Northern California Wedding Planner | Can you do it all?

When I talk to couples about planning their wedding there can be a lot of elements that they feel confident about doing on their own. It’s understandable to want to cut costs, and to want to feel connected to the details of your wedding. What some clients don’t realize is that you are going to have a lot on your plate in the weeks leading up to your wedding so you aren’t able to approach these projects with a lot of free time.

Photo: Grace Aston Photography

Even when you have an open schedule, you won’t be able to solve the age-old problem of being in two places at once. We find the most stressful situations that we hear about are when the couple has booked a venue for one day and have 12 to 15 hours total to bring in all of the decor, set-up - hold the event and then break down.

The reason we have our Wedding Management package is to help couples tie up these loose ends and organize some of these elements so that our team can handle placing the details and fine tuning everything while the couple enjoys getting ready with their wedding party or family. They get to walk down the aisle and look around at their venue with all of their special people surrounding them and not worry if everything is ready for cocktail hour and the reception.

So if you are considering doing some of the work yourself, here are some do’s and don’t’s:

Projects that you can tackle early on such as collecting the centerpiece vessels (wood boxes, vases, vintage books, lanterns, jars, etc) that you can take to your florist to use for the arrangements, or creating cute signs & photo prints that you want to place around your venue to personalize your space —> Yes!

Intricate details that need to be assembled on the day of your wedding at each of the 150+ place settings —> No!

Seating charts and escort cards when your guest count is finalized two weeks out —> Yes!

Anything that can melt or wilt (flowers, cake, desserts, bags of ice) etc —> No!

Custom sign-in books, welcome table signs, keepsakes and other handmade items —> Yes!

Cleaning-up/Breaking down the tables, chairs, linens, rentals and garbage on your wedding night —> No!

To learn more about how we can help you have a stress-free wedding day, we can get started with a complimentary consultation!

~ Happy Planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | Newly Engaged - Top F.A.Q's

If you’re secretly reading this at work while your boss is away - we get it, the excitement of being engaged is sort of distracting so you are starting to try to get the ball rolling with your wedding plans. We’re going to cruise through the top frequently asked questions from newly engaged couples!

One of our favorite engagement sessions by Matthew Lim Photography check out the full blog post

How do we choose a wedding venue?

If you read a few of our posts here, you’ll quickly see a pattern of us recommending to determine your budget before booking your wedding venue. Okay, we know budget isn’t a fun topic right off the bat but trust us when we say how important it is because it will determine how much you can spend in other areas of your wedding such as food, alcohol and entertainment. Comparing amenities and the amount of access you will have to the space is another important factor, a local wedding planner can help you easily compare and narrow down the search. Lastly, sometimes the venue search simply comes down to just knowing how you feel when you’re onsite. Hop over to Butte County Weddings for a list of venues!

What’s the average wedding cost?

This question is a little harder to answer because there can be so many factors from the size of the guest count, time of year, style of the wedding, food & alcohol etc. However you can read these posts about budget breakdowns: Service Fees // Alcohol Budget // Catering Budget

Do we really need a DJ/Emcee?

via GIPHY

A DJ or a band with an emcee will make a huge difference in guest experience because they will have an idea of what is happening next, and the DJ will be able to interact & read the crowd on what music is keeping everyone on the dance floor. Now, if your wedding is 20 guests enjoying a 5 course meal in a more intimate setting you may be able to find a more suitable music solution such as an acoustic musician if dancing isn’t the main focus.

It feels like there is so much to do, where do we start?

It can definitely feel overwhelming when there is so much noise, from Pinterest and Instagram to wedding websites giving you the daily countdown.. but understanding what is a priority to you as a couple comes first. We’d say that meeting with a wedding planner for a no-obligation consultation right from the start can help you get a sense of the local wedding scene and we can speak from experience that we are always happy to point you in the right direction even if you decide that you want to do the bulk of the initial planning yourself.

Remember, this is a fun & happy occasion so stay true to yourself and to your partner during the planning process. Life does go on after a wedding but our focus is to help you make the most of this amazing chapter in your lives!

~ Happy Planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | 2018 In Review ~ The 530 Bride

If you would have told us this time last year that 2018 would fly by as fast as it has, we couldn’t have believed it! Being a part of each of these incredible celebrations was the biggest blessing, and we feel honored that our clients trusted our team to take the work off of their plates in order to bring all of the details together.

We will definitely be posting some individual blog stories about each of these events as we continue to receive images, but we thought it would be fun to share a little from each wedding all in one post!

Each of these couples had their own love story, their own vision for their day and each wedding had it’s own magical moments that we feel so honored to have witnessed. We’re seriously hooked on weddings, so we can’t wait to see what 2019 holds!

It goes without saying that a successful wedding requires teamwork and communication, so we want to thank all of the wedding pro’s who work so hard for their clients. Stay tuned for the full posts and for a vendor spotlight on the incredible friends we work alongside throughout the wedding season.

Happy New Years & Happy Planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | Romantic Orchard Reception ~ Amanda & Emilio

As the saying goes, “when you know, you just know” and it couldn’t be more true for newlyweds Amanda & Emilio. Their excitement and passion for starting their new chapter together was so inspiring and you could feel this connection right away. Getting to see the photos from their day has brought it all back, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Thanks again to Wild Native Photo for sharing these images!

Thanks to all of the amazing vendors who were a part of Amanda and Emilio’s day and to all of their friends and family who contributed to each element of transforming this working orchard to a magical celebration!

Photography: Wild Native Photo // Florals: North Bloom // Planning and Bar Service: The 530 Bride // Beauty: Mecca Salon Chico // Ceremony: St. Johns Baptist Church, Chico // Reception Venue: Private Home // Music Phil (Family Friend) // Catering: Javier Solis (Family Friend) // Place Setting Rentals: WeDo Designs // Tables and Chairs: Mac’s Hardware Gridley Restroom Rentals: New Hock Farms

Northern California Wedding Planner | Planning Your Wedding During a Disaster

A week ago today, the world as our little community knew it changed. The amount of loss in from the #campfire is devastating, and unprecedented. With each press briefing and community meeting we learn more details and updated numbers of lives lost, and damaged homes and structures. Our couples, “friendors”, neighbors and friends all are touched by this fire and our own experience of being evacuated was surreal in itself.

While we are working to assist our couples who are affected, and offer support to vendors who have lost their homes or businesses we also want to offer support to couples who aren’t sure how to proceed. Who can you talk to about your wedding plans in a time like this, when everyone around you is in disaster mode? We are here for you with a shoulder, an ear, and a clip board of to-do lists on how we can help you.

Maybe originally you felt that you could plan your wedding with family and friends but now feel like you aren’t sure what life around you will look like a few months from now or even a year. Please give us a call and let us know your situation, as many venues and vendors have offered to help couples with making changes to their existing plans or easing the process for those going forward.

Planning a wedding is an exciting time, one that you want to share with your friends and family and we still want you to be able to have that amazing day!

Northern California Wedding Planner | The Pressures of Planning

When it comes to wedding planning, there is no shortage of excitement but it also brings unsolicited advice and a lot of opinions. If you are feeling the weight on your shoulders, this post is for you.

Photo by Morgan Chantelle Photography

Plain and simple, it can be hard to please everyone all the time, at some point you may even hurt some feelings along the way. Trying to have every girl you’ve been friends with since second grade in your bridal party will only cause more headaches down the road, so keeping your bridal party super close knit is probably best!

Aside from hurting feelings, could wedding planning hurt your relationship? What if you are bickering about the smallest details like which flatware style to rent or what style limo you want to book.. yes these are among some of the decisions you need to make but try to take a step back and consider what you will actually remember or care about on your wedding day.

As wedding planners we get to know so many different couples and no matter if they have been highschool sweethearts going on 10 years or a shorter engagement; we know that making all of these decisions and trying to stay under budget can add stress to your relationship. What is important is that from day one of planning you set a realistic budget that you both are comfortable with and agree to communicate about the costs. This will help ease both of your minds and reduce the financial pressure even if it means cutting back on some of those wish-list items.

If you feel like wedding planning has opened up concerns in other areas of your relationship, seek advice and be willing to open up so that you don’t carry forward any resentment or stress post-nuptials! A healthy marriage takes a lot of forgiveness, trust, communication and understanding so try to apply these principles in your planning process and just remember that a wedding day comes and goes - but your marriage needs to always come first.

~ Happy Planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | Elopement Planning

We’re so excited about all of the recent engagements and that we have the opportunity to work with couples with such a range of vision, from a large rustic ranch wedding to an intimate evening for 40 guests. Over the last few years we have been seeing more unique elopements and love when couples can really hone in on the experience they want to have without feeling any pressures to make plans outside of that vision.

Photo by Bloom Portraiture

If you can see yourself with your fiance and maybe a handful of your closest family members or friends and tying the knot in a location that speaks to you, then an elopement is really a wonderful option. We would love to chat with you about your ideas and help you create a magical memorable day with an incredible team of vendors to handle all of the details for you from photography, florals, beauty and more.
~ Happy Planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | Wedding Day Roles & Responsibilities

So who does what on your wedding day?  This can be confusing, and sometimes you just don't know what needs to be done in the first place..read on for just 5 of the many roles that are essential for a seamless wedding day!

Photo by Daffodil Hill Photography

It's scientifically proven that you can't be in two places at once so how can you reduce the stress of making sure that everything is done according to plan on your wedding day? This question should be considered long before you hire your wedding vendors, because if you select a venue, caterer or rental company who does not set-up the tables & chairs or handle any of the labor - you'll need a small army to take on the task.  Want the short version? -- > Meet with a wedding planner who can help you book full service professionals! 

1) Tables and chairs - This is one that seems to sneak up on people because you may have only considered that you need 150 chairs for your guest count, but will you need to rent two sets (ceremony + reception) or have one set that needs to be moved over during cocktail hour? Table set-up is straightforward in theory but you do want to ensure that all of the tables are spaced evenly and leave enough room for chairs/guest movement. A full service caterer is well equipped with an efficient staff to handle the set-up and break-down of tables, chairs and food service areas for your event. 

2) Centerpieces & Decor - We love when couples personalize their wedding by incorporating design elements that are authentic to them as well as photos and signage. As wedding planners we assist with overseeing the placement of your rentals and putting the final touches & personal decor together for your welcome table, ceremony area, guest tables etc. 
Tip: Try to hold back the temptation to go crazy on Etsy, Amazon, Pinterest and other rabbit holes so that you won't need a U-Haul just for all of your decor.  We recommend finding focal points that have an impact and being conservative with extra items - sometimes less is more! 

3) Guest tables - You probably have an idea where we are going with this by now - but it is imperative that you have a catering staff on board who is prepared with the correct event details, brings adequate staffing, and will handle bussing/clearing plates & garbage etc.  Don't get left with plates piled high at your guest tables and dishes to wash for 150 guests, that's not cool.

4) Pop Fizz Clink - Thinking of your wedding has you reaching for the champagne bottle - but hold that thought! What will your guests be drinking out of (glassware or disposables?) and who will be providing/delivering/stocking/serving and last but not least - cleaning up your bar? 
Be sure to double check with your venue about required license/insurance requirements for the bartender. 

5) Order of events - A wedding day goes by so fast and there is only so much lighting to go around, having an organized timeline including all of the photos that you are planning to incorporate is important.  Your wedding planner and photographer will work together on the timeline details along with your DJ and caterer to ensure that everyone is on the same page.  Your wedding planner will be there to cue each element (ceremony processional, wedding party introductions, toasts etc) while your DJ will be the emcee to keep guests informed throughout the evening. 

We hope these 5 wedding day responsibilities are helpful for you, and that you have a rockstar team to handle the details! If you have questions about tasks or need more information to organize your vendors feel free to reach out or leave a comment below! 
~ Happy Planning!~ 

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 | Honey Run Covered Bridge Film - Ronni & Juan

Oh hello there! We are just over here in love with this incredible wedding highlight of Ronni & Juan's wedding at the Honey Run Covered Bridge; captured by Necrania Dream Art Studio.

There is an undeniable peace that comes over you when you watch two people so in love, and when you realize you are smiling the whole 3 minutes and 21 seconds of the wedding film .. you know its good!  If you haven't seen a wedding at the covered bridge in Chico before, I think this film gives you peek at some of the magic charm.  Enjoy!

Ronni and Juan it was so special to be a part of your day, thank you so much for trusting our team to handle the details so that you could enjoy the experience! 

Venue: Honey Run Covered Bridge // Videographer: Necrania Dream Art Studio // Rentals & Draping: WeDo Designs // Florals: Carrie Thengvall Floral Design // DJ: Brandon Walters Hotel:  Hotel Diamond // Planning: The 530 Bride // Photography: Gina DeWitt // Make-up: Powder Room //Hair: 808 & Co. ~ Julia Lynn Fox

Northern California Wedding Planner | Summertime Fashionista - Lulu's

Maybe it was the Amazon Prime promotions, or just a case of the Mondays but we think shopping for summertime wedding goodies is the perfect task! Slightly hooked on Lulu's dresses and accessories, what's your favorite go-to shop? 

Shop Lulus and enjoy $15 off + Free Shipping on orders over $150 - Use promo code 'take15' at checkout. Click here! *

Bridal Shower & Rehearsal Dinner Outfit Ideas

Honeymoon Outfits 

Accessories 

Realized Potential Rose Gold Rhinestone Earrings - Lulus
from: Lulus.com

A Love to Believe In Rose Gold Rhinestone Bracelet - Lulus

Dawn Delight Pink Sunglasses - Lulus

Peta Rose Gold Leather Gladiator Sandal Heels - Lulus

July is already half way over if you can believe it! We hope you are enjoying summer and staying cool with these insane temps! 

{*We only share affiliate links from shops and businesses that we personally use!}
 

Northern California Wedding Planner | June Wedding Highlights

Raise your hand if you can't believe how fast the month of June went by! *Raises hand* Yep, we were in go mode for all of our June weddings and we can't wait to see the images from each of the amazing days! For now we wanted to share some of the highlights of the last few weeks!

06.02 - Kristen & Greg - Highland Ranch Resort, Mill Creek

 Photo by Daffodil Hill Photography

06.02 - Lawna & Eric - Creekside Rose Garden, Chico 

Photo by Sarah Tamagni Photography

06.02 - Michelle & Mike - Private Residence, Durham 

Photo by AVH Photography

06.09 - Kera & David - Almendra Winery, Durham 

Image by Shannon Rosan Photography

06.09 - Danielle & Jordan - Gale Vineyards, Durham 

Loved this shot of Delphine with one of our brides Danielle on her wedding day!

6.16 - Amanda & Emilio, St. Johns Baptist Church and Private Residence in Biggs 

Photo by Wild Native Photography

6.16 - Rachel & Jason ~ White Ranch, Chico 

Photo by TreCreative 

6.16 - Patria and Kyle - Bella Rosa Farms 

Lead planner Jenn captured these behind the scenes photos, we can't wait to see images from Morgan Chantelle Photography! 

6.23 - Heather & Tom ~ Memorial Hall, Orland 

Photo by Bloom Portraiture

6.23 - Victoria & James ~ North Star House, Grass Valley 

Love this sneak peek by Cassie Mae Photography!

With all of these beautiful wedding days it's no wonder we are absolutely hooked on serving our couples and being a part of something so special.  Stay tuned for full blog posts! 
 

~ Happy planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | Ceremony Planning Tips

To have and to hold..

Photo by Daffodilhill Photography 

So much planning goes into this day, from the people you invite to the details on the tables.  It is one day where you get to celebrate this amazing commitment you are about to make to the love of your life!

We know that the ceremony doesn't get as much glamour as the reception details but we've gotta say the weddings that emphasized the ceremony details are the ones who have really stuck out in our minds over the years.  Personalized vows and words from the heart gives your guests a glimpse into all the ways the universe brought you two together.  

Cambria and Tyler had their ceremony at Bidwell Presbyterian church and their pastors shared testimony of how amazing these two people are, and what amazing things they will do together in life.  There were beautiful hymns and prayers, and sitting in the pews surrounded by their loved ones was pretty powerful. 

Photo by Morgan Chantelle Photography

Rose and Harry had seven friends each read a blessing or special words for the couple and it showed how they valued their core group who have cheered them on over the years while their relationship grew.  Their ceremony was officiated by a close friend who gave an emotional testimony about how this couple had already been demonstrating the commitment and unconditional love that marriage requires.  {Photo by Essence Photography via Instagram}

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98 Likes, 1 Comments - Betsy | Essence Photography (@essencephotog) on Instagram: "🙌🏻❤️ . . . . . . . . . . #risingtidesociety #loverly #BIPRnetwork #BIPRtastemaker #weddingchicks..."

This past weekend at Highland Ranch Resort, Kristin and Greg had us in tears as they read aloud their vows.  It was as if they had invited us all into their thoughts and into their hearts to share all of the moments they felt throughout their relationship that "this was the one."  Greg shared notes that he had kept in a journal ever since he met Kristin, words that he had never told Kristin like how he felt after their first date and when he knew he was going to ask her to marry him.  It was special and so meaningful to see how much thought they had put into the ceremony. {Photo by Daffodilhill Photography via Instagram}

Words Cannot describe how beautiful this wedding and couple are. Congrats to Mr. And Mrs. Bellinger. #daffodilhillphotography #chico #chicoweddingphotographer #lassen #northerncalifornia #wedding #greenweddingshoes #the530bride #meadow #bellinger

56 Likes, 11 Comments - Danielle Larsson (@daffodilhillphotography) on Instagram: "Words Cannot describe how beautiful this wedding and couple are. Congrats to Mr. And Mrs...."

If you're working on your ceremony details and feel like there is no way you could share personalized vows while balling like a baby at the altar, consider writing some short notes that the officiant could read aloud.   Or consider reading your vows/letters to each other during your first look or newlywed photos with just your photographer/videographer..talk about keepsake moments!

Stuck on how to plan your ceremony processional or what to say? Download our ceremony processional planner for more resources or shoot us a message to schedule a complimentary consultation! 
~ Happy Planning! ~

Northern California Wedding Planner | Backyard Durham California Wedding - Alie & Brian

A beautiful Durham, California wedding wouldn't be complete without an incredible couple who worked their booties off getting this property ready to go for their special day! 1 Year ago in April, we had the opportunity to take a look at the property that they wanted to re-vamp into a wedding venue for their big day a year later. They were concerned that we wouldn't have seen their vision; but automatically, we did. 

We saw their wedding come to life on April 28th. With hard work and perseverance and of course love, they made it happen! From knee high grass and houses planted on the property, to a beautiful open space with designated areas for specific moments, it was magical!

Alie and her ladies were pampered and were getting ready to go for the wedding at the one and only Hotel Diamond, in downtown Chico. We're always so giddy when we get to drop off flowers to our couples there! 

Tyler and Mayela with Ranalla Photo and Films captured their love so beautifully in a way that is hard to explain... so here are some highlights that we absolutely love!

We wish we could put this entire album on this one blog post, but we will leave you with these! Thank you to all of our incredible vendors for making their day absolutely beautiful!

Makeup: The Powder Room // Hair: Julia LynnFox // Photographer: Ranalla Photo & Films // Venue: Durham Backyard // Coordination: The 530 Bride // Getting Ready Location: Hotel Diamond // Wedding gown: Always Elegant // Rentals: Chico Party Rentals // DJ: The Wedding DJ // Catering: Truckaroni

Northern California Wedding Planner | Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

Hey there Spring! It's been an exciting last few weeks of wedding prep for our spring weddings and now that we are in full on wedding mode we also have planning sessions for our fall 2018 weddings and our 2019 couples.  So what that means is we are working on finding the perfect event partners for our couples from caterers, florists, bakers, DJ's and everything in between.  

If you've been reading our blog you know that we feel strongly about connecting with your wedding team, and that when you are making these decisions it truly is not just a matter of price.  Photo and video teams are going to spend a significant amount of time with you on your wedding day so it's important to vibe with them.  

Photo by Felix Russell-Saw on Unsplash

Regardless of how many months or even year(s) out you are from your wedding day, you may start hearing this phrase quite often "it is your day" or "whatever you like" because it's true we can't simply pick a list of people that we like and expect it to match all of your specific preferences.  However if the process of making all of these decisions feels overwhelming than by all means ask your wedding planner to give you their narrowed down preferred vendor list.

For this example, we will assume you are starting from scratch in the photographer search and we will take you through our process for finding the right photographer for your wedding!
 

Photography Style/Editing 

When our couples are looking for photographers we send them a list of several styles of photography to see which direction they are leaning towards, that could be a natural light photographer who has a lot of light/bright and colorful photos or a photographer who does a darker moodier edit. 

Photo by Petr Ovralov on Unsplash

Sometimes we find that couple's aren't set on a specific type of edit but rather the style in which the photographer shoots portraits (posed vs more candid shots) etc.  If you love that one photographer gets really unique angles and uses dramatic lighting and editing techniques then we know your list of photographers to meet with will be much different than a couple who really prefers soft natural light photos with minimal editing. 

Coverage

Now that you have narrowed down the style of photography that you are interested in, it is time to start thinking about your wedding day coverage and what your priorities are for photos.  This is important when you are comparing the number of hours included in wedding collections that you are considering. 

For example if you are looking at photographer A who you really love but are thinking of a 7 hour package, you will need to decide when their coverage would begin.  If sunset portraits are important to you then you can also look up with when the sunset is on your date and assume you will do sunset portraits 15-20 minutes before the sun actually sets.  Then work your way backward for the coverage start time.

If you ask us, we always recommend having at least 8 hours of coverage on your wedding day.  This allows you to plan your reception without feeling like you are rushing through all of the formalities to squeeze everything into a 6 or 7 hour photography timeline.

Pricing

We understand that your wedding budget is a real thing, and we want to provide you with options that make sense for your specific needs.  We help you narrow down the options to then reach out to the photographers and schedule a consultation or phone session so that you get to know them and understand more about the value they provide.  

If you have questions about choosing your wedding photographer feel free to reach out to us, we're always happy to help out!

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 | Engagement Session Giveaway

You still have time to enter into the Engagement Session Giveaway by Julia Lukash Photography!  Head over to our Instgram and follow the giveaway instructions, entries are valid until Sunday 4/22 at 5 pm.

Image: Julia Lukash Photography

We've been swooning over Julia's work since we first met years ago and we cannot wait to work with her for upcoming weddings.  We love Julia's fun personality, and her passion for photography.  You can check out her website to see more of her work or follow her on Facebook or Instagram.  
 

Don't forget to enter for this awesome giveaway, or feel free to share with other engaged couples!

~ Happy Planning!~ 

Northern California Wedding Planner | Sneak peeks - Michelle & Eric

Miners Foundry Wedding - Sneak Peeks from Cassie Mae Photography

If you want to see a wedding planner do a happy dance, it's definitely happening when we see sneak peeks posted after a wedding day.  It is so neat to see the highlights from the day and the happiness in the photos.  We know Michelle and Eric had a blast at their wedding and they are loving all of the photos from Cassie Mae Photography.   

Miners Foundry is such a neat wedding venue, and was the perfect setting for Michelle and Eric's spring wedding.  We can't wait to share more and tell you all about the details of their day.

Photos by Cassie Mae Photography