Spotting the Roses and Thorns: Red Flags in the Ana Flores Wedding Planning Experience

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In "Spotting the Roses and Thorns: Red Flags in the Ana Flores Wedding Planning Experience," we delve into the world of wedding planning with Ana Flores. While Ana may have a charming demeanor and an impressive portfolio, there were some subtle red flags that, in hindsight, were warning signs of potential issues. In this blog post, we'll explore these red flags, sharing valuable insights that can help couples and event organizers alike avoid common pitfalls when working with wedding planners.

Join us as we uncover the delicate balance between the beauty of roses and the prickly reality of thorns in the world of wedding planning with Ana Flores.

🚩 #1 - When Wedding bells go silent after the cash register rings

Ana Flores, the wedding planner who once filled our hearts with excitement, seems to have vanished like a bride's bouquet toss after receiving our payment. It's like our wedding bells turned into mute buttons, and the mystery of her disappearing act adds an unexpected twist to our love story.

🚩 #2: Where's Ana? The Curious Case of Zoom Calls and Office Avoidance

It seems Ana Flores has perfected the disappearing act in our wedding planning journey. She's become quite the Houdini, avoiding Zoom calls and office visits like a magician concealing her secrets behind a curtain of silence.

When she finally peaks out from behind her curtain, she asks us to meet at her office 3175 independence Dr Livermore, CA

We made it early to our appointment, to our surprise her name is not on the door like the picture in google maps. When we went inside they advised us Ana Flores no longer worked in that space and they were not sure why she provided me with her old office address. We wondered the same.

She asked to meet us at Starbucks since she was gonna be late it would be best to speak over coffee. Also her office was busy so we could not go in although she had us waiting over an hour. After applying a little pressure she admitted to no longer being welcomed in her old space with her old coworkers.

📌Tip #3: The Insta-Red Flag - When a Party Planner's Apology Goes Public

When you come across a party planner who has a public apology letter posted on their Instagram for clients and vendors, it's a clear sign that something has gone seriously awry. Proceed with caution, as this could be a glaring indicator of ongoing issues that might impact your own event planning experience.

Her vision and creations built her up a thriving business, but a cold heart and shady business practices is bringing down her once legit business. Sadly I am one of the MANY she has played for money.

🚩#4 - Proceed with Caution - Dealing with a Wedding Planner Who Plays Fast and Loose with Promises and Contracts

Beware of wedding planner Ana Flores, who seems to treat promises and contracts as mere suggestions. Her knack for evading commitments and bending the rules might leave you questioning the reliability of her services, so it's essential to be vigilant when working with such a seasoned planner.

Did she say she was gonna do something then "forgot", too busy, reschedule. In one meeting she said she was gonna do XYZ, but when its time for action she needs to look back at the contract. Still does nothing, if you feel some shadiness or avoidance trust your intuition, and hold her accountable don't let one lie slip call her out immediately. These are just some of her false promises she willing to sign but not fulfil. You can only take her to small claims court and you need evidence to win. Even then there is no money to pay, after you win the case. Avoid the headache, run the other direction!

🚩 #5 -: Unveiling the Smoke and Mirrors - When Shady Comments Disappear on Social Media

Discovering that you're not the only victim of Ana Flores' questionable practices can be a sobering revelation. It's essential to stay alert to her methods of removing unfavorable comments on social media, as this may obscure the true extent of her reputation in the wedding planning world. Check out her YELP REVIEWS 📌 Click on the link for live comments. Here are screenshot before she finds a way to remove it.

Join the Conversation: Your Ana Flores experience and Stories Matter!

In sharing these tips and experiences, our aim is to shed light on the potential challenges one might face when working with wedding planner Ana Flores. If you've encountered similar situations or have insights to share, we encourage you to leave your comments and stories below. Your input can provide valuable support and guidance to others navigating the world of wedding planning, helping them make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.

The Ana Flores burn: When dreams turn into disasters

Welcome to my wedding planning nightmare

My unforgettable journey with Ana Flores Events

Ana Flores was contacted 9/2/22 for a wedding in 11/10/22 via the knot. She had amazing reviews, a website, Instagram, a phone number, and office location. Her online presence at the moment, was very strong and positive she has a storefront on the knot with badges like "BEST OF WEDDINGS 2023/22/21". When you contact her she is very friendly professional and prompt. Very knowledgeable of the wedding industry she knows her stuff, but a little too well is what I end up learning with her.

We entered contract with her, paid our deposit, and made payment arrangements for a NOVEMBER 10 (civil wedding) & 18( Reception) 2022 wedding a year ago!

That's how long she has been stringing us along. The story starts taking a turn AFTER the deposit was made and she had money in her hands. That's when the customer service changed, and her responses are vague very superficial if she answers at all. That way we cant accuse her of no response...smart cookie!

It is now OCTOBER 11, 2023 we were working towards a NOVEMBER 11,2023 wedding date but today was her deadline to have venue booked, DJ booked, Food deposit paid and design taken care of. She failed to fulfil the contractual obligations in a timely manner so I decided to cancel my wedding VS risking her just not showing up. She was warned many times these were her last two warnings.

Date changes explained

Below are the two contracts, the first wedding date came around she did nothing with the money we gave her.

10/16 I start contacting her for my civil wedding 11/10 no response 10/28 I am damn near begging for an appointment a call anything. She stated I need to pay an extra $3100 for a civil wedding when she finally came around. We planned our own wedding and went to VEGAS with the little time we have left and spent way less! GIRL BYE!

We gave her the benefit of the doubt and decided to change the reception date to the next year in order to provide her and ourselves with more time since she claimed there were "no available reception".

NOTE how RECEPTION says PENDING on both contracts. 30 days before the wedding we still don't have an official venue present day. Also she only showed us ONE venue the whole time working with her.

Refund pending

April 9th we canceled the contract she did not respond until Thu, May 4, 3:56 PM with a "schedule of payments" she did not honor. Instead she proposed to pay for the wedding when the she over extended the deadline. She claimed to be sorry for her unprofessionalism she is losing many clients because of a divorce and wants to rebuild her reputation. We agreed to give her another chance.

This is the clause added to the contract where she states I am only liable to pay the VENUE.

I will let you guys know how long it will take her to refund and how hard she made it to get it.

I will leave as many receipts I can share but its important I break down my experience from start to finish in hopes it connects with others out there. I will leave screenshots and links, because things change, and a screenshot will represent what you might see at the moment. Her website linked on the Instagram is not working when posting this. www.anafloresevents.com

Who is being unfair?

• Party Planner
• Bride

🎓 Masterclass: How to Legally Recieve $11,000 and Call It Business-Just Like Ana Flores

How Legal Loopholes Protect Ana Flores and Others Like Her

I’m Johanna Arroliga a fingerprinted, licensed, bonded, and insured professional. I’m required by law to meet those standards to transact in industries like insurance, real estate, notary, tax, and DMV services.

Why? Because these industries handle large sums of money and impact people’s lives. They require accountability. If I ever did bad business, I could be held responsible on multiple levels.But in the wedding and event planning industry, none of that exists. And because of that gap, I became one of many Harmed consumers in a story that should outrage every consumer and policymaker reading this. SHARE YOUR STORY

This is not just my story it’s an example how the law can protect bad actors instead of victims.

🪄 Clearing the Air about Ana Flores (and Giving Credit Where It’s Due)

Scammers steal.

Thieves snatch.

Ana Flores?

Ana kindly accepts your money with a contract. And in the eyes of the law, that changes everything.

It’s why scammers end up in handcuffs, while Ana Flores and Ana Flores Events are still out there taking bookings.

It’s why I have a court judgment in my favor and still haven’t been paid.

It’s why families, vendors, and small businesses continue to fall prey to a system that shields her.

And here’s the kicker: as of October 13, 2025 nearly three years after this all began Ana sent me a $500 payment. Not because a judge ordered it. Not because she suddenly decided to do the right thing. It came only after news broke of another wedding planner’s arrest in Santa Clara County (watch here). The October 14, payment and the timing? That speaks louder than any words she’s ever texted.

So yes credit where credit is due. Ana Flores is a master at using the system to her advantage. And this blog is my attempt to document exactly how that system protects her.

If you want to see what triggered this sudden “generosity,” here’s the Instagram post that set things in motion. Check out the comments.

📅 The Timeline: How It Started with Ana Flores Events

September 2022, I signed a contract with Ana Flores of Ana Flores Events for our civil ceremony and wedding reception, scheduled just two months later - November 10, 2022. The total package cost: $31,000, with $11,000 required upfront to “get started.”

She looked legitimate:

• A “Top Vendor” badge on The Knot

• A physical office location

• A professional website

• Over 30,000 followers on Instagram

• Dozens of glowing reviews

• No LLC - but explained she was a sole proprietor with insurance

  
  

On paper, she seemed credible. That’s what convinced us and many others to trust her with so much money so quickly. And in just one week, she had $11,000 of our money.

And what did we get? Nothing. Not a single vendor. Not a single real plan. Nothing.

We ended up planning our own civil ceremony in Las Vegas just to have something. The reception was pushed back to the following year, November 10, 2023. Even then, nothing materialized on her end.

📉 The Art of Saying Nothing

Ana Flores has mastered a powerful tactic I call The Art of Saying Nothing. It’s a masterclass in how to communicate just enough to avoid legal consequences while still withholding what’s owed.

Ask her a question?

She’ll reply, “Hi.” That’s not ignoring you.

Ask for your money? “I’m going to pay you.” That’s not refusal.

Ask for proof? “I can’t talk right now.”

Try to record her? She’ll refuse because tone is evidence, and evidence is dangerous.

It’s genius, in a dark way.

• You can’t accuse someone of ghosting you if they replied.

• You can’t prove refusal if they said “someday.”

• You can’t show intent if they never say anything meaningful.

This isn’t accidental. It’s strategic. It’s how someone can string you along for months, even years, without technically breaking the law.

🪄 The Illusion of Cooperation™

But Ana’s skillset doesn’t end there. She’s also a pro at creating what I call The Illusion of Cooperation.

Here’s how the playbook works:

• 📜 The Contract: Because there’s a contract, it’s not “theft” - it’s just a civil matter.

• 📞 Partial Performance: A phone call or an email can be framed as “work performed.”

• 🪙 Non-Refundable Deposit: She collects money and calls it a “retainer.”

• ⚖️ Asset Evasion: With nothing in her name, even a court judgment is nearly impossible to collect.

• 🗣️ Defamation Threats: Call her a scammer, and she’ll threaten legal action.

• 📝 Restraining Orders: Speak up too loudly, and she’ll seek a court order to silence you.

  
  

I know this because I lived it. She retaliated against me by filing for a restraining order in Santa Clara County, claiming I was harassing her online. That case failed and the judge explicitly stated I am allowed to speak professionally and truthfully about my experience. But the process cost time, money, and emotional energy all while she continued withholding what was owed.

⚖️ Winning Isn’t Really Winning

I took Ana Flores to small claims court in Alameda County, and on June 11, 2024, the judge ruled in my favor. She owes me $10,000.

And yet, here I am. Still unpaid. Still chasing accountability. Still watching her book new events under Ana Flores Events.

To date, I’ve received just $3,100 small, sporadic “baby payments.” And now a pending $500 payment on October 13, 2025 right after public attention grew again.

That’s not accountability. That’s optics.

🧱 The Walls Victims Face

Here’s what most people don’t realize: even when you win in small claims court, the system is stacked against you.

• If the defendant owns nothing, collecting is nearly impossible.

• If they evade being served, you can’t even get them into court.

• If they show minimal effort, the judge may reduce what they owe.

• If they promise payment, they can drag things out indefinitely.

• If they claim harassment, they can turn the spotlight back on you.

  
  

Even calling them a “scammer” can land you in legal trouble, because with a contract in place, it’s considered a breach -not theft.

And once you win, the law treats you as a debt collector, bound by strict rules that now protect the very person who wronged you.

It’s a maze designed to exhaust victims into silence. And that’s exactly why many never pursue legal action at all.

🪙 The Real-World Consequences

This isn’t just about money. Ana’s actions derailed major parts of my life.

She disrupted my honeymoon.

She delayed fertility treatments we had planned after the wedding.

She jeopardized my professional licenses by dragging me into court with false claims.

She turned what should have been one of the happiest moments of my life into an ongoing legal and emotional battle.

And yet, through it all, she continues to operate

because the law allows it.

💼 A Business Model Built on Loopholes

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Ana Flores and Ana Flores Events are exploiting loopholes the law hasn’t caught up to.

She doesn’t need a license. She doesn’t need a bond. She doesn’t need to pass a background check or submit fingerprints.

She can collect $5,000, $20,000, even $200,000  and if she fails to deliver, it’s just a “civil dispute.” She can rebrand, reopen, and repeat.

Meanwhile, professionals like me handling similar amounts of money are fingerprinted, licensed, bonded, and regulated because consumer protection matters. If I misused client funds, I’d lose my license, face lawsuits, and potentially face criminal charges.

If I need to be regulated to sell a $500 insurance policy or notarize a $50 document, why can someone collect $30,000+ for a wedding with no oversight at all?

🧑‍⚖️ What She Doesn’t Want You to Know

Let’s be clear: Ana Flores does not want this article written.

She doesn’t want you to know that she retaliated against me in court.

She doesn’t want you to know that she jeopardized my career and personal life.

She doesn’t want you to know that three years later, she still hasn’t paid the judgment in full.

And she definitely doesn’t want you to know that her sudden payment came only after renewed public attention.

Because public accountability is the one thing that threatens this business model.

✍️ From “Allegedly” to Action

One person telling their story is an allegation.Ten people telling their stories is a pattern. SIX people telling their stories? That’s a case according to San Jose DA.

If Ana Flores or Ana Flores Events has allegedly taken your money, failed to deliver services, or still owes you payment it’s time to stop yelling into the void and start documenting.

📁 Your story matters especially when it’s documented. Add your experience here-Help Us Build the Record so we can show the DA that this isn’t an isolated incident with Ana Flores, it’s a pattern.

📜 Sign and share the petition: Masterclass in Loopholes: Stop Unlicensed Wedding Planners from Exploiting FamiliesTogether, we can push for licensing, bonding, and oversight in an industry that’s been allowed to self-police for far too long.

🧠 Final Thought

This isn’t about revenge. It’s about accountability. It’s about making sure no other family spends their savings on a day that never happens. It’s about protecting vendors, families, and small businesses from being used and discarded. It’s about closing the loopholes that allow people like Ana Flores to operate without consequence.

She’s not a scammer. She’s not a thief.She’s a master of her craft and the system has rewarded her for it.

It’s time we stop calling that “business” and start calling it what it is: a problem that must be fixed.

Johanna Arroliga