Northern California Wedding Planner | Butte Star Ranch - Ally and Dalton

Wedding planning for Ally & Dalton was a path with several obstacles but whenever they faced a challenge - they took it head on as a couple! The strength and patience that our couples have shown when making the decision to postpone or pivot their wedding plans, it is pretty incredible!

Let’s get to the fun part; where they finally got to share their I Do’s with all of their friends and family:

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Every celebration that we are a part of fills our hearts completely, it was truly a magical day and we are excited to see what the next chapter holds for The Stephens!

Vendor Team:
Photography: Peach Lemons Photography
Venue: Butte Star Ranch
DJ: The Wedding DJ
Wedding Management: The 530 Bride
Rentals: Chico Party Rentals
Caterer: Special Times Catering

Northern California Wedding Planner | White Ranch Wedding ~ Caitlin & Grant

Real Wedding - White Ranch, Chico ~ Caitlin & Grant ~

Time flies but it feels like we were just sitting down with Caitlin & Grant to plan their wedding, looking through Caitlin's inspiration photos and attending appointment with vendors.  Now, here we are about to wrap up our 2017 but not without a special blog post about Caitlin & Grant's beautiful wedding day! 

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Caitlin and Grant are just one of those couples who are so in tune with each other and just fun to be around.  Caitlin is a teacher and Grant works for PG&E so they already had a lot on their plate on top of trying to plan a wedding.  It was our pleasure to be a part of their day and to make wedding planning as smooth as possible for them! 

Caitlin & Grant's friends and family were the sweetest people and there was a lot of love & laughter around.  Caitlin really thought of everything for her day including lots of games for the kiddos to enjoy out on the lawn.  

We loved getting to see these fun photos from their day, captured by Ranalla Photo + Films!

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A big thank you to the amazing White Ranch for always being such a welcoming venue, we absolutely adore this beautiful property! 

Event Partners:
Venue: White Ranch Events
Photographer: Ranalla Photo & Films 
Florist: Little Red Hen Florist
Desserts: Cinful Desserts 
Rentals: Chico Party Rentals 
DJ: The Wedding DJ
Catering: Norcal Catering
 

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! 
 

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 ~ 

Dessert Display Ideas | The 530 Bride

What is your wedding style?

Brides are finding freedom with their wedding cake designs, flavors and display options then ever before.  Couples often use their wedding cake and desserts as the focal point of their wedding reception which means it will get a lot of attention from guests.  It's not all about the cake itself, how you display your cake  and desserts can also add to the overall effect.  Display your wedding desserts with one of these five display styles: 

Classic

Rustic

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Desserts by Blue Sugar 

Desserts by Blue Sugar 

Chandelier Style 

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Dramatic Flair - The Suspended Wedding Cake Stand

platinum-wedding-cake

Image via Pinterest 

Pedestal Cake Stands

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Remember your desserts can be an accent, or a standalone feature of your wedding and doesn't necessarily have to jive with your whole "theme" or specific palette.  Go for a personal touch or use materials that really create a focal point for your reception, and if you need ideas ask your wedding planner, or consult with your photographer as they will know the types of materials that photograph well. 

~ Happy Planning 

11.07.15 Jacyln + Kevin | Tuscan Ridge Golf Course Wedding

Jackie & Kevin shared their love story with their wedding guests in a unique way, their photographer Christopher Armstrong captured a short video during their engagement session asking questions of how they met, how they knew that the other was "the one".  It was intimate and heartfelt, just like this sweet couple.  We were honored to be a part of their wedding day! 

Jackie & Kevin Rings
Rustic Ceremony Details
Jackie & Kevin Ceremony
Jackie & Kevin Ceremony Photo
jackie and kevin centerpiece
Jackie & Kevin Wedding Cake
Jackie & Kevin Wedding Party
Jackie and Kevin Wedding Day

Venue: Tuscan Ridge Golf Course // Coordination: The 530 Bride // Wedding Cake: Cinful Desserts // Photography: Christopher Armstrong Photography // Video: Luke Scherba // Flowers: MC Floral Dreamworks 
 

Terri + Albert | Rustic TJ Farms Wedding

This family does everything together, like plan three weddings in one year!

We instantly fell in love with Terri and her contagious smile, she laughs and she enjoys life period.  The love that she has found with Albert is simply fate, and being a part of their day was refreshing and fun! 

Thank you to Trevor & Jordan Clavorie who shot this wedding, the photos captured their joy and love on this special day! 

Photo by @TreClav

Photo by @TreClav

Florals by Expressions M & T

Florals by Expressions M & T

Terri & Albert Wedding Rings
Florals by Expressions M & T 

Florals by Expressions M & T 

That's right, all three of these lovely sisters said I Do' in the same year! Photo by @TreClav

That's right, all three of these lovely sisters said I Do' in the same year! Photo by @TreClav

Terri & Albert Wedding Party
Photography by @TreClav 

Photography by @TreClav 

Photo by @TreClav, Custom Arch by WeDo Designs 

Photo by @TreClav, Custom Arch by WeDo Designs 

Chico Wedding Planner | Shaffer Ranch - Merrit & Eric

An Effortless Romance 

There is something about these two and their quiet confidence that puts those around them at ease.  When it came to their wedding day, there was no big crazy entrance, no garter or bouquet toss; it was about spending time with their guests and having a good time! They chose a great venue for doing just that, Shaffer Ranch was a relaxed setting that offered a beautiful backdrop for their day.  

  

  

You just can't have a wedding at Shaffer Ranch without loving this staple red door at the entry way, it's pretty famous! 

You just can't have a wedding at Shaffer Ranch without loving this staple red door at the entry way, it's pretty famous! 

 The mother of the bride created the centerpieces, welcome table, and signage for the wedding.  The rustic and eclectic style couldn't have been more perfect, and there were so many fun personal touches throughout the wedding.

 The mother of the bride created the centerpieces, welcome table, and signage for the wedding.  The rustic and eclectic style couldn't have been more perfect, and there were so many fun personal touches throughout the wedding.

Shaffer-Ranch-Wedding-Pie-Table
sweetcottage-pies

The Sweet Cottage in Chico baked these pies with love, so it was no surprise that guests couldn't wait to check out the different flavors.  The rustic cake stands were provided by the brides mother, another awesome piece to the overall design.  From the epic toasts (and roasts) to the personalized koozies, it was a great wedding and we are so happy for Mr. & Mrs. Healy to start the next chapter of their lives together!  We can't wait to see some of the photos from Katelyn Owens Photography!
 
Venue //  Shaffer Ranch,
Entertainment // Live Band Audiotherapy
Event Rentals WeDo Designs,
Catering // Norcal Catering,
Dessert // The Sweet Cottage
Luxury Restroom Trailer//New Hock Farms,