Third House Events


Service levels: Partial planning

Team size: 1 – 5


About Third House Events

Samantha Bryan

Head Planner/Coordinator

Sam (she/they) is a multifaceted professional who splits her time between Providence, RI and her home state of Maine. She is an event planner, experiential marketing specialist, performance artist, and hospitality consultant. She spearheads Third House Events alongside her business partner, Leyna Mckenney. Her artistic and disciplined background informs her meticulous approach to elevated client hospitality, where she consistently strives to foster welcoming, inclusive, and memorable atmospheres within her events. Book her for your LGBTQIA+ weddings, unconventional weddings, or any dream you want to place in safe hands!

Trust that no question sounds too "weird" ! Drawing from a lifetime immersed in theater and nightlife, Sam infuses her event planning with a deep passion for live art and entertainment. Her inspiration draws from a diverse background that spans traditional theater and vaudeville. Her journey as a performer began with rigorous training in classical ballet, instilling in her a deep appreciation for movement and expression. Upon graduating from the ballet academy, she jumped life paths and attended Johnson & Wales University, graduating from their culinary program in 2007. This education uniquely prepared her for a thriving hospitality career.

In three words: Collaborative, Fun, Resourceful


Services by planning level

Partial planning

Pricing starts at $3,000

Day-of coordination / wedding management

Pricing starts at $600

Event design

Pricing starts at $1,000

Destination wedding

Pricing starts at $6,000

Elopement / microwedding

Pricing starts at $750

A la carte

Pricing starts at $600


Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 4.4

4.4 out of 5

9 reviews

  • BG

    Briana G.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Oct 2, 2026

    Bride

    Sam was our day-of coordinator for our wedding on 8/22/26, and I truly cannot put into words how amazing she was!! I wanted someone with experience coordinating weddings and other special events to have that extra attention to detail, and Sam was exactly what I was looking for. Sam went above and beyond day-of-coordination. A week leading up to the wedding, she reviewed all of our vendor contracts, confirmed details with every vendor the week before, and made sure everything was ready to go. On our wedding day, she was with me in the morning while we got ready and brought such a calm and can-do energy, kept everything on schedule for our large wedding party, and coordinated our vendors and guests between our separate ceremony and reception locations. When our outdoor cocktail hour was rained out, I didn't even stress. Sam worked directly with our caterer and The Towers and directed guests to the new space. She even sent snacks and drinks to the bridal suite while we touched up before the reception. She kept us on schedule, handled vendor tips, and kept things moving smoothly all night. It was so cool seeing her in action throughout the night - She is made for this! I could totally be in the moment throughout the entire celebration knowing she had our backs. Sam made our day feel completely effortless and perfect and so calm, I’m so grateful we had her!

    Samantha Bryan•Oct 2, 2026

    Ahhh Briana!!!! Thank you thank you thank you for this super sweet review. From the moment I walked through the door at your mom’s house I felt like part of the family. You and Griffin are such extraordinary people— so much so that the city conspired to bring you your own private maroon 5 concert (still can’t get over that balcony moment)!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for trusting me on such a special day. I hope Bali was everything you dreamed, and that you’re enjoying your post-honeymoon newlywed bliss!

  • DP

    Deesh P.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Sep 30, 2026

    Recommend!

    Working with Third House Events was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. From our first conversation, Sam was straightforward and easy to work with. She listened to our vision and got things done without any back-and-forth confusion. She took the planning and decoration off our plates completely, handling every detail with real care and precision. On our wedding day, we didn't have to stress about anything because we knew it was all being taken care of. Sam's quality of work showed up in everything from the setup to the final touches, and honestly, being able to just enjoy our day without worrying made it so much more special. We'd recommend Third House Events to any couple looking for a planner who actually delivers on their promises.

    Samantha Bryan•Oct 1, 2026

    DEESH!!!!!!! You and will are such bright lights in the world. Your wedding was absolutely epic, full of life and color and tremendous joy. Thank you for inviting me into your world, and I hope you're both settling in well to your new home!! xoxoxo

  • H

    Haley

    Rating: 2
    •Zola
    •Sep 28, 2026

    Sam left our reception to work another wedding

    I would not recommend Sam Bryan/Third House Events as a day-of coordinator based on our experience with our 9/19/26 wedding. There were several significant issues, but the most concerning was that Sam left our reception for approximately four hours to work another wedding in Bristol, about 40 minutes away, without ever telling us beforehand that this was her plan. Sam was contracted to arrive at 12pm to coordinate setup and vendors. After she still had not arrived by 1pm, I reached out to ask where she was. It was only then that I learned she would be arriving approximately two hours late. By that point, our friends and family had already taken over coordinating setup. My husband ended up spending a significant portion of his wedding day helping coordinate setup instead of getting ready and spending time with his wedding party. We also experienced a last-minute change to our rehearsal. Sam was scheduled to attend in person but notified us only one hour before the rehearsal that she would instead participate by phone. In a meeting a week before our wedding, Sam told us she would be bringing an assistant. We were never told that this meant she would personally leave our wedding for several hours to work another wedding. She never told us she had another wedding booked that day, that she planned to leave ours, or that someone else would be taking over coordination for a significant portion of our reception. During cocktail hour, Sam introduced me to the assistant and told me, “if you don’t see me, this is your guy". It wasn't until I asked him directly where Sam was that I found out she had left to work another wedding. He tried his best, but he was not prepared to take over day-of coordination. He was someone we had never met before and had only been introduced to us that day, after our ceremony. He was also unfamiliar with our vendor team and did not know the names of our other vendors. When I reached out for an explanation after the wedding, Sam acknowledged that she had another wedding booked on the same day and that she had not been transparent with us about her plans to leave. She described this herself as “lying by omission” and said she should have communicated the change more transparently. Sam later told us that our contract did not give us “exclusive access” to her. While that may be technically true, our contract also did not state that she would leave our wedding to work another event or that another person would take over her responsibilities for several hours. We hired Sam as our day-of coordinator and were not given the opportunity to make an informed decision about this arrangement beforehand. We recognize that she had staffing and other unexpected issues surrounding our wedding that were outside of her control. However, those circumstances do not change the fact that she was not present when she was contracted to be there and that she left our wedding to work another wedding without communicating that to us. This created unnecessary stress on a day when we specifically hired a coordinator so that we would not have to manage these things ourselves. Sam ultimately offered us a 30% refund, which we accepted. I appreciate that she provided a partial refund for services that were not delivered as expected, but it does not change our overall experience.

    Samantha Bryan•Sep 29, 2026

    Haley, We both know that this is a gross misrepresentation of the day. We have discussed this between one another after you threatened to write a negative review if I did not refund you "at least 50%". This could be seen as extortion, especially after I reviewed where your claims were exaggerated or false. Despite my refund, you have still made this review and have twisted truth and left out facts. I will not engage further. You have been paid, and I consider this matter settled.

  • KS

    Kim & S.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Sep 27, 2026

    The Best Support for a Type-A Bride

    Sam was an absolutely incredible, supportive, and calming presence both leading up to and throughout our wedding day. I am a very organized, Type-A bride, so handing over my 30 page wedding binder full of notes, timelines, details, and plans was a BIG deal — but I trusted Sam completely, and she executed everything exactly how we had planned it. Sam is organized, an excellent listener, incredibly attentive to detail, flexible, and so competent. We had the added challenge of watching a nor’easter approach our wedding in the days leading up to it, which meant constantly reassessing plans and figuring out where we could pivot. Sam handled all of it so calmly and seamlessly. Even when we were stressing, she had a way of making everything feel manageable and never like a big deal. She was always willing to talk through a change, adjust the plan, or jump in wherever she was needed. One of the best parts of working with Sam was how available and flexible she was. She even showed up for additional events and a venue walkthrough on very little notice, which was incredibly helpful during an already hectic week. After the wedding, SO many of our guests and wedding party members went out of their way to tell me how impressed they were with Sam and how completely on top of everything she was. That says so much — Sam wasn’t just making our day easier; everyone could see how much she was doing behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly. I genuinely cannot thank Sam enough. Having someone I trusted completely to take my plans and bring them to life allowed me to actually enjoy my wedding instead of worrying about logistics. That peace of mind is priceless. I also cannot recommend Third House Events enough. The level of care, organization, flexibility, and professionalism you get for the cost is truly exceptional. If you’re considering a day-of coordinator, hire Sam. You will be so glad you did!

    Samantha Bryan•Sep 27, 2026

    Working with the two of you was a DREAM!!! Thank you so so much for this review; I can’t tell you how much your kindness and trust means to me. Your love is so real that it’s palpable to everyone around you, and I’m wildly happy that you’ve found each other. Cheers my loves!!

  • CM

    Chrystal & M.

    Rating: 3
    •Zola
    •Aug 28, 2026

    Mixed Feelings

    Working with Sam from Third House Events started off on a high note—our first call left us feeling excited and confident about moving forward. Sam was kind and respectful throughout our conversations, which set a positive tone early on. However, as we got closer to the wedding, things shifted. We were hoping for the hands-on support she mentioned, but two weeks before our big day she didn't reach out to review wedding details like she said she would. We ended up reaching out to schedule a check-in, the call seemed like she wasnt prepared and it sounded like she was on the road. During this call she asked us to resend her the wedding binder… Sam also arrived late to the rehearsal and didn’t seem prepared, which caught us off guard again. We did have a wedding binder for her, but she didn’t seem interested in it. Through all of this, we were hopeful and kept holding on to the reassurance we felt on our first call… lastly, Sam asked for payment after the wedding and today when we had already paid her. I will say she helped us sort out a parking situation and did a beautiful job decorating the fountain at our venue. Sam also checked in on us throughout the day and brought creativity in some respects.

    Samantha Bryan•Aug 31, 2026

    Hi Chrystal and Megan! I am very sorry to hear that you weren’t satisfied with my services. I do very much appreciate your kind words, and at the same time there is quite a lot of context and information missing from this review There was a very extensive list of tasks and contract agreements that I fulfilled without directly bothering the two of you (my job is to quietly handle the behind-the-scenes logistics, not center myself on your day). The service I was hired for did not include creative work or planning consultation. I offered those insights and additional labor free of charge, outside of a minimal fee for supplies. Behind the scenes, I was in contact with your vendors, property manager, and family members to ensure that you had the beautiful and intricately planned day you worked so hard on. To your credit, I did fall ill at the beginning of your reception and did my best to continue despite barely being able to walk. This isn’t to make anyone feel bad, it’s merely context so there isn’t an assumption of apathy. I can see how there may have been a perception that I wasn’t present, and for that I apologize. I very much appreciated your binder and referenced it constantly! Because a lot of what I do involves physical labor, I often needed to put it down. That’s not a lack of appreciation, I just needed my hands and I run around a lot! I also had a copy of your binder in digital form that I had pulled up throughout the day for reference and used while coordinating vendors. It was very impressive— trust me, I noticed and deeply appreciated! I also extensively apologized for my mixup with payment, which I confirmed you did not owe further payment on. I would like to point out that it was handled swiftly and gently. As mentioned in my private messages, I am deeply sorry for the error on my end and understand the vulnerability of the timing. I am in the process now of streamlining how clients pay me so as to avoid any future missteps. My attempt at accessibility has made things a little too spread out! I am sorry that you experienced my fumble as a result. I would love the opportunity to discuss this further off of the Zola platform and can make myself available at your convenience. It’s important for me to learn how I can always improve. At the same time, authentic representation of my work is important to me, as well, and I am happy to do a thorough review our contract again. This aside, I had a lovely time getting to know your family, and found your planning work to be gorgeous and thorough. I genuinely wish you both a tremendous amount of love and happiness for your new chapter together!


Yes! Third House Events is a full spectrum event planning company. From theater and nightlife curation, to bar mitzvas, bachelorette parties, and beyond, we're well versed in the world of making both big and small dreams come true.
This depends on the package you select! Month-of coordination begins exactly when you think-- a month prior to your wedding date. Day-of coordination begins 2 weeks prior so that I can gather all of the fun and important details to study before being with you on the big day. We set the pace together for frequency of meetings, but at a minimum I suggest a 1x/wk 30-min check-in meeting leading up. Included in all packages is a 1-hr rehearsal the day before, and then a 12-hr block of coordination day-of.