Northern California Wedding Planner | We're Sort of Psychic

Alright so we can't predict the weather (wouldn't that be nice) but we can steer couples away from red flags during their planning process.  Maybe it doesn't come from a cosmic super power but let's call it "wedding planner intuition."  

From a bride ordering her custom wedding dress online to a "friend of a friend" DJ'ing your wedding... we try to steer couples away from these potential catastrophe's because it is simply not worth it for you to save a bit in one area and cost yourself the headache or disappointment in the long run.  

It happens to all of us.  We see a good price or an opportunity to save money, maybe even an impulse shopping decision.  I myself was guilty over Black Friday when cruising on Amazon Prime I saw some beautiful sequin linens that were so beautiful in the photos I just had to have them.  So I added them to my cart and right as I was about to check out I saw another listing from the same shop and looked through some of their other items.  That's when I started reading the reviews from customers who unfortunately received the items that looked nothing like they did in the picture.  Not only that, they didn't match the measurements of the linens listed.  Even if it wasn't a wedding day, lets say it was a birthday party or even a gathering that you are hosting and you are so excited about how this linen is going to tie everything together.  You receive it and it's missing sequins or looks like it was sewn by a blind monkey! Now you are rushing to find a plan B.

What is my point? Rushing to find a plan B when it comes to your wedding is unnecessary stress that you don't need.  We can only encourage you to take our advice when it comes to hiring professionals and quality product that we know is going to meet your expectation.  Why risk a years worth of planning and organizing a timeline when your friend of a friend DJ shows up and pretty much thinks they are there to party instead of following a timeline or making announcements to keep everything running smoothly.  As a wedding planner, there is nothing worse than feeling like you are trying to do multiple jobs at once and still not able to fix the couple's disappointment due to another vendor failing to do what they were hired to do.

So when you hire a wedding planner you are also hiring someone who has learned from years of experience and understands how to avoid these red flags.  We've learned from our own challenges, and we recommendations on professionals who we know and trust to go above an beyond to make a couple's day amazing.

~ Happy Planning & Happy Holiday shopping -
p.s Read the reviews first!!
XoXo - Veronica

Northern California Wedding Planner | Planning Your Wedding Over The Holidays

We can't believe it but time has flown by and the holidays are upon us! We're nearing the end of our 2017 wedding season, with one more sweet wedding day to celebrate next month.  With all of the holiday ads and countdowns we know it can be a stressful time for couples.  You might feel extra pressure to start nailing down the wedding details and wondering how to keep your planning on track during this busy time of year.  Here's a handy infographic with our top tips: 

We hope that all of the future couples can take a breath and realize that it's not worth it to be stressed over your wedding day! It really is supposed to be fun, so if you feel like you are carrying the load all by yourself please consider reaching out even if you just need to ask for advice.  We've got your back!
~ Happy Planning!~

Northern California Wedding Planner | Keeping Your Wedding Budget in Check

Our tips for keeping your wedding budget in check

If we had to name one thing that can really cause stress it wouldn't be hard to guess that the Budget topic is first on the list.  Why? Because it is often skipped over in the excitement of being engaged and the couple or the families of the couple choose a wedding venue off the bat without realizing how that impacts the rest of the budget moving forward.  

Looking at sites like The Knot and Wedding Wire, you will see an estimation of 50% of your total budget going towards the cost of the venue.  What varies greatly is what the venue actually provides.  If your venue doubles as your ceremony and reception venue and includes amenities like tables and chairs, you probably in good shape.  

Our advice is to A) Discuss the budget and be realistic on how much you are comfortable putting away or who will be contributing.  B) Meet with a wedding planner who can put these numbers into perspective for you based on the area C) Create two spreadsheets based on your top two venues and break down how the budget would be allocated in both scenarios.  

Wedding planning is fun we promise, but it does come with some reality checks and for good reason.  We strongly believe in planning for the experience and not for the "stuff" or you will definitely go over budget and feel like you are being over taken by the whole process.  

We use a planning dashboard to help our couples through their planning and budgeting so that we can track costs and keep all of those items in check.  By tracking deposits, payments and final balance it keeps the financial aspect much more transparent.  

What has been the most stressful aspect of planning for you? Just getting started? Contact us today for a complimentary consultation for wedding planning and how we can best help you. 

Northern California Wedding Planner | Give Yourself Some Grace

It's Friday and it's raining. A Fall lover's happy place is with a hot cup of coffee and a good book or Netflix series - Can I get an amen? For a lot of couples who have #allthethings on their minds when it comes to their wedding day and maybe feeling behind, we want to remind you to take a moment and try to give yourself some grace!

Instead of worrying about getting out the save the dates, or price checking those rentals instead think about what you can do as a couple this weekend to just be "normal" and take a break from wedding mode.  

Hold up --> Did a wedding planner just tell you to take a break from planning? Yep, and it is so that when you have had some time you can come back with a clear mind and actually enjoy the wedding tasks at hand.  

If you are feeling overwhelmed, it is never to late to reach out and ask for some help.  We work with couples who are at all different stages of their planning.  Did you know that we also offer remote planning? Meaning, maybe you just need some support with lining up your wedding services or getting caught back up on what to do next.  We're here for you if you ever need to chat or ask questions! 

For our Butte County couples, make sure to hop over to the new site www.ButteCountyWeddings.net to find local resources for your wedding as well! 

Northern California Wedding Planner | Keeping it Intimate - Ceremonies & Pop-Up Weddings

We're Loving Intimate Weddings - Here's Why: 

Instead of being lost in seating chart land or worrying over shuttles for 140 guests, couples can focus on their vows, experiencing the dining experience along with their guests, visiting and truly being in the moment.  Not to mention the budget can often be allocated on enriching your guests experiences with welcome bags, custom stationery at their place settings, or live music for example.  

Photos Courtesy of  Amanda Wei Photography

Many of our couples reside outside of Northern California, and are planning their weddings remotely so having us in the area to go on site walks and meet with their event team saves them a lot of the leg work while giving them peace of mind.   After-all for most, this is the first time planning an event of this size so it can seem overwhelming when they first set the date. 

Recently, we've had the pleasure of working with couples who are really looking to streamline their wedding day experience and are looking for an all inclusive approach.  This can mean finding a venue who provides many of the amenities such as the event space, tables, chairs, food & beverage, etc and we contract the event team to complete the must-haves including florals, sound & photography to name a few.  
 

If you are curious about Pop-Up Weddings and how they differ between an intimate wedding or elopement, here is a comparison:

Elopement - The couple + witness(es) + officiant

Pop-up Wedding - One venue decked out with all of the wedding goodies + multiple couples at various times during the day, night or throughout the length of the event + 15-20 guests typically and can include some of the essentials like officiant, photography, champagne, appetizers, music and dancing depending on the package you select.

Intimate Wedding - The couple + 20-60 guests + officiant and venue which could be a back yard, restaurant or small venue.

Creating an intimate experience with only a few of your closest friends or family members allows you to focus on the elements that matter most to you.  Surprise your guests with your choreographed first dance? Yes!!

Through our experience of planning intimate weddings we've honestly enjoyed such genuine connections with our couples and even their families who we get to know in the process.  We are so thankful for these amazing couples and for the opportunity to witness such joy and happiness!

~ Happy Planning~ 

Northern California Wedding Planner | The Top 3 Scariest Wedding Tales

In true Halloween fashion, we've gathered up the three scariest tales for wedding days and hope to help couples avoid these coming true on their wedding day!

The Uncle Joe's

Despite the innocent appearing thought of having your friend's uncle Joe DJ, Photograph or even provide floral arrangements for your wedding, it can turn down right frightful very quickly.  This particular Uncle Joe claims to have over 10 years experience and "knows what he is doing."  What makes this so scary is that he isn't sharing what he is doing with anyone else, so no one is on the same page about what time to expect him there to set up, what he needs or what exactly he is providing.  Then since it's a friend of the family or your friend's uncle you feel between a rock and a hard place to complain or discuss your frustrations.  

The Mysterious No Shows

Two weeks before your wedding, you are chasing down RSVP's and making sure everyone has their hotel rooms booked (because they didn't book one under your room block..) and as you finally get these numbers confirmed with your caterer and rentals you feel like you are in the home stretch.  

Your cousin decides she wants to also get her hair done and you send a message to your hair stylist four days before the wedding to add one more to the headcount.  Oddly, you don't hear back but chalk it up to being a busy week and you move on to other tasks like making sure you have enough votive candles for each table and that your seating chart is spot on.   Fast forward to the morning of the wedding and you look at the clock, the hairstylist should have been here 20 minutes ago to set up. 

Someone confirmed with the hairstylist right? She knows which hotel you are staying at right?
We won't get into the gory details but without a timeline that has been distributed to each of the vendors and confirmed, how are you certain that everyone knows where to be and when to arrive? This is where a wedding planner comes in to play as we are checking in with your event team 6 weeks out and confirming once a timeline has been approved that all details are good to go.

The Death of The Timeline 

This last tale is one that has plagued couples in the past but can be easily avoided.  No one vendor runs the show, all have to work together to ensure that your day is smooth and that you make the most of it! So when we hear stories of the ceremony not starting on time because of hair and make-up, or dinner being late because the photography took longer to get all of the family shots, wedding party & and/or sunset etc we instantly ask *what did the timeline say? 
While a timeline is always meant as a guide and we don't force things to happen down to the minute, we do expect that all event partners are working together and that can only happen when all are following the same timeline.  

Don't let the sun go down and miss your sunset photos because toasts run 20 minutes longer than expected, plan ahead and consider who you would like to have toast then give this to the DJ.   

The moral of the story is to always hire professionals, have a point person *ahem* a wedding planner and discuss your wishes to everyone ahead of time.  You can have your dream wedding as long as you clearly tell others and plan to make this dream happen! 

~ Happy Halloween & Happy Planning~ 

Northern California Wedding Planner | Gover Ranch Wedding - Nikki & Brock

We always do a little bit of photographer stalking when it comes to seeing images after a wedding day, but we were especially anxious for Nikki & Brock's wedding day.  These two had smiles on the whole day, and to say that Nikki was organized is an understatement.  Her lists and diagrams of how she envisioned her tables & decor set-up made our little planner hearts happy! 

Here's a sneak peek of there wedding at Gover Ranch and we can't wait to share more from Grace Aston Photography (read, she's amazing!) 

Northern California Wedding Planners | Wedding Day Hangover

Put your feet up and try to control that giddy smile you have, at least that's what I tell myself after I get home from a 15 hour wedding day.  I'm a closet adrenaline junkie except that my rush doesn't come from jumping out of an airplane or going 100+ miles on a straightaway..no instead I find absolute joy when a couple has literally danced the night away and everyone is exhausted from so much fun.  

To still get chills every time a processional goes down the aisle perfectly, and the couple exchanges their vows means I'm on to something.  Toasts, first dances, and the incredible romance of it all has us hooked and keeps us so inspired in this wedding business of ours.  

Aside from all of the beautiful elements of a wedding day, our minds also replay other parts like set-up or interactions with the event partners (caterers, DJ's, photographers, decor) and the couple's family and friends.  Did we do everything that we could have done to make the event go smoothly, did we communicate and set up the event team for success? These recaps are crucial for always striving to improve our service to our couples and to the wedding pro's who become like a second family to us during a busy season.  

As wedding planners sometimes the only reassurance we need are hugs from our couples, happy text messages before they board their honeymoon flight and seeing their status change online from engaged to married! 

I could say that I did put my feet up and catch up on Netflix today but if you know me well enough you know that isn't my style.  Instead my afternoon was busy with phone sessions to catch up with a few of our couples and also a week-three session of a coaching group that I am participating in to take things here at The 530 Bride to the next level.  

XOXO - Veronica

~ Happy Planning ! ~

Northern California Wedding Planner | Wedding Day Essentials

We keep our clients organized with a checklist during the planning process as we guide them to their wedding day, but the goal is to be done with all of those items before the week of the wedding.  So pin this easy list to your boards now, or post it on your fridge to remind yourself to keep it simple!

Despite what you see on The Knot or Pinterest, you don't need to do all the things and buy all the stuff.  Less is more when it comes to a wedding, it's about the experience and making memories with your guests! We keep our clients organized with a checklist during the planning process as we guide them to their wedding day, but the goal is to be done with all of those items before the week of the wedding. 

Here's our break down of the wedding day essentials: 

All of our wedding planning clients get to use our planning dashboard to keep them organized, plus it's so rewarding to check off all of the items on a to do list! We'll be posting tips on organizing your wedding planning so stay tuned!

~ Happy Planning ~ 

Northern California Wedding Planner | Here's Your Sign

Pinterest serves up wedding "inspo" on the daily, brides can become quite addicted to it because of the very real fear of missing out (affectionately called FOMO.)  We like to scroll through Pinterest as much as anyone else however we know that a wedding can't and shouldn't be everything you see on Pinterest all at the same time.  

Often at the beginning stages of planning we will ask a couple if they have a Pinterest board or any photos they may have saved as inspiration, everything from the type of lighting/atmosphere to a color scheme.   We pull details from these boards and if we start to see a pattern or if the couple is able to define what it is that they loved about the particular photo or detail then we know we are onto something.  The goal is to find a focal point that you really care about and work on tying the other elements to this.  We also take your venue and gown style into consideration.   

Photo Credit Refinery29 - Wedding Trend Article 

Trends come and go. From the runway, motor vehicle trends, graphic design and home design there will always a new trend. "For 2018, our goal is to simplify and focus on getting to the root of what is necessary and essential. If a room is thoughtfully designed, there is less need to bombard the space with accessories and fluff to make the room feel complete." - Olivia Korenberg and Jenn Pablo, (co-founders of TwoFold Interiors )  As a wedding planner we'd like to aim for your wedding to be timeless and fun while incorporating your personalities and a even a few trends that you are in love with.

For the last 3-5 years or so, chalk board signs have become popular but also on the side of extreme because let's face it you don't need a sign for every aspect of your day.  To be fair this trend was also very popular with interior design.  Dining rooms or kitchens were adorned with "EAT" signs or "Coffee" above the coffee maker.  Full chalkboard walls also had a moment in home design, but have began to be replaced with other surfaces.  Who here has been greeted by a chalk board sign at the last wedding you attended..**raises hand!

We were curious what others thought about some of the wedding trends.  Here's Refinery 29's take on Pinterest Trends - Lookout Burlap, Mason Jars, Macrame, Naked Cakes, Chalkboard Signs & Floral Crowns you're just a few on the chopping block.  

What are your thoughts on wedding trends, was there any trend you were surprised to see mentioned on this list?

Northern California Wedding Planner | He Put a Ring On It! ~ Delphine and David

When a wedding planner dreams of one day walking down the aisle with the love of her life, the dream will likely involve a detailed timeline, a list of trusted event partners and of course an open bar.  Beyond that, just like anyone who dreams of her day it is still the little things that make the experience such an exciting time in life.

So when your biz bestie and the other half of The 530 Bride get's engaged you do your happy dance and swoon over the engagement photos! Beyond excited for Delphine and David, beautifully captured by TreCreative! 
- Veronica

We'll be keeping you up to speed on the milestones of getting these two down the aisle next September, but in the meantime you can check out the post over at theTreCreative Blog!

Northern California Wedding Planner | The Unspoken Rules of Being a Bridesmaid

Beyond the dresses, the bouquets and uncomfortable shoes is the unspoken rules of being a bridesmaid.  If you've been a bridesmaid, maid of honor or even a just a close friend to a couple who are getting married than you can probably relate.

Good vibes only

Photo by Jack Vu Photography

From a wedding planner standpoint we get to meet a lot of wedding parties, with that we see the good bad and the ugly.  From the bridesmaids who step up and help make sure the bride is good spirits the week of the wedding, even after countless hours of coffee dates that turn into counseling sessions or late night panic texts about the decor.  We thank you for all of that support for the couple!

Typically we grab a phone number from the bridal party and the groomsmen so that we can touch base without bugging the bride or groom while they are getting ready.  It is a huge help.

Not all weddings have a full service wedding coordinator who is there to handle all of the tasks involved with a wedding weekend.  Offer your help in a task that you can own, maybe if you have a truck offer to help load the couples personal decor on the morning after their wedding, or if you can make sure the bride has her go-bag with her comfy shoes, lip gloss and other handy items keep that close by for photos if she needs a touch up. Just those small steps are a big help.  

Sometimes there are personalities who can take over a wedding day experience for the bride and groom or even a member of the wedding party who has indulged too much and causes issues or damages that ultimately reflect back on the couple.  Not cool. If someone in the wedding party has had to much to drink, try to deflect the situation to keep it away from the bride and groom if possible.

We don't support the bridezilla notion, however it is common for brides to be under a wee bit of stress with all of the activities and planning leading up to their wedding day.  It can be easy to focus on those moments where maybe your friend is not him or herself.  But ultimately if you can put those moments aside and celebrate the couple we promise you will have so much fun.

Our advice to couples is to choose your crew with your heart, but don't over assign tasks that would set them up to fail.  If you would like ideas on what your wedding party can help with ask your coordinator or even your venue/event team to see if there is anything that would be needed.  Otherwise just make it your mission to enjoy the heck out of your wedding day and dance the night away.

~ Happy Planning~

Northern California Wedding Planner | Laura and Leah ~ S.F City Hall & Foreign Cinema

From our fun phone sessions to visiting them in San Francisco to walk their space with them, we've been pretty hooked on Laura and Leah from the start.  If there is one thing that keeps us so passionate about what we do, it would definitely be the connections that we make with our couples.  Our glimpse into their world was cozy, energetic and so genuine. 

Photo by Amanda Wei Photography

It was no surprise that Laura and Leah's engagement shoot was featured in the Knot Northern California edition, shot by Amanda Wei Photography.  We knew their photos would be super adorable.

When it came to planning details with Laura and Leah, they were quick to make decisions and knew just what they wanted.  They had already selected their date and ceremony location, and we were so excited to be a part of a ceremony at the San Francisco City Hall.  The architecture and the romantic buzz of couples getting married all around us was so fun.  Next, they chose Foreign Cinema for their reception and it couldn't be more perfect for an intimate event.

Their day was captured beautifully by Amanda Wei of Blueberry Photography

Our favorite part of the evening had to be Laura and Leah's salsa dance that was so perfectly them, and their smiles just showed how in love they are!  

Foreign Cinema blew us away with their amazing staff & service not to mention the passed appetizers followed by a four course meal with delicious dessert.  Guests did not leave hungry, and they danced the night away.  We couldn't have loved their wedding day more, just an absolute joy to share in the love between the two of them and their beautiful family & friends.

Creative Partners:
Planning & Styling: The 530 Bride // Photography: Amanda Wei Photography
// Ceremony: San Francisco City Hall // Reception: Foreign Cinema // Florals: Ampersand SF // DJ: Sunny Dawn // Linen Runner:  WeDo Designs // Hair and Make-up: Lavish Hair and Make-up Studio

Northern California Wedding Planner | Pricing & Value

How to Plan Your Wedding While on a Budget

Technology has not only changed the way that we communicate but also the way we live our every day lives.  We rely on our phones, devices, social media sites and apps to deliver the information that we are looking for.  Whether you are researching homes in your area for future home buying, or planning a weekend trip or even grocery shopping; you will make decisions based on the desired outcome/experience, cost and value.

As a consumer we see pricing all day, every day.  Do you choose to fill up at a gas station because of it's proximity to your home or workplace, or is it based on the price per gallon? Maybe the staff is friendlier or they carry your favorite beverage.  

How does this relate to the wedding world? Well you are still very much a consumer when it comes to planning your wedding, so when you are starting to research things like "How much do weddings cost" or doing a Google search by area to see the options for DJ's, Wedding Venues, etc in your city etc you may be already forming your opinions or perceived value before ever meeting with the business. 

We work closely with the event partners that make up the local wedding industry, so we see more than the prices we see the people behind the service. The husband and wife team that provides amazing photo and video while making their couples relax and laugh during their day, the baker who makes a whole new recipe to ensure that the bride with a gluten allergy has the cake of her dreams.  The rental companies who launder, iron & press every linen that goes out their door to make sure it is picture perfect for every event.  There are years of experience, so much wisdom and even more love that is poured in from every angle of a wedding day. 

Our couples can trust that when we refer them to event partners that we recommend it is because of our experiences with them and their reputation for quality, not because of any special discounts, kick-backs or because they are the least expensive.  Budgets are a real thing, but it is extremely important to look at your overall budget and decide where to prioritize your spending.  This doesn't mean ask for discounts or haggle prices, this means being willing to have less coverage in one area and allocating this to another based on your specific priorities.  

Even if you decide not to hire a wedding coordinator, Please, please, please use caution when booking services off of Facebook buy/sell groups from people who are throwing their hat into the ring for the cheapest price.  Your wedding day is not a time that you want to learn the lesson of "getting what you pay for."

Here are our top tips for planning your wedding while on a budget:
1. Set a Budget - That's right, if you are on a "budget" you should know what that budget looks like.  If you are comfortable spending $1200 on flowers make sure that it fits into your budget and how that fits with your rentals, catering or bar funds etc.

2. Keep Your Guest List in Check - No surprise co-workers or inviting the mail man until you have this guest list locked in. Remember your guest count is tied to costs for catering, bar, rentals & decor and sometimes even the price for your venue.  

3. Hire Professionals - Saving $200 on your photography is great, except when the photographer you booked off of Craigslist doesn't have experience with retrieving images of a corrupted SD card or didn't plan adequately for travel time and shows up late.  Look for insured, experienced & capable event partners who you feel can provide the wedding day experience you have envisioned.  Consider making smaller monthly payments so that as you get closer to your wedding date you have paid the balances down.

4. Create Focal Points - Use your decor and your rental budget dollars wisely.  Create a back drop behind your sweetheart table or design an interactive guest area that provides a focal point for guests rather than trying to "over decorate" your entire venue.

5. Choose Guest Experience vs "Stuff" - When you choose a photobooth you are creating an experience and an interactive favor/keepsake for your guests.  We love monogramed coasters as much as anyone else but at the end of the night there will be a lot more coasters left lying around than the photobooth pictures because guests hold on to them.  Glassware is another thing that we see go to waste because guests leave them behind and now you have 120 wine glasses with your name on them that will sit in your garage when you could have allocated that towards something else.

~ Happy Planning!~ 

Northern California Wedding Planner | A Wedding Planner's Monday

In the wedding industry, a Saturday isn't really a Saturday.. and Sundays are the time to recover from a 12-14 hour work day.  So what does a Monday look like in the life of a wedding planner?  

It's Monday, knock out your to-do list and feel good about the week ahead! Hey, we won't judge you if you finished a pot of coffee to yourself today! 

We'd love to say that it starts with waking up like a rock star and preparing for a week of J-Lo like awesomeness head set and all, but let's keep it real... we wake up with a messy bun just like everyone else! Can you say coffee?

What is it like as a wedding planner? We get asked a lot actually, so here is a snippet for you! Often our Monday's start with returning emails, sending additional information to couple's who have inquired about our planning services over the weekend and then updating our social media. (if you haven't followed us on IG yet, please do! @530bride) 

We check in with our planning clients, making sure they know what's happening next and what we will be working on this week.  Next we head out to return any rentals from our events over the weekend from linens, floral vases, cake stands etc.  

In the afternoons we catch a podcast from our favorite Wedding Industry groups and work on some housekeeping items like updating our website, adding details to our outlines and checklists and taking time to communicate with our team as a post-wedding brief.

After the day is in full swing we enjoy seeing sneak peeks and blog posts from the talented photographers from the recent weddings we've been a part of.  Like this recent blog post from Jen and J.D's day captured by the uber talented Katelyn Owens! 

What does your Monday look like? We hope you have a fabulous week! 
~ Happy Planning!~

Northern California Wedding Planner | Brooke & Austin Highlight Reel

We had to share the highlight video from Brooke and Austin's wedding day because it brings us right back to their beautiful day, and they are truly a wonderful couple.  Brooke and Austin chose Mountain House Estate for their wedding venue in Cloverdale, CA and it was the perfect setting.

From the epic toast by the Father of the Bride to their smiles throughout, Katie B Images did a fantastic job capturing their day!

Northern California Wedding Planner | Choosing The Right Wedding Coordinator

There are a ton of posts on the ol' interwebs highlighting the reasons why you should hire a wedding planner (lots of reasons,) but we won't reinvent the wheel here.  What we will do though, is cover some of the ways to determine what level of service you need and how to choose the right coordinator for you. 

Photo by Wonderfelle Media 

Communication is Key
Just like in any healthy marriage, communication is so important from day one.  How do you communicate with others, and what is your preferred method of communication (planning dashboard, email, phone calls, face time, or in person etc.) Ask your potential wedding planner about how they typically communicate with their couples and mention what your preferences are to see how this aligns with their process.  How quickly are you expected to respond to your coordinator, and vice versa?

Clear Expectations 
No one likes to feel like their needs aren't being met.  How do you envision your wedding planning process? Do you want to be hands on with decision making and details/logistics or would you prefer that your planner works primarily on the details then comes to you for your final decisions/approvals? 

Feeling the Vibe
We work as team of planners not only because of a busy wedding schedule but also because personalities can match up differently and we want to ensure that our couples are feeling the vibes and connecting with their planner.  Typically our couples spend about a year with us give or take, so we get to know each other and connect.  It's literally the best part of what we are so blessed to do.  

Relationships 
Working in the event industry, we have forged relationships with a strong network of event partners from Venues, DJ's, Caterers, Florists and Bakers to name a few.  When our couples ask for recommendations we have the highest confidence in our vendor teams because they have a proven track record of only the best service.  We know who goes above and beyond, who is responsive to emails/requests and is easy to work with.  This saves our clients a lot of time because they aren't starting from scratch when selecting their vendors.  So choosing a planner who has an established reputation is very important.

Experience
Relationships and experience seem to go hand in hand, but we break this down because it is easy for anyone to all themselves a wedding planner.  However, until someone has worked their way though weddings and all sorts of logistics, they won't know enough about real life problem solving, managing large crowds or any other stressful aspect.  Read reviews, and feel free to ask for past clients so that you can hear first hand about what to expect. 

Value
When you are planning a wedding it makes sense to want to know the cost up front. "What is this going to cost me?" However when booking vendors of any category we urge you to think of the value first of what the vendor offers, their experience in the industry and reputation.  Booking someone based purely on price can often lead to frustration.  We believe in being cost effective and budget friendly while delivering excellent service for our couples.

We hope that you find your A Team for your wedding day, if you have questions or need assistance feel free to shoot us a note!

~ Happy Planning!~ 

Northern California Wedding Planner | Engagement Session Tips

Tips on How to Plan Your Engagement Session

We could never tire of seeing the photo galleries from our couple's engagement sessions, we love to see a glimpse into their relationship and their style.  Pinterest has definitely stepped up the bar for engagement photos, but it is important to be yourselves and plan a shoot that is comfortable for you.   Here are our top tips with a few of our favorite engagement shots!

Photo by Ranalla Photo and Films 

Location Location!

Choosing the location for your engagement session is super important, because it is part of the story that your images are going to tell.  Do you see yourself on a mountainside or maybe by the ocean? What about sipping coffee together downtown in your favorite coffee shop or bookstore? 

Photo by Matthew Lim Photography

Lighting is Everything

Once you've settled on a location with your photographer, consider the lighting/time of day that you have envisioned.  Typically sunrise or just before sunset lends itself to ideal lighting for outdoor sessions.  Above is one of our favorite shots by Matthew Lim that just captures the essence of Dara & Nick with amazing lighting!

Photo by Amanda Wei Photography 

Planning Your Wardrobe 

We recommend asking your photographer for advise on what to wear based on your location, lighting and style.  Wearing stripes can be tricky for example, or making sure that your straps on your gown or undergarments are secure so that you don't go back later and wish you had adjusted your strap etc.  Statement necklaces or fun pieces like colorful shoes or accessories can make your photos pop!