Northern California Wedding Planner | The Design Process

We’ve been meeting with a lot of amazing engaged couples who are interested in learning more about the design process and how a wedding planner can help. These days with Pinterest and Instagram, couples can feel overloaded with designs and it can be difficult to hone in on the right aesthetic for their day. Afterall, a wedding you see on Pinterest in an entirely different setting, time of year, and budget might not align with what works for you in your specific wedding venue space.

Photo by Diane Nicole Photography, showroom featured WeDo Designs

Photo by Diane Nicole Photography, showroom featured WeDo Designs

First things first, let’s chat about how you want your day to feel. What do you want your guests to experience and what do you want your memories of your day to be? If the custom menu cards and extensive signage details are important to you then we would shift to looking to create a very cohesive approach to your wedding. On the other-hand if you are focused on the lighting, food & entertainment to drive the guest experience then we would allocate more of your budget to making the guest experience more focal to what they will be interacting with.

We all love pretty wedding details, and it is always a great idea to start narrowing down the colors that you want to incorporate into your design. A spring or fall wedding can look very different for each wedding so we really want to pull together a palette that feels just right.

Photo by Diane Nicole Photography, showroom featured WeDo Designs

Photo by Diane Nicole Photography, showroom featured WeDo Designs

Then we take inspiration from your Pinterest and source local items to give you a similar look but still customizing to your wedding. We’ll attend a design meeting with you to go over rentals & decor items and then put together a mock table set-up. Once the mock table set-up is approved we move on to creating your site plan, in certain settings where space is limited we want to double check that we are utilizing the space and creating a great flow for guests.

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As we get closer we can adjust with changes and update your design details, then we’ll work with all of your vendors to ensure that no detail is missed!

Do you have questions about the design process? If you are feeling like you could use a little more help with pulling your design together while staying on budget, be sure to reach out to us and we would be happy to chat!

~ Happy Planning!

Northern California Wedding Planner | Inspiration Overload

Pinterest, Instagram, so many ideas and only one wedding to plan! 

Clink those champagne glasses and share that ring selfie! We know that being newly engaged is a whirlwind of emotions and inspiration, and it is so easy to get lost in the shuffle of all of the sites and google searches.  Once you start to look for local ideas or perhaps even start looking into booking vendors you are going to get some initial questions ( what is your wedding date, approximate guest count, budget and if you have a wedding theme/color palette.)

With all of these questions coming at you, just how do you choose a wedding theme? Should you choose a wedding venue before or after deciding on a theme? These are important, let's dive in! 
 

Photo by Katelyn Owens Photography

Photo by Katelyn Owens Photography

Keep in mind that design themes can vary. For example "rustic", or "vintage" can look very different depending on who you ask.  Rustic can be lots of exposed textures like wood and metals which can be perceived as industrial inspired as well.  Visually, its important to find pieces or ideas that you like and to jot down notes about what you specifically like. A month from now you might ask yourself why you pinned something, so try to be specific in the notes section when creating new pins to a board.  

We will always recommend setting a budget and come up with a realistic guest count BEFORE you book your wedding venue.  You don't want to go down the road of being venue rich and wedding poor (just made that up.) Seriously if you hypothetically fall in love with an $8500 venue and your budget was supposed to be 10K; now what?

Once you have set a budget, venue research and design ideas should be next.  Pick one to two venues that represent that theme or atmosphere to you. Compare the two venues side by side and decide on your must-haves!  

Less is more so try to focus first on the basics like seating, food, beverage and music.  Attend a local wedding expo to see firsthand what some of the options are, then book some initial consultations with vendors that you are interested in.  These consultations or even phone calls with vendors will help you get a sense of what is available in your area, and who you vibe with! Budget is important, but so is having a connection with your potential team of vendors.

Once you have your primary vendors booked, don't be afraid to ask them for recommendations or look through some of their albums from previous weddings and events to see if any ideas stand out to you.  You don't have to reinvent the wheel, just add your personal touch through the details.  

 Seating charts, escort card tables, or personalized wedding favors can really tell a story.  While creating a seating chart seems like a hassle, it can really make the transition from cocktail hour to reception smooth because guests don't have to scramble to find a table that seats their whole party and it can often ensure that your immediate family have a seat within a good view from your table.  

Share your Pinterest board with your wedding planner or vendor team to give them an idea of what inspires you, they may have some recommendations or ideas on how to incorporate those details into your overall design.  

Follow us on Pinterest to check out some of our inspiration boards! 

~ Happy Planning ~ 

KEEP CALM AND HYDRATE!

Why staying hydrated should be on your to-do list

Its early June in Chico and we are already seeing temps over 100 degrees, yet staying hydrated or incorporating ways to keep your guests hydrated can sometimes be forgotten until the last minute.  Check out our board of fun ideas on Pinterest for ideas on staying cool and treating your guests to a great time!

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

From personalized water bottle labels to elaborate hydration stations, have fun with it! 

~ Happy Planning! ~

Social Media & Your Wedding

social%20media%20tag%20cloud%20heart%20shapefacebook-cookie-wedding As the new iPhone 6 and 6+ is released, we see more and more apps created out of convenience and our need to be constantly connected to the world around us.  We share tidbits of our daily lives, (some share more than others) but when it comes to your wedding you should consider how much you want to put out there.  Documenting your wedding in social media has it's definite pros and cons, according to SocialMediaWeek.org, Social Media has "intensified the pressures for wedding perfection."  Images courtesy of mediashower.com, venuesafari.com

To share or not to share...

The main issue that I come across is when couples have a limited guest list and a friend or family member get upset when they read via Facebook that others were invited, and they weren't.  This can be avoided by only sharing event information via private messages, or by phone or speak with anyone you think may be offended by not getting an invite to explain your limited guest list.

For those who are looking forward to sharing all of their wedding details online, social media can serve as a tool to help you not only post your information but to connect with others who want to share pictures or communicate. Here are a few different ways to use social media.

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1.  Create a Wedding Website Access tools like sharing your inspiration details, gather and share photos, post your registry link or event information such as directions or local attractions for out of town guests.  You can create your own free site at TheKnot.com, MyWedding.com, WeddingWire.com or design a premium site at Sittinginatree.co. (Image courtesy of http://designmodo.com/wedding-website/)

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2. Hashtags You can create a hashtag for your wedding, and put the information on a sign at your reception notifying guests of how they can post pictures or well wishes.  Dress it up by adding coordinating flowers or décor.  (Images courtesy exclusiveweddingtales.com)

youtubewedding 3. YouTube If you have a dance number planned, or funny toast you can share these must watch moments on youtube to share with guests who couldn't attend.

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4. Pinterest Pinterest offers a Privacy option for your board allowing you to make the board "secret" or choose to can view/submit pins.  This would allow your bridal party to be in on things without putting it on social media if needed.

At the end of the day, it is completely up to you if you want to keep your wedding information private, or share with the world so make sure to communicate your wishes with your friends and family.

Happy Planning

 

Tackling Your Pinterest Board: how to focus ideas into a vision

By Christina Rafael

When I first got engaged, back in February 2012, I had a plethora of ideas I wanted to incorporate into my wedding and no idea how to execute them.

Was I a modern bride? Rustic? Should I call vendors? What about my dress?

These were just some of the topics I was mulling over in my brain and obsessing over in my dreams.

I had been planning—like most women I know—an imaginary dream wedding on Pinterest for quite some time before a ring was even introduced by my fiance. Anytime I would see something shiny or pretty, I would pin it.  Anytime something made me cry, I would pin it. And anytime I did a mini clap over a creative idea, I would pin it.

I got a bit shameless with my “pinnings” and needless to say, had no focus or clear vision for my big day (May 25th!)

I’m sure I’m not the only person who went a bit overboard with ideas and thought it might be helpful for our 530 Brides to know they aren’t alone!

Here’s some tips on how I was able to condense my  ideas, pave the road to planning and communicate with vendors who lacked psychic abilities to know EXACTLY what I wanted.

Take a Good, hard, look at your wedding Pinterest board

I set aside a morning to scan all three hundred pins (I know…) and look through them for repetitive ideas.

I recorded reoccurring themes and colors on post-it’s and found that I pinned, more than often, a LOT of burlap and blush-themed wedding ideas. As a result of this exercise I was able to determine my colors (neutrals with splashes of blush) and bridal style: rustic romantic. I was also able to select DIY projects I could successfully complete.

Folders, folders galore

My wedding folders can be classified as a bit obsessive. Once I was going through my Pinterest  on paper I decided to tackle it virtually. I saved actual images from pins to my desktop and classified them by what they applied to.

For example, if I loved a cake design I would have a folder entitled “Reception” and within that folder would be one named “Food”, within THAT folder would be a “cake” folder filled with several photos.

This organization prevented me from getting lost in my own ideas. It also came in handy to show family and vendors photos of what inspired me from my laptop without relying on wifi connection.

Look at vendor websites

One thing I’ve learned as a bride is to pay attention to the vendors you pick and why you pick them.

Many wedding vendors—from caterers to consultants—have social media you can look at to view previous work. If you seem drawn to a certain vendor, make sure to see what they’ve done in the past and branch off of it.

For example, if you find a dessert display (like the one pictured above) on a caterer's Facebook page, reference it to them when you discuss your own plans and discuss why you liked it.

Often times they’ll be flattered, know exactly what you’re talking about and can make it better than it was before.

Call in for re-enforcements

If your vision wanders, you feel overwhelmed or just have a small question as you begin this planning journey, give us a call or comment on a post through our website or on social media . We're always reading our feedback and love to hear from our brides.

Our services are also available, from full planning packages to specialized event coordination. We also offer hour-long consultations where you can get detailed answers to questions, help with vendor planning, guides for invitation wording  and much more.

Happy Planning and remember, we're here if you need a hand.