Northern California Wedding Planner | Top Tips of 2019 - Wedding Planning Advice

Sometimes the short and sweet version is all you need so here’s our top wedding planning tips of 2019!

1. Do it for you!
Your wedding plans are yours alone, meaning that you really don’t have to try to please everyone. Keep it authentic to you as a couple and you can’t go wrong. Play the music you love, get married in the setting that feels right whether that is a church, a backyard property or a traditional wedding venue! Related post: Planning Authentically

Butte Creek Canyon Wedding - Photo by AVH Photography

2. Invest in Experience
We can’t drive it home enough - on your wedding day time will fly by! We want you to feel present and that can only happen when you are comfortable enough to trust the professionals that you have on your creative team.

For us, we really try to make a point of recapping with our couples after their wedding and over the years we can really see the difference in the client experience for those who hired professionals - timelines stayed on track making the most of your photo coverage, announcements & music on point, the flowers and decor details were impeccable, food was delicious and beyond that everyone had an amazing time! That doesn’t happen without a team working together. Related posts: Pricing vs Value and Why Experience Matters

Bella Rosa Farms - Photo by Shannon Rosan

3. Don’t be shy
Pinterest can send you down the rabbit hole and before you know it you are looking at weddings in New York or L.A with luxury budgets so you aren’t sure how to set a realistic expectation for your wedding. In the wedding world we have to be open with our couples about the real cost of planning a wedding in their local area. If you are receiving quotes and feeling the sticker shock, you have to pump the breaks and have a transparent conversation with your fiance/parents or anyone contributing to the budget. It is totally ok to discuss the pricing and make sure that you understand all costs before booking. Related budget posts: Service Fees and Real Talk - Budget Breakdown

Almendra Winery & Distillery Styled Shoot - Photo by Ranalla Photo & Film

4. Keep It Simple
Choosing what decor to incorporate into your wedding day can feel sort of daunting, but our rule of thumb is to keep it simple - choose focal points to maximize the impact of your design. This point goes back up to Tip #2 above, but the less decor your buy on your own the less you need to pack out afterwards so if you can rent rather than buy it’s often worth it. Linens are a great example, couples may find good deals online to purchase linens but these will often not come fully pressed an will also need to be washed & pressed afterwards which can add up quick. An elevated design for your sweetheart table, dessert display or lounge seating areas make great focal points. Related posts: Keep it Simple

Photo by Shannon Rosan

5. Plan ahead
Life doesn’t hit pause once you say I Do, so give some thought to what you want your first week or even month or so of “normal life” to look like after your wedding. If you have been spending a lot of time on wedding planning you are going to want to re-channel this energy somewhere and the best advice we have is to spend focused task-based time with intention. Look into trying out a yoga or spin class with a friend (many gyms and studios even have a few free trials!) or plan on a room in your house to rennovate/update. You can see our full blog post on avoiding the post-wedding blues here!

Photo by Sarah Tamagni Photography

Our 2019 season is a wrap, but we are busy working on planning details for our 2020 weddings and continually streamlining the way that we run our planning company, this means more efficiency & consistency for all of our couples. Be sure to catch up with the latest happenings by following us on Instagram at @530bride

~ Happy Planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | Fine Tuning Your Wedding Vision

Wedding planning is a creative experience because it blends a couple’s personalities. love story and design elements all into one amazing day. Sometimes the process of finding just the right design elements and details can feel super overwhelming!

via GIPHY

Not to worry! If you can break down the different elements into a more bite-sized approach it can save you a lot of the stress. Challenge yourself focus on the experience of your wedding and what you want to remember about your day. We can’t slow down how quickly the day goes by, but we can give you more opportunities to be present with your guests!

Repeat after us… less is more! Then close your Pinterest for the rest of the day we promise it will help give your brain a break from trying to do all the things. Come back to the drawing board with a cleansed palette so to speak.

Happy Planning!
The 530 Bride Team

Northern California Wedding Planner | The Good Stuff

In the thick of wedding season, it could be easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of email inboxes, layouts, to-do lists and budgets .. but the special moments when couples get a little watery in the eyes thinking of their ceremony details or when they see their engagement photos come back; that’s the good stuff!

Photo by AVH Photography

You see, it is so personal and special to be a part of this experience with our couples. We are there for the big decisions down to the smallest of the details, the phone calls and texts with advice and support through every planning milestone. Even for the couples who book with us a few months out before their wedding after they have made the majority of the decisions, realize the benefit to having someone to advocate on their behalf while bringing the details together in the final weeks.

We find ourselves telling our couples how fast the wedding day truly will fly by and we want to help them enjoy every moment of it. So the more we can do to take your focus off of the “stuff” and put it back on your experience, and being present with your fiance, friends & family - that’s what matters most.

When we meet with our couples and potential clients we will be able to help you prioritize the details that will actually impact your day and streamline the rest. Our goal is to also make sure that all of the event partners who are a part of your day (photographer, videographer, hair & make-up, transportation, florist, caterer, DJ and venue for example) are all set up for success as well. This helps to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that you know the details are handled!

Sometimes the biggest impact of all, is the ability for the parents of the couple and their immediate family to be able to relax and know that everything is in place for the big day which allows them to be able to relax and enjoy as well. This sweet note below is from a bride’s mom at a recent wedding and it touched our hearts:

“Dear Veronica, Thank you so much for all of your guidance & help to make Jade & Mark’s wedding perfect for them! You were the super glue that held it all together. Also, holding my peace of mind in check with your amazing timeline. Anxiety comes from fear of the unknown. When we organize our plans & see it in writing, it helps so much. You came into our lives quickly, but made a long lasting impression. So grateful you helped Jade navigate the dog situation and went above & beyond in delivering our leftovers to our home. The 530 Bride is amazing!”

— Julie A.

So no matter how close you are to your wedding date we hope you will consider having a wedding planner or wedding management/coordination team support you. If we are booked, we are always happy to provide recommendations of local and reputable planners who will do an amazing job for you.

~ Happy Planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | How to Plan Your Bar Menu

We have all been a wedding guest at some point or another right? In between snacking during cocktail hour and grabbing a slice of cake most guests wouldn't think about the logistics that went into ordering wine and beer for the open bar they are enjoying.  That's the art behind a well planned event, you aren't running out of ice or cups and you certainly aren't out of the white zin that everyone is loving! 

Planning your bar menu is more than just what you will serve, but also about the quantities of each that you will order.  How do you figure out how much red, how much white or how many kegs? Here are the tips we share with our clients and hope you find helpful:

1.  Consider the setting
Many venues have specific rules about hard alcohol or prohibit serving hard alcohol all together, double check your contract before stocking the bar of course! For a summer outdoor wedding you may want to pair more of the chilled and sparkling wines, or plan a few refreshing signature drinks in lieu of a full wine or cocktail menu.  Not only will it keep your guests cooler but it will also keep your bar costs down because you are only buying mixers/ingredients for two signature drinks for example vs a full bar or extensive wine list.  Make sure to plan on getting plenty of ice to keep the kegs and drinks nice and cold! Non-alcoholic beverage station with water, iced teas, lemonade etc will also give your guests more options and keep them hydrated.

2. You know your guests
While your caterer or bar service provider may know a lot about hosting events, you know your group better than anyone.  If these folks are beer drinkers you have to take that into consideration when deciding on how many kegs or cases of beer you will need and how many bottles of wine you will need.  

3. Size Matters
If you are trying to get an accurate estimate on how many servings are in a keg or wine bottle etc you should make sure that you know what cups you will be using to serve the guests.  For example, if you bought personalized 16oz cups off of Etsy, you are using a cup that is considered oversized. 

http://www.dummies.com/food-drink/drinks/beer/buying-beer-in-kegs/

4.  Budget
Hosting a wedding or any large event is expensive, plan smart and focus on the essentials.  Here are a few helpful calculators to ensure that you don't overshoot and purchase more alcohol than you need.  If your venue or caterer is providing the alcohol, you will need to set a budget with them to determine the amount that you will be comfortable with hosting.  For example if the country club has a $1200 bar minimum you would have a hosted bar up until that dollar amount, after that it would be become a "no-host bar" and guests would pay for their drinks.  Many couples opt for no-host cocktails which means that your guests can get beer and wine but would pay for their own cocktails.  Make sure to ask about corkage fees as well, these add up!

If you are providing your own alcohol, you can look for deals from Bevmo or World Market for deals or even your local grocery store may offer specials.  Costco often has great pricing for large magnum bottles as well.   How much alcohol do you need? Here is a handy (free) calculator:

http://www.thealcoholcalculator.com/

We strongly advise asking for help from your vendor team so that you aren't stressing over how many bottles and servings you need the week of your wedding! Have questions? We are happy to help just shoot us a message on our contact page. 
 

 ~ Happy Planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | What Your Bridesmaids Wish You Knew

These ladies seriously love you and are going to be your side no matter what, but your bridesmaids wish you knew:

They aren't your wedding planner, your florist, or your clean-up crew!

Understandably, your bridesmaids and/or MOH will want to do anything in her power to help take things off your plate.  But between having to decipher seating charts, arrange bouquets, set up your wedding decor before hair and make-up or even break down after an event we have seen wedding parties end up in some pretty tough spots! If you can make it work to hire professional vendors, or at a minimum hire a team for set-up and break down your wedding party will thank you!

They are taking time out of their life to attend your bridal shower, bachelorette weekend and your wedding day! 

Give as much notice as possible to allow your wedding party time to ask for time off or make arrangements to travel.  For those who live out of town, try to be understanding and only ask them to attend what they can without the pressure of attending all events (travel adds up! $$.) Speaking of costs, the average cost of being in a wedding is up to $700 when you consider attire & alterations, travel, hair & make-up and wedding gifts.     

Let's talk about bridesmaid dresses..

Bridesmaid dresses and the over all attire can be a point of contention especially when your bridal party varies in age, size/shapes and general preferences.  Not all fabrics, necklines or lengths are universally flattering so really keep this in mind when you are starting to look at dress options.  Also consider the price, and likelihood of additional alterations.  Mixing dress styles and shades has been a big trend which allows each of your bridesmaids to find a gown that works for them and that they may even prefer to wear again.  

Communication is key! 

To keep communication clear, consider creating a private Facebook group for your bridal party. This may also help them get to know each other if they aren't already close.  You can share links to dress styles or even share pictures from your bridal shower, bachelorette weekend etc.  Be careful not overload them with too many S.O.S messages, utilize your wedding vendors as much as possible rather (that's what you are paying them for!)  

Head Table vs Sweetheart Table

Many couples are moving away from a head table because the majority of their wedding party is married or in serious relationships and would prefer to sit with their spouse/date.  The head table often sits vacant right after the toasts and first dance and ends up just being a coat hanger for the tux jackets! A sweetheart table can be a great alternative and you can seat your wedding party and immediate family and reserved tables nearby.  (You will likely save money on full drop linens as well)

Make the most of this special time with your friends

If you can plan in time just to hang out like a day pool side with your gals, or a silly slumber party, lunch out (with no wedding talk) etc you will make lasting memories with your friends.  Ask them about whats new in their lives, catch up and connect with them as much as you can.  It seems like a no-brainer but when you are deep in the trenches of planning it is easy to slip into wedding mode.  

Happy Planning!