Northern California Wedding Planner | Planning ahead

Just the other day, a good vendor friend of ours mentioned that she had no idea that planners handled so many of the details - to which we thought maybe we should share a bit more about the behind the scenes work that goes into a wedding. If we only share what fits into a small Instagram caption, how can clients and vendors alike learn about what planners do? So here is trip down the planning lane.

Photo by TreCreative

First, we will preface by saying that every wedding is very very different from the next and no two events are the same because of the variables from location, season, budget, vendor team, style, guest count etc. Second, no matter which “package” a couple books - our role is to help you plan ahead for each phase of planning and to help present solutions along the way.

Photo by Gretchen Granka

From a full planning & design stand point we jump into planning details with a master planning session where we will get into many details from style inspirations, likes/dislikes, must-haves, preferences on food & beverage to the textures and palette that you envision and go into vendor recommendations so that we can curate a vendor team who will work seamlessly together on your event. Throughout the project we are going to walk you through the various phases and transitions of your event so everything from rehearsal, getting ready, set-up, decor, food & beverage service elements, reception formalities, open dancing, send off down to the strike (breakdown) of the event. The draft master timeline is our living document of your wedding so it will start with the foundation of sunset and hours of photography coverage then we work our way backwards to determine when you and your wedding party will need to be camera ready.

Photo by Sarah Tamagni Photography

Planning comes in waves, so while some of our check-in calls may be spent on decor or invitations we may have a whole meeting on site logistics like restrooms rentals, power, heating/cooling, parking, lighting, garbage, neighborhood sound ordinances etc. Those logistics are so important when hosting events in a private space that doesn’t already have the built-in infrastructure that a typical venue would include. As we near your event, you will have less on your planning plate so you can instead focus on how you will spend time with your friends and family while they are here for your big day! We use a checklist so that our couples can see where they are in their planning process at any time.

Aside from your timeline, we put a lot of focus into your layout because this will be where all of the vendors working on your event will be able to ensure they have what they need factored into your space. If we know that for your live band they need 4 dedicated outlets or a minimum of 15 ft clearance for their stage set-up we can build around those details.

Your day is about the personal details, so our team will work with you on your ceremony processional order, song selections, vows, reception formalities, dances, toasts and more so that your whole day flows in fluidly and organically. The timeline should be created with not only your preferences but timing that works for your whole team so that everyone is set up for success and they can do their absolute best for you. Meaning we get feedback on the timeline as we build it but we are also able to improvise on the day-of as needed. If you are still bustling your dress - we have an announcement ready for the DJ to remind guests to refill their drink at the bar before they take their seat and we give the caterer a heads up not to pull lids yet; it’s all about communication!

Photo by Matthew Lim Photography

Well friends that was a snapshot of the behind the scenes world of wedding planning but we could go on forever about all of our favorite planning milestones. In 2020 much of our work was focused on finding alternative dates or locations for couples, researching best practices for modifications and adjusting plans to the micro-wedding scale and we were glad that we were able to ease some of the stress for our couples. With 2021 being right around the corner we have a lot of excitement to bring in the new year and to get back to planning pretty gatherings again!

~ Happy Planning~
The 530 Bride

Northern California Wedding Planner | Paul J. Wines - Plymouth, CA ~ Clarice & Raul

When we first met Clarice, we could tell that she was so excited to be Mrs. Velasquez. There was such pure and wholesome energy that came from her presence, the anticipation was contagious! With loads of collaboration from their family and friends, an amazing group of creative professionals, it was a perfect October day! Enjoy these highlight images from Dani Padgette Weddings!

Before the festivities began, Clarice got ready for their first look at her grandparent’s estate up the road where vineyards that produced the wine provided for the wedding was grown. Look at those smiles and tears of anticipation!

Their perfect fall wedding day was held in the backyard on the stunning property of her uncle’s winery in Plymouth, CA; Paul J Wines. With florals designed by her best friend, Olivia an altar constructed by Clarice’s dad and brother, and a view to die for, each element came together to create a truly sentimental wedding.

No eye was left dry after witnessing Raul and Clarice’s sweet vows to each other.

To kick off the party, DJ Or asked guests to join the dance floor group by group by the amount of years they’d known the couple and within a couple minutes it was packed with guests ready to break out their best moves. The night was filled with great food, drinks, and so much dancing all night long.

Shout out to the rockstar team who made this magical night happen!

Wedding Management @530bride
Venue and Bar Service @pauljwines
Photography @danipadgettweddings
Catering @chandostacos
DJ @andrmusic
Floral @svyatovia
Rentals @jspartyrentals
Hair @stephaniezinna

…and all of Clarice & Raul’s family and friends involved.

Northern California Wedding Planner | Friends Don't let Friends Stress On Their Wedding Day

Thinking back to some of the most fun weddings that we’ve been apart of we can see the common thread - the intention from day one to just let go of unnecessary stress. That is so much easier said than done in many scenarios but planning your wedding doesn’t have to be stressful or scary, we promise! Friends and family are there to help you live in the moment and enjoy making memories! The rest is where we come in..

Photo by Matthew Lim Photography

Being days away from 2020 we know that a wedding party is no longer tied to old traditions and is instead there to support you and enjoy in the celebration with you. If we can avoid having your wedding party or family feel like they need to work at your wedding then even better because they’ll be focused on being by your side.

Photo by Matthew Lim Photography

The sweetest gift is when we see siblings, friends, and members in the wedding party stepping forward to encourage the couple to at the bare minimum hire a coordination team if not full planning. Having referrals from past clients, their family members and wedding party means that absolute world to us because we know that we were able to contribute to everyone having nothing to stress over on the wedding day.

Photo by Matthew Lim Photography

To those who have been searching high and low for a day-of-coordinator, you may notice that the wedding industry as a whole has shifted the terminology (rightfully so) to a more accurate term of “Wedding Management” because ..well “day-of-coordination” just doesn’t exist. When we come out for a site walk to your venue or property typically 4-6 months in advance to look at the layout & logistics (power, parking, vendor access, signage) we are looking at all of the moving parts and details that need to be cohesive in order to have a successful wedding weekend. This doesn’t happen when someone is handed some notes and a clipboard 24 hours or even weeks in advance.

Over 8 years of planning we have stepped in to many different scenarios and though most everything is correctable (changing rental or floral qty., making sure there are cake plates and extra forks, double checking ice for the bar & water for guests, managing the shuttle schedule and keeping hair and make-up running on time) we know that we save our clients time and most certainly money because we are looking at the bigger picture. Do you have questions about what exactly a planner does or whether or not you need one? Shoot us a message or hop over to our reviews on WeddingWire to read first-hand from clients just like you who are glad they had the extra support!

~ Happy Planning! ~

Northern California Wedding Planner | Historic Covered Bridge Wedding ~ As seen on Lovely Day Journal

No matter how much time passes, we could go back in our minds to the specific details of a past wedding day from the planning sessions, emails, floorplans, to getting the wedding party lined up and sending them down the aisle for their ceremony! We remember these moments because it feels like such a gift to experience them, and to share them with our couples.

This June wedding was one for the books as far as warm weddings go, but I can’t think of a single guest that I didn’t see out on the dance floor having an amazing time because Nerissa and Quinn were absolutely enjoying their day! We love to see weddings featured especially when the couples can share details and some of the story behind each element that made their day so special. Obviously we were excited to see Nerissa & Quinn’s wedding featured on Lovely Day Journal! Phots by Annamae Photo

“What was the most anticipated or special moment of your wedding day?

“Everything about our wedding day was perfect. I especially loved our vows. My husband wrote them and they were exactly us.””

— Nerissa

Nerissa was not only an organized bride, but she was able to incorporate her talent as a graphic designer into the details of her day while still being able to relax & feel present with her friends and family. We know that it takes an incredible amount of trust to hire a team to manage these special details, and we are so thankful to have been there along the way with Nerissa & Quinn!

See the full feature on Lovely Day Journal here or see the links below to learn more about the vendor team:
Second Shooter: Annamae Photo//Beauty: Two Twenty Two Salon//Makeup Artist:Powder Room Beauty Bar//Floral Designer: Lisa Claire Floral//Pre Ceremony Location: Hotel Diamond//Ceremony Location: Honey Run Covered Bridge//Event Planner: The 530 Bride//Design and Decor: WeDo Designs//Caterer: Kinders BBQ//Bakery: Upper Crust Bakery & Eatery//DJ: Elite Sound Professional DJ’s//Photographer: Annamae Photo//

If you would like to learn more about the The Honey Run Covered Bridge rebuilding efforts or to donate, visit: https://hrcoveredbridge.org/donate

~ Happy Planning!
XOXO, Veronica

Northern California Wedding Planner | Change of Scenery

The first few months of 2019 have been a great time to get caught up on year-end tasks and to keep making improvements to our overall service here at The 530 Bride. Our office space in Chico has served us well, and it was a fabulous place to meet with vendors and our growing team.

Delphine will be finishing out the 2019 wedding season before phasing out of weddings and focusing solely on The 530 & Co. where she helps small business owners improve their online presence with social media and website design.

So as of April 1st we will both be working from our home offices, and we will continue to be able to meet clients at site visits, vendor offices, coffee shops and remote/skype meetings with our clients who live outside our local area.

With a change of scenery comes design decisions and that means many hours looking at inspiration and deciding what items work best in our new spaces. Here at my home studio I will be trying to keep everything very minimalistic and toddler free! Can’t wait to share the before and afters of the final studio’s!

Where do you draw your inspiration from? Pinterest or maybe a favorite home designer like Joanna Gaines? I definitely know that home design wasn’t my calling so I will stick to weddings!
Happy Planning!
Veronica

Northern California Wedding Planner | Logistic's For The Win

We've all heard that old saying - "practice makes perfect;" well when it comes to weddings we think it is the logistics that save the day! 

When you book your wedding venue or even when planning a wedding in your own back yard, you are taking a canvas and filling it with tables, chairs, DJ equipment, dance floor, buffet tables, a bar and much more.  Then the task becomes designing the space so that it is not only beautiful, but so that it is nice and open - no bottle necks of traffic at the bar or the buffet line and that everyone can see the events going on throughout the evening.  

Adding tools, features and resources to our planning packages not only improves efficiency on the backend but we know it gives couples the extra reassurance that all of the details are being managed.  When we sit down with our full service and design clients we are able to build the experience with them from day one!

This process takes vision, and critical thinking skills because we aren't always working with a cookie cutter space.  We also have to consider power supply, lighting, level ground and the logistics for catering to prep and serve the food.  Sometimes we sketch the space and give an outline of the set-up after walking through the space, and getting to hear more about your vision.  Then we can apply these sketches and the couple's wish into a more detailed floor plan design that we can share with all of the vendors ahead of time. 

Need to figure out how many extra uplights to add on with your DJ? Let's see those lights in action and plan out your space accordingly.  Visualize where the guests will be when the reception is underway!

Aside from the planning of the space we also build your timeline so that you can make the most of your day.  We don't want to waste any precious moments due to something that could be prevented such as transportation problems, lighting or venue access.  

Our couples can log into their planning dashboard and have 24/7 access to their timeline, guest list, budget, design studio and planning checklist among many other helpful tools!

When your guest count changes so does your rental order, catering invoice, floor plan and transportation schedule.  Having a wedding planner on board to communicate with all of the event partners you have booked will save you time and ultimately give you a smoother wedding experience overall.  

Are you considering hiring a wedding planner for your special day? We would love to learn more about your vision and help you create the logistics to make it all happen!

~ Happy Planning! ~ 

Northern California Wedding Planner | Real Talk ~ Budget Breakdown

With the recent news of Style Me Pretty closing it had us thinking a lot about where couples find inspiration for planning their wedding.  If you are engaged and starting to dive into the rentals, decor and design aspects of your wedding you might feel unsure of pricing or how to even go about putting together the overall look.  We're going to break down the budget of a wedding reception and talk real numbers!

Let's take two side by side wedding tables for example and see if anything jumps out.  At first glance, they are both round guest tables with white linens.  But the full drop linen on the left is double the price of the linen on the right.  

Will your reception chairs be pre-set at the tables or are you using the same set of chairs for ceremony and moving them to reception?  Consider the cost of doubling the set of chairs vs upgrading to full drop linens and see which is a priority to you.  In some cases couples choose to use standard linens on the tables and only have one set of chairs so just make sure you have a plan for getting chairs moved over. 

Now, let's move on to your place settings and visualize what you would like to have on your tables.  The first question we would have is if your caterer will be providing china and flatware or if they use heavy chinette disposables.  If the caterer gives you the option or you are considering renting dishes just make sure to work out the numbers for rentals, and labor for bussing the dishes.

Image: Matthew Lim Photography 

So let's ball park the numbers for a wedding reception of 150 guests assuming we are using round guest tables that seat 8 guests and basic polyester linens. *Keep in mind the pricing is based on average rental pricing in Northern California and it can vary quite a bit depending on the company* 

148 guests + the couple

1 48 inch round wood table (sweetheart table) 8.00 ea
1  108 inch round full drop polyester linen (sweetheart table) 10.95 ea
19 60 inch round wood tables  8.95 ea
19 120 inch full drop polyester linen 12.95 ea
150 White resin padded folding chairs 2.50 ea
150 China package (dinner plate, flatware, water goblet, wine glass and champagne glass) 2.60 ea

This would bring us to $27 per person and a subtotal of $3,996 for the guest tables and then $4,014.25 including the sweetheart table + linen before tax, delivery and maintenance/wear & tear fees (typically 10%) We would also want to add a welcome table, buffet tables, bar tables, dessert tables etc along with linens for all of your service tables. 

Depending on if you are renting through a full service rental company or your caterer, you will also want to factor in set-up and breakdown fees for ceremony and reception items.    
 

Image: Bloom Portraiture 

Choosing a caterer is a big decision not only because it is such a large portion of your wedding budget but because choosing the package can determine the service level for the event.  If you envision passed appetizers, staff going around to keep the beverage glasses full, having champagne poured at the tables and staff to handle cake cutting then you will want to look into a full service caterer.  {For more tips on choosing a caterer check out our recent blog post.}

If you are choosing a buffet and would like to keep costs down, consider using heavy chinette disposables to reduce the rental costs and labor for bussing tables.   You can also have stationary appetizers instead of passed as it will be less labor intensive. 

Hopefully this was helpful to see some line items but if you need some assistance with getting your overall budget together, feel free to reach out and we would be happy to chat!

~ Happy Planning ~ 

Northern California Wedding Planner | Bucket List - Couples Choice Awards

Over coffee we like to chat about the "some days" and the dreams we have of going on a planner's retreat or designing a wedding on a beautiful island somewhere - you know, like a bucket list of sorts. 

These last few months we've felt so incredibly blessed to have experienced the excitement of meeting goals, everything from finally finding an office space, growing a team, connecting and networking with other event professionals, but most of all receiving feedback from our couples.  

We made our number one goal focusing on the client experience and learning where we can help couples alleviate any undue stress and improve on the overall planning process.  Asking for feedback and learning from it, after every single wedding.

Thank you!!

We met a major milestone in our business with the Wedding Wire Couple's choice awards for 2018 and it was a bucket list moment for sure!

The topic came up in one of our wedding industry groups and we thought it would be fun to list a few bucket list ideas for 2018: 

1. Wedding on Water - Maybe one of the river cruise, or heck a yacht why not (just putting it out there) 
2. Military/Law Enforcement - We would love to be a part of a special day for a very special hero out there who has done so much for our country and community, so if you know someone who is planning a wedding and has served or is serving in the military or in law enforcement please send them our way! 
3. Pop-up wedding - Okay how cool would it be to get to assist multiple couples with a petite wedding just right for them and their intimate group of guests?! We are going to make this happen!

We'd love to hear about a fun bucket list idea you have or that you share as a couple! Now, we are going to go look at some cruises or travel websites for that retreat idea!

~ Happy Planning!~

Timeline Tips | Part One: Contracts

A wedding day timeline is absolutely the most important piece to planning your wedding! 

You can find THE dress, and have the perfect flowers and decor but without a well planned timeline your wedding day can feel hectic and unorganized, not just to you but also to your guests.  That is why we are writing a series of blog posts focused solely on helping to ensure you understand the elements that make a fluid timeline and a smooth wedding day.

The contracts that you sign with your wedding vendors (wedding venue, photographer, caterer, etc.) are extremely important because they outline the services that are being provided.  The first contract that we take into consideration is your wedding venue.  Why? A wedding venue that includes the whole wedding weekend from rehearsal on Friday for example to breakdown/clean-up on Sunday will be much different from a venue that allows 12 to 15 hours total.  

Photo of one of our wedding day timelines from a recent event

Knowing how many hours you have onsite will dictate how much man power is needed to set-up and break-down as well as what time you should start the ceremony in order to have time for dinner and dancing before having to turn the music off and start breakdown.  

What you need to know about your wedding venue:

• How many hours are included in your venue/site rental
• If you are having your ceremony and reception at separate locations make sure to factor in the time it takes to travel between locations especially if your photographers/videographers or any other vendors are traveling between sites.
• Does the venue allow you to have your ceremony rehearsal the night before? If not, what is an alternative date when you can access the site to rehearse?
• Can any set-up be done before or after ceremony rehearsal (tables and chairs placed etc)
• What time can vendors begin set-up? 
• What time must music be turned off/down (if any restrictions apply)
• What time must all guests exit the premises, and all clean up be completed?
• Can any items be left to pick up the following day?

Next we will be talking about how to make the most of your photography coverage.  Catch Part Two or subscribe to our updates to get all of the latest blog posts!

~ Happy Planning!