ali and her team have produced elaborate events for South Asian couples in Chicago and beyond, and embrace the experience from start to finish. Securing the cultural details is the challenge that inspires her, while getting to know each family intimately is the emotional reward for these elaborate affairs.
“We LOVED working with Ali!”
“We LOVED working with Ali for our daughter’s wedding in Mexico and reception in Chicago! We found her through a DJ friend of ours who gave us several recommendations. Ali stood out as someone who was solid, grounded and someone who would be more than a functionary doing a job but someone who really cares – this is what we experienced. From start to finish of two wedding weekends that included 9 different events she was exceptional! From navigating numerous complexities involved in the destination wedding in a small town in MX, to tracking a myriad of small details, to bringing an exceptional team together Ali shone brilliantly. We look forward to working with her again!!
-Gertrude Lyons, Mother of the Bride
“Ali is a Musician who Orchestrates Dreams into Reality.”
Ali is not just a wedding planner; she’s a magician who orchestrates dreams into reality. I had the privilege of working with her for not just one, but two of the most significant days of my life – my weddings in Zihuatanejo, MX, and Chicago, IL. To say that Ali exceeded our expectations would be an understatement; she elevated our special days to new a level. If you’re searching for a wedding planner who will go above and beyond to make your dreams come true, look no further than Ali. With her unparalleled expertise, meticulous attention to detail, and unwavering commitment to excellence, she will turn your special day into a masterpiece beyond compare.
-Morgan and Mitch
“Hiring Ali was the Best Decision We Made.”
Hiring Ali was the best decision we made during this entire wedding process! My wedding was 4 days long with 300 guests, so you can imagine it was not easy to plan. I was told multiple times that I was the calmest bride my guests have ever seen, and I owe that to Ali and her team. She was with me for a 10-month planning process, and having her there on the wedding day was so calming! Every detail was taken care of, and more. My wedding was exactly as I wished it. All of my vendors were amazing and I am so very thankful to my planner, and now friend!
-Promiti and Krushen
“Ali always knows what’s best.”
Ali always knows what’s best for her couples and assembles the most talented people for her team. She brings her creativity, humor and
super-positive attitude to every event she plans and designs. Her closeness with her clients often leads to life-long friendships.
-Paul Morse
“Ali is the BEST wedding planner out there.”
Ali is the BEST wedding planner out there. Let’s start by how she is the coolest person on the planet. Ali is always concerned about the BRIDE. She is so genuine, sweet, and authentic. Ali is the type of planner who is super organized. She is super calm and extremely personable. She gives great advice and is so wonderful to work with. You’d be sorry for not having her as a planner! Love her!
-Lizzie and Mike
“Her cultural knowledge…was so helpful.”
We hired Ali for full-service planning about a year out. She planned our multi-day, multicultural, fusion wedding, and everything went so smoothly, especially given the complexity of our wedding. Ali is very personable, kind, and full of positive energy. Her cultural knowledge of Indian and Chinese culture was so helpful in the planning process. She is well versed in all the traditions and her thoroughness and knowledge was so helpful in making sure the events flowed well down to the details. If you’re looking for a reliable planner that executes well and has a great personality, I highly recommend Ali Phillips!
-Alice and Sidd
